Origami (OPEN)

[reina watanabe nakamura]

February 14, 2028

As soon as she had heard that students would have the opportunity to set up their own booths for the Valentine's Day festival that was being held in Hogsmeade, Reina had gotten to work on folding origami. She didn't think that she would strike it rich from selling folded paper crafts, but she had spent enough of her time idly folding squares of paper over the years to know that she could make some pocket change from it.

Countless dragons, phoenixes, and assorted creations later, and Reina was thrilled once Valentine's Day finally arrived. She had gone to the trouble of enchanting them to fly, too, which looked great but meant that transporting them down into Hogsmeade had required her to borrow a cage that belonged to the pet owl of one of her roommates (after it had been cleaned, of course).

Once she found the spot she had been allocated for her booth, Reina set down the owl cage and began to set up shop. First, apart from making sure that the table was sturdy enough that it wouldn't fall over, she needed to put together a sign to advertise her wares. The only problem? For all the folded paper she had with her, she hadn't brought any larger parchment or paint with her.

OOC: OPEN!

[aurelia edith flint]

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The only positive that came with a Blishwick sponsored event outside of Horizont Alley was that Aurelia knew she wasn't obligated to work it. Her neighbor had a bad habit of roping everyone into his shenanigans, and she could tell that not every shopkeeper in the alley was happy about that. Merlin, some of them were even hosting tables here, which seemed completely contradictory to what she oftentimes heard them mutter. Her job was done though. Jimbo had paid for an enormous delivery of flowers and arraignments to decorate Hogsmeade, to the point where she hadn't been sure if she could fulfill the entire order on her own. Magic helped, of course. There were always trade offs in these sorts of business to business transactions too. Blishwick liked promoting everyone who helped him. Aurelia wanted peace and quiet, and to not have lines of people outside of her shop door every holiday. When everything happened in Horizont, there was no escaping it. With Blishwick dominating the entirety of Hogsmeade though, she had almost no qualms about locking up and attending herself. Even though her thoughts on Jimbo Blishwick were mixed, he wasn't the worst person in the world. He certainly meant well for being a gazillionaire.

One of the most interesting aspects of this being held in Hogsmeade was that it looked as if the school allowed students to put up booths. After snagging a heart-shaped cookie from the Vectors' bakery stand (which she felt bad about biting into because of how perfect it looked), she headed in the direction of the student booths. There weren't a whole lot, many trying to sell odds and ends or Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but one did stick out to her in particular: enchanted origami. Aurelia was a sucker for meticulously created objects, and origami was maybe the most extreme case of that ever. And adding on layers of charms to get them to move around? She was instantly hooked.

The tiny paper creatures, which looked to be mostly magical, were all situated inside of an owl cage. A creative use of a rather mundane item that most students had. The tiny girl behind the stand seemed to still be setting things up though. "What spells did you use to enchant them?" she inquired as she leaned closer to the cage just as a paper phoenix flew around the perimeter of it.

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[reina watanabe nakamura]

February 14, 2028

Even though her booth wasn't yet set up, a blonde young woman who appeared to be in her early twenties approached her and her origami creations. Reina didn't mind the attention her origami had received, mostly because the young woman wasn't being bothersome. She was glad that a stranger was impressed by what she had done, though the movement of the dragons' wings wasn't as realistic as she would have liked it to be. It was about as close as she could get it, considering that they were made of paper, and she didn't think that anyone would be too upset by it.

The blonde asked her what spells she had used to enchant the origami, and Reina saw no problem with telling her. It wasn't a secret, and it wasn't as though she had used Dark or complicated magic to do it.

"I used some Locomotion Charms," she explained. The hard part had been in ensuring that the movement would be isolated to only the parts of the creatures that were supposed to move. "Do you like them?" She didn't want to pressure anyone into buying anything from her without having everything set up, but it boded well for her that she was already catching others' interest.

aurelia edith flint

[aurelia edith flint]

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"Fascinating..." Aurelia muttered as she leaned in even closer to take a look at the animals. Not only was the actual art of origami a difficult process from her understanding, being able to charm each of the individual parts of the paper creatures to function in accordance to one another was an unbelievable feat. That was a level of charms mastery she certainly didn't have. Dealing with venomous tentacula was a cinch for her these days, a considerably difficult plant to overcome for the untrained. But folding pieces of paper into tiny animals and then casting extremely fine-tuned locomotion charms onto them? Absolutely amazing work in her opinion.

"I do," she answered the girl as she pulled back from the cage. "I imagine it took a while to get everything working together? It must have taken up all of your free time outside of school..." The horrid thought of if she'd ever been caught doing such a thing by her parents crossed her mind, and how they would have happily burned her tiny paper creations in front of her to make a point. They had done that a few times with the garden she had been allowed to keep at the mansion. "Is Charms your best class? I don't think I ever would have been able to do that while still in school," Aurelia added. Speaking of, how old was this girl? Over the last few years, she'd lost the ability to seemingly be able to guess students' ages correctly. Obviously the ones that came into her shop for supplies were usually younger, but there was a point where it started to get difficult to guess correctly. Not to mention that Hogwarts had opened up classes for those that wanted further education. It sounded enticing, but what else was she supposed to study? And even with an employee, she still needed to run her store.

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[reina watanabe nakamura]

February 14, 2028

Reina waited as the blonde watched her origami creatures in their borrowed owl cage. She took it as a good sign that even someone who apparently wasn't a student anymore liked her work, and she hoped that it might draw more people in if other people wanted to stop by her booth and see what all the fuss was about.

She was also happy to answer the young woman's questions, and she was right in guessing that she had spent a lot of time on getting her paper menagerie together. Getting the origami folded just right so that it would remain sturdy wasn't always easy. The phoenixes, for example, didn't look as feathered as they could have, and there really wasn't a good way to make them catch fire without ruining the paper in the process. (Reina had tried and gotten frustrated by the burnt origami, and then she'd had to remind herself a few times that they weren't exactly going in an art museum at the end of the day.)

"Is Charms your best class? I don't think I ever would have been able to do that while still in school," the blonde commented.

With a smile, Reina shook her head. Charms wasn't her worst subject, an honor that went to Potions, but it wasn't her best one, either. She was better at the subjects that related to the outdoors, but she didn't get as much hands-on experience with magical creatures at Hogwarts. "I'm better with magical creatures and in Herbology," she shared. Paper creatures, though, didn't require any maintenance other than being kept away from fire and water. To provide the blonde with some more context, she added, "I attended Castelobruxo before September."

aurelia edith flint

[aurelia edith flint]

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Aurelia was sort of shocked to hear that the girl's specialty wasn't Charms, especially considering what was between the two of them on the table. Maybe it was because she had always been told to focus on the main subjects while in school. The ones where she could acquire high NEWTs in. Despite her obvious passion in Herbology, her parents had never wanted her to take it past the required amount. To them, there hadn't been any need to. Plants were for looking at, not getting dirty for. Why she even thought about these things anymore was something she constantly struggled with. They had been dead for close to five years now, so what they had thought back then didn't really matter at all now.

Anyways, the girl stated that she was better with animals and plants, the latter catching Aurelia's interest quite a bit. Though now that she thought about it more, making moving paper animals sort of fit right into those interests too. "Oooh I've always wanted to visit there," she responded in regards to Castelobruxo. "I wanted to attend the exchange program with them my fifth year because of the herbology...but that didn't end up happening." More like she had her personal interests stifled the second she brought it up to her mother. The only exchange she would have been allowed to do would have been with Beauxbatons. For the prestige, or something asinine like that. As if any of the magical schools were lacking in quality. Aurelia knew it was all about control and because France was close, that sort of thing could still be exerted.

"How do you like Hogwarts? It's a bit different than it was when I attended..." Though maybe that was for the better now. If she hadn't a shop to look after, taking higher level classes under the expert Herbologists on staff now would have been a delight.

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[reina watanabe nakamura]

February 14, 2028

The blonde sounded enthusiastic when she mentioned Castelobruxo, expressing how she was interested in visiting the school. She said that she wished that she had been able to take part in the exchange program between Hogwarts and Castelobruxo to study Herbology there, but she hadn't been able to at the time.

Reina nodded sympathetically. From having transferred from one to another, she knew that there were a lot of logistics to consider, and the difference in the academic calendars was a significant one itself. "It's a very different environment," she noted. There weren't many places that were as different as the Amazon and the Scottish Highlands, but the complete difference in climates was a huge bonus for anyone who wanted to study the natural world from a magical perspective.

"How do you like Hogwarts?" the young woman with whom she had been conversing asked her. "It's a bit different than it was when I attended…"

Since that was usually the first question that she received once it was brought up that she had come to MAGIC all the way from Castelobruxo in Brazil, Reina was used to answering people's questions about how she liked being at Hogwarts. She probably should have come up with some standardized response to provide, but she hadn't. Instead, she just took the question as it came, and she answered it honestly. In short, she didn't mind Hogwarts. It was okay, and she wasn't pouting about being there. There were some things she really liked about being at MAGIC, and there were some things that she really disliked. Likewise, she missed Castelobruxo—but not everything about it.

Even though she had been a MAGIC student since September, Reina was still adjusting to how much most of the students at Hogwarts had suffered before she had transferred there. She hadn't been through anything so terrible as the sorts of things that most of them had experienced in one year, never mind multiple years. It made her feel bad for her classmates and put her in a weird position some of the time when she couldn't relate to their experiences, but there usually wasn't really anything that she could do to help.

"It's nice," Reina replied. She understood that the changes that had been made since Hogwarts had been destroyed were more shocking for people who had been there before, obviously, but she didn't have personal experience of the "old" Hogwarts as a point of comparison. "I miss having more time outside in nature," she commented, which was probably her biggest complaint about MAGIC. That, or the weather, which prompted her to add, "But it's too cold here now." Standing outside to sell origami was a little bit different from being outside for class; she wouldn't be stuck there if she had to run back inside and grab another layer of clothing if she needed it, as long as she had someone to watch things for her.

aurelia edith flint

[aurelia edith flint]

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Aurelia was positive that she would be able to visit Castelobruxo one day. Just visiting their greenhouses alone was really all she wanted too. There was definitely a chance if she managed to become friendly with any of the alumni in her herbology cohort. Plus as a 'survivor' or whatever of the weird island, she was sure a few of the top experts from Castelobruxo would have questions about the flora there. That was literally the only way she could swing it though. With the shop being as busy as it was, she knew she'd feel bad for leaving Penny alone to deal with it all. While her employee could definitely handle it, would it be fair? A vacation was long overdue and Aurelia had been urged to take one for a while now by her sister. In the end, there were so many factors that came with it that leaving would be difficult unfortunately.

The girl went on to explain that she missed being outdoors, which Aurelia could definitely see being an issue at Hogwarts. The grounds were expansive, though from what she'd heard it was nothing compared to the Brazilian school. Adding in that a lot of space was lost to the castle expansion, and Hogwarts definitely had less nature than it used to. And the weather the student was complaining about basically made the grounds unusable for a large portion of the year. She couldn't tell the girl that she'd get used to the cold, because Aurelia still hadn't. Something about the harsh chill of the craggy hills that surrounded Hogwarts and Hogsmeade really made the cold creep into one's bones.

"If you get the chance, there's usually a group of students that get taken to Hy-Brasil every year to study for a few days. It makes our magic look not like magic." There wasn't a better way to explain it really. "Its usually February or March I think," she added. Hopefully it hadn't happened yet. She sort of wanted to inquire about chaperoning, if that was even possible. A free trip to Hy-Brasil was always worth it.

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[reina watanabe nakamura]

February 14, 2028

Hearing about her desire to spend more time in nature, the young woman advised Reina to go on a school trip to Hy-Brasil if she had the opportunity. Hy-Brasil was the island inhabited by a community of Druids, whose handling of magic and relationship with the magical world were different to those of most other witches and wizards of the British Isles. According to the young woman, the trip was held around February or March, which meant that it was surely approaching.

Sadly, it was already February as it was, and Reina hadn't heard anything about a trip to Hy-Brasil. She didn't know enough about the changes that had been made at Hogwarts to say for certain, but it was possible that the trip wasn't going to be offered to MAGIC students in favor of the LIFE students, who were older and presumably more responsible—not to mention that they got to specialize in more relevant subjects. Even if she wouldn't be able to experience it for herself at Hogwarts, Reina thought that it would be a fascinating trip to take with her parents before leaving the British Isles. It would also make for a very different look at the cultures present in that part of the world.

"Oh, cool. Thank you," Reina responded, still enthusiastic even though she wasn't sure that she would get to go to Hy-Brasil as a MAGIC student. "You've been before?"

aurelia edith flint

[aurelia edith flint]

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”I have,” Aurelia answered in turn. While it had been a few years now since her last visit, she would definitely drop everything and lock up the shop if she was given the chance to go again. She had wondered after her little ordeal a few years back whether or not the druids would want to see her, considering the magic that had assisted in that problem had apparently been contrary to their own. Nothing more had come from that, aside from the occasional interested customer who somehow remembered that she was the same person that had supposedly disappeared and died. Having it all behind her and returning to normal was sort of nice though.

”For research purposes only. Back then, they didn’t really allow guests for vacations, which I’ve heard they sort of do now. But herbologists are frequently allowed to come over once or twice a year to study plants since the entire island is magical.” Such a thing had sounded like Nonsense to her the first time she learned of it. Once she went, she understood though. It made Hogwarts seem like a joke. The strangest part was how docile all of the creatures were there, even towards the non-druids. Seeing dragons soaring overhead without any fear in the voices of the locals had been unnerving the first time, but she soon learned that it was normal. Not that she wanted to get anywhere close to a dragon without a druid accompanying her.

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[reina watanabe nakamura]

February 14, 2028

The young woman replied that she had been to Hy-Brasil herself. It must have been the experience of a lifetime, the way she talked about it. Unfortunately, she added, "For research purposes only. Back then, they didn't really allow guests for vacations, which I've heard they sort of do now."

Reina didn't know much about when or where tourists were allowed, but the blonde elaborated that Herbologists were allowed to come to Hy-Brasil to study the plants there.

Because of her parents' work as dragonologists, Reina imagined, they would have no trouble getting in. If there were restrictions on tourism based on occupation, she supposed, she might have to wait until she, too, was actually a dragonologist herself. That would be unfortunate, but she understood if the Druids wanted to keep people out unless they had a specific purpose for going.

"What is the most interesting plant you've studied there?" Reina asked. Even if she couldn't visit Hy-Brasil herself yet, she could learn more about it from someone who had.

aurelia edith flint

[aurelia edith flint]

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Such a fun question! Aurelia could talk about plants all day long if she was allowed to, though sometimes she worried if it was a bit of a social turn-off for a lot of people. It was one thing to do so with other herbologists or researchers. Not with customers or random Hogwarts students though. Her sister had dealt with the brunt of it most of their lives, since when in school themselves, their parents never really cared to hear about the more ‘useless’ classes. Herbology, of course, fell under that classification. The mud and dirt that came along with gardening absolutely did not work with the Flints’ ideas of blood purity. Funny, considering she and her twin weren’t pureblooded and happened to be bastard children. They never wanted to hear about flowers or magical plants unless they were cleanly cut and shoved in a vase on a table. Never mind that the Flint manor had an entire greenhouse that was generally unkempt and in disrepair unless Aurelia had put the time into it.

So having a student ask about her exploits and adventures on Hy-Brasil really helped make her day. ”That’s a tough question…” she mused while thinking hard about it. There were so many magical plants (rather, all of the plants there were magical in nature) that it was hard to choose just one. The first one that popped into her head was a cave full of Devil’s Snare, which normally would kill anyone the second they got stuck and struggled, but in this case hid the home of one of the druid’s. A strange way to have a front door.

And then she remembered the best one. ”A grove full of Whomping Willows,” she answered, a slight tone of mystery added to it. ”And they were peaceful too. Supposedly the soil on Hy-Brasil gives them all the magical nutrients that they need to be happy.” In other words, the average Whomping Willow was hangry 24/7. Who would have guessed?

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[reina watanabe nakamura]

February 14, 2028

The blonde told her that her question was a good one, and she took some time to think about it. She came up with her answer and replied, "A grove full of Whomping Willows."

Now, the only Whomping Willow that Reina had come across was the one on the Hogwarts grounds. She knew better than to go near it, having heard multiple tales about the damage the tree could do when provoked. Some of those stories sounded to her as though they might have been embellished for dramatic effect as they had been passed from one student to another, but she knew that it was no exaggeration that the tree was actually violent.

"And they were peaceful too."

As dangerous as one Whomping Willow could be, the idea of seeing many Whomping Willows fascinated Reina. Seeing many calm Whomping Willows fascinated her even more.

Based on what the young woman knew, the soil on the island contained whatever magical nutrients were required to make the Whomping Willows happy. Maintaining that balance anywhere other than Hy-Brasil must have been challenging. Hogwarts had a lot of opportunities to study Herbology relative to its location, but the Scottish Highlands weren't ideal for every plant, just as Castelobruxo's location in the Amazon rainforest wasn't ideal for every plant, either.

Reina had to smile at the thought of happy Whomping Willows. "That's great," she replied to the blonde. "That would be dangerous for the students here," she then added with a laugh. "They would think they could domesticate the Whomping Willow at Hogwarts…" It was lucky no one had tried and lost a limb already.

aurelia edith flint

[aurelia edith flint]

▲

The concept of ‘domesticating’ a Whomping Willow, let alone an entire grove of them, was definitely a foreign concept. Under normal herbology practices, almost everything that the druids did with plants (and animals) made zero sense to those from the mainland. Aurelia had struggled to understand this for a number of years, because it all went against logic. Even with their supposed connection to nature and the higher level of magic present on Hy-Brasil, having it all completely alter how normally hostile plants and creatures reacted to humans did not make sense to her. That was apparently a common occurrence for those like her, who had very little interaction with druids until they found themselves wandering their homeland. She liked to think that she sort of understood it all better now. According to her mentors, it was something that became easier to process with age and experience in the field. Sometimes there were parts of magic that simply did not make sense and went against all known logics. Hy-Brasil was one of those places.

”Oh it certainly would be dangerous,” Aurelia agreed. She would never want more than one Whomping Willow in an area. The fact that Hogwarts still had one was insane to her, because they were so incredibly dangerous. ”The last thing I want is to be called out to handle a raging willow. There are ways to safely stop them, but sometimes even that isn’t enough.” Aurelia liked to think that her stunning charms were strong, handling her dangerous plants with ease, but she’d never tested it on a hulked-out, pissed off willow tree that could flatten her in a second if it pleased. That was a different level of herbology that she did not like to jump into. ”But yeah. The sheer amount of magical plants and animals there is unlike any other place I’ve been to. I hope that everyone gets to visit at least once, because it definitely changes your perspective on magic after being there.”

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[reina watanabe nakamura]

February 14, 2028

The blonde was really pleasant, and Reina found her very helpful with her suggestions about going to Hy-Brasil. It was an entertaining conversation, too, she felt; she couldn't imagine what it would be like for the young woman if she did have to wrangle a rogue Whomping Willow. Maybe it was her own biases showing, but dragons seemed easier.

As the young woman said more about what a wonderful opportunity it was to visit Hy-Brasil, Reina smiled. "Thank you for the suggestions," she told her, realizing then that she probably needed to let her get on with the rest of her Valentine's Day. "And sorry for talking so much," she laughed.

Reina knew one way that she could make it up to her, though, and glanced between the blonde and the cage of origami she had brought down with her to sell. "Do you want an origami creature?" she asked. "You can have one for free."

aurelia edith flint