Important Meeting

(((You put it all in one post :(( )))

Professor King watched, breathless and in utter shock of what Cecily had endured. He had known her to be trusting; clearly she was to have charged him with this task but what he was now seeing bordered on naive. He shook his head. Cecily was not naive, she was blinded by love, the love she had and wanted so desperately to keep. He watched in horror of what Bearse had put her through, at how rough he was willing to be just for the sake of being rough. At any time he could have altered her memory appropriately, but no, instead he tormented her, hurt her, and mocked her, just for the momentary pleasure of seeing her agony before making her forget it all. At least he was kind enough to make her forget it all, and not leave her with the pain of the previous night. He was forced to wonder, however, how Cecily explained her wounds to herself. He also wondered what his responsibilities, as an auror would be as he knew all this. 'No nick, you're going to be a friend first this time.' he corrected himself.

After the memory had finished and all had vanished he pulled back his wand and whispered finite cautiously, not entirely sure what to expect. He decided silence would be best for now. The memory was a lot for him to take in -- let alone for the woman who experienced it, he was sure.
 
(Sorry!!! It's all I had. :unsure: I'm surprised I was that coherent to write all that. :lol: Btw, Cecily wasn't injured when she woke up. Bearse had healed her completely before leaving. ;-) )

Cecily panted heavily, her body felt like it'd ran a marathon. She couldn't believe what had happened, what Bearse had ...done. The memories...the wrongness of it all hit her and she started to weep harshly into her shaking hands.
 
Professor King stood up and walked to Cecily's chair. he knelt down beside her and put his hand on her arm, "It's alright, you've already endured that, everything is okay now." he said in the most soothing voice he could muster though not entirely sure what he could do right now. "Would you like a glass of something?" he asked, knowing he had a flask of firewhiskey available and if she wanted water that too could be arranged. Right now calming Cecily down was his priority, and then they could talk about everything that was plaguing his mind.
 
Cecily nodded, her face still in her hands. She cried harder at his soothing words. She tried to choke out something but all that came out pitifully was, "Fire."
 
Professor King nodded then summoned a glass to himself. He then withdrew a flask he kept with him ('in case of emergencies' he told himself) and poured a plentiful amount out for Cecily. Handing it to her he smiled, "You survived it all." he started, "You put up a great fight there, and you made it through, then you were smart enough to figure out his trick. I wouldn't be crying I'd be trying to find him just to kill him." he finished with a wink, knowing this feeble attempt to lighten the mood may be in vain but attempting it none the less.
 
Cecily took the glass from him and gulped it all down, a few drops dripping on her chin. She gasped, thrusting the glass at him. She wiped her chin. "More," she gasped out, the warmth of the whiskey replacing the dreadful cold in her core. She was trembling, her hands couldn't keep the glass steady.
 
"I much rather you sober." Professor King started with a chuckle before scolding himself, 'You idiot, she just saw the most horrendous thing to ever happen to her, and you're making jokes.' he multiplied the whiskey in his flask and poured more into the goblet. "Cecily, drinking it all away will only work until the morning. Can we talk?" he offered with sincerity, not wanting Cecily to feel alone in her thoughts and hurt.
 
Cecily took in his words as though through a fog. She sipped at the liquid slowly this time. She reached out and grasped his hand, as though trying to anchor herself to the present time.

When he asked her if they could talk, she nodded, her face strained.
 
Professor King looked at Cecily's hand as it grabbed his, though he did not react to it outwardly, ' I suppose I won't be returning to my chair then.' he told himself, noticing he was more humorous now that the situation was serious. He smiled when Cecily nodded, glad that she was willing to discuss things though not at all sure where to start. "You should start with whatever you're thinking of right now, if you're willing to that is." he stated, figuring Cecily should relieve her own mind before he started to pester her with his thoughts.
 
"I..,"her voice cracked. She took another drink of her glass before clearing her throat. She didn't notice the tears tracking down her cheeks.

"Am I really so pathetic?" she asked softly, her green eyes finally locked with Nicolas'. The torment in them screamed of her pain.
 
Professor King summoned a handkerchief with his fear hand and offered it to Cecily. "Your not pathetic at all." he stated firmly as she stared into his eyes. "You're strong for enduring it, you're wise for discovering his cover up." he assured her. "I think more of you having seen that."
 
She set the glass aside, letting go of his hand to accept the handkerchief. Cecily smiled tremulously, wiping her face and blowing her nose. "Oh, sorry,"she giggled, cleaning the handkerchief with a lopsided grin. Her laughter faded. "He's a monster,"she whispered. Her mind raced with all that he'd done. All that he'd said and revealed.

"How could he do this to me?!"she cried in anger. She was angry. Murderously angry.
 
"Not to worry, I have plenty." Professor King replied as she cleaned the handkerchief. Though otherwise, he had no response for her. He didn't know why or how Bearse did what he did. He could hazard a few guesses but they would be worthless and pointless. Instead of offering an answer he stood and walked back to his chair looking towards Cecily with deep concern apparant in his eyes. "You need to remain calm. Being angry won't help you right now, you know that."
 
Cecily's fists unclenched slowly and she took deep breaths to get back to her normal self. She hadn't felt such anger since her seventh year at Hogwarts, when Janetta Brewster had stolen her diary and read it in the great hall. When she found Bearse, the curses she'd place on him would make what she'd done to Janetta look like childsplay.

Her tears slowly stopped and she felt she could talk now. She looked up at Nick, wiping her tears again. "I'm ready to talk now," she said softly.
 
"I'm glad." Professor King began, not sure where to start but still able to tell the immense hurt Cecily was feeling, and rightly so. "Well, I'm glad you didn't die." he said, again wanting to hit himself, "So what I saw... I'm probably going to have an Oblivator make me forget, so your life can stay with you." he offered.
 
Cecily nodded, pulling her legs up and hugging her knees to her chest. She sniffed before looking him in the eyes again. "What you saw...I'm sorry Nicolas,"she said sincerely. "If you feel you have to do that, then I'll support your decision,"she said softly. "Although, having you know and not being alone with that knowledge...it's a double edged sword."

"He was much older than me, did I ever tell you that? You took over his position, but I don't think you saw much of him...,"she trailed off, her eyes seeing something only she could see. "He was so handsome when we first met. I was apprehensive around him...there was something so...commanding about him. So forceful. I'd led a pretty sheltered life until then. My parents are muggles. My father's a retired fisherman,"she explained, rubbing her nose for a second.

She laid her chin upon her knees. "He swept me off feet,"she reminisced, smiling softly. "We were married barely a year after we first met. We were happy for so long...until...,"she closed her eyes, remembering. "I learned what he'd done. Who he'd been long before he met me. A Death Eater, as you now know." She locked eyes with him again.

"We divorced after that. I couldn't let it go and it destroyed our marriage. The fact that the friends he brought around all the time were...monsters too,"she shuddered, remembering their polite smiles and dead eyes.

"When Alicia offered me the job here, I was thrilled. To get out of the country, see new sights, meet new people. Really move on, you know?"she said, locking eyes with Nicolas, a sad smile playing on her lips.

"Shortly after I arrived, he was here. An ex-auror and Death Eater, teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts,"she mocked. "The danger we put those children in,"she said, her eyes turning from his, her hand covering her mouth. "We instantly butted heads. Then he laid on the charm again. Took me out for a picnic, wooed me with my favorite flowers,"she shook her head. "I still loved him. I felt like a fool for not forgiving him for what he'd done in his past, when he told me how much he hated himself for what he'd done and believed in."

"We were married on a hilltop, just us two and the preacher. I thought it wonderfully romantic at the time, although Alicia was put out that we hadn't invited her. I'd wanted our friends there, yet Bearse said it was meant to be this way. I agreed...now I know why. He was still ashamed. Marrying a mudblood not once, but twice?"she scoffed.

She picked up her glass and took a swallow, pressing the cold glass against her flushed cheek. "Everything was perfect. We were living a normal life and it was so good, you know?" her eyes implored him to understand, to not judge her too harshly for her stupidity. "I loved him. I thought he loved me."

"Foolish. That's what he called me. Maybe I was. I certainly couldn't see his avoidance of me for what it was...a 'new ladylove'. I hope she knows what she's getting herself in for...." Cecily wouldn't wish him on her worst enemy. She couldn't blame this mystery woman for her husband's misdeeds.

"The part that hurts the worst...the absolute worst...is that all these years, I could have moved on...and not be denied a child. He knew that was all I ever wanted, my entire life," her eyes welled with tears again and she blinked them away. She'd cried enough over the cold hearted bastard.

"I guess that's why I took up teaching...I love shaping their young minds. Being there for them." She stopped and looked at Nicolas.

"I'm sorry,"she whispered, "I can't seem to stop talking." She rubbed at the back of her neck, taking another drink.
 
Professor King listened to Cecily's story intently, "There is no need to apologize, I saw what I saw, and the oblivator would only be if you would prefer to be alone in your knowledge of that event. Though I assure you that anything I've learned in this place will not leave my lips -- or my mind." he interrupted nearer the beginning, clarifying his previous statement. He continued to listen to her; their eyes locking every once in a while at the more intense portions of the story. He had known he took Bearse's positions as Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher and Gryffindor Head of House, but only a week into the school year and why that had been plagued his mind. It seemed that Bearse had never been concerned with the school, he had heard stories of people going to his office only to be shrugged off or barked at, which now seemed to fit the man in the vision and in Cecily's life.

As the story drew to its close Nicolas nodded his understanding, "You weren't weak Cecily, you were strong to leave him once and stronger to survive the second time, he used magic and 'charming' ways to lure you back you surely cannot fault yourself for that." He has always seen Cecily as the light hearted easy going Herbology Professor -- the one who'd been happy all her life and didn't know what hurt or trouble was. He knew of her re-marriage but that only seemed to prove the point and when Bearse left the school he did not notice its toll on her at all. He allowed his ignorance to continue. He was the fool in the room.
 
"Maybe not,"she said, his words helping her to cope.
"It's just been so hard...swallowing my pain...pretending like nothing's going wrong in my life," she whispered, rubbing at her eyes. "I've always brushed aside the heavy things, pretend they don't exist, and just try to be happy about being here. Nobody likes to be around a downer,"she joked, her lips twisting into a rye grin.

"I don't think I wanted to see him for what he truly was. I always try to see the good in people...in those I care about...those I love. I blinded myself, to keep the pain away,"she shook her head, her hair falling around her face. She sighed heavily.

"Nick...I don't want to be alone in these memories,"she said, her voice wobbly.
 
"Then you won't be, Cecily." Professor King assured her, not entirely sure if he would ever view Cecily in the same light as he ever had, nor was he sure if the event of the past few days would affect their future interactions with each other. Pushing this to the side of his mind he turned to Cecily, "I understand how hard this must be for you, this and always being cheery, I hope you know nobody would think any less of you for not always having a smile on." he continued with hesitance.
 
"Thanks,"she whispered, her smile reaching her eyes this time. It's what she'd always wanted, subconsiously and could now readily admit. To be accepted for all of her, not just the bubbly part. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her.

"I don't think I'll turn into a dour old miss, though,"she laughed, her eyes sparkling, her humor returning. "I'll leave that to the other grouchy professors." She couldn't believe how much this and he had helped her. It was still painful, yes, but she could deal with it. She'd take a trip, she decided. Maybe go see her friends. Rough it for a week before school started.
 
"I believe that is only Arithmos who is perpetually grumpy." Professor King clarified with a grin, glad Cecily was joking again, though wanting to stay on the topic at hand. "I assume you never found out who he killed then?" Professor King inquired bluntly, a worried look on his face.
 
Cecily laughed, covering her mouth with her hand, her shoulders shaking. "You are bad!"she admonished, her green eyes twinkling.

Her smile faded, her brow furrowed. "No. He never revealed it to me. It was around the time of the attack at the ministry, during Lucius Malfoy's trial,"she said, thinking out loud.
 
Professor King nodded as Cecily said that she didn't know who Bearse killed, it was annoying but what disturbed him more was when she mentioned the date. He was at the castle that night -- he should have been patrolling the forest. he couldn't remember if he had patrolled that night, but if he had, he had done a poor job of it. So poorly that he was now forced to wonder if students had been harmed other nights while under his 'watch' (for lack of a better word). If he had not patrolled that night he was forced to wonder why he had not chosen to patrol. What had been so important to him that the lives of his students were easy to put on the line? His face was solemn now, and his lips pursed. "I'm sorry." he allowed to escape from them before staring at the ground again.
 
Cecily instantly picked up on the change in Nick's demeanor. "What's wrong?" she asked, leaning forward in her seat.
 
'This isn't to be about you Nick, smarten up.' Professor King told himself, straightening up and looking at Cecily again, "Oh it's nothing -- just that I’m sorry I didn't help you that night." he added a shrug at the end of this statement, trying to make it seem not as important to him as it was.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top