Fragments through a broken Window

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Her Sleep walking began at the castle - follow her journey from here

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Setting the Scene: Andromeda danced as if she were an eleven year old girl again, convinced she were emerging from the halloween feast buzzed up on way too much candy. How were her friends or her older housemates to know that too much candy for her was like shaking a bottle of soda and opening the bottle. She exploded with energy on to the lawn dancing crazily, as if she were truly there. Dancing by the light of the full moon. Closer and closer she got to the forest as she twisted and twirled, giggled and laughed. Her body suddenly stopped and turning it was as if she were looking back at the school but her eyes were still expressionless as her dream slowly very slowly became her nightmare... to the onlooker her body began to convulse. Shake violently as if being swung around like a rag doll. She began to scream, blood curdling screams that could be heard about the school grounds. Her body fell to the ground and desperately she began to claw at it as if trying to escape something. She turned and went deathly still the only movement a moment later was her hands splayed out across the grass as if struggling within instead of fighting something before her. She eventually screamed again, though still her eyes stared blindly ahead of her. When all seemed lost she slowly stood up and touched her shoulder, glanced at herself before falling to her knees. An owl hooting over head became suddenly startled as the pale girl fell to the ground on all fours and howled as if she were an animal...

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Andromeda twisted and turned laughing with abandon. This was so much fun, she did not notice that her feet were taking her closer and closer to the forest. Stopping she looked up, the moon cast a beautiful glow on the school and she smiled. Amd then the feeling of something there, Andromeda knew that when she turned around the ever illusive shadow she had been following would be there. At first all she saw were the evil orbs of the beast, the large fangs as it lunged at her and began to tear into her shoulder. Andromeda fell backwards, writhing in agony as the creature bit deeper into her shoulder. She opened her mouth and at first the scream would not come out but when it did even the centaurs in the forest went cold with it. There was no way she could fight the creature off, the beast on top of her was going to finish her off... something, something should happen now. Someone was supposed to save her but no one came and as the beast rose up with blood dripping from its open jaws to howl at the full moon, Andromeda left another piercing scream as she gazed upon herself.

She was the monster, the beast and yet it was as if she always knew. The thought let her rest her head back and she closed her eyes so as not to look upon the werewolf any longer. As she opened her eyes again, the beast was gone so slowly she stood up and looked about her. Andromeda felt different, her right hand reached up and touched her left shoulder the pain seared through her as she glanced at the blood covered mass. She was no longer wearing the little pixie outfit and she was no longer her eleven year old self. Looking downwards she saw the mesh of confusion she was, a werewolf but still a young woman. The two battling for supremecy within the one body. The blood pounded in her veins until it began to slow down, slow down until she could no longer hear it as if she was dead inside. Her throat constricted and her limbs ached. Every organ within her felt as if it were shutting down and just when she thought it was the end she fell to her knees. Her head shot upwards and in human form she howled at the moon, baring teeth and claws ...

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily raced through the night after Andromeda. As the young woman began to dance across the grounds she faltered for a moment. What was she dreaming of? Perhaps it was just of some dance, maybe a young man who twirled her about a dance floor. Her hopes were dashed as in the next moment the lanky youth began to shudder and convulse. Gritting her teeth to keep her instinctive shout in check, she rushed to the girls side, remained feet from her. When the screams began, Cecily's blood ran cold and suddenly she knew. Oh Merline how she knew. It was that night, the night that had scarred them both for life.

It roared through her tired brain like a muggle movie stuck on fast forward. The screams, seeing the monster on top of the costumed little girl, the metalic scent of blood, acrid taste of fear. She didn't want to relive that, any of it. That traumatic night when a young girl was cursed, Cecily learned the awful truth and cousin killed cousin. The convulsions flopped her body and when she raised up to stand, Cecily thought it was all over. That Andy had woke up. Until she flung her head back and bayed to the nearly full moon like a hound from hell.

Cecily snapped. "Wake-up!" Her hand flashed before her and struck across Andy's face.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera ran after Andy and Professor Rambolt. She had no idea what was going on as the girl danced across the lawn like she was fresh off of some loony farm. Suddenly, the girl was on the ground screaming. Kiera's eyes widened as she stayed beside Professor Rambolt. What was happening? Was something hurting Andy?

Kiera's heart started to soften towards the younger girl as realization dawned on her. This was the night Andromeda was bit and transformed into a werewolf. Now, she knew part of the other reason as to why Andy was being so hateful to her. It had to do with this night. It obviously still haunted her in her dreams. Not that Kiera was likely to forget this anytime soon. She watched with horror as the younger girl howled at the moon.

Thank god Professor Rambolt had showed up. Kiera couldn't have handled this alone. She gasped as the woman struck Andy across the face. It was surprising but necessary. Kiera only hoped that was enough to wake her up.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

The slap resounded against her face and Andromeda felt the crack as if it were a part of the nightmare she couldn't wake up from and then as if a curtain was being pulled back. As if some sort of cloud was lifting, Andromeda looked about her. She was in her night dress, it was dark and she was cold. Realizing she was outside instead of in her bed, she looked about her startled and saw first of all Professor Rambolt. It was as if she had been the missing link again, she could remember the part of her nightmare where she had waited and waited for someone to come to save her and nobody had and yet the very woman who had been there for her that night was now here again.

She felt herself crumgling as if all she wanted to do was run to this woman and throw her arms around her and break down in tears but her peripheral vision picked up on someone else. Kiera. A sharp intake of breath, what was Kiera doing here? The question again to herself, what was Andromeda doing here?

"Professor?" her arms wrapped around herself attempting to keep some heat inside her, "why are we ... out here?"

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera sighed with relief as Andromeda woke up. She was glad this whole mess was over. It had been very unnerving to see Andy on the ground writhing in pain one minute and then howling at the moon the next. The overall experience was just creepy and terrifying. Kiera lowered her wand when she was certain that the girl was truly awake. The question was not directed towards her but Kiera decided to answer it.
"You were sleep walking. I was still awake in the common room so I followed you. Professor Rambolt joined us when you were running down the stairs." she said in a detached voice. Kiera was simply doing her job and nothing more.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily's breath puffed in front of her from the cold night, her lungs felt like they were on fire, constricted from the tense moment of Andy's awakening. "Kiera," she turned to the Head Girl. "Thank you," she said with heart felt gratitude. "I'll take it from here. You should go get some sleep. Twenty points for Gryffindor," she added, smiling sadly.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda frowned and shook her head. Her mouth opened momentarily then closed again. She tried to process the fact that she had come all this way in her sleep, in just her nightdress.
"I was sleep... running?" this sounded even dafter, had someone drugged her perhaps. None of it sounded real, especially Kiera coming to look out for her.

So she turned her head as the headmistress spoke, she was giving their house 20 points.
"Maybe I should sleep walk in future" she mumbled, trying to instill some bit of humor to simply make this entire bizarre situation seem more logical to her. She shivered against the cold night air and let her gaze lift skyward. It was a lovely night, the moon was hidden for now behind a few clouds and suddenly Andromeda's head snapped up. Spinning around she looked at where she was, exactly where she was and gasped. Her eyes filled immediately as she turned to the headmistress, she was confused. Completely baffled and yet who could answer any of her questions.

"Why did I... why here? why did I sleep walk here? What did I do? What happened?" the questions fell from her like a waterfall.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera smiled at Professor Rambolt as she addressed her. Kiera was sure that the Professor could explain things to Andromeda just fine. She nodded her head as she received house points. At least she got something out of it since she knew her former friend wouldn't be thanking her anytime soon. "Thank you." she said sincerely to the woman. "You're right I should get some sleep. See you later." she said before turning to go back up to the Gryffindor House.

 

[Lola Rowann]

Professor Rowann had been patrolling the cliffs and the outskirts of the forest when she had heard the strangest of noises. Knowing she had heard something similar along time ago, she ran in the direction it had come from. Only to see the head girl heading back to the school while the headmistress and Andromeda Fiorelli standing there before the forest. The troubled teenager still in her nightdress and shivering. She approached cautiously not knowing the situation at hand.

"Headmistress" she smiled at Cecily, not wanting to use her first name around the student "I heard the noise, I think the entire school heard it. Is everything alright?" Turning to look at Andromeda she removed her warm robe and walking to the girl placed it around her shoulders. The gown she had on was layered and warm enough for her.
"You may give it back to me tomorrow" she told the girl kindly before looking back at Cecily once more.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily ran her hand agitatedly through her hair, a movement unlike her. She was so wound up she wanted to take a page from Andy's book and just begin screaming. "Thank you Lola," she mumured, her smile trembling. "Miss Fiorelli had a bout of sleep walking. I was going to take her to my office, get something hot in her." She turned her head back to Andy and slowly approached her. "Andy, would you come with me please?" Cecily stood there with her hand out. She wouldn't force the young woman to come with her, if she wanted to go back to her own dorm.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda felt the cloak go about her and startled by the contact shivered against it before looking up to see who had attempted to get that close to her. She saw professor Rowann and nodded her head as a way of saying thank you. The cold had already penetrated and she was simply shivering now in rigid little bursts. Grasping the edges of the robe she pulled it tight about her trying to get as warm as she possibly could. The headmistress spoke to her and held her hand out. Andromeda looked at it, not sure if she were to actually take hold of it or not but right now the only person in this entire universe that Andromeda felt she could trust was asking her to go with her back to the castle. In that moment she remembered the bottle of firewhisky and cringed. She should never have stealing it but still she knew that whatever bizarre journey fate was taking her on, she would need it.

In the end she didn't take the hand but walked up towards her slowly, one again nodding her head to let Professor Rambolt know she was doing what she was told.

 

[Lola Rowann]

Lola smiled at the girl as she accepted the robe and listened as the headmistress filled her in on what had happened. Sleep walking, the girl was deeply troubled so it was understandable. Lola turned as Andromeda began to go to Cecily.
"I'll continue on my rounds of the grounds" she said in a hushed voice, a slight wave of her hand before casting a blue bell charm to stay beside her as she patrolled the grounds.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily smiled her goodbye at Lola and returned her attention to Andromeda. "Let's go," she murmured gently.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Setting the scene:

Across the lawn three figures walk. One in the opposite direction, skirting around the edges of the forest making sure the paramaters of the school boundary are secure. While the teenage werewolf follows the headmistress obediently back to the school. Her fate as yet undecided but she is more than certain of this, she will either help fate along quickly to establish once and for all whether her path in this life is through evil or she will crumble, dissolve away into the shadows, become a loner like so many werewolves before her and like so many that will come after her.