https://staging.knockturnbound.net/ Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:14:39 +0000 MyBB https://staging.knockturnbound.net/showthread.php?tid=1188 Sun, 09 Aug 2026 04:07:43 +0000 Morgan Barlowe]]> https://staging.knockturnbound.net/showthread.php?tid=1188 5 May 1923
Early afternoon
Gigglewarts, Hogsmeade
Morgan had been in Hogsmeade – in this shop – a lot longer than she wanted to admit. The plan had been simple: Brooks had a detention to do with Deputy Blackwood, so he’d be arriving later than her. She’d fill her time with planning out what toys to get Blobby and Blippy, and then he’d help her to make the final decision.

There may or may not have been discussion of getting something to prank Deputy Blackwood with as well, but that was the least important bit.

In the end, Morgan had already left the shop once to get something to eat, and returned. And still, anytime the bell at the door rang, she looked in hopes to see her best friend. But it was never him.

On the plus side, she didn’t think she’d need his help with toys for the babies. The enchanted rubber duck she had found would be perfect for Blippy: it quacked in different accents depending on who was holding it. Why was it perfect? She wasn’t sure. But it would drive their dad nuts. For Blobby she was thinking the self-stacking blocks would be great… she could see him now getting them stacked just right for him to look away for a moment and return to them completely rearranged. It’d drive the boy insane but also she’d get a kick out of it.

But now she was to the point of needing her best friend with her; the Deputy was a particularly easy ‘get’, but they had to have the right tools. She picked up one of the whoopee cushions that was ‘banned in three common rooms’ according to the sign, and as she turned it over, a shadow fell over her.

Morgan perked up, ready to lay into Brooks for taking forever, but scowled when it wasn’t him.

“Barlowe, right?” the older boy said. She’d heard the tone in his voice before.

She didn’t answer.

“Both of ‘em,” he continued, not needing her participation in the conversation. “Must be cozy, having mummy and daddy running half the castle.”

Morgan set down the whoopee cushion she’d been holding. “Something like that,” she said evenly, refusing to acknowledge that Julia was, in fact, not her mother.

He laughed, though it was the kind that had an audience in mind. She felt eyes on them.

“Must make it real easy. Never have to worry about detentions, never have to worry about marks. Just bat your eyes at daddy in the corridor and –”

“You should be careful,” Morgan responded, still refusing to look back at the boy. She picked up another object – a ball of sorts – and was looking closely at the pattern as if truly interested. “I’m not actually known for batting my eyes at anyone.”

The bell jingled again.

“No,” the boy said, agreeing. He leaned against the shelf, clearly not planning on leaving anytime soon. “You’re known for other things. Half the school talkin’ about your family all its… complications.” He said the word ‘complications’ like it tasted very interesting. “New mum, new siblings, what is it now – two babies? Three? Losing count must be difficult.”

Morgan said nothing. She set the ball down. Looked at the blocks in her hands.

“Though I suppose it’s easier when you’ve already lost the one that actually mattered.”

Morgan went still. She closed her eyes momentarily, her rage bubbling up now. But she’d been trying to work on that. After a second, she opened her eyes and carefully set her finds down on a stack of joke books.

“I’d stop there,” she said quietly, her voice tight with restraint. “If I were you.” She balled her hands into fists at her sides. He wasn’t going to stop there. In fact, his face read amusement. Almost as if daring her to lash out.]]> 5 May 1923
Early afternoon
Gigglewarts, Hogsmeade
Morgan had been in Hogsmeade – in this shop – a lot longer than she wanted to admit. The plan had been simple: Brooks had a detention to do with Deputy Blackwood, so he’d be arriving later than her. She’d fill her time with planning out what toys to get Blobby and Blippy, and then he’d help her to make the final decision.

There may or may not have been discussion of getting something to prank Deputy Blackwood with as well, but that was the least important bit.

In the end, Morgan had already left the shop once to get something to eat, and returned. And still, anytime the bell at the door rang, she looked in hopes to see her best friend. But it was never him.

On the plus side, she didn’t think she’d need his help with toys for the babies. The enchanted rubber duck she had found would be perfect for Blippy: it quacked in different accents depending on who was holding it. Why was it perfect? She wasn’t sure. But it would drive their dad nuts. For Blobby she was thinking the self-stacking blocks would be great… she could see him now getting them stacked just right for him to look away for a moment and return to them completely rearranged. It’d drive the boy insane but also she’d get a kick out of it.

But now she was to the point of needing her best friend with her; the Deputy was a particularly easy ‘get’, but they had to have the right tools. She picked up one of the whoopee cushions that was ‘banned in three common rooms’ according to the sign, and as she turned it over, a shadow fell over her.

Morgan perked up, ready to lay into Brooks for taking forever, but scowled when it wasn’t him.

“Barlowe, right?” the older boy said. She’d heard the tone in his voice before.

She didn’t answer.

“Both of ‘em,” he continued, not needing her participation in the conversation. “Must be cozy, having mummy and daddy running half the castle.”

Morgan set down the whoopee cushion she’d been holding. “Something like that,” she said evenly, refusing to acknowledge that Julia was, in fact, not her mother.

He laughed, though it was the kind that had an audience in mind. She felt eyes on them.

“Must make it real easy. Never have to worry about detentions, never have to worry about marks. Just bat your eyes at daddy in the corridor and –”

“You should be careful,” Morgan responded, still refusing to look back at the boy. She picked up another object – a ball of sorts – and was looking closely at the pattern as if truly interested. “I’m not actually known for batting my eyes at anyone.”

The bell jingled again.

“No,” the boy said, agreeing. He leaned against the shelf, clearly not planning on leaving anytime soon. “You’re known for other things. Half the school talkin’ about your family all its… complications.” He said the word ‘complications’ like it tasted very interesting. “New mum, new siblings, what is it now – two babies? Three? Losing count must be difficult.”

Morgan said nothing. She set the ball down. Looked at the blocks in her hands.

“Though I suppose it’s easier when you’ve already lost the one that actually mattered.”

Morgan went still. She closed her eyes momentarily, her rage bubbling up now. But she’d been trying to work on that. After a second, she opened her eyes and carefully set her finds down on a stack of joke books.

“I’d stop there,” she said quietly, her voice tight with restraint. “If I were you.” She balled her hands into fists at her sides. He wasn’t going to stop there. In fact, his face read amusement. Almost as if daring her to lash out.]]> https://staging.knockturnbound.net/showthread.php?tid=493 Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:51:32 +0000 Ruth Elliot]]> https://staging.knockturnbound.net/showthread.php?tid=493 Saturday, 23 October 1920,
The street by Gigglewarts
1 PM
Everything had gone according to plan from the moment the pair arrived in Hogsmeade. They'd already been there for an hour, in truth. Not wanting to draw suspicion, Rae had dragged her boyfriend up and down the streets. They were no different than any other couple out for a Hogsmeade date. They visited the joke shop, had some candy, and had just walked out of the Old Headmaster, where they'd grabbed some butterbeer and shared some chips.

The day had been going so well that Rae had nearly forgotten the point of the mission, but the man was always there. Keeping to the shadows, he'd followed them from place to place like she knew he would.

Now it was time to get to work.

Rae left Benji by the door of the Old Headmaster's and made her way toward the alley by Gigglewarts. The levity of the afternoon faded, and a seriousness took her even while she employed a casual gait. It was a little nerve-racking, knowing she had someone on her tail but being unable to acknowledge them. Like Benji, she also wanted to know what he wanted with her and why this little song and dance had been going on for as long as it had.

Billie wasn't a part of any strange groups that she knew of and she hadn't done anything warranting surveillance. In many ways, Rae was the typical 14-year-old girl living a relatively unremarkable life. There was nothing worth the attention of strange men in cloaks.

She was aware of the moment he entered the alley, a figure looming from afar. Inside her chest, her heart hammered with warnings. Every instinct she'd developed told her this was the point at which she ran. It was a struggle to resist but she did.

Rae never turned. On the other side of the alley, she could see the street opening up again with the Tea Leaf casting its shadow on the cobbled stone. She kept her gaze fixed there, but listened for the sound of his careful footsteps. It was the first time she'd been so deliberate. Usually, surrounded by her friends or in the presence of her mother, it was easy to ignore the foreboding entity of a man. Now, he had her full attention despite her gaze being turned in the opposite direction.

She'd only made it halfway down the alley when the crunching of dried, dead leaves grew louder. In an instant, there was a hand on her shoulder, preventing her from going even an inch further.

Rae didn't scream, not yet. She knew Benji was somewhere nearby.

They were committed to the plan.]]> Saturday, 23 October 1920,
The street by Gigglewarts
1 PM
Everything had gone according to plan from the moment the pair arrived in Hogsmeade. They'd already been there for an hour, in truth. Not wanting to draw suspicion, Rae had dragged her boyfriend up and down the streets. They were no different than any other couple out for a Hogsmeade date. They visited the joke shop, had some candy, and had just walked out of the Old Headmaster, where they'd grabbed some butterbeer and shared some chips.

The day had been going so well that Rae had nearly forgotten the point of the mission, but the man was always there. Keeping to the shadows, he'd followed them from place to place like she knew he would.

Now it was time to get to work.

Rae left Benji by the door of the Old Headmaster's and made her way toward the alley by Gigglewarts. The levity of the afternoon faded, and a seriousness took her even while she employed a casual gait. It was a little nerve-racking, knowing she had someone on her tail but being unable to acknowledge them. Like Benji, she also wanted to know what he wanted with her and why this little song and dance had been going on for as long as it had.

Billie wasn't a part of any strange groups that she knew of and she hadn't done anything warranting surveillance. In many ways, Rae was the typical 14-year-old girl living a relatively unremarkable life. There was nothing worth the attention of strange men in cloaks.

She was aware of the moment he entered the alley, a figure looming from afar. Inside her chest, her heart hammered with warnings. Every instinct she'd developed told her this was the point at which she ran. It was a struggle to resist but she did.

Rae never turned. On the other side of the alley, she could see the street opening up again with the Tea Leaf casting its shadow on the cobbled stone. She kept her gaze fixed there, but listened for the sound of his careful footsteps. It was the first time she'd been so deliberate. Usually, surrounded by her friends or in the presence of her mother, it was easy to ignore the foreboding entity of a man. Now, he had her full attention despite her gaze being turned in the opposite direction.

She'd only made it halfway down the alley when the crunching of dried, dead leaves grew louder. In an instant, there was a hand on her shoulder, preventing her from going even an inch further.

Rae didn't scream, not yet. She knew Benji was somewhere nearby.

They were committed to the plan.]]>