Closed Predetermined Lives

[Aonghas Fergusson]

Aonghas had left Astronomy feeling a little empty, his heart hadn’t really be in his education for a while, he went to the lessons, enjoyed them enough and did well, but the older he got, the closer to the hard OWLs he got the less inclined he really was towards it. The more he recognised that everything he was doing would be for nothing. His quidditch felt more pointless now, especially as a full member of the team, he was taking the position from someone who just maybe would do something with it. For Aonghas it was just for fun. The astronomy lesson had just brought it all home, this feeling in his chest that had been building since his brother had been kicked out of the family home. The universe was so large, filled with so many stars in so many galaxies and he was so small and insignificant. He didn’t really matter, his actions would be done and forgotten, his school would be done and immediately forgotten. He had a job, he had a future preset. Perhaps this was what drove his brother to date, to fall in love with the idea of free will, but Aonghas couldn’t let that him. Aonghas stared blankly ahead, his gaze sitting on the homework he had been attempting to do for hours. Dinner had passed around him, and he was one of only a few left in the hall. Aonghas hadn’t written more than the title, he hadn’t so much as lift his quill in hours, but he moved now. He pulled a jug of water towards him, he put the homework on an empty plate and grabbed his wand. He pointed it at it and then said, ”Incendio,” feeling a certain level of joy as the piece of paper caught fire. Burning and burning away until there was nothing in the plate but smouldering ash. ​

 

[Katia Hensel]

Katia Hensel could hardly believe her luck. While she was chosen to be a Head for the Zhefarovich family - one of the few females that were chosen. But, having people around, all the time, it was getting annoying, fast. Katia sighed as she walked through the Great Hall, with a slightly annoyed expression on her face. The red-head felt so cramped in the school. Nothing she did here would matter. What she wanted to do with her life, was now going on another path. It was an honor, of course. She would always love and honor her family. Her loyalty was now being strained with what she would want to do. Professor Styx got to do what he wanted, so maybe she was looking into it too much. As she walked down the aisles, she noticed that down the Hufflepuff aisle, there was some smoke from what looked like a fire. And the head behind it, she recognized as Aonghas. Katia walked over to the Hufflepuff table and sat down next to him. Now was better than never to share her own news. She looked over the ashes, and wondered what could have made him do such a thing. "What is up?" asked Katia as she cocked her head to the side. Her golden eyes looked back toward Aonghas. "Also, I was chosen as a new Head of the Zhefarovich family. Second in charge." Katia shrugged a bit, since she showed bothered her a little bit. Not the choosing, but the other things that came with it.

 

[Aonghas Fergusson]

Aonghas glanced next to him, as he saw the fiery red hair of Katia, he gave her a little smile and then looked to the ashes of his astronomy homework. He would’ve answered the question, with a shrug, was half way to doing it when Katia spoke. Oh. ”Oh,” was his reaction, she seemed bothered by it, and he knew why. It wasn’t that she’d been given a choice in the matter, she had been picked. Aonghas didn’t have a choice in his matter either, it was his brother’s choice that had picked him, and he knew that his father’s grip on his own life would only tighten as time moved closer. He looked up from the plate and at her, meeting her gaze for a moment, ”Ah’m sorry Katia,” he told her, meaning it genuinely, even if they both knew the weight that had always rested on their shoulders, to know that things would not change without any say in the matter was never easy. He could also figure much like himself, the meetings of kids from other good, pure families had begun, even if in his case, Aonghas had told his parents about katia. ”What are we daein’ at school Katia?” he asked her looking down at his now ash homework. ”It wouldnae matter if ah were getting O’s or D’s, ah’d still be fine,” Aonghas knew she probably was in the same boat as him. ”If ah leave school now or if ah leave when ah graduate it willnae make a difference in ma life,” Aonghas looked back at her, he could imagine she felt the same pointlessness, the same problems that he was facing.​

 

[Katia Hensel]

Katia knew that if anyone would understand what she felt, it was Aonghas. After all, they were very similar. They could relate to the future Patriarch, but he was a first year, thus they didn't have any reason to go around him often. If anything, Katia avoided him. Her golden eyes deflected a little bit toward the ashes as he said that he was sorry. It wasn't his fault, she knew that, and he did too. It would be over the situation. He sympathized with her, and it sounded genuine. Since she was young, she wasn't sure if her family would try to set her up, since they did no such thing with Axel, but he was a male. Since she was a female, she had no idea if she would be treated differently or not. "I guess things could be worse," Katia faded off, shrugging her shoulders before meeting her gaze with Aonghas. Then, he said what she had been thinking all along. Why were they there? Whatever grades they were going to get, it wouldn't make a difference in their lives. She couldn't help but smile softly. "You know, I have been thinking the same thing. Every time I am in class, I lose motivation. I didn't even try out for Quidditch because of this. What's the point? My family would never allow a Head to go into a dangerous game." Katia paused for a moment, before she uttered, "I really don't want to be wasting my time, if it won't get me anywhere."

 

[Aonghas Fergusson]

Aonghas listened as she said that things could be worse, and he laughed lightly, ”Aye, ah guess that’s true,” after all, things for them could be much worse. It could very well be. They had harsh and unforgiving families, so of course things could be worse. He gave her a little smile. He did think it was difficult to see how it could be any worse with things in his family, his life was surrounded by the idea of the future of what his father wanted. Of what he was pressing to Aonghas to not forget or walk away from. He listened as she expressed a sentiment not too different from his own, even mentioning the quidditch problem, ”Ah’m a full member ah the team now, and honestly ah dinnae want it, quidditch is just something tae dae, and bein’ an alternate suited me, ye know, ah play but there’s no pressure or idea that i’d take it forward,” Aonghas said. ”Ah’m using up a spot that someone whose future isnae as set as mine,” he was also unwilling to turn the position down, only to keep up the appearance. ”Ah’ve always tried tae dae well tae show ah’m worthy ye know. But honestly, it doesnae and willnae matter. Every piece of homework is pointless,” Aonghas sighed, shaking his head to as if no longer linger upon the thought or on the homework he'd set alight. ”Have ye mentioned me tae yer family?” Aonghas asked, figuring if their futures were set, and this was all pointless asking about their future together or not was the best thing to do. Certainly more productive than setting paper on fire.​

 

[Katia Hensel]

Katia smiled as he agreed with her. Things could be much worse, though the lack of freedom really sucked at the same time. It was just something else she had to live with. If she tried to run or deny, her life could be at stake. Last thing she wanted to do was to piss off the wrong people. Hearing Aonghas was a part of the Quidditch team did make her feel jealous. That was something she wanted from the start. She would, or shouldn't think so negatively about it. Even if she had a position on the team, she would have to give it up immediately. But he did not want it. Katia didn't know what in the world to think of that. "Homework, no, school overall is pointless. Could you ask to be... You know, de-positioned? If you want to anyway. But there is the glory that you got it over the others that did try out. My family has a great number of Quidditch players. Some might try to play with you at some point. Maybe." There was history on how much they loved it, even had their own Quidditch pitch in many of their properties. But, some of her members could be very violent. Ozias was one of them. When asked about whether or not she had mentioned him to her family, Katia gave a small nod, "My mom. She isn't a fan of our promise we made a while back, but she approves overall. My grandfather also approves, who is the current Head of the family. Apparently, he liked your family's structure or something."

 

[Aonghas Fergusson]

Aonghas nodded, ”ah 'hink ah might, I’ll see how this year goes, see fae next,” quidditch had been a good past time, he had enjoyed it greatly, when he didn’t have to worry about it actually mattering. His father would want him to take over the family business, there would be time for some light games, ”We’ll organise an inter-family league,” he told her with a little smile, plenty of his family members still liked playing and though he loathed his parents, there were others in his family who maybe would make up a good team. He was a little tentative about what she might say about her own family and how they thought of him, his family he knew and was familiar with, he knew how they worked, he knew what it took to get them to agree, he knew how cruel they could be, their believes but he didn’t know Katia’s and if she was to be a future head of her family as he was to be the head of his own - albeit much smaller family - then he needed to know that her family approved of him. ”Funny, ma ma doesnae like our promise either,” Aonghas said, he wasn’t sure what to make of how much her grandfather liked the current family structure, but that didn’t really matter. ”Ma grandparents approve of ye tae,” Aonghas told her. He looked at her and smiled softly. ”Ah’ve been wondering about droppin’ out, like when ah turn seventeen, ma da will want me tae immediately take over and all that, but ah’m wasting ma time in school. Ah worked hard because ah wanted tae show ah wis more than you know ma family name, but theres no point,”​

 

[Katia Hensel]

Katia smiled in return, "Well, I will be sure to watch and cheer for Hufflepuff, for a change." She shrugged, since she really didn't care who won, but since Aonghas was on that team, she would support that one. Then, he suggested an inter-family league. That was actually a fabulous idea. "I actually think that would work. I know my mom used to play Quidditch, if I remember correctly. So, maybe that would be something we could do." It would also be a good way to get the families together to know each other a little more. Especially if their promise goes through. Upon hearing that his mom didn't like the promise either, she wondered if their moms got together and discussed it, or rather they should so that they could approve of their promise. After all, it would merge two good families together. But, his grandparents approved though. That was nice that at least a few of their family members approved of their decision. She did wonder what Professor Styx thought of it, if her grandfather told him that is. "I was thinking the same thing. We are both wasting time, really. I think we just need to stick it out for a couple more years. Sixth year, we can leave."

 

[Aonghas Fergusson]

Aonghas looked at Katia and gave a little smile. It helped that he liked her, this whole situation between them was so much better because she wasn’t awful. Katia had always been a friend to Aonghas, but as he looked at her, realising that though their promise to each other had been a part joke and part to get out of what their families would make them do, but the older he got and the more he realised what he would do, the more he realised it was serious. So he was always thankful that she was a good person, that he liked her. Aonghas smiled, ”Ma da and ma uncles used tae play, ah ‘hink they’d enjoy it,” an inter family quidditch league would be the funniest thing in his mind to come out of their joining, but it could be interesting still. Aonghas wasn’t too surprised that she was feeling the same thing as he was about the end of school. He’d agree that sticking it out for a few more years would be good, towards sixth year would have them both with OWLs at least and then also of legal age probably. He gave her a little smile, finding that though his problems with how pointless this all was, was soothed by speaking with her. Were calmed by listening to her talk about the same problems. ”Dae ye want tae go tae the ball with me?” he asked her, ”As yer future husband, might be good tae be sure ah can dance,”​

 

[Katia Hensel]

Katia gave a small nod, and agreed, "I think it would be great to do one day. I can ask some of my family, who are current or former players." Katia was leaning toward the former ones, since the current ones might have more of an advantage over everything. Including the two of them. Katia did not want to lose so easily either way. But, that was something to worry about later. However, the next question kind of took her off guard. Katia did not have plans to go to the dance. A part of her wanted to say no, that it was a waste of time, but instead, what came out of her mouth was different. "I would be honored, as your future wife." Katia smiled, though a little curious on how it would turn out. She leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek, and stood up on her feet. "I need to go study up on Arithmancy before the class begins. I'll see you around, Aonghas." The Ravenclaw took off toward the exit of the Great Hall, toward the corridors.

Fin​