It had only been a few days since she had been home… three to be exact. Nevertheless, Demitria Strelnikov was already ready to shoot herself. Three days! Three! Already, between herself, her mother, her sister-in-law and her grandmother (who was visiting), the house was so crowded with hyper-egotistical bitches that all of them were ready to explode. Darya’s cottage on a cliff, magnificent though it was, was not made to withstand such a force of nature. Luckily, the construction of Katrin and Jaska’s manor was already underway. It was only going to be another few weeks before the newly-weds moved out and left mother and daughter alone.

Thank Merlin she had another brother she could run to. The recent Durmstrang graduate lived in muggle London and had offered for his sister to stay with him for a couple of days. Thank Merlin. Thank Merlin Thank Merlin…

That was why Mimi Strelnikov, a young witch with almost no knowledge of anything remotely muggle, was sitting crosslegged against a tree watching ducks swim on a small pond. For the first time in the three days since she had been home from school, the tiny Russian felt peace and calm.

It wasn’t that she hated her grandmother. No, they just had a wary, healthy respect for eaachother. If the two of them just stayed out of eachothers way, it would make life so much easier. But no. Nika Strelnikov had finally seen the Veela in Demitria. And Nika’s own Veela heart had decided to barge into the previously happy girl’s life to teach her how to control her powers.

It was painful and difficult work.

So the few moments she had in the quiet were precious to Mimi.

Jazelle finally had a day to herself since she came back from Hogwarts.  Her mother had been practically suffocating her since she stepped off the train, and hadn't let go for air until she absolutely had to: when she went to work.  Feeling the sudden urge to go outside rather than be cooped up cleaning her room (which she didn't understand, since she's been home a few days), she pocketed her wand and other essentials and headed out the door.

Admiring the well-maintained lawn her mother prided herself with, Jazelle strode down the street of the suburbs, heading towards the inner city.  She took in everything around her with a bright smile: the chirping of the birds and the odd formation of white clouds made her happy.  It was simple things like these that made her day.  Some say she was easily amused, which was true, while others said she was a stoner, which was not true.  It didn't bother her that she had a quirky and questionable reputation.  Her random bouts of laughter and sudden squees weren't something she was ashamed of.

Entering her favorite park, she twirled as she walked and let out content sighs, loving everything about it.  Skipping toward the duck pond, she let out small squees at the sight of a family of baby ducks swimming near the bank.  Kneeling beside the water and examining the scene with a beaming smile, she failed to notice the girl next to her against the tree.  "Hello, little ducks, aren't you the cutest things..." Jazelle cooed in excitement.

Demitria wished she could take her wand out and turn the blood red wood over in her hands. She looked around her slightly, but knew that even if there wasn’t anyone close enough to actually see, she could get expelled if she did. Just then, a small family of ducks swum close to the edge of the lake.

Smiling widely, she scooted her legs around so she could reach the edge of the water with a finger or two. Twirling around so that she was on her stomach, she let her index finger drag through the water, attracting the tiny ducklings, and making them move closer. Just as she did, another girl came around the tree, appearing as if out of nowhere. Mimi was suddenly very glad that she hadn’t pulled her wand out. The other girl knelt next to the water and squeed slightly at the sight of the baby ducks.

“They are cute, aren’t they,” Demitria said, looking over at the other girl. She was vaguely familiar, but one could never be too sure. She almost looked like one of the girls that Leon hung out with on occasion…

Jazelle jumped a little as she finally noticed she was not alone.  Furrowing her eyebrows in slight recognition, she realized the girl was a peer at Hogwarts, though she couldn't quite place what house she was in.  Most likely not Gryffindor, since she would've ran into her on more than one occasion.  Looking down at the ducks, she squealed in delight and wiggled her fingers at the baby ducks.

"So cute," she said lightly in agreement and shifted her legs underneath her in a criss-cross position.  "So, I can't help but thinking you look familiar..." Jazelle trailed off with a slight chuckle.  "Hello little ducks," she said and then imitated a duck call.  One baby duck swam up to her fingers and lightly nipped at them as if it were food.  Frowning slightly, Jazelle realized she forgot to bring food for them.  Cursing herself mentally, she looked around to see if anyone was within eyesight.  She contemplated transfiguring a rock into a loaf of bread.

Demitria's legs waved in the air behind her as she lay comfortably on her stomach. Her elbows were propping up her upper body at that slight, usually fairly comfortable angle. The Slytherin was now positive that she had seen the other girl at Hogwarts. That just caused a larger anomally. Demitria Strelnikov knew nearly everyone that passed tbrough the stone halls. Using the rumor mill, she gathered bits and pieces of information about each person until she had a good idea of who this person was. It was easiest with the 5th years, but the blonde in front of her was only a year older... It was surprising that she couldnt even find a name.

Strellie smiled softly as the baby ducks swim closer. They were too irrisistable. "I'm Demitria Strelnikov. I'm a..." She looked around and, when satisfied there weren't any other muggles lurking, continued, "a Slytherin. Just finished my 5th year." The other girls finger got bitten by a duck and the rose-lipped Russian pulled her fingers out of the water. In some ways, she wished she could've stayed anonymous. By saying her name, she was usually immediately linked to three places: Sophie (who, though the two loved eachother, she fought with constantly), Leon (and that was a fairly new concept for the school), and ever infamous Monarchy. She was after all, the right wing woman of Kitty Li.

"And you are...?" As soon as she said it, Mimi wished she couldve put it differently. The way she phrased it was not helping with the image of a snooty bitch that she wanted to, usually, avoid.

Jazelle looked at Demitria thoughtfully, trying to remember when she'd seen her.  Well, she's in Slytherin, so... maybe near the dungeons?  Hmm.  That's an interesting last name: Strelnikov.  I don't think I've ever heard of it...  "I'm Jazelle Hawke, Gryffindor seventh-year.  You can call me Jazz." she said politely with a warm smile.  Checking to make sure the coast was clear, she whipped her wand out of her jeans pocket and quietly transfigured a nearby large rock into a loaf of bread.  Slipping her wand back, she broke off about half of the loaf and handed it over to Demitria with a questioning look.

"Yes, I am of age," she clarified with a chuckle and began feeding the duck family happily.  As the ducks scurried to the pieces of bread, their little behinds made Jazelle giggle at the sight.  Watching them gobble up the food, Jazelle noticed another group of ducks coming over from the other side of the pond.  "Oh, you guys are hungry, too?" she said with a bright smile and broke off several pieces for them as well.

"I love it here." Jazelle said to no one in particular with a contented sigh.  "It's better than being cooped up with an overbearing mom." she added with a small shrug and looked at the other girl.

Demitria's ghostly green eyes flashed momentarily. Jazelle? Hmm... with a name like that, she would've certainly remembered if she had ever come up in the rumor Mill. So that meant that the Gryffindor kept herself out of the Monarchy's radar. Well, that had worked for the past six years apparently. She was now officially on it.

The Russian doll was distracted from her mental categorizing by the other blonde handing her a loaf of bread. Casting a quick glance around her, just from habit, the Slytherin accepted it. Jazelle answered her unspoken question. Mimi sighed. It was terrible being a pureblood and not being able to use magic for anything when not at Hogwarts. It was one of the reasons she had opted to stay at the castle during Spring Break. Then a thought struck her. She wasn't a pureblood... She had to stop thinking of herself as such. Even though she had to continue projecting the image to the world.

"Thank you," she muttered, slightly subdued. She shoved the emotion back and put on her best smile. She didn't have to force it after Jazelle mentioned overbearing mothers. "We seem to have a similar problem. For purebloods, we have a rather small manor and we have my mother, grandmother, and my new sister-in-law all in a similar vincinity. It's stifling." She gave a small piece of bread to a duckling that nipped her finger. She hissed slightly. "I couldn't help notice, but when you used your wand, it was rather similar looking to mine. I've never seen another person with blood red wood, like mine."

Taking a quick look around, she sprung her wand from the spring that Maxim had built. "What wood is yours?" 

Jazelle cocked her head at Demitria and gave a crooked smile before pulling her wand out again.  She remembered the day she got her wand.  It wasn't at Ollivander's like most other kids went to, but a small wand-shop near her old home in America.  Out of all the places, that's where her mother felt most comfortable shopping at, since it was in a familiar place.  That was the first time Jazelle traveled by Floo, and she loved it, despite the queasiness.  After she got her wand she visited her old house and was aghast to see it so badly maintained.  Though it was an all-around good day: she had her very own wand, and she treated it like it was her 'precious' (like in The Lord of the Rings).

"Bloodwood, Erkling Darts, Demiguise Hair, ten inches, sturdy." she said, twirling the wand between her fingers idly.  "I haven't met anyone with a wand like mine, either.  Though, I don't really go around asking what other peoples wands are made of," she said with a laugh and examined her wand.  "I wish there was a blue wood, 'cause I'd be all over that." she added with a 'tsk'.  Then Jazelle looked closer at Demitria's wand: it was very pretty and had a lovely shade of red that was similar to her own.  "What's yours made of?" she asked curiously, eyes still trained on the other girl's wand.  It was truly amazing how many different types of wands there could be in the world.  Each one was unique--just like a snowflake--and each had their own personality and temperaments.

Jazelle's wand, for example, was a little difficult to learn spells with at first, since its rigidity was tougher than most.  But after a while of practicing and perfecting, her spell-power was much stronger than a lot of the other kid's.  The bloodwood in her wand made her excel in subjects like Divination, elemental magic and spells fueled by strong emotion--which was Jazelle's forte.  Demiguise Hair made it great for Transfiguration while Erkling Darts adds oomph to hexes and Charms.  It was a wand made for someone with the natural allure and talent in the arts: which was perfect for Jazelle.

Demitria smiled at the look of contentment that came over the other girl's face. Even though every witch and wizard felt a close connection to their wand, a muggle-born like Jazelle would hold onto their wand ten times as tightly.

"Sorry if it seemed invasive," Demitria began with a small smile. "but red wood is not very common, so I was just suprised. It's not an Ollivander Wand as far as I can tell, at least by the materials you listed off. He doesn't have as broad of horizons as some wand makers I've heard of." The blonde shrugged.

"Mine is actually Cherry, even though it doesn't look like it. It's a rare type  that when cut is naturally blood red. The core is simply Hippogriff talon, though my 'Mat, I mean mother, is almost positive there's some veela hair in it. The only person it could ever stand being touched by, other than me, was my grandmother. It's also pretty inflexible."

She hand her wand in her small hands and stroked the solid wood. She couldn't imagine having a springy, or even bendy or flexible wand. It would be rediculously uncomfortable. She continued after a moment. "Actually, I just remembered another person with a wand like ours. When I got my wand in the Ukraine, where my mother got hers, she nearly fainted when I chose this one. My father has an inflexible Cocobolo, veela hair wand. Funny how three completely different woods can look so similar."

The blonde smirked when Jazz mentioned blue wood. "That would be beautiful, although slightly unnerving. Personally, I think a blue wand would be a little too bold." She paused and realized what she had said. The Russian laughed. "So says the person with a wand the color of fresh blood." 

Jazelle made on 'O' with her mouth and grinned sweetly at Demitria.  It was interesting to hear of other people's wands.  Did she say Veela?  So, I guess that means she's part Veela, then, she thought in awe and studied the girl's features.  Yes, she had a beauty about her that had an air all its own.  Suddenly it made sense to Jazelle.  Yeah, I can totally see her being part Veela, she noted in fascination.  Having learned about other magical people in the world she had never really met one of the rarities like a Veela or a Werewolf.

She laughed along at the comment about the boldness of blue and blood red wands.  "No, it wasn't invasive.  Not at all," Jazelle said reassuringly and placed her wand back in her pocket.  "Although me and bold blue would go together perfectly," she commented with a chuckle and sighed in contentment.  "I got my wand back in America near my old home.  I lived there for six years until I moved over here for my dad's work.  Hence the accent," she added smoothly and admired the ducks quietly.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what's gotten you out and about today?" Jazelle asked casually, idly wondering if the other girl was keen on small talk.  Well, I'm not really into it.  But in situations like these when you just met someone, it's forgivable.