Evelyn Carnahan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
proudofwhatiam) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
asgardeventide2014-03-23 01:51 pm
proudofwhatiam) wrote in asgardeventide2014-03-23 01:51 pm
three glyphs // text // day 422
I am aware that there is currently a situation of no small importance outside the walls of our city. However, time waits for no man, and I see no reason to delay this statement.
As you are no doubt aware, the Albus Dumbledore Academy recently suffered a devastating loss. The fire that burned much of the school building was also responsible for numerous injuries to staff, students, and bystanders, and at least one death. So far as I know, any investigations into the matter are still ongoing, and the question remains: Was this the work of a man or of fate? A deliberate choice or an unhappy accident?
[After being accused by Professor Snape of starting the damnable thing, the thought hasn't been far from her mind--it must have been someone.]
If it was, indeed, the work of an arsonist, then I hope he will listen when I say: Yours was a coward's gesture. This school is a place of learning; it should be a safe haven for any Traveler interested in bettering himself through an education, regardless of origin. You are a disgrace to a population brought together to improve this world.
Those who try to terrorize others through intimidation and threat of harm are the lowest of men, and they should not expect clemency. If you purposely set the school on fire, you will be found, and you will receive your just deserts.
If I must, I will ensure that much myself. You are responsible for my death, and I demand that justice be served.
•
There will be no break in class for students enrolled in my courses. To treat this occurrence as reason for a holiday would be an insult to everyone injured in the catastrophe. To halt our learning in the face of a frightful event would be to give in to fear. We will not give in to fear--particularly not if frightening us was some craven soul's intention in the first place. In lieu of a safe place to meet within the school, my courses will be held in the library in Odin district.
I regret to inform those enrolled in my course on Egyptian history and culture that the mummification work of our last two months has been destroyed. In our next class, we will discuss the future of the project, and of our class as a whole.
((OOC: To be clear, Evy has no idea who set fire to the school or whether that person is male or female. She comes from a time when using the male pronoun would be default when describing a theoretical person.))
As you are no doubt aware, the Albus Dumbledore Academy recently suffered a devastating loss. The fire that burned much of the school building was also responsible for numerous injuries to staff, students, and bystanders, and at least one death. So far as I know, any investigations into the matter are still ongoing, and the question remains: Was this the work of a man or of fate? A deliberate choice or an unhappy accident?
[After being accused by Professor Snape of starting the damnable thing, the thought hasn't been far from her mind--it must have been someone.]
If it was, indeed, the work of an arsonist, then I hope he will listen when I say: Yours was a coward's gesture. This school is a place of learning; it should be a safe haven for any Traveler interested in bettering himself through an education, regardless of origin. You are a disgrace to a population brought together to improve this world.
Those who try to terrorize others through intimidation and threat of harm are the lowest of men, and they should not expect clemency. If you purposely set the school on fire, you will be found, and you will receive your just deserts.
If I must, I will ensure that much myself. You are responsible for my death, and I demand that justice be served.
There will be no break in class for students enrolled in my courses. To treat this occurrence as reason for a holiday would be an insult to everyone injured in the catastrophe. To halt our learning in the face of a frightful event would be to give in to fear. We will not give in to fear--particularly not if frightening us was some craven soul's intention in the first place. In lieu of a safe place to meet within the school, my courses will be held in the library in Odin district.
I regret to inform those enrolled in my course on Egyptian history and culture that the mummification work of our last two months has been destroyed. In our next class, we will discuss the future of the project, and of our class as a whole.
((OOC: To be clear, Evy has no idea who set fire to the school or whether that person is male or female. She comes from a time when using the male pronoun would be default when describing a theoretical person.))
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Good. Any idea where to start?
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Mr. Will Graham is investigating; perhaps others are, too. Apparently the information they're able to share is limited while the investigation is ongoing. For now, our best option may be to watch and wait.
Do you have any ideas?
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I know a consulting detective
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Do you?
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Yeah. Sherlock Holmes
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If he's interested in the matter, perhaps he can work with Mr. Graham on it.
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Who is mr graham though?
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Mr. Graham is a man investigating the school burning. He's from Sigyn.
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but okay. if he's from Sigyn then he's probably okay. you can usually trust them
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He's a good man, Ellie, regardless of house. There is reason to trust him.
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do you have proof?
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[The question gives her pause; she wishes she had something substantial to reply with. In Ellie's place, she knows she'd want more than well, I like the fellow.]
I have instinct and confidence--which may not sound like much, given our current state of affairs, but he has been a kind friend to me since my arrival. From everything I know about him, I think he is more than capable of figuring out what happened.
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that isnt that much. why does he care. is he involved with the school or a teacher or something? does he know snape?
[Evie, this is the point where Ellie's paranoia comes into play, her suspicion of every kindness, of every coincidence.]
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[Any amusement is swiftly drained from the conversation. She'd honestly rather not explain further, but it would be a rather abrupt end to the conversation.]
Ellie, investigating such situations is what he did for a living in his home. Regardless of his involvement with the school, he is a professional, and this is his work.]
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[Wow. Evie. While she can't read tone well through text, the seemingly complete dismissal of her concern and lack of response to her questions makes her uncomfortable, where it was only a minor suspicion before. Makes her think there's something more going on.
She knows all too well how people can seem trustworthy, can get under the skin. Can wear a human mask while being a monster underneath. And while Evie does have some small, hesitant faith placed in her... Ellie mistrusts anything so convenient.
Sigyn is Ellie's house. Her house is the home of some of the kindest, most pure-hearted people she's ever met. ... but the gods are not infallible, or so she believes. Sigyn wanted her after all.
And more than anything, Ellie comes from a world where everyone has a small, narrow circle of caring. People look out for themselves, their families, those close to them. Charity is nearly unheard of and kindness is hard to come by. Ellie herself is an anomaly.]
that isn't enough. not by itself.
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Is it unfair? Yes. Is it biased? Undeniably. But coming from a world where a fourteen-year-old girl should still be at boarding school, having misadventures out of an Angela Brazil novel, Ellie's age is ultimately what informs Evy's answers.]
I'm not sure what it is you want to hear.
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maybe if you answered my questions instead oftelling me "because I said so"?
that sure would help.
[voice]
In a moment of pique, she switches to voice. She's no longer hoarse, but her voice has an occasional shake to it, as though she's doing her best to keep back a great deal of feeling.]
All right. Let us address your questions.
Mr. Graham was briefly a teacher at the school. He cares, as I have said, because this is the sort of work he does for a living normally. He cares for the same reason I would care if someone unearthed another Rosetta Stone here. And moreover--[her voice breaks off a moment, but she pulls it back as quickly as she can]--he is a friend. No doubt he has other friends who were also part of--of all this.
You're lucky, you know, lucky that you have people from your world here, people you know well. People you can trust implicitly. I am the only person I know from Cairo--any Cairo, let alone mine--and any friends I have here, I've had to make upon arrival. When I say that I trust Mr. Graham, I want you to know that it isn't lightly.
[There's a long pause, during which she has to take several deep breaths to keep from shouting at the poor girl--or worse, weeping. The last thing she's going to do is cry in front of a teenage student, but the shock of what happened, mixed with the bone-deep homesickness it's brought out in her and Ellie's insistence on questioning her statements...normally, she'd encourage that investigative spirit, but right now, however hypocritical and childish it might be, she can't tolerate it. The temptation to tell her to leave all this alone is overwhelming.
She knows enough, at least, to keep from doing that.
Her voice is quiet and brittle when she speaks again.]
I'm sure Mr. Graham would be happy to talk with you further if you still have questions about his trustworthiness.
[voice]
The more Evy talks, the more she starts breaking up around the edges, the more Ellie begins to understand what's going on, and the more her worry and annoyance and anger and hurt feelings don't matter. Evy died in that fire.
Her comments about Ellie being lucky hit home in a way that shakes her. Having been alone for nearly all of her life, she knows the feeling and the fear intimately. She'd been here alone until Joel and Tess showed up, and it had been a lonely, tense, fearful thing even as she started making friends. Despite herself, she begins to feel sympathy.
- and of all things, a touch of protectiveness. It's not the sort of thing that normal young teens feel towards older adults, but Ellie has never been normal. She lets the silence settle, then carefully flicks on the voice feed.
She is steady, and quiet, her voice heavy with the weight of what Evy's told her.]
... it's shitty. Being alone.
[Her mouth feels dry. She wets her lips before going on.]
Okay.
I'll- talk to Mr. Graham.
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It would likely work better if it were true.
She sighs.]
Word choice aside, I can't argue with that.
[And, bitter pill though it is, she knows she can't leave things as they are. Get it over quickly, Evelyn, and then you can go back to pretending you're the maturer one right now.]
I had no business snapping at you, and for that, I apologize. I hope Mr. Graham is able to give you the information you seek.
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Hey. It's okay. And if you think that was snapping at me, then you've never heard me and Snape have at it.
[It tapers off with a soft laugh, more out of appreciation than humor. No matter what she says, she does appreciate it.]
... thanks, though. And you're right. I shouldn't have jumped down your throat about it.
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[She says it dryly. Evy can hold her own against the likes of Snape--or anyone else, she's fairly sure--when she wants to. But here, with Ellie...well, she'd really rather not.]
Why don't we consider this water under the bridge? I don't think the fire has brought out the best in anyone.
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Like who might have done this. I mean, me, I think it's simple. Who's basically the only person who'd have a motive to try and burn down a school? This school?
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Do you have someone in mind?
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[Immediately. Like it's been bursting to spill out of her.]
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