darkest before the dawn ;

Where: Level two, Ministry of Magic With: John Dawlish & @venusiacrickerly·

There wassome ministry pamphlet that said every hour you were supposed to get up, walkaround, stretch, and relax your eyes from the strain of working through endlessscrolls of parchment instead of enjoying the sights of literally anything else. John took it to heart sometimes, the odeto his health being a vital importance to get the job done. Leaning his lankyframe against his desk instead of sitting in it, the familiar thunderous stepsof cladding boots had him grinning before he even looked up. “Wow,” Hemurmured, flipping the folder closed that he’d been reviewing in his hand,tossing it onto his desk. “You know, Hogwarts is about four hundred miles—that way—“ He pointed in the oppositedirection of them, leaning one arm against the sturdy cubicle wall. “Whatdragged you back here, V?”

A constant ebb and flow, that was how the Ministry worked. Bustling with busybodies who had direct focal points to their next destination, no one stuck around to dawdle. The Ministry had always been like a second home to Venusia, her great great grandmother a former Minister, former Auror--everything Venusia aspired to become, quite possibly stemmed from the heavy weight her namesake had on her petite shoulders. 

Level two was her favorite floor to be, like a breath of fresh air the second her feet started on the floor, heeled boots clicking harshly against the slab flooring. And came to face to face with John, smirk instantly curling on her lips, dimpling her cheek. “Shouldn’t need a reason to come back to our headquarters.” She quipped back dryly, but John knew her well enough to know she was only teasing. “Besides, could say the same for you--how’s the training?”

Where: The Great Hall, 6:07 pm With: Antonin Dolohov & @venusiacrickerly·

He had toadmit—there was something comical about sharing both the halls they once walkedtogether, and now—returned. Dicklebdorehad been gracious enough to set up a table off the side of the Head table wheremany of the professors and faculty sat. Along the left, where six or seven ofhis colleagues would rotate now and again. Though finding himself preferablyalone, Antonin looked up. A sea of students to overlook, but the garnered grincould’ve only been perceived as bone chilling if someone knew to read thesigns. “Venusia—“ He murmured her name, setting down his utensils. “This mightbe the first time you and I are sitting down together. I was beginning to thinkI did something to offend you.”Though everything she was did offend Antonin, he knew what to do to appease theDark Lord’s requests of him. “Wine?” He asked her, lifting the bottle to fillhis goblet, holding it out to her.

There was a thrill that came with being an Auror--the opportunity to fight and protect their world. And to be summoned back to Hogwarts to do just that was the reason Venusia had joined the cause, one of the gifted years ago and thriving now, especially when Dumbledore had informed her of his own group of individuals that existed within the school, training their damnedest in an effort to be prepared for the worst. Her first instinct was to shout back that they were ‘just kids’, but if she had the opportunity to help where she could, Venusia easily would without question, and without restraint. She was named after a legacy, carried the weight of the name like a target on her backside, and she expected the students that wandered the halls today to act the same. 

“Surprised you’d come scuttling back to a place that wanted you gone in the first place.” Unfortunately there were those she’d despised that had answered the call, including Antonin Dolohov, who only ate up the fact that she loathed him. “Your presence is offensive, Antonin.” She said with narrowed eyes, swiftly pulling back her own goblet simultaneously as he offered. “I’ll get my own, thanks.”