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anastasia marie karkaroff
DURMSTRANG ALUM DUELING MASTERY MAGICAL INTERPOL OCCLUMENCY
161 posts
played by vanessa
fire in my lungs, can't bite the devil on my tongue
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last online Mar 26, 2024 12:38:47 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 4, 2020 21:18:30 GMT -7
Post by anastasia marie karkaroff on Dec 4, 2020 21:18:30 GMT -7
do we get what we deserve? or do we deserve what we get? Ana paused and stood staring at the entrance of Borgin and Burke’s, her face was serious, and she didn’t pay attention to those walking around her. Her arms were crossed. She wasn’t hesitating, but she had a feeling along with many questions. She’d heard her brother was in London but not on a visit but for a career change rather and though she was new to the Ministry here she was still able to dig for a bit of information. But that’s just it, a bit—there hadn’t been much to read. She wondered if her brothers knew that he was not out tracking down gold and treasure and priceless artifacts but dusting them in a shop instead. Ana looked around. Knockturn Alley wasn’t known for being one of the more crowded places here so just a few souls lingering as they did. It had been some time since she had heard from Cas and it wasn’t anything that was uncommon. This past year she had graduated from Durmstrang with good marks, nothing spectacular as his own had been but enough to secure a comfortable posting that was far, far away from that miserable home she’d been forced to visit one last time. Uncrossing her arms and walking forward she felt her wand in her pocket where it was stowed away where she could quickly grab it should she need it. An old family heirloom that had belonged to her father’s mother, or so she was told. It was an old habit from her school days as she prided herself on her quick responses and reactions and level head. Ana pushed the door open and a small bell chimed, the shop wasn’t large but you had to walk in a few steps to see whomever was working behind the counter and as she had suspected—there he was. Her footsteps were soft, but audible since there was nobody else in the shop and she approached the counter slowly but still stayed some distance away. Some witches and wizards might have been bothered by the lack of light coming in and the dark energy that was emitted by all these artifacts, the kind that gave one goosebumps if they were not used to it. However, in her family this was not something that ever bothered them. It was common, their old family home was filled with items such as this or it had been at one point. Ana cleared her throat to catch his attention and crossed her arms again. ”I’m assuming your owl informing me you were here now was somehow was tragically lost.” She took another few steps forward and examined the exterior of an old but small box with runes carved all over it, but she didn’t touch it. ”Or does the bank need you to retrieve priceless treasures from shops now?”
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last online Oct 5, 2023 2:09:17 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 5, 2020 2:11:20 GMT -7
Post by Casimir Elias Karkaroff on Dec 5, 2020 2:11:20 GMT -7
2019 Cas had never paused to consider that the transition from Gringotts to Knockturn would be so boring. It was an oversight on his part – he’d spent the past seven years abroad, working in the field and exploring many far-flung countries. Anything would seem dull after that, but Borgin and Burke’s had somehow exceeded his expectations. As the newest employee, Cas hadn’t yet reached a level of trust that included access to the truly interesting tasks – acquisitions, sales, home visits. So he mostly watched the front, took stock of inventory, and reminded himself daily that this was only the first step in a long-term, mutually-beneficial plan. The reminder was necessary, because the alternative was to just be angry. He’d gotten away from the family for almost a decade, doing his part to refill the family vault but not much else. It had been…so freeing not to be in charge. Not to make any decisions, not to have to bear the consequences of any of those choices. But his family had proven that they were incompetent of building the family’s future – and in his mother’s case, losing the thread of reality – without him. It wasn’t a responsibility he wanted, but he knew there could be no one else. His brothers could only follow instructions, not set them, and Ana had never hidden her feelings about their mother and that house. It was a role Cas was familiar with, one he had first wrestled away from Mama when he’d started at Durmstrang, but he’d hoped it would become unnecessary with time. Another oversight of his. He could have spent the rest of the day pondering his mistakes, but the door opened and Cas straightened immediately to look presentable. His posture didn’t loosen when he saw who it was, but the welcoming half-smile curved into something that looked more like a smirk. Anya had a stubborn look on her face as she marched into the shop, radiating the same kind of energy as a steamroller. Her crossed arms and challenging tone also weren’t new, although this time she was demanding an explanation about his career change instead of defending why she should be able to play outside with her brothers. “It seems it would have been a waste of parchment,” Cas suggested in a smooth tone with an underlying hint of humor, “considering how much freedom the Ministry apparently gives its trainees to use sensitive information for personal reasons.” It was a conjecture, but one Cas felt confident about. He’d only told his mother (mostly to throw it in her face) and one of his brothers (since they corresponded often and he needed to know), and if that had been Anya’s source then she would’ve skipped right to taking out her wand. He hadn’t told her or their youngest brother because…they just hadn’t needed to know. The Karkaroffs were not prone to seeing each other more than what was absolutely required, and Cas had kept so much from his younger siblings over the years that the thought of oversharing now seemed ridiculous. Anya was eyeing a small box, and Cas leaned forward and placed his elbows on the counter as he watched her. “Looking to add some color to your desk? I’m not sure Interpol would appreciate the direction you’re going in.” anastasia marie karkaroff
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anastasia marie karkaroff
DURMSTRANG ALUM DUELING MASTERY MAGICAL INTERPOL OCCLUMENCY
161 posts
played by vanessa
fire in my lungs, can't bite the devil on my tongue
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last online Mar 26, 2024 12:38:47 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 5, 2020 15:33:30 GMT -7
Post by anastasia marie karkaroff on Dec 5, 2020 15:33:30 GMT -7
do we get what we deserve? or do we deserve what we get? Ana was surprised that one of her other older brothers hadn’t owled her, but the more she thought about it she really wasn’t. It seemed they spoke more out of necessity versus curiosity, so she supposed that it would have been more suspicious if they had sent word. Their sibling dynamic was not uncommon in families like theirs but from what she had observed here in the UK it was certainly different to say the least. Cas didn’t flinch or even fidget when she entered. He looked the same as every time she saw him tough at least a bit less tired now that he wasn’t running into caves in the desert somewhere. His sarcasm hadn’t changed at all either, but that was how they all seemed to speak to one another. Sarcasm, snide comments but the severity of those comments was determined by their individual relationships. Or as an example Ana didn’t particularly try to make snide comments to Damian and preferred to levy her insults at him quite plainly much to the chagrin of their mother. She looked at him, a hint of suspicion in her eye. Even if she hadn’t spent as much time with her brother as most siblings did, he never tended to do anything without some kind of plan or agenda. Even Curse Breaking had an agenda behind it that was bigger than himself, so what was he doing here now? Some might have suggested it was an older brother moving to watch over his baby sister but if someone had actually suggested that to her, she might have burst out laughing. She respected Cas but she fully expected him never to come to her rescue if she could help it, besides—she didn’t need it. She chuckled a bit, ”Maybe I just hear things.” She commented, he didn’t need to know the details of how she had arrived here and figured it all out. Not just yet, anyway. She looked up from the box she had been inspecting and gave Cas a look, ”As if I need more reminders of home.” She moved away from the table the item had been on and closer to the counter that he stood behind. ”So?” She gave him a look with her eyebrows raised, she was waiting now for him to explain. ”What information is so particularly sensitive?” He’d mentioned it previously.
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last online Oct 5, 2023 2:09:17 GMT -7
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Dec 13, 2020 4:34:41 GMT -7
Post by Casimir Elias Karkaroff on Dec 13, 2020 4:34:41 GMT -7
Cas knew the follow-up questions would start at any moment now – he had a habit of side-stepping questions he preferred not to answer, and he could usually get away with it…unless he was with his family. None of the Karkaroffs were particularly unintelligent, not with the way they’d been raised to be precise and calculating (although a degree of cowardice could certainly be argued). He could always count on Alek to fall in line, and his mother to know when she’d been defeated, but Dam and Anya had learned to stand on their own by being relentless. He heavily disliked the way his brother had chosen to assert his independence, but he’d come to be fond of watching Anya defend herself. He’d certainly never done it for her in any public way. He raised his eyebrows as Anya replied vaguely that she ‘heard things.’ It seemed like a childish answer compared to how they’d been taught to respond – be vague if you must, but never obvious. It was the surest way of being found out, and Karkaroffs were too sophisticated to be caught in such a simple way. At any rate, he knew she could do better, although he refrained from commenting. He liked his sister as far as ‘like’ could go – certainly compared to his other siblings, and with the expectation that she could someday rise above them. That meant a certain level of critical observation was needed, but it had to be done with an even hand. Anya mentioned avoiding reminders of home, and Cas smirked at her as he straightened back to his full height. “I suppose I should toss the plan to send a family portrait to your flat then. Life-sized, of course. We never do anything by half, do we?” It was a rhetorical question, but one they both knew to be true regardless. It certainly manifested in different ways, but he never knew any of his family to show moderation in anything they did. Whether it be joining the Death Eaters, betraying them, or dealing with the fallout. Cas could only hope his sister would invest the hereditary Karkaroff passion in a more productive way than some members of their family. He certainly worked hard to be dispassionate himself. Her last question made him ‘tsk’ at her as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “Obvious questions get obvious answers. So my answer will be relatively simple. There is no sensitive information – or you’d have already guessed, wouldn’t you? Didn't you know? My little sister hears things.” anastasia marie karkaroff
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anastasia marie karkaroff
DURMSTRANG ALUM DUELING MASTERY MAGICAL INTERPOL OCCLUMENCY
161 posts
played by vanessa
fire in my lungs, can't bite the devil on my tongue
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last online Mar 26, 2024 12:38:47 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 14, 2020 0:24:02 GMT -7
Post by anastasia marie karkaroff on Dec 14, 2020 0:24:02 GMT -7
do we get what we deserve? or do we deserve what we get? Ana waited for an answer, if Cas expected her to rollover as her brother Alek did then he would be disappointed. Early on when Ana had begun to whine during her first couple years at Durmstrang Cas had basically told her to deal with it because neither he nor his brothers were going to intervene. She hadn’t been surprised by that answer and hadn’t whined about it since then and instead taken her brother’s advice. Her answer didn’t seem to faze him but really, she had responded without thinking, a mistake on her own part. Such an answer was fine in her line of work, in the British Ministry but in their family, it would be considered sub-par, she needed to watch herself if she didn’t want to just be another Ministry Witch with a famous name. ”Working in the Ministry lets me in on information not otherwise available to the public, surely you knew that?” Not as much as she might have liked as she was still in training but one day, she would have access to more though she wasn’t sure how it might be useful yet. She gave him a narrowed look, none of them particularly liked their family as a whole unit. Not even Damian, the prodigal and favorite son. Ana knew that even as the only daughter she wasn’t even the favorite daughter by any means. ”Only if I get to hex mother’s and Damian’s faces off it, since I can’t hex them in person.” In her current flat, it was small but comfortable. Less extravagant than she was used to, but she’d knew that if she wanted to make her own way and avoid ever speaking to her brother and mother for money then she would have to make some sacrifices. They certainly never did put anything less than one hundred percent effort in anything they did, it was how they were raised and what had stuck with them among everything else. Where that was directed, varied, however. She crossed her arms and gave him an unamused but focused look. She was young and determined, she could win against others, but this was her oldest brother she was dealing with here. ”If it wasn’t sensitive you might have told me why you are here and not working for the bank anymore.” She stated, what piece of the puzzle was she missing here. Anyone might have told her to let it go and let it be, but she knew her family better than that. ”So therefore I’m asking you. My dearest big brother why he quit his glamorous job to work behind a counter.” She had ways of finding out things, but she preferred not to if she wanted to be on decent terms with him.
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last online Oct 5, 2023 2:09:17 GMT -7
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Dec 14, 2020 7:24:56 GMT -7
Post by Casimir Elias Karkaroff on Dec 14, 2020 7:24:56 GMT -7
Since Anya’s rhetorical question was not meant to be answered and was only meant as a sarcastic response to his own biting comment, Cas didn’t respond. But yes, he certainly knew the benefits of a Ministry career – he’d thought it through carefully after watching each of his siblings graduate Durmstrang and begin their adult lives. Each of the Karkaroffs preferred to work as independent operators, but there was still an element of cohesion to their choices. Alek had started to repair the family’s reputation among pureblood circles by marrying well – arranged of course. Cas had started to build up the family’s influence by expanding his network into the equally feared and respected darker circles all purebloods got caught up in to some degree. And he’d known Anya would have to choose something that started to piece together the family’s legitimacy and ability to live among the new world order that was being established. So he’d gone to see her in her fifth year to discuss career options. So they’d settled on a suitably legitimate career that would also annoy their mother to no end (the beauty of compromise). Cas still hadn’t fully determined how to best use Anya’s new connections and strong work ethic for the family’s (and his) benefit, but she was building bridges nonetheless. He couldn’t help the smirk as Anya mentioned hexing Mama and Damian’s faces off the portrait – she always dared to say the things he thought but never wanted to say out-loud. “I don’t believe it’s any of my business what you choose to do with the gift after it’s been given,” he responded simply. Just about the most blunt way for Cas to admit he would probably do the same thing. In fact, she would never even have the opportunity because the idea of sitting for a portrait with his family for an extended period of time sounded like something that would come out of a boggart. She’d started to circle around the topic of his career change again, and Cas watched her with a critical eye as she crossed her arms. He’d only just started with the Order, and was still uncertain about the choice he’d made. She wasn’t ready for such a heavy secret. But there were other things he could say, and she’d started to circle around those too. Cas raised an eyebrow as the words ‘dearest big brother’ came out of her mouth, and he ran an idle finger along the rim of the counter as he thought. Her question was somewhat blunt, so in true Cas fashion he returned the favor. “Because every time I returned from an assignment I found the family in worse shape.” He braced his palms against the counter and frowned slightly. “If you can’t be left to your own devices, well…here I am. Right here. Always. No need to worry anymore about needing to track me down in Azerbaijan or Iraq.” He couldn’t quite leave out the hint of anger that underlined his tone. anastasia marie karkaroff
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anastasia marie karkaroff
DURMSTRANG ALUM DUELING MASTERY MAGICAL INTERPOL OCCLUMENCY
161 posts
played by vanessa
fire in my lungs, can't bite the devil on my tongue
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last online Mar 26, 2024 12:38:47 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 14, 2020 17:38:14 GMT -7
Post by anastasia marie karkaroff on Dec 14, 2020 17:38:14 GMT -7
do we get what we deserve? or do we deserve what we get? Truthfully, Ana hadn’t had a clue what she really wanted to do when she was finished with her studies, but Cas had helped guide her in her current direction. Ultimately, it had been her own decision, but the influence of a purpose had been given to her by Cas. Their family name wasn’t what it used to be and despite her annoyance at being told what to do, he had a solid point. They needed to reclaim what legacy their father and uncle and others had lost for them, though she was happy she hadn’t drawn the short straw in the sense of being forced to marry into some random pureblood family of status to promote that effort. No, she’d wanted something for herself as well as her name—this career she was beginning was what she wanted and mainly served her own purpose of the respect she desired but she supposed the welcome side effect was indirectly helping her family. Ana had never been shy about her feelings toward her brother and mother, if she could find a stronger word than hate for her mother she would use that instead. There was no love, nothing but she had to put up with her for family’s sake or at least until she finally walked out a window or something as Ana could only dream. Cas crossed his arms and looked back at her, he’d never been the easiest person to read especially after spending so much time apart from one another but there were still things she picked up on as a sibling might. His answer was…unexpected, but it did ring true. Ana didn’t say anything at first, she could sit here and say it wasn’t her own fault but her part in it was the push back against their mother and her growing insanity. It didn’t help the family if the only daughter wasn’t willing to breed more pureblood children. ”Then why not go home? We both know what our brothers are like.” Her next oldest brother was the weak one, he shared their goals but when it came down to action, he couldn’t be counted on. And then you had the last brother—the perfect son if you asked their mother but Ana could barely stand to be in the same room as him. ”Maybe I won’t find out what you’re up to today, but I will.” She didn’t like being left out, and especially when it allegedly had to do with family business.
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last online Oct 5, 2023 2:09:17 GMT -7
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Dec 18, 2020 3:18:49 GMT -7
Post by Casimir Elias Karkaroff on Dec 18, 2020 3:18:49 GMT -7
There were some things Cas couldn’t keep hidden from his siblings, much as he might want to. When life (or destiny, or something) tied people together to navigate treacherous waters, survival became about learning how to complement each other to continue on – conquer or die, sink or swim. The Karkaroff family was, to most outsiders, impossible to read. His uncle, in particular, had done a thorough job of getting on everybody's bad side and making all wonder where his loyalties lay (the answer was easier than expected, because as with every Karkaroff they were only ever truly loyal to themselves). Things became a little more opaque when you entered the family circle – nobody was easy-to-read, and it was best to step carefully, but there was a playbook. Habits, and patterns. It was no good pretending he wasn’t angry about the recent turn of events – not with Anya, at least. In school, cursebreaking had seemed like a dream, the perfect opportunity to escape and never look back. In practice, things hadn’t worked out quite that way, but Cas had never felt more like himself than traveling the world with like-minded people to work out the world’s trickiest puzzles. Now he’d been forcefully grounded, reminded that some people had the freedom to follow their impulses and find what made them happy – but not Cas, never Cas. He had more responsibilities to the family than his other siblings. No, it was false hope to imagine that he could ever be anything more than what other people needed him to be. Cas resisted the urge to scoff when Anya asked why he didn’t go home. Asked and answered because the next words out of her mouth were a reminder of what their brothers were like. Cas inhaled as he remembered his lessons on Occlumency and everything he’d learned about presenting a clean slate. When he next spoke, it was with a carefully controlled face and an even tone. “There’s no need for that. Alek and Damian will fall in line.” There was no compromise in his tone – just the knowledge that he knew what he wanted, what was best for the family, and that he was going to get it, one way or another. And with that he was done with the topic, and letting Anya drive the conversation. Cas turned a thoughtful expression on his sister. “You've been at the Ministry since graduation,” he began. He leaned back and crossed his arms. “You haven’t spoken much about it. Will it be useful?” To her, to the family. Cas didn't much care to elaborate. anastasia marie karkaroff
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anastasia marie karkaroff
DURMSTRANG ALUM DUELING MASTERY MAGICAL INTERPOL OCCLUMENCY
161 posts
played by vanessa
fire in my lungs, can't bite the devil on my tongue
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last online Mar 26, 2024 12:38:47 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 18, 2020 15:00:22 GMT -7
Post by anastasia marie karkaroff on Dec 18, 2020 15:00:22 GMT -7
do we get what we deserve? or do we deserve what we get? Ana was known for her demeanor at work. Mostly serious, but eager and willing to learn. She didn’t mind grunt work, as monotonous as it could be, but she walked the fine line between eager and competent trainee and a complete doormat as some of her fellow trainees seemed to be. She spoke her mind, respectfully, when it was appropriate and also kept an open ear for anything useful or interesting information. She also put up with the comments and sneers of some of the Ministry employees regarding her family, no need to show off her dueling skills just yet. She was going to do this her way and that meant playing nice with the other children until she was out of training. But this had been the first time she had seen her brother in a while and already he could read her better than her coworkers she’d been working with for months. But they knew one another and their styles, the environment they had grown up in made them observant and conscious of their own behavior and every action. She’d noticed the lack of something in his eyes being in this shop, it was far beneath his skill level as a Wizard to be here and so that spark was gone. The spark she saw when he spoke about his work, or previous work. But her words didn’t seem to phase him as they might have somebody else, she was good at pushing her out like this and she stopped taking it personally many years ago. Before she could get her next question out, however, she returned with one for herself. Crossing her arms she felt a bit defensive at the question, why was she questioning her choices when he had been the one to plant the seed. ”There isn’t much to tell.” She began, uncrossing her arms and pacing a bit to casually inspect other items in the shop. ”Not yet anyway. I think they’re still wondering why I want to work there, but I’ll be in training for some time regardless.” The training period was standard, and she couldn’t wait to get it over with but even despite her own self-confidence she knew she had a lot to learn in terms of skills for the job but also skills to navigate the bureaucracy of the Ministry. ”Some still find it hard to believe I want to put people in Azkaban than be in there myself.” The comments didn’t bother her so much. She’d been hearing the same ones since she was eleven after all and they tended to go in one ear and out the other. ”But yes, Interpol gives me an international playing field rather than just within the country.”
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last online Oct 5, 2023 2:09:17 GMT -7
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Jan 6, 2021 6:29:02 GMT -7
Post by Casimir Elias Karkaroff on Jan 6, 2021 6:29:02 GMT -7
There was no question that most of the communication between the Karkaroff siblings occurred without words. Reading his brothers had become something of an art for Cas – learning their expressions and mannerisms to determine how much he could push on an issue to force their agreement. And, more importantly, the occasional moment when he would push too far and lose them. He knew part of the reason Anya had come to visit was because there was so much more she could learn about his thoughts simply by asking them in person, as opposed to scanning his letters line by line for answers. But that road went both ways, and Cas noted the change in her body language as he asked about the Ministry. She’d changed from the indignant anger she’d started with to a more defensive position. He had to wonder if that was because of any treatment she might be receiving from skeptical colleagues, or whether she expected any attacks or judgment from him. There was nothing he could or would do about the former – Cas had always invested in the belief that Anya needed to fight her own battles – but he raised an eyebrow at the thought of the latter. He knew some siblings were incredibly protective of each other against the world. Cas had never seen the value of that particular attitude because it created an unhealthy dependency. Rather, showing younger siblings how to stand independently from a young age meant they would be able to do so for the rest of their lives. “Do they now?” Cas asked in a carefully controlled tone as Anya commented that most of the Ministry didn’t believe she would prefer to catch criminals than be one herself. He’d received the same sort of scrutiny since joining the Order – and he couldn’t really blame them for it, as shortsighted as the suspicion was. He waved a hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter what they believe now. People are easily influenced. They only think one move ahead. Depending on how much you’re willing to invest, that can be either a blessing or a curse.” For someone with patience and a penchant for long-term strategies, it meant they could learn how to manipulate people unseen and with subtle suggestions. For someone with a temper, or a disregard for the future, it usually meant a bad first impression that would never disappear. As with most of Cas’s advice, the true lesson was never explicitly stated, and his words held a small hint of critique at the center. In this case, that Anya needed to decide whether she could learn to master the game, or just be another pawn. Cas studied his sister's defensive posture. As rigid as Cas could seem at times, he'd learned how to survive (and thrive) by adapting quickly to new and sometimes vastly different situations. Learning what people wanted to see, and then proving them right. At least until he moved on to the next person. "So how have you been showing them what they need to see?" anastasia marie karkaroff
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anastasia marie karkaroff
DURMSTRANG ALUM DUELING MASTERY MAGICAL INTERPOL OCCLUMENCY
161 posts
played by vanessa
fire in my lungs, can't bite the devil on my tongue
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last online Mar 26, 2024 12:38:47 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Jan 20, 2021 21:43:38 GMT -7
Post by anastasia marie karkaroff on Jan 20, 2021 21:43:38 GMT -7
do we get what we deserve? or do we deserve what we get? Reading people, they had been taught at a young age, and then it had been put to practical use when she'd gone to school. She needed a way to know her enemies and who could help her if needed. There was always a stark difference in her mind between allies and friends, and she was more likely to have allies than an actual friend, though few made the cut in her mind. One could put what they wanted into words and write them on a piece of parchment, and the receiver would never benefit from looking the sender in the eye to read their true intent. How did their eyes look? Were they dark? Were they filled with excitement? Were they avoiding your gaze? As soon as Ana had found out that her brother was in town, it hadn't been a question of if she should see him, but how soon. He had told her very early on that she would need to grow her own backbone and own defense. He wouldn't help her with that. In the long run, it was for the best, even if she still needed Cas to put her in her place when her anger riled her up. Now that she was older, however, controlling that was far easier than when she was young. Having something to focus on as a longer-term goal was also helpful. Comments didn't bother her, they had when she was eleven or twelve, but that seemed like a lifetime ago now. "They can think what they want. My work shows otherwise." The proof was there. She wasn't some pawn in her father or uncle's big plan in any way. The idea that she was better than anyone there due to her blood status was ridiculous. Ana knew she was better than them through her force of will and skill set she brought to the table. If anyone challenged her, she would happily show them. There was nothing like a good fight, not the most 'lady-like' of traits but as if Ana would ever walk away from someone saying something disagreeable to her face. In her mind, if it wasn't handled then and there, then she would only appear weak. Her brother questioned what she had done there, her training was almost complete at this point, but there was still much to learn and much to do in terms of her workload and image and the overall family goal of redemption. She paused before she answered, her posture almost squaring up to his own and facing him now. She knew what he was asking. Was she proving herself worthy and consistently with the agenda. "Of course I have." She said with a small smile that faded quickly. "All those 'manners' mother taught me are being put to some good use. People can make their comments, but the people that matter see my potential."
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last online Oct 5, 2023 2:09:17 GMT -7
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Jan 28, 2021 4:57:44 GMT -7
Post by Casimir Elias Karkaroff on Jan 28, 2021 4:57:44 GMT -7
Cas had always had ridiculously high expectations for his family. He maintained a disinterested distance from most of the world – he had his thoughts, and he vocalized them when he thought they could influence something – but for the most part he held very little curiosity for what others did with their lives. It had no bearing on him, after all, and that meant irrelevant events could be discarded to pay closer attention to the important details. But his family was irrevocably relevant to his life – he had worked diligently to repair the damage caused by his father and uncle, and that required at times immense personal sacrifice. Beyond that, the Karkaroffs simply couldn’t operate independently of each other – the actions of one sibling affected the rest. Since they had all been raised with the expectation that duty came above all, it meant they always had at least a thin thread constantly binding them together. So he held himself to a high standard, and Cas expected the same from his siblings. As eager as Ana had always been to rebel – against their mother, against societal expectations for who she should become – she had at least always understood that sense of duty. And that ultimately made her more reliable than their brothers. Cas had invested more in her because he saw that potential, although it also meant he came down harder on her than it might seem for Alek or Damian. His stance now was rigid, and his expression closed-off as he studied her intently. He hadn’t told her about his career change, and yet here she was. Undoubtedly she could also pick up on all the underlying subtext – his anger and frustration, the reasons behind his unusual decision. There was nobody in the world that might understand the choice he had made – except for a Karkaroff. He nodded slightly at Ana’s response – both the words and her posture showing that she stood as resolutely as ever. “Good,” he said contemplatively as he absorbed her words, slightly distracted now as he considered the implications of Ana’s new role. It wasn’t much of a compliment, but it was still rare enough to receive one from Cas – he barely noticed that he’d even spoken out-loud. Ana was in a somewhat unique position now, as there hadn’t been a Karkaroff in the Ministry for so long, that it was difficult to know how she could be most useful. Some of that judgment would have to come from her, and the rest after Cas had had some time to process the news. He returned to the moment and spoke carefully, his tone detached but controlled. “You have a difficult lesson to begin learning now. Balancing your agenda with the family’s.” It was the first time he could recall ever mentioning to her that those two things could be separate – but it was purposeful. She was an adult now, and that was going to change the dynamic of their relationship. Cas was still the head of the family, and he preferred to set the new tone himself instead of losing control to Ana. But he had always had high expectations for her, and eventually she would need to tap into some of the secrets he kept. Cas was closest with Alek, with the smallest age difference between them and their similar proclivity for secrets assisting in fostering that relationship. But the older they grew, and the more apparent it became that Alek couldn’t escape their mother’s oppressive expectations, well...it made Cas wonder. anastasia marie karkaroff
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anastasia marie karkaroff
DURMSTRANG ALUM DUELING MASTERY MAGICAL INTERPOL OCCLUMENCY
161 posts
played by vanessa
fire in my lungs, can't bite the devil on my tongue
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last online Mar 26, 2024 12:38:47 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Jan 30, 2021 19:00:55 GMT -7
Post by anastasia marie karkaroff on Jan 30, 2021 19:00:55 GMT -7
do we get what we deserve? or do we deserve what we get? Ana's entire life felt as though it had been planned for her since the moment she was born. And when people weren't hovering over her and questioning her every move, she was left entirely to her own devices and without direction. The change from hot and cold had been rough when she was younger, especially when she was at Durmstrang. Kids were mean, that was a given, but she pitied any student that had to venture down the same path she did. She might not admit it out loud, but Cas had been right. She'd learned to fend for herself, whether that meant academically or physically, through punching back or learning how to duel. When she was older, Cas had reappeared, and they had spoken about direction and goals. Considering what she had gone through with her mother, it had taken some time for her to be receptive to what he had to say. The Ministry job had been her idea as Cas' recommendations had been broad enough that she was still allowed some say in the matter. Ana's expression softened when he spoke. 'Good.' She was expecting some long-winded lecture on the same topics, stressing the importance of her performance in this very public-facing role. A Karkaroff in the Ministry of Magic was likely not a thought that crossed many people's minds as entirely possible, but here she was, and she was not going anywhere. She didn't respond immediately, pausing to take in his words. To acknowledge that Ana had her own goals was something entirely new. She hadn't bothered to mention it since it had honestly just never been allowed. It was always about the family and maintaining the line. "The family's agenda will never leave the top of my list." She spoke simply. It was true. Even if they weren't traditional or even all that loving, it did mean a great deal to her--what else did she have otherwise? In her mind, however, she wasn't the one he had to worry about. While he was out digging for treasure in some far desert, she'd been left to deal with her old brothers. They had very different goals and personalities, and she hoped she was never like either of them. Ana checked her watch. She needed to head back to the Ministry and finish up some work for the next day. "I have to return to the Ministry." She looked at her brother, a slight suspicion still in her eyes from before. "Don't be a stranger, brother."
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last online Oct 5, 2023 2:09:17 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Jan 31, 2021 5:25:37 GMT -7
Post by Casimir Elias Karkaroff on Jan 31, 2021 5:25:37 GMT -7
The nature of Cas’s relationship with his family was inherently complicated. It had been made worse by his father’s very public arrest and trial, if only because it had left a power vacuum behind. Their mother was proud, a product of her pureblood upbringing – but she had absolutely no maternal instinct and little ability to see her plans through. She’d always had very lofty ideas about what it meant to be a Karkaroff, but she was ultimately too weak to do anything to change their situation. And lately it appeared that she was losing her previously firm grasp of her mental faculties. It meant Cas had been faced with a debilitating challenge from a young age – keeping the family on track. It meant he had to take an overbearing role in his siblings’ lives, wrangling three distinct and opposing personalities and forcing them to work in tandem towards a single goal. It was hard to take a step back, after all that. But Alek had a son now, and was several thousand kilometers away, while Damian was hard to reach and often in the wind, and Ana was close to becoming a full member of the Ministry. There was only so much he could meddle in his siblings’ lives now, not that Cas was inclined to step back and lose control of the family. The Karkaroffs were in an unstable position now, and their mother was threatening to upend the house of cards her children had been carefully building for years. It was a make or break moment, a year that would define the future fortunes of the family. So Cas nodded slightly as Ana confirmed that the family’s agenda would always come first. It was the attitude he needed from her right now, the acknowledgment that they couldn’t let the family fall. “This is a critical year for us. We will need everyone operating at their maximum capacity.” Alek in pureblood social circles, Ana in the Ministry, Cas with his underground contacts. They couldn’t afford any mistakes. He gave Ana a crooked smile at her departing line – don’t be a stranger. “Hardly. You won’t let me.” She had come looking for him, but he preferred it that way. It confirmed that she was still invested in her brothers' lives, as much as she might vocally protest the pureblood society they came from. Cas waited for his sister to leave, then sat back down slowly on his stool and tapped his fingers on the counter thoughtfully. The responsibility of being the oldest was exhausting, and it chipped away at his resolve occasionally. But ultimately, Cas didn’t trust anyone else to steer the family in the right direction. Each of the Karkaroffs had hidden depths, and Cas had no false illusions that he knew everything about his siblings. He needed to keep a close eye on each of them, ensure they could do their part. People needed to be managed, after all, not left to their own devices. He wasn’t ready to lose control just yet. anastasia marie karkaroff [End post Cas!]
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