prima donna [viv]

[AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW]

25 January 2029

As the next full moon approached, Amy felt her magic prickling beneath her skin. As if was begging for some sort of release. And that wasn't the only thing bubbling within her - she felt more anxious than ever. After all, she'd never experienced a transformation like this. She had tried to read a few books to prepare herself, but Amy had never been the studious type. She'd thought about asking Toby... but she still couldn't face him. He'd tried tracking her down, messaging her, ringing her, showing up after her classes. But Amy had gotten good at giving him the slip. She wondered if he could scent the change in her - she was definitely more in tune with smells than she'd have liked to be.

Amy had managed to register herself for aware wolf - so long as the potioneers kept her purchases secret. Amy was terrified of having to tell her parents about this. Surely they'd turn up unannounced and drag her straight back home. It would be the tipping point - the final straw. No more Scottish adventures for Amy. There had been a wild moment just a week ago when Amy considered that maybe it was for the best. She tried not to think too much about that moment of weakness any more than she had to.

Having secured a promise of secrecy, Amy donned a baseball cap (which ordinarily she would not have been caught dead in, but this was a dire situation) and wrapped herself tightly in a cloak. She apparated to Diagon Alley, and was immediately caught up in the hustle and bustle of the busy shopping street. Amy desperately wanted to skip the uncomfortable parts of this trip and head straight back into muggle London and lose herself on the high street in crisp silks and warm wool, but this was something she had to do. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Amy snorted at her own naiveté. Of course it would be awful. But this was her life now. Amy pushed open the door to the apothecary, the bell jingling over her head as it did so. She'd half expected the shop to be packed, but there was one other person in there. Someone that Amy vaguely recognised from Potterwatch, one of her favourite television shows. "Vivian Jordan?"

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

25 January 2029

There were some things you just had to dive into to get them over with. Take a breath, plug your nose, and get it over with. Like sitting down with her mum to learn basic household spells. The repetitive wandwork was mind-numbingly dull and Viv preferred to leave her socks lying around if the alternative was to measure the precise degree of her wand-flicking. Or chasing after Drizzle to clean up when a puffskein did what a puffskein had to do. Her little partner-in-crime got into plenty of trouble, and that was without managing the regular doings and goings of little critters.

Oh yeah, and being a werewolf. There were brief flashes where Vivian could almost forget about that pesky little fact, and pretend she really was like all the witches and wizards that surrounded her. But once a month, the fact creeped up on her like clockwork, and then there were the occasional bursts of inconvenience. Like missing the last work retreat because of the full moon. Like the occasional hate mail that producers had to filter out before handing off the rest to her. Like having to be incredibly precise about her potions schedule because if she wasn’t – then her next transformation would be truly beastly and leave her feeling more wiped-out than usual.

She knew how to make fun of herself, and it showed in various little ways – like her famously ridiculous werewolf Halloween costumes, ranging from fake teeth to furry headbands to a little button that read ‘I like to moon people’ (for some reason, her producers had never let her film an episode with that on). But taking care of her werewolf needs was a drag – something to simply take a breath, plug your nose, and get it over with. That was why she’d probably been one of the first werewolves to start taking Aware Wolf once they’d gotten the potion out of trials and approved. Viv had been in a somewhat desperate situation – Potterwatch was still getting off the ground and she was notoriously bad at remembering to stop by the apothecary for her Wolfsbane.

So meeting Sienna and Rob had been a lifeline, and Viv had never been deterred by risk-taking. It worked like a charm, anyway. The transformations still sucked, but she never forgot to take the one dose needed and it made her feel less monstrous during the full moon. Even if it did nothing for the exhaustion afterwards. “When’re you gonna start baking this into cakes, anyway?” Viv asked Sienna keenly, only half-joking as she watched the potioneer wrap up the Aware Wolf bottle so it didn’t look quite so conspicuous in public. That earned a laugh, even if Si’s next words sounded ominous. “I wouldn’t accept a cake from Rob. It tastes better this way, trust me.”

With that warning ringing in her ears, Viv grimaced and slipped the potion into her bag. At the sound of her name, she winced slightly. Even if Vivian loved meeting fans, this was probably the one situation in the world where she wished she could be unrecognizable. And/or have an Invisibility Cloak. She didn’t recognize the voice, but turned to glance at the new arrival. American fashion is really something, she decided at the sight of a rather ghastly baseball cap. Pasting a smile on her face, Viv shifted a little restlessly from foot to foot. “You must be a dazzling Seer,” Viv joked, “Or you’re too attached to your TV.”

AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW

[AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW]

Not only did Amy have to suffer through a gruelling monthly transformation, she was so terrified of seeing someone she knew or recognised that she dared to wear a baseball cap. She really hoped that Hazel wouldn't decide to stock up on potion ingredients today, but why would she anyways? Amy had the suspicion that she let other people brew potions for her. But even then, she could be picking something up... Amy tugged the baseball cap lower on her head, averting her eyes from those she passed by.

Amy pushed into the shop and deflated - there was somebody she already knew there, but not personally. Vivian Jordan was instantly recognisable from her programme Potter Watch. She had a unique and funny take, and had hooked Amy from the moment she'd moved to the UK with her frank opinions and wry delivery. Vivian looked instantly uncomfortable, and Amy remembered that she was a werewolf as well. "Are you picking up aware wolf?" blurted Amy, completely disregarding Vivian's discomfort and reluctance to engage in conversation. Amy was desperate to put off the task of picking up her potion and making the whole situation real.

Clearing her throat, Amy fidgeted with the sleeves of her sweatshirt. "Not sure I really believe in clairvoyance - but then again, I study alchemy so who am I to judge," said Amy with a bit of a forced laugh. "Um, I'm a fan of your show. I really liked the curse breaker segment. Almost made me want to switch from alchemy. Almost," she said. "Do you find it difficult, being in the spotlight?" asked Amy after a beat of silence. This was someone who had chosen the limelight, rather than having been born into it like Amy. She was curious what had brought her to make this choice.

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

This can still be okay, Viv comforted herself with the thought, She can gush about the show, I’ll snap a selfie and that’s that. That decision strengthened her resolve and she promised herself not to let the awkward situation throw her off. Like okay, the situation wasn’t ideal but she could be cool. She’d had fans corner her in stranger places, and anyway – the potion was already in her bag. Nobody needed to know…but the thought screeched to a halt as the girl blurted out a question. The million galleon question. Viv’s smile froze on her face, even if her thoughts were scrambling. She’d gotten uncomfortable questions before, but she’d never been caught red-handed in such a sensitive situation. Sienna wouldn’t say anything, but still…

Viv cleared her throat. “I don’t pick up werewolves in apothecaries,” she joked easily, trying to keep the strain out of her voice. “But there’s a bloody nice pub nearby that seems to have an awful ton.” Yes, okay, that was okay. She could still salvage this, right? Vivian badly wanted to bolt, but a second look at this girl stopped her. Yes, she was awkward. Yes, the question had been mortifying. But this girl didn’t look mean or defiant or even scared. No, she looked…down. Like the world was pulling her down and it was all she could do to stay afloat. Like that ghastly baseball cap was her lifeline to getting through this.

She recognized all the little signs because wasn’t she an expert on the subject at this point? So she forced herself to focus. Forced herself to listen and even smile dazzlingly at the girl’s compliment. “I loved filming that!” Viv said eagerly, “Although you wouldn’t believe the claustrophobia of walking into a pyramid. The movies have got it all wrong.” That had been a major takeaway – Viv had rewatched all the Indiana Jones movies just to remind herself that she’d gotten to shine a spotlight on the real adventurers of the world. The girl’s little hint that she was studying alchemy was interesting, and a small spark ignited in Viv’s brain as the wheels began to turn…

But yeah. Oof. That last question. She’d gotten it a lot and it was a toughie. After a beat, Viv answered. “I guess I see it less as putting myself in the spotlight, and more just…shining it on people who deserve it.” She tilted her head inquisitively at the girl. “Like yeah, I’m there, but that’s not what really matters. Get it? Like my interview with the dragon Healer last week, did you catch that one? Went all the way to Snowdonia for it.” And it’d been totally worth it, even if it had simply reinforced that Viv didn’t have the stomach for it. But the work he did was amazing -- nursing injured dragons, giving abandoned babies a home when they needed it. 

AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW

[AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW]

Amy pressed her lips into a thin line and gave Vivian a blank stare. She was in no mood to joke - she felt like shit and she was terrified out of her mind of her first upcoming transformation. It was clearly uncomfortable for her to discuss the matter with Amy, but Amy was desperate for someone to relate to. And Vivian had always come across so confident and self assured, so Amy had latched onto the prospect of having someone older and wiser who could guide her. Besides, she didn't really understand the concept of the word 'no.'

Amy tried to start up a regular conversation, since she'd bungled it so badly anyways. She mentioned the curse breaker bit Vivian had done recently on her show, and considering all the gold and sparkly things that curse breakers tended to bring back, Amy had been tempted for about two minutes. "I always did try to tell my dad to make the hallways in the pyramids seem smaller. No way a six foot three guy is wandering through a pyramid and can stand straight up. But when do dads ever listen," said Amy, shaking her head. She wondered why Vivian had chosen to go into show business, when looking back at it now, everything seemed so fake.

It was a well thought out answer, one Amy hadn't really expected. It had been more of an errant thought in her mind than anything. "I guess that's a good way of putting it," she conceded thoughtfully, relaxing somewhat. She knew it had been a good idea to talk to someone older and wiser. "Oh yeah, I did. I thought it was really interesting how they approach the different breeds - like there's no one size fits all when it comes to healing a dragon." Amy shifted her weight between her feet. "Where is Snowdonia anyways?" she asked after a moment. It felt like a very foreign place, but something in her told her she was totally off the mark.

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

Vivian felt the moment that the joke felt flat and the conversation suddenly resembled most of her short and sweet (and actually not so sweet) interactions with Albus. Like, a healthy dose of awkward – even if the usual rage wasn’t present and Amy hadn’t tried to steal her puffskein yet. Actually, in that sense it was probably for the best that Drizzle wasn’t here. Viv wanted to be sneaky on her apothecary trips and Drizzle was loud and recognizable. Not exactly the best to bring on a stealth mission. So she’d distracted her beloved puffskein with one of her favorite toys and a promise to hurry back. She might’ve expected a fan or two on the way, but this conversation had landed on her like a misplaced blasting curse. Unexpected and somewhat jarring.

Things seemed to flow a bit better once they started talking about something else. It did make Viv feel a twinge bad. Talking werewolf stuff was always so awkward for her – she didn’t have a ton of other people in her life who could relate, so Vivian tended to avoid the subject. Act like it was a furry little friend who tagged along for things, even when she didn’t want it. So the moment someone asked about it…yeah, it got weird. Viv chuckled at the girl’s description of a roomy pyramid corridor. “So he’s in the movie biz, huh? Or you’ve just got pyramids in your garden?” Even if the imagery was striking, Viv suspected it was probably the first thing. The girl’s pointed question about Viv’s career choice, her off-hand comment about a huge fit guy that must be some movie star…yeah, this girl had some kind of experience with show business.

She nodded along to the description of the special episode she’d done in Snowdonia – Viv loved shooting on-location and taking any possible opportunity to leave the studio. It did get a little repetitive after a while to simply do the same interviews every week with some rising star or another. She liked the episodes where she could pay attention to the issues, or shine a spotlight on someone who otherwise would’ve have gotten the chance. “He’s got a brilliant eye for detail, too. Can basically tell all of his dragons apart, even when they're the same breed. I can't even do that with producers. They all look the same, really.” She shook her head at the thought. The girl’s question made her crack a smile, though. “It’s in Wales. You don’t even need a Portkey if you don’t like spinning like a top.”

AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW

[AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW]

Some of the tension leaked out of Amy as she spoke easily of her father. It was less painful than she had expected, especially considering she hadn't seen him in over a year. Amy had wondered if they would make the trip over to the UK to see to her care, but apparently the land was too cursed for them. Fine. She and Alora would simply make do. "A bit of both, actually," said Amy, a sly smirk creeping across her lips. "Dad has this habit of recreating movie sets in the back yard so that he can make sure he understands the dimensions and stuff," she added as if it was the most sane thing in the world. Which it definitely wasn't.

"I got my boyfriend to watch that episode too, he was over the moon. He loves magical creatures." Amy stopped abruptly, mulling over the strange ache in her chest when she mentioned Toby. He'd tried reaching out to her multiple times, but as it turned out, Amy was slippery when she wanted to be. And she couldn't face Toby at the moment - not since he'd bitten her and turned her into... this. Even if it was her fault, it was too complicated for her to reason out. Besides, her logical reasoning skills in general were severely lacking. Amy released a huff of laughter at Vivian's observation that all producers looked the same. "Scruffy facial hair, black rimmed glasses, tall and thin? Yeah, I can't tell them apart either. And my dad is one," she offered.

Someone other than Amy would probably have been embarrassed and made excuses for not knowing that Snowdonia was in Wales. For someone who had lived in the UK for multiple years, Amy ought to have been caught up on geography. However, Amy never claimed to be clever - she did not care for learning, or reading, or maps or knowledge in general. Give her a rock, give her a mysterious solid compound, and she was one happy camper. "That's not far at all. I've never been to Wales though. It must be hard to keep the dragons out of sight of the public. Do they only have... common welsh greens? Or multiple different breeds?"

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

“That sounds wicked,” Viv said eagerly at the thought of recreating movie sets at home. She and Rosie lived in a fairy cramped flat, so they were lucky if they fit enough of their friends without using an illegal Stretching Jinx. The Ministry seemed to hate when wizards tried to enchant their living spaces in their off-time, so Rose would never let her try it on her own. But oh well, at least some random wizard in America was having a good time with it. Viv liked to live vicariously through others whenever her producers or other people with built-in impulse control told her she couldn’t do something.

It was always nice to hear positive feedback about the shows she filmed, and Viv nodded politely as Amy gushed about the dragon reserve and having gotten her magizoologist boyfriend to watch it too. But she raised an eyebrow at the strange expression on Amy’s face, like she wasn’t so thrilled at the thought after all. “Well, he should tune in again soon,” Viv said, choosing her words carefully while trying to figure out where the landmine was here, “I’ve got a niffler trainer in two weeks who’s bringing his best lil buddies. Should be good fun if the set’s still standing at the end.” Viv was skeptical, but she was too excited to experiment with all the commands they’d been taught to let the caution overpower her curiosity. She gave an involuntary chuckle at Amy’s description of the average stiff-necked, over-worked producer and nodded vehemently at the description. Yeah sure, they played an important role in the entertainment industry. That didn’t mean Viv had to like it.

Viv tilted her head as she tried to remember more details about the Snowdonia episode, but it had been such a whirlwind trip that only the highlights stuck out at her. “I dunno,” she said after a pause. The thoughtful expression on her face turned mischievous as she added, “I’ve got a selective memory. I remember what I like and toss the rest. It made my professors go mad.” She shrugged slightly and fidgeted with the straps of her bag. “But can’t you ask your boyfriend? If he’s such a magical creatures enthusiast, I mean.” At the end of the day, Viv wasn’t an expert in any of her show’s topics. She was more like a jack of all trades – sample each one and then move on. She liked having the opportunity to see many little snapshots of the big wide world they lived in.

AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW

[AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW]

Amy's eyes widened at the mention of nifflers. "Oh, I am not sure it will be. Dad had an intern once who brought a niffler on set, and you should have seen how mad he was. There were no maj's working on the film as well! And a niffler!" Amy shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if anything goes through wizards minds, or if their heads are just on for show." She'd felt rather uncomfortable mentioning Toby, but she couldn't quite place a finger on why. Well, besides the obvious in that he'd bitten her. But he'd also warned her, and it wasn't like being a werewolf was the end of the world...

Right?

Amy didn't know much about nifflers, except for the penchant for mischief, but she wasn't sure that having one in polite company was such a good idea. Even if maybe it made for good content. Amy couldn't imagine the mess afterwards.

Flushing scarlet, Amy stuttered out a tentative response. "Oh um..." she hesitated, her eyes flickering around the shop as she searched for a reason why she couldn't ask Toby about this. Surely Vivian Jordan didn't want to know about her drama with her werewolf boyfriend. But she came up blank. "I dunno," she finished lamely, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm asking you though," she added, albeit defensively. She paused, letting the silence between them stretch until it became rather awkward. "Do you think you'll do a show on werewolves?" Amy blurted out at last.

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

If Viv had to be completely honest, sometimes she did push her producers’ limits and experiment with how far she could go – just to see how red her middle-aged babysitters could get. Sometimes she behaved herself and restrained some of her crazier out-there ideas…but she never wanted to get complacent or be predictable. And Potterwatch had gotten big over the last few years, enough so that she had fewer creative limits than there’d been at the beginning. Once, every idea had been carefully vetted and screened with producers and focus groups. These days? Viv knew her limits better and ideas rarely got shot down. As long as she was vigilant, and continued to get good ratings…well, why wouldn’t her star keep rising?

So yeah, nifflers. Her producers hadn’t managed to shoot down the idea or convince Viv to shut it down. Viv’s smile turned crooked as she gleefully imagined the chaos on set – a niffler in the middle of a Muggle production. “Can’t blame the bloke for trying,” she said with a shrug, “We’re always trying to out-do everyone else in the biz.” Now Viv had never broken any international wizarding statutes or brazenly exposed magic to the Muggle world, but she could see what would lead a chap to try. Anyway, the Ministry had probably been all over that. If there was one thing that their magical government knew how to do, it was ending a party in five seconds or less. “But it’ll be aces, we’ll have the trainer on set and some other magizoologists to watch over the critters.” Viv gave a serious nod to show that she meant business – she didn’t play around with workplace safety (maybe a little bit with her own whenever she wanted to try anything particularly daring, but definitely not for anybody that worked for her or came on her show).

She raised an eyebrow at Amy’s defensive response, which seemed more like a knee-jerk reaction than anything else. Okay, so she’d found the landmine – talking about the boyfriend was off-limits, for whatever reason. “Kay,” Viv said, mind racing as she tried to salvage the exchange and leave it on a positive note, “How ‘bout you write me with your questions? I’ll dig up my research materials from the Snowdonia trip and see what I can find on the dragons for you.” That seemed like a fair offer, and Viv finished it off with a brilliant smile to show that she was being sincere. A second later, it froze on her face completely. Because she’d been working in entertainment for years and her first instinct, whenever she got uncomfortable or caught off-guard, was to leave the smile on her face. Play for the camera no matter what. Even so, Viv fidgeted with the bag that held her Aware Wolf and speechlessly tried to work her mouth to say something about why it’d be a horrible idea to do a show on werewolves. “I, er…” She couldn’t seem to remember how to form words, much less a complete thought. Finally she hedged and said tentatively, “I dunno if people would watch that.”

AMY ESMA ASTOR-SHAW