The Fat Horse Eats No Grass

[Chace Harker]

((This thread is for letters exchanged between Moko and Chace.))

 

[Moko Craven]

As she passed the notice board in the main hall way Moko stopped to read the latest foolish dribble that people posted. Not much was there but for a rather large poster that could not be ignored. It was from the muggle studies professor wanting students to take part in an international pens and notepad writing scheme. It was for extra credit which always went down well so Moko continued to read through it. Apparantly the list attached were of various students throughout the magical world who had been selected, she fumed to see her own name there when she clearly had never given consent for it to be so. Writing letters to one of these other students with use of only a pen and notepaper was all that was required. Moko laughed and turned away but soon stopped dead in her tracks and turned back to look at the board again. The extra credit was just too tempting, so she closed her eyes and slammed her finger down on to the poster. Lifting it slightly as she opened her eyes she saw the name of the person she was going to write too.

Chace Harker from Hogwarts New Zealand. She found this slightly humorous as this was now where she was living with her guardians when school was out. Moko continued to class and later dinner and later again sequestered in her dorm, finally decided to attempt some kind of missive to the boy. What harm could it do other than give her a possible EE instead of a dreaded A. Muggle Studies had only been chosen by her to begin with as she had been convinced she'd get an easy grade but how wrong had she been there. Another reason was that she firmly believed, it was best to know your enemies inside and out.

Taking out a pen and some notepaper she sat staring into oblivion wondering what in the name of all that was magical could she write?

Dear Mr. Harker
Hey Chace,
Dear Pen Pal,
this is part of the pens & paper initiative helping students to combine the use of muggle writing implements, the art of letter writing and international relations. My name is Morrigan but everyone calls me Moko. I am a 6th year student at Durmstrang academy. Unfortunately for us we don't have the pleasure of international relations as I now live in New Zealand. Moved there beginning of this school year in fact.

Clearly you can tell that I am new to this type of thing, I mean I've written plenty of letters sure but never one to a stranger before and never using a pen and notepaper either. I mean how uncouth are these implements for crying out loud? If I have just insulted you then ... oh well. I can't apologize for my lack of enthusiasm for the muggle race in general. I am only doing this for extra credit. So if you write back great, whoopdedoo! If you don't, no skin off a hippogriff. Either way, hope this finds you well and all that jazz.

Moko

 

[Chace Harker]

Chace couldn't say he had the delicacy of envelope with his eggs every morning. He jarred the piece of paper around a bit, flicking yellow gunk at his housemates. Flashing an apologetic smile, he commenced to open his letter and read it over. His first thought was, Who is Moko? Then he remembered (vaguely) some pen pal thing he had signed up with for the hell of it.

It took him ages to find a piece of notebook paper and a pen. By the end of writing his response, there were pen marks all over it. He couldn't break himself of going for an inkwell, after all. He sent the letter off with one of the school owls and wondered how long it would take to get to Durmstrang. Where the heck was Durmstrang, anyway?

Moko,

To be honest, I forgot I signed up for this thing at all. Hello I suppose. I'm a sixth year myself and in Slytherin house here at HNZ. Where in New Zealand did your parents moved to? My parents decided to relocate here as well after my third year at Scotland. Lucky that yours didn't make you switch schools. Not that this one is bad, I like it well enough.

Nah, I'm not insulted. However, I must express a difference in opinion... this pen, or whatever it is called, has started to grow on me. It's much more convenient than having to carry around a sticky inkwell. Muggles aren't all that bad.

Chace

 

[Moko Craven]

Moko wandered between classes not sure whether or not she was coming or going now. Usually she was the most with-it person she knew, nothing ever got to her. No-one ever pushed her buttons, she had a high tolerance level but when goaded enough she did flip and flipped big time. Now her immense confusion about her best friend and the bizarre situation he had found himself in had led to him kissing her, something that once upon a time she had dreamed of but that was a long time ago. She knew she still had feelings for him had been convinced that she had pushed them so deep that they would be untouchable but it was scary how they had come screaming to the fore as soon as he had kissed her.

She entered the hall and refused to look at the staff table where the trainee professor sat. Moko took a pew near the back and listened to some of the conversations going on about her. The usual excitement about an upcoming weekend reprieve from the school was about the highlight of everyones day. Thankfully she was distracted from participating in the conversation when a letter was dropped down to her from a strange owl. The handwriting was even more strange but she recognized instantly that it was written with a muggle pen and not a quill. That only meant one thing. A smile on her face as she left the table, still not looking in Hayden's direction, Moko left the hall and went to her room.

In the peace and quiet she read through it and sighed. Was she capable of telling a complete stranger what she had not been able to speak about to anyone else at the school? She had only spoken briefly to Hayden on the matter because he had basically his own worries. Picking up the pen she was also becoming used to she began another letter to the boy on the other side of the world.

Hi Chace,

I've heard of Slytherin house, who hasn't. The dark lord himself was part of that house.
To begin with I inhabit a quaint room in my guardians house in the small village of Agrapus just outside of Obsidian. My guardian and his daughter work in St. Mungo's. I am what is technically termed as an orphan I guess. Though referring to myself as that at the age of 16 seems a bit mental.

Originally I am from England. Yorkshire to be exact. My parents, both of the magical community, met their fate in a muggle contraption called a 'car'. It crashed and they were killed. So I have very little patience at the moment for muggles and their ludicrous objects. But I will allow this, the pen is growing on me too. It is a relief not to have ink stains all over my fingers but best the devil you know.

My guardians did want me to switch schools but I convinced them otherwise. Imagine we could have been classmates instead of pen pals - scary thought. I jest.

Moko

p.s. have included a photograph, feels a bit strange writing to someone who I cannot picture.

Spoiler