*** QUILL / WAND !

McKinnon Family Estate. December 1, 1978. 

                      THE WHOLE THING WAS A BLUR ––––––– the last thing that Isla remembered doing was returning to her seat after dancing with a rather peculiar fellow at the McKinnons’ party. Shortly afterward, she would find herself waking up groggily from the floor ––––––– her mind in a confounded state but synapses already firing theories to be brought into question. It didn’t seem as if she had been the only one affected as well ––––––– one quick glance around the room was enough to tell her that something suspicious was going on, and that foul play was most definitely at work. 

She’s about to muster her strength to push herself off the ground when she notices a figure approaching close by. There’s a part of Isla that screams at her to instinctively reach for her wand while there’s another that tells her to observe the situation. For a former Ravenclaw, there’s only one easy choice for Isla to make. 

The Phoenix House. November 27, 1978. 

                      THERE’S SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THE SMILE THAT ISLA WEARS UPON HER LIPS ––––––– needless to say, there aren’t a lot of people that she would have dropped everything just to see. Or at the very least that’s what she told others to make them feel better. If she was being honest, there was only one person that fit the description, and it was none other than Marlene McKinnon. 

She’d booked the reservations at the Phoenix House a week in advance ––––––– a task that was immensely difficult to do unless the person in question was important, or in this case, a Rosier. Despite having returned to England for several years now, Isla still struggled with grasping the reach of her family’s influence; and though she had acknowledged it during her earlier years, it had always been Evan that had commanded it ––––––– not her. But while that was a history that haunted Isla, her memories with Marlene were some of the best. Naturally, the two hadn’t been able to see each other as much as they had since their childhood, and Isla attributed that to their differing schedules and life experiences. But it certainly wasn’t an excuse not to catch up, and that was something worth smiling about.

Date: November 12th, early evening Location: Sip and Smoke Open Starter

She’d never been a smoker, but her father’s associates were. However, she did immensely enjoy the 40 year old single-malt they offered her after she gently turned down their cigars. The meeting had ended an hour or so ago, but she was nursing the free drink they had left her with. The smell of smoke and the soft and deep tones of the customers was just where she deserved to be. She was feeling like she had a seat at the table her father denied her and gave to his son instead. Sitting next to one of the fireplaces, Adelaide stared into the fire and lost herself in just what she could do if perhaps her father took her as heir, how powerful she could make her family in the small society British purebloods had made, as she heard someone else slip into the leather chair next to her. Without letting the fact their appearance disturbed her play out on her face, she took a sip of her whiskey and glanced over at them. “Are you so desiring for company that you thought I was a good idea?” Self-deprecating as it was, it did better not to insult her new companion.

                       SOCIAL FUNCTIONS EXHAUSTED ISLA ––––––– and more often than not, the blonde found herself increasingly in need of a cigarette to soothe her nerves. She hadn’t been raised around a culture that encouraged smoking for pureblood women, of course. In fact, her mother had reinforced the idea of it as something that was churlish and unfit for a highborn woman’s behavior. But Isla’s time in France had given her more than enough time to evaluate her upbringing, and after having tried it herself, now embraced the vice rather than consolidated her beliefs in outright rejection of it. 

While Isla didn’t frequent Sip and Smoke, she was neither unfamiliar with the layout nor was she unfamiliar with its guests either. Before long, she spots a familiar ( but prominent ) face in the distance –––– and though she wasn’t usually one to initiate conversations, it seemed as if the other could benefit from her initiative. 

CORDELIA: Do you consider yourself a good person?

Sarissa pursed her lips, biding her time to construct a well-crafted answer for the other. ❝ Even the most heinous of characters believe themselves to be the heroes of their story. You’d be hard-pressed to find a person that would willingly admit to malice for the sake of malice. ❞ She paused before continuing. ❝ But just because I believe that I’m a good person, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s true. ❞ 

❝ After all, the only people we are really justified to judge are ourselves … ( ? ) ❞

PORTIA: When did you lose your innocence?

She stared downwards, allowing her eyes to linger upon the ground for a little while before raising her head again. ❝ I suppose it’d have to be when I was discovered to be force-sensitive. Nothing was the same since then. ❞ Sarissa scrunched her nose —- further elaboration was needed. ❝ Imagine a radical change in your childhood where you’re suddenly whisked away from green fields and phantasmagorical castles, and all of a sudden being trained for war. ❞ 

BIANCA: What do you want most in life?

RIGHT IN MY FEELINGS:

HECATE: Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?

JULIET: What is your favorite luxury?

@adsora​

LOCATION: GANGNAM

If there’s one thing that that Hana knew about herself, it was that she didn’t have many regrets in life. She preferred to be in control of situations that she indulged within, and when she wasn’t, it was almost quintessential that she took steps to mitigate the consequences. But amongst the regrets that she did have, few were able to match Nam Sora. 

For clarification, it wasn’t that she had a problem with the heiress. It could even be said that in her own right, Nam Sora was clever, patient, and too charming for her own good. Rather, Hana had a problem with the outcome of their relationship. After a year, Sora had blindsided Hana, and there were no warnings nor signs about her intentions. In the end, all that she left Hana with were empty promises, lonely lips, and a broken heart. 

Despite it all being in the past, as much as Hana would have liked to believe she had moved on, she simply hadn’t. She loathed how pathetic she had become but was unable to escape from the reality of it all. Considering the standards that she normally held herself to, this version of her was rather shameful. In fact, so shameful that she hadn’t realised that the line for coffee had been moving forward, and that she had been holding up the line. 

“I’ll have a latte please.” She would smile at the barista before paying and acquiring her drink. Then, a new task presented itself — searching for a spot to sit. It was a Tuesday, and the cafe was undoubtedly crowded; she expected as much anyways. So upon random selection, she would target a seat in the far corner across from a woman who Hana assumed possessed a kind disposition. In truth, with the way that the other was seated and without a clear look at her face, Hana couldn’t tell for certain. 

“Excuse me — “ Her words would be cut short upon a closer inspection of the other individual, and for a couple of moments after, Hana would remain like that. Speechless. 

”Yah! Calm down!”

If she reflected upon her decision, Hana could say that it was one made out of loneliness. Having not been in a relationship for some time now, she would have liked to say that she had become accustomed to the feeling — but she wasn't. It was for that very reason that Hana would find herself sauntering into a pet store that was neither too far nor too close away from home. 

“Hello?” She would smile whilst entering, eyes desperately searching for some human being to latch onto so she wouldn’t feel awkward. But when she had finally sought what she had been looking for, Hana was met still with the same awkwardness she wanted to avoid. “Excuse me.” She cleared her throat. “I can see that you’re a little preoccupied right now but would you happen to have any puppies that I may look at?” She paused, thinking about how to best put forth her intentions before continuing.