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Post by kaymerrickson on Jan 4, 2007 16:51:23 GMT -5
It was dinnertime, but Kay was nowhere to be found in the Great Hall. Instead, she was wandering aimlessly down the third-floor corridor, trying to avoid her house mates and him. Kay didn't know if she could face anyone at this point, with one of her eyes blackened, a bruise forming on one of her cheeks and another on her neck. They were painfully obvious to anyone who so much glanced at her.
After climbing into her bed last night, she had cried herself to sleep, and this morning, she hadn't even bothered to go to class. The teachers would have most likely asked questions, questions that Kay could not answer, so she just went to the library to do a little bit of research. Kay couldn't find even one single spell that would cover up the bruises, let alone heal them.
She heard a noise at the end of the corridor, like someone was walking toward her, and looked up to see who it was.
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Post by matthias on Jan 4, 2007 18:10:26 GMT -5
Matthias had eaten quickly and left, intending to go back to his dorm and study a bit. Unfortunately, he'd taken a wrong turn when he wasn't paying attention. And then another. And now he was on the third floor. He knew where to go from here, but it would take a while to get back to the common room.
He turned the next corner and saw a girl. She was slightly familiar, but it took a second to figure out who she was. He sped up and caught up to her quickly. "Kay? Um...what happened to your face?" he asked. She was rather bruised, which was why he'd had trouble locating her.
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Post by kaymerrickson on Jan 4, 2007 18:47:59 GMT -5
"Hi Matthias. I was stupid, lets leave it at that," Kay replied, turning to look at the young man. She reached up and twirled a lock of hair around her right index finger, while her left hand rested on her right hip. She had really wished this morning that Matthias wouldn't see her for the next week or so, until her bruises faded enough that they could be covered up with concealer, but now he had, and she really didn't know what he thought of her now, what with her looking like she did. Kay hoped that Matthias would just let the whole thing drop, and that he wouldn't bother her trying to find out what happened. She didn't want to face the wrath of Charon again, because she wasn't too sure that she would come out of it with just a couple bruises.
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Post by matthias on Jan 4, 2007 18:59:04 GMT -5
Matthias raised an eyebrow. She was stupid? And she got that many bruises? "What'd you do, walk into the Whomping Willow?" he asked skeptically. Of course, if she had, she would have had more bruises. And that one on her neck looked less like it came from getting hit and more like from someone trying to choke her. "There has to be more to the story than that you were just stupid," Matthias said, trying to get her to explain. "I won't laugh, don't worry." Although it hadn't sounded like she had done something embarrassing. With 3 half-brothers who did stupid stuff and tried to cover it up, he was generally able to tell when someone had done something embarrassing-stupid and when they'd done something scary-stupid, something that might get them in trouble. And from Kay's tone, he was thinking tht it was more likely to be the second one.
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Post by kaymerrickson on Jan 4, 2007 21:21:13 GMT -5
"No, I didn't walk into the Whomping Willow. I would think I would have a lot more bruises then," Kay replied. She really didn't know how much she could tell Matthias without Charon getting angry at her, and Charon angry was not a fun experience that she wanted to repeat anytime soon. Also, she would probably come out of that fight even more bruised and battered than she currently was. Kay had gotten off rather light, at least in her book. "I just got into a bit of a fight, that's all. I really can't tell you anymore than that, alright?" Kay said.
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Post by matthias on Jan 5, 2007 0:03:37 GMT -5
Matthias' eyebrow didn't raise any higher, but that wasn't for lack of trying. It simply wasn't possible. "You can't tell, or you won't tell?" he asked lightly. It sounded to him like Kay was a bit afraid of whoever she'd gotten into a fight with. Either that, or she just plain didn't want him involved. Although the second was a nice thought, it was too late. She may not have been a very close friend of his, but she was a friend all the same. And that meant that he wasn't going to stand by and let someone beat up on her without some sort of repercussion.
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Post by kaymerrickson on Jan 5, 2007 0:11:01 GMT -5
"I can't and I won't! He'll get me again!" Kay replied. She feared Charon's wrath if word spread about their little altercation in the kitchen last night. It would just end up worse for her in the end, and she really did not want that to happen. Feeling overwhelmed, she just sat down and leaned back against the cool stone of the wall and closed her eyes. She really was starting to get frightened, and she needed to calm down.
Looking up at Matthias, Kay added, "I can't really tell you. He'll find out, and he knows where I'll be at. I don't want to be hurt again," and her eyes were pleading with him to just let the matter drop. Charon might even hurt him too.
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Post by matthias on Jan 5, 2007 0:30:55 GMT -5
Matthias sat down next to kay. Whoever it was that had done this to her, he had definitely done his job well. Not only was she beat up, but it seemed that he'd scared her into submission as well. Matthias did the same thing that usually helped his half-brothers calm down when they were rather scared. He put his arm around Kay and pulled her in against him. "It'll be all right. He won't find out if I don't pass on the information, and I promise I won't. And if he does find out somehow, I'll protect you," he promised. Whoever had done this to her would pay. Something like this went beyond loyalty to friends. No one had the right to hurt and scare another pereson so badly.
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Post by kaymerrickson on Jan 5, 2007 0:57:59 GMT -5
Kay just leaned against Matthias, taking comfort from his gesture. He really was a sweetheart, and he had promised not to tell anyone, so Kay started to tell what exactly had happened last night in the kitchens.
"Last night, I was up late studying for my exams, and I got a little bit hungry, so I headed down to the kitchens. Another Ravenclaw was there, so I introduced myself and asked if I could sit down. Well, I was trying to get a conversation started, because it was really awkward to just sit opposite of someone and to not converse, but he never really responded. I got a bit mad, and pulled my wand, and then he started hitting me, so I fought back. Finally, he pulled a poker out of the fire and threatened me with it, and then told me not to go to the Hospital Wing and to not tell anyone or otherwise he would make me pay. He then Stunned me, and left me to wake up on my own this morning," Kay said.
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Post by matthias on Jan 5, 2007 1:12:47 GMT -5
Matthias was shocked. True, she'd sort of started things by pulling out her wand. BUt to start hitting her was a gross overreaction. And threatening her like that...that was just really, really low. Whoever this bugger was deserved to be taken down a notch or two, and Matthias was more than ready to help with that, if he could. Though he should be able to. He had plenty of practice fighting his younger brothers. Those little buggers could be rather tough. Of course, if Matthias didn't know who'd hurt Kay, he really couldn't do anything.
"Will you tell me who it was?" he asked gently. He was sure that she'd try to discourage him if she knew what he was thinking of, so he did his best to keep his tone neutral.
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Post by kaymerrickson on Jan 5, 2007 1:27:28 GMT -5
"Charon. Charon Holler, I think. He's a seventh-year Ravenclaw, in my own house. I'm not even safe in my common room. Please, you can't tell anyone. It can't get back to him that I told someone," Kay said, almost getting hysterical. She did not want to be hurt again, and the next time would be worse. He would have time to plan, and that would only ensure Kay would be hurt worse. She started sobbing quietly, something she had never done in front of anyone besides family.
A thought suddenly crossed her mind, and looking up into Matthias' face, she asked, "You are not going to go after him, are you? You can't! You'll just get hurt too! Promise me you won't go after him, alright? Please, just promise me that."
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Post by matthias on Jan 5, 2007 2:43:07 GMT -5
Crap. She'd guessed his plan. Matthias didn't want to lie to her, but he didn't want to worry her, either. The only possible way out was to avoid answering. Luckily, her crying had given him something he could use for that.
He pulled her in a little closer and brought his other arm around her. He did his best to calm her again, saying, "Shhh...it'll be ok. I won't tell anyone. He'll never find out that someone else knows, ok?" All attempts at calming Kay aside, he was sort of enjoying her holding her like this. Which was not something to be dwelling on now.
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Post by kaymerrickson on Jan 5, 2007 16:41:48 GMT -5
Kay just leaned further into Matthias' embrace, circling her own arms around his waist and burying her face into his shoulder, sobbing. It had just been too much for her over the last day, and it felt nice to just get it off her chest, but still, what if Charon found out? What would he do to her? What would he do to Matthias?
After awhile, she stopped crying, and started to pull herself together. Even though it felt rather good to just sit there, being held by Matthias, she was mortified beyond relief since she had sobbed into his shoulder, so she broke out of his embrace, sat up, and said, "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! I can't believe I just did that! I really am sorry!" In her flustered embarrassment, she forgot all about her question he had artfully dodged.
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Post by matthias on Jan 5, 2007 20:09:20 GMT -5
Oh, good. He'd successfully evaded the question. Of course, that had required him to hold Kay for a bit longer, which had been a great sacrifice on his part. Well, maybe not that great a sacrifice. In fact, he had kind of been enjoying it. At least, he was until she'd suddenly pulled away. "That's ok. I don't mind," he said truthfully. "So everything's all good with you?" he asked. "All calm and all now?
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Post by kaymerrickson on Jan 5, 2007 21:31:09 GMT -5
"Yeah, thanks for putting up with all of that. I am really sorry, I barely even know you, and yet I practically launched myself into your arms like that. I don't know what has come over me," Kay replied. She may have seemed calmer on the outside, but inside, Kay was still a wreck. There was no safe harbor for her in Hogwarts, with her attacker being in the same house as her. Hopefully, Matthias would keep his word that he wouldn't tell anyone, because Kay really did not want to know what would happen if he didn't.
"Thank-you though, for just being there. I really appreciate it," Kay added, looking directly into Matthias' face. He really did have such pretty eyes, and Kay almost got lost in them.
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