A Shroud of Instant Darkness

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda was exhausted, she hadn't realised just how much energy all of this would take. Her heart felt like lead, her head felt weary and heavy all the time now. She had decided to go for a walk on her own, something she was doing an awful lot lately. In her hand was the purple pigmy puff her uncle had given her, she had named it Rocky after her vacation to the Canadian Rockies during the summer. At the time it seemed like a cute fun name to give it, now it served only as a reminder of another lifetime. She noticed her walk had taken her within inches of the forest and decided she may as well go in. Who was going to take any notice of her in there?

She didn't bother taking out her wand to cut back the branches and twigs that scratched at her, Andy simply walked on through as if oblivious to the slight pain they inflicted. What were they to what she had already experienced? It really did feel like an eternity since her 15th birthday. How could she ever celebrate it again? With a sigh she moved further into the wood, where the sun light was less pronounced and the shade so much darker.

As she noted this darkness, she welcomed it and then remembered the pouch in her pocket. Not knowing why she carried it around with her Andy went and sat on a tree stump and opened the pouch. The pouch was brimming with peruvian instant darkness powder. How glorious to completely disappear, to be surrounded by nothingness. To be in the center of nothing, knowing that she was nothing. That she was as equal to the darkness as everything else here in the forest. It would seem that all her friends were truly better off with her out of their lives... none had come near her since, none had asked how she was doing or anything.

This had been what she wanted but she hadn't realised how quickly everyone would comply. She would prefer to sit now in even a moments total darkness, feel its morbid cloak about her. Perhaps hidden away she could stand to miss those she loved once more. Taking a handful of the powder out she blew on it, so that it spread out. As soon as she did this, the entire area surrounding her went completely black. Andromeda sat there with her legs crossed her head in her hands, her eyes closed letting the nothingness consume her.

 

[Andrew Bruke]

Andrew was bored in his dormitory. He had finished all his homework and was having no progress with his self-painting paint brush ideas although he had charmed them to fly but he couldn't think of anything more. He thought a stroll in the grounds would do him good and everyone knows that a little good air is always the solution for a tired brain.

He put on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and combed his hair and went out to the grounds. It was a cloudy day, with cool breeze blowing which made the atmosphere outside light and comfortable. He took a breath as he reached the lawn his eyes searching for anyone familiar. However, the lawn and the lakefront as well as the pumpkin patch was deserted, he wondered why. As his eyes moved towards the forest, he noticed a pair of feet disappearing into the thick woods. Wonder who might that be, he thought as he followed the feet trying to make no sound at all.

However, as he reached a bit further, all of a sudden pitch darkness surrounded him. He took out his wand and said "Lumos" but it didnt work. As he stood in the dark cloud for a second a thought that a total eclispe was taking place crossed his mind but then again that wouldn't stop Lumos from working. He realised that it was the darkness powder that was the cause of this darkness. He spoke in his clear voice, his wand pointing to no one "Who is here?"

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda had allowed herself to wallow in her grief, almost enjoying the shelter that darkness afforded. It was barely over two weeks and yet it felt like an eternity since she had been given the news. The pygmy puff jiggled about in her hands, so she brought it up to her face rubbing it against her cheek. She had never minded the dark so much, though there were times it had simply terrified her but since she was now the most terrifying thing that lay in this darkness of her own making, Andy was calm in her sorrow.

She heard a voice and sighed, no matter where she went she could never ever be completely alone it would seem. Was the school structured this way? Or were the students just simply inquisitive and not know when to leave well enough alone? She didn't know why anyone would willingly walk into utter darkness and wondered if the person was a member of the Slytherin house. They weren't exactly famous for their bravery but they were for the reckless stupidity.

Should she call out? What if the person got into trouble or something because of the peruvian darkness. Andy sighed, should she even care? And yet she did call out, some habits were hard to drop and Andromeda though closed off emotionally was still very much a dependable Gryffindor.
"Yes some one is here" her voice meshed with the darkness that she knew would only last another few minutes, she hadn't used an awful lot of it after all.

 

[Andrew Bruke]

Andrew stepped over a twig and as it cracked its noise made him jump. As he realised it was merely a twig, he realxed. He waited for an answer from the person who had caused this darkness. He tried to see through it but as he knew, he didnt see anything except for black emptyness all around him.

He finally heard and answer, he recognised the voice as a girl's but he didn't know who she was and why was she doing this. Maybe, she was sad or someone else was with her who had caused this maybe to kidnap her or another reason. He decided to tell the girl, that he was a student and so he spoke once again looking around him as if he could see the girl "I am Andrew Bruke, Slytherin, 4rth Year. Who are you? Do you know it might be dangerous to cause this kind of darkness?"he asked his voice raising a bit as a little anger filled him to know how careless people were.

"What if a creature swallows you up? Wouldn't that hurt all those that care for you?"he asked to the girl. The powder was still working, he wondered how much the girl had used and when this darkness would come to an end. "Although if people who care for you are not with you, they still watch you and they'd be very sad to see you in such a state" he said not knowing what made him say this but it seemed that the girl had suffered a loss, a pain and the words he had just spoke made him think it would change the girl's mind.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda heard Andrew say his name and house and year and rolled her eyes. Why would no one simply leave her alone? It was as if the universe was throwing everyone in her way, to see which person would be strong enough to pull her back. Didn't karma or the fates know, she didn't hold any store by them? That it was a black hole of her own making that she had plummeted too and nothing and no-one could bring her back but herself and she knew she certainly didn't want to be back in the land of the living.

Andrew continued to talk and Andy wished the darkness would drown out his voice as well but she wasn't lucky by any means and so had to listen to him speak about being swallowed and about those who cared for her. She had swallowed herself up, from the inside out she was no more the outward darkness was just a reflection on what she felt inside, nothing more.

She didn't say anything, chose to let him stumble about in the darkness. She had come far enough in so that no one would have thought to follow her and it was only the extremely brave or very foolish who would have seen the darkness and entered it. Andrew was a good guy but once again because of her someone was getting hurt, it was just another slip of proof that she should remain on her own. The outsider looking in, observing but never being a part of the lives being lived.

"Just leave Andrew" she told him, her voice has hollow as the body she inhabited. The darkness was slowly beginning to lift.

 

[Andrew Bruke]

Andrew noticed the darkness was lifting itself. Yet, it would still take a minute for him to see the girl properly. Would she not care about people who loved her suffer if something happened to her ?? Sometimes those who have families dont care about them while those who don't wish they'd have someone who'd care for them, he thought as he frowned not his temper rising as the girl told him to leave.

"I am going nowhere without you" he said firmly as he moved towards the direction from where her voice came. "You are a very careless girl" he said still walking blindly now a bit to the right from where Andromeda sat. "Thought I'd tell you incase you didnt know" he said now standing in the same line as the log on which Andy sat however he was a few steps to her right.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda was weary, weary and tired of every one thinking she could be fixed. Like all it took was a potion or a muggle band aid to cure her. She wasn't ill, she wasn't sick at all. She was grieving bitterly for every person who had left her, for every person who was going to leave her. Andy could simply not cope with any more loss, the gaping vacuum that they all had left in her had grown with each person starting with her father. She hadn't realised it then, hadn't noticed the big gaping hole within her. With her grandfathers death another piece had left her, with Brian retracting his friendship which had meant so much to her, another chunk had been taken from her, her mothers neglect of her had seared her like nothing else until with Patricks death, the hole had grown so enormous that it could only swallow her. It had been her realisation that Bruin would be leaving as well and Cyndi; that Zuka, Carlisle everybody eventually left her that made her topple in to the vortex. Did Andrew really think a few very sharp words on caring could pull her back?

She could just about make out his form in the dissipating shroud and slowly and as quietly as she could Andy moved from the tree stump. Attempting to walk away and leave him there.
"You are careless only if you follow, I'm too far out of your reach"

It was true, she may be mere inches from him but that was only her physical shape. Her soul had been taken since first year or so she was constantly telling herself, her mind and heart were lost and even she didn't know where to search for them.

 

[Andrew Bruke]

Andrew once again waited for the girl to speak and turned as she spoke facing her. He had learnt thiss voice-direction thing in his orphanage. He could see a faint outline of the girl and we walked close to her. "I'll love to be careless, if that means following you" he said with a grin.

"I will only go, if you come with me" he told her standing by her as the darkness cleared slowly. Still he could not recognise that it was Andy. "You know, Slytherin is too far behind in the house points and if I report you and explain the Professors how much I urged you to come with me, your house will lose points while mine will gain. Would you like that?"he asked hoping that something he said would effect the girl's mind.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda was devoid of all expression when he decided to threaten her with the loss of house points and a professor. He really didn't have a clue did he? It was such a Slytherin thing for him to say she wondered why she had never seen that side of him before. She moved another few steps away from him as the darkness now cleared completely. Turning to look at him, Andy looked out from empty eyes.
"Be careless then Andrew for I'm only going deeper. I've left those I care about behind for a good reason" Andromeda turned around once more and began walking with very sure footing across branches and the forest undergrowth. This was comfortable for her, the darkness of the forest was holding her together. Andrew should turn around and go back to the school, he wasn't a Gryffindor so would he really be brave enough to follow her in deeper? Andy highly doubted it.

 

[Andrew Bruke]

As the darkness cleared and the girl's face became clear, Andrew realised that it was Andy. "Andy?" he gasped. Now he knew that Andromeda must be worried or in pain to have come to this place. However, Andrew thought that anything could be solved and whatever kind of pain she was in coming here was very foolish of her. Andrew knew that Andromeda was a brave Gryffindor and wouldn't be a tinsy bit scared to go further into the forest.

For a moment, Andrew thought he should head back to the school and tell Professor Firn. But the next moment he decided he could not leave Andy in such a dangerous place. He wished he would know how to make a patronus to send an urgent message but they hadn't learned this yet. He decided that he should follow her in and try to convince her somehow to come back to the school with him.He walked behind her and increasing his pace, he turned now facing Andy. He gripped her from her shoulders and spoke "Andromeda, look we really need to go back. This place is dangerous and what if something happened to you? Have you thought what will happen to your friends?"

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy stopped as Andrew caught up with her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked at them for a moment, wondering why he was so concerned. She was not any of his business, couldn't he make like the stereotypical Slytherins and cover his own ass by running. No, he appeared to be stubborn enough to try to follow her.

She looked him directy in the face, her pale features almost ghostly in the darkness of the forest. Her amber eyes were lifeless orbs.
"Andrew you know what I am, why do you think this place would be dangerous for me? The animals if you haven't noticed stay away when I come here. The only one that they or you need to be fearful of ... is me" she raised her own hands gently to remove his before side stepping around him.
"I don't have any friends".

The words were left there for him to digest, they all might still consider her this but she wished they wouldn't. It simply wasn't healthy for them.

 

[Andrew Bruke]

"I know what you are but today is NOT a fool moon and so they can harm you" he told her not absolutely sure of what he was talking. He looked at Andromeda for a moment and then told her with a frown "And why shall I be afraid of you today?"he asked her glaring into Andy's eyes.

As Andy said she had no friends, this message took a while to sink into his brains. Why was she saying so? Was Zazuka a cause of this? But how could she make Andy so..he thought as he once again turned to Andromeda. "Andy, please. I know you feel like stunning or jinxing me. You can do that" he told her confidently "once we reach the school. Please come, lets go back" he told her.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy turned to look at him, was he utterly clueless? Could he not get the hint to go away?
"Andrew" her voice was calm and level but she really didn't know how long she could keep calm for, "Just because it's not a full moon doesn't mean the animals and other creatures don't sense what I am. They leave me be and I leave them be and if you had any sense you would leave me as well" she moved a few steps away again, changing direction so that she wasn't going deeper into the forest but merely walking sidelong through it.

"I don't feel like stunning you or jinxing you or anything else. Don't you get that? I don't feel anything... period. I am not going back to the school just yet. I wanted time to myself and I will get it Andrew" she walked on at a much quicker pace now.

Why was it that when someone wanted to disappear, everyone showed up to watch?

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Zazuka was sitting in a patch of sunlight. One of the few there where this deep in the forest. She was looking up. None of this would be strange. Zazuka looked up more than she looked down as though she had some sort of connection with the sky that even she didn't fully understand. What was strange about this picture was that Zazuka was not waring her glasses and she was in the forest. In the miserable state that she had been in the last few days the forest would be the last place that Zazuka should have been in. There was too much negive energy here. Too many bad things had happened in the forest for Zazuka to ever be comfortable in there.

Then again it seemed like it wasn't really Zazuka there. Her eyes that where usually so shimmering with stars where pitch black as if her pules had turned into black holes that sucked up all the warmth that had been there. Zazuka had been walking in the garden hoping that the flowers would get her to think straight and get her to do something other then try and come up with ways to get Andy out of the emptiness when she was gently put side sort to speak.

Whatever was channeling inside Zazuka now was taken her straight where she couldn't go. Zazuka's body was sitting in the patch of sunlight with her legs tucked under her. Whatever ha brought her here seemed to be waiting for something. Waiting but not noticeing if it came. Footsteps could be heard from here. Fast like they where trying to outrun someone. Zazuka or rather what had brought her here never looked down.

 

[Andrew Bruke]

Andrew was a Slytherin, although he did care about Andromeda but now that she was not willing to listen to him, not even a bit he decided to go back and call someone who would be able to convince her. But he thought he would do it in his own drama style. "Ok, go inside and be hurt if that's what you want" he said as he stormed once again back through the trees very fast hoping he'd find someone soon.

He saw Zazuka sitting there in sunlight. "Zuka, you must come" he said as he walked to her quickly. "Andy is deep in forest and she has peruvian darkness powder. I tried hard to convince her to come out with me but she wouldn't listen" he said. "She might get lost or hurt" he continued as he was concerned for Andy.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

((Zazuka is in a deep part of the forest to you know...))

Zazuka did not look down. It seemed a little like something beond the branches got her attention so compleatly that she could not look down. A sigh came though Zazuka slowly parting lips. "The She-cub will find her way back to more than her school." Said a triple voice that was not Zazuka's at all. Whatever had Zazuka in the woods did not make an effort to look at him. The 'spirit' did make Zazuka shift her legs though. It was starting to get a little unconfertable even though it was here when the 'spirit' felt at peace.

A hand was rasied with a finger pointing. Zazuka seemed to be drawing simbols in the air though she would have had a clue what they meant had she been in her own mind. Never once did she look down though. It was as if the 'spirit' did not what to scare Andrew with the emptiness that had taken over the eyes of the young Seer when it had taken her body.

 

[Andrew Bruke]

(i didnt understand ur post )

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

((Zazuka's possed at the moment it's not soppoed to make sence.))

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

[ I got it ]

Andy waited for the sound of Andrews feet to walk away, he was a good kid but quite frankly she didn't need the hassle right now. She continued walking not going any deeper but had in actual fact turned herself about so that she was walking towards the edge of the forest. She knew this forest like the back of her hands, why Andrew thought she would be in danger here was beyond her. But why would he understand?

Bending down Andromeda picked up some scurvy grass and smiled, there was also a large clump of nettles close by which she picked a handful of. It never bothered her anymore, the sharp stinging that resulted from touching the leaves, very little bothered her nowadays. When she figured she had enough she looked back into the forest once more wondering if Andrew had made his way out or had gotten lost. Another point and case to confirm to her that anyone who came near her, got themselves hurt eventually. She headed the long way back to the school with the few potion ingredients she had collected.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Zazuka finally moved more than slightly. "Go quickly now she comes." The spririt said to Andrew though she was looking away. Weather or not the spririt expected Andy to come where she was sitting she would never tell but it seemed to know that Andy was heading back to the castle. She turned back finally letting Andrew get a good look at Zazuka's face.

Zazuka though she would never say so about herself looked both beautieful and a bit odd without her glasses on though it showed that her eyes where now voides. "Go back to the castle Green One the cub will be fine." The spirit said bowing Zazuka's head.

 

[Andrew Bruke]

Andrew looked at Zazuka with a confused face on what she was saying. Then he realised that she wasn't herself and as he listened to what she said carfeully he understood that the cub meant Andy and the green one meant himself. Zuka was telling him that he was to go to the school and Andy will go there on her own.

"Um..Okay Zazuka"he said unsure wether to leave her here or ask her to come with him inside. "Zazuka, will you like to come inside?"he asked her unsure weather she had even heard him.