Deep in thought

A

Andromeda Fiorelli

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Linda
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Cherry/Maple Wand 13 1/4" Essence of a Dragon's Heartstring; 10 1/2" 4wood mix - unicorn hair core
Andromeda sat leaning against a tree in the school garden, the weather was lovely and she was feeling a strange sense of peace today. Her uncle had left her so many gifts in his plan to compensate for the missed birthdays and Christmasses, though they were all so more poiquent (sp?) now. She only opened up one every now and then, trying to drag them out for as long as possible. Using a nouget nosebleed to get out of DADA class had been great but she knew she couldn't keep using the prank items he got for her, no matter how much fun they were.

Yesterday she had unrolled a poster and had happily cried for missing him and her father. The poster had a falcon on one side, an eagle on the other and a wolf. She knew the falcon represented her fathers patronus while the eagle had been her uncles and though she had no patronus of her own yet, she knew the wolf was her. She had stuck the poster up over her bed and knew without having to look at it, that they were looking out for her. They were always with her and that made her feel comforted.

Today she had taken a small package out and was now opening it. A small pouch that contained two coins. She smiled, knowing he had probably meant to keep one for himself. They were fake galleons, one able to communicate with the other. Andy smiled knowing exactly who she would love to be able to communicate with right now but knowing even if this thought was futile.
 
Merlina had mopped about the school since the magazine had come out, people honestly thought she was more Slytherin than Ravenclaw? The more she thought about it herself she realised her way of speaking and behaving the first few weeks she had been here probably hadn't done her any favours. As she walked across the garden she saw her cousin and made a beeline over to her. It was about time, she hadn't been able to catch up with her after the great hall that day and right now the young girl needed a friendly face.

"Hi" she plomped down on the grass beside her and as she used to when she was much smaller, leaned her head on Andromeda's shoulder.
"this place is tough".
 
Andromeda looked up to see her younger cousin walk over, flop down beside her and rest her head on her shoulder. Andy reached her arm over behind her and lay her own head on top of Merlina's.

"It gets easier, trust me" she told the younger girl, "So you saw the magazine I take it. Do you want to talk about it?"

Andy realised how little she had paid attention to Merlina since she had arrived at the school and felt immensely guilty for this. She had been so wrapped up in her own life and problems, that she had let her cousin fall through the cracks. Feeling horrible for allowing this to happen, Andy squeezed her shoulder gently. When they had been younger on the summers that Andy's parents had taken them to visit their Italian relations, Andromeda had loved the fact that she had a cousin and had treated her so much more like a younger sister instead. It was time she did so again, she had very few family members on her fathers side that she liked and very few at all that she could actually talk too.
 
Merlina was grateful her cousin didn't push her away but instead put her arm about her as she used to. It was only when Andromeda lay her head on top of Merlina's that the younger girl let out a sigh.
"They said I was a Slytherin. I am not Andromeda. I was maybe a bit rude but not by much. It is just how I talk you know this" she sulked, completely dejected.

Then remembering something else she sat up straight, almost hitting Andromeda's chin as she did so.
"What was all that about you and the head boy. The one who becomes a bear, that was very cool but is he allowed do that? Tell me"
Merlina was as blunt as ever, always getting to the heart of the matter and not beating about the bush.
 
"Merlina you are not a Slytherin, you're entire family are a proud line of Ravenclaw's. You just need to be less assertive in your manner, that's all. Some people aren't used to it and you might come across... well, as down right rude"she smiled, Andy knew she hadn't said a word to Merlina yet about Patrick. She didn't even know if the girl would care so decided not to.

"Me and the head boy huh? That's a laugh and a half. There is no me and the head boy, Bruin by the way" she had moved quick enough so that her chin had not been clipped by Merlina's sudden movement.
"I don't know if he is allowed or not to transform like that but he didn't do any harm" she had been vague she knew but what was the point in talking about any of it with her young cousin for crying out loud.
 
Merlina grinned proudly when Andromeda mentioned how her family had all been Ravenclaws.
"They are your family too and your mother was a Ravenclaw as well. Why did you not become one? But this is moving from the subject" she frowned not liking how vague her cousin was being. Andromeda was pretty much like herself in that she didn't lie but unlike herself Andromeda had learnt how to omit certain truths. She would too one day but for now she would have to dig her way to the truth, even if it took her all day.
"Do you like him? Did you lock your lips? This is kissing isn't it? Why won't you tell me? Do you think I am too young to know?" Merlina spouted the questions as normally as others inhaled air, "I am your only blood family here, I want to know so that I can be there for you. I am on your side."
 
Andy nudged her playfully.
"Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much" she smiled then looking at the coins in her other hand she tossed one to Merlina, "have it, it's a fake galleon. If you ever need to leave me a message you can use that. Just tell it what you want to say and the message imprints on it. My coin will heat up letting me know I've a message from you and I can send one back the same way. That way you can reach me whenever you want and you don't have to feel alone here, ok?"

Andy put hers into her pocket and placed the pouch into her bag. Noticing the folded magazine and her sketches in there. She closed the bag hurriedly before turning to her cousin.
"I guess I take after my uncle more in spirit than what I did my father and mother. He was a Gryffindor too, Patrick. He died recently, so that's why I haven't been really here for you. But Bruin, our head boy well he was there for me and because of it someone turned it all around and printed lies."
 
Merlina looked at the coin that Andromeda handed to her and smiled. This was a good idea, the heavens only knew how often she had woken up in the night and had just wanted someone to talk to. This would definitely come in useful.
"Thank you Andromeda" she fell back into her Italian knowing that her cousin spoke it too, "I will make good use of this, I promise."

She looked up at her cousin when she mentioned about her uncle Patrick. Merlina had never met him but was almost certain his name had come up many times back home over the years. Their family were great quidditch supporters and he had been the captain of the Irish team once. She also knew that he was Andromeda's favourite uncle or had been. Instinctively she reached across and hugged her cousin.
"I am sorry" she didn't think she needed to say anymore for now.
 
Andromeda felt the arms go around her and was deeply touched by her younger cousins concern for her. She really was a misunderstood kid, Andy returned her embrace.
"Thanks Merlina. Hey do me a favour will you, while you're here call me Andy ok? or as you're family you can call me Romy like my muggle family do" she smiled at her.

Releasing her again she leaned back against the tree and looked out across the garden, it was beautiful here.
"Speaking of family, how are yours?"
 
Merlina made a grimace, she absolutely hated shortening peoples names down and thought it a useless thing to do but she nodded.
"I will call you what family call you then, Andy is a boys name. Romy will do" she frowned but also smiled at how silly both names sounded, "You have a beautiful name, why make it so small. You are not a small person?" she had reverted back to English and it was noticeable that she still needed occasional help with the language.

"Mama and Papa are very good. He came with me during the summer and spent most of it at some Inn or other with some old friends so I got to explore alot. They have written but not much. Mama is well enough providing she does not have to do anything" Merlina rolled her eyes at this, her mothers fake illnesses were always a bone of contention with her.
"Speaking of family will make you sad, tell me about your boy?"
 
"Well don't tell any of my friends here but I do much prefer Romy. I only got called Andy on my first train journey and it was by the girl who is now my best friend. It took me a while to get used to it, four years in fact but it was lovely to go back to Ireland this summer and be called Andromeda or Romy again. I don't know maybe it just seperates the two realities a bit more for me as well" she looked at Merlina and shrugged, smiling gently at her.
"sorry that probably didn't make any sense".

She stretched her long legs out infront of her and giggled as her cousin told her she wasn't a small person.
"I know I'm not small I'm about 5'6" now and still growing apparently" Andy nudged her again, this was nice and she was going mad she hadn't made more time for her cousin before now.

"Speaking of family will make you sad, tell me about your boy?"

Andy sighed, did Merlina not give up on anything? She had memories of her cousin being just as tenacious as a toddler, the last time they had seen each other Merlina would only have been about five or six but was so grown up even then for her years.

"He isn't my boy Merlina, I don't have a boy" she sighed and figured she might as well tell her something. Merlina's persistence was as bad as Andy's stubborness.
"I think he may have liked me, really liked me but I blew it. Merlina I blew it big time. Think Heroshima and you probably have a good scale to go on".
 
Merlina listened to her cousin as she explained to her about being called Andy. She laughed and shook her head.
"I thought you had more of a spine than that. Why you never telling them? They your friends, you should tell them" but she had a good reason why, her cousin may look as tough as nails on the outside but she was the biggest softie imaginable on the inside. Merlina knew how early she had realised this growing up and had used it to her advantage time and again. She never had to throw temper tantrums as a kid around Andromeda, all she had to do was give her the big sad eyes or let her lower lip quiver. It had worked every time.
She felt the nudge and this time nudged her back.
"I is only over 4' and I know I am sort of small but I will grow more I think".

Romy finally began to speak about the mysterious boy and Merlina could only smile. She knew there was one, there had to be and if it wasn't the head boy then she was a pirates parrot.
"What did you do that was so bad?"
 
"Merlina! I do have a spine but the phrase we use hear is 'a back bone' but I know what you mean" she sighed and leaned her head back a bit to catch the few rays of sun that were visible through the overhanging tree branches.

"You end up compromising some of yourself just to get by sometimes, it's life Merlina. You may not like it but the world is an easier place when you bend a little for others" she turned to smile at her cousin, the sun momentarily dazzling her amber eyes. Blinking she plucked her sun glasses from her bag and put them on.

"Let me see.. I was a fool. A bloody big one at that. I mean my uncle had just died and I was still coping and rather badly I may add and I broke up with Carlisle to spare him and pushed my friends away to spare them and it would just happen to be in the midst of all that crazyness that Bruin decides to try to kiss me. We didn't of course, I pushed him away. He changed into the bear and I ... I figured out way too late that the boy I've come to depend on, the boy I thought I had always seen as my big brother was the one boy I really cared for. I miss him."
 
Merlina turned around to look at Romy closer.
"So you were grieving, you had broken with your boyfriend... who I thought was lovely by the way" she muttered, " you are coping really bad with it all so even stop being with your friends and this... Bruin chooses then to want to kiss you? I may be young but if you ask me, he messed up not you. Talk about your bad timing. His was awful but that is probably boys for you"
she wondered if Bruin really had given up completely and decided that if he had then he wasn't worthy of her cousin. Had the boy no sense at all, why did he choose the worst possible time in Romy's life to try to kiss her? Boys really were strange, well except for Ryuu who was positively looking like Prince Charming compared to this guy.
 
Andy had thought this out herself a few times, that if only his timing had been better she may not have pushed him away but then again, she would probably still be dating Carlisle and be living her life never knowing that her heart was really pining for another boy. And it was, quite literally pining for him.

"I can't give you what reasons he had for choosing then, part of me wanted to kiss him. It would have been so easy to but... I didn't want to hurt him either. But I did anyway" she looked at her cousin and decided to tell her something else as well.

"Remember the way I used to get you to promise me on your word that you would never tell a secret of ours" Andy raised her pinky and waited to see if Merlina would remember.
 
Merlina didn't buy any of it, either the boy liked Romy or he didn't. It was as simple as that to her why should there be grey areas where your heart was concerned?

"I remember" she raised her own pinky and hooked it around Romy's. Wiggling them three times she made the solemn vow she had when she was smaller.

"I promise now, I promise forever to speak our words to no one ever".
she smiled wondering what her cousin was going to tell her next.
 
Andy looked at her and smiled.
"Wow I didn't think you would" she left her finger hooked as they used to until whatever had to be said was said.

"I need to tell you something. It was hinted at in the gossip magazine but at some point it is going to come out and I rather you found out from me" she exhaled slowly before saying any more and then for the next ten minutes went on to explain to her about being bitten by the werewolf and how she was now one. She left out the gruesome bits thinking it would not be fair for her younger cousin to have to hear any of that. She also told her how Bruin and some of her house knew and what she had thought about Bruin changing into a bear in the great hall had meant to her. How humiliated she had felt.

After a pause she turned to look at Merlina, finally removing her finger from hers.
 
Merlina sat there astounded. She hadn't known what to expect but it certainly hadn't been this. Standing up for a moment, she walked around the large tree trunk then looked up in the tree and noticing that the nearest people were on the other side of the garden and another student not too far off, Merlina sat down again.
"Was just making sure no snoop reporter from the gossip magazine was around. You have to be more careful than that when telling it to anyone. Your secret is safe with me" she thought about the boys reaction in the great hall and didn't really know if that what he had been doing. Romy was convinced the boy had turned into the bear to show people he was so not a werewolf but maybe... just maybe he did it to stop people gossiping about her cousin and focus the attention on him instead. If the rumours were nipped in the bud about there being a werewolf then Romy would not have to worry. Maybe this boy Bruin wasn't so bad but then again, what if Andromeda was right. It was a tough one to call.
 
Andy watched amazed as Merlina stood up and searched behind the tree, raising an eyebrow she watched as her cousin then looked up into the tree and scouted the general area. It only made sense when she finally sat down and explained her actions. Andy couldn't help but hug her cousin.
"You are nuts but I love you, thank you. You're right I should be more careful"
she just could not help but be amazed that her cousin didn't get up and run away screaming. The child before her truly was remarkable and she hoped that Merlina would soon settle in and find some real friends who were worthy of her the way she had found Zuka and... her thoughts trailed off. She would have naturally included Brian but it had been a long time now since they had talked and she had realised that she didn't miss him quite as much as she thought she would have. In fact, she was almost certain now that what she had felt for him was nothing short of lust compared to how she had felt for Carlisle and this overwhelming longing she had for Bruin.

"You're not scared then or horrified?"
 
Bruin needed some time outside. He didn't know whether it was the warm weather or if it was that he was coming to the realization that he might actually be outgrowing the physical confines of the school itself. Recent events had made the corridors seem almost claustrophobic and even the Great Hall, which once gave him a sense of insignificance and had been the site of so many interesting and proud moments seemed tainted by the events of the other morning. Bruin was still reeling from Andy's response and after thinking upon it, he realized that only one course of action made any sense at this point.

It was time for Bruin to simply admit that he had made a mistake and hope that Andy would allow things to go back to normal between them. She didn't need more complications in her life, she just needed friends. Bruin had always been good at being there for others, listening to their problems, offering advice or a shoulder to cry on and it was time for him to accept that this was his role, what he was good at. Now all he had to do was figure out how to undo the damage he had done and put things right. But how? He needed time to think and that's what the outdoors had always provided for him, a place to sort things out.

As he navigated his way across campus, wandering like a rutterless ship through a sea of nameless faces, his gaze found an all too familiar figure on the horizon. Andy was in the garden and appeared to be talking with a younger student whom Bruin didn't recognize. Her mere presence put a halt to his wayward progress and he simply swayed back and forth for a moment as he contemplated his next course of action. Would it be a strategic retreat or would he sail into the heart of the storm?

Bruin was no coward and despite his complete ineptitude in dealing with matters of the heart, he was convinced that approaching this problem head on was the right thing to do. He would simply march over to Andy and offer to try and turn back time, to return things to the way they used to be and then all would be right with the world. So why did he feel like he was about to end up in a tempest?
 
Merlina shook her head, she had never seen a werewolf or even read about one. She had heard about them but knew in her heart that if her cousin was one then they obviously weren't all evil beasts. As she shook her head her gaze focused in on the figure approaching and realised it was the boy from the Great Hall. The head boy. Merlina looked down at the coin in her hand and an idea came to her. Leaning over she kissed Andromeda on the cheek.
"I am not scared of you, I never have been. You kept me save from the dark when I was smaller so why would I fear you of all people. I have to go and get ready for class now but we can talk later" she smiled holding up her coin and standing up.

"Enjoy the rest of the sunshine" she grinned as she waved and walked off in the direction of the boy. She barely smiled as she past him but was soon pretending to bend down to retrieve something.

"Excuse me" she turned back to him, "I think you dropped this."
She didn't give him a chance but handed him the coin and quickly walked on before he could deny its ownership. Merlina smiled to herself, if they wouldn't help themselves then she would have to. Silly teenagers, she grinned and began to run the rest of the way back to the school.
 
Andy laughed as her cousin leaned over and kissed her cheek. She let Andy know in no uncertain terms how unafraid of her she was and this cheered the older cousin up. As Merlina held up her coin before heading away, Andy grinned. She'd said her a message later definitely.
"See you later then"

Once Merlina began to walk away Andy pushed the sunglasses up on top of her head and took out her sketch pad, scribbling and shading in the latest picture she had done of a bear. Was she becoming obsessed? She didn't think so but her every waking and sleeping more especially were consumed by him. Eventually she knew she would have to confront him and have it out once and for all. She needed to know if she had blown it completely or not. Whether he was willing to give her another go. She sighed as an old song came into her head, at first she began to simply hum it but after a moment she couldn't help but sing it as well.

Oh, my love
my darling
I've hungered for your touch
a long lonely time
and time goes by so slowly
and time can do so much
are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me

Lonely rivers flow to the sea,
to the sea
to the open arms of the sea
lonely rivers sigh 'wait for me, wait for me'
I'll be coming home wait for me

Oh, my love
my darling
I've hungered for your touch
a long lonely time
and time goes by so slowly
and time can do so much
are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
Godspeed your love to me
 
Bruin was playing out in his mind what he was going to say as he exchanged a tentative smile with the young, dark-haired girl who was walking in the opposite direction. He was just about to call out to Andy when the girl called his attention to something and before he knew it had thrust a galleon into his hand. Bruin looked at her confused and instinctively checked his pockets, but before he could suggest that it wasn't his, the girl had already turned and put a bit of distance between them. Bruin had no intention of delaying his talk with Andy any longer and opted to simply pocket the galleon with a shrug and turn back towards Andy.

As Bruin got closer, he realized that she was singing quietly to herself as she sketched something. He only caught the last few words of the song, a lyric wondering "Are you still mine?" and some repeated words about love. Bruin froze, he wondered if Andy was singing about her ex-boyfriend and worried that he was about to disturb a very private moment. After a moment's thought, he decided he had no choice but to proceed with his plan.

"Ummm, Andy? Do you have a sec?" He called out to her tentatively, hoping that this wasn't another one of his colossal mistakes.
 
Finishing off her sketch she smiled at the bears face staring up at her from her pad, the eyes were so like Bruins it was uncanny. Her gaze briefly fell to her watch and she sighed, not much time left before Astronomy. Just as she stopped her silly singing and began to pack her stuff away, an all too familiar voice called out to her. Taking a deep breath, Andy finished tying up her bag and standing up, slinging it over her shoulder.

"Hi Bruin" she turned to face him, not sure how she had expected their first meeting since the 'I'm most definitely a bear and not a werewolf' incident to go but almost certainly it was not this seeming calmness from both of them. She herself felt like a swan, calm and serene for all to see but paddling for her life underneath.

"Ehm... sure I guess if you don't mind walking back along to the castle. I've class starting shortly" she wondered was he going to apologise for humiliating her the way he had or had he decided he was going to actually give her another chance. Hope seemed to clock up about twenty decibles and she walked slowly towards him until she was by his side. For reasons beyond her control a momentary daydream of him leaning in to kiss her once more sent her almost reeling and she found she had to move on ahead of him slightly.

"Well?" counting to ten silently she tried her hardest to keep her composure but being this close to him did funny things to her.
 
Bruin was a little surprised to see Andy's casual response to his approach, almost certain that there was going to be some tension between them that never seemed to materialize. Inside though, Bruin was wound up so tightly he thought something was sure to snap at any moment. "So, I wanted to apologize..." Bruin began as he walked alongside her. "I guess with all the time we've spent together over the last few months that I just, I just got confused and ..." Bruin swallowed hard, trying to put something into words that his heart was trying desperately to prevent him from saying.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I know that you've been going through a rough time and that you don't need any more complications in your life, so...so I was wondering if we could just pretend that the thing at the Borely never happened and I could just go back to being a good friend for you. I don't want things to be awkward between us..." He mumbled, his brain telling him that he was being noble, but his heart telling him that he was a total coward.
 
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