Pondering the night

Cecily Rambolt

Cecily Rambolt

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,229
OOC First Name
Liv
Blood Status
Pure Blood
Relationship Status
Divorced
Wand
Tulip Wood Wand with Unicorn Hair Core
Pale moonlight poured through the tree branches, a cold breeze blew in from the north. Cecily pulled her lighter cloak about her shoulders, her wand held at the ready close to her side. Her long legs ate up the earth and soon she was sitting on the arched stone bench, lowering herself down onto it with a heavy sigh. Her feet hurt from the long day she'd had and all she'd wanted was a nice glass of elf made wine, soft music from Celestina Warbeck and to start "Hélas, Je me suis Transfiguré mes Pieds (Alas, I have Transfigured my Feet)" by Malecrit.

But when she'd gotten home and sat down and was about to take a sip, Hamneda had pinched her cat, who'd hissed and scratched her other cat, then all Merlin broke loose. After Cecily had cleaned up the mess, she couldn't relax. So here she was, sitting on a bench at night after taking a long walk.

She sighed and put her head in her hands. "Pathetic," she murmured.
 
"What is?" Professor King asked as he came up beside Cecily. He had been patroling the Forest as was his duty and had heard some rustling along the edge, figuring it a student he had followed it. When he finally reacher the person, he was surprised to find it to be Professor Rambolt.

(((If this is closed tell me and I will delete my post :) )))
 
Cecily's head jerked up, her adjusted eyes could make out Professor King standing a few feet from her. She pocketed her wand.

"Me," she sighed, grinning ruefully. "What brings you out tonight?"

(It's open. :D )
 
"How about we discuss how you're pathetic then we move into why Im here, though it should be obvious." Professor King responded. He figured Cecily should recall the fact that he patrolled the forest, though if she thought herself pathetic that may be the least of her concerns.
 
"Right, right," Cecily murmured, scrubbing her fingers over her eyes. She blinked several times up at the starry night. She envied the Centaurs and their stargazing ways. She wished she could see what they held.

"I forgot, you're on duty, aren't you?" she said, scooting over. "There's room, if you'd like to get off your feet." Her own still stung from her long day.

She sighed heavily. She wasn't sure what to say.
 
"I suppose I could take a small break." Professor King started as he took a seat on the opposite side of the bench, "So, why do you figure yourself pathetic?" he persisted, not wanting to impose upon Cecily or her evening but figuring if he could console somebody he should at least try.
 
"I'm just being silly, I suppose," she said, one corner of mouth lifting slightly in a grin. "I think putting in too many hours with my plants is making me, well,"she looked around and whispered the last part, "see things."
 
"Seeing things?" Professor King asked in a similairly hushed tone, wondering what Cecily could be seeing that would lead her to think herself pathetic.

(((I want to make my post longer but can't think of any ways to T-T )))
 
Cecily sighed and looked down at her clasped hands. She picked at a nail absently; most women would grimace with dirt under their nails but she was too used to it by now.

"It started with the wheelbarrow race we had this past fall. We had a photo finish and when the picture developed...there was something, well, dark along the edge of the woods. I could barely make it out. It unsettled me though...,"she trailed off, unsure if her words were making any sense.
 
Professor King listened intently as Cecily recollected the events of the Wheelbarrow race. He was at first unsure of how to respond to the story; whether to just agree that she must be seeing things, or to inquire further as to what the darkness seemed to be. At last, he decided it was his gut he'd go with; thus far he knew Cecily as a...relativly sane woman and could not imagine her seeing things without cause. "Something dark unsettled you." Professor King said, more to himself than Cecily, "What was it, if it unsettled you I assume it wasn't just a tree's shadow. If you don't mind my asking that is."
 
Cecily glanced at Nicolas from beneath her golden lashes. She knew she could trust his judgement, especially in the darker aspects of magic, as he was the Dark Arts professor. She glanced back down at her hands. It'd been hard for her at first when he'd taken the post, since her...former husband had taught the subject.
She pushed those thoughts from her mind, those times were happier for her and painful to recall. She'd been so excited to come to the school and teach alongside her partner. His...defection was painful for her.

She thought about his question. "It definitely wasn't a tree...although I did think so at first. I've been reluctant to enter the woods since then, only going in there once with a student," she said, her mouth twitching. That incident had been disastrous. They'd met with a centaur who'd chased them from the woods.
"Before I went in that time, I felt it again. Something dark is...living there...," she trailed off, afraid he would laugh at her. She wasn't the expert in these matters.
"I'm not sure what it is though."

Her brow furrowed. There was something that kept niggling in the back of her mind but refused to make itself clear. It'd been like that ever since Bearse had left.

("relatively sane" =)) )
 
Professor King listened as Cecily spoke; btu her utterances helped him none. He knew she saw something dark, and he already knew it unsettled her. Now he was unsure as to whether she even wanted him to know anything. "I would imagine there are dark things in this forest, that is why it is forbidden." Nicolas stated plainly, "Is there anything special about this darkness?" he finally asked, figuring that if her answer was still vague that he couldn't help her or that she didn't want him to know anything, at which time he would leave.
 
Cecily sighed before standing up and searching through cloak pockets. "Here," she handed him a slightly dented wizard photo of the finishing line at the wheelbarrow race. In it, the students were laughing and going across the line. In the distance was a big portion of the forbidden forest. Along the edge, a dark being moved, faceless but definitely with the proportions of a human.

She took a deep breath before sitting back down. "Nicolas...there's something else. When I was away on hols...I met with a friend. They think I might have been placed under a memory charm." Her green eyes looked at him intently, worry clear in them.
 
Nicolas accepted the picture Cecily handed to him but couldn't make much out in the night lighting, for lack of a better word. He withdrew his wand again and cast lumos. He then watched the picture loop through. The first time his eye was focused on the finish line and all the students, though the second he paid closer attention to the forest and the figure that was there. Cecily was not crazy, it was there. This reassured him that Cecily did not just want to givbe him vagaries.

As Cecily seated herself again Nicolas handed the picture back to her and listened to her story. A memory charm, huh? By whom. he wondered as she finished, "Well, if you have had some memories altered it is reversable, though risky if done by the wrong witch or wizard." Professor King assured her, knowing that if his memories had been altered he would certainly want any attempt made to get the originals back. "Do you have any idea who may have done such a thing to you? Or why?" he then asked, doucing the light of his wand once again.

((Props to Sophia for verifying (proving) for me that the Memory Charm is reversable. )))
 
(woot Sophia! :lol: )

Cecily tucked the picture away. "I just haven't had the time...,"she stopped herself. "No,"she said harshly. "That's a lie. I have had the time. I'm just afraid of what I'll remember."

She looked at him again. "It was Bearse. I'm sure of it,"she said firmly. She explained about how when Bearse had left, he'd left a note for her stating that he was leaving for an extended period. He was taking up the call of Auror again for a case he'd been working on. She told Nick about how her friend had helped her to see that the note was indeed blank and that she'd obviously been put under a memory charm.

(Geez, I hope this is making sense...I'm trying not to get too dramatic or rambly. 8-} My mind isn't clear at the mo'. )
 
((Indeed for \/\/007age to Sophia))

Nicolas listened to Cecily's story, not fully understanding everything that happened, but understanding enough not to have the most clueless look ever plastered across his face. He wanted to further assure her that Bearse had not returned to the Ministry, but couldn't. He figured she didn't need that assurance however as she seemed convinced Bearse was somehow involved in this.

"That really is quite the story." Nicolas began, unsure of what to add or where to go, "So, do you think you'll ever want your memories back?" he finally inquired, not knowing what else to ask.
 
"I..yes, I do. I should,"she said decisively. "I've been a coward to them for too long now. Whatever I'm not supposed to remember, I know it's linked to Bearse and whatever it is that's in the woods."

"What would you do, if you were in a similar situation?" she asked softly, staring up at the night sky. She's always respected Nick and his candor. He knew how to cut to the heart of the situation and remove the foolishness of it.
 
'Get out of the situation' Nicolas thought immeadiatly, and would have said it had the discussion not been serious. "Well, I suppose I would need to get them back." he started very honestly, "Though if they were too horrible to deal with I would ask somebody to change them again." he finished with a chuckle, just imagining what his colleagues at the ministry would think of him if he ever chickened out of keeping a memory.
 
Cecily's lips twitched in a lopsided grin. "There's an idea,"she said chuckling. She thought for a moment. "How does one go about regaining their memories?" she asked curiously.
 
"You'd have to get somebody you trust, or the person who changed your memories, and ask them to reverse the spell." Nicolas started, trying to recollect whatever he could. "If I recall the magic itself is nothing that an adult witch or wizard shouldn't be able to manage." After the last statement he realised how simple he had made it seem, "Though I suppose it should be somebody of equal or greater power of the caster." he qualified, hoping he wasn't being overly confusing. If push came to shove he figured an oblivator would be able to reverse the spell for Cecily, though somebody she trusted might be the best option right now.
 
"I've been in contact with a liason to the ministry...they haven't seen nor heard from Bearse since he retired. I know having him reverse the spell isn't an option,"Cecily said, downcast.

"Is there anyone you'd recommend?"she asked, her brow furrowed.
 
"It's best if you chose somebody." Nicolas persisted, "'You would know your Husband's power, and who was, or is stronger than him. Also, you are the only person who really knows who you trust." he finished with a smile, having never had much contact with Bearse himself Nicolas felt very out of his element and lacking a lot of information he normally enjoyed the luxury of having access to.
 
"His power,"she smiled sadly. "Bearse was the fiercest auror I've ever met. He scared me when we first met; his intensity, his drive, his ruthlessness. If there was a target he was out to get then they might as well make peace with their maker because they were done for. He never once let a dark witch or wizard go." She looked at Nick's face in the pale moonlight.

"When we married the first time, it was that power that drew me to him." She looked up at the sky. "But the darkness in him...from his days as a death eater, never went away. Not fully."

"The only person I know who could hold her own against him is his cousin. Alicia," she sighed. They'd met through Alicia. Bearse was much older than Cecily.
 
"Then that's who I'd ask to reverse it." Nicolas stated with an air of finality to his voice. If there was only one person to match Bearse's power, and Cecily trusted them, then that was that. It was the only clear choice. "So any more thoughts on the figure?"
 
She nodded. He was right. Alicia was the one to help her.

"I don't know,"she answered honestly, although that odd niggling happened again at the back of her mind, like trying to squeeze a knut through a tiny tube.

"I'll bring it up with Alicia, see what she thinks about it."
 
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