Out after Curfew

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda had lit her wand as soon as they had stepped outside the portrait of Lady Helena. Andy wanted to plead with her to not say a word but figured why wasted the precious time they had. On swift and silent feet they made their way down the seven flights of moving stairs with only their wands to guide them. Once or twice Andromeda had nearly tripped as the screeching became unbearable but Bruin had helped by taking her by the elbow and helping her along. It seemed to take them ages to get down to the large Entrance hall and even longer to open the doors without making too much noise. The gravelled path crunched under their feet as they tried desperately to be as quiet as they could be.

The crying began once more after giving Andromeda's ears and heart a respite for a short while. She blocked her hands over her ears and looked about her. The wailing sounded so much louder out here as if the charms on the school had prevented the banshees cry from disturbing all the magical beasts and beings that might be able to hear her. Andromeda didn't know if any of them could or if it were simply the ancient Irish families like her own that the banshee had attached herself to. Whatever, Andy almost fell to her knees the keening got so intense. And then she looked up as an image began to slowly materialise.

 

[Callista O'Brien Fiorelli]

Each member of the family were aware of the banshees cries that night. All except one, the one whose death she was forewarning them about. She wailed and cried for the body she had to take, getting louder and louder eerier and more terrifying with every passing moment. As the each family member was made aware, the banshee became visible to those of the O'Brien family. Looking now at the girl before her, the banshee began to comb her long hair out. With each brush stroke her cry became anguished and mournful. Until with one piercing shriek she rushed at the girl but before getting within a yard of her disappeared completely.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

The woman before her all disgusting in her horror, gave Andromeda the biggest fright of her life. Andy clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle the scream she knew would come. She knew Bruin could only see her staring off into emptiness and was probably convinced that his friend was well and truly bonkers. Just when she thought she could take it no more the banshee gave the loudest scream yet and came at her with so much verocity and fierceness that Andromeda really did scream and ducked, only to then realise after a moment that the screaming had stopped, there was no more crying or wailing. Looking up there was nothing there. Andy's heart raced, was it too late? Which member of her family was dying or had died? She turned to Bruin instantly.

"We have to hurry, please" she took the letter out of her pocket and gave it to him, "Any owl at all will do, just tell it to get to Esmerelda Smickett or Patrick O'Brien. I'll explain everything when you get back down. Hurry Bruin, please".

 

[Bruin Dumbledez]

Bruin was growing increasingly concerned about Andy as they made their way as quickly and quietly as possible through the school and then outside. His concern only grew at this point as Andy suddenly appeared transfixed on something that he could not see. He had his wand out, but could not make out anything that they needed protection from. Suddenly, Andy let out a scream and ducked away from something that Bruin could not see. Bruin looked around again before Andy turned, handed him a letter and gave him brief instructions. He desperately wanted to question her about what was going on, but Andy assured him that she would explain when he returned.

Bruin turned and bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time and bursting into the Owlery. He wasn't concerned about disturbing the owls, knowing that most of them would be out hunting, he just hoped that Legend would be. Bruin scanned the rafters and gave a brief whistle, happy to see the familiar shape of his Northern Spotted Owl swooping down to him. He quickly tied the note to Legend's leg. "Take this to Esmerelda Smickett or Patrick O'Brien as fast as you can fly, alright?" Bruin stated, hoping that Legend would realize the urgency of the matter and that he would be well rewarded for his services on his return.

The owl tore away from him and out into the night sky and Bruin took a deep breath, not certain he was ready to hear what was going on. Something was desperately wrong with Andy and he knew that he didn't want to leave her standing alone at the foot of the tower any longer, quickly descending and heading back to her. "What is it Andy? What's going on?" He asked as calmly as possible under the circumstances, the concern in his voice evident.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda was sitting now on the steps of the owlery as Bruin came and asked her what was going on. She sighed, her entire body was shaking and tears had begun to well up in her eyes. Someone in her family was going to die or were indeed already dead and she was powerless to stop it, all she could do was find out which one.

"Remember when we were back home in Ireland around one of the campfires my uncle Maurice began telling stories of a banshee. The younger children always think these are just ghost stories but I guess as my parents were magical I believed in them at a very early age. There are four maybe five of the ancient Irish families that have a banshee attached to them. You've done magical beings I don't know if you've ever come across them in any books but they are harbingers of death. That night at the campfire they all began mentioning how when my grandfather passed away they could all hear her, low and almost very far away. Singing. I heard her too but soon her singing became this awful cry but it was still very low. When we talked about it that night, I know it was all said as if it were folklore and stuff but my family have had a banshee attached for centuries. She comes when someone is about to die or when someone has died" Andy paused to wipe a tear that had trickled down, her hands were shaking so hard that she clasped them together to stop the shaking.
"About ten minutes before I woke you up I heard her. So much louder and more horrific that the night grand-dad died. I could even see her this time. I don't know if that means some is going to die and its one of the younger ones... uncle Maurice had said that night that when my cousin Charlie was killed in a car crash five years ago she was heard as well and so loud and painful to listen to. That's the way she was tonight. Charlie was in his early twenties and had no illness or anything. Bruin I am so scared. I can't go home because I know the ministry won't issue me another travel permit but I know... I just know that one of them..."

She stopped, broke off mid sentence and put her face into her hands and cried. This was supposed to be a good year and before she even turned 15years of age somebody close to her was going to die ... again.

 

[Bruin Dumbledez]

Bruin sat down on the stairs beside Andy and listened as she spoke about her family and their unique experience with Banshees. Despite his outward appearance which might make one consider him to be some big oaf, Bruin was remarkably well read and had read about Banshees, although he didn't expect that he would ever have such a close encounter with one. When Andy's voice finally gave way to her emotions, he simply placed his big arm around her shoulders and pulled her gently towards him.

There were no real words to comfort her at the moment, at least not any that he could think of, and he wondered what he should or could do for her. It would be quite some time before Legend returned with any word from her relatives, but the thought of dragging her back to Gryffindor in her current state didn't really appeal to him. The uncertainty of it all hung over them like an ominous cloud when a thought occurred to him. Bruin could try apparating somewhere and try and get some immediate answers, but where he wondered.

When Bruin finally spoke, he did so tentatively. "I'm so sorry Andy, do you want me to try apparating back to your family's place in Ireland to try and find out what's happened? Or do you just want me to stay here with you?"

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda felt the arm about her shoulder and relaxed as he pulled her towards him. She rested her head on his chest and attempted to quell the sobs that were making her body shake. It felt like an eternity that they sat there for, she knew she could not go back into the school just yet and wondered how long a reply from either of them would take. What if they weren't at the Gables, if Essie was in her owl form would Bruin's owl find her? What if Patrick was off on his travels again, none of her owls had been able to reach him then? So many thoughts went through her mind and she tried to sort them out to make sense of them. Wiping the tears from her face as Bruin spoke, she wondered not for the first time what she had done in her short life to deserve the friends she had, they were all so incredible. Sitting up to look at him she shook her head and tried to speak through her subsiding sobs.

"Besides we can't apparate from inside the school Bruin" she remembered this from her first years Hogwarts A History book, "when we all lived at the house my father, mother and my uncle Patrick put so many charms on it to protect our ... 'muggle' family from any wizards or witches just dropping by. No-one can apparate in or out unless one of them lifts the charms. Even the floo network has a charm against it until one of them arrives first by muggle means to undo it."

All the precautions they had taken over the years incase another 'war' or anything at all were to happen should have repercussions for the O'Brien family. They would not be involved and would not be hurt or surprised by any unwelcome visitors. Even when Esmerelda and the ministry official had arrived to give the news about her fathers death, they had used a car to get to the house.

"Thank you anyway Bruin" she looked at him and attempted a smile, the close proximity did not bother her at all, "I'd prefer you to just stay another bit. If nothing comes shortly we'll have to go back to our house".

 

[Bruin Dumbledez]

Bruin knew that he couldn't apparate from within the school grounds, but he had slipped beyond its walls undetected before and would do it again if need be without a second thought. However, it appeared that Andy wished for him to remain with her for the moment and he had know difficulty in meeting her request. He had spent a great deal of time with her over the past year and grown extremely fond of her. Bruin hated to see her in such pain and wished he could do more for her. "Sure, no problem..." He replied quietly with a weak smile, before leaning forward and giving her a light kiss on the top of her head. It was an instinctive action and strangely, it didn't feel unnatural in the slightest. He turned and gazed skywards, wondering what news the coming hours would bring.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda felt protected somehow with Bruin sitting with her, he kissed the top of her head before she leaned into his arm once more. She was glad she had asked Bruin to help her he was pretty much her hero after saving her the year before, breaking curfew to help her tonight just set him once more apart from everyone else. Time ticked by and the air grew chilled. Andromeda thought the banshee might return again and was grateful for every second that she didn't. The cold stone step was becoming uncomfortable, no matter how warm she felt in the crook of Bruin's arm. Her teeth began to chatter a little, how long they had been sitting there for she did not know but it had been too long now in her view. The first rays of the rising sun were visible in the east and Andy stifled a yawn when she saw it.
"We'll have to head back in Bruin before any of the staff get up. I don't want you to get into trouble because of me"she sat herself up straight, huddling her arms about her to brace herself against the cold morning air. Slowly she stood up and looked about, it was going to be a beautiful day weather wise. Wondering how much longer she would have to wait before she heard anything, Andy attempted to smile at Bruin.

 

[Bruin Dumbledez]

Bruin couldn't understand why Andy was concerned for him getting in trouble, particularly under the present circumstances, but he was starting to feel the cold as well and recognized that getting back inside was probably a good idea. It was typical of Andy though, always considerate of other peoples situations despite her own. "Alright...Legend will come and find me wherever I am anyways." He replied as he started gathering himself up. "Are you going to try and get some sleep? I'll come and get you as soon as he returns."

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy sighed and shook her head.
"I know I should try but I know I won't be able to sleep, my head will just be all over the place. I might just stay up in the common room on the sofa for a while. I don't have classes today so I might just hang about either the common room or here. Then again I'll probably be hovering outside all of your classes like a leech, just incase Legend does show up" she smiled liking the name he had given his owl. Turning to head back inside Andy kept her arms firmly secured about her waist, the cold was getting to her which was unusual. She hadn't felt the cold so keenly in years, since before she became a werewolf.

"I guess we've been lucky that none of the professors caught up with us, then again we do have several flights of moving staircases to get back through" it felt like an obstacle course ahead of her now and the more she thought about the long climb the more she didn't want to do it. What if they were climbing up and the owl returned? Andy's face showed every feeling of apprehension imaginable, she really was an open book though for the life of her was unaware just how visible her emotions were for everyone else to see.

 

[Bruin Dumbledez]

Bruin knew that Andy was conflicted, but in such situations it was probably best to go with your first thought. "Alright, why don't we head up to the common room and I'll see if I can't talk one of the house elves into bringing us up a little breakfast. I don't think Professor Fletcher would mind under the circumstances." Bruin replied as he began leading the way back into the castle.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy smiled at him, it made a nice change having someone else decided things for her. Take the lead instead of her always being the strong one. With Bruin she knew she could fall apart and he wouldn't think any less of her for doing so, she could be as mad as a hatter bludgeoning him as she had the year before and yet he would still be her friend. Andromeda began walking after him. The differences were vast between the boys in her life. Brian who could no longer be counted as one of these had only ever caused her pain and frustration anyhow. Carlisle and Bruin she knew looked out for her, would let nothing and no-one hurt her. One was her best friend and the other her boyfriend. She wondered what Carlisle would think about her decision to seek Bruin out for this tonight and not him?

With a sigh she shook her head, it was too full of every single family member to worry about upsetting Carlisle right now. She hoped they were alright but the banshee had not cried out in ages now. Andy caught up in two strides of her long legs to Bruin, without thinking she simply slipped her hand into his. She had done this always as a comforting mechanism when she had been younger and needed solace. Whoever had been close by whether it was her mother, father, godmother, uncle or as on one occasion when she had lost her dog and in her search of him arrived back to the house to be met by the milk man, she had simply held his hand as she asked if he had seen Darcy anywhere.

Now she put her hand into Bruins seeking the same solace, she wanted reassurance and though he couldn't give it to her his presence was a balm to her tortured, damned soul.
"Breakfast sounds good".

 

[Bruin Dumbledez]

Bruin was caught somewhat off guard when Andy grabbed his hand, although he made no effort to pull his hand away. He didn't have a great deal of experience with hand holding, but had always associated it with providing comfort and safety. Around the school, he routinely saw couples holding hands and he wondered what others might think if they saw he and Andy making their away through the school in the early morning hours doing so. However, under the current circumstances he simply didn't care and would have no difficulty putting anyone in their place who made the mistake of spreading rumours.

Whether they were seen or not, Bruin did not know as they arrived back at Gryffindor Tower a short time later without meeting up with anyone directly. Bruin left Andy sitting on a couch in the Common Room as he made his way down to the kitchens to get them something to eat. He was slowly coming to grips with the grim reality that no matter how great an owl that Legend was, it was likely to be quite some time before he returned and that Andy would be needing a fair bit of support in the coming days.

(sorry for the god mod, but thought I better help tie up some loose ends)