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Post by Eden Fletcher on May 19, 2011 1:40:20 GMT -5
School had been terribly boring as of late. So much routine, that Eden was going a little crazy. She was getting tired all the same classes day in and day out. Those silly old professors lecturing about things that were boring. Only a few classes were actually fun, now that the novelty of school wore off. Her lack of love of schoolwork could also be blamed on the weariness that seemed to consume her. Magic took a lot out of Eden and she found that after charms class she was terribly drained and rather cranky. She needed sleep but she could never seem to get enough of it. When ever she closed her eyes she was taken in by visions. They had stopped for a while before coming in stronger waves. Something was coming, an edge was near. A choice and she had no idea what to do. There were so many futures, so many possibilities.
Thankfully the last couple of days had been quiet. She might not have had much more sleep than usual but she had more energy. So, when her friend Max Kameren had asked her to meet him at the gate she could not refuse him. History homework could wait. Meeting with Max was far more important and he sounded a bit stressed. Something was bugging him and she knew he needed her help. So bundled up in a plain cloak and her weekend clothes she looked like another child waiting for a Hogwart's letter instead of attending the school. They were of course sneaking out. What Max had to tell her could not take place on the grounds where everything was listening in.
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Post by Max Kameren on May 23, 2011 1:31:53 GMT -5
Max leaned against the wrought-iron gates of Hogwarts, his arms crossed as he watched a particular blonde head move down the path. Since the day he found Aunt Ari sleeping with his dad, he had been planning to get them together. Some would call it scheming, but he would call those people pessimists. Curse and Arianna belonged with each other, he knew it. He just had to make sure they knew it.
"Eden!" Max called out to the Gryffindor as she approached, cocking his head in a direction further down the fence. "Follow me." He started walking, grazing his hand along the spindles of the fence as he went. He was nearly in the Forbidden Forest by the time he stopped. He turned around. "Eden, its important that you don't tell my dad anything we talk about today. Top secret. Got that?"
He turned, shaking one of the spindles on the fence until it opened free. He stepped through the bars, off of Hogwarts grounds. "We can't talk on Hogwarts grounds, my dad will come looking for me. Let's go into Hogsmeade. Shall we?" He motioned his hands towards the village, looking at Eden expectantly.
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Post by Eden Fletcher on May 23, 2011 13:44:31 GMT -5
The walk from the Castle to the gate was not a terribly long path but for Eden it did seem to stretch endlessly. She could barely see the old iron gate half hidden by trees. If only she were taller! Puffing slightly she continued on her way, her mind roaming as she walked. What had Max all in a tither? He had been a bit distracted and rather secretive of late. Eden was lost in her thoughts when her name knocked her out of her mind and back into the present. Slightly startled, she glanced around looking for the culprit.
To the right there stood the ever tall Max Kameren. Merlin, did he grow again? What was his father feeding him growth potion? If so she wanted some. Eden was far too short. It wasn't fair nearly everyone in her family was tall. She hadn't grown in years! Well, not true but it took her practically an entire year to grow half an inch. At this rate she'd be of age and still be under five feet.
Eden dutifully followed Max along the path that hugged the gate. She was slightly behind him the entire journey, because it was terribly difficult to keep up with an unnatural giant. When would she be tall? Or at least taller? She was the shortest person in school, or if not the shortest very close to it. She had been staring at the sky and the funny shapes of the clouds when Max abruptly stopped and turned to stare her down. It had taken her a moment to notice that he had stopped. Her feet skidded to a stop a foot away.
"Eden, its important that you don't tell my dad anything we talk about today. Top secret. Got that?"
A wicked grin dashed across Eden's round face. She liked secrets. A lot. Life suddenly did not seem so tedious as it had before. Curiosity, welled up inside Eden, what could be so important that Curse couldn't know? it had to be about his dad, she concluded.
" Of course." She said with a quick nod. She could keep a secrete. Eyes wide, Eden watched as Max broke through the gate. Quickly, Eden glanced around their surroundings making note of where they were in relation to the castle and the forrest. This exit would be quite useful.
"We can't talk on Hogwarts grounds, my dad will come looking for me. Let's go into Hogsmeade. Shall we?" Eden quickly stepped through the bars. It was an easy task for her. She was far shorter than the bars but again hopefully that would eventually change.
"Where should we go? Doesn't your Dad take you to Hogsmeade sometimes? He might suspect that's where you've gone..."
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Post by Max Kameren on May 23, 2011 14:54:26 GMT -5
"Where should we go? Doesn't your Dad take you to Hogsmeade sometimes? He might suspect that's where you've gone..."
"Well, right now he's in a class," Max started, slowing his pace to be equal with the shorter girl. He never really realized how much he'd grown until he stood next to Eden. Not really something you notice when your entire bloody family is built like Big Ben. But Merlin, was she short. "But when he needs me, of course he's going to find me. He's an auror. The only difference is now he's going to have to walk more, giving us more time." Max shrugged as they made it into the village. He had learned a bit about planning these sort of secret meetings since he entered Hogwarts; he had become an expert at running from his father, at least. And other students, once he managed to make them mad. Luckily, that angry group of Gryffindors would be graduating this year.
The two kept to the side of the path, Max not particularly wanting to be noticed. His dad had friends in Hogsmeade, and if they noticed him, Curse would be on his trail even quicker. "Here," He opened the door to the Three Broomsticks, letting Eden in before he closed it. He looked around, making sure they were out of sight before he lead Eden by the hand to a booth in the corner.
"Now," he looked around, making sure no one was looking at them. He didn't think his dad came here often; at least, they'd never been here together. "What I need your help with, its sort of weird. Its sort of a family thing, but no one in my family can apparently see it but me. Its my Aunt Ari," Max leaned an elbow on the table, getting comfortable while he told the story, "she's my mum's husband's cousin, but before I even met my dad she was going to get married to him. My dad, that is, not her cousin. Then she ran away when my dad got sick, and now she's back. They both try to act like they don't like each other anymore, but they still do. They look at each other like mums and dads and husbands and wifes look at each other." He sighed, shaking his head. How stupid were these people? He was amazed he even had to try to get them together. "So anyways, a few weeks ago I went into my dad's room to wake him up and my Aunt Ari was there sleeping in his bed with him. But now my mum's all mad at my dad and I think Peter wants to fight him, so Aunt Ari and my dad haven't seen each other since."
He let out a breath as he came to the point of their meeting. "I think I need your help getting them back together. I don't know what I'm bloody doing, and you're a girl so you must know all that romance stuff." He shrugged, looking at the Gryffindor with expectant eyes.
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Post by Eden Fletcher on May 23, 2011 15:22:20 GMT -5
But when he needs me, of course he's going to find me. He's an auror. The only difference is now he's going to have to walk more, giving us more time."
Well, that made sense. Still, Eden didn't really want to be caught outside of Hogwarts when Curse came to find Max. She didn't mind break the rules, it was getting caught that she didn't like. Besides it had to be of upmost importance if Max was going to risk getting punished and her in trouble. he couldn't get expelled because he wasn't yet a student but she could. It wasn't good to dwell on that though. She doubted they'd get caught. They had plenty of time to do what ever needed to be done.
It had been a while since Eden had been in Hogsmeade. The last time she was there, she'd been with Curse trying to find his hurt brother. The demons had first appeared. Eden suppressed a shudder at the memory of those magic sucking monsters. Wary she kept glancing around to make sure there were not any demons after her and Max. If anything happened to Max she'd never forgive herself. He was far too important to his father. At the tender age of twelve Eden knew Max's death would kill Curse.
Together they quickly made their way through the streets and two a large building. Three broom sticks. Eden had never been inside before. A little twinge of excitement shot through her limbs and she sailed into the pub. max hurried in behind her and led her to a dark corner booth. No one could see them. Heck, Eden had trouble seeing comfortably over the table. She could of course, but it was uncomfortable to rest her elbows on the table as she had to reach upwards to do so. Still, in her weekend clothes she looked too little to be a Hogwarts student.
Eden listened to the story, head tilted to one side, mouth closed. Max was bursting with words as he explained why they were there. He wanted her advice on match making? Eden had never seen anyone in love. Her parents died when she'd been a little baby. Her grandparents were cold people who were rarely seen in the same room, let alone showing affection. But she wouldn't let Max down. She wanted to be included in this family mattered and she felt glad that he had decided to trust her with this plan. She wasn't family but hopefully he saw her as almost family.
"I think I need your help getting them back together. I don't know what I'm bloody doing, and you're a girl so you must know all that romance stuff."
He was staring at her, as if she had all the answers. Being older, she didn't want to disappoint. She was supposed to know these things being a girl and a year or so older. Besides she had read Princess stories. She knew what girls liked a bit. It could be the same for older girls, like Ari.
"Well, they can fall back into love if they don't see each other. So we need to make them run into each other...or make them think of each other. Do you go to your Aunt's often? Next time you see her, nab her perfume so you can sprinkle it on your dad's clothes and pillow. Not a lot. Just a bit so he will smell her through out the day and think of her. Does your dad use boy smell stuff...like shave stuff...not sure what's it called. I saw Emery put it on his chin after he shaved two measly hairs off his face. Take that stuff and put it on Ari's pillow, or scarves or something. It's a start...we need to plan more stuff...maybe get gifts and say it's from each other?"
So much to think about...where was parchment and a quill when you actually needed them?
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Post by Max Kameren on May 29, 2011 0:49:45 GMT -5
Max scratched at the wooden table with his thumbnail as Eden spoke, deep in thought. He was right to ask the elder Gryffindor; already she had come up with things he hadn't thought of. He had thought of giving presents, but he figured his dad and Arianna would have figured it was him. They were both smart, and he knew most of his plans would backfire under their watch. That was why he called in an outsider: he needed someone they couldn't predict.
"That smell stuff's a brilliant idea," he frowned as he tried to help with the brainstorming. He didn't know heads or tails of this situation. He had learned a bit from watching his mum over the years. how she interacted with her various boyfriends was very different from Curse and Arianna's way of communicating with each other. He did see some similarities between the two, however; the couples both needed to work together smoothly, as a team. Curse and Arianna needed to trust each other. But how could he get them to do that?
"My mum and my stepdad work together all the time and talk to each other like normal," Max thought about it, looking up at Eden as he spoke, "but whenever my dad and Aunt Ari are by each other, they're awkward. They both act like there's something they forgot about that they need to remember. If I could get them to work together like mum and Peter do..."
Max straightened, shoving his hand in his pocket as he dug a small, dark blue box out of it. "What about this?" He set the box down on the table between them, opening it slowly. Inside was a ring; a white-gold band engraved with runes, supporting an oval-cut diamond. Max wasn't sure what the runes engraved into it said, but he figured his dad and Arianna did. "It's the ring that my dad proposed to her with. Should I sneak it into her purse next time I see her or something? Maybe that would be too obvious..."
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Post by Eden Fletcher on Jun 3, 2011 0:08:46 GMT -5
"That smell stuff's a brilliant idea,"
Eden beamed, relieved and glad that Max liked her idea. Friends were rather hard to come by and Eden wanted to be useful to Max. He was her closest friend, she didn't have many. Children were weirded out by her, or scared she'd break or her magic would go berserk. She was good for a laugh every now and then but one had to be careful around flammable fletcher.
"My mum and my stepdad work together all the time and talk to each other like normal," Max thought about it, looking up at Eden as he spoke, "but whenever my dad and Aunt Ari are by each other, they're awkward. They both act like there's something they forgot about that they need to remember. If I could get them to work together like mum and Peter do..."
Eden listened wondering why Curse and this woman were weird around each other. Something had to have happened. Right? Eden wasn't entirely sure. She didn't have examples to look back on and she was a bit jealous of Max. Why did he have two dads and maybe even two mums when Eden had no parents? It wasn't fair. Then again, she did have rich grandparents. But it wasn't the same. They were really old and stuffy.
Eden pushed away her unhappy thoughts. This meeting was about Max. He needed her help and she would give it to him despite her lack of first hand experience. She had read enough fairy tales to spin something.
"What about this?" A small dark box drew Eden's attention. At first, she was unsure of what it was, having never seen a ring box. Her grandparents ignored each other and rarely exchanged words let alone gifts. Max opened the box and Eden stared at a very pretty ring. teintively, little fingers reached out to touch the band, even at twelve, she was attracted to shiny pieces of jewelry.
"It's the ring that my dad proposed to her with. Should I sneak it into her purse next time I see her or something? Maybe that would be too obvious..."
"Dont, put it in her purse. It'll spook her. Obviously something happened to make her say no the first time. But she does need to see that he still has it. Hmmm maybe put it in your dad's bag and make them run into each other so it falls out? Or just put it in plain view at your house and invite her in."
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Post by Max Kameren on Jun 3, 2011 2:07:44 GMT -5
"Dont, put it in her purse. It'll spook her. Obviously something happened to make her say no the first time. But she does need to see that he still has it. Hmmm maybe put it in your dad's bag and make them run into each other so it falls out? Or just put it in plain view at your house and invite her in."
"But Arianna didn't say no, she said yes, but then my dad got sick and she went to Italy." Max looked down at the ring as he thought about it. He knew he shouldn't say more; his father was a personal man. Curse would be mad at him if he shared anymore of his personal business. Max didn't like talking about his father's mental illness, anyway. He wanted to pretend it didn't happen. Curse was better now, so why bother with it? "Dad doesn't know I have it either. If he finds out, he'll be mad at me. Sneaking it in his bag could work, though. We're moving soon, so he won't know where it's supposed to be."
Max crossed his arms, his green eyes focussed on the ring, as if the bright diamond could tell him how to bring them back together. He loved his Aunt Ari, and he loved his dad. He could tell they both missed each other; why couldn't they realize they'd both be happier together? "I can never tell when they're going to be by each other, though. And dad only brings his bag when he's working. But Aunt Ari never visits us at Hogwarts. Hmm..." Max rested his head on his elbows, glancing up at Eden from the ring.
Maybe a butterbeer would help them come up with an idea. Max pushed himself off the bench, his long, thin form heading up to the bar. He pulled a few galleons out of his pocket; they were just spare change he'd found around the house, but what else was he going to use it for? "Two butterbeers, please," He said to the barkeep with a smile and a flash of his bright green eyes. The barkeep got them quickly, and Max thanked him as he took the mugs and headed back to the booth.
"Here," He set the drink clumsily in front of Eden, dribbling a bit of his own as well as he slid back into his seat. He took a sip, picking up the ringbox and moving it in his hand as he thought out loud. "My dad's working at a college this summer, maybe I can get Arianna to see him there..."
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Post by Eden Fletcher on Jun 3, 2011 15:49:27 GMT -5
"But Arianna didn't say no, she said yes, but then my dad got sick and she went to Italy." Something else happened, otherwise Arianna would still be wearing the ring. Eden watched as her friend stared at the ring, avoiding her gaze. There was something he was omitting. The urge to pry was strong but this was about Curse and if he was sick and this woman left because of it maybe it was a good thing. Max didn't know that Eden knew that his dad was eventually going to die. Or did he? Eden shifted guilty in her seat at the idea that she had that secret. If she told Max that she knew maybe they could find something to help heal Curse. They lived in a world full of magic, there had to be something yet to be discovered that could help.
"Dad doesn't know I have it either. If he finds out, he'll be mad at me. Sneaking it in his bag could work, though. We're moving soon, so he won't know where it's supposed to be."
Alarm, pushed thoughts of finding a cure out of her head. "Moving where?" For a second, Eden thought this meant that Curse would no longer be her teacher but then she remembered that school was ending for the term. She hadn't realized that the teachers also left the castle. Eden wasn't really looking forward to the end of term if it meant going home to boring parties, piano and decorum lessons.
"I can never tell when they're going to be by each other, though. And dad only brings his bag when he's working. But Aunt Ari never visits us at Hogwarts. Hmm..."
"Invite her. Tell her you need help with something that only she can do but it has to be at Hogwarts..." But what would be alarming enough to lure a woman to a school? What could be a problem he couldn't take with him? Then an idea sparked and Eden grinned, "Tell her it's girl trouble and you need her advice but you're to embarrassed to ask your dad, besides a older girl would be a better source." She explained her idea with a small smile. It wasn't her best work but it could work if Max noticed girls. Which he probably didn't and really, boys were just good friends. The idea of putting her lips on a boys was rather gross. Who knew what passed through a boys lips. Ewww, slimey. suddenly Max stood up and Eden watched as he went to retrieve a couple of drinks. Was this woman even suitable? Or was she helping Max set up a downfall?
Eden took the drink he had placed before her. Butterbeer was something her Grandmother rarely allowed her to consume, which made this all the more exciting. She could get addicted to this rule breaking.
"My dad's working at a college this summer, maybe I can get Arianna to see him there..."
"Look, before we go anything farther. You sure she's the one?" Eden asked concerned. "She left when your Dad was sick. Didn't he need her? And why did she leave the ring? How do we know she isn't going to leave if he get's sick again?"
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Post by Max Kameren on Jun 8, 2011 23:15:06 GMT -5
"Invite her. Tell her you need help with something that only she can do but it has to be at Hogwarts..." But what would be alarming enough to lure a woman to a school? What could be a problem he couldn't take with him? Then an idea sparked and Eden grinned, "Tell her it's girl trouble and you need her advice but you're to embarrassed to ask your dad, besides a older girl would be a better source."
Max wrinkled his nose at the idea. Why would he want to ask Aunt Ari about a girl? Why would he care about girls in the first place? He didn't understand what Peter and Curse saw in them, really. He still didn't really understand why Arianna had been sleeping in his dad's bed with him. What was so great about having a girl sleep with you? It could be a warmth thing, maybe, but Tabby was warm and Curse hated having the cat on his bed. Max could think on it for hours and still never understand, and whenever he asked Curse he got all flustered. Max shook his head, neglecting the thought; no amount of brainstorming could get him to understand, and he didn't want to ask Eden for fear of her knowing the answer when he didn't.
"My dad's working at a college this summer, maybe I can get Arianna to see him there..."
"Look, before we go anything farther. You sure she's the one?" Eden asked concerned. "She left when your Dad was sick. Didn't he need her? And why did she leave the ring? How do we know she isn't going to leave if he get's sick again?"
Max opened his mouth, then closed it again. He didn't know what to say, really, beyond the fact that he just knew. "I don't know, I just don't think she's going to this time. I don't know how to describe it. They're both good on the outside, but when you spend enough time with them you realize they're sad. But then, when they're by each other they just change. They're happy." He sighed, taking a big gulp of his butterbeer as he thought about it. He spent a substantial amount of time with both his father and his aunt separately and together, and the conclusion was obvious. Even his mum knew; his dad had been invited to a few family gatherings, but once Amelia caught on to Curse and Arianna, he couldn't come anymore. Max wanted Curse and Arianna to have a full family, like Amelia and Peter did. The best way to reach that solution apparently seemed to be with each other.
"I just want them to be happy."
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Post by Eden Fletcher on Jun 16, 2011 21:12:13 GMT -5
It was obvious that Max Kameren had yet to notice that most people liked girls for more than sparing partners. Really, Eden barely thought of boys in that regard but she had begun to notice that some were cuter than others. Still, they were messy creatures and odd. She wasn't yet to the point of actually wanting to hold their hands or kiss them. Why did adults, and especially teenagers want to always touch their lips to another's? Wasn't that unsanitary? The plague was probably delivered through a kiss. All the more reason to stay away from them. Max obviously hadn't understood her point about girl trouble. The twelve year old just shook her head.
"Never mind, It'll make sense when girls become cute."She pointed out sagely.
Eden didn't want to burst her friend's bubble. He meant well, but this could cause more harm than good. Then again Eden had never met this woman. It would be nice to meet her. Max obviously cared for her and he said his father had been in love. So she mustn't be all that bad despite that one black mark.
"I don't know, I just don't think she's going to this time. I don't know how to describe it. They're both good on the outside, but when you spend enough time with them you realize they're sad. But then, when they're by each other they just change. They're happy."
Eden listened, still not entirely convinced, but wanting to believe that this was the woman. Eden wanted Curse to be happy to. Maybe, if she proved to be nice and lovely, this Ari would like her and could show her what it meant to be a girl in a modern world.
"Okay. I'll help. We need to learn their schedule's and then try to get them to accidenitly cross paths. Also, maybe you could invite her over to your house on the pretense that you want her to show you something. Another way to get them together is to request her as your babysitter so they'd have to meet before and after. If none of that works, you could pretend to be sick or runaway."
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Post by Max Kameren on Jun 17, 2011 13:17:07 GMT -5
"Okay. I'll help. We need to learn their schedule's and then try to get them to accidenitly cross paths. Also, maybe you could invite her over to your house on the pretense that you want her to show you something. Another way to get them together is to request her as your babysitter so they'd have to meet before and after. If none of that works, you could pretend to be sick or runaway."
Max fingered his butterbeer mug as he thought about it. There were already reasons for Curse and Arianna to run into each other; whether they liked it or not, they were still family. Peter and Amelia still had them connected, with Max as their link. They worked together often because of Curse's friend that slept in his bed, who was apparently in jail. Curse was sick often, though, which meant Max was often in need of a babysitter.
"Well, dad knows Uncle Alex is sort of rubbish at watching me. He does his best, but he just doesn't know what to do with a kid. Aunt Ari's fun, though. She'd probably be a good babysitter. We're moving to Godric's Hollow, after that I'm sure dad will need people to watch me." Max took a drink of his butterbeer, leaning on the table as he put it down. "It would kill him if i ran away. I couldn't do that to him."
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Post by Eden Fletcher on Jun 18, 2011 0:20:07 GMT -5
Well, dad knows Uncle Alex is sort of rubbish at watching me. He does his best, but he just doesn't know what to do with a kid. Aunt Ari's fun, though. She'd probably be a good babysitter. We're moving to Godric's Hollow, after that I'm sure dad will need people to watch me."
Eden's face lit up when Max mentioned that he'd be moving to Godricks Hallow. She lived there! Suddenly the summer was looking very bright indeed. Visions of running around the hallow with Max filled her head. Eden couldn't wait to show Max all of the fun places to play in. Also, who to avoid and which house the nice ladies lived in who had sweet cookies for tea.
"I live in Godricks Hollow! well, the outskirts, but still. We'll practically be neighbors!" Eden exclaimed nearly bouncing in her seat. She almost forgot about their conversation.
"It would kill him if i ran away. I couldn't do that to him."
"Right. It's a last resort plan and only to be used in desperation. Hmmm do you have any ideas? I'm rubbish at this smoochy planning stuff. I don't have parents and my grandparents are too old."
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