If it was only that easy

[alfonztytusjedynak]

March 26, 2008
6:48pm

What a month. In like a lion and out like a lamb, or was it supposed to be the other way around? Alfonz didn’t know. The saying was probably muggle any ways, one his mother had picked up from the hospital she worked at from a patient. Either way, Alfonz had had one month he’d never forget. He was lucky to still be employed at Hogwarts, and even luckier to still be alive. For once it looked like things may have been going in his favor…or so he had thought before that night.

“You’re….you’re doing what?!” Alfonz looked in the mirror that was connected to his dresser drawer in his bedroom. Behind him in the mirror, he starred in disbelief at his younger sister. What had she just said to him?!

Everything had been going perfectly. He had swooped into the school a month an a half ago and saved his sister from her own sadness and destruction. It was just as she had done for him when he was in his older years at Drumstrung. Finally, he was paying her back for being there for him when the life he had been given was too much for him, over his head in more ways than one. Finally, they were agreeing on things again, rather than fighting about things. He was even now allowing her to have friends, as long as he approved of them. So, Celina didn’t know he was allowing her to have them, but he knew how to turn the words around enough to show her what kinds of friends she did already have. And now what?!

It was bad enough when she had told him weeks ago that she was hanging around the Hjort girl again. That he couldn’t really help, though he told Celina truths she couldn’t deny but tried to ignore. As long as it was only the girl, Alfonz knew that she’d be easily taken care of in time….especially, since Alfonz had come to conclusions of his own about the sly half blood. It was only with time, and a bit of his own scheming, until she was out of the picture, and out for good. But now this?!

“Celina…” he trailed off turning around to look at his younger sister. “Out of anyone, you’re talking to him again?!” Alfonz just couldn’t believe his luck.

(closed)

[Celina Jedynak]

Celina's head hung low as her brother responded to the news of her and Drew speaking. Had the two friends forgiven one another? Enough by this point to call each other friends again, but they were working on it. Drew had said that not only did she get to judge the worth of a relationship, but he also said that the value increased due to how much work was put into it. So, all Celina could say at that point was that they were working on it. They had just talked a few days before any how, so she hadn't been expecting it to all work out like magic. That would have been too simple, and if she had figured anything out since January was that relationships of any kind were not simple.

And by rekindling the lost friendship, Celina knew that she was betraying her brother. It was a guilt that had been eating at her since she had spoken with Drew that night in the room of requirement. One that she couldn't push away or stop herself from feeling. It was awful, and she had to tell her older brother what she had done. Celina only hoped that Alfonz could get past his anger and disappointment to see that this was something she really wanted. Her original friends back as her friends.

And as it was, he was upset, which she knew would happen. Alfonz turned around to look at her and asked her why she was talking to him again. All she could do was shrug. She wanted to? Was that an answer that she could give her older brother? "I...I..." Celina stumbled over her words, trying to figure out something....anything at all to say.

"He said he was sorry.....that we could work it out....admitted everything you and I have said about him...." Celina said, looking up at her brother and nodding her head. She tried to give her brother a smile of hope, but she could tell that he was still unsatisfied. "We're...Drew and I.....we're just working things though...." Celina sighed, her body sank again as she knew it wasn't what her brother wanted to hear, but at the same time....she had no other explanation for her actions.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

Alfonz walked up to his sister and knelt down so that he could lift her face to meet with his own. His eyes shown concern, but not only for his sister's well being, but for everything she said besides that. "Have you forgotten everything we've discussed this month? Every time you cried, and wanted them back and then agreed with me when I pointed out how untrustworthy they were, how unforgiving they were, and how unintelligent they are?!" He said to her softly. He shook his head at how naive she obviously was, and let her face go with a bit of force shoving it to the side so that she wouldn't look at him.

He said sorry and admitted his faults? Nothing was that easy. Or at least it wasn't supposed to be. If saying sorry cured anything, then they wouldn't have prisons and there would be no rivals between kids and adults alike. If saying sorry worked then he would have done it a long time ago himself with something he found that he too missed. But life just wasn't that easy, and it disgusted him how easily...after everything they had put her through, Celina was willing to let them back into her life. "And you actually believed him? When he said sorry, I've made such a terrible mistake," Alfonz mocked a Drew's voice and paced back and forth a bit in his bedroom. This was absolute bull...

"Working things through? Is that so?" Alfonz said as he scoffed in disgust and finally took a place on his bed next to Celina. His elbows resting on his legs as he buried his face in his hands, he found that he was at a loss. It would have been easy to get rid of the Hjort girl...though the opportunity had not arisen as of that moment, but now Drew Thornton back again? Bugger...

"Celina...what about you warning me to watch out for them? You know what you said...." Alfonz accused of her, taking his face out of his hands and looking at the ground. "You know what you said!" he yelled at her, shaking his head. "Oh...Merlin, Celna! What if he's trying to get you to tell him things about me? What if he is trying to get after me, through you? You never thought of that, did you?" He looked at her, his eyes narrowing.

"If he knows I was here in January, and has probably already spilled...though, you and I both know he doesn't have the proof to back it.....but this could be a really big problem..." he sighed again, thinking about all of what could be done about this but figuring out nothing. This was a disaster.

[Celina Jedynak]

Oh, he was mad. Not as mad as she had ever seen him, but upset enough with her to get near her and lift her face to is so that he could look into her dark eyes with his and burn her soul with the betrayal that she knew he felt. “I..I’m sor…” she tried to apologize to him, but was unable to with him shoving her face to the side and walking away. It hurt slightly, for he used more pressure than Celina was sure he was aware of, and she left her face where it had been turned. His footsteps of anxious pacing back and forth making her even more nervous as the conversation continued.

He continued to talk and banter on about her decision, but what else was there to do. Celina felt as though Drew was speaking the truth, that he did want to try again and be friends like they had. Celina pushed all of the thoughts and everything her and Alfonz had spoke about aside. She was willing to give it another chance with him. So, basically, couldn’t it be that simple?

Alfonz finally took a seat next to her, and she followed his path with her eyes, leaning on to him and holding him tightly as she did so. She was so sorry, but at the same time she wasn’t. Alfonz and Drew could like each other, she just knew it…they had just gotten off on the wrong foot. And Celina knew whole heartedly, that was her fault as well.

“I know…I know what I said…” Celina said, burying her face into Alfonz’s arm. She wanted him to stop talking and throwing all she knew to be true in her face. She hoped truly that Drew wasn’t using her, and he didn’t seem like he was, but she knew the possibility was there. By being his friend again, it didn’t mean she had dropped all knowledge of what the boy knew or what he could possibly do to her brother. He had a lot of power in that area, but Celina figured that if he truly wanted the friendship again, he’d never do anything against Alfonz that would ultimately cause her harm as well.

“He won’t, Alfonz….I promise…we’re just friends again…” she tried to say through his accusations, and then yelling’s. It was getting worse and Alfonz was becoming more angry with every thought he had about it. Celina could tell.

“It won’t be a problem…Alfonz, I swear. There’s no problems…” a tear trickled down Celina’s eye, soaking into Alfonz’s robes. Celina would make sure there were no problems, and she was sure that if Drew wanted the friendship with her back as much as he sounded like he did, he’d make sure of it as well.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

Problem? Problem? No, that was one thing that Celina was right about. There would be no problems because Alfonz would figure something out to fix all of this. It was obvious that there was no one could do the job that they were hired to do: Michael Rolen. It was obvious just by this insolence that he grew a heart. Either that, or lied to him about his feelings towards Thornton.

Either way, he’d be having a discussion with him soon. For all he had done for the boy, he’d done nothing in return. That figured. This school was filled with ambitionless, impure, muggle lovers!

Alfonz’ frustrations were getting the better of him and he tried his best to calm himself. His sisters pleas bore into his skull as he could see how much this meant to her, but at the same time, his insides squirmed with fear he had never known. He had never come so close to losing her in his own mind. What if….what if she left him…for them?!

Woah…he was totally losing it then. That was the most ridiculous thought he had ever had in his life.

After all, who had come to the school, above all odds, and been there for her? And on top of all of that, who had already been at the school….living in her same house…and still left her to be nonexistent?

“Come here…” Alfonz said lightly, encasing his crying sister in his arms and embracing her tightly. “Why…why do you want this…I…I just can’t understand…”

[Celina Jedynak]

Celina curled up into her brother’s arms, engulfing his essence as she did so. He was always so concerned and so scared for her well-being, and she truly loved him for it. She had done so many things in the past that had gotten her hurt, but he was always there to help her through them. Just as she was there for him when he had felt the pressure that their parents and all of Durmstrung had placed upon him. Be the greatest! What was that if afterwards, you couldn’t feel your own heart beat for anyone but yourself and one other? A sister.

Celina didn’t know the full extent, however, of her brother as much as she wished she could. She didn’t understand why he could not forgive or admit to fault as easily as most could when he cared about something. And on top of all of that, Celina wondered sometimes if she was the only thing he even cared about. He seemed not careless, but unable to care, as if something was holding him back. It made her question a few times why her brother was all alone all the time, or why he never really bought anything for himself unless it was essential for living. Sure he had bought things for her, to make her happy and not lonely while she wasn’t with him, but she worried about her brother and how he didn’t seem to enjoy anything just for himself.

In his arms that day, however, she thought none of this. More spite than any other emotion filled her, as Celina just wished he could understand. Why couldn’t he? She wished that she could help him, but all in all, how could you help someone who denied even having a problem.

At least, at that moment, he was admitting that he couldn’t understand. But as Celina embraced him back, holding tightly to his robes continuously soaking them with her tears, she wondered if it was more that Alfonz wouldn’t take the time to understand rather than not being able to. Pushing back a little from him, without leaving their embrace, her watery eyes met his and she looked at him with confusion and frustration on her face.

“Please…try to?” she asked him through her soft cries. “I am so grateful you are here, and I just want you to know that I know what I’m doing…I wouldn’t take either one of them back I didn’t feel it was the right thing to do. I missed them, Alfonz…” she whined a little, trailing off with her words. What else could she say to him to make him understand?

Resting her head back on his chest she hugged him tightly and tried to calm her crying to say more that she felt needed to be said. “I just want you to know them like I do…they are very good people…they just don’t understand sometimes…” her words grew softer as her breath grew deeper. Her eyes were closed, and all she wanted to do was stay in her brother’s arms and listen to his heartbeat. She had never wanted him there to begin with, but now she was grateful for every minute they had spent together.

Now she only hoped she hadn’t jeopardized that by taking back those whom had left her to parish alone.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

She embraced him back, and Alfonz hung on to her as close as he could pushing her long dark hair out of the way so that he was careful not to hurt her. She was already crying, all he needed to do was to inflict pain upon her accidentally.

As they sat there for a minute, Alfonz truly tried to understand, and yet still could not. These two friends had left her to face the entire school of vicious classmates by herself, and worse was that in the end they did exactly opposite friends are supposed to do. They helped cast the stones that ultimately stoned her to the emotional state he now held her in. And she wanted them back?

She pulled away from him, and Alfonz loosened his grasp around her wondering what now she was to say. Plesase try? Alfonz struggled against the urge to shake his head in disagreement. No. He wouldn’t stand for it. He wouldn’t try to understand something that couldn’t. It was one reason he found others useless and worthless. They were all backstabbing if they were not your blood. And then, even blood sometimes, didn’t know the roles they were supposed to play. Alfonz thought of their father, and cringed.

“I hope you do…” he answered his sister looking back into her watery eyes. And he genuinely meant it. Alfonz did hope his sister knew what she was doing, but every cell in his body told him otherwise. He didn’t believe for a second that she wasn’t just doing as she always did. What always had gotten her in trouble in the past…Trusting those whom should not have ever been trusted. One too many times it had almost got her killed…or worse. It felt like he was constantly protecting her…and based on their father’s teachings protecting her was his job as her older brother.

To protect her from those who play the system as the Jedynak family did: protection from being used.

I just want you to know them like I do…they are very good people…they just don’t understand sometimes…

As his sister last spoke and then went back to laying on his chest, he yet again wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight and put his face down to the top of her head. He kissed her lightly on top of her ebony locks, and turned his face to lay it upon her head. A smirk, curling at the corner of his lips.

Know them? She wanted him to know them as she did? Why hadn’t he thought of that before?! It was ingenious! It was a plan worthy of his naïve sister’s brains. Yes, he would know them, and would get to know them. Ah, sweet tunes sounded in his ears of victory! And now all he had to do, was set the trap…

“Alright, we’ll do it your way,” Alfonz said softly, as if not to alarm her. She was finally calm, resting within his arms again and he didn’t want to stir the peace that was finally there. “I’ll get to know them…for you.”

[Celina Jedynak]

Moments of silence past between the two, as Celina continued to listen to his heart. A welcomed kiss from above made her squeeze him a bit more to know that it was appreciated. He had been her knight in shinning armor for so long, and yet she had never told him how much she appreciated it. As she thought of how to tell him, the light growl of his deep voice broke what silence there was, and he spoke words too magnificent for Celina to even comprehend at first.

He would…would do what? The words racked and echoed in her mind as a huge grin began to grow. It was nothing less than a miracle! Alfonz said that he would get to know both of her close friends, and she squeezed him even more in excitement.

“Really?!” she said, quickly taking her face from his chest to look at him again. It was evident that she was happy, she was sure, but she couldn’t contain the excitement that she was feeling. But how would he get to know them? Maybe they could all hang out sometime, or go broom riding? Celina wasn’t much into that idea, but she knew that Felicity and Drew both rode brooms, hell! They were both on their quidditch house teams! And Alfonz liked riding, that was obvious, but what else could they do if that was out of the question?

“How?!” she asked him, pulling away from him, but still hanging on to him hoping that she hadn’t fallen asleep on his chest and all that was happening wasn’t a dream. “How will you get to know them?” Celina’s mind kept racing, thinking of possible meeting places or times they could go out. People were already swimming in the lake….actually, the Jedynaks weren’t all that much into swimming…Celina just couldn’t believe it.

Alfonz was her hero…and right at that moment, him trying was all she could ever ask of him.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

How? Alfonz deep in thought, barely even noticed his sister slipping out of his grasp to look up at him.

It was a question that he was too, thinking about. There would be thing that would have to be done, parts of the plan that would have to be calculated, but above all else, Alfonz wanted it done as soon as could be. How…how would he meet her friends and get to know them for the true worthless scum that he knew them to be? How would he show her, his younger sister, that fact as well? All good, very good, questions indeed.

Looking back at his sister, she was enthusiastic and extremely excited. He smiled genuinely at her, only a smile that she had ever seen, and wiped some of the tear marks from her slightly damp face. It was only a matter of time before it was wet again, and he knew that to be true. As much as he wished for her to stop crying, he knew she couldn’t help it when her heart was in utter pain. Another drawback of feeling for others, caring about those who don’t care for you in return, and above all else, it was what happened when one had a heart that easily bruised.

Alfonz would not let her live through her hurt alone, though. He planned to allow her that sanctuary of peace as she released her last bit of grief for these people. It would ultimately make her stronger.

Lifting her chin up with one of his fingers, he smiled still and then thought of a great opportunity that was coming up. Celina was turning sixteen in just about a weeks time. Perfect timing, and ultimately, it was probably the perfect gift that he could give her. Freedom.

Freedom from those wretches whom did nothing but hurt her. It was perfect.

“How about…on your birthday, Celina? We can all get together for a dinner here in my quarters? What about that?”

Place set. And he was sure Celina would help him, help her, know the ultimate and painful truth about human nature.

[Celina Jedynak]

Telling Alfonz the truth, Celina found, always worked out better in the end then letting her older brother find out for himself. It was true that she was sure he still felt a bit hurt and betrayed by all of what she had done, but he was slowly accepting it. He couldn’t keep her from seeing her friends, though Celina may have if he really was that angry, but he wasn’t! And now he wanted to meet them, and Celina was sure that it would be the best birthday ever!

“Yes! Oh, Alfonz!” She hugged her brother tightly again, glad that he was finally thinking that he should get to know them. “Oh! Thank you! It will be the best birthday ever….and we’ll decorate, and have a nice, fancy dinner party of sorts! Oh, it will be just fantastic!” she rambled excitedly, but she couldn’t help it. Her brother was going to try, and she could hardly contain her excitement about it.

Pulling away from him and getting off the bed, she walked in front of him smiling and looking at herself, and the clothing she wore. “Oh! What will I wear?!” she asked him, knowing that she really had nothing new that she could show off. And shoes? Well, she was known for having maybe one too many pairs, but what would match something nice enough for her sixteenth birthday? “Oh, dear…”

She looked at Alfonz and smiled sweetly. “I suppose it doesn’t matter now…I’m so excited, Alfonz…Thank you!” She jumped in place a little and danced around, making her skirt flare a bit and her hair flutter around her shoulders. Stopping she went back and gave her brother one last hug.

“I think I should be going now though…we have a lot to prepare for! I’ll need to send out some invites and…” but that was all she said as her brother then playfully placed his hand over her mouth to quiet her.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

“Yes, yes…so many things that have to be prepared in such a short time. I know,” Alfonz smiled at his sister, whose mouth he covered. There was much to do. Somehow on that night, he would have to expose Hjort and Thornton for whom they really were, but how? He had no idea as of yet and figured that with sleep and some Brandy, all would come to him. Maybe even a trip to Hogsmeade for some firewhiskey? He’d decide later, but at the moment he had other things on his mind.

“I’ll send out the invitations…I think it would look better, and more as if they were guests among my abode if I did. If you’d like, we can both sign it so that they are not too, intimidated…but I’d like to send them out myself and make them up if that is acceptable to you.”

What he really wanted to do was make sure that the invitations were sent and both the girl and the boy knew first to what they were walking into. A warning? Perhaps Celina had been rubbing off on him a bit too much, but nonetheless, he did want to be the one inviting the two. Not to mention, they’d need instructions on how to find his door…each, with their own, different instructions of course.

“And of course, about what to wear? Nothing but the finest…obviously. You’re turning sixteen…a year before you bloom into a full-blown woman. It is to be a special event, for after that day you have three hundred and sixty four left to be that of a child. What do you say, we go out to Hogsmeade and find you a dazzling new set of dress robes?” Alfonz took his hand off of his sister’s mouth finally, and all she could do was excitedly nod her head and clap her hands over her mouth herself.

Alfonz gave Celina a wink, and pulled her to him to kiss her forehead. “Now be gone with you…there is much preperation that has to be done before your birthday. I want you to be ready as always…Oh! But don’t tell your friends of it yet…we’ll surprise them with the invites, and then you can ask them if they’ll come.” If they’re your friends…they will, Alfonz thought to himself, his grin turning into a smirk, and he laughed just a bit to himself.

“Now, go on…”

[Celina Jedynak]

Celina could hardly believe all of what her brother was saying and offering to do. Her mouth covered all she could do was nod and mumble ‘yes’s. He was offering not only to get to know her friends, but also to help her with the preparation of the party…and buy new clothes for it?! This was more amazing that she could have ever hoped for!

As Alfonz took his hand away and winked at her, all she could do was cover her mouth, jump up and down a bit and giggle. She hadn’t been so excited in a long time. Actually, she couldn’t remember the last time…but the feeling was almost overwhelming and as she was pulled into her brother, her knees gave way a bit, plopping herself upon her brother’s lap and allowing him to kiss her forehead. She was dazed, and hoped that if this was a dream…she’d never wake from it.

“Ok, I won’t tell them yet…I love surprises!” Though the surprise wasn’t for her, per say, she still couldn’t wait to invite her friends to her sixteenth birthday dinner. It would be amazing and she just knew her brother would like them once he got to know them better.

Alfonz laughed, and Celina laughed with him, once more taking her arms and wrapping them around his neck in a giant hug. “Just be on your best behavior, though….ok, big brother?” she asked him sweetly, remembering the night at the pub with the Thorntons. All she needed was another night like that, and especially on her birthday.

Celina got up to leave and with one last look at her brother, giving him a giant smile, she walked down the stairway to the other room, and soon to follow….out the door.
.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

“I’m always on my best behavior…” he said as he hugged Celina back again, feeling that her place with him was in his arms and protected from those who did her wrong. It was only a shame he had to let go.

“Now go, as I said…there’s a lot to be done. I mean, just look at this place? It’s a disaster…” another wink, and a pat on her bum as she left his lap, Alfonz rested an elbow on his leg, leaning his face on his fist as he watch the younger Jedynak part from his company.

Yes, such things would happen, and this time, it was he whom would be on his best behavior. Already a plan started to form in his head, and already the contacts he had made at that school would prove…useful. It was almost a shame he’d have to use them so early in his job there at Hogwarts, but if he planned out his actions correctly this time, then it would all be worth it in the end. How quaint…and how utterly, perfect.

As he heard the door shut of his office, he began to laugh and as he did so he fell backwards on his bed, putting his knees up and resting his head on his hands that found their way up and behind him. Yes, soon there would be an end.

Or rather….a beginning.