June 1st - June 19th
It's almost summer! The last few weeks of school have come, and students will need to study hard for their final exams! Don't let up yet, or your grades won't be what you want them to. Of course, the weather is almost perfect and pristine, in attempts to lure students away from their studies.
A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
Once again, Ginny found herself in the Teacher's Lounge, fending off the hours of the night with a steaming mug of coffee. There was something to be said about caffeine addictions. Things that made absolute sure that she would never go to sleep before three o'clock in the morning ever again. At the moment, it wasn't really all that late. Well, yet. She still had about five hours of life awake to look forward to. What was she going to do to keep herself occupied? Oh who bloody cared. She just couldn't sleep, and that's all she knew. Especially because of recent events. Recent events that disturbed her to her inner core.
Just thinking about the whole ordeal made Ginny shudder, causing her to take another sip of her coffee. She despised the current situation, more than she could possibly say. Yes, she still had pride toward her family. Well, of course she had pride for her family. Maybe she should rephrase. Even though Percy would be voted Chief Git in all of Britain, he was still a part of her family. And when he was a complete and utter prat, she knew it, and it made her just want to punch him in the face. What was he thinking? He was supposed to be the Headmaster of Hogwarts. How he had ever gotten himself into that position, Ginny was clueless, but he had to actually do something. Was he absolutely blind? Students were bloody dying, and he had done absolutely nothing about the whole ordeal! Just sit back in his nice office with a view puffing on cigars thinking about he was the chief master of the world.
What a prat.
Closing her eyes, Ginny began to hope that she would just be able to float away into a gentle, sleepless state, forgetting about all of her worries and strife. Something told her that wasn't going to happen so easily.
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
Cyrus had long ago decided to stay up until he was positively on the brink of exhaustion before he tottered his way up to his very high tower. How the hell had past Divination teachers made friends when they were sequestered up into seclusion like a monk? They didn't, if his memory of Trelawny was any indication. She was the type to BE reclusive, however, whereas Cyrus rather enjoyed being around people. But it was incredibly bothersome when he was up in his tower and forgot something in the staff room he needed, such as now.
Oh well, it wasn't like he couldn't use the exercise. Tromping up and down those stairs and ladders was certainly helping his endurance, though it was hardly as thrilling as zooming around the pitch chucking bludgers. He wanted to get back out there and practice, but there were typically a lot of kids around and he didn't want to get in their way. Maybe nighttime was a good time to practice....
He idly mused the idea of sneaking off to the pitch at night as he ambled into the staff room. When he saw the light was already on he stopped short and looked around, soon realizing he was not alone. Ginny Weasley was sitting there drinking coffee, looking quite dour. Cyrus idly knew her from Hogwarts, though they had been in different years. Nowadays a two or three year gap was nothing, but when you were 13 and 16 or so, it felt a bit bigger.
"Ginny," he said abruptly and stood there looking at her. "You're up late."
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
Enough was enough. Kaniliel had already spent the entire day in the greenhouses researching the cause of the illness one of her most exotic plants, and her eyes were aching from the bright, obviously enchanted fluorescent lights that kept sentinel watch over her numerous imported species. She needed to be around people again, since flora conversations just weren't the same; though she never had to argue with them, which was always refreshing.
Giving up for the night, Kaniliel made her way back to the castle for a snack and some coffee from the professors' lounge. As she walked by the Whomping Willow, the malevolent tree made an attempt to knock her off her feet. Having learned from past experience, and having taught the tree a lesson or two in the past, she needed only raise her wand over her shoulder as she walked by to make the giant rooted monster cower in her wake. It now remembered who she was and wanted no trouble from her. She thought that perhaps it was the fragment of the Saulus Kanilius plant inside her wand that had such tremendous effects on plantlife, but she didn't know for sure; there was still so much more to learn about the new species she had recently discovered during her expeditions prior to her Hogwarts teaching position.
Hoping to find someone in the lounge, though expecting no one, Kaniliel finally made it to the lounge's entrance door. Muttering the password lest she attract Peeves' unwanted attention, she looked around in virtual paranoia. What she was afraid of, she did not know for sure. Stepping inside, she saw that her wish had been granted. Both Ginny, the new History of Magic professor and Cyrus, the friendly Divination professor were there. Kaniliel wasn't so surprised to see Ginny; the young woman's addiction to coffee was beginning to be quite famous. But Cyrus' presence was a rare and pleasant event.
"Buenas noches, friends. I'm glad to have some nocturnal company after going through every single book and piece of parchment I own about exotic plants and theories about their metabolisms. I'm completely worn out."
Then why don't I just go to bed thought Kaniliel. Something was telling her that she needed to stay awake. She often had these sort of premonitions before, especially when some of her family members went off during the night to spread chaos and trouble with the Dark Lord. Bad things always happened. She really wanted to talk to Cyrus about them, but then she would have to admit that she was related to Death Eaters, and that would not do. Her very career would be in jeopardy, and she couldn't risk that.
Hoping that a conversation would spark to keep her mind occupied, Kaniliel bit into an apple that had been waiting for her in the bowl of fruit on the table. She wanted to promise herself that she would leave for bed within the hour, but she prided herself on keeping her promises and turning in so soon would be a lot harder than she thought possible.
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
Ginny was passing into such a state of comfort at the moment, her eyes closed shut, the smell of coffee wafting up into her nose... She was nearly shocked out of her wits when the door to the Staff Lounge opened, announcing the presence of another teacher. Oh great, someone else to spot her obsessively slurping on her coffee. She had been caught red handed so many times in the past few weeks that her colleagues were probably going to enroll her in a rehabilitation clinic very soon. Caffeine Addicts Anonymous. How fascinating. Caffeine was technically considered a drug, so then they could technically have rehab clinics for it, right? All the same, however, Ginny wasn't sure if she wanted to give up the addiction. It calmed her nerves, even though it was classified as a stimulant.
"Ginny. You're up late," Ginny's new company addressed her. Looking toward the door to see Cyrus Archer, Ginny's eyes went wide. Cyrus Archer! The famous Quidditch player! Her heart did a little drum roll in her ribs, and the urge to start blubbering about how brilliant she thought he was increased. Then again this happened every single time she saw Mr. Archer. She hadn't quite gotten used to it yet, though she knew she should have. A month at the castle already. Had it really gone by that fast? Well, apparently it had. It seemed almost monotonously slow as well, but maybe that was only when she was in the classroom teaching to her zombie students. It was an issue that she would have to learn how to handle eventually. Lest she wished to lecture for hours and hours to a sea of sleeping students.
"Oh, yeah," Ginny replied with a sheepish sort of laugh. "Apparently it's starting to be a tradition for me," she said with a shrug, trying to act natural. Wait, who was that game against? The one where Cyrus had made a completely brilliant shot with one of the bludgers... When Ginny had heard of it, it sounded textbook worthy. She was dying to express her awe to him, but figured he was probably sick of hearing it anyways. But still.
The door opened once again, and another teacher entered the Staff Lounge. Kaniliel Hymnwood entered, looking sufficiently exhausted, but she didn't seem to be on her way to bed at the moment. Maybe she was like Ginny. Just not capable of sleeping before a certain hour no matter how tired she was. Her mother had sent her a letter saying she was suspicious about her daughter's insomnia. "Ginny, dear, you need to sleep more. It's a sign of depression if you never get any rest." Yeah, sure mum. Thanks a lot. That's the last thing Ginny needed at the moment. Her mother thinking that she's depressed. In that scenario, Mrs. Weasley would most certainly attack her from every direction in attempts to make her feel "loved" and "at home" so she could be rid of such horrible, moody feelings. And no matter how many times Ginny would say she wasn't depressed, her mother would continue to coddle her as if she were four years old again.
"Buenas noches, friends. I'm glad to have some nocturnal company after going through every single book and piece of parchment I own about exotic plants and theories about their metabolisms. I'm completely worn out," Kaniliel said, addressing Cyrus and Ginny. Ginny smiled at the woman, taking another sip of coffee. From what she had heard in the corridors about the other teachers, many seemed to have a particular fondness for Hymnwood. And it wasn't just the Gryffindor students either. Ginny would have to ask her for tips if she ever had the opportunity...
"Well, pull up a chair, grab some coffee, the night is young," Ginny said to Cyrus and Kaniliel, laughing slightly. Perhaps they didn't share her obsession with coffee, but it was alright. "What about you, Cyrus?" Ginny asked, once again trying to make casual conversation with the famed Quidditch star. "What brings you here so late?"
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
Ginny seemed surprised to see him, and he blinked in amusement at the shocked expression that flittered across her face. She hadn't been there as long as everyone else, including himself, so perhaps she wasn't used to spending time with so many people around. Then again...she was a Weasely, and if memory served, that was a big family. He didn't know how good of a teacher she was, but he wouldn't rule out the idea that she got the job thanks to her brother, Percy.
However he wasn't going to let that idea sour his thoughts, and it really didn't bother him at all. It was nice to see another familiar face, even if he and Ginny hadn't been friends in Hogwarts. He knew her from watching the Quidditch games, even playing against her sometimes. Perhaps they could become friends now. It was pretty lonely now that Lissy had left and gone home, so Cyrus didn't have regular visitors anymore aside from his students.
"Oh, yeah," Ginny replied with a sheepish sort of laugh. "Apparently it's starting to be a tradition for me," she said with a shrug.
Cyrus smiled and ambled over to a unit on the wall with little cubbies for all the teachers, taking out an envelope and tucking it into his shirt before turning around. "Well at least I'll know where to find you if ever I feel like talking in the middle of the night." He glanced around and saw the pot of coffee that Ginny had made and decided he may as well pour himself a cup too. "I hope you don't mind if I join you," he said.
It was then that Miss Hymnwood wandered her way inside with her usual bright spirits. Cyrus wondered if she was continually performing cheering charms on herself.
"Buenas noches, friends. I'm glad to have some nocturnal company after going through every single book and piece of parchment I own about exotic plants and theories about their metabolisms. I'm completely worn out."
Cyrus chuckled as he took a seat in one of the plushy armchairs with his warm cup of coffee in hand. He took a sip as Ginny welcomed the other woman to join them, then looked up when he heard his name.
"What about you, Cyrus?" Ginny asked. "What brings you here so late?"
"Ah...Well, I just came down to get something for my classes," he said, patting his chest where he'd tucked the envelope. "Forgot it when I went up before." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, blinking again at the short length of it. He kept expecting it to go further, but it didn't.
He rested his head on his fist and his elbow on the armrest, looking from one woman to the other. How come the teachers weren't that attractive when he was thirteen? "So how've you two been?" he murmured gently.
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
At Ginny's invitation, Kaniliel took a seat near her two fellow professors. She took no coffee, knowing that if she did, she would not get any sleep at all that night. A quiet "so how've you two been" came from Cyrus. She gladly obliged!
"Well, the one who you could call my boyfriend finally came out of the hospital wing, so I guess that counts as excellent news. On the lame side, some of my rarest plants are coming down with this strange disease and I have no idea how to go about it. I've been looking everywhere for an answer, or at least clues that could lead me to a cure that would surely benefit the Herbology community as a whole. Time is of the essence, and I'm at a loss. The plants are not endangered species, but they are extremely hard to get to. They come from very remote areas that possibly even Harry Potter would refuse venturing into! I'll just try breeding a few in the morning, and hope the disease doesn't spread to the seedlings. Worst-case scenario, of course. I'd rather find the cure."
Kaniliel summoned a robe catalogue from one of the coffee tables at the far end of the room and started browsing it, but quickly lost interest. Without Catella Indreve, it just wasn't the same. She was also too worried to try occupying her mind with trivial things such as robes, no matter how pretty they are...
So she tried changing the subject, and only one came to mind now that she was thinking of Catella. "Dynamics have obviously changed since Minerva left. Headmas -- oh for Merlin's sake -- Percy... Percy definitely has a... different way of dealing with things. I know it isn't my place to say anything, though I will say it nonetheless. My apologies, Ginny, but I don't think your older brother is cut out for academic leadership. I do not know what he is prioritizing through his actions, but it definitely isn't either students or the advancement of knowledge, both of which are crucial to the good functioning of a school. If I had half a mind to give Percy a piece of it... I'd turn him into moss! Again, with no intention of offence to you, but he's still a child on many terms. His ambitions make no sense."
Having said her piece, Kaniliel quietly went back to nibbling on her apple. It felt good to vent againt the new headmaster, whom she clearly disliked and had no respect for. If he ever so much as hinted for changed in her Herbology curriculum, she would seriously consider turning him into the most boring and disgraceful-looking form of vegetation in existence: moss.
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]"So how've you two been?" Cyrus quietly asked. How had Ginny been? Well, now THAT was a loaded question. There was always a simple answer if you wanted to be straight forward, blunt, and honest, but Ginny didn't exactly prefer to be so. She could hardly say that she intimately knew her compainions. Sure she had seen them around, sure they had said hello a few times, but she had never actually sat down and had a real conversation with them. Real meaning one that didn't consist on the weather, students, or small talk. Real was when the true secrets were revealed, when the real person and what made them tick was exposed. Ginny didn't like this level of conversation at the current time, and would avoid it as much as humanly possible. No one really knew she had anything to hide, so no one really had to ask, now did they?
"Well, the one who you could call my boyfriend finally came out of the hospital wing, so I guess that counts as excellent news," Ginny nearly dropped her coffee cup at the mention of Kaniliel's boyfriend. Since her arrival at the school, she had heard about Kaniliel's relationship with another one of the teachers. A teacher that Ginny had inconveniently met before. And flirted with. Shamelessly. She hadn't known that he was in a relationship! She had been at Hogwarts a total of a few days! It was Jake's job to inform her of that. Which reminded her, she had a bone to pick with him. Do a little yelling, throw a couple chairs... How could he do that? Pretend that he was completely free as a lark when he was dating someone that Ginny would be working with! It was completely insane. Ridiculous. Uncalled for. "On the lame side, some of my rarest plants are coming down with this strange disease and I have no idea how to go about it. I've been looking everywhere for an answer, or at least clues that could lead me to a cure that would surely benefit the Herbology community as a whole. Time is of the essence, and I'm at a loss. The plants are not endangered species, but they are extremely hard to get to. They come from very remote areas that possibly even Harry Potter would refuse venturing into! I'll just try breeding a few in the morning, and hope the disease doesn't spread to the seedlings. Worst-case scenario, of course. I'd rather find the cure." Ginny tried to listen to the rest of Kaniliel's speech, but found herself severely distracted ever since the mention of Jake. Merlin, what had she been thinking? No wait, what had HE been thinking! As far as Ginny was concerned she hadn't done anything wrong.
"Dynamics have obviously changed since Minerva left. Headmas -- oh for Merlin's sake -- Percy... Percy definitely has a... different way of dealing with things. I know it isn't my place to say anything, though I will say it nonetheless. My apologies, Ginny, but I don't think your older brother is cut out for academic leadership." Oh yes! Thank Merlin for the change of topic. Ginny had thought she was going to die. Now. Onto Percy. Another fascinating subject of discussion.
"Here here," Ginny injected, raising her coffee cup in a form of toast to Kaniliel.
"I do not know what he is prioritizing through his actions, but it definitely isn't either students or the advancement of knowledge, both of which are crucial to the good functioning of a school. If I had half a mind to give Percy a piece of it... I'd turn him into moss! Again, with no intention of offence to you, but he's still a child on many terms. His ambitions make no sense." Ginny tried to stifle a snicker, but couldn't find herself able to. Turning Percy into moss? Seriously, Ginny would pay Kaniliel to do that.
"Percy's always been a chief git," Ginny replied, taking another sip of coffee. "I mean I know he's family and I shouldn't be talking bad about him, but, well...you reach a certain point where you can't help but say anything. I think I've reached that point. I don't even know how he ever managed to be Head of Hogwarts. Percy never mentioned wanting to take Dumbledore's position when we were younger." Ginny nibbled on her lip for a moment. "And trust me. He was very vocal about his goals. My other brother, Ron, and I caught him looking at this book once, Prefects Who Gain Power. When we saw that we thought he was going to try and take over the world, but...apparently he likes young children too much." The last part was dripping with sarcasm. Percy? Liking children? What alternate universe was this?
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
To be honest Cyrus had only been expecting a "Fine" or something similar to his question. Instead he got an entire description of events from Kaniliel, and unfortunately nothing from Ginny. When Hymnwood mentioned that her boyfriend had left the hospital wing, Cyrus did a double-take. She had a boyfriend? There, at the school? That meant it had to be a teacher. Who had been in that wing recently....
Draco?
That was an interesting mental image. Miss Sunshine with Mister Doom-And-Gloom. Well, if opposites did attract, they were a poster couple for the concept. Of course that reminded Cyrus of his very single state, and also reminded him he hadn't even kissed a girl in a very, very long time. Boy that was depressing. He almost wished he could go back to those days when there would be women lined up around the back door of the changing rooms and he could pick whichever one he wanted.
If he had actually wanted to at the time. He hadn't, but looking back now, he wish he had. At least he would have got something. Maybe that idea of nice guys finish last held some truth, since he knew that Draco had been anything but a nice guy in school. Meanwhile Cyrus was respectful and friendly, and all he got was dumped.
He was lost in his melancholy thoughts enough that he didn't really pay attention to the discussion about Percy. True the guy was a prick, but that was all Cyrus really had toward him. He'd never really even talked with the man one on--
Suddenly his train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a sudden mental image. A vision. Well it was about time, he hadn't had any in a very long while. Either way, the first thing he saw was burning buildings. The ones that were extinguished were smoking, skeletal remains of places he recognized. The Three Broomsticks, Zonko's, Honeyduke's, all of them were crumbling masses on the ground. Worst yet, there were bodies. In the streets, dead. He could smell burning flesh from inside the desecrated houses. Hogsmeade was in ruins...and illuminating the destroyed village was an eerie green light. Its source hung high in the heavy hair. The Dark Mark.
Just as suddenly Cyrus landed on his back on the hard, stone floor of the office. He let out small grunt, then he groaned and rubbed his head. Then another pain began to grow, as he realized he had just spilled hot coffee on his chest.
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
Really, Kaniliel had too much faith in other people. Whenever asked, she would open like a blossom in the sun with no worries that the other person might use information against her. Not that she had anything to hide aside from her parental affiliations with Dark Lord admirers (some of his biggest fans and servants were unfortunately related to her by blood, as close as her parents and aunts). She surprised herself at the amount of confidences she had just spilled before Ginny and Cyrus; however, Kaniliel had to admit that she could've picked a much worse crowd to confide herself in.
Expecting some sort of huffed up, frustrated reply from Ginny about her comments on Percy, Kaniliel received quite a pleasant surprise. Instead, the headmaster's sister gave here a hearty "Here here," confirming her stance on how family doesn't have to support each other all the time. If at all.
"Percy's always been a chief git," Ginny replied, taking another sip of coffee. "I mean I know he's family and I shouldn't be talking bad about him, but, well...you reach a certain point where you can't help but say anything. I think I've reached that point. I don't even know how he ever managed to be Head of Hogwarts. Percy never mentioned wanting to take Dumbledore's position when we were younger." Ginny nibbled on her lip for a moment. "And trust me. He was very vocal about his goals. My other brother, Ron, and I caught him looking at this book once, Prefects Who Gain Power. When we saw that we thought he was going to try and take over the world, but...apparently he likes young children too much."
Kaniliel almost choked on the piece of apple she was trying to swallow. Now that was just too rich! Percy? Liking young children? "Pfffft! If he likes young children too much, I'd hate to see what he does to people or things he doesn't like!"
Turning to Cyrus to see if he was partaking in the rigolade, Kaniliel noticed that yet again, the Divination professor was deep in thought and not really paying attention. Bah, perhaps he had foreseen this conversation ten minutes ago, so it's all old news, Kaniliel thought to herself. Then the man's expression changed before he was propelled by some invisible force onto his back, knocking his head on the floor. His coffee had followed him, staining his chest a dull light brown. Kaniliel's sharp intake of breath was soon released with relief as Cyrus woke up almost instantly after his fall. The man swore, but no one could blame him.
"Cyrus... Is everything fine? Please tell me that was something along the lines of a vision and not some sort of strange new unknown illness," she said, hurrying to his side to help him up. "Did you see anything? Can you tell us about what you've seen?"
Kaniliel was dying to get any kind of information tied to Jake's strange behaviour. Any clue or hint would allow her to decipher the weird happenings.
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
Ginny snorted as Kaniliel almost choked on the apple she was eating. The Herbology Professor couldn't have thought Ginny was serious? Percy liking children was like Professor Snape handing out lollipops to all the little kiddies. What was old Snapey up to nowadays, Ginny had to wonder? She hadn't really heard much about the slimy git since he had fleed from Hogwarts. Perhaps he was "laying low". Or maybe he was in the group of Death Eaters that were wreaking havoc on the wizarding world. That was exactly the place that you would find a slippery, scummy creature like dear Severus Snape.
"Pfffft! If he likes young children too much, I'd hate to see what he does to people or things he doesn't like!" Ginny laughed, but figured that people Percy "didn't like" would be better off. As far as Ginny knew, he just ignored them. Like he ignored their family. What a git. Slimy, jerk. Scum sucking alien. Yes, all of them applied to dear Percival Weasley. Percival. He didn't even deserve that name. It was too strong a name, too chivalrous. Not worthy of Percy.
Ginny had been taking a long sip off coffee when Cyrus started to get his vision, but once he fell to the floor, Ginny nearly choked, and quickly dropped her coffee, spilling the dark black liquid all over the table. "Bloody hell!" Ginny whispered, both about the coffee and about Cyrus's sudden attack. What in Merlin's name was happening? Was he having a heart attack? Could wizards even GET heart attacks? That was an interesting question that Ginny would have to ask the school nurse. Just to see out of curiosity. But now wasn't the right moment. Maybe she should levitate himand take him right up to the Hospital Wing! Was that what he needed! Ginny really had no idea. The only person that she had experienced having such strange attacks was Harry, and that had been a very, very serious case! Hopefully nothing like that was happening!
Cyrus seemed to be awake after his fall, and Kaniliel rushed to his side. "Cyrus... Is everything fine? Please tell me that was something along the lines of a vision and not some sort of strange new unknown illness," she said eagerly. A vision! That was it! Cyrus was the Hogwarts Resident Seer! Why hadn't she thought of that? Here Ginny was thinking that he was possessed by the dark side or something equally terrible. "Did you see anything? Can you tell us about what you've seen?"
"Do you need anything? Water? Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?" Ginny questioned eagerly. Wait, she needed to clean up this coffee. With a wave of her wand, the puddle of coffee was gone, the table as clean as it was before.
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
Cyrus quickly dried the coffee that had spilled onto his shirt before it burned his skin. Perhaps he was overreacting with that, but it was hot nonetheless. Ginny and Kineliel's concern for him was touching but typical, and he wasn't sure he had ever had a vision in front of them, at least not a big one. The big ones were the dangerous ones, the ones that threw him flat on his back on the floor or made him thwak his head against a wall. Little ones just made him topple in his step or something.
This was certainly a big one, and a disturbing one at that.
"Did you see anything? Can you tell us about what you've seen?"
"Yeah, I saw something," Cyrus grunted as he rubbed the back of his head where it had fallen hard against the stone floor. He was about to continue when Ginny interjected as well.
"Do you need anything? Water? Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?"
He quickly shook his head, chuckling slightly despite the resurgence of pain in his skull. "No no, there's no need for that. I'm fine, just a little bump. Can use it for my classes." His mood sombered dramatically as he recalled the vision, wondering how much he should tell the two teachers before him.
"Uhm....About that vision....It wasn't good." He took a deep breath and sat down at one of the chairs again, slouching heavily into the fabric. "It was Hogsmeade, but...it had been destroyed. There was death around. Burning buildings and bodies. And the Dark Mark was in the sky."
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
Cyrus cleaned his shirt and got up while Ginny took care of the spill on the table, making Kaniliel useless. The History professor's questions seemed a bit exaggerated and foolish, given that it had only been a vision though a very big one by the looks of it. Cyrus was even smiling, so it couldn't have been so bad. And as he said, he could use the new bump for show and tell.
Kaniliel listened intently as he described his vision. "Uhm....About that vision....It wasn't good." He took a deep breath and sat down at one of the chairs again, slouching heavily into the fabric. "It was Hogsmeade, but...it had been destroyed. There was death around. Burning buildings and bodies. And the Dark Mark was in the sky."
At first, Kaniliel had no idea as to how she should take his words. She wasn't really one to believe in premonitions, but she reminded herself that her doubts were based mainly on the fact that the Seer industry had a good many quacks. If Cyrus' vision had Truth in it, they should all be very weary. It also meant that her aunt Camellia was up to no good.
"Hogsmeade destroyed? With the Dark Mark in the sky..."
Kaniliel thought for a moment, then adressed another question. "Cyrus, are your visions usually literally, or figurative? I mean, do events occur exactly as you foresee them, or are they simply metaphors for what's to come?"
Her mind was racing. Hogsmeade was a place everyone cherished, so in a way it was very logical for the Death Eaters to strike there. But to serve what end? What were they after? And who would stop them? Definitely not the Ministry; their inefficiency was becoming some parody of a legend across Europe. Kaniliel was incredibly impressed by Cyrus' ability to remain so calm after seeing such a terrible event. He looked grave, that was for sure, but had she been in his shoes, surely she would be a nervous strategizing wreck. Then again, he had probably gotten used to seeing things happen before they did.
Knowing Ginny's family had been involved in some of the wars, Kaniliel was interested to know what she thought of the vision and its significance.
Edited by: Kaniliel Hymnwood at: 2/1/06 12:13 pm
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]"Uhm....About that vision....It wasn't good." Ginny's eyes snapped up from the spill on the counter and back to Cyrus and Kaniliel. A vision? A bad one? Cyrus was a seer, you had to rely on the fact that his visions would most likely come true. And even if they didn't, certain precautions had to be taken. But then again to what extent could they change the future? Maybe they could try as hard as possible, with all the effort in the world, but it would never make a difference. Imagine being so lost, so powerless in such a large and tragic world. The thought made Ginny swallow hard and painfully. "It was Hogsmeade, but...it had been destroyed. There was death around. Burning buildings and bodies. And the Dark Mark was in the sky."
Ginny stopped breathing. Hogsmeade in ruins? With the Dark Mark. People dead. Was it during a Hogsmeade weekend? Would those lost souls be children?! Speechless, Ginny covered her mouth with her hand in shock, and took a seat at the table again. This wasn't happening. It couldn't happen. The wizarding world had taken enough blows already. They couldn't afford to be hit right at the center of magical society, in the only entirely wizarding village in the country! She could only hope that the students weren't endangered, or Hogwarts could be closed down all together. But then again, by who? The Ministry? No. They were all too incompetant to do anything. And Percy? Like anyone could rely on him. Ginny suddenly realized that they were completely and utterly alone. Any resistance would have to come from the common people. Lest they wished for their entire world to go up into flames.
"Hogsmeade destroyed? With the Dark Mark in the sky..." Kaniliel repeated. It sounded almost worse the second time around. "Cyrus, are your visions usually literally, or figurative? I mean, do events occur exactly as you foresee them, or are they simply metaphors for what's to come?" A just question indeed, but the only visions Ginny had really experienced were Harry's, and they had mostly come true to the dot. With the exception of the false vision of Sirius being tortured that Voldemort had injected into Harry. This couldn't be a work of Voldemort though. He was dead, long gone, long ago. And how would he be channeling through Cyrus?
"I don't think it matters," Ginny replied softly. "I mean, no matter what it means something bad is going to happen." Congratulations Ginny. Way to state the obvious. Feeling her stomach sinking, she stood up and began to pace around slowly, feeling more nauseaus with every step. "I don't understand how the Ministry can just sit back while everything is happening. They haven't done a thing! The Hogwarts Express was attacked, a student died from Dragon Pox, Percy won't do anything, and they're apparently not going to do anything to make him!" The frustration and fury was bubbling up within her. "It's ridiculous. Positively ridiculous. The only way...oh Merlin it sounds so impossible," Ginny said, feeling foolish for even thinking about it. But was there any other way, any other option? Even if it was just a precaution at the moment, the Death Eaters had still begun to simmer and wreak havoc.
"Have either of you ever heard of the Order of the Phoenix?" Ginny asked, turning back toward the table to face Cyrus and Kaniliel.
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]"Cyrus, are your visions usually literally, or figurative? I mean, do events occur exactly as you foresee them, or are they simply metaphors for what's to come?"
For some reason Cyrus thought that statement to be incredibly amusing. Metaphorical visions? If only. Dream about a bird and he'd just be taking a trip. But no, it wasn't like that. He chuckled darkly and reached up to hold his forehead. "No, I'm afraid they're not like that at all. I've never had a figurative dream; they're usually very direct. And unavoidable." He looked up at Kaniliel with his chin in his palm and a tired, melancholic expression on his face. "People are going to die, and Hogsmeade is going to be obliterated."
He waved his other hand and let it flop across the armrest in defeat. "That's that," he mumbled, looking at the ground.
"I don't think it matters," Ginny replied softly. "I mean, no matter what it means something bad is going to happen."
Cyrus grunted in reply to Ginny's ramblings. It was all true, and infuriating. Students were dead, missing, scared, confused. Some had left altogether for their own safety, like his little niece. And none of those in charge were doing anything. Weren't children enough to protect? What did they have to do? What could they do? Was there anything at all? With such an ass like Percy in charge of the school, and the Ministry in an ignorant tumble, everyone else was just waiting. Waiting for death.
"Have either of you ever heard of the Order of the Phoenix?" Ginny asked, turning back toward the table to face Cyrus and Kaniliel.
Cyrus looked up from contemplating the ground and stared at her. Order of the Phoenix?
"I don't think so," he said in reply, lowering his brows in thought.
Re: A Recurring Theme [1.25.09 ISO: Kaniliel and Cy!]
The answer to Kaniliel's question was not the one she had wanted to hear. According to Cyrus' vision, Hogsmeade, Hogwarts and its students are in grave, perhaps mortal danger. It was a rather difficult concept to wrap her mind around, yet knowing her family it was very well possible. She shuddered. Despite the warmth of the crackling flames in the fireplace, Kaniliel felt cold; a chill that went down deep into her bones.
She barely heard Ginny's ramblings, and simply tuned them out as she mused about other things. What was going to happen? Was there anything to be done about these events? Surely the visions were simply a warning about what was to come in order to prepare and prevent it, no? That mere thought gave her a glimmer of hope.
That same glimmer intensified when Ginny mentionned something that really got Kaniliel's attention and distracted her from the musings.
"The Order of the Phoenix?" She had trouble believing that Cyrus had never heard of the order, but that mattered little. "The unofficial militia group founded by Dumbledore and his closest followers, hell-bent on the destruction of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. I knew of them, though I was in France in those days."
Kaniliel wasn't about to admit that one of the reasons she was in France was because she was in some sort of exile. She knew too much about the Dark Order to be safe in England, not that she was proud of having such knowledge and connections. She wasn't the kind of person who wished ill on anyone, especially not Muggle-borns who were eager and open-minded enough to learn magic. The entire blood issue, in her opinion, was absurd and out-dated. Sure, Kaniliel was a Pureblood herself, but she knew she wasn't any better than anyone else. When people have the power to create their own destinies, blood was of little relevance.
"Ginny... are you suggesting that we re-create the old Alliance?"
Email This To a Friend
Topic Commands
Click to receive email notification of replies
Click to stop receiving email notification of replies