we could call it even [aidan]

[ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON]

Early December 2025

Astrid knew that Hy-Brasil had always existed, but had never had the opportunity to visit until after graduating from Durmstrang. Her parents would never fund a visit, and it had taken her some time to find the magical coinage to pay for her trip. But finally, when she was twenty two, Astrid had made her first trip to the island. The druids hadn't quite welcomed her in with open arms, but they allowed her to explore the magical fauna of the island, a cause for great intrigue for the young witch. Throughout the subsequent years, Astrid had become too involved in other projects to make a return trip to Hy-Brasil.

Last month, Astrid had written to some of the druids requesting their expertise on the dragon species on the island. She knew that there was a particular knot of them that lived on the top of Hy-Brasil's only mountain, but not much more. She'd explained her interest the genus, and her previous experience working with dragons. Finally, they had relented and allowed Astrid to venture to the island for research on the particular dragon species found only on Dragon's Tooth. Astrid was practically vibrating with excitement at the adventure that lay in store for her - but there was a caveat to the druids granting her request. One of their own had to accompany her on her research. Her guide, a man called Aidan, would meet her at the foot of the Tooth and they were to make the trek together. Astrid decided not to think too much on that, having preferred to work on her own for so long. Perhaps this druid would impart some very valuable knowledge upon her. Perhaps, it would be the other way around.

Ready for a gruelling hike, Astrid checked the laces of her boots and the straps of her pack one last time. She had arrived at the basecamp earlier than promised, scouting out the height of the mountain. They could have used magical means, but Astrid had a feeling the trek was part of the reason why the druids allowed her such intimacy in her research. She peered up at the distant summit, barely visible on the clear day. She supposed it would take between six and seven hours to reach the top at a healthy pace. It was lucky for her she had maintained a sure level of fitness. She wondered if the druid would wipe the floor with her.

Speaking of, the druid finally approached her. Astrid frowned. He was much younger than she had anticipated. "You are Aidan?" said Astrid, shortly. This would be an interesting adventure. But she would do it, for the sake of her research.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Early December 2025

Finally an excuse to visit home! Aidan visited regularly, all things considered, since magical transportation made the journey very easy between Hogsmeade and Hy-Brasil’s port. Everybody knew him, and his family, so Aidan never had any trouble finding time to visit on weekends and during holidays. But his parents didn’t approve, so Aidan had needed to cut down on the visits (unless he was interested in getting the same stern lecture from his mother). She always said the same thing, that he’d gone (really, been sent) to Britain to get some real-world experience, to not rely on the family so much and be less trusting of strangers who might want to take advantage of him. Aidan didn’t really think it was necessary since he was planning on spending the rest of his life on the island, but his mother did always know best.

But he couldn’t wait for Yule, so Aidan had practically wriggled with excitement when he’d been informed by the Council that he would be escorting a mainlander up the Dragon’s Tooth. She was supposed to be a Magizoologist, and wanted to learn more about their dragons. That sounded just fine to Aidan! The druids were experts with magical plants and creatures, so it made sense that regular witches and wizards would want to learn from the best. And even better, it was a perfectly legitimate excuse to visit home a few weeks before the start of Yule. His mother wouldn’t dare contradict the Council’s decision, especially since Aidan had already acted as an escort before for outsiders.

It was almost impossible to navigate the extensive cave network under the Dragon’s Tooth, but Aidan was practically an expert at its geography aboveground. He and his friends had spent so much time around the mountain growing up, sledding in the winter and hiking in the summer. Sometimes his teachers had taken the class on field trips so they could study the magical flora and fauna in person (instead of reading about them in boring books). So, on the day he was to meet this Astrid person, Aidan woke up bright and early. He chose his favorite boots, threw a few supplies into his bag, and cheerily made his way through the Wildwood until he’d reached the foot of the mountain. There was already a very serious-looking lady waiting for him. It reminded Aidan of that one time he’d had to meet a Ministry employee, although that naturally hadn’t been on the island. But she’d had the same pinched look of displeasure on her face. “Yes,” Aidan chirped when she asked if he was Aidan. “You are Astrid? You here to see dragons?” It had been a few weeks since Aidan had last been assigned to take care of the dragons at the nature reserve. That had been a tricky job – one of the dragons had gotten sick and temporarily lost his ability to breathe fire. In comparison, this would be much easier, but no less exciting!

ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON

[ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON]

The youthful druid was not what Astrid had expected when the council indicated that she would have to be accompanied. Perhaps they hadn't taken her very seriously, and Astrid's remains would be found scattered across this dusty mountain. She frowned as the one called Aidan approached, beaming at her as if she had come bearing gifts. His voice was like that of a bird, lilting and chirp-like. "Yes, I am Astrid. You are qualified to take these routes?" asked Astrid skeptically. She didn't have much of a choice though - it was either climb the mountain with Aidan or give up and possibly try another day. But her catalogue of dragons wouldn't be complete without this species, so Astrid kept her lips pressed tightly together, shielding Aidan from the icy comments that bubbled up from within.

The unlikely duo started the trek up the side of Dragon's Tooth, so aptly named for its jagged peak and difficult terrain. There were sharp inclines, though Astrid had to trust Aidan to lead her on the least perilous route. "Why do you not create a simpler route with your nature magic?" asked Astrid after an extended pause. She tripped over a stray tree branch and swore in her native tongue, embarrassed at the prospect of making a fool of herself in front of this child. She straightened and brushed past Aidan cooly, her chin lifted.

Moments after her unbalanced incident, Astrid paused. She bent down to examine a trail of imprints on the ground. Whatever had passed through here earlier was big, and heavy based on the indentation depth. Four claw marks fanned evenly from the centre of the marking. Astrid glanced up at Aidan. "Tell me of the other beasts that roam this mountain," she directed.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Wow, this lady was intense! Aidan couldn’t be sure if everybody from her town was like that. Maybe it was a result of being a non-druid Magizoologist? Magical creatures were wonderful, and every species had their own interesting quirks and traits. As a druid, Aidan could approach any of them without needing to worry about losing fingers – or worse. But non-druids needed to earn the trust of the creatures, since their mainlander society had moved so far away from the natural order of things that they were no longer viewed as part of nature – instead they were something separate now. There was an innate understanding between druids and creatures. Aidan would probably be grumpy too if he didn’t have that. “I grow up here,” he confirmed brightly as Astrid asked whether he was ‘qualified.’ It was a funny question, but Aidan considered his answer to be more than enough.

They finally began the hike, and Aidan practically wiggled with excitement as they navigated the steep incline. It had been so long since the last time he’d properly explored the Dragon’s Tooth, and he was excited to check in on the dragons. The last time he had visited, Fang’s baby had just hatched. Aidan was eager to check on the baby dragon’s progress, and ensure he was hitting all the proper milestones for a hatchling of his size. And name him, of course! He was so lost in his own thoughts that Astrid’s question startled him, and it was so bizarre he stared at her as if she was crazy. “Why would I?” Aidan asked, intensely curious at the strange thought that nature needed to be redirected, as if his nature magic was just a tool to tame it. “Why I know better than nature how mountain should look? Nature magic not for that,” he finished decisively, although he still gave her a puzzled look. It was such a…primitive way of thinking. Aidan might have continued, but now that he was looking at Astrid instead of the path ahead, he could see she was struggling.

Well…now he felt bad. Of course Aidan was used to the physical challenges of the Dragon’s Tooth, so he could walk without nearly a second thought. But Astrid was probably wondering why he wasn’t helping her! So when she tripped over a branch, Aidan automatically stopped and moved to balance her, placing a hand on her shoulder. But she only pushed past him, so he blinked owlishly at her back. What a strange lady. She had stopped to stare at some tracks, so Aidan moved to stand beside her. Maybe she’d found something dangerous? He took one glance at the imprints before making a dismissive noise and continuing forward. “Only a griffin, probably from Fae’s farm. They like to hide things in mountain. Many caves here. Good for nests!” Oh, and speaking of nests… “Ah, I forget to tell you. We see fwoopers soon. I bring wax for us.” Aidan began to rifle through his bag, shifting through random items…a pair of dragon hide gloves, no. Wads of beef jerky in case they did run into any griffins, no. Dried sprigs of lavender his mother had asked him to gather, no. Finally he found the wax earplugs, and held a pair out for Astrid. Fwooper songs could drive someone crazy, so apparently on the mainland it was common to place Silencing Charms on them. As if that would ever be allowed here.

ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON

[ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON]

Astrid pursed her lips thoughtfully, wondering how this youth had become qualified enough to guide her to the dragon's den. Yet she wasn't going to question the motives of the druids. Perhaps they had a different hierarchy of power. Perhaps this Aidan was more knowledgable than he looked. The unlikely pair began their hike, with Aidan streaking up the trail whilst Astrid lagged slightly behind. She wondered if druids had developed a better circulatory system - she wasn't out of shape, but he just zoomed by. She wondered aloud why the druids didn't make a simpler path than this gruelling hike, and Aidan responded simply.

Rolling her eyes, Astrid pressed her lips into a tight line. After all, the natural world had created her lovely dragons. She tripped over an unseen root, and pushed past Aidan forcefully. After all, this was still her hike. She was the reason why they were here in the first place. Aidan was just there to help. Astrid stopped to investigate a track, wondering aloud what had made it. Aidan came to investigate, and she stiffened. "Griffins typically have deeper claw marks," she replied. "Though I suppose your... Fae... she takes care of the nails. So they don't hurt," she mused.

Aidan held out a clump of wax, stating that they were going to pass through fwooper territory soon. "Thank you," said Astrid cooly, shaping the wax to fit her ear canals. At least she didn't have to listen to the chipper drivel from the young druid. The pair picked carefully through the thickets, Astrid keeping her eyes peeled for the colourful birds. After a few moments of sharp incline, a swoop of colour swept across her vision. And then there was another, and another. She imagined they tweeted in their irritating way as they flew past, but the earplugs did their job. She paused to appraise one, standing still as a stone on a low hanging branch. It met her gaze fiercely. She arched a brow, and it clicked its beak before fluttering off.

As interesting as the fwoopers were, Aidan and Astrid silently made their way through the nests. When it had been minutes since their last sighting, Astrid tapped Aidan on the shoulder, and pointed to her ears. Safe? she mouthed, wondering if she could take the earplugs out.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Astrid’s reaction reminded Aidan that it wasn’t normal for most people to come across a griffin in everyday life. Hy-Brasil was special like that – there were no non-magical plants or creatures here. It was normal to come across some enterprising nifflers trying to get into your home, or walk past a wild unicorn herd on your way to class. The only non-magical creatures one might see on the island was a druid in their animagus form – and in that sense, it was extremely easy to see whether you had found a creature or a transformed druid. In fact, Aidan had found it extremely entertaining to come across regular creatures while on the mainland. Pigeons, rats, dogs and cats on the street…those were far more uncommon sights for him.

“She does!” Aidan confirmed excitedly as Astrid mused out-loud that Fae and her family must take good care of the griffins in their farm. “Ah, I guess I forget. Wild creatures bigger than…er, non-wild. Domesticated.” Aidan said that last word a little resentfully. It was a mainlander word, one that didn’t have much meaning on Hy-Brasil. There wasn’t much of a sense of ownership here when it came to magical creatures. Fae’s family didn’t brand their griffins like he heard happened to creatures on the mainland. And they certainly weren’t viewed as inferior beings. But Astrid had made a very good point that Aidan had actually forgotten until she’d said it – wild creatures were usually much larger than ones that had grown in captivity. So this track was another sign that this was indeed one of Fae’s and not a wild griffin. “That good sign. Fae’s griffins very well-behaved. Our High Druid.” Aidan said this last bit with a clear note of pride. Druid hierarchy worked differently, and Fae had been chosen as their leader by the spirits despite her being very young. It might seem odd that he talked about her so casually, but that was also very usual around here.

He carefully placed the wax in his ears as Astrid did the same, thankfully without any comments about silencing charms. As they passed through the fwooper nests, Aidan watched one in awe as it flew above him and landed on a nearby branch. Fwoopers were truly beautiful creatures, and he had never seen such bright plumage anywhere else. He stopped by one randomly with brilliant pink feathers to give it an affectionate nudge with his fingers. It allowed him to run his fingers down its plumage before taking flight again. They continued walking and Aidan walked cheerfully in silence, startling slightly when he felt a tap on the shoulder. He blinked at Astrid, having honestly forgotten for a moment she was there, before experimentally taking out the wax. When he couldn’t hear anything, he gave an enthusiastic nod that it was safe for her to do the same. “They beautiful, yes?” he asked excitedly. “In Hy-Brasil, they nest together. But I not see wild fwoopers on mainland. Only captive. I not sure why.”

ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON

[ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON]

Astrid appraised the young Druid shrewdly. He didn't much deserve the ire that rolled off her in waves - he was pleasant enough, if not a bit too chipper for her liking. She mentioned that she would have expected to see deeper claw marks in the soft ground, though Aidan explained that it was indeed due to Fae's domestication of the Griffins. He clarified that she was the High Druid, and she nodded. "Yes, I have spoken to her. What is the hierarchy like here? Is there a council which she defers to or are all decisions made by the High Druid?" she asked, forcing herself to keep a pleasant tone as she stuffed down the irritation.

The pair blocked their ears to keep the keening of the fwoopers from overtaking them. She did not mention silencing charms, as she did not know what the druid reaction to interfering with the natural order of things would be. After all, even mentioning making an easier path to the peak of the mountain had set Aidan askew. Astrid caught the eye of one of the colourful birds, engaging in a staring contest of sorts before it swept away. When they had passed through the nesting area, Astrid tapped Aidan's shoulder and pointed at her ears. He started, carefully removing the wax from his ears and listening intently. When he gave the nod, Astrid followed suit.

Offering a small smile, Astrid replied. "Yes, I have seen some before but never in the wild. I believe they are endangered, and that they were hunted to the point of extinction. I know that some reservations are trying to breed them so that they can maintain a healthy population once more. People love to take beautiful things that do not belong to them," said Astrid with a frown, glancing over her shoulder where they had emerged. "How far are we from the summit?"

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

“Um…” Aidan laughed a little nervously at the big words Astrid had suddenly started using. Most of the English he knew came from daily conversation, and occasionally from lessons on Hy-Brasil. When he had first started working in Hogsmeade, the veterinarians had started to use highly technical language around him, and Aidan had been forced to start learning that as well. But it was very common for mainlanders to assume his level of English was much higher than it was, and they would start to use all sorts of unusual words that he hadn’t learned yet. Even worse were the words that he technically knew, but had absolutely no importance or value in the druid culture. Currency, ownership, technology. He had learned vaguely about these things, but they meant absolutely nothing to him in actual life. And now this word hierarchy. Aidan wasn’t exactly sure what Astrid was asking, so he tentatively replied, “Hierarchy? We have Elders. And High Druid.” There was an awkward beat of silence because Aidan felt he should say something else, but he had absolutely no clue what to add. Or if he’d answered her question or not.

Eventually he just decided to move on, because the word hierarchy was a mystery and he would need to ask his parents about it later. It was probably better not to ask Astrid, because wow she was an intense person. Aidan had caught her in a staring contest with a fwooper, and he had thought those birds had scary intense gazes. He’d never seen one look away first with a non-druid, but that was indeed what had happened and he had gulped a little nervously before looking away too. Note to self: never get caught in a staring contest with Astrid. He had absolutely no doubt that she’d be able to flatten him like a pancake without ever actually touching him. In fact, it seemed like it would be easier to just agree with her on most things, although that thought made Aidan scrunch his face in mild displeasure. He was sure she was a super nice person, even setting aside the intense stares. But she said such odd things that were hard to agree with. Her earlier question about the mountain bounced around his head, and now their conversation about fwoopers had taken an odd twist.

Aidan didn’t like conflict. That meant a lot of things – he preferred to avoid arguing with people, and he also didn’t like to hear about conflict in any form. Whether that meant wars in history class, or accidentally overhearing an argument. Today was no different – Astrid began to describe the reality that fwoopers on the mainland were endangered because of hunters, and that the best solution seemed to be to raise them in captivity to raise their numbers. There were so many depressing thoughts in there. Hunters that only saw fwoopers in terms of their value, creatures forced to live in captivity because it was the only way to keep them safe. The thought made Aidan pale. He considered the thought for a moment, then blinked rapidly to bring himself back to the conversation when Astrid asked her question. He looked up and took in the view of the summit, a dark contrast to the pale sky behind it. “Hours,” he said in response, although for once he didn’t have any appetite to continue his usual level of chatter. He hadn’t expected such a somber answer to his innocent observation. “I…I not know that. About mainland fwoopers. They not supposed to live so close to wizards,” he said in a shaky voice. He had never really stopped to think about the implications of civilization on mainlander creatures. Not when life on Hy-Brasil was so different – apparently, so much better too.

ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON

[ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON]

Astrid blinked, looking back at Aidan. "Does the High Druid make the decisions herself? Or does she get council from the Elders before deciding, like a democracy?" she asked more slowly. The conversation hung between them rather awkwardly, the silence billowing up like a sheet caught in an updraft. Aidan then handed her wax to put in her ears to keep the pair of them from hearing the fwoopers. Astrid welcomed the silence - Aidan was perky and bright like a star, which annoyed her to no end. But he knew the lay of the land, and she could not fault him for that. Though she did wish that the High Druid had bestowed her with a less... energetic guide.

The pair made their way through the flock of fwoopers without problem, then removed the wax from their ears. Aidan made an offhand comment about how mainlanders captured fwoopers, and she heard the distaste in his voice. It was the same distaste she held for most people, Aidan included. Astrid frowned, and explained how Fwoopers had been hunted almost to extinction on the continent, and how most nature reserves were tasked with repopulation efforts. Eventually, when the population stabilised, they'd be released back into the wild, still protected by some enchantments. After a beat of silence, Astrid asked how far they were from the summit. She grimaced at Aidan's response. "Then we best keep on," she said dully, continuing on through the dense underbrush.

"No, most people do not know this," Astrid replied in kind. "They should be free, and away from wizards. That is for certain. But unfortunately, mankind has spread like a plague across the globe, settling into every crevice, especially those he is not invited to," said Astrid with distaste. She sighed, wiping her forehead with the back of her sleeve. It wasn't hot, so to speak, but the climb so far had been somewhat arduous. "It's the same with dragons, is it not? Once majestic creatures, forced into hiding by the hand of man," she added after a moment.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Aidan considered himself to be easy to talk to, and he quite liked talking to new people. It was easiest with druids, since the things they had in common were so obvious and so many that there was never a shortage of conversation topics. Even mainlanders had interesting things to say sometimes, even if they were rather funny and misguided fundamentally. But even with their upside-down attitudes about all the most important things in life, Aidan knew there were still genuine and kind mainlanders. They treated him well in his Animagus form, when they thought they were talking to a dog, and he had met quite a few wizards at the nature reserve that shared his abundant love for creatures. Yes, there were definitely good eggs in the batch!

But Astrid was so intimidating that Aidan found himself wilting at the things she chose to talk about. The hike didn’t faze him at all, since he had made the trip many times since his days as a kid following the Rangers around as they did their work. But he was pale now, and his freckles stood out in sharp contrast as a result. He didn’t like the thoughts she was planting in his head like they were the autumn harvest – fwoopers in captivity, mankind ‘correcting’ nature’s mistakes, and humanity spreading across the earth like a plague. The boy was sensitive! He didn’t like sad thoughts, and even worse were the thoughts that settled in his mind like an unwelcome illness. Astrid continued to ask more questions about the High Druid, but Aidan didn’t answer, instead trudging along gloomily as he decided that he needed to talk to Fae about who exactly was allowed onto the island.

He gulped nervously as Astrid mercilessly plowed on, describing mankind like a persistent plague. Aidan knew she must be fond of dragons, or she wouldn’t have made the long trek to Hy-Brasil and now the Dragon’s Tooth to see them…but he still didn’t like the way she spoke about them. As if they were only caged beasts now. “Not here,” he said weakly, face still pale and tone shaky from the scary thoughts she was putting in his head. “Dragons fly free in Hy-Brasil. They nest without fear. Plague has not spread to all places…”

ASTRID ALVA ABRAHAMSSON