なせばなる

azumi mori // 6th year + prefect // gryffindor

[tsundokou-blog]

augusterichson

“Uh, actually,” August scratched his chin, uncertain if he really wanted to be as kind as he was contemplating. “One of my favorites is ‘The Things They Carried’ by Tim O’Brien.” He unzipped his bag to pull it out. “I carry it around to read whenever there’s nothing to do, but uh,” August held it out to her. “You could look; see if you’re interested.” As soon as he pulled it out, he didn’t have any hesitation about it anymore. It was just a book and if she borrowed it then ruined or didn’t return it, well, it was a book after all. “You could borrow it if you want. But yeah, I do keep up with professional Quidditch. Staunch supporter of the Falmouth Falcons. You?”

August nodded his head slightly as she spoke before holding the heavy doors open for her. “A Renaissance woman then,” August announced to her sagely. “Writer of all things. Ever been published?” His question was closely followed with a glance around the room and a quieter one posed, “Did you want to have lunch, or go to your own table?” He didn’t mind either way, but he didn’t find Azumi’s company that bad at all.

Azumi took the book into her hands, running her thumb down the cover. It had quite obviously been picked up often, and she loved that - because books could tell more stories than the ones that were printed on their pages, and she held one right now. Turning the book, she skimmed over the summary on the back; it seemed quite promising. “I’ll definitely have a look - you’ll have it back by next week, or probably earlier than that. Thank you.” The girl opened her bag, giving August a smile as she carefully put it away.  She could easily understand that doubt one felt when giving away their favourite book, and she wouldn’t prolong the other’s suffering.

“At home I supported the Fitchburg Finches, and I have a soft spot for Toyohashi Tengu - my dad grew up in Japan, and he’s quite the fan - but I haven’t found the time to check out the local teams. I’ll have to trust your judgement on this one, I’m afraid.” Azumi was interested in Quidditch, but the English league had hardly mattered before she had switched schools, and she hadn’t found time to get to know the teams well enough to support any of them.

She stepped through the doors into the hall, nodding her head in thanks at August; being polite seemed to be natural to him, and it was quite pleasant. “I have, actually - only in muggle magazines, though. I’ve participated in a few writing contests, short stories mostly. I can dig a few pieces up, if you’re interested?” She glanced up at him, a smile still dancing on her lips. “Well, August - I came here to have lunch, so that’s what I’ll be doing. Care to join me?”

[tsundokou-blog]

grace--raleigh

She was sympathetic to the task of learning the ins and outs of Hogwarts— especially when some rooms tended to rearrange themselves, and the staircases were never much help either. She smiled at the mention of the snow, though she preferred spring or summer, winter had its charms here. “You’ll like Hogsmeade Village in the wintertime,” she said with a small grin.

As Azumi turned back to her schedule, Grace spoke easily. There was something to be said for having a working relationship with other students. She’d always found herself growing rather awkward when forced into small talk, and this was much easier to discuss.

“Absolutely. It does take getting used to. We did our best to pair new Prefects with the ones who’ve been here before, for the first little while. You’re with…” she checked the sheets again. Noah Romero. That’s good, he’s also a Gryffindor, seventh year. We were patrol partners for the last two years. You’ll get along great, I’m sure.“ With that settled, she put her back aside and leaned back, crossing her legs and relaxing as she listened to Azumi’s observation. Her eyes widened and she sat a little straighter. “Oh, no, I’m not— I mean, it has been a long day, but I’ve handled worse. Thank you for the offer, though, I’ll remember it.” Azumi was going to be a great Prefect, she had no doubt anymore, and smiled warmly at the girl.

“Hogsmeade Village, huh? I’ve only heard good things about it.” Azumi tucked her feet under his thighs, making herself comfortable in her seat; Grace had obviously warmed up and calmed down a little. “I’ve been told that the chocolate you can get there is extremely good, so I’m pretty excited about that.”

“Noah Romero...” Azumi glanced up to look around the common room, mostly to have something to do. She didn’t actually know who Noah Romero was, because while they had been introduced on the train, she hadn’t managed to remember any names of the prefects in different years. “Do point him out to me when you see him, please - I don’t think I remember what he looks like.” It was assuring to know she’d be with someone more experienced; she was sure that she’d be used to the routine within a few weeks, but until then it would be quite difficult to go about things on her own.

Azumi couldn’t help but laugh quietly as Grace shot up again, distractedly pulling at a loose string at the bottom of her skirt. “Just because you’ve had worse doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to relax - seriously, I’m here if things get too difficult. And I’m sure the other prefects think that way too. We’re here to support you, aren’t we?”

[tsundokou-blog]

nadyapetrov

Nadya saw the look that Azumi gave her before asking about Durmstrang. Everyone was convinced that the Nordic school was nothing but dungeons and ice, weren’t they? “I have found that the mentality that children should be seen and not heard was perpetuated throughout my school years, it really stuck with me. At Durmstrang we took magic very seriously,” Nadya informed the Ilvermorny alum. “We were taught to hold our studies in high regard and we frequently competed against each other, so we are also quite fond of winning. “I like to think that it makes us more driven, but I know I have seen some of my old classmates softening up already. Melting in the sweltering Scottish sun.” Nadya looked over to the window, where grey light filtered down from the cloudy sky. “It is not so bad. We just are not so adept at having fun as we would be if we came from Ilvermorny, like you.”

Growing up, Azumi had been taught to let her voice be heard; she had been told that she, just as everyone else, could make a difference, and that kind of mindset had obviously been amiss at Durmstrang. And while magic had always been taken seriously, there had been an option for hem to explore instead of keeping to set rules; to figure out their own way to do things.

“I understand the competitiveness, at least - we actually had house cups for most of our classes, so there was a lot more emphasis on which house you were in. I can’t say we were pushed as hard as you probably were, though.” She raised one shoulder in a shrug. “Melting, huh? It is pretty warm here - we rarely ever had to suffer through more than eighteen degrees, and that was in June just when holidays were about to start. “ Living over a thousand meters above sea levels had certainly affected the temperature. “We’ll teach you, you just wait.”

[tsundokou-blog]

augusterichson

After helping her down the step, August shoved both hands into his pockets– One step forward, two steps back. “I read a lot too– Mostly war story type stuff,” he lifted his shoulders. “I also play Quidditch. My position is the Keeper.”

He paused in his step for a moment, looking both ways. They were in an unfamiliar area and he couldn’t trace it in his head to the map he had memorized. August, despite admittedly being a little lost, was decisive and walked again with reassurance. “So, writing,” He began again, eyes on the doors and halls to keep track. “What kind of stuff do you write? Stories, poems…Genres?” He smiled to himself noting that he finally recognized their location. “Great Hall’s not far off.”

“War stories, huh? If you have any favourites, feel free to recommend me some.” Azumi hummed in acknowledgement; for all the things she’d read, she couldn’t exactly remember reading anything that could be described as such, and she was quite curious. “I’ll have to watch out for you at the games - do you keep up with professional Quidditch, too?”

She stopped when he did, but August seemed to immediately remember where to go, and Azumi certainly appreciated the quick thinking; she had no idea where they were. “Epic mostly, but I did have a poem phase a few years back. I was really into haikus, but I guess they weren’t into me.” She gave a small shrug. “I loved fairytales as a child, and I can’t shake that influence, but it’s a bit of everything I’m in the mood for." She looked up at his words, and alas - the surroundings were finally familiar again. “I don’t think I ever could’ve gotten here on my own.”

[tsundokou-blog]

@lilmissmarisol

It had been a long day; Azumi had spent most of it studying, mainly because the curriculum had just been slightly different at Ilvermorny, but now that she’d finished all her homework and tended to her prefect duties, she’d decided that it was time to relax - so here she was, sitting in a corner of the prefect’s bathroom, a book in her hands and a face mask covering her skin, when Marisol pushed through he doors and entered the room.

Azumi hadn’t expected to see anyone around this late, so her appearance took her by surprise; she jumped, then looked up, and gave a small exhale of relief when she spotted who the intruder was, letting a small smile grace her lips.

“Are you here for a bath? I’ll be gone in a few minutes, so don’t worry about me.”

[tsundokou-blog]

nadyapetrov

Nadya’s shoulders lifted to mirror Azumi’s. She didn’t much care either way, since the classes she took were closely grouped and she had found them with ease. A much more natural smile appeared, slow and sly on her lips at Azumi’s next inquiry.  Nadya considered herself adept at showing people what they wanted to see. A quick glance might trick you into seeing a fourteen year old, but when people really looked at her they didn’t think she was young at all. “It used to happen quite often. But people are loathe to make the mistake more than once.” Her head tilted, considering a group of students that wandered past. “I chalk it up to my being an old soul. That, and I get the sense that Durmstrang has hardened us somewhat.” It had been quick work to recognize her peers in the smiling masses.

Nadya seemed more comfortable now, after a few minutes of small talk, and Azumi found herself relaxing; there was no reason to be on her guard, after all, and Nadya seemed nice enough. “If it’s because you’re from Durmstrang, then I’m sure it’s different here.” Azumi know for certain that Ilvermorny had been a lot more relaxed; it was still rumoured that they taught dark magic at Durmstrang, whereas Ilvermorny had been co-founded by a muggle; it was an entirely different atmosphere. “You guys seem more serious, but not in a negative way - it’s a bit refreshing, really. You have this aura that you get things done quickly.”

An old soul; Azumi couldn’t say she was one herself, even though she liked to read, but she didn’t comment on it. “Was it very strict? I’ve heard a few awful rumours, but I’ve chosen not to believe in them.”

[tsundokou-blog]

grace--raleigh

Grace had hoped she wouldn’t be interrupting anything too much, but Azumi seemed really fine with her stopping to chat, and that was a relief. Even just being off her feet for a while would be a good change, she realized, having scarcely sat all day, except for dinner, and even that she’d rushed through.

“Thank you. I always did love this fireplace,” she said, taking in the carved wood structure, warm in the firelight, and sitting in a high-backed chair next to Azumi. “So, how’re you settling in? I know it’s a lot, to be in a new place and also be appointed to Prefect.” She was sympathetic to how overwhelming that must be, with all these new students. “Oh, that reminds me…” She dug in her bag, and quickly located one of several sheets of parchment, handing it to the girl. “I’ve got your schedule for this month’s patrols, here, though the others will get their copies tomorrow morning.”

Azumi marked the page she had left off in her notebook, then closed it and leant forwards to set it down on the low coffee table next to the armchair she had curled up in, making sure to set the pen down next to it so it wouldn’t get lost and she’d spare herself from having to look for it later.

“I haven’t taken a good look at it yet, but it makes the whole place feel really warm and comfortable, so I definitely won’t complain. It must be really nice in the winter, when there’s snow outside.” Up on Mount Greylock, there had been a lot of snow, so she wasn’t exactly looking forward to it - the warmer climate in summer, however, something that excited her.

“It’s been fine, mostly - I don’t know my way around yet, but I think once I’ve got it down, things will get a lot easier. We all need to get used to the place first.” She took the parchment, and quickly glanced over it before setting it down in her lap. “Thank you for giving me these, I’ll have a look later - and if you need any help, feel free to ask me. You seem stressed out.”

[tsundokou-blog]

nadyapetrov

Even though Nadya had only given her first name, Azumi had a point– Nadya Petrov was a name well-suited to Durmstrang. She listened as the Gryffindor continued, glancing around the passageway where they stood. “The map could be enchanted to change with the staircases, if anyone bothered to take the time,” Nadya pointed out. It was time-consuming to tie the magic of the stairs to a parchment, but it was certainly doable. Azumi’s thoughtful process of elimination was straightforward, offered so politely Nadya dipped her head in acknowledgement. “Quite right. I am very glad you did not take the liberty of assuming I was younger than you. That frequently irks me.” She might have been shorter than most girls her age, but Nadya did her best to give of the impression that she was the tallest person in the room.

“That would be an awful lot of work though, wouldn’t it? You’d have to know the pattern, and it’d have to work correctly at any time - and that amount of work for all students? It’s no surprise they didn’t do it.” She lifted a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. It didn’t matter anyway; they’d figure it out eventually, and until then they had an excuse for being late in classes.

Nadya certainly didn’t seem younger; she might have been shorter, and Azumi couldn’t be sure when looking at her face, but her aura of quiet confidence spoke for itself. She had never met anyone younger than her who was this self-assured without being boisterous. “Does it happen a lot? It does to me, but that’s because I’ve got a babyface - I can’t really imagine it happening to you, honestly.”

[tsundokou-blog]

augusterichson

Per Azumi’s agreement to his offer, August led them towards where he presumed the Great Hall was. They had to go back a different way, but if he was right, there were about three other ways to go from here. He listened to her answer, nodding his head. It was a typical modest answer, but August had to assume there was something else. Even Lloyd, however people saw him, August could tell there was more to the boy than his affluence spoke for him– He deserved the position he was given.

“Well, you must’ve done really well,” August lifted his shoulders. They stood at the top of a new platform of stairs and it seemed they made it on time because a set of stairs moved to meet them at their feet. He held his hand out to help her down the, momentarily, unstable steps. “So, Azumi,” August began companionably (as she seemed the type to appreciate small talk rather than loathe it), “What do you do for fun?”

Azumi followed the boy quickly; he seemed to now where he was going, and while this would imply that he had been a Hogwarts student previously, he had a bit of an accent. It was hard to tell though, and she certainly wouldn’t dig at it.

“I can say that at the very least, I tried my best.” She shrugged, looking around in order to try to familiarise herself with the place. All hallways seemed to look the same, so she quickly started concentrating on the paitings lining the walls.

She took the offered hand and safely made it onto the steps, thanking him as she let go. He was a gentleman, and it was sweet of him to help her, but she wasn’t sure what to make of it. The change from last to first names was a bit surprising, but not unpleasantly so. “I write a lot - and I read, too. The library here is pretty great, honestly, bigger than the one we had at Ilvermorny. What about you, August?”

[tsundokou-blog]

nadyapetrov

“Good guess,” Nadya confirmed Azumi’s suspicions, relaxing her posture somewhat and adjusting the strap on her school bag. It had become a pastime throughout the castle to guess who was from where, but their accents really had killed the game for them. Suddenly remembering the first year she had sent on her way, Nadya’s gaze lifted to the staircase. He hadn’t come back, so she must’ve been on to something with the direction, then. “I have to be honest, I lack a firm understanding of the layout of this castle, too. But three-quarters of the student body is new, so…” she trailed off conspiratorially before giving the other a thoughtful look. She had a free period and a curiosity as to what the basis of the girl’s moderate confidence was– picking her brain couldn’t hurt. “What year are you, Azumi?”

“Your name gave you away.” Combined with the accent, of course - though Azumi, with her Japanese heritage, had her reservations judging by either, it wasn’t difficult to guess when there were only two options avalable, with Ilvermorny and Hogwarts ruled out already.

“They should’ve given us a map for orientation, really... although I suppose it wouldn’t help much, with those stairs. It’s a bit of a gamble, but I guess that makes it fun.” For the students who knew their way around already, at least. It certainly kept them on their toes, even if it was a huge inconvenience. And they’d master it within two weeks, anyway.

“I’m a 6th year - and I haven’t seen you in any of my classes, so I’ll take a wild guess and say that you’re a year above me.”

[tsundokou-blog]

augusterichson

August’s gaze trailed to the stairs as she spoke of them. They moved, the course stones causing loud friction as they switched from one area to another. The lack of silence in their movements really brought some life to the castle. If a building could sound smug, the castle surely did. “If I learn the pattern for it, I’ll find you and let you know.” It seemed like a project to work on anyways.

“Don’t even mention it,” August said of her thanks. He would have done it for anyone. “Have you had lunch yet, Mori? I believe they’re having a buffet of meals for everyone while we’re all still getting settled. I could help you back to the Great Hall, if you’d like.” He gestured to her badge. “You could also tell me what kind of achievements you have under your belt to make them assign you a Prefect over a usual Hogwarts student. Should be impressive.”

Azumi turned her head as she saw August’s gaze move away from her face, and grimaced as she watched the stairs moving, effectively blocking the path they’d come from. There wouldn’t be an easy way back, then. “Please do - I’ll let you know if I figure it out, myself.” Not that it was likely she ever would.

She refused to take his help for granted; not everyone would’ve offered to show the way instead of just giving directions, and his kindness was appreciated, but Azumi kept this to herself. “I haven’t, actually, I was just on my way to get there.. it’d be great of you if you could take me there, though, because while I’m fairly sure I’ve been here before, I don’t know how to get back.” Always going downstairs would be the first option; but having someone show her the way would be more effective by far. “Not that impressive, I’m afraid - I’ve done well in the school cups over the past few years, so it’s probably that.”

[grace--raleigh-blog]

After dinner had finished, and with most people finding their way to their Common Rooms and dorms for the evening, Grace found herself wandering through Gryffindor Tower. Not that she didn’t have more work to do— but she felt rather at loose ends trying to work on schedules for the new prefects in the Head Dorm. It was too quiet, and she was used to dealing with the chatter of other students as background noise.

Of course, now that there were more students, the chatter was… significant, and the Common Room full of chaos, so this might not be a good solution after all. She caught sight of a girl with a prefect badge shining on her shirt, who was writing in a slightly quieter corner, and approached with a small smile. “It’s Azumi Mori, isn’t it?” The sixth year prefect had come from Ilvermorny, and though they hadn’t had a chance to exchange more than a brief introduction on the train, Grace thought she would be perfect for the role. It was just an instinct.

@tsundokou

[tsundokou-blog]

When Azumi had first stepped into the Gryffindor common room, she had immediately felt welcomed; the comfortable armchairs and red-and-gold decorations seemed extremely homey, and thefact that they would live in a tower had brought a smile on her face. After only a few hours, however, the loud chatter had slowly gotten the best of her, and she had curled up in a corner, not feeling up to socialising.

She had almost lost herself in her scribbling; if she were to go back on her writing, she would surely find an unacceptable amount of misspellings, but writing came easy that night, and so she didn’t put her pen down until she heard her name called; her gaze snapped up. Seeing Grace was a bit of a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. “That would be me - do you want to sit down? It’s a lot quieter here than near the fire.”

[tsundokou-blog]

nadyapetrov

The girl turned back to her, smile dimming but staying fixed on her face. Nadya returned it, following the social norm here even if it did make her feel like an idiot. The girl’s uniform, Nadya noted, was all scarlet in gold where her own was blue and bronze. A Gryffindor, then, and a prefect to boot if the badge on the girl’s chest had anything to say about it. “My name is Nadya, but I don’t believe we’ve met.” She offered her hand to shake. Nadya really hadn’t ever noticed Azumi before, but that wasn’t surprising. She had been putting all her attention into knowing everyone in Ravenclaw by name, saving the branching out to other houses for later in the term. “Your accent’s American, so I’m guessing you hail from Ilvermorny?”

Nadya’s smile seemed a bit forced - which wasn’t a surprise. Azumi herself wasn’t the most cheerful person, but she had always been open to make new friends; and while she was a bit reserved while getting to know people, not sharing too much about herself and unable to handle boisterous characters, she had no problem approaching strangers and engaging them in small talk.

She took the offered hand, shook it and gave it a small squeeze before letting go. “I tend to remember faces quickly, we’ve probably just passed each other in the hallways a few times.” She gave a shrug, posture relaxing a little. “That’s right - and I’m guessing you’re from Durmstrang?”

[tsundokou-blog]

augusterichson 

“I understand,” August replied, leading the way. As he directed them the proper route to the room they were looking for, he noted the unfamiliar areas they walked through. It matched up on the map he’d memorized in his head, but now he could have a more personable image of the place. “Durmstrang isn’t as elaborate as Hogwarts either. Either the school was always this confusing to navigate or the architect in the redesign went a little too far.” August glanced down to the two following him. “I believe the room you’re looking for is on the right.” The kid thanked him profusely before quickly entering the room. Left alone with the girl, he faced her uncertainly. She looked fragile– More so than most girls usually were. There was a compulsion to seem more amicable than he usually was. He introduced himself with a thin smile. “August Erichson.”

Azumi hadn’t been in this part of the castle before, although she was fairly certain that she knew the place where the child eventually parted from them; her Arithmancy classroom was just a few doors down, but the path she had used to get there before was entirely different. “I’d like to believe that it was the architect trying to mess with people, but I don’t think they put this much thought into it-- there has to be some sort of pattern for the staircase, though.” She shrugged; it wasn’t a pressing issue, so she wouldn’t bother thinking too much about it now. She watched the student disappear, then turned back to the boy in front of her. “Thanks a lot, I don’t think I would’ve been able to get here on my own.”

She acknowleged his introduction with a smile of her own, but didn’t offerher hand for him to shake; he seemed a bit too reserved for it,and she herself wasn’t sure what to do with herself now that they had no reason not to walk away without talking. “Azumi Mori, it’s nice to meet you. You’re a real lifesaver, Erichson.”

[tsundokou-blog]

augusterichson

It had been strange to August that despite not being a Prefect, let alone a previous student at Hogwarts, people seemed to flock to him. It could have been because he’d done his prior research and generally knew his way around the castle enough that he appeared at home with his brisk strides, but odd it still was. Especially when his own house-and-year’s Prefect had asked him things. The worst might’ve been being mistaken for the Head Boy. Still, August helped everyone on their way with no complaint and when he heard a voice directed at him, he turned to nod.

“Yeah, it’s kind of far from here.” August looked between the girl and the younger student behind her. The first thing he noted was her Prefect badge. New then too, he could establish. “Come on, I can show you both. If you’re wondering about anything else, I can do that too.”

Azumi could memorize entire books; she had no problem studying for tests, and was quick to recognise patterns, but the moving staircases of Hogwarts were beyond her. She had been so preoccupied reading up on the British wizarding community - had said slang like “muggle” out loud until it didn’t sound alien to her - and had spent her summer leafing through the textbooks to make sure she’d be able to follow all her classes - that she had completely forgotten to study a map. It would all solve itself, she had thought; a tour of the building and she’d know her way around. Oh, she had been so awfully wrong.

But the boy she had approached seemed to know where to go, and she let out a relieved sigh at the positive answer and the offer to show them the way. “That would really be wonderful, I barely know how to get to my own classes. This place is just awfully confusing.”

[tsundokou-blog]

nadyapetrov

Nadya was perfectly used to castles. Nadya was perfectly used to the crush of students that moved between classes. Nadya was not, however, perfectly used to the atmosphere of abject friendliness and unity that seemed to permeate Hogwarts. It unnerved her that she had to be smiling all the time. She missed Durmstrang’s aura of stoicism. 

The authoritative voice caught her attention and she turned towards it. “I believe it should be up that staircase,” Nadya answered, head tilting to indicate which one she meant. She hadn’t actually ever seen a classroom 7A, but she had recently come from 7D and was taking the wild guess that it might be close. It was truly a wild guess, considering the English propensity for mucking up even the most straightforward of tasks.

Azumi glanced up the aforementioned staircase; it did look rather promising, because it was - at the very least - a piece of advice that she herself couldn’t offer, and so she gave the child by her side an encouraging smile and a small nudge; the First Year scurried off, and Azumi watched her go, glad that the task had been solved this easily.

“Thanks a lot.” Her smile dimmed a little as she turned around, but it was more genuine now; thankful, and perhaps a little shy. “I barely know my way around myself yet, and having people ask me for directions is a bit nerve-wracking.” ‘A bit’ was an understatement, but she was certain it’d get easier - once she’d grown used to the castle. “I’m Azumi, and I think I’ve seen you around, but I can’t seem to recall your name?”

[tsundokou-blog]

Azumi & OPEN

Being assigned prefect duties at a school she didn’t know was both flattering and unnerving; because while she had quickly figured out how to get to her classrooms, she didn’t know the whole building, and she couldn’t just ignore the first year, quite obviously attracted by her badge, who was staring up at her with wide eyes. She wasn’t taking Astronomy - she wasn’t even sure if she’d seen the teacher around.

She rested a hand on the student’s shoulder to calm both the child and herself, and then she craned her head to see if anyone was around who might be able to help her - anyone her age would do. When she spotted someone, she ushered the First Year with her, walking towards the person with quick steps.

“Hey you, do you know how to get to classroom 7A?”