Museum of Magical History

Museum of Magical History
moonstraw city

Officially named the Granger Museum of Magical History, this is Moonstraw's only museum. Its largest donor is former Minister for Magic Hermione Granger, who believed it was an important that witches and wizards worldwide had an interactive means of learning the important magical history as well as have access to some of the artifacts previously hidden away in the Ministry. History of Magic field trips are common here.

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

It is finally summer! And while this does mean having to spend more time in the Sept, at the very least it means less having to sit through Maths classes all day. Her parents have thankfully allowed her to apply to the University of Edinburgh like her sister and by some miracle she got in. She is very excited at the prospect of four more years in the 'real world', and she has been mostly content with just muggles for the past couple of months (school has also kept her too busy to sneak off to Lincliff again) but now she is seizing the opportunity to visit again, having found someone who was willing to apparate her there. She heard from the lady who brought her here that a museum has just been established and she is eager to visit – what better way is there to learn about wizards? Hopefully there will be at least some pretty art!

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

Graduating has brought about a lot of change for Divya in a painfully short period of time. It has been awfully overwhelming getting everything in order to move out of her mother's house in Whitby, but now that that has largely been settled, she has more time for leisure before classes resume in October. Her form of leisure usually includes drifting around bookstores and museums and weird little shops, consuming all of the little bits of information and people watching to catch glimpses of attractive people she *wish* would just come woo her. Divya had never visited the Museum of Magical History though she isn't all that certain as to why not, but she had decided in the morning that she would see it at last. Extending an invitation to Arden had seemed pointless and it was thoughtful on her part to not force her to come although she was probably busy with training regardless. So, she was alone and this was perfect. It meant she could be the lonesome blonde tossing her hair over her shoulder to glance at some academically inclined wizard while standing at one of the art galleries except Divya had noticed that wizards are awfully unattractive and the art was too interesting not to stare at and admire.

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

The camera around Jo's neck rests against her chest, totally ignored as she stares in awe at the different paintings and statues in the gallery. She has drifted off here to the art section, watching the people in portraits move from one frame to another. It is so fascinating to her, and she quickly locks eyes with the portrait of a fae child who then begins to leap into the next portrait, then the one after that before stopping as if to look for Jo again and it is then she realizes that it is challenging her to follow. Jo grins and begins the chase, weaving through the crowds of people in the gallery before bumping into Divya and stopping in her tracks to apologize. "Sorry! Was trying to win a race!" she says, looking behind Div's shoulder to see that the faerie child has reached the end of the hall and is currently sticking her tongue out at her. "Uh, with the painting. That one." she adds, because she feels like that might make her seem like less of a heathen that runs through otherwise quiet and idyllic museums. "Did I hurt you?" Jo is tiny. She doubts it.

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

A lot of people tend to bump into her, and she isn't certain as to why that is. It's a curious phenomenon. At least this time the person was rather small, so it is as if she is a wall and less of a pesky object someone trips over. Upon impact, her arms rise into her chest and her mouth rounds out to produce a little *Oh!* before she reaches out to steady herself or- in this instance, the other person. When the world steadies itself, it comes to her attention that this is a smaller woman and she becomes wrapped up in awe by this. "Hello," she answers her cautiously just as she dramatically straightens out her clothing. There is an unjust sense of intimidation, which only threatens to grow the longer she stares down at her, but she is unable to split her gaze. "Absolutely not. Are you fine?" But she glances over her and she appears fine, so the expression of concern that appears seems a bit uncalled for. Her eyebrows knit up before she understands it's fine and her face calms again. "Wh- Why?" It almost comes out peeved, but she is flustered by every ounce of this from her beauty to her audacity and the idea that a painting was racing her.

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

Jo is immediately flustered, but she does not fault herself too much for it because after steadying herself she realizes quite instantly that the girl she is talking to is half-veela. That makes her calm down a little and Jo tells herself to stop worrying so much about how she is presenting herself. It is probably just the veela effect making her extra nervous. "Ah, well," Jo is a lot shyer than people give her credit for. "She seemed... bored. I mean, I understand why, cooped up in a painting and all that just sitting as people stare at you all day long. She does not get much opportunities to have fun." Jo can relate. She smooths down skirt of her own dress, finishing with a little swish because the movement makes her happy and serves to calm her nerves. "It's rather interesting, don't you think? That the paintings have personalities."

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

Her ears listen, but her mind is trained on how she swishes her dress and her hands wander over her own as if there is a need to straighten them any further. "I find it disturbing, but also rather poetic. It is a bit frightening to believe that there could be one with my conscience at this moment or long into the future." It is a bit of a ramble on her part, but she has not had someone to converse with since stirring up out of her sheets this morning and she is not used to such solitude wherever she goes. It is reasonable to her that the words just spill out once she has the opportunity to express them. "Having not been raised around them, they are not my cup of tea," she adds, lowering her voice to avoid offending them. When she was much younger, she said something similar around Hogwarts and it resulted in some ill feelings on their part. "I suppose it is nice you are interested in entertaining them. Someone should." Divya smiles at her before staring at the paintings, squinting her eyes slightly before regaining a more neutral composure.

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

"I agree." Jo nods. After confirming that Div is in fact a witch (though what else would she be?), she decides to entertain her own curiosity. Divya seems very eloquent as well, and that gives Jo the correct impression that the other girl is rather intelligent. "Um, sorry but do you know how they get them to move? And talk like that? With a personality and all?" Jo's eyes are big, ready to absorb any information Divya has to offer. "I didn't really... grow up around magic? But it's just so cool to me." Jo fiddles with her fingers, looking down and avoiding eye contact before forcing herself to look back at Div again. "If you're busy, it's fine! I was just wondering. There isn't really an explanation anywhere here, and I didn't go to – Hogwarts? Is that it?" She thinks that's it. She doesn't feel the need to hide that she isn't a witch. With Dorian, it was mostly because it seemed to irritate him and that brought her great joy. It is a lot more enjoyable messing with boys than girls, she's found.

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

A red flag waves as she stares down at her, watching her fiddle with her fingers. It's calming watching her and the museum isn't collapsing in on them both, which is how she often feels in these predicaments. However, her impression of this information and this girl's situation is that she is another witch who is uninformed on the issue of magic because she has suppressed hers for too long. Divya is simply unwilling to go through this again even if it's a moment's worth of knowledge, but then again it seems so innocent. "I'm not," she answers reflexively. Why should she hold something she should be unaware of- against her? "A painter casts enchantments after completion of their piece. I am not sure which because I was never interested in the specifics. Each subject's demeanor is determined by the painter's perception of them, so it could be...a bit offensive." It interests her how skewed the section with important politicians might be. "I hope that was fulfilling enough. It isn't something we really discuss at Hogwarts." Divya hums a little as she moves closer to the series of portraits that the fae runs along, catching as she runs in the opposite direction. Returning her gaze, she smiles at her. "Why is it that you didn't go to Hogwarts?"

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

Jo is already thinking of her cover story by the time that Div asks, though she is mostly listening to the explanation, so she still needs to think fast once she realizes Divya is done talking. "Full nymph." she says as she gestures to herself, "I don't think we can really *go* to Hogwarts, well – " Well, there's Atlas. She's heard that *he* went to Hogwarts for a year, and she almost asks Divya if she knows him, but she's half sure that he blocked her on Witchagram the other day so she is not entirely certain of his opinion on her at the moment. On the off chance they *are* friends (it would make Jo happy to hear that he had become more sociable, but realistically, it's unlikely), she does not want this stranger to have a skewed perception of her. "I guess sometimes they make exceptions? But I don't really see the point if I can't have a wand..." She settles on this instead, shrugging as she turns to look at the other paintings in the gallery. "Do you reckon you have to be good at painting to make the enchantment work?" she muses aloud, "Or do you think someone could draw a stick figure and bring it to life like that?" Jo giggles at the thought.

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

Her eyes widen and she watches Jo's hands as she gestures through the air, caught in her own awe at this revelation made by her new friend. When she giggles, her mind is snapped out of this bewildered state. It is no wonder why Jo is so beautiful if she is a nymph. "Pardon me. I had thought you were a witch. I was under the belief that nymphs do not usually venture into these areas." To her, this must be the first time she has ever encountered a nymph. Jo was not what she was expecting, but she is pleased by this. There is limited knowledge of them based off of their reclusive nature, but everything had pointed towards them having a much more limited interest in humans in turn. However, it is a poor idea to generalize and she regrets even expressing something that could be so ignorant. Divya hesitates before answering. "It is possible!" Her voice lifts in optimism, but her volume remains quiet in order to not disturb the people floating past. "I am not certain- actually. I just believe it would be. After all, I do not see why not!"

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

"That would be very funny, I think." she says, laughing at the thought. She is careful to maintain a low volume so that they do not bother any of the other museum visitors. "Ah, nymphs *don't*, actually!" she clarifies, suddenly looking a bit unsure. "It depends. Some do, I guess! That's why we have half-nymphs." she adds, "But I am... not exactly supposed to be here? I don't think any harm will come from it, though." she clarifies immediately, just to reassure Divya that she is not dragging her into some large issue just by interacting with her. "Just strict parents, you know? But they have no way of finding out. It's fine." She drags out the the word. At this point, Jo is mostly convincing herself. What are the odds her parents are crazy enough to put some sort of tracking magic on her? They can be overbearing, but certainly not that extreme. "I'm Josephine, by the way. Thank you for entertaining my curiosity. I appreciate it – I don't really know a lot about magic and stuff and I have no idea who to ask."

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

No amount of reassurance from a stranger could possibly release the tension that quickly builds throughout her torso. Her first breath after this news is a bit sharp and seems rather dramatic, but she has had enough of her friends sneaking around places. Staring, her eyes seem to widen in a mixture of awe and discomfort. Only the introduction of the other can disturb her, eliciting a soft yet persistently worried smile. "Josephine is a gorgeous name. It's a pleasure to meet you," she says, not letting her anxiety interfere with the usual customs. The name reminds her of the character from *Little Women*, but she holds onto the thought for now. "I'm Divyanka, but please call me Divya." Her smile widens a modest amount before she straightens herself and shifts further from her. "If you're so curious, you could borrow something from one of the libraries- or just purchase something from one of the bookstores themselves. I would suggest that rather than pushing me for information. I doubt I know much that's of use to you..." It's a bit deflective, but it isn't entirely dishonest. She is a Muggle-born and her perception of magic is a bit warped from what her peers seem to see it as. Her knowledge seems feeble and her choice in NEWTs did not do her many favors.

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

"You can call me Jo, if you like. Like in Little Women." she says. She's actually never read it, but Atlas has and he was the one who first made the comparison. She says it mostly to appear smarter and more well-read than she actually is, especially given that she is talking to someone who has such an intelligent air about her. She frowns though when Divya mentions that Jo is pushing her for information, and bites her lip, looking rather apologetic. "I didn't mean to push you for information." she clarifies carefully, especially since Divya's aura seems a little bit... tenser, now. Jo wonders absent-mindedly what she did to elicit such a response. Perhaps she's had a prior bad experience. "I can definitely borrow a book or something! You're right that it might be a better idea. Is there a library in the city I can go to? Do you know of one?"

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

Her heartbeat skips and for a moment she worries that nymphs are legilimens by nature. "I was going to inquire about that, but I thought suggesting a short-form of your name would be a bit inappropriate," she says, nervously smiling out of one side of her mouth. Her head lifts in the direction of the entrance though it isn't visible from the room they are in. "A library sits across the street. It shouldn't be difficult to find if you simply step out the building." Glancing down at Jo once more, her expression seems a bit serious, but she frowns when their eyes meet. Divya pauses, contemplating the situation silently. "I would not be opposed to leading you around some more though. I would be here anyways," she says, extending her arm out instinctively before pulling it in close to her body. Still she smiles alongside the offer.

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

Divya is so eloquent and well-spoken that Jo honestly believes she could hear her talk all day. It is such a shame that she does not seem to be too keen on the idea of teaching Jo more, because certainly Jo would be captivated listening to such a pleasant voice. "You wouldn't?" she repeats, just to confirm. "I'd appreciate the company – that would be very nice of you!" Jo smiles. She does not notice that Div had extended her arm, instead keeping her distance and avoiding accidentally invading her personal space. The last time she accidentally made physical contact with a stranger was with Dorian actually, and she had felt lightheaded for a solid thirty minutes afterwards. She really needs to get a better grip on her powers. "Have you been around the museum before?"

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

Jo's smile is infectious and it quickly inspires a much wider one spreading across her own face, but she stops it before she can begin gushing any further. Squinting as if to straighten herself, she wonders if she can manage to navigate them both through this place. Considering its topic is magic, she figures things will move around and be tricksters as magical things often are. Why must magic be so stressful? "I would appreciate your company- too." Divya follows the comment with a small smile before beginning her slow steps across the gallery and into the following room. "Never," she answers plainly. "I have not. I had intended on bringing some friends around to it, but that is no longer possible or at least not of interest to them. I procrastinated coming here by myself. Strange men tend to approach me and so on," she explains further. There is no need to taint this experience. It has been lovely thus far and she doesn't have a desire to be pessimistic about the matter. Jo is friendly and there fails to be a reason to judge her negatively or at least judge her lack of knowledge and twist it into something more sinister. "What are you interested in the most? Perhaps we could find a part of the museum that covers it."

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

"I'm very interested in art and photography, but I've seen mostly everything in this gallery already." she tells her, "I'm actually taking up a design course at university. Or at least I *will* be in autumn. And I've always been interested in photography. Well, you can probably see that." She holds up the camera around her neck before letting it settle again against her chest. "Do wizards have an equivalent to university? Or do you just stop when you graduate from Hogwarts?"

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

Catching a glimpse of the camera, her vision lingers more on their surroundings, but she does nod in acknowledgement. "I don't believe so. Apprenticeships are more common as a sort of vocational program. I suppose. I wouldn't know considering I wasn't interested in pursuing any of that," she answers, shrugging gently. "The Ministry assisted me in forging some documents in order to get into Cambridge. A bit exciting, hm?" Her eyes light up, glancing over at Jo to see if she will be as enthused. "Where are you studying? I'm not familiar with the popular design courses around here." Most of her friends are more pretentious in their artsiness, but she appreciates the freshness that this brings. It is a nice balance between her previous friendships and her one with Arden, who is artsy except in a charismatic jock sort of fashion. She wonders how she is holding up at practice, but doesn't want to worry her by messaging her and hassling her about it. "Are you any good? You must be."

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

"Cambridge! That's amazing!" she says in a hushed exclamation, eyes widening and thoroughly impressed. Jo knows from her friends at sixth form that it's incredibly difficult to get into and very prestigious – this confirms her suspicions that Div is in fact very intelligent. "I'm taking up a BA in advertising design at UE. The campus is very pretty – I'm excited." she says, though most schools in the UK seem to be. "I don't think I'll have any real use for my degree because my parents don't really expect me to... live out my life in the muggle world." She had paused for a bit while trying to figure out how to phrase things. "But I'm very excited to study art design and I think the whole concept of advertising is very fascinating; it really gives you an idea of how people think." She cuts herself off before she can gush any further and glances down at the camera. "I'm still learning, actually! I like to think I'm good, yeah, but I know I can be a lot better. I had never even *held* a camera 'till last year. My mum had one but it was so ancient." Even then, though, she was already so fascinated with the idea of taking pictures. "What will you be studying at Cambridge?"

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

Quite pleased, she tosses her hair over her shoulder, bringing it closer to her face and smiling at the other woman. "Thank you. English! I will ideally become a writer someday. If not, something else will find me," she explains, smile turning a bit more smug before her gaze falls upon the camera. If Josephine can waste her time on a degree that she will never use, then she must be quite wealthy...or stupid, but she knows it would be quite rude to find her dumb after such minimal interaction. "I doubt they would accept an unimpressive portfolio," she says instead of chiming in about how her situation seems a bit wasteful. Divya is aware that most people find English degrees wasteful too. It would not suit her to be too hypocritical. "It's impressive, learning this so swiftly. What a short turnaround."

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

Jo considers the compliment before smiling. "Yes, I guess you're right." she says with an air of pride. Jo believes it is correct to be proud of herself in this case. "Oh, I *love* writers." Jo gushes. She is not very good with words herself, so it is amazing to her when someone can string them together so eloquently and beautifully. "What kind of pieces do you write?" She stops herself from saying *you must let me read one day*. It is presumptuous and she is not sure if she will be able to visit Lincliff frequently, though it would certainly help if she formed an actual friendship with a witch or wizard. "I'm sure you're also really, really good. I mean, Cambridge! You *must* be impressive."

Divyanka Grimm

first year english student
ateleia

At Jo's enthusiasm, she beams. Her confidence doubles at the flattery, tilting her chin upward. "Oh, I don't know," she draws out. "I would love to write a proper piece someday- a classic to the future generation, but that is easier to stumble upon accidentally than to come across with intent." Divya shrugs, then the thought settles and she smiles. No one really wants to know what she is interested in, so having someone seem so interested is rather satisfying to her. "I have an internship at the Daily Prophet at the moment though, which means I am more focused on a journalistic career. I suppose." Waiting to see where she will go is not an enjoyable experience necessarily. A part of her believes she will have to do something she is only half interested in, but at least she is half interested and not completely apathetic towards the matter. "I think I am quite good, yes," she finishes, nodding once.

Josephine Vu

nymph of the high sept, university student
paintedred

It is so attractive to her that Div seems to be confident in her talent; she can see it in her aura that it is shining bright and she feels very sure of her ability to write well. "I am sure that you will stumble upon your big story one day." she tells her, "I look forward to seeing your name in bookstores one day. A bestselling author, I'm sure. The internship is a step in the right direction, I think. It will give you more experience with the world and you will have more inspiration to use for your writing!" she says. Journalism sounds awfully fun to Josephine – it must be nice being able to cover such events all around the country (and maybe even the world?) but Jo knows it is not for her because she simply would not be able to capture such things in words. To think Divya has this talent is very impressive to her. The two pass by the entrance to another gallery and she turns her head to peep inside before smiling excitedly and turning back towards her new acquaintance. "This looks interesting!" she says, "Let's go in here."