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last online Apr 19, 2024 17:10:39 GMT -7
HOGWARTS CAMPUS STAFF
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Dec 5, 2019 18:31:57 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Dec 5, 2019 18:31:57 GMT -7
Cameron said that he had heard that the Three Broomsticks had gotten overcrowded. It was no surprise; word traveled quickly around wizarding Britain—and especially around Hogsmeade. He said that it had been about two weeks since he had last visited the Hog's Head, and he asked her how long it had been for her.
"It's been… a bit longer than that for me," Parvati smiled. She knew that it had been much longer than just two weeks for her. Had she last been there when she'd met with Marcus Flint? She couldn't remember exactly when it was. If it had been with Marcus, though, that would have been over a year since she had been there… Merlin.
Partly to distract herself from that mess, and partly because Cameron seemed like he could use a distraction of his own, Parvati paused. "…Would you like some company?" she asked him, hoping that he wouldn't find it too strange that she had asked.
@cameronunderwood
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last online Apr 24, 2024 22:10:36 GMT -7
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Dec 10, 2019 11:07:21 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2019 11:07:21 GMT -7
Cameron only gave a slight nod when she said she hadn't been in quite some time. In all honesty, he didn't really know who came t the Hog's Head anymore. The Three Broomsticks were much more popular and had a lot more traction. But he guessed that was why he liked this place. It had a lot fewer people and more room to think to himself. But he was a bit startled however when Parvati once again spoke, this time asking him if he would like some company. At first, he was silent. He was thinking. he supposed it wouldn't hurt, would it? Finally, he nodded a little, a smile on his face. "Sure! Why not? I could use the company," he said. He gestured to the set right across from him on the other side of the table. That was the only other seat there, he thought. He could have been wrong, but he sincerely doubted it. It wasn't like he was blind. He wanted to ask the woman what she knew about the Purifiers. It was a tempting question. But he restrained himself from doing so. He had just met her. He should be a bit more careful with his words and not blurt out every question he had. At least not yet. words. some words notes. parvati patil macmillan
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last online Apr 19, 2024 17:10:39 GMT -7
HOGWARTS CAMPUS STAFF
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Dec 11, 2019 22:31:39 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Dec 11, 2019 22:31:39 GMT -7
Although he didn't reply instantaneously, Cameron's response to her was an affirmative one. "Sure! Why not?" he smiled. "I could use the company."
Parvati, having thought as much, nodded as Cameron motioned across the table. She pulled out the chair from the place across from him and sat down. "Thank you," she spoke. She wouldn't have been surprised if most of the others at the Hog's Head preferred to keep to themselves; it wasn't really the sort of place that people went to socialize unless they had an express purpose for doing so.
"Are you here in Hogsmeade often?" Parvati asked. Knowing that Cameron was an Auror, there was a good chance that he was assigned to the village, Hogwarts itself, or some combination of the two.
@cameronunderwood
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last online Apr 24, 2024 22:10:36 GMT -7
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Dec 12, 2019 9:34:27 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2019 9:34:27 GMT -7
Cameron nodded in response, before tilting his head to the side and looking at the window. He had to restrain himself from sighing. He didn't want to bother her with his problems or questions, but the urge was almost overwhelming. He couldn't seem to contain his curiosity. But he made an attempt. Perhaps it was futile, sure, but then at the very least, he tried to restrain himself. Having been so deep in thought, he barely noticed that Parvati had spoken again, this time asking him a question. He caught it just in time, however, and turned his gaze to her. "Well, sometimes. I am sometimes assigned here, but most of the time I just want to relax whenever I come to Hogsmeade. Mostly to get away from the sometimes stressful job of being an Auror," he explained. He wasn't going to lie about the stress of the job, but he wasn't going to tell her how stressed he was either. words. some words notes. parvati patil macmillan
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last online Apr 19, 2024 17:10:39 GMT -7
HOGWARTS CAMPUS STAFF
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Jan 5, 2020 21:40:18 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Jan 5, 2020 21:40:18 GMT -7
Cameron explained that, while he was assigned to Hogsmeade on occasion, he mostly just went there to relax and to get away from the stresses of being an Auror.
Although she had never worked as an Auror herself, the opportunity had been open to Parvati after the Battle of Hogwarts. She hadn't had any desire to take it then, nor did she desire to almost thirty years on. It was a job that many people did aspire to have (and she knew some of the current trainees as well as those on the force), but it was also the sort of job that a person couldn't enter into lightly. Being an Auror was demanding, physically and mentally. Ordinarily, recruits had to go through years of training, and that was assuming that they were eligible to begin with.
"I know it isn't easy," Parvati acknowledged. She tried to keep her voice casual, given where they were sitting, but she was genuinely concerned. She might not have known everything that being an Auror involved, considering that she hadn't lived it for herself, but she had a pretty good idea. "And, forgive me if I sound like your mum or something," she added in a brief apology, "but there's nothing wrong with taking a break if you need it." It was better to take a step back when necessary than to reach a breaking point.
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last online Apr 24, 2024 22:10:36 GMT -7
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Jan 7, 2020 10:08:49 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2020 10:08:49 GMT -7
Cameron heard her say that she knew it wasn't easy, and perhaps Cameron should have been grateful, but he wasn't sure if she really understood, or was saying that to make him feel better, but his worries were quenched when he saw her expression. It looked to be relief. Perhaps relief that she did not become an Auror? Despite the job being difficult, it was rewarding as well. The feeling he got when he helped others was like no other feeling ever. And he just found meaning in life. He felt good about saving the life of another, and if he had to take it away, it would crush him. He wouldn't be able to handle it. That's why most criminals he captured were stunned, and that was also a good thing, because if the criminal was dead, then there'd be no case. And there would be this overwhelming guilt and sorrow of taking another person's life on Cameron's mind. But he knew what he got himself into, and didn't back out. She gave him a brief apology about sounding like his mother, and told him that there was nothing wrong with taking a break. "You know what?" Cameron said. "You sound exactly like my mother!" he gave a laugh. It was meant to be a joke, but he couldn't help but think it sounded exactly like what his mother would say. "I know I could take a break, but criminals don't really take breaks, do they? What if I take a lazy day off, and something horrible happens? No, I appreciate the gesture, but I can't take a break..." Cameron was hiding the fact that if he didn't keep working, he would feel guilty that he didn't stop something he could have stopped if he was there. There was just no way Cameron could take a break unless he was either forced to, or he just needed a little breather. Not a break, precisely, but a little off-duty stuff. And the thing he was doing at the moment was taking a little breather. words. some notes. parvati patil macmillan
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last online Apr 19, 2024 17:10:39 GMT -7
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Jan 10, 2020 18:41:58 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Jan 10, 2020 18:41:58 GMT -7
Cameron was jovial as he told her that she did, in fact, sound like his mother. His tone shifted quickly, though, as the idea of taking a break set in. He said that he couldn't. "I know I could take a break, but criminals don't really take breaks, do they? What if I take a lazy day off, and something horrible happens? No, I appreciate the gesture, but I can't take a break..."
However much he might have been trying to mask it, Parvati could hear the anguish in Cameron's voice, and she immediately reached out her hand across the table. She knew the feeling. She knew what it was like to feel powerless to change a situation, and she met with students who often expressed similar frustrations. It wasn't hard to lose faith in the good of the world. There was always something happening to reinforce that maybe the world wasn't as safe as previously believed.
And for those in a position to do something—anything—it often felt like the weight of the world had been placed upon their shoulders.
"Things will always happen," Parvati reminded Cameron gently. There was no way around it; there would always be some reason why Aurors would be needed. "You've got to remember to take care of yourself, too. There's no shame in that."
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last online Apr 24, 2024 22:10:36 GMT -7
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Aug 19, 2020 18:56:08 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 18:56:08 GMT -7
Cameron was so tired. He was exhausted. He couldn't understand why he couldn't save anyone? All those deaths in the newspapers.... was that his fault? If so, he couldn't rest. Never. Even if it killed him. He shook his head. "I understand and appreciate your concern.... but I can't rest when I know people are suffering... I can't, not when I know I can do something," he told her. "I know I need to take care of myself... but I can't unless I know the world is safe." Cameron was stubborn, determined to make things right with the whole world. He felt like he had the entire world on his shoulders. He couldn't remember the time he had been at peace.... maybe his Hogwarts years? But even then, he was depressed because of his father's death. And the pain his mother felt... it was almost too much to bear. Too much. He took another look at Parvati. "But I cannot allow those 'things' to happen... I can't," he admitted, looking down at the table with so much pain in his eyes. He couldn't bear it all, but he must. He had to. There was no way around it, and he wouldn't let anyone down. parvati patil macmillan
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last online Apr 19, 2024 17:10:39 GMT -7
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Aug 19, 2020 20:45:07 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Aug 19, 2020 20:45:07 GMT -7
In spite of what she said, Cameron shook his head. "I understand and appreciate your concern," he told her hesitantly, "but I can't rest when I know people are suffering… I can't, not when I know I can do something." Parvati understood that train of thought, because she was much the same way. It was difficult for her to stand by and do nothing; it wasn't in her nature. "I know I need to take care of myself… but I can't unless I know the world is safe."
Merlin, Parvati thought; he reminded her of Harry in that way. She knew all too well that the world wasn't safe, and not resting until it was… Well, that wasn't likely to happen in a short time frame.
"But I cannot allow those 'things' to happen… I can't."
Parvati sighed a little, seeing the pained expression on Cameron's face, even if he had averted his gaze from hers. "It hurts sometimes. I know…" she empathized with him, her voice soft as she spoke. It was painful; there were no two ways about it. It was difficult not to feel in control of what might happen in the future, and he was still relatively young. "I can't promise it gets easier," she added truthfully; however, it was possible to find ways to cope that weren't destructive. "But it's worth trying. I promise you."
@cameronunderwood
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last online Apr 24, 2024 22:10:36 GMT -7
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Aug 19, 2020 21:49:07 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 21:49:07 GMT -7
Cameron had tears in his eyes from all the weight of the people he had to save... who he failed to save. "Sometimes? How about all the time? I can't sleep, sometimes I can't even eat.... my dog sometimes goes unfed.... and that hurts me, even more, the next day." he admitted to Parvati. "I know it isn't healthy.... but I can't help it... what If you have the option to save someone and you couldn't? It'd eat you up inside for years after..." Cameron wiped away the tears. He wasn't broken, no he couldn't have been. But he felt broken. He felt like he couldn't save anyone... Why were these thoughts popping up now? Why not earlier? He nodded. "I know it won't.... but I wish it would," he sighed. He looked at her. "Is it? I'd do anything...." parvati patil macmillan
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last online Apr 19, 2024 17:10:39 GMT -7
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Aug 19, 2020 23:07:31 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Aug 19, 2020 23:07:31 GMT -7
Cameron's admission to her ran deeper than Parvati expected. "Sometimes? How about all the time?" he questioned, telling her that he couldn't sleep; sometimes couldn't eat, and his dog went unfed because of it. It was apparent that he was depressed and needed more help than she would be able to provide him, but Parvati knew that all she could really do—besides talking with him about what he was feeling—was to direct him to resources that could help him more: Healers at St. Mungo's, for one.
"I know it isn't healthy…" his voice faltered, "but I can't help it... what If you have the option to save someone and you couldn't? It'd eat you up inside for years after…"
Parvati swallowed as Cameron wiped away his tears. She understood that, too. All of the deaths from the Battle of Hogwarts still haunted her, even after so many years. It was something that had changed her and most everyone she knew in some way.
Still, she tried to remain positive, though even Cameron didn't sound thoroughly convinced of it. "I know it won't… but I wish it would," he expressed about the prospect that things might get easier—and that it was worth trying. "Is it? I'd do anything…"
"It is, Cameron. It is," Parvati reassured him, completely sincere in that, though the desperation in his tone was admittedly difficult to hear. "It sounds like you're struggling right now, and that you haven't been eating," she noted softly. He might have been a relative stranger to her, but that didn't mean that she cared any less about him because of that. "Would you like some more water?" she suggested. It wouldn't work any miracles, but it might help to give him a moment to breathe, especially since he'd been crying. "I'm happy to get you something to eat, too, if you're hungry." While she didn't know if anyone would have the appetite for whatever the Hog's Head was serving, Parvati felt that she would offer, and she didn't mind going with him to the Three Broomsticks or even Madam Puddifoot's for something slightly more edible.
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