<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 20pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>CAT'S CHARACTERS</strong></span></span></div><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">⟡</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">⟡</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 36pt;">⟡</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">⟡</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">⟡</span></div><br/><div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;">PATRICIA JANE RIDGEWELL</span></span></strong></div><div align="center">(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/89/22/d3/8922d37ccd36722a37faecd31ea4cec7.gif)</div><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;"> The Achiever | 15 | Heterosexual | Lawful Neutral | Pride | Elle Fanning</span></span></div><br/><div align="center"><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Character Sheet</div><div class="spoiler_body"> <span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br/><strong>1. BASICS</strong></span></span><br/><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;">NAME || Patricia Jane Ridgewell<br/>NICKNAME(S), ORIGIN || She loathes the nickname Patty, but will accept Tricia if you simply must shorten it. Mostly everyone just calls her Patricia.<br/>SEX || Female <br/>DATE OF BIRTH || March 14th <br/>AGE || 15<br/>PLACE OF BIRTH || Ireland<br/>CURRENT ADDRESS || Girl’s Dormitory Bed #2, Slytherin Dungeons Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry<br/>NATIONALITY || Irish<br/>ETHNICITY || Caucasian; Irish, <br/>SEXUALITY || Heterosexual<br/>TRAITS ||  <br/>Positive: charming, intelligent, articulate, confident, decisive, observant <br/>Neutral: ambitious, perfectionist, private<br/>Negative: manipulative, disloyal, vengeful <br/>OCCUPATION || Student<br/>ARCHETYPE || The Achiever<br/>ALIGNMENT || Lawful Neutral<br/>SIN || Pride<br/>STARSIGN || Pisces<br/>HOUSE || Slytherin<br/>AMORTENTIA || The seaside, chamomile tea, freshly baked bread <br/>BOGGART || her family carrying on with life as if she doesn’t exist<br/>PATRONUS || Salamander - Energy, Secrets, Growth, Adaptability, Opportunistic.<br/>QUOTE || “We should not give away a moment to anyone who does not deserve it.” -  Deb Caletti<br/>SONG || Fool’s Gold by The Middle East<br/>SECRET || Self-harm is one among many.<br/>LANGUAGES || English<br/>FACE CLAIM || Elle Fanning<br/>TRIGGER WARNINGS || Self-harm, death<br/><br/><strong>2. PHYSICAL</strong><br/>BODY TYPE || Straight, lean<br/>HEIGHT || 5’7’’<br/>WEIGHT || 123lbs <br/>HAIR || Naturally straight blonde hair, usually styled with a braided crown or headband.<br/>EYES || Ice blue<br/>BIRTHMARKS || Three beauty marks in the shape of a triangle on the back of her left shoulder<br/>DISFIGUREMENTS || None<br/>SCARS || Several scars trail along her forearm and wrist but most have been faded away with potions or are covered with bracelets and long sleeves.<br/>PIERCINGS || Ears, first hole<br/>TATTOOS || None<br/>ACCENT || Light Irish accent with a loose proper English influence<br/>HOW DO THEY DRESS || Patricia dresses in clean, crisp clothes. Pastels and khaki colors are her primary colors. You will never find this girl in sweatpants or anything of the sort. Instead, she chooses blouses and button-up shirts in light, airy fabrics. She enjoys wearing dresses or pants but loathes skirts. Jeans and dark colors are in her wardrobe, but worn on rare occasions. Patricia loves pink, collared shirts and other simple pieces that she can dress up or down with accessories. She has quite the shoe collection as well, and she will always prioritize a cute outfit over comfort. <br/>WHAT DO THEY WEAR TO SLEEP || Night gowns or button-up pajama sets in the winter. Most are in varying shades of pink. <br/>DO THEY WEAR JEWELRY || Yes, earrings, lots of bracelets/bangles and the occasional necklace. She rarely wears rings. <br/>WHAT DO THEY SMELL LIKE || Floral perfume and mint<br/>ACCURATE MENTAL PICTURE? || Yes, she takes great pride in her appearance. <br/><br/><strong>3. PERSONALITY</strong><br/>QUIRK || snaps a hair tie against her wrist when she is agitated; squeaks when she sneezes; skips when she is in a good mood ; pulls on her earring when she lies ; sleep talks (incoherent mumbles) ; has a high pitched laugh; fiddles with and jingles her bracelets during moments of silence<br/><br/>HABITS || brings a camera everywhere; keeps a perfectly clean bedroom; pinches the back of her hand when she is bored in class; uses lots of hand gestures when she speaks; crosses her arms when she is thinking; dots her i’s with little hearts<br/><br/>LIKES || being at the beach when it feels like it's going to rain; tea; flying; summers spent running wild with her siblings; expensive things; being complimented; organizing things; making her parents happy; proper gentlemen; secrets<br/><br/>DISLIKES || silence; hugs; wasted talent; waiting in line; unkempt hair; politics; overly sentimental people; walking around in the dark alone; being alone in general<br/><br/>SELF-PERCEPTION || Patricia struggles with understanding who she really is as a person. Her ever-changing ideas and personality leave her with few characteristics to really grasp onto when she is alone. But she does know that she is a Ridgewell, and that counts for something.<br/><br/>OTHERS’ PERCEPTION || bubbly, likable, and friendly. most people will see Patricia as they want to see her - she will change to fit their needs and personalities, making her a friend to all when she wants to be. Some may see her as their secret keeper, some may have caught onto her constantly changing dispositions. To most and many, she is considered a friend. <br/><br/>WEAKNESSES || impatient; desperate to please; vacillating with her ideas/beliefs; unclear of who she is; demanding; in class, she is not fond of Potions or Herbology (too labor intensive)<br/><br/>STRENGTHS || social butterfly; charming; quick-witted; adaptive; in the classroom, she is particularly well-rounded, with her strongest subjects being History of Magic, Charms, and Transfiguration.<br/><br/>ASPIRATIONS || to become a photojournalist for the Daily Prophet and capture all of the world’s most significant moments. Also, make her parents proud<br/><br/>FEARS || her fingernails being ripped off; being alone<br/><br/>WHAT MAKES HIM/HER IRRATIONALLY ANGRY || people who chew too loudly or with their mouth open; when someone doesn’t stick to the plan<br/><br/>WHAT MAKES HIM/HER CRY || feeling like she has failed at something<br/><br/>WAYS TO CHEER UP THIS PERSON || compliment her; make her tea; tell her a story about your past/childhood<br/><br/>WAYS TO ANNOY THIS PERSON || mess up her hair; ignore her during group conversations; be indecisive<br/><br/><strong>4. RELATIONSHIPS</strong><br/>Patricia can make anyone feel like they're her best friend. She is an intent listener and charming to boot. In actuality, however, she finds very little sentimental value in people. Friends are easily tossed aside when necessary, and her sharp tongue can come out at any moment if she so pleases. Despite this, she is not one to often burn bridges. Patricia finds comfort in being surrounded by people, and she takes great pleasure in being a collector of secrets. Dark ones, silly ones, secret crushes. She wants to know them all. That is not to say she won't use them against you - the only people safe from her wrath when provoked are her siblings - but most of the time she simply enjoys having the knowledge. She is a chameleon of sorts, easily changing her attitude to fit in with those around her. She prefers to hang out with an older crowd, her maturity level fluctuating as well. At times, Patricia can be calm, cool, and collected with a haughty vibe, and others she will be expressive and bright, cheerful and engaging. Few people know the true Patricia, because even she is unsure of herself. Being alone leaves her with an empty feeling - with nobody's attitudes and beliefs to copy, who is she? So the girl tries to keep company wherever she goes. The line is often blurred between feigned friendships and real ones.<br/><br/><strong>5. HISTORY</strong><br/>Her first clear memory is a flash of green light. The streets of London were quiet. It was late at night - the oldest Ridgewell girl had insisted that they retrieve her birthday present, a specially engraved toy broomstick fit for only the most stylish and sporty of four year olds, at midnight exactly on the eve of her birthday. Olaf had thought it unreasonable at first, but who was to deny his first born daughter of a special birthday wish? Katrina Ridgewell was back home, resting comfortably after having put Vincent and Dalhia to bed, so it was just Olaf walking along, gift box under his arm and Patricia's hand held tightly in his. <br/><br/>Mr. Ridgewell was wary of attempting side-along apparation with his young child, so instead of simply popping back to their home in Ireland, they traveled via Portkey. The rusted metal trash can was parked in a secluded alleyway to which they walked quickly, Olaf's grip tightening around the end of his wand as Patricia's little legs moved in great leaps. The little witch was thrilled with her new birthday gift; she couldn't wait to return home to her brother and show him that they could finally fly together! She hummed happily to herself as they walked, smiling her big birthday smile, until something spoke out of the darkness. "Spare bit of change, sir?"<br/><br/>Olaf Ridgewell continued walking. The homeless muggle man's face was hidden in a shadow as they passed. Patricia tried to keep up with her father's increased pace but she was pulled back. Leathery, cold fingers wrapping around her wrist as she shrieked in surprise. "Please, just a few pence." Her father continued forward from momentum, the four-year-old's arms yanked in two different directions before Olaf turned to face the beggar, wand drawn and eyes full of fury. "Avada Kedavra."<br/><br/>With a flash of green light, the man fell to the ground as a heap of tattered clothes. Surely nobody would miss him.<br/><br/>Olaf tucked his wand away in his jacket pocket and gently scooped Patricia up, carrying her the rest of the way to their destination. The Portkey was waiting for them at the end of the walkway. Gripping the edge of the trash can, Olaf held tight to his daughter and her birthday present until they reappeared in front of the Ridgewell home. <br/><br/>Patricia was tucked away in bed, her present placed in the corner of her bedroom - she would show Vincent in the morning. "Happy birthday, my sweet," Olaf said before turning out the lights. As the little girl rolled over, closing her eyes to see that same bright green color, Olaf climbed into bed with his wife and slept soundly until morning.<br/><br/>She lived a pleasant life beyond that. The events of her birthday, while disturbing, were not completely processed by the four year old. Other than the occasional nightmare, she had almost completely forgotten about it while growing up. <br/><br/>Patricia spent summers with her siblings and cousin Rowan, roaming the Irish countryside and practicing their wand-work with twigs they found laying about the ground. The prospect of Hogwarts was so incredibly exciting for the young witch! But, alas, Vincent went first. While her brother was away, Patricia was left to look after Dahlia and find her own sources of entertainment, which proved to be difficult. She missed Vincent dearly and longed for the days where she and him and Rowan would once again be able to get into all kinds of mischief. <br/><br/>In the meantime, the Ridgewell girl was primped and preened to look and act as the ideal young lady representative of such a proud line of purebloods. With her brother gone and few other influences than her parents and nanny, Patricia grew to have a much harsher outlook on those who's blood was tainted by muggles. Like the beggar that grabbed her arm on that fateful night, Patricia both fears and resents mudbloods and muggles alike. But the memory of that man lying in a lifeless heap never truly left her mind. When she was old enough to realize exactly what her father had done - the way he so easily took a life - she did everything she could to get that moment out of her head.<br/><br/>This was when the eldest Ridgewell girl began taking pictures. She would drag her sister out on adventures, much like the ones they had with Vinny, along the Irish countryside so that she could capture beautiful things. She made new memories, took new pictures, and soon she realized that she had quite the talent for capturing the beauty of the moment. Her camera went with her everywhere, and that habit continued on her journey to school.<br/><br/>Upon receiving her invitation to Hogwarts, Patricia was both ecstatic to be joining forces with Vinny once more, and sad to be leaving her younger sister behind. She knew how it had felt, being alone. But she went. The ride to Hogwarts express with Vincent and Rowan was a bundle of laughs, and the prospect of which house she would be placed in didn't seem as daunting anymore. Surely, she would be with family. Patricia did not know if she was cunning or smart or brave or loyal, but she knew that Vincent was a snake and therefore she would be, too.<br/><br/>The sorting hat hadn't taken long to decide - her admiration for her brother and his house was the only thing on her mind as she sat on that stool in the Great Hall. Finally, she joined ranks with Slytherin and began her years at Hogwarts<br/><br/>An exceptional student, Patricia charmed her professors with ease throughout her beginning years at Hogwarts. With a drive to prove herself and make her parents proud, she took every chance she could to live up to Ridgewell expectations. Thankfully, Vinny was always around to lend a helping hand - well, when he wasn’t getting into mischief of his own, that is. Realizing that she could not tag along with her brother and his older friends all the time, Patricia began to truly break out of her shell. It was not difficult for the sociable snake to make friends. By her second year, Patricia had made many an acquaintance throughout the castle. She flitted between groups of all kinds, but there was one group in particular that the Ridgewell girl could not manage to break into: the Slytherin quidditch team.<br/><br/>After failing to make the cut, Patricia found herself clinging to her brother and his friends even more. Something, it seemed, that her cousin Rowan did not appreciate. Again, she found solace in new friends and acquaintances, but she could never quite shake the feeling of failure. She pushed harder, trained more, and by her third year she became a beater for the team. Finally, she would get to join her brother on the pitch! However, her success did not fix the emptiness. This was when the Slytherin girl realized that something quite different was bothering her. Hollow friendships and feigned smiles began to eat away at her. Seeking a release, she took to self harm as a way to escape the numbness that washed over her. It started absentmindedly at first, fingernails digging into her skin when dangerous thoughts crept into her head. Soon, however, she began finding other means of escaping, and the evidence littered her forearms with pink scars. <br/><br/>Despite her private struggles, Patricia continues to excel. When she is not studying, practicing quidditch or chatting cheerfully with friendly faces, the Slytherin wanders about the castle in search of a new picture to take, a new memory to capture, a new moment to savor. </span></span></div> </div></div></div><br/><div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;">SABRINA 'STORM' STRIKER</span></span></strong></div><div align="center">(https://media.giphy.com/media/vccBxn6A6zwYM/giphy.gif)</div><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;"> The Rebel | 21 | Homosexual | Chaotic Evil | Greed | Billie Turnbull</span></span></div><br/><div align="center"><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Character Sheet</div><div class="spoiler_body"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br/><strong> 1. BASICS</strong></span></span><br/><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;">NAME || Sabrina ‘Storm’Striker<br/>NICKNAME(S), ORIGIN || Storm, a codename given to her by her parents when they would involve her in heists <br/>SEX || Female<br/>DATE OF BIRTH || December 24th<br/>PLACE OF BIRTH || Monte-Carlo, Monaco<br/>CURRENT ADDRESS || Wherever there’s trouble<br/>NATIONALITY || Irish<br/>ETHNICITY || Caucasian; Irish, English, German, Romanian<br/>SEXUALITY || Homosexual<br/>TRAITS ||  <br/>Positive: outgoing, adventurous, clever, confident, daring, resourceful, chill<br/>Neutral: intense, outspoken, tough, determined, bold, self-reliant<br/>Negative: abrasive, deceitful, devious, greedy, poorly mannered, tactless, <br/>OCCUPATION || Career Criminal<br/>ARCHETYPE || The Rebel<br/>ALIGNMENT || Chaotic Evil<br/>SIN || Greed<br/>STAR SIGN || Capricorn<br/>HOUSE || Gryffindor<br/>AMORTENTIA || Basil, old leather and a slight hint of blood<br/>BOGGART || A waiting noose<br/>PATRONUS || Bobcat - Awareness. Strategy. Cunning. Intellect. Patience. Playfulness<br/>QUOTE || “If you’re good at something, never do it for free” - The Joker<br/>SONG || Talking of Michelangelo by Bayside<br/>SECRET || She’s an open book. Unless she’s trying to cross you, of course. Nobody except her family knows her real name, though.<br/>GOAL || Have a good time, not a long time<br/>LANGUAGES || English<br/>FACE CLAIM || Billie Turnbull<br/>TRIGGER WARNINGS || Suicide<br/>OPEN || She has a pet falcon named Maverick that follows her everywhere<br/><br/><strong>2. PHYSICAL</strong><br/>BODY TYPE || straight, ruler<br/>HEIGHT || 5’1’’<br/>WEIGHT || 104lbs <br/>HAIR || Bleach blonde, crew cut. Sometimes she lets the top grow out or styles it into a fauxhawk. Never more than pixie cut length.<br/>EYES || Black, like her soul<br/>BIRTHMARKS || A red one on the back of her neck, vaguely shaped like a bunny rabbit, or so she’s been told<br/>DISFIGUREMENTS || None<br/>SCARS || Plenty. Some on her shoulders, a few on her stomach and back from various close encounters. The one she tells the story about most often is a tiny one at the end of her right eyebrow. <br/>PIERCINGS || Everywhere. Sometimes her nose is pierced, sometimes it isn’t. Her septum is also pierced on occasion. Her ears are scattered with small silver hoops up her lobe as well as a bar across her cartilage in her left ear.<br/>TATTOOS || Too many to count. She has “no fear” scrawled sloppily across her right tricep, a lion tattooed beneath the knuckle on the middle finger of her left hand, her left forearm has a magical compass  tattoo that actually functions as such, two anchors tattooed on her chest below both her collar bones, a lightning bolt on the index finger of her right hand, “open your eyes” in neat script down her left wrist. She lost count after that, but the rest are scattered along her thighs and up her ribs.<br/>ACCENT || She has an Irish accent, but it’s very muddled due to her nomadic roots<br/>HOW DO THEY DRESS || Storm is dressed to kill. Literally. When on a job, she will usually wear whatever she can move around in most easily - often a big tshirt to hide her weapons and shorts or jeans that don’t hug too tight. She loves ripped clothing, leather, and black is a necessity. Band t-shirts and a fur vest also pop up from time to time. For shoes she usually wears boots because they are useful for both running and kicking people in the face. <br/>WHAT DO THEY WEAR TO SLEEP || Wouldn’t you like to know ;) (honestly… nothing)<br/>DO THEY WEAR JEWELRY || All of her piercings, but other than that she doesn’t like to keep jewelery on her person.<br/>WHAT DO THEY SMELL LIKE || Cigarette smoke, sandalwood, sage and a little bit of dirt <br/>ACCURATE MENTAL PICTURE? || Storm doesn’t think about what she looks like often, but whenever she catches her own eye in a reflective surface she knows the deal<br/><br/><br/><strong>3. PERSONALITY</strong><br/>QUIRK || Sometimes she twirls knives absentmindedly or to keep her hands busy, sometimes she does it to fuck with you; takes things apart when she’s bored; gives everyone strange nicknames and never bothers to remember their real names; cracks her neck all the time; curses under her breath constantly; laughs at her own jokes <br/><br/>HABITS || Exclusively wears black underwear; meditates every morning ; flips her friends off as a means of greeting; picking fights when she’s drunk, especially if you look at her the wrong way; paces back and forth when she’s planning something; thumps people on the back when they make her laugh; has to have a cigarette as soon as she wakes up<br/><br/>LIKES || Ripped clothes; charms; taking things apart, but not putting them back together; the sound of loose change; knife twirling; archery; industrial aesthetics; bondage; leather; scented candles; shepherd’s pie, but only the way her mom made it; bloody noses; girls; bruises; adrenaline rushes; gambling; breaking the rules, getting away with it; tattoos; good movies, good music; yoga; when people underestimate her<br/><br/>DISLIKES || An honest day's work; citrus; wearing her glasses; having to hide out from loan sharks; bright colors; tequila; tightasses;  shitty comedies; overgrown man babies; people who try to make her feel insecure; talking about her family; potions<br/><br/>SELF-PERCEPTION || Storm knows that she is good at what she does and that’s why she does it. She doesn’t view herself as evil or cruel or even a real wrong-doer. She gets people what they want, and in turn she gets what she wants. Mostly, she views herself as a good time and a creative problem solver, and if anyone thinks any differently they can say it to her face, punk. <br/><br/>OTHERS’ PERCEPTION || In school Storm was often viewed as a delinquent with wasted potential. Now, she is viewed as a delinquent who is living up to all of her potential. A successful career criminal, Storm is most often mistrusted or feared in people’s eyes. Or both. They know not to cross her, but they also know that she will cross them in a heartbeat. To her friends, various acquaintances and lovers, however, Storm is an enjoyable and exciting person to spend time with. <br/><br/>WEAKNESSES || Can't stay in one place for long; will do anything for the thrill of it; she makes an awful first impression; forming an emotional connection with people; doe eyes; terrible speller<br/><br/>STRENGTHS || Cunning; stealthy; fiercely determined; unwaveringly steadfast in her beliefs; an expert at all things weaponry; makes friends easily; excellent at transfiguration and dueling; theft and heists; she can talk her way out of almost anything, and the rest of it she can certainly fight her way out<br/><br/>ASPIRATIONS || Master the art of day-to-day survival<br/><br/>FEARS || Settling down; having her autonomy taken away from her; commitment<br/><br/>WHAT MAKES HIM/HER IRRATIONALLY ANGRY || when people try to shortchange her; men who don’t know her place; anyone nagging her about anything ever<br/><br/>WHAT MAKES HIM/HER CRY || a good kick to the ribs<br/><br/>WAYS TO CHEER UP THIS PERSON || find the nearest party; play loud music; get her adrenaline pumping; give her a job to do<br/><br/>WAYS TO ANNOY THIS PERSON || blow her cover when she’s in stealth mode; interrupt her when she’s telling a story; be a nark <br/><br/><br/><strong>4. HISTORY</strong><br/>Sabrina Striker was not exactly raised under normal circumstances. Born to a long line of devious crooks, she was taught two things: only own what you wouldn't mind losing, and don't ever, ever get caught. This philosophy got her through a hell of a lot at Hogwarts and, now, the 'real' world. <br/><br/>When she started school, Hogwarts soon became the most stable home the young witch had ever known. Before receiving her letter, conveniently addressed to "Miss S. Striker, Cot in room 3B of The Batty Box Inn, Dublin, Ireland,” Sabrina would travel with her parents as they set off in search of new - ahem - “business opportunities”. By the time she was seven years old she had assisted in the theft of Dragon eggs, King Arthur’s armor, and nearly five hundred times her weight in gold. It wasn’t just a living for the Strikers, it was a skill. When she was sorted into Gryffindor, Sabrina had already seen more of the world than many of her own professors - albeit only in fast blurs from behind a tattered invisibility cloak. <br/><br/>Throughout her earlier school years, the lioness would make use of her talents throughout the castle, nicking things from the Teacher’s Lounge, sneaking away from the kitchens with an abundance of sweets, and even going as far as to charge students for books that she would pilfer from the library’s Restricted Section. Due to her skewed moral code, Sabrina was constantly viewed as a waste of great potential. Her professors, despite having some serious suspicions that she was the elusive “Storm” responsible for a growing market of illicit dealings in Hogwarts, were unable to ever pin it on her directly. Instead, they watched a talented young witch slither her way out of responsibility, only handing in the occasional assignment when it suited her - or, rather, when she was fortunate enough to find a Ravenclaw that owed her a favor. By the time she was a fifth year, Sabrina had managed to float through her OWLs with astounding proficiency - which, of course, was suspected to have been linked to another one of her cheating scandals, but it could never be proven. <br/><br/>Regardless of her newfound smarts in the classroom, Sabrina’s fifth year at Hogwarts was also her last. Not that she knew it at the time, but the Gryffindor would soon find that there were some things even she couldn’t get away from. In the summer of 2011, Storm was traveling through Prague with her parents, working on some negotiations for a few coveted Goblin-made chalices when they were ambushed by Snatchers. Jill and Gambit Striker had acquired a mighty debt and a long list of enemies in their line of work, and this was the summer it all caught up to them. Storm wasn’t surprised, of course. She knew her parents did things off the books and that kind of job description always comes with a disclaimer or two. They were in danger, but it’s not like they hadn’t been before. She knew they would get out of it together, like always. She knew her parents loved each other and she knew she loved them. What she didn’t know, though, was about the Unbreakable Vow.<br/><br/>Young, foolish, and a few shots in on the eve of their makeshift wedding, Jill and Gambit took a new approach to promises. With a thin stream of fire wrapped around their entangled hands, they swore “If we ever get caught, we die together.”<br/><br/>Sabrina never knew the urgency with which her parents had to get away with things. She just knew that they always managed it somehow.<br/><br/>A few Snatchers soon turned into a few more, and a few more lead some Ministry workers into the mix, leaving them with no escape. “She’s got the trace!” her mother shouted, bolting through a small crowd as her father shot spell after spell over his shoulder. “We can’t all apparate out of here!” <br/><br/>Sabrina couldn’t talk. Her lungs were inhaling fire that was spreading into her veins, her legs moving along the uneven, cobbled road. A spell flew past her left ear, hitting a muggle square in the face and, before he could even dodge out of her way, he collapsed to the ground. He became a hurdle that the lioness leaped over, her ears focused on the blasts from behind as her feet flew ever forward. <br/><br/>Gambit caught up to them, his wand snapped from a rogue spell as they made a sharp left onto the Charles Bridge. “They’ll have… more” he panted, waving his free hand toward the other side of the bridge. More aurors, more snatchers. All of them would be waiting. This was finally something they couldn’t sneak their way out of. <br/><br/>“Sabrina, baby,” Sabrina looked at her mother, wide eyed with fear at the soothing sound of her voice. Her mother was the first to get a laugh out of a good chase, but not this time. “Do not stop running” she always had the best stamina, her mother. “Do you hear me? Do not stop.”<br/><br/>The sixteen year old nodded, determination setting her face forward once more as she found new life in the city air, her wand clutched confidently in one hand as she grazed her mother’s with the other.<br/><br/>But she had pulled away. A shared look between Gambit and Jill led them left, toward the guardrail as a few aurors were quickly advancing. Sabrina’s pace slowed, just barely, as she watched her parents jump. She waited for them to apparate - disappear in mid air. They would find her eventually. They needed to get out, get safe. Then they could come back for her. But instead she watched as two nooses were conjured around their necks with a wave of her mother’s wand. <br/><br/>“NO!”<br/><br/>Down, down, down they went to meet the water until, instead of the snap of a bungee cord, her ears were met with the snap of their necks. The other ends of the ropes had snaked around a lamppost, pulling taut when they were met with the weight of silly promises, leaving Gambit and Jill hanging just above the water beside the bridge. <br/><br/>But she didn’t stop running.<br/><br/>With the Ministry workers now distracted by that mess, Sabrina was met with little resistance on the other side of the bridge. Snatchers were sniffing around for the real money - her parents heads were worth thousands. The name Storm didn’t even ring a bell to them yet, but it would.<br/><br/>She didn’t return to Hogwarts after that summer. Instead, she had spent the rest of her time traveling around the Czech Republic, making a living and a name for herself through the many shady dealings she had bore witness to while traveling with her parents, until she was seventeen and officially free of any Ministry trace. Dragon eggs became her niche market that summer. Easy to attain, even easier to sell for exorbitant prices. She didn’t mind getting a few scratches and burns along the way.<br/><br/>When she returned to the UK, Storm still didn’t settle. Instead, she set off traveling from London to Waterford to Newport in search of old hideouts where her parents had stashed a few of their more valuable treasures. She collected them carefully, stealthily, one by one she found every last bit of gold, galleons, and goodies that they had acquired over the years. And then she sold everything she could. The money has been enough to keep her bouncing from pub to pub for a nightly stay, and Knockturn Alley soon became the Gryffindor’s preferred place of business. However, a deal gone sour left the lioness searching for a safe place to hide out until it all blows over. <br/><br/>Hogwarts seemed to be the perfect choice, so on October 31st the vagabond settled into the Shrieking Shack. She established quite the nice business during her stay in Hogsmeade. Drugs, illicit potions, break-ins and body-guarding. Storm did it all. On the days that she wasn’t busy hustling, Storm would enjoy a pint at the Hog’s Head or even join her dear Ridgewell cousins for a night of drinking on the Hogwarts quidditch pitch. She had not seen the three toe heads for ages, largely thanks to their parents’ falling out. They had grown up to be quite the little devils and she enjoyed their company immensely. She was having a nice time - too nice, even. <br/><br/>Storm met a girl that was as elusive and non-committal as she was and boy did that not end well. Break-up and make-up sex were a thrill at first, but weeks and weeks of back-and-forth between the two was draining the Gryffindor alumnus in a way that she did not know she could be drained. This girl had quite the hold on her, and yet neither of them wanted to admit it. Storm was not used to being emotionally invested in anyone or anything. After a particularly bad fight in mid December, where words and teacups alike were hurled with the intention to harm in the middle of Madame Puddifoot’s, Storm took off for good. She returned to the Shrieking Shack only to grab her most valuable items. Her gold, her dagger and her falcon. The rest could rot there for all she cared. Then, without so much as a goodbye to anyone, she set off for… anywhere. <br/><br/>Returning back into the swing of things was easy enough. It seemed that a few weeks under the radar did the lioness good. Soon, she was once more exploring the darkest depths of the wizarding world, and she was very interested in what she found. Rumors of an uprising began to bubble amongst the downtrodden. Plans and schemes of a hostile takeover found their way to her waiting ears. Something wicked was forming in the creature world. Something she looked forward to seeing pan out. Now, Storm continues to follow a strict policy of keeping her mouth shut and her eyes open, always searching for a new opportunity. </span></span></div> </div></div></div>