#( ft. athena )

[gorgonofstone]

Prior to Curse Anon: Do you loathe Athena?

“Yes. But I loathe Poseidon more so. I failed Athena, I know that. But I thought he loved me. How naive.”

[laceyyu-deactivated]

The holiday season was in incredibly busy time for mental health professionals. People having to visit their families, the stress, the busy climate, the judgement for others. All to create one huge cocktail of heightened depression and anxiety, and on top of it was the seasonal depression. Lacey always took on more overtime than most therapists given she didn’t need to travel or have a family of her own. Frankly, it was more then enough spending Christmas day with her grandfather and mother. Finishing up copying over her notes from her previous appointment to her laptop, her phone dinged with a notification that her next patient had checked in to the waiting area. Perfect timing.

She saved her work and stood up from her desk before going into the small waiting area. They were a small team, and there was no reason to have a huge area to sit in. It was more important to keep it nice and clean. Their receptionist had been kind enough to decorate it for the winter season, with plush snowmen and a bare wooden tree complete with tiny snow-covered bird ornaments. It might be 60 degrees outside, but it was still a cute display. Lacey spotted Athena in the waiting area and called out to her. “Athena?” She nodded for her to come back into Lacey’s office and gave the older woman a bright smile. “So, how are you doing?” @godathcna​

[unspeakableprewett]

@athena-fawley

Athena,

I’m in something of a rush so can’t give too many details. Can you meet me in Hogsmeade this evening? Outside Zonko’s. Around eleven. And how much do you know about centaurs? Technically, they are magical creatures, although that classification seems a little high-handed to me. Regardless, I’ve tried everything I can to get one to meet with me on more civil terms but they’re awfully private. Hagrid says they probably won’t hurt us if we go in search of them on their own ground. Although I reckon he’d say the same if he saw a Manticore hunting one of us down. “Jus’ wants a bit o’ affection, eh?” So bring your wand. But we won’t be on Hogwarts grounds so I imagine we’ll be quite able to apparate if necessary. Most importantly, I’d like your smarts. 

- Fabian

P.S. I owe you, cousin.  P.P.S. Apologies if I haven’t made the slightest whiff of sense. I’ll explain further if you can make it. 

Fabian waited impatiently for Athena to arrive. Hogsmeade was quieting down for the evening, at least in the shops. He imagined the pubs were doing alright, although more and more people liked to keep to their own homes these days. For himself, he didn’t much fear venturing out of doors at night - otherwise he certainly wouldn’t have asked his cousin to do so. At least, there wasn’t really much more danger now than there was at any other time. 

Besides, who would be insane enough to go after them in the Forbidden Forest? He amused himself with the fact that they would be safer than anyone else. If you ignored all the creatures in there. But that was why he’d gotten himself an expert. Who knew what was really lurking in the Forest, just off the edge of Hogsmeade. He’d have preferred to enter from the Hogwarts side, but understandably Dumbledore wasn’t keen on letting anyone in, even Order members. Maybe especially Order members. Doing Fabian a favour wouldn’t look so good. 

Nonetheless, he was quite sure things would go well. Keeping his wand close was of course, a necessity. But the opportunity to talk to a centaur was too good to pass up. They, more than anyone, more than any witch or wizard, knew the secrets of the Sight. 

[vancejcys]

@dirtydcsires ╱ closed starter !

         it was a typical afternoon in the frat house. nikolai was in his room pretending to study and throwing a foam basketball into the basket on the door while the other boys in the house were being loud downstairs doing god knows what. he was waiting for athena, she always knew how to get niko to focus. he was way too lucky the two had always lived in close proximity, they’ve been friends forever and he cherishes every moment they’ve had together. he denies having any sort of feelings for her, but he does and he’s terrible at hiding them. he smiled as soon as she walked through his bedroom door. at first he didn't pay attention to anything she was saying, but then something caught his attention. “wait you’re doing what?” he exclaimed. “i’m sorry, but when did this even come about? why did you decide him?” he couldn’t help but get somewhat angry. the anger and the jealous both seemed to peak as he spoke to her.

[grahamfr]

「 ✧  ─ graham in hawai pt. 001

[unspeakableprewett]

the death room { self-para }

It had been hours since the fighting broke out.

The field of battle had gone quiet, the bodies of the dead a sorry sight. He had looked for Order members, but been relieved to find none there, not lying still. Gideon had already found him, in the heat of battle they had done anything to get to each other’s side. So there had only been one person  to fear for. Unaccounted for. Fabian had from the depths of exhaustion conjured the faintest happy memory, his last birthday, the family all together; his lynx had crawled into being, looking at him with what appeared to be faint disapproval. It was only supposed to be sent to Order members, Dumbledore’s orders. An exception could be made, he thought - in fact, it had to be. He knew Athena had been here or at least, planning to come.  

The lynx would have asked her to send word, perhaps begged her to make her way to the Burrow. Gideon had gone there to tell Molly all was well, her brothers were alive. Fabian had promised to join him, as soon as he ensured Athena was safe.

So he had told the lynx to go to her. Only it went nowhere.

Of course, Fabian had felt the wrongness of that. But he had countered with the thought that there was an explanation, there would be. There was always an explanation. There were no true mysteries, Fabian knew that as surely as he knew Athena Fawley was alive.

So he had gone to the hospital. He had waited, for what seemed like hours. The waiting room full of would-be grievers who were yet to know for sure if they had to grieve. Just as he had been.

Then he had been asked to identify a body.

He had walked into the room. It had been instantly overwhelming, the people lying side by side. Strangers to each other, yet their lives would end on the same night. An odd twist of fate. He had looked into each person’s eyes, they were owed that much.

He had still felt, in his heart, that she could not be dead. Not really. Perhaps she had not even gone, at the end of day. Did Athena even care that much for Quidditch? That was the ridiculous part, in all this. And frankly, Fabian doubted very much Severus Snape liked Quidditch.  He snorted, a desperately inappropriate sound to make in this room. 

Then he had seen her. His laughter had been cut off, strangled in a second. 

He could not look at the body.

He did not know this version of his cousin. 

Lifeless. Dead. Futureless. 

Fabian had fought as fiercely as he knew how, not the strongest duellist among the Order, nor the best at offensive spells. He knew the spells, how they worked, understood the theory perfectly. But he lacked conviction, Fabian could only assume. The desire to attack. 

His stength was defense, protection - shields, wards, the like. And yet he had not been protecting Athena. He had done nothing for her.  “Athena. Athena,” he repeated, crouching down beside her. “Enervate. Enervate.” Fabian knew it wasn’t going to work. Her eyes were cold and dark. He had never seen her eyes so cold. Athena had always looked warmly at all the world - how much he regretted that at times, worried about it. He wouldn’t regret it now. 

Blood was still presumably rushing through his veins, but he felt too cold to believe it. The only circulation he was sure of were tears. He let his wand clatter out of fingers that had stopped working.

If a Priori Incantatem spell was performed now, the last spell he’d conjured had been his Patronus. Looking for her. 

Yes, that was what his wand would tell a stranger now. 

Hers, he searched for now, at her side, in her pocket. Gone. Fabian supposed it had been taken. Some kind of victory prize. How disgusting, how disgraceful. How dare they take her wand? Take anything of hers. 

If he knew who’d done it, he’d get it back. Not only would he get it back, he would destroy their wand in return. Blast it to a million pieces. Blast them to a million pieces. If he knew. If he knew.

But didn’t he know? 

There were no true mysteries. There never had been and there never would be. 

Only their own lack of knowledge. Some of that was fair ignorance. Some mysteries were greater than they could ever hope to be. Death. Even his arrogance stopped short of believing he could know that. Looking at Athena now, he didn’t understand. He couldn’t. This cold still body. Completely foreign. He could study the subject for the rest of his life and never know. 

But the other, he knew. He knew exactly where he had to go. He knew what she was, always had. She would know. She might have wielded the wand that did it. He reached out to Athena, but stopped short before he could brush her shoulder. Not able to touch her. He reached for his wand instead, its weight comforting. He was probably going to need it. 

Not looking back, he exited the room of the bodies. St Mungo’s had a Floo, at the back of the waiting room. He made his way there, ignoring grief-stricken faces, grabbing a handful of powder and throwing it away from him with a rigid, unforgiving force. 

“Lestrange Manor,” he said, then stepped into the flames.