[Solo] Beginnings Begin Again
Posted: 01 Sep 2025, 16:33
JUNE SELWYN
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Date: September 1, 2025 | Solo | Dialogue: X
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How different it all felt this year. Familiarity was gone, the surroundings new and different, but the wide-eyed wonder that fell on June's face four years ago was absent. In its place was a sense of tepid hope, desperate longing, and soft worry. This year had to be different. There was no other option.
Well, the other option was that this year would be just like last year. In which case, June would go back to Hogwarts. At least, that's what she had told herself. One year. One year to see if upending both her academic and social life was worth it for the pursuit of knowledge.
It's not like she was leaving all that much behind, anyway. Most of her friends had either faded out of her life or outright betrayed her. Strange, strange things were happening at that school as well. Things that were never investigated, swept under the rug. Things that June herself was barred from looking into. Honestly, the only thing June was really leaving behind was her racing team.
Maybe that's why there was always a twinge in her mind when June repeated she would only try Penwick for one year. Maybe she knew that wouldn't be the case.
"This is it, Junie." The sound of her father's voice pulled June out of her thoughts, reminding her that she was, in fact, in Cardiff. Phinehas Selwyn pointed to a dark iron door on the side of the Pierhead Building.
June pushed her cart forward, her two trunks piled atop each other with a round fishbowl as the crown jewel of the tower. Her black, unsorted Penwick robes were draped over the cart. June, not wanting to out herself as a transfer student right away, elected to put them on at the last possible moment. "Right. In we go, Lars," she muttered to herself. The door swung open, and the Selwyn pair followed the ramp downwards, entering a large space of glass and iron. For a moment, a twinkle of that old spark of curiosity found it's way to both June and Phinehas's faces, the pair with identical expressions as they took in the large bay and the ship within it.
"And here I thought trains were a novel form of transport," Phinehas whistled as he marvelled at the zeppelin before him.
June nodded silently, the nerves of this new transition finally closing in on her. She gripped the handle of her cart tighter, her breath. "It's about 9, Junie," her father patted her shoulder, "you'll have to find Maggie once you're inside."
Just the name made June relax a bit. The reason her old racing team was the only thing June was leaving behind was because @Maggie Hawkins, June's best friend, was coming with her. She still couldn't believe it. Maggie was June's antithesis in almost every way, and even though their friendship had gone through its fair share of rough patches, they always found themselves at each other's side. It was after the aforementioned betrayal of a friend that June and Maggie had reconciled and grown even closer. Yes, June thought to herself, I'll find Maggie inside, and she'll crack a joke and make me laugh, and everything will be okay.
Nerves were high, but June would be lying if she said she wasn't also excited. Penwick, at least in her and her father's research, seemed too good a match to be true. But what if it was true? The possibility was too exciting to ignore.
A bell chimed in the bay, signiling the Aderyn would depart in 2 minutes. "Better go, then."
Phinehas pulled his daughter in, June tightly wrapping her arms around him like she was a child again. "I'm proud of you, Junie." He kissed the top of her head before letting her go. "Show them how a Selwyn does it," he gave a wink, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.
June's father always knew how to motivate her. With new determination in her eyes, June gave her father a wave, and pushed her cart onto the zeppelin.
Well, the other option was that this year would be just like last year. In which case, June would go back to Hogwarts. At least, that's what she had told herself. One year. One year to see if upending both her academic and social life was worth it for the pursuit of knowledge.
It's not like she was leaving all that much behind, anyway. Most of her friends had either faded out of her life or outright betrayed her. Strange, strange things were happening at that school as well. Things that were never investigated, swept under the rug. Things that June herself was barred from looking into. Honestly, the only thing June was really leaving behind was her racing team.
Maybe that's why there was always a twinge in her mind when June repeated she would only try Penwick for one year. Maybe she knew that wouldn't be the case.
"This is it, Junie." The sound of her father's voice pulled June out of her thoughts, reminding her that she was, in fact, in Cardiff. Phinehas Selwyn pointed to a dark iron door on the side of the Pierhead Building.
June pushed her cart forward, her two trunks piled atop each other with a round fishbowl as the crown jewel of the tower. Her black, unsorted Penwick robes were draped over the cart. June, not wanting to out herself as a transfer student right away, elected to put them on at the last possible moment. "Right. In we go, Lars," she muttered to herself. The door swung open, and the Selwyn pair followed the ramp downwards, entering a large space of glass and iron. For a moment, a twinkle of that old spark of curiosity found it's way to both June and Phinehas's faces, the pair with identical expressions as they took in the large bay and the ship within it.
"And here I thought trains were a novel form of transport," Phinehas whistled as he marvelled at the zeppelin before him.
June nodded silently, the nerves of this new transition finally closing in on her. She gripped the handle of her cart tighter, her breath. "It's about 9, Junie," her father patted her shoulder, "you'll have to find Maggie once you're inside."
Just the name made June relax a bit. The reason her old racing team was the only thing June was leaving behind was because @Maggie Hawkins, June's best friend, was coming with her. She still couldn't believe it. Maggie was June's antithesis in almost every way, and even though their friendship had gone through its fair share of rough patches, they always found themselves at each other's side. It was after the aforementioned betrayal of a friend that June and Maggie had reconciled and grown even closer. Yes, June thought to herself, I'll find Maggie inside, and she'll crack a joke and make me laugh, and everything will be okay.
Nerves were high, but June would be lying if she said she wasn't also excited. Penwick, at least in her and her father's research, seemed too good a match to be true. But what if it was true? The possibility was too exciting to ignore.
A bell chimed in the bay, signiling the Aderyn would depart in 2 minutes. "Better go, then."
Phinehas pulled his daughter in, June tightly wrapping her arms around him like she was a child again. "I'm proud of you, Junie." He kissed the top of her head before letting her go. "Show them how a Selwyn does it," he gave a wink, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.
June's father always knew how to motivate her. With new determination in her eyes, June gave her father a wave, and pushed her cart onto the zeppelin.