#need to refresh my small nib pens though

[catscratching]

Looking back over the year, what would your character claim is their best achievement? Are there things they want to better themselves in or start in the New Year? How about some things they feel are better left in the past?

Seda’s desk had not improved with her absence.   She would not have traded the time with Fakhri out at the cabin for anything, but she regarded the piles of paperwork and stacked ledgers with disfavour.   Perhaps this year, she’d remind everyone that waiting until she was gone to submit their business was counterproductive. 

Making a pot of tea, she opened the shutters and wedged her rump onto the ledge, cradling the steaming cup in her hands and looking out over the Perfumed Rise.  A year ago, she had been packing up to take herself to Ul’dah – needing a change of scenery from Vylbrand and Limsa’s rough-and-tumble atmosphere.

To be fair, she had also been angry – at herself, at Rucio, at the world – and was, at the time, struggling to find a new direction, something she could feel good about.  She leaned against the frame of the window, smiling to herself.  In spite of the mountain of paperwork waiting for her, she was happy; fulfilled, even.

She loved being part of the community.  She loved Jijivisha’s staff, and how welcoming the Hannish people had been in general to the outsiders.   And she loved Fakhri – and the life they were building together – more than anything she ever had before.   The conversation with Hikmat floated up in her memory, where she confessed that revenge no longer held appeal – and now that she’d had time to think about it… she was confident she’d made the right choice.

As she sipped her tea, she considered her goals for the coming year, glancing to her desk and the battered, leather-bound book where she kept her own personal records.   There were things she wanted to do professionally – crafters she wanted to support, programs she wanted to try and put into action – and personally.

Sliding out of the window and into her chair, Seda pulled her logbook (she refused to think of it as a journal) over and reached for the pen.   The sounds of children playing somewhere in the neighbourhood made a pleasant backdrop to the faint scratch of the nib on paper as she jotted notes for herself; both long-term thoughts for the coming year, and more immediate action items.

Discuss trade-in-kind for more services; supplies for market coordination.

Childcare offerings for community…?  Limited time periods.  (More staff though?) ---parents can pay small fee, get a meal and use the hammam without little ones underfoot?

Check with Hikmat re: herbals— bundle in with trade.  Maybe take day with Fakhri and go gathering with children?

She wrote for some time, organizing the chaos of her thoughts into manageable lists and tasks.  So engrossed in her work that when she paused to stretch, she was surprised to find a cloth-covered plate on top of a stack of ledgers, and her pot of tea had been refreshed.

The sun was beginning to set, tinting the sky with shades of gold and pink, reflecting brilliantly off the beautiful mosaics across the city.   Seda groaned, rubbing at her palm to restore circulation into her fingers and reflected on the work she had completed.

Picking up the pen once more, she flipped through the pages of her personal logbook until she reached the current year’s personal goals and reflected on what she had written.   After a moment’s thought, she added two items more:

Be happy

Be worthy

She flipped the logbook closed and began collecting the paperwork she would need to review with Hikmat; the prior year’s expenses and revenues, what went well, and what could have gone better.

It would be enough. 

•───────────────────⋅☾ ☽⋅────────────────────•

My most heartfelt apologies that it took me this long to write/post this - It's been a challenging start to the year, and I wanted to do this prompt justice, as it was just so perfect for Seda.

[ And yes, it's a bullet journal system - she'd be utterly lost without it. :) ]

[randomthunk]

It was pointed out to me by myself and someone verifying my observation that I haven’t drawn Team Nature in like, ages. Like months. Like, it's been so long guys. So long. Might as well fix that.

[ronmanmob]

“What do you, like, like in a guy.” It could have been a more casual question, if not for how Tabby had that certain glint in her eyes. The one which implied her matchmaker instincts were ready to engage and apply Ron’s answers to potential candidates. “Looks, personality, kink levels. No detail is too small.”

Questions, questions

Though the question came out of left field to he who, true to form, hadn’t been paying Tabby’s mischievously glinting eyes too much direct attention, Ron couldn’t hold in the rumble of amused glee it knocked through his chest. It wasn’t often his pals back in London directly engaged with him about his romantic life. Hearing Tabs speak so easily about it, so curiously—It was beyond refreshing. Ron felt…Seen. Profound as that feeling was though, he wasn’t the sort to hang conversational bunting round it. He simply turned his most magnetic, cheeky grin on his dear friend and got to answering her.

‘Darlin’, I’ve been aht wiv all sorts’a chaps – some bold as brass, livin’ at an ‘undred miles ‘n ‘our; some as gentile as the finest nib on a fountain pen. Th’sort tha’ look like art come t’life, right? I find beau’y in lots’a places. Got no real preference fer eye or ‘air colour; skin colour eivah – people is people. Period. Beyond tha’ though I like a chap ‘oo’s eivah around my ‘eight or taller. Prefer ‘im lean, strong – don’t gotta be no Adonis or nuffin’, bu’ I ain’t a li’le lad m’self so i’s nice t’keep comp’ny wiv a chap ‘oo c’n ‘andle us. Or ‘oo’d like ‘andlin’ by us.’

Ron’s grin turned practically devilish. He toyed with the glass of Gin & Tonic he’d been nursing, rolling it slowly between his palms as he went on with his description.

‘S’a plus if ‘ee’s got a sense’a style, bu’ as long as ‘ee c’n scrub up nice ‘ee don’t gotta be in Savile Row suits all th’time. ‘Oo is, aye?—Personality…I like a laugh, so someone wiv a sense’a ‘umour’s nice. C’n also get philosophical though, me. So some depf ‘ov f’ort’s important too, same as confidence. In ‘imself, ‘n ‘is convictions. Sharin’ interests is a plus as well a’course, bu’ tha’s by th’by. Variety’s th’spice’a life, ‘n if we’re jus’ steppin’ aht datin’, gettin’ t’know eachovvah, we c’n figure aht fer ourselves if we’re compatible in tha’ sense. ‘N kinks—’

A quick sip of G&T was stolen from his glass.

‘Ain’t a p’ticularly kinky man m’self, so I don’t got much by way’a needs fer tha’ kinda fing. I’ll try most anyfin’ once, bu’ y’ve got anovah fing comin’ if y’fink y’ll get cuffs on me or tie us up. Can’t take bein’ trapped like tha’…Only fing I can’t be-‘

Track-skip; a new topic, new thought coming unprompted. Ron sat forward a little, his devilishness easing into something a wisp more serious.

‘I can’t be someone’s shame.’ There was a lot to unpack in those words. He got right to it. ‘It don’t bovvah me where y’are in yer journey dahn LGBT pafs. Don’t bovvah me if yer questionin’, if yer explorin’, if, if, if – mos’ everyone’s been there. Pr��vided we bowf know where we stand, ‘av at it darlin’. Learn y’self ‘n please, do tha’ in my comp’ny if we decide t’go aht on a date. I welcome yah. Bu’ I ain’t gonna be no one’s dirty li’le secret. Spent too much’a me life livin’ openly t’allow tha’ sort’a fing.’

[hunterartemis]

Epilogue (Part 1): Unchartered

Summary: A very travel-phobic Theseus sets towards a journey towards a destination that will change his destiny. With his chest filled with fond memory, things will get different.

This is part 1 of Epilogue because I thought it would be less cumbersome to read if I separate it into two. Plus, I am going on a vacation so more days will be gone without writing. This will keep up with the atmosphere. 

Words: 3923

Flashbacks/dreams: in Italics

Chapter Theme: More Than Friends by Two Steps From Hell : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjGvBpgrwb8

“A coffee for you sir...”

The porcelain chinked on the wooden table as the waitress left with her light steps. The man, for whom the coffee was brought, did not take it immediately, because he was very preoccupied with something else. He was inside his mind, firing a thousand possibilities how things could go wrong. With a swift huff, he leaned at the back of his chair. The grayish dull morning light of the early spring fell on his handsome face. Theseus Scamander, the man who fought wars with Grindlewald was now so nervous with the prospect of—he was even scared to think about it himself. A blank piece of paper that lay abjectly open at his front; he looked at his fountain pen, which was actually a disguised quill in muggle premises and again he veered at the paper, looking at it for the thousandth time, reviewing if he should have a scribble or not.

The sun feebly shined through the pale veil of gray cloud and shined like a halo on the frosted window. The waitress opened the windows for the customers to soak in the bit of sun they got in that small musty place. As soon as the glasses were lifted, a gust of cold wild wind from the River Mersey came in with a roar. To many people’s dismay, it disturbed the cozy warmth, but Theseus found it refreshing—Britain never changes, the air is always capricious.

The bugle blew sonorously in the chill air, echoing throughout the port of Liverpool. It was nearly time. Theseus hastily folded the letter and put it in his breast-pocket and put some changes near the untouched coffee. He was especially tensed about boarding today. If he misses the ship, the next is two weeks later and by then it would be too late.

Too late to get to her.

He was never much of a traveller, not really. He liked routine, continuity and stability, something that distinctively differentiated him from his younger brother. Like any other British, wizards or otherwise, he knew two spots to travel, Brighton and France; only Paris and Montmartre. He remembered all those times he had argued with Maxine about that.

“But why aren’t we going?” Maxine whined as she slammed the door shut behind her. Theseus slowly took his seat and leaned back on the chair like he had nothing to do.

“Miss Valois, it’s already been assigned... we are not going near the Viennese raid.” Theseus said with a self-satisfied smile, “and besides, let the new shoes break in—why bother leaving England. In fact, I say England is in dire need of us than Vienna.” Theseus tried to sweep that matter away and focused on some papers that have been piling up for a week, “—now let me focus on this, or else Travers will have my head--”

Maxine sat down with a defeated look on her face. From the corner of the eye, Theseus could see how the nib of her eagle feather quill rested on the thin curve of her lips. It’s very rare to see her cast down—her dark eyes looking everywhere yet nowhere, restless and agitated. It’s been only a year and she is working as a deputy's head in his department, side by side with him. Theseus found it rather funny, the way she pouted. It was hard to point things at her to describe: reserved, no... She wasn’t reserved, she was Peeves-like, and yet there was unwavering professionalism in her manner. But as soon as the office door closed, she became different, as if more ‘relaxed’ if one could say.

Soon he would shake those feelings and concentrate on his work, despite himself. He would try to keep the inflated bubble of feelings in check and in control; because no mode of flirtation would work on her—because she would out-flirt him and embarrass the hell out of him. That’s how she was, a strange creature.

Sometimes when the feelings got the best of him, his only way to save his dignity was a quick trip to the office canteen. The aroma of freshly ground coffee, warm tea, and oven-fresh pumpkin cakes reminded him of his own common room for some reason and it was like a salve of comfort in his anxious days. But today, it was not really an escapade. Today he had another mission.

“Good afternoon Mr. Scamander, you seem to be in a good mood--” the red-headed waitress said cheerily, “must be a promotion on the way huh?”

Theseus would wipe that unconscious smile off his face for the sake of avoiding uncomfortable the question, and clear his throat forcibly to get into his usual upright character, “two coffees please, one black with no sugar and other with cream and two sugars”

That will cheer her up.

Theseus walked along the curved railings of the long corridor with the coffee cups levitated in the air, smiling on his own. She will be surprised when she sips the coffee because she never orders in front of him, but he somehow overheard her ordering ‘Cafe a la Françoise’. Theseus tried to imagine how would she look when she takes the first sip, will she be shocked or surprised or delighted? He didn’t know, and he couldn’t wait any longer to know.

‘Here...’ He thumped the coffee cup on her table, ‘have it and clear that frown off your face.’ Theseus said, standing over Maxine’s table, towering over her hunched figure upon the table, immersed in paperwork. The light sound of the cup made her look up towards Theseus. Her face looking at him with a penetrating look, the abyss of her black eyes stared at his blue eyes with a twinkling sparkle in a half-lit dusty office room. Her pointed chin supported her extended neck and the pale line cleaved into a dark shadow at the middle of her shirt and the center of her bosom—

Theseus blinked uncomfortably, any longer or he would—

“Leave the coffee, will you... ” Maxine stood up from her chair abruptly. If Theseus didn’t back out, Maxine would have rammed him under his jaw. She glided from the back of the table to the side and suddenly her twinkling eyes turned into a crooked smile, “I have more exciting things here...” with a sweeping motion she pulled out a black file and tossed it to Theseus’ chest.

“What is that Miss Valois?” he asked curiously and at the same time walked towards his window to take a clear look at the file. Maxine stood at the other side of the glass window with her back at the glass, smiling crookedly at him.

“I convinced Travers that Wharton is not fit for the job... after all, you need a good health if you are going to such short notice, but it seemed he didn’t feel too well, so Travers gave the Vienna mission to us.” Maxine said coyly, “and it was also very important not to leave such mission in the hands of wishy-washy people, so I nominated us--” she giggled in a small manner.

Theseus huffed exasperatedly, but he couldn’t hide the smile that lingered on his face, apparently, he could never, “—what have you done now..?”

“Nothing you can prove...” Maxine smiled mysteriously and sauntered forward. The light from the window fell on her face and under the pale light her flushed cheeks and lacquered red lips glowed “—so now, go ahead and take your coffee back” with a giggle she started to walk towards the door, humming something under her breath. Theseus saw how her shapely hips swayed under the snugly draped silk skirt.

Theseus smiled at the memory of his own. The sun had set and the outside of the portholes looked inky dark. The Stuart just put the meal in front of him, and without any delay, he just dug into the potatoes. He never really eats alone, even though he is a bachelor—he always eats in a public space where there is a lot of humdrum around. He liked the sound of the eating, jingling cutlery and hustling in a busy restaurant. Here in the ship, there was no one to accompany him to his dinner except the roaring current of the sea—the thought itself was enough to unnerve him, there he was having a solo dinner in the midst of the Atlantic as his homeland faded long ago in the dark. He started to think how he would manage this one week along in the ship, sailing in the midst of wide Open Ocean.

He really wished he brought someone on this trip.

After his meal was finished, he slid the plate at the collecting slot and turned off all the lights and left bedside reading light on. He reached for his suitcase under his bed, and after gently opening it, he took out a small square velvet case in green color. He slowly popped the case open and brought out a small ring. He held the ring against the dullish reading light and all its sparkle came out like a fierce river over a broken dam. Theseus’ blue eyes fondly looked at the top as he cherished it gently. He remembered he had paid three months of his wage for this.

“Is that what you picked for me…?” Maxine said playfully, as she sat on the writing-table, dangling her pale feet like she was in a playground swing. There was a halo-like aura about her as she sat gracefully on Theseus’ table with her pale pink watersilk gown falling off her shoulder.

“Yes…” Theseus said, without looking at her, “got a problem with that?”

“No… not a problem, but dear Merlin, roses, and filigree?” Maxine answered sarcastically, pressing her bottom lip lightly under her teeth. Her light giggles faded into the roaring current of the sea. Theseus slantly looked at her way, and swiftly flipped on his bed and lied on his chest. His face supported on the floor of his palm, “yes… I asked for the skulls and bones, but they said they ran out of it--” Theseus smiled at his own comment.

“ooh… Nasty” Maxine leaned lightly a little bit and the dim light fell on the high point of her bared shoulder “I wonder the rest of you would be as interesting as your mouth…” Maxine jumped down from the writing table and frolicked across the other wall. Theseus’ eyes wistfully roamed around the back of her calf, and the reddened toes. The ship tilted slightly as the current raged outside. Inevitably with a soft whimper, she was tumbled against the wall, “stop laughing you--” she threw a sharp glance across the room, laughing herself, her seductive façade melted with a childish playfulness.

“Why…?” Theseus said, propping his head on his arms as he reclined against the head of the bed, “it’s not every day I get to see you embarrassed.” A subtle change of expression occurred in his amused look, something he dared not to express yet. He licked his dry bottom lip and subconsciously touched the moist trail, fixated on the eyes of Maxine. An indomitable desire pounded against his heart—the proximity of their distance sent sparks in his veins; a fleeting memory of the disastrous encounter in Newt’s basement crossed his mind.

“Newt...” Theseus answered, ignoring Maxine completely, “Maxine is fired from the ministry and it has been two weeks since she received the letter of termination.” Theseus looked at Maxine’s way, who fortunately did not disapparate and grabbed her arm harshly, “and you, little madam cannot even breathe without signing and returning the termination letter.” Theseus looked proud with his accomplishment and was climbing up the stairs (the spell being worn off) but suddenly, the arm he grabbed felt very light.

“Are you looking for me?” Maxine was waving at him from the other end, and Theseus looked down and found he was grabbing a branch. Feeling idiotic and enraged, he threw the branch and looked at his brother. Theseus, mused after a frustrated sigh “I didn’t want to do it... but desperate times—”

“No...”

“non...”

“Yes...” Theseus snatched his brother’s wand and bellowed “Accio Femme”

With a swooping motion Maxine floated towards Theseus and thudded with him chest-to-chest. Theseus grabbed her tight and triumphantly screamed, “got you, you little minx!”

His chest throbbed as her bosom touched against his, his hand grabbed hold of her at the small of her back, near the line where the curve of her hips started. In the midst of that strange place, in the most unceremonial manner, Theseus was holding Maxine in his arms—oh Merlin, how long he had waited for this to happen, and how he loved as her dark eyes ate him up with those sarcastic eyes.

“What are you thinking?” Maxine asked him from somewhere very near. Theseus’ was pushed back from the fantasy into reality and saw Maxine sitting at stool near the foot of the bed. He didn’t answer immediately, his mind trailed in someplace else...

“I have, for Madame, this grace; that I may rest long where I heard a lover sigh.”

The whispering trail of that mischievous voice made Theseus sweat even in this cold night. He was too preoccupied and annoyed at that time to understand the meaning of the words. As his leisure allowed him to recall his memories and remember, he felt his face heating up. He dared not to look at Maxine’s way or the ring he had brought for her—

“What are you thinking...?” Maxine mused as she sat on the stool crossing her legs. She looked at Theseus in a way as if she knew that he tried to hide his torment by indulging into the sounds of the currents, “its naughty isn’t it?”

Theseus straightened up on his bed as if he was electrocuted. He looked at Maxine’s face—the dim light illuminated the contours of her face and his shadow between her and the light eclipsed most of her existence. she laughed, this time it seemed oddly patronizing.

“You schmuck, do you think I won’t know what is happening inside your little head? I am you, remember?” she acclaimed as she leaned her head to the wooden orb near the footboard of the bed, “right now Maxine Valois is thousands of miles away in some farm in Japan, toiling like a common muggle in the field—and boy you haven’t changed a bit...” she paused, looking at Theseus straight across, “you, a grown man of thirty-nine is still fantasizing like a schoolboy--”

“What do I do...?” Theseus leaned towards the footboard, his hand almost raised to grab the chin of Maxine “you are kind of obsessive--”

“And now...  ” Maxine gently reached for Theseus chest, and her long finger traced the line of the cotton shirt, her long lacquered finger entwined at his elastic suspender “you are flirting with yourself...”

Snap...

“Ow that bloody hurt!”

That snapping pain near his nipple made Theseus wake from his sleep. Merlin, what a dream!

Theseus cocked his torso to reach for the reading light above his head. He really fell asleep while inspecting the small emerald box in his hand, which rolled at the floor from the slumber-sleuth of his hand. Half asleep, he picked it up and put in his trouser pocket. After turning off the light around his headboard, he felt a pale gray light entering through the portholes. The dawn was upon the sea.

...  

Mr. Ohara, Theseus’ cart driver was a quiet man. As the vehicle started to move at a glacial speed through the countryside of Sapporo, Theseus had time to ponder. There was a chill in the air, but it didn’t make one immobile as it does in Britain—it was really refreshing. The scenery around contoured with shades of sepia and dull gray, like it does in the early autumn, some grasses here and there lifted their heads as if eagerly anticipating the upcoming vernal warmth. People stared at him as he passed, clothed strangely, and women giggled. Some strange trees crossed his path and a stray wind carried a strange tune in the air.

Theseus was dropped near an ancient gate, and Mr. Ohara informed in broken English that the place he is looking for is five kilometers ahead, where he will have to walk. After the cart faded away down the mountain, Theseus looked again in the gray infinity.

Urgh... stupid, stupid. Should have brought someone with him—where is Newt when you need him.

There were no signs of locality around, amidst the vista of near-barren mountains and trees, not even a single hut was in show—Theseus stood there like an idiot, oscillated between quitting and going forward. The emerald box in his breast pocket felt hard against his chest. When he was about to implode in a perpetually deserted mountain valley, he saw a young peasant woman walking towards him. Thank Merlin, he will be able to ask direction from her.

“Sumi-masaeng...” (excuse me) Theseus stuttered a little. As a British, knowing French and German was enough of linguistic prowess already. Whatever he learned from the English-to-Japanese handbook during his weeklong naval journey was jumbling up near his tongue with nervousness. However, to his greatest surprise, the peasant woman opening her mouth before Theseus could ask for direction.

“Kimi wa Sca-man-da san, desu yo ne?” (You are Mr. Scamander, aren’t you?) The woman said with a frown in her face. Theseus felt conscious knowing that she had a hard time looking at his face—he may not be perfect, but he wasn’t that ugly.

“What are you saying?” he realized that his vernacular unconsciously came out.

Her reaction was beyond Theseus’ imagination. She dropped her basket of crops and ran through the old gate, screaming something in her own language. Theseus, alarmed and surprised, followed her, running through the muddy slopes of the mountain. However, he had no idea what was awaiting him.

He was standing up on a bare cliff as it seemed. A steep and nearly impossible slope leads to a small valley which looked like it was a painting from an Oriental artwork. He could not see that peasant girl anymore but could tell from the agitated flesh colored dots around that picturesque village that the news of his arrival reached the placed. A number of middle-aged women were climbing on the steep path with relative ease and stood around Theseus to take a look at the strange-looking man. They were all dressed like the peasant girl. To Theseus’ relief, a woman swept them all from his way and scooped him up like a maternal figure to a child.

“Oite oite Theseus-kun... yokoso, uchi-no mura ye.” (Come come, Theseus, welcome to our village) She has a melodious voice that meandered like a song. She didn’t look like a peasant; her complexion was cleaner and fairer, her hair neater and she was dressed in a more sophisticated way. She might have been someone important because all the other women scattered to their previous station with her imperative look. She also walked in a swaying motion as she descended the hill, holding the back hem of her dress very gracefully. A thousand questions fired in Theseus’ brain as he followed her and as if by magic the woman knew what was going on.

“You must be wondering who am I and what is this place?” she mused in a peculiar accent but in perfect English. Her pleasant voice sent an uncomfortable shiver in Theseus’ skin. She briefly glanced back at his face and smiled, “Gomen ne, I should have introduced myself to you. I am Nishimori Ume; I live in this village and in-charge of this sanctuary.”

“Sanctuary?” Theseus asked with bafflement as he almost tripped on a stray rock, slippery with residual snow.

“Yes... a sanctuary where we take care of the creatures that are often used in Wandmaking.” Ume spoke slowly and clearly, “in all Japan, there are one four of these places, the one you are standing on is in Futen, established in the 12th century after the Westerners introduced us with Wand and Quidditch. Along with wand creatures, we also grow wand trees here, wand trees from this place are of Supreme quality and all the Eastern wand woods available all around the world, are exported from here. ” She went on “when a French document of exile reached the Japanese Wizarding Congress, an uproar ensued throughout all the high commission—after all Japan is enemy soil right now” She looked meaningfully at Theseus, “but, when they heard about her, everyone was agitated to keep an eye on her. But suddenly the World Magic Council instructed us to take her in—next thing would have been Siberia, and I wouldn’t want to do that with Matsu-chan.”

“Who?” Theseus asked.

“Matsu—oh, you wouldn’t know--” She snapped unmindfully, “Maxine... we call her Matsu. Western pronunciation isn’t Japanese virtue, nor is it very honorable to mutate our language to suit the foreigners, so out of politeness, we call her Matsu—it is better than Makkushin ”

She waited near a moon-bridge for Theseus to catch up. The steep circular bridge was joining two separate part of the place: the mountainous valley with houses with something Theseus couldn’t see yet.

“You speak of her as if you’ve known her for a long time...” Theseus said very appreciatively, “I am glad she hadn’t had a hard time—after all that she’s been through.”

“Yes, I do...” Ume said musingly as she glided across the moon-bridge, “she was my student, one of my best.”

Suddenly an image appeared in Theseus’ mind.

“You misunderstand me sir...” Maxine continued with her serene voice “British ministry is getting weaker and weaker every moment, you see, this little Island is not only detached from Europe but also the rest of the world where the recruitments are better, stricter and more efficient. You see, your inefficient policy with wizards and non-wizards have made you vulnerable against the extremists and right now most powerful wizards in the country are rallying against you. If I walk out of this and send a word, most powerful anti-British ministries will jump on the bandwagon of recruiting me, and I would rather be on this side than on the other side of massacre and extremism... if you think I am lying or bluffing, the fourth page of my Curriculum Vitae can testify to that.”

Theseus and Travers, out of curiosity peered to the page Maxine mentioned and a shining golden badge on a piece of silk paper was encrusted. Maxine, understanding that they cannot read the language, pointed her wand towards them and softly uttered in an unfamiliar language.

“This Award of Golden Robe and of Five Seals goes to Miss Maxine Valois, By Japanese Wizarding Congress. She is hereby awarded an honorary member of Society of Eurasian Magical Corporation and is hereby granted full permission to take citizenship and work on Japanese soil”

“But there is something I don’t understand...” Theseus said with a tremendous amount of surprise, “how can she stay in such a magical atmosphere?...she has no wand.”

The matronly lady turned her graceful neck towards Theseus, a patronizing smile lingered on her lips.

“Wand is not a requisition to Magic, Mr. Scamander—it is the mind where all the magic happens--”

--

Tags: @my-current-fandom-is 

--

Fun Fact: The chapter theme I used in here was actually for the chapter “An Evening In Paris”. But I decided not using it, turns out it was the perfect theme for this chapter.

“I have, for Madame, this grace; that I may rest long where I heard a lover sigh.” : a carving found on an 18th-century busk (a wooden ruler like stuff that goes under the corset and between the breasts of a woman to keep the posture straight). As Theseus understood that his wand was kept between Maxine’s breasts, he became very hot. In Wizarding world, wand is also an extension of the wizard’s manhood. 

Futen: A mountain place in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

[mikegranich87]

Galaxy Z Fold 3 hands-on: Built stronger for durability and S Pen support

It’s hard to believe that in just a matter of years, foldable devices have gone from the stuff of science fiction to actual usable daily drivers. Here we are today, checking out the third generation of Samsung’s foldables, which the company just launched at its Unpacked event. The Fold 3 is the bigger, more premium of the new pair of bendy offerings, and the Fold series has been around longer than any other folding phone. Since launching the original, Samsung has worked to improve durability and software, which continue to be the two biggest challenges for foldables.

The Z Fold 3 is also the first of its kind to support Samsung's S Pen, meaning you can write or draw on the larger canvas without breaking the screen.

In addition to stylus support, the Z Fold 3 features water resistance, a new under display camera in the larger screen and a stronger build that Samsung says brings an 80-percent increase in durability. Best of all, it starts at a cheaper $1,800. At a socially distanced preview event in New York, I was able to check out the Z Fold 3 and am so far pleased with what I've seen.

S Pen support

Given my limited time with the device, I focused on checking out things that are new, starting with the $50 S Pen Fold Edition and $100 S Pen Pro. For these versions, Samsung made the nib rounder than on older styli, so they’re less likely to tear into the screen. If you apply too much force with the pen, its nib will retract. For those who are concerned that the nib might be too sensitive and slide back into its housing at the slightest touch, I can say that it took a fair amount of effort for that to happen during my hands-on.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Though the 1.5mm nib is rounder and more than twice as thick as older S Pens, I didn’t find it too large and it was still very precise. I was able to draw fine lines and sketch thicker ones by applying more force, thanks to the 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

Samsung said the durability and latency on this screen are better than any other pen-compatible device it offers, and while I can’t make a direct comparison yet, the stylus did feel responsive and fluid in my brief preview. You can spend a little more to get the S Pen Pro, which also works with the Fold 3. It’s bigger, longer and supports Bluetooth for remote controls. Unlike the Fold Edition, the Pro model needs power and has a USB-C slot at the top for charging.

You can only use either S Pen on the internal screen, by the way — the cover display does not support pen input. There's also no slot for the stylus so you'll have to find a way to make sure you don't misplace it.

Multitasking software and under display camera

With the unfolded display, you can use multiple apps at once. The 22.5:18 aspect ratio is uncommon, which is why on previous Folds, many apps like Instagram and Netflix didn’t completely fill the screen and were awkwardly flanked by empty space.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Samsung has worked on a few experimental features to make Android apps work better on the roomier canvas. Under Labs in settings, you'll find options to choose 16:9, 4:3 or fullscreen as the default aspect ratios that apps launch in. You can also enable Multi Window for all apps, which allows them to open in floating panels or split screen, even if they weren’t designed for those layouts. There are also options to auto rotate apps and use a Flex mode panel that makes better use of the screen space when the system detects that the Fold is half-open.

At my demo session, I launched the Camera app on the Fold 3 and it expanded to take up the whole screen when I opened the device all the way till the hinge clicked in place. When I folded it slightly, the app split in half, with thumbnails of photos in my camera roll on the left side and the viewfinder and controls on the right. As I snapped more pictures, they quickly showed up on the carousel on the left. I was impressed with how responsive the system was — the app switched between Flex and fullscreen modes with no delay.

There aren’t many apps that support Flex Mode at the moment, but Samsung said it’s working with developers to encourage adoption. One more thing the company did to make multitasking on the Fold 3 easier is add an option to pin the Edge panel on the side to get a taskbar-like experience a la Windows or Chrome. I can’t vouch for how useful this will be in the real world yet but I like the idea in theory.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

To make the larger screen feel more immersive, Samsung used a new Under Display Camera (UDC) on the Fold 3 that camouflages the 4-megapixel sensor under some pixels. At least, that’s the theory. I was confused at first when I looked at the Fold 3’s main screen with a dark wallpaper and could clearly see the camera. Then I opened Google Maps and the small dark circle that’s the sensor disappeared under the blues and greens of the world. Well, sort of. There was still a ring of pixelation, but it was only obvious because I was looking for it.

The distortion is there because that part of the display has spaces between its pixels to let light through to the sensor underneath. It was noticeable in Maps, but less so in Chrome, where the top row of the screen was more evenly colored. I didn’t find it too distracting when I jumped between apps or browsed the Engadget website, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I got used to it over time.

The sample photos I got with the UDC were decent, although I’d still prefer using the main sensors on the other side of the Fold 3 for selfies or landscapes. This under-screen option is mostly there for video calls.

Updated screens and stronger build

Software and a UDC aren’t the only improvements to the Fold 3’s screens. Both the 7.6-inch interior display and the 6.2-inch external one now support adaptive 120Hz refresh rates. For the cover screen, that’s twice what it was before. The front panel is still somewhat low-res at 2,268 x 832, while the bigger one inside is 2,208 x 1,768. At least they’re both AMOLEDs. That means colors look richer, blacks are deeper and contrast ratios are higher than on LCD smartphones.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

To support the S Pen, Samsung also redid the Fold 3’s display stack and added a Wacom layer. While it did that, it also used a new stretchable PET5 (Polyethylene terephthalate) material in the Fold 3’s factory-installed screen protector. Compared to its previous foldables, Samsung claims this screen is 80 percent more durable.

The Fold 3 also features a stronger build than previous versions, and for the first time since Samsung started selling foldables, this year’s Z-series phones are rated IPX8 for water resistance. I didn’t get to test this at our demo, but I appreciate the peace of mind that will give me when I inevitably get caught in the rain or accidentally spill water all over a review unit.

The company also used something it calls “Armor Aluminum” in the Fold 3’s frame and hinge. That’s “the strongest aluminum ever used on a Galaxy smartphone,” Samsung said. It also covered the Fold 3 in Gorilla Glass Victus, which it said is 50 percent hardier than what it used on its older devices. Again, I didn’t want to drop or scratch the demo unit under the watchful eyes of Samsung reps at my preview, so I can’t say how well these will withstand the bumps of daily life yet. But the hinge did feel sturdy as I opened and shut the device repeatedly. Plus, as I pushed my thumb into the middle of the edge to close the Fold 3, I didn’t feel like I was going to damage it.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Although it made the device more durable, Samsung was still able to shave off a few grams and millimeters. The Fold 3 weighs 271 grams (0.6 pounds) and measures 6.4mm (0.25 inches) thick, which is thinner and lighter than the Z Fold 2 (282 grams, 6.9mm). These are subtle enough differences that the new Fold doesn’t feel much smaller than its predecessor, but even an 11-gram weight loss can make it easier to use the device for longer.

A more noticeable change is the new slate of colors. The Fold 3 is available in silver, green or black, and my favorite of these is the green. It’s a muted forest green, unlike the pastel hue on the iPhone 12 or the understated jade of the Pixel 5. Compared to these shades, the Fold 3’s looked the classiest.

Wrap-up

Three generations in, Samsung has clearly learned a lot and the Z Fold 3, at least based on this preview, feels very refined. Plus, its lower starting price of $1,800 is more palatable than the Fold 2’s $2,000. But does that mean Samsung has perfected its foldable formula, and is the Fold 3 ready for the average consumer? Even at its new price, it’s probably still too expensive for most people. For early adopters curious about things like battery life and camera performance, I can’t gauge these till I can test the Fold 3 out in the real world. But for the first time since the original Fold, I can see a future where foldable phones will be embraced by a mainstream audience.

Follow all of the news from Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event right here!

from Mike Granich https://www.engadget.com/galaxy-z-fold-3-hands-on-specs-price-available-now-140051893.html?src=rss