Sharing Magical Insights | Aidan

[LIONA ISABELLE ZABINI]

Liona, a bright and adventurous witch with a taste for exploration, has always been drawn to traveling the world. Her current journey has led her to a healer's convention, where wizards and witches from across the globe gather to share their knowledge of magical healing practices.

Filled with excitement, Liona eagerly immerses herself in the lively event. The convention's atmosphere hums with the energy of animated conversations, the intricate weaving of enchantments, and the flickering dance of protective wards - creating an environment that both inspires and enchants her.

As Liona mingles, she delves into a wealth of new healing techniques, from captivating potions to captivating charms that can mend both physical and magical ailments. Her passion for the art of healing is ignited as she connects with other like-minded practitioners who share her fascination.

Liona's day takes an even brighter turn when she spots Aidan across the bustling hall. A broad smile spreading across her face, she makes her way through the crowd to greet him. "Aidan!" she calls out, her voice carrying a warm, joyful tone. "Have you been here long, or did you just arrive?"

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Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

July 2029

It was a sign of just how long Aidan had been working at the Magical Wildlife Rehabilitation Center that they trusted him to represent them at conventions. When he’d first arrived? Absolutely no way. He’d been a fresh young druid from Hy-Brasil, painfully unaware of how things were done off the island and with an embarrassingly low level of English. It’d worked okay for the most part, since the magical creatures didn’t seem to care which language he spoke in, but there could be no doubt that things had changed. He was a real boy now! They’d shoved off the ‘assistant’ in his title and made him a full-fledged veterinarian at the nature reserve. His boss only rolled his eyes roughly once per conversation now, and Aidan didn’t need to shop for sweets by looking at the pictures on the boxes rather than trying to read the strange names of the candy at Honeyduke’s. Life was good.

They hadn’t sent him too far, but Aidan was deeply fascinated by how much Scotland reminded him of Hy-Brasil. He walked around in a sort of daze, eyes wide as he took in the amount of magic he could feel in the air (positively thrumming with potential) and the wide array of witches and wizards that surrounded him. This convention was for healing in general, not only magical creatures, but Aidan had never truly appreciated how big the world was until he saw little samples of it everywhere. Anytime he saw another vet, he stopped to hold an animated chat about the types of creatures they treated and to share some of his own insights. But for the most part – he just wandered around and took in all the sights.

He was vaguely contemplating sneaking off to try and find some Hinkypunks, since he’d heard a great deal about them from Eli and that they were supposedly quite happy in Scottish bogs, when he heard a familiar voice. He swiveled quickly like a dog that’d heard its name (because some traits did tend to cross over between his Animagus and human form), and lit up when he recognized the witch. “Hi! I came yesterday on a shoe,” he said matter-of-factly, since he still had trouble saying the word Portkey. He grinned at her as a small pack of Healers pushed by, wearing robes with their hospital’s insignia on them. “Did you see the booth with candles?” he asked eagerly. He’d been transfixed with the idea since he’d first spotted them. “They mix candle wax with potions, and so the…the smoke? The fumes! Spread the potion effects around the room.” He knew Liona would appreciate it as much as he did, which was one reason these sorts of conventions were always good fun.

LIONA ISABELLE ZABINI

[LIONA ISABELLE ZABINI]

Liona's eyes gleamed with delight as she spotted Aidan, and she couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiastic greeting. "Ah, yes, a Portkey," she confirmed, her tone warm and friendly, understanding his attempt to communicate. Liona's keen observations, her extensive travels, and her insatiable curiosity had honed her ability to quickly comprehend when language barriers hindered clear communication.

She tilted her head, visibly intrigued by his excitement. "The candle booth? Oh, indeed, I saw it! I didn't have a chance to take a closer look, as I was quite preoccupied at the time." Liona's expression shifted, a hint of concern crossing her delicate features. "I was focusing on developing new techniques for treating serious injuries with significant blood loss, I'm determined to find more effective ways to save their lives."

Liona's appearance might suggest a woman who prioritizes her looks, with her styled hair and elegant attire, but seeing her covered in the blood of her patients reveals a different persona, like two distinct individuals inhabiting the same body.

"It's this way," she gestured, pointing in the opposite direction. "Those candles looked quite fascinating. They could certainly make treating patients much more efficient, and I'm always eager to explore new magical innovations that could improve the lives of those in need." Liona's eyes sparkled with a newfound enthusiasm, her desire to learn and grow as a mediwizard driving her every step.

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Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

“Portkey,” Aidan repeated, nodding wisely at the new word like it held all the secrets of the universe. He found them to be a lot of good fun – on the island, it wasn’t necessary since you could walk or Apparate just about anywhere. But some wizard had decided to enchant random objects to send you spinning through space while clinging on for dear life, and Aidan enjoyed every second of it. He hadn’t even realized just how much he didn’t know, how much pure wonder ad fun existed in the world, until he’d stepped outside his bubble and begun to try it. Once upon a time, he’d been afraid at the thought of traveling far from home. But he’d slowly come around to the idea.

He tilted his head and considered the work Liona said she was doing, examining the issue of blood loss from a new perspective. “Wow. Research sounds hard…” Aidan tried to wrap his head around the thought of developing a new and innovative technique. He relied a lot on all the knowledge he’d gotten from the elders, centuries of old secrets passed down. That was how he’d always worked – using intuition, some of the innate magic inside him, and the collective knowledge of the druids to heal magical creatures. His patients had never complained, at least. “What did you find?” he asked eagerly.

As Liona pointed off into the distance, Aidan bounced on the balls of his feet excitedly and craned his head to look over the crowd. He couldn’t quite see, but he at least remembered where the candles were. “Let’s go see!” He immediately looped his arm around Liona’s and pulled her into the crowd. He’d learned to do it this way since Aidan never managed to get all the dirt out from under his fingernails, and at least this way he could avoid spreading it to others. But he’d come to this convention to do, not to see, and the candles were one example of things he could touch and smell for himself.

LIONA ISABELLE ZABINI

[LIONA ISABELLE ZABINI]

When she saw him grasp the word correctly, she nodded approvingly, happy that she could help someone outside her usual professional work. Witnessing the spark of understanding in another's eyes was one of the reasons she enjoyed helping people.

"Research can be challenging, and the subject matter can certainly be complex at times," she said, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "But I've always liked studying, ever since my school days, especially if it's related to what i like." She paused, reflecting on the journey that had led her here. "I've looked into some new enchantments that might be helpful, but it's a bit tricky to determine which one is the best for my work. The process can be delicate, but that's what makes it so engaging, like a puzzle waiting to be solved."

Aidan wrapped his arm around hers, and Liona couldn't help but chuckle softly. His energy was infectious, and she was eager to share her findings with someone who appreciated them so much. "Those candles certainly have intriguing qualities, and you never know - we might just uncover something that ignites another brilliant idea!" With her arm linked in his, she guided them through the bustling crowd towards the candle stand.

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Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Aidan listened to Liona’s explanation about her research as they walked, keeping one ear trained to her enthusiastic response while his eyes scanned the crowd for the candle booth (which he actually figured he’d smell long before they saw it). “Research needs experiments too, but it's hard,” he said after a few moments of silence while the thought carefully formed in his head. That was a tricky subject in their field. They worked with living beings, so you couldn’t automatically run to test everything on a human or a magical creature. But ultimately, it was hard to come up with solutions if you didn’t just try something. Aidan spent a lot of time consulting and getting advice from his friends at the reserve before he chose a treatment plan. That had been one of the hardest changes from being an apprentice to a full-fledged vet.

Whether she’d meant the candle pun or not, Aidan laughed at the joke about igniting more ideas and nodded along as he weaved through the crowd. After growing up on an island, it was still somewhat dizzying to see how big and sprawling some places on the mainland could be. There were so many people here, and Aidan might find it claustrophobic if he wasn’t just so excited all the time. As it was, the smile hadn’t left his face since the Portkey had dropped him off just outside. “I want some,” he said eagerly, already imagining all the things he could do with slow-burning potion candles. Calming draughts, babbling beverages, all kinds of potions to set the right mood! Not even just for work, he could see these candles becoming big sellers in the apothecaries soon enough.

LIONA ISABELLE ZABINI

[LIONA ISABELLE ZABINI]

Liona wholeheartedly agreed with Aidan's assessment that her job was demanding and challenging. Even as she trained alongside experienced colleagues, she felt she still had much to learn. "It's difficult, but that's what makes it so rewarding and enjoyable," she said with a determined smile. The truth was, she thrived on the challenges her profession brought. Every patient in her care presented a new set of problems for her to deal with, like a high-stakes strategic game.

As they approached the bustling candle booth at the market, Liona's gaze was immediately drawn to the vibrant array of colors and captivating scents on display. The flickering flames cast a warm glow over the stall. "They're so beautiful, I could stare at them all day," she said, her eyes wide with wonder. Curiosity piqued; she picked up an unlit candle to examine it more closely and to show Aidan.

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Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Aidan paused abruptly as some American wizards pushed through the crowd in front of them and broke his long strides forward. After a few seconds to let them continue onwards, he gently led Liona through the now-clear path so they could continue walking. His head craned to look at them for a moment longer (their accent was funny and he would’ve liked to hear if it was the same as Eli’s or maybe slightly different) before his attention was redirected to trying not to run into anyone else. “Maybe,” he said with a laugh as Liona said she liked the challenge of research, “I like sitting with them. Enjoy the sun while the nifflers do their exercise. That is fun for me.” But to each their own – Aidan considered himself pretty unremarkable in the sense that he didn’t want big things out of life. He just enjoyed the quiet, and the little moments of peace.

His eyes widened as he looked over the vast arrays of candles, and he turned to grin at Liona. “Should we light it?” he asked mischievously, eyes already roving over the unlit candle as he tried to guess at what kind of potion it might’ve been made from. The color wasn’t very revealing, since it seemed to be a mix of the different colors of the sunset – pinks and oranges and reds. Truly, it could be anything. “Beautiful,” he agreed, carefully avoiding the eye of the witch at the stall so she couldn’t guess that he’d just wanted to light a random candle moments before. Sure, he enjoyed all the different lectures and talking to wizards from other areas. But really, he’d come here to smell and touch and maybe even taste new things. He’d always been a hands-on learner.

LIONA ISABELLE ZABINI

[LIONA ISABELLE ZABINI]

Liona's eyes sparkled with warmth as she listened to Aidan's words, her gaze following the wizards as they disappeared into the bustling crowd. "I can certainly understand the appeal," she said thoughtfully. "Having a few mischievous nifflers scurrying about would certainly add some excitement while I delve into the mysteries of healing magic."

She raised a playful eyebrow at Aidan's grin and question, her own lips curving into an equally impish smile. His easygoing, carefree demeanor was contagious, making it almost impossible for her to resist the temptation of stirring up a bit of harmless chaos.

"Lighting a random candle, you say?" she commented, her voice laced with amusement as her eyes drifted over the array of colorful candles lining the shelves. Tilting her head slightly, she considered the possibilities, a mischievous glint sparkling in her eyes. "I'm not sure I'm quite ready to be held responsible for whatever mysterious potion or spell we might accidentally unleash. It could end up being something thrilling and wondrous..." She paused, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards. "Or it could be a complete and utter disaster."

Stepping closer, Liona eyed the candles carefully, as if trying to detect any hidden dangers or dark magic lurking within their flickering flames. "I must admit, those mesmerizing colors are rather tempting." Liona's fingers hovered near her pocket, brushing the edge of her wand, but she hesitated to pull it out. She tended to be more cautious than Aidan when it came to "spontaneous" experiments, especially in crowded areas. Yet, the lure of the unknown was difficult to resist. "Besides," she added with a smirk, "You'd be disappointed if we didn't at least try, wouldn't you?"

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Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn