There was no room for error when it came to this encounter, and Liam was finding himself more nervous than he had imagined. The sight of Addie standing there, not wanting to look directly at him, looking for all the world like the only thing she wanted to do was run away as fast as possible, made him uncomfortable in ways that felt totally foreign. His fingers twitched slightly, and he realized with a jolt that they wanted to reach for her. Thankfully, he had just enough sense not to make that mistake.
In truth, Liam did wonder what it was that motivated him to be so invested in this bookish Ravenclaw who had the misfortune of being assigned as his tutor. It certainly didn't seem worth his continued attempts, especially when she very clearly desired to be away from him. Perhaps it was that very thing that drove him. Her rejection, no matter how subtle or passive...pained him. Inside of his head he believed it was because he still longed to make amends for the times he had upset her.
Life was complicated at the best of times, and Liam has no illusions that he had any hope to avoid such a fate much as he might want a life of ease. Nothing in life was easy, as he had more cause to know than some, and maybe that was for the better. If you had to fight hard for the things you wanted in life, that made winning all the sweeter. At least, thats what he believed, and on the day he was able to bring honor back to his family's name, it would be the culmination of his life's work.
A moment of panic, brief but poignant, flared up within Liam as he realized that Addie had spoken and he feared he had missed what she had said. Some part of his brain must have still been deeply focused on her while he had lost himself in his thoughts, and he managed to just catch the two softly vocalized words...I suppose.
"Great," he said, his casual tone coming out with an almost imperceptible amount of elation and relief, "How are you with flying? We have to go just inside the forest, which is more dangerous on foot." He had absolutely no idea what her response would be, but he tried to be hopeful. He didn't want to walk that far on foot if he didn't have to...
And it wasn't as though the thought of being next to Addie on a broom, close together as they flew the skies...had even crossed Liam's mind or had any weight on the situation at all.
Creativity
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Posted: 8/5/2019 at 2:04 PM
Post #52
She was eight years old, and it was quite possible that she was having the worst day of her entire life. She hurt all over, and it wasn't fun. She didn't like it. Her father had left her alone finally, taking the keys from the keyring and storming out of the house. It wasn't the first time she had been hurt, but it was the worst. This time was the worst...
All would be lost if not for the eleven year old blonde girl flitting about her spot on the floor, covering her shoulders in a blanket and leaning down every so often to kiss her head. "Addie, Addie, I love my Addie!" she cried out happily.
Flying.
Addie swallowed hard, casting a nervous glance at Liam's broom. She didn't like flying... It terrified her. Even in first year, when they were learning flying, she really only passed the class through the book studies involved. She had also explained her fear of heights to the professor, and luckily, he was understanding enough to go a bit easier on her in class.
"I-I don't know if that's necessarily a good idea..." she murmured, once again not meeting Liam's gaze. "But if we have to..."
She supposed she could handle it. For one short flight, at least. Fear was certainly not something that she was unused to. Once again, she cast a wary look towards his broom before finally looking back at Liam. "It's not far, is it? Not by... By flying?"
Britters
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Posted: 8/6/2019 at 4:17 PM
Post #53
Flying was...well, flying was Liam's happy place. At least, it was the one happy place he had that he was able to enjoy openly. Having been born into the wizarding world, he had been a young child the very first time he'd ridden a broomstick, and he still looked back on that memory with such joy in his heart. Being in the air felt like freedom to him. It was freedom from the ground, from his own worried thoughts, and even from the expectations people placed on him.
The fact that flying was such a huge part of Liam's life, it made it harder for him to understand when people expressed an aversion to being in the air. Not that he didn't understand about personal fears, because he had his own share of hidden demons and issues. He gazed at Addie, his green eyes focused in a way that usually only occurred when he was actively participating in some classroom activity, or of course, playing Quidditch. He watched her emotions play across her face, and suddenly wished he hadn't asked.
It definitely was not a journey Liam wanted to make on foot, going into the Forbidden Forest to show Addie the spectacular sight he had planned for her, but if she was going to insist on not flying...
"No," he said in answer to her question, his relief almost palpable as she met his gaze with her hazel eyes, "It'll only take a few minutes to get there by broom. They don't like straying too far into the forest right now." He grinned a little at her, his eyes gleaming again at his little surprise teasing comment.
With the light-hearted air of a gentlemen, Liam took a few steps towards her. He pulled his broomstick out in front of him, mounting it first and then looking over at Addie with a bold, confident smile. Inside of his chest his heart pounded like a drum, and he could practically hear the blood rushing frantically through his veins. This feeling of nervousness was not something he was accustomed to, especially on a broom, but thankfully he was an expert of concealment.
"Lets fly," he said amiably, excitement still very present in his expression and demeanor despite the inner confusion, "Just get on behind me and hold on tight." His voice remained casual as he said that last bit, but he was grateful he didn't have to say more because his throat felt suddenly very tight.
Creativity
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Posted: 8/7/2019 at 7:28 PM
Post #54
Addie's whole body was trembling as she approached the broom that Liam had mounted. She controlled it to the best of her ability, but there wasn't really much she could do. She had to fly. She had to fly, on the broom, with Liam. A completely irrational thought in her mind suggested that the broom might not be strong enough for the both of them, that it might buckle under their combined weight and completely fall out of the sky halfway through their journey.
That's ridiculous, she chastised herself. Liam was one of the best flyers in the school, coming from a somewhat wealthy family. He ought to have a pretty good broom that could definitely hold more than one person's weight. It wasn't like he was on a horrible school-owned broomstick... He couldn't be such a fantastic Keeper without a good broom...
Swallowing hard, she swung one leg over the broom behind Liam, feeling for all the world like she was signing her life away in doing so. She tentatively placed her hands on his shoulders, knowing that it likely wasn't enough comfort to get her through the ride.
It was the first time they'd touched. Not that Addie thought about that, though...
Once Liam took off, she couldn't help the fear that coursed through her body. He was more careful about it, she suspected, than when he normally took off, but it still didn't do much to assuage her fear. Her arms wrapped around his torso by instinct, holding on as tight as they could as she pressed her face against his back, her eyes screwed tight.
How easy would it be to fall off? How easy would it be to escape? The broom could crack at any moment. It could just snap in two, and what would be the damage? How many people would miss her? She knew how many would miss Liam. The whole school, likely. But what would be the damage?
She risked a peek down at one point, seeing the world far below, registering the wind flying past. To some, it could be absolutely thrilling, but to her... It was terrifying. With a small squeak, she pressed her face against Liam's back again, wishing so desperately to be back on solid ground again...
-
There were a lot of people in the world. That was a completely irrefutable fact. Although Tempest didn't exactly know how many people there were, per se, she did know that there was a lot, and that alone was enough. Of all of the many people in the world, though, there were only a handful that she didn't care about - and that handful included the Hitlers and Stalins of the world. Everyone else, everyone but that select group, had some good in them. And that was what she cared about.
She re-positioned her satchel on her shoulder as she arrived at the Care of Magical Creatures class. Professor Horntonlake had said that there was a special treat in store for them today. And, well, Tempest liked animals. She wasn't super passionate about learning everything she could about them like some people, but she did enjoy the class enough to still be taking it as part of her NEWT curriculum. She supposed it had something to do with caring for others.
"Today, class, we'll be tending to fire crabs. I know we learned about them by the book last week, but today I actually have some fire crabs in fireproof terrariums for you all to feed and clean up after in pairs. Each station has two crabs inside, and one pair will be assigned to each station. So, without further ado, I'll be announcing the groups so that you all may get started."
Tempest perked up at the treat. Something to care for. She listened intently as Professor Horntonlake listed off partners until...
"...Tempest Eaglet and Sylvie Argent at station six."
Oh, how lovely! In over five years of going to school with Sylvie, Tempest had to admit that she'd never actually gotten to know the girl. Perhaps they had exchanged words once or twice, but Sylvie wasn't exactly the social type, and that was fine.
Tempest approached her crab partner with a big smile on her face. "Hi there! I don't think we've ever actually met. I'm Tempest," she thrust out her hand in greeting.
Edited By Creativity on 8/7/2019 at 8:03 PM.
Britters
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Posted: 8/8/2019 at 3:00 AM
Post #55
Despite Liam's excellent sense of modesty and humility, he had moderate experience when it came to interacting with girls. He was the popular guy, and he was flirted often. Which was why he didn't quite understand what made him so nervous around Addie. All he kept coming back to was his desire to make amends for his behavior that had so upset her, but did that really warrant this level of response?
The Hufflepuff in Liam wanted to believe that was all this was, and so far he was still convinced. However, some deep part of himself could sense that this belief was beginning to shake. He tried to focus on looking at Addie, trying to let her feel his confidence as her own, even if he was feeling unsteadied. He watched approach, feeling his spirits lift at the gesture of trust. She was uncomfortable with this idea, that much was plain, but she still was there, swinging her leg over his broom.
When Addie's hands fell upon Liam's shoulders, all at once he became very...aware. He could feel the weight of each finger through his robes, he could hear Addie's anxious breathing right behind him, and he could sense her trepidation. Everything was nothing to his consciousness compared to those hands though. He took a deep breath, tried to clear the fog from his mind, and kicked off from the ground, but he had enough sense let in his brain to think to keep his acceleration less than normal.
Suddenly it felt like Liam's brain had completely disconnected from everything. It was the moment Addie's arms wrapped themselves around his chest that everything went blank. Though it felt like forever, it was only a single second in time, the only evidence that anything had even happened being that slight wobble in his light path and the loud, rapid beating of his heart. Thankfully, he doubted Addie could hear it over the rushing of the air as it sped past them, and she seemed far too busy pressing her face into his back.
Minutes passed like hours, and the trees of the forest drew nearer until they finally began to fly by beneath him. It was with a profound combination of relief and just a small touch of disappointment that Liam spied the clearing that was their destination. The area was open but not very large, but he was able to execute a landing that was only a little daring, and brought them both to a halt on his feet. He glanced over his shoulder at his reluctant passenger.
"We made it," he told her with a grin, not wanting to single her out for her fears, and also he wasn't entirely sure he had made it through that flight totally unscathed, "Now we're going to have to do a small amount of walking, and we're going to have to try and be very quiet. They spook easily." He began to dismount his broom, looking periodically at Addie in an attempt to assess her condition.
-----
To be perfectly honest, Sylvie was paying very little attention to anyone or anything around her as class assembled for Care of Magical Creatures. She didn't really care for this subject, but she'd chosen to take is as part of her NEWT courses simply because it was easy enough to pass, and the more passing grades she achieved the easier her goals would be. Her aversion to the class had nothing to do with thinking it was stupid, but truthfully she just wasn't a fan of animals.
The weather was pleasant enough today, and Sylvie was tracking the path of some clouds as they shifted their way across the sky when Professor Horntonlake began calling the class to order. She assembled with the rest of the students, lingering in the back as was her usual position. As the professor explained today's lesson she heaved a dramatic sigh and wished could pretend to be ill so she could leave. If nothing else she felt even worse after the announcement of her partner. She knew of Tempest Eaglet, and the type of person she was, not that the two of them had ever had a conversation...
During the last five terms at Hogwarts, Sylvie had made little in the way of actual friendships. She had acquaintances, people she talked to regularly (at least for her...), but hardly any she would consider a real friend. It wasn't that she was particularly anti-social, but she had learned very quickly that most people didn't prefer her dark wit or her sarcastic humor. This didn't bother her in the slightest since she preferred to be solitary anyway. It was easier to only worry about yourself that way.
Way too cheerful, Sylvie thought wearily when Tempest came strolling over with a smile to properly introduce herself, suddenly curious as to which part of this afternoon she was going to enjoy least. Handling the fire crab or dealing with Tempest as a partner...
"Hey," she replied dryly, looking at the pale hand being held out to her as though it were on fire before finally deciding to grasp it with her tanner hand, "You seem pretty cheery for someone about to try handling a crab that shoots fire out of its bum." She shook Tempest's hand once and then let it drop, turning to head for their assigned station where their subject awaited.
Edited By Britters on 8/9/2019 at 2:48 AM.
Creativity
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Posted: 8/9/2019 at 7:38 AM
Post #56
Once again, fear was something that Addie was used to. It sounded awful, really, but at times, it even felt like a basis for her life. Like all she knew how to do was to hide in fear of that which she was unable to face. Those things that seemed hellbent on destroying her. The fear. The crushing, debilitating fear. That's all it was. And yet, it was more than enough.
When they reached solid ground again, Addie wasted no time in releasing the vice-like hold she had on Liam, getting off the flying contraption of death, and stumbling a few paces away. She felt sick, and braced her hands against the bark of a tree for a few moments as she caught her breath and slowed her pounding heart.
Swallowing back the vomit that wanted to come, she turned and leaned her back across the tree, crossing her arms over her chest. "I think I'll take my chances with walking through the forest next time..." she muttered, casting Liam little more than a glance before fixating her gaze on a beetle crawling across a leaf on the ground. How much easier would it be to be a beetle, not having to worry about irrational fears, only focusing on yourself, on the prospect of eat, sleep, procreate, repeat? Humans kind of did that, too, but at least beetles didn't kid themselves into thinking it was more than that.
Truth be told, Addie had always had a minor fascination with bugs. Ever since she was a little kid, she'd be ecstatic to see a mite, or a beetle, or ladybug. She couldn't even count how many ladybugs she had befriended in her youth. They were honest and sweet and pretty. They didn't fly away from her or try to hurt her. She even befriended a bee once - she let it crawl on her skin, and it didn't even sting her at all.
"Where to now, chief?" she asked, trying to make her voice more cheerful than she felt. She didn't really feel cheerful at all nowadays...
-
For the most part, Tempest was always cheerful. Part of it was just her nature, and part of it was that she felt life was far too short to be anything but cheerful. If they were all thrown onto this rollercoaster ride together, then they might as well make the most of it, right? There was no going back - the only direction that humans, as a species, were capable of going, in a metaphorical sense of course, was forward. So, that's what Tempest deigned to do.
She wasn't deterred by Sylvie's hesitancy, or the way that the other girl stared at her hand in a mixture of fear and disgust before tentatively giving it a single shake. She also wasn't deterred by the sarcastic humor that was almost immediate from Sylvie's tongue. No, Tempest liked to think of herself as unshakable.
"Well, it doesn't do to judge a creature by just one of its features, does it?" she chastised her partner gently. "There's more than one side to every story, lest we forget."
Truthfully, she was really excited to be able to take care of the crabs, if only because they were a little bit helpless sometimes, and she loved to help. There was one thing and one thing only that Tempest had always longed to be in her life - just one goal for the entirety of her life, the rest of it was irrelevant. A mother. That's all she had ever wanted to be.
Of course, that wasn't a goal for her current age of sixteen. Heavens, no. She would wait until she was older, until she was out of school and in a decent job and a decent home with a decent husband. Then, and only then, would she be able to fulfill her one dream in life.
Professor Horntonlake gave them instructions on what to do with the crabs - how to feed them, clean their terrariums, etc. while the groups headed towards their station. Even if she wanted to, Tempest didn't think she'd be able to clear the smile plastered on her face.
Britters
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Posted: 8/10/2019 at 3:44 PM
Post #57
While his passenger took some time to catch her breath and recover from the short flight, Liam wandered off a few yards so he could stash his broom away. This short break served another purpose since it gave him precious time needed to collect himself. He found his usual tree with a big split going down the center of its trunk and he set his broom gently into the gap. It just wasn't practical trying to drag it through the forest, and if needed it he knew he could just summon the broom from its hiding place.
Truth be told, Liam was feeling more nervous than he'd thought he would. Part of him actually wondered why he even doing this. He spent pretty much all of his time and energy trying to keep up with the appearance of his persona, the one he had designed to accomplish his goals. Yet, here he was, about to potentially reveal a significant part of his true self to someone,and he had no idea whether it would do any damage to his plans or not. He could only hope that this would not he the end of his vision for the future of the Fitzpatrick family name.
Despite these concerns and trepidation, Liam could still recognize the adrenaline rush of excitement at the idea of showing Addie what he'd brought her here to witness.
"Just down this path here," he replied to her query, gesturing at a semi-clear trail to the west, "I'll go first, and then you follow behind. Again, the most important thing is to walk very carefully and quietly so just follow what I do...I do this a lot." That last seemed to come out on its own, the words forming without his consent, but he felt no regret about saying it.
Instead of standing there and pondering what was going on inside of him, Liam tried to focus his mind on their short journey. He started down the path through the trees and thick bushes, his feet moving almost automatically. This was familiar territory for him, a place he came to often, and he moved with confidence. He only wished that he could understand the emotions churning within him. His thoughts kept coming back to Addie, who he knew was right behind him as instructed, and he started wonder again...
What if she didn't enjoy what Liam was about to show her? What if she didn't think it was worth the terrifying ride on his broom? What if she ridiculed him for it...?
"Maybe...maybe we should...," he murmured softly, his voice tainted with uncertainty, but before he could even consider finishing his statement, they were rounding a corner and it was far too late, and he froze in his tracks and held out his arm in front of Addie, "Stop...here, look." He reached over, laying his hand lightly on Addie's shoulder and pressing down gently so they were both squatted down behind a bush and he directed her gaze through a hole in the shrub...
There they were. Drinking from a small, spring-fed pond of cool, still water, was a breathtaking female unicorn. Prancing about her feet, as she watched with the acute gaze of a mother, was a very young foal, who tossed ita silvery mane as it bounced around with seemingly endless energy.
-----
Most people made a lot of assumptions about Sylvie upon meeting her. The black eyeliner that made her silver eyes seem sharp as razor blades, the messy carelessness of her short espresso colored hair, and the jewelry that adorned her throat with its arcane symbols and runes all created an image people seemed quick to judge. It had never really bothered her, thankfully, but it did get exhausting trying to avoid situations in which she had to deal with the whispering gossip and sideways glances. She just wanted to be left alone in her own little corner of the world.
Of course, Sylvie knew exactly who Tempest Eaglet was, despite the fact that they had hardly ever spoken to each other, and not to mention they were in opposing Houses. It was almost impossible not to recognize the daughter of their celebrated Minister of Magic, Leona Eaglet. Again, she didn't particularly care about her partner's lineage, but the knowledge did little to make the situation seem more tolerable. Besides, she also knew of Tempest's ridiculous disposition of cheer and altruism, a very different approach to life than her own.
Good news, at least! Tempest seemed undeterred by Sylvie's typical sarcasm...for now. Challenge accepted.
"And most of the time both sides are equally terrible," she said, barely even looking at the other girl as she spoke, just sighing as her eyes continued to cast themselves skyward, "Though perhaps we're each used to very different stories." For one moment, her shining grey eyes shifted to Tempest, one dark brow arched emphatically.
The moment passed, and Sylvie's face relaxed fully back into boredom. They had both arrived at their station, where a large terrarium had been set up. Sitting inside the habitat, atop a mossy rock, was a bizarre looking creature. For the most part it looked just like your typical crustacean, with crab claws and legs, but when it came to the shell that's where the similarities ended. The entire surface was a spectacular gold color and was completely encrusted with jewels and gems which covered the whole spectrum.
Some might have found beauty in such a creature, but Sylvie merely regarded it with disdain and resentment. No matter what she was going to have to stick her hands in there.
"So," she said, her voice void of any conviction, "You want to feed or clean?" Despite her formidable attitude, she did believe in fairness. She would not just take the easier job for herself without first asking her partner.
Edited By Britters on 8/10/2019 at 6:18 PM.
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Posted: 8/11/2019 at 9:58 PM
Post #58
Here at Hogwarts, Addie tried her best not to get pushed around like she was at home. It wasn't easy, being so vulnerable and so reactive to every little thing. Every time someone shouted, every time someone made an intimidating move. She just couldn't handle it, not with how she was treated at home. But comments, insults, anything of the sort, at a lower volume... Those were fine. They didn't bother her. Pebbles bouncing off of her leather skin.
Bullies would always be bullies, and people didn't change. People couldn't change. They always claimed that it was possible, they came up with all of the proof, but it all fell through, because nature and nurture were just too powerful.
Addie was as quiet as she could be as she followed Liam, staying just a few paces behind. She was used to treading quietly as to not wake the slumbering monster that she was stuck with at home, the creature that cared for nothing more than to hurt her. It was easy to remain silent when that's what you were trained to do.
As she squatted with Liam and peered through the hole in the shrub, she felt her heart nearly stop at the sight that greeted her. Unicorns. Beautiful, wonderful, innocent, pure unicorns. Addie suddenly found it very hard to breathe as her eyes glued to the majestic mare as she bowed her head to drink and the young foal that danced joyfully.
She couldn't help the happiness that she felt, and was also unable to hold back a laugh, though she managed to keep it silent. She was smiling from ear to ear as she gazed upon the creatures. Not wanting to make a sound, she covered her mouth with her hand. It was hard to hide a smile though. It had been a while since she had had a reason to smile in the first place...
-
Yes, Tempest's mother was the Minister of Magic. Yes, Leona Eaglet was a very important and well-liked woman. Yes, everyone knew. Yes, there was a lot of power associated with such a title. Yes, there were advantages to having such a powerful mother. Yes, they had a decent amount of money.
No, Tempest didn't like to talk about it.
Her home life wasn't perfect, but whose was? Truth be told, she knew that she had it better than a lot of others, and that's why she didn't ever complain about the little grievances and issues she might have. She cared about other people far too much to ever imply that her own life was worse than others'. Her heart ached because she knew that she couldn't always help others. Sometimes they simply wouldn't let her, and that was so... sad...
It was nice that Sylvie offered her the choice between feeding the crab and cleaning its terrarium, but it was somewhat lost on Tempest. Not the gesture, of course - she appreciated the offer, but she wouldn't ever make the choice when she knew that it might end up with Sylvie doing something that she didn't want to do. Tempest didn't know her that well, but that didn't mean she couldn't care about her.
"I could do either," she smiled warmly. "So you go ahead and pick whichever you prefer to do and I'll do whichever you don't."
After all, if there was one thing Tempest loved, it was making others happy. That's why she did what she did. That's why she helped people. It made them happy and safe and okay, and it got rid of all of their negative emotions, and that was... her goal. Not her life goal, just for clarification, but that was her daily goal. To get rid of all of the negative emotions she could. To make people as happy as she could.
If anything, it was a good purpose to life, and it was something she enjoyed to boot.
Britters
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Posted: 8/13/2019 at 2:02 PM
Post #59
Everything leading up to this moment had been risky for Liam. It had put his hard work the last five years in danger. Yet, he had done it anyway. It didn't make any sense to him, though that had never stopped him in the past when it came to academics and social situations. However, regardless of his lack of comprehension, he'd always made the choice that furthered his goals. This decision today, to bring Addie to this place...it didn't have any benefits to his plans.
In fact, if Liam was being totally honest with himself, this could potentially ruin everything. He was showing Addie a part of himself that he didn't share with others. This was who he was deep down, beneath all the pretense and charades, someone who loved animals. If she were to reveal this secret to other people it could destroy him, the persona he had created. Perhaps this had been a mistake, an unnecessary risk. Why had he even brought her here?
"Addie...," he began, probably thinking he could try and get her away from here before it was too late, but the words froze on the tip of his tongue as soon as he looked at her.
A smile...Addie was...smiling. If the flight over here, while she had hung on so desperately to him, had effected Liam in unexpected ways then he wasn't sure he could even find the words for this smile. He had never seen her smile before, not during all the years they'd been at Hogwarts, and certainly not in the last couple weeks while they'd been spending more time together. The effect it had on her face was nothing short of stunning, and stunned was exactly what he was...
Say something, do something, Liam knew he had to act before she caught him staring like a deer caught in the headlights of a vehicle.
"I come here a lot," he heard himself say to her, his whispering voice sounding far away, as though he were listening to himself from another room, "I found that if I just sat behind this bush, perfectly quiet, I didn't spook them. She knows we're here, you see? Nothing dangerous can get near that foal without her knowing it. She trusts me because she knows I don't mean them any harm. They're excellent judges of character." He gave her a sly, handsome smile, raising his eyebrows as he tried to look as though he were only glancing in her direction.
This was not what Liam had planned, it was not part of his plans, the plan was key...but this was still one of the best moments of his life.
-----
If there was one thing Sylvie really couldn't stand it was happy people. It wasn't that she had a problem with happiness in and of itself, that would be self-defeating, but thats precisely what she didn't like about happy people. She couldn't stand it when a person only ever acted joyful and bubbly. Other emotions existed for a reason, a very good one, and when you tried so hard to only feel one of them, especially happiness, things had a tendency to break on the inside. It was only a matter of time...
Now, there were really two kinds of "happy people" in the world. There were those who faked happiness for some motive of their own, but inside they felt the full range of emotions. The second type were the ones who genuinely strove to feel nothing but happy all of the time, and this were the ones that would eventually have major problems. It was with no small amount of trepidation, and a dash of quiet sadness, that Sylvie recognized Tempest Eaglet as one of the latter category.
Of course, she's letting me choose, thought Sylvie with a heavy sigh, her lean arms folded across her chest as she regarded her partner jadedly.
"I'll feed," she responded flatly, moving closer to the terrarium, "Lets just try and get this over with quickly." She used one hand to sweep a section of her dark hair that had fallen into her face off to the side in a messy sort of fashion.
The fire crab looked at Sylvie blankly as she approached. There was no part of her that really wanted to touch the creature, but she had decided it was better than having to clean the filthy tank. All she had to do was get it out and then distract it with food. It was a simple enough task, and she still knew she needed to participate to pass the class. She reached for the bejeweled crustacean, wrinkling her nose as her hands closed around the hard shell. As she lifted the crab from its enclosure, she was so focused on the task of carrying it a few feet away that she was paying little attention to the ground.
Within the next few seconds, several things happened seemingly at once, though for Sylvie it felt like the time dragged out into hours. Her foot caught on a rock which was just minding its own business on the ground, and she very quickly lost her balance. With her hands full of crab, she couldn't brace herself as she fell, and only barely escaped landing directly on the creature. She landed hard on her left hip, wincing and crying out in pain and surprise, but unfortunately her ordeal didn't end there.
Having not appreciated the sudden excitement, the fire crab Sylvie had been holding let loose a jet of flames out of its backside, the fire curling around her right hand.
"Bloody hell!" she shrieked, pushing herself up and away from the fire crab as fast as she could with one good hand, "Stupid creature..." It wasn't really the crab's fault, but the pain from her red, blistered hand was intense and unwanted, so her sympathy level was less than stellar at the moment...
Edited By Britters on 8/13/2019 at 3:54 PM.
Creativity
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Cutely Creative
Joined: 3/4/2013
Threads: 253
Posts: 5,852
Posted: 8/14/2019 at 8:15 AM
Post #60
There was a certain vice-like grip on Addie's heart these past few months. Ever since July 30th of this year... Ever since... She couldn't say it. It couldn't be true. No. She wouldn't leave her, not willingly. And even if that happened, she would have fought tooth and nail to stay with her sister. That was the Rosalie that Addie knew. Not the one that... No. She didn't. She couldn't.
Rosalie was perhaps the one good thing in Addie's life, besides Hogwarts, of course. The one person who was always able to make her smile, no matter how down she felt. It was something in that sweet grin Rosalie wore when she looked at her, something in the way her hazel eyes would twinkle with joy.
One thing that Addie had never understood was how Rosalie could always be so cheerful. She dealt with the same exact circumstances growing up that Addie did, and yet, there was always happiness in her heart, when the situation would seem so empty and void...
As Addie gaze out at the mare and foal, still unable to remove her smile even if she wanted to but still covering it up, she felt her eyes were surprisingly moist. She blinked back the tears of... happiness? Was that it?
Liam started speaking again, and although she didn't look at him, still focused on the unicorns, she clung to every word he said. It occurred to her, too, that perhaps this wasn't really something that he showed people often... It was a secret of his, and he was openly sharing it with her. Her, of all people. They hardly even knew each other, and yet he claimed to know her character, something that she didn't even know because she tried not to focus on that sort of thing. But he had evidence. And his evidence was something that was clearly very dear to him...
She finally tore her eyes from the unicorns and glanced at him, her eyes now wet for a different reason. She refused to let any tears fall, though. She needed to share with him. He had opened up to her, far more than he did to anyone else she suspected, and while she didn't understand why, she understood that it was only polite to match it, like in the bathroom, with the stories. He had opened up to her, and she had managed to do the same.
"I..." she tried to say, her voice little more than a whisper, the smile having finally fallen from her face. "M-my... I mean..." she stammered horribly, unable to articulate what it was she was trying to reveal to him. She didn't even know what it was she was trying to reveal to him...
Where were the words? Her voice was dry and raw, and her throat felt suddenly very thick. She quickly looked away from Liam, feeling cornered by her own inability to open up. Her hands were shaking, and she gripped the sides of her skirt to hold them as steady as she could, though it was little help.
-
If you asked Tempest what she wanted to do with her life when she was older and out of Hogwarts, she wouldn't have an answer. The papers would speculate that perhaps she should try to rise up in the Ministry like her mother did, to become Minister of Magic when she was older and wiser. That was something that Tempest had never wanted to do, and while it was always her mother's goal in life, in the rare times she saw her mother, she would sometimes express that it was not an enviable job.
She had once taken Tempest aside one Christmas and told her that she didn't want her only daughter to end up with the world on her shoulders.
That was a little ironic, maybe, since now that Tempest was older, she tried so very hard to support the world and all of its people without the fancy title that her mother had. Not that that was something she was aware of, of course. No, she tried not to think about that. She tried not to think about the issues she faced, or everything wrong with her situation. She tried not to think about the fact that she was really just a mortal person. She tried not to think.
And it worked out for her, for the most part.
Tempest had been cleaning the terrarium, wanting to speak to Sylvie but for once, unsure of what to say. The task itself was menial and boring and as she worked at it, she became fidgety, her hands grabbing random things from the terrarium just so she could look at them closer and have some sort of action.
She just so happened to glance at her partner at the exact moment all hell broke loose.
"Oh, no!" Tempest cried, immediately dropping the rag that she was using to wipe out the inside of the terrarium. She was just about done anyway. She quickly scooped up the crab and carried it gently back to its home before snatching up her satchel and crossing over to where Sylvie sat, her hand horribly burnt.
"Oh, darling, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed as she knelt beside her and immediately began shuffling through her bag. She quickly recovered a burn-healing paste, swiftly taking Sylvie's wrist before she could argue and squeezing some of the paste onto the other girl's palm. "Oh, it'll be okay, really - just a small hurt," she cooed as she rubbed the paste all over her partner's wound with her fingertips, gently massaging it into the burn.
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