Off-Limits (Jedynak Siblings)

[alfonztytusjedynak]

July 28, 2000
Other Magical Places - Wizarding Park somewhere near London

Summer days only seemed to be getting hotter in Great Britain as Alfonz Jedynak traveled along side his mother and younger sister back home from a day of shopping in the market for some fruits and vegetables. Alfonz looked around for anything to grab his attention at all, but saw nothing of any interest. Looking back at his mother, he sighed and held out his arms.

“I told you I could carry that for you, mum,” he said to her as Elizabeth Jedynak struggled with the paper bag filled with oranges, apples, broccoli and cucumbers. “It’s really not a problem.” Alfonz tried to take the bag from her, but she only held it away from him and shook her head.

“Now why would I want to do that. We’re in a park, Alfonz, why don’t you play around like your sister is doing?”

Alfonz looked at his sister and rolled his eyes. Celina was outgoing, always laughing, and always annoying. She would always dance around, and scream for anyone she could get attention from to watch her dance and play, jump and turn, and all together act like the little eight year old brat that she was. “I’d rather not...” Alfonz said, as his mother could only chuckle.

Keeping walking, he ignored his sisters pleas for attention, for someone to watch her and shoved his hands in his pockets. His brow sweat, and all he really couldn’t wait for was to be home again where he could speak to his father about getting himself a new broom. The school brooms were terribly uncomfortable and he couldn’t imagine ever getting quidditch captain on something so insufficent.

This would be Alfonz’s fourth year attending Drumstrung, and he was ready. Ready to yet again laugh in the face of any challenger, and accomplish any goal. Alfonz was always fearless and always ready to stump anyone who got into his way. His father was always telling him that he was above all competition, and anyone who dared get in his way. He was a Jedynak, old blood, in other words, he was the future of all purebloods. For some reason, that Aflonz just couldn’t figure out, that made him feel good. Powerful even.

[Celina Jedynak]

Nonestop giggling and playing, there were so many butterflies Celina couldn’t wait to catch one! But everytime she tried, they managed to slip away. Celina put her hands on her hips and pouted ever so slightly. Why was it that they never wanted to play with her? Silly butterflies, any ways.

Celina looked up from her spot in the park and saw that her brother and mother were walking further away from her. “Oh! Wait up!” she pleaded, her tone whinny as if they were truly going to leave her behind.

She ran fast after them, the dress robes her mother had helped her in that morning not even slowing her down one bit. Niether was the white shawl that covered her bare arms, for the robes were sleeveless and for summer use especially. The light pink of the robes only accented the pink flower barret that her mother had also helped her put in her black hair that morning. All together, the outfit looked nice, but didn’t keep her from doing anything she didn’t want to do.

A bench came up before her two companions and as she passed them with her running, she jumped up on the bench, unaware of whatever her brother and mother were speaking of. “Look! Ma’ma, look!” she said as she got on the very back of the bench and balanced herself on the ledge. “Alfonz! Look at me! I’m flying, too!” Her giggles could have been infections, but Alfonz wasn’t looking. He never looked. Always such a spoil sport!

Again, her hands found their way on her hips as she pouted, giving a bit of a ‘humph’ as she did so. No one ever paid attention. Getting down from off of the bench, she ran right up to her broher and linked arms with him. “Alfonz...you weren’t looking!” she exclaimed loudly in her poutiest voice ever. Celina just couldn’t imagine why he didn’t play with her...it wasn’t as if she was doing anything stupid.

Then she ran ahead again, chasing the butterflies and giggling as one landed on the tip of her noes. Celina loved the park, and she loved when they all went out together as a family shopping, and playing in the park. Though, there was one person missing.

“Ma’ma! Ma’ma!” She called over to her mother, before just running up to her too. Looking at her daughter, Elizabeth smiled. “What my child?” she asked her back, taking a moment to free one of her hands to brush the grass out of her youngests hair. Already, Elizabeth could feel Alfonz’s eyes rolling, but she gave him a glare and he stopped immediately.

“Where’s Pa’pa...?” the young girl asked. “How come he never comes out with us to play?” The young girl had asked these questions over and over and every time her mother’s answer was still the same. “He is very busy, child. That is why he cannot come out to play.” A sadness that Celina didn’t understand crossed her mother’s features, and yet, her mother still smiled. It confused her, but she saw no point in ruining her fun by arguing with her mother. “Ok,” she said overly sad like and then ran off to play again. She really did love those dang butterflies.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

All of a sudden, his arm was linked with another’s and he instinctively shook the other person off of him. “Celina...get off of me. Why don’t you leave me alone?!” he shot back at her, to only meet a pouty angry face that she rolled his eyes at again.

“Stop Alfonz,” Elizabeth said as Celina ran off to play elsewhere. “You know, someday, you’ll....” Alfonz interrupted his mother’s scolding. “I know, I know....someday I’ll really miss her if something were to ever happen....” Alfonz mocked his mother’s voice and made a face. Elizabeth wasn’t pleased, but she wasn’t about to yell at him any at the park. “Don’t give me that,” she said. “She’s your only sister....you know how important family is, your father stresses that a great deal. She’ll be the only one there for you forever.” Elizabeth stopped and pointed a finger into Alfonz’s chest playfully. “Whether you like it or not, mister,” she gave her son a wink, whom only rolled his eyes in response.

Alfonz didn’t know about that, but as he watched his younger sister, he could only shake his head. What was she doing with her life? He supposed at eight years old, she really didn’t have to worry about it. But he, he had to! Sure he was only thirteen, but there was only four more years left until he was a man, and there was pleanty he had to learn before then. He sighed. Celina did make him laugh though. She was so dumb at times, but when he ever told his mother this she called it childish sillyness....whatever that meant.

As Celina ran back over to them and asked where their father was, Alfonz's rolling eyes were stopped this time by his mother's icy glare. He shrugged his shoulders inresponse to his mother, who only turned her attention back to her daughter. Their father was always busy. Was there any other excuse? Alfonz didn't exactly know what he was busy with, but was scolded when he once asked, something about it being no concern of his what his father was busy with. He took that as it was, and Alfonz never asked again.

Turning back to his mother as they continued walking, Celina running off ahead to chase butterflies again, Alfonz was about to inqure about the new broom that he wanted. Elizabeth always knew the right way to ask Felicks Jedynak about things, and so whenever her children wanted anything, they always went to her first to ask her how to ask their father for something. Their father was a hard but fair man in Alfonz’s eyes, but still, even Alfonz sometimes needed help to get something from him. Unfortunately, the question would go unasked, for the paper bag that Elizabeth was carrying was ripping out in the bottom. “Oh, mum!” Alfonz said as he tried to catch it before it ripped completely on her. His reflexes, however, were too slow and all of the vegetables and fruits went eveywhere on the ground. Some keeper he was.

“Sorry, mum,” Alfonz said, bending to the ground to help pick up the food. “I should’ve had that.” Elizabeth only shook her head. “Don’t worry, my son. I knew it was about to, and yet did nothing myself.” Elizabeth looked up in search for her daughter, whom was still playing in the grass it seemed, chasing after little bugs. “Celina, my dear!” Elizabeth called out to her. “Come help us pick up the food and carry them, won’t you?”

Alfonz continued to pick up the fruit, noticing as one orange seemed to roll past him down the small hill that they had been walking on. “Yea, squirt....go get that one,” he called over to Celina, who wrinkled her noes at the name he called her, but still followed his command. Alfonz went back to picking up the fruit in front of him, paying no more attention to his younger sister.

[Celina Jedynak]

Slowly....slowly....Celina had one butterfly in sight as it rested on a flower, stretching it’s beautiful wings. If only she could catch it and save it for her father, maybe then he’d see how fun it was to be out in the park, running and laughing, chasing and jumping. It would be so wonderful if he could join them as well. But as Celina edged closer, her mother’s calls disturbed the resting butterfly and it flew off down the hill towards the wooded area of the park. Poo! Celina thought to herself as she placed her hands on her hips and pouted again. And she was so close that time, she could already feel the flapping of the little butterflies wings in her hands.

Turning around to see what her mother wanted, she saw Alfonz and her scrambling to pick up the food that they had just bought at the market. What happened? Before Celina could run over and ask though, her mother was asking her to help pick the fruit up and carry it. Celina nodded and started to walk over to where they were on the ground.

Yea, squirt...get that one

Celina’s mouth dropped and her hands went quickly to their home on her hips as she stood crooked like and wrinkled her nose and face. Had he just really called her that name! “I’m not a squirt!” she yelled in protest, but by that time he had, yet again, stopped paying any attention to her at all. Celina sighed. That figured!

The orange that past Alfonz was now quickly rolling down the hill toward the wooded area and she could only shake her head, and run after it as well. Running faster and faster as she made her way down the hill, she spread out her arms like an eagle and screamed a joyful yowl. As she reached the bottom of the hill, and against the tree where the orange had stopped, she laughed to herself and wanted to do that again. Of course, there was no time, and she had a job to do.

Bending over to pick up the orange, she caught sight of something very colorful just beyond the forests edge. Celina looked up and cocked her head, her mouth opened as an ‘Ooo’ escaped her lips. It was the prettiest pink flower she had ever seen in her life. She didn’t know what it was, but Celina knew right away that she had to have it! Her father would definitely come out and play with them if she brought him back such a great flower!

Picking up the orange and carrying it with her, she walked into the forest to obtain the flower. As she walked over to it and picked it, there were more flowers just like it, and Celina could only imagine how her father would react if she had a whole boquet of them, and so she walked in further to gather as many flowers as she could carry.

In the shadows, however, Celina never noticed another was watching her. Quietly as Celina was bent over, the boy approached her from behind, not caring of who she was, nor of what family she came. He was bored, and was looking for a good time.

Celina stood up straight, looking at the wonderful flowers she had picked and brightly smiled, knowing how pleased her father would probably be. It wasn’t until a few minutes later, when she found that her small body was being turned around and thrown up against a tree that she realized that she might have not wanted to go into the forest, after all.

A small scream escaped her lips as the impact of being thrown against a tree made her drop all of the flowers and the orange that were still in her hand. Immediately following her scream, a hand was forcefully placed over her mouth. “Quiet now, little one…” a deep, eerie voice said to her as he placed his one finger over his mouth to hush her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He smiled, and Celina felt a chill run over her body. What was going on?

[alfonztytusjedynak]

What was taking her so long?

Alfonz and his mother stood at the top of the hill waiting at least ten minutes for Celina to come back from wherever she had gone to get the stray orange. “Celina?! Celina!” Elizabeth called and looked around, arms filled with all the vegetables and fruits that had fallen onto the ground.

Alfonz went the opposite way, looking around bushes and trees that were outside of the wooded area. There was no way Celina would have gone wandering in the woods, she knew she wasn’t allowed in there, but Alfonz got a weird feeling that she may have. Looking to where her mother was, he saw that she was distracted and so he decided to slip in to take a peak at what was going on.

“Celina?!” Alfonz called out softly to his younger sister so that his mother wouldn’t hear. All he needed was for her to worry that he was getting lost as well. Alfonz turned his head, not sure where exactly his sister had gone, and didn’t really see anything within the part of the woods he had walked in that was unusual.

Turning around, Alfonz left the woods only to find his mother now looking for him as well. “Alfonz! Celina!” she exclaimed, obviously freaking out a bit that both of her children within minutes had gone missing.

“Mum…Mum!” Alfonz exclaimed as he ran towards her and grabbed onto one of her arms lightly. “I’m right her..” Alfonz started as he was interrupted by his mother’s scolds. “Where do you think you were going?! I told you the woods were off limits! There are dangerous people out there…” Elizabeth would have brought him into her arms if she wasn’t carrying the food. Instead, she kissed the top of his head and sighed. “Now, where’s your sister?” she asked as if he knew.

Alfonz shrugged, but then froze. His ears perked he moved and cocked his head at the wooded area. “Did you hear that, mum?” he asked as he listened even closer, both Jedynaks were silent as they could be.

Shuffling, and then a bit of a scream.


Celina was in the woods….and she was in trouble!

Elizabeth dropped the vegetables, but before she could even get five feet from where she stood Alfonz had taken off like lightning, and disappeared into the dense foliage.

[Celina Jedynak]

“Alfonz, wait!” Elizabeth cried but by that time it was too late.

Celina could hear her mother’s calls, and her brother’s pleas for her to answer, but the boy whom held her mouth covered would allow her that option. Her eyes moistened with salty kisses that were about to run down her cheek. “Quiet now…I’m not gonna hurt’cha,” the boy said, as he began to get closer and closer to her. What he was doing, she didn’t know but she shut her eyes tightly.

Her shawl flew off of her in one foul swoop of the boy’s hand. He had grabbed it and thrown it to the side, obviously not worried about those calls from the family members that were missing her. Celina didn’t know what was happening next, for all she heard was the rustling of bushes beside her.

A gust of warm wind blew over her face as if something had blown right by her, and the pressure from the other boy being on top of her was gone as well. The eight year old, slunk down to the base of the tree trunk and started to cry, unwilling to open her eyes to see what was happening. Was the older boy about to hit her? Why was he being so cruel? Celina couldn’t grasp why anyone would be mean to her, especially someone that she didn’t even know.

Through her sobbing, sounds of something caught her attention. She couldn’t place what it was, but it didn’t sound good. Keeping her eyes closed, she brought her knees up to her chest and held them tightly with her arms, burying her face in her legs. Celina knew that whatever was coming, was coming right then. But when nothing came, she worried even more.

The sounds continued, as if flesh was hitting flesh. Or was it twigs being broken? As things could be heard cracking, and breaking supposedly, another rustle in the bushes beside her was heard.

“Alfonz! NOO!” Elizabeth yelled as she past through the brush, and ran at her son! “You have to stop!” she screamed.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

Running through the forest from where he heard his little sister scream, Alfonz only hoped that he could find her before whatever what happening to her hurt or killed her. His father wouldn’t be pleased at all, that was one thing Alfonz was sure of. He didn’t even wait for his mother, for he knew, this was al his fault.

“I should have gotten that damn orange myself…” he muttered to himself as he continued his running pace. Faster and faster he moved until finally he found an area in the foliage that wasn’t as dense as the rest of it. It was like a clearing, and in the middle of the clearing he saw two people; one of which he recognized immediately to be Celina.

He didn’t stop his running pace. Not when the other figure he didn’t know was throwing her clothing that covered her bare shoulders to one side, his other hand covering Celina’s mouth. What in bloody hell did the guy think he was doing touching his sister? A rage built up inside the thirteen year old like he had never felt it before. A few seconds more of running, and he’d show that kid what happened when one messed with a Jedynak.

Blasting through the trees, sticks and stones clattering from beneath his feet, he was on top of the guy before he was able to turn around fast enough to defend himself. Alfonz jumped on him, pushing him down onto the ground, and sitting right on top of him. It was then where the young Jedynak blacked out. One punch after another was plummeting on the strange boys face, blood flowing and breaking bones didn’t even stop Alfonz and for the first time in his life, it was like he wasn’t thinking.

Every frustration in the world that the thirteen year old had was coming out, and as he hit the other guy, tears also started to run down his face. Tears of rage and anger, especially because Alfonz knew inside that it was later when he’d pay for what he was doing at that moment, not the kid with the broken noes…jaw….bleeding everywhere on the forest ground.

In the background, he could hear his sisters cries and it only fueled him more, egging him on to almost kill the kid. How dare he try to hurt his younger sister. Yes, it was true that she sometimes was annoying, and it was ridiculous how nice she was to everyone but there was no reason for anything to happen to her because of it. And mostly, because Alfonz had told her to go after an orange that had gone into a forest they were prohibited from entering.

Another rustle, one Alfonz did not hear through his fists pounding on the kid. But the screams from his mother he did hear, and it was only then did he snap out of his anger long enough to see what he was doing.

The site was horrible, and the kids face mangled. He was still alive, thank Merlin, but in serious pain and anguish. “Oh, no…” Alfonz muttered again, but this time it wasn’t because of what he had done to the kid, oh no, he deserved what he got, but rather it was because of the red that covered his hands, arms, and clothing. What had he done?

Turning back to his mother, his face was tear streaked and he slowly he crawled off of the boy, dazed and confused. He fell backwards and held his own knees to his chest as he back up against a different tree from the one that Celina sat at. What had he done? Elizabeth first ran to the aid of her son, and knelt beside him. Her eyes too dripping salty kisses.

“What? What were you doing, Alfonz? What madness came over you?” she said quickly as then she ran to the aid of the boy, taking out her wand as she did so.

“I….I….he…Celina….” Alfonz stumbled, not being able to connect his words to explain to his mother why there was a boy on the brink of death, and his hands the ones covered in his blood.

[Celina Jedynak]

Snapping open so fast, Celina had to blink her eyes a few times in order to focus on what was going on. Her mother’s screams only frightened her more, for she had no idea what was gong on right beside her. Celina tried to block out all of what was going on, but as she looked over to where her mother ran, Celina screamed out in terror as she found her brother was covered in a red fluid that, even to the eight year old, could not be mistaken for anything other than blood.

Celina cried and sobbed harder, as she thought the blood her brother was covered in was his own, and she quickly scurried over to his tree when their mother went to stand beside the other boy, whom grunted and moaned in pain as he struggled to get up.

The other boy?

Celina briefly looked over. The sight made her skin squirm as he too was covered in blood. She gagged as she crawled over to her brother’s side, reaching out to touch him but hesitating because of the way he looked. “…Al…Alfo…Alfonz?…” she questioned, afraid to touch him….afraid to look at him.

His face was flushed with fear and disbelief, and hers only mirrored his with complete and utter horror. Retracting back, she backed up into another tree and curled herself up into the smallest possible position she could get her fragile body into. What…what happened to her brother? Celina wondered as she couldn’t stop herself from crying,

Slowly, her eyes drifted to the boy who was being helped by her mother…

What happened to him?

[alfonztytusjedynak]

Jedynak Residence – Later that night

A tear burned as it traveled slowly down his cheek, as he stood in front of the father whom was only ever home when he had done something to get himself in trouble. Why was what he did so bad?

“Do you understand me, Alfonz?” a deep, threatening voice that could kill mercilessly. Or at least, he had had to in the line of work he was in. Felicks Jedynak. Their father, was not only the protector of not only the Jedynak family, but their old wizarding name as well. Other relatives of the family had lost their pure way, tainting the name by marrying out of their blood, but not him. And if he had anything to do with it, neither would his children be tainted.

But of course, that wasn’t the issue that night…now was it? Alfonz had physically taken down a brute. Alfonz had risked the name of Jedynak by throwing down a boy who’s status among their kind was just about as high as the family he had come from. Causing much stir when Elizabeth had to bring him into St. Mungos and explain what had happened. Alfonz dared not argue that the boy was on top of his sister…his father just wouldn’t have any excuse.

“Celina is alright, and I highly doubt…highly doubt, there was a need for the muggle brutality you set against him…” Felicks shook his head slowly, his face as cold as stone and his tone just the same. It was a tone that showed much anger without raising a single frequency of pitch.

It was enough to make shivers go down the back of not only both his children’s spines, but his wife’s, and anyone who had ever met him. A fierce competitor, and above all else, he didn’t back down from doing things his way. Unfortunately, what was worse was that his way was unpredictable and if one wasn’t a step ahead of him and with him, they were liable to get the arse kicked because they were in his way. A real hot head at the ministry, but kept around not only because he was good at what he did, but because his blood made him practically invisible in the times they were living through.

“You disappoint me, Alfonz…even if she were in danger, there are other ways to deal with…such people…” Felicks’ wand bounced in his hand slightly as Alfonz wondered if he’d use it again. He had already read his mind to see what had exactly happen…what more would he…could he want?

“Leave me…” as his father’s voice growled his dismissal, a wave of relief washed through his entire being. Alfonz bowed at his father, the rogue tear falling from his face to the floor, and as it did so, Alfonz squeezed his eyes shut tight not wanting to see it hit the floor. Surely his father would though, as he bent back up to slowly take his leave he could see it on his father’s face that he did so. “And, what Alfonz, have I told you about those whom cry?” his father’s cold words only made Alfonz wished that he had let his mother find Celina before he did.

…but would it have been too late if she did?…

“They’re weak, Father…those who cry are weak, and he-who-must-not-be-named uses them for his dirty deeds against all who are rightfully pure.” Alfonz repeated his father’s wordings from memory as if it had been said to him one hundred times, and thinking of it, he probably did.

“Go…get out of my sight…” Feliciks looked to Elizabeth, a cold hard stare in his eyes. After hours of lecture and getting to the bottom of what happened, Alfonz knew his father wasn’t done. He ran toward the stairs and up them as fast as he could…his parents talking in the background were soft, but Alfonz would know his mother’s pleading voice from anywhere.

[Celina Jedynak]

Celina laid on her bed, tucked into her most comfortable pajamas. Her father had kissed her goodnight on her head, and looked at her as if she had done something wrong. Celina didn’t understand, but she fully accepted the blame and said that she was sorry many times before finally her father told her that she was not to speak, and just sleep. He had brushed the hair from her teary eyes, and shook his head. He said no more as he led both Alfonz and her mother down the stairs, shutting the door to her room just slightly and turning off the light.

It didn’t stop her from not hearing anything. Celina held her breath as she listened and squeezed her eyes as tight as she could. There was nothing to keep her distracted from her father’s lectures and her brother’s agreements. She didn’t hear her mother’s voice, but Celina knew where her mother would be standing. Where she always stood.

Celina sighed, turning on to her other side, away from the door and the light coming from the rest of her house. Celina wished the stuffed animal she held gave her any relief, but it didn’t and her young mind was restless and upset. What was that boy doing? Joking around? Had Alfonz not understood that the kid was probably just joking? Was he just joking?

She didn’t know who the kid was, but when they had gone to the hospital it looked as if many other did. He must have been really important. Though Celina didn’t know, and it didn’t look like Alfonz even cared. Her mother looked horrified, but said nothing as they had gone through to the emergency sector of St. Mungos. It was where her mother worked. And as if it were her doing, Elizabeth healed the boy as best could be in one night.

As if it were like clockwork, her mother had finished what she could do, just as Celina’s father walked in with the most angered look on his face than the youngest Jedynak had ever seen. She had run up to him, entangling her Pa’pa in a hug that was supposed to be comforting. He had pushed her off roughly. Falling against her brother, he held her close as their father’s venom had gone directly after their mother. Celina was just glad that Alfonz had cleaned up and changed his clothing at the hospital…but then, she was more glad that he was there to hug her. Her father scared her greatly, for she was unsure of why he was as mad as he was.

They lectures had stopped, and Celina held her breath to listen to who was coming up the stairs. The footsteps sounded distinctly like the jog of her brother that she had heard so many times before. Turning over again to look at her door. She watched intently for the person who was going to pass by. As soon as he did, Celina immediately knew who it was.

“Aflonz…?” she called out softly…hoping that he would hear her. She desperately needed someone, and she desperately needed comfort. Her confused mind wanted someone to hug her and make everything all better again. “Alfonz…” again she called out, her voice cracking, and another tear escaping from her right eye.