Unfogging the Future

[Wren Louise]

After their first successful palm reading in Alana's seventh year, Wren was delighted to have received another missive from his graduated student asking for a second reading. The Divination Professor did them fairly regularly for students, but usually for demonstration purposes, and even those interested in his subject were skeptical of the vague allusions that often came from a shaky form of divination. It was not Wren's preferred medium, but Alana was a perfect specimen to read from, and he found himself enjoying it much more than he expected to. What's more, his findings had actually been useful to his student. What was the harm in trying again?

He'd organised to meet Alana in a somewhat smoky little cafe, due to the pair of hookahs in the back room for customers, filled with exotic herbs and tobacco. In deference to his guest, he took a seat by the open window at the front of the store but away from the entrance. On a day like this, the cafe was nearly deserted. Wren entertained himself by sifting through his coffee grounds for signs and symbols. The Frenchman perked up soon enough as the young woman he was expecting entered the cafe.
"Ma chèr," he greeted her warmly, standing to pull out a chair for her. "You are well, I hope? The world outside of Hogwarts not too frightening thus far?"​

 

[Alana Finch]

Alana did a double take as she arrived at the meeting place that Professor Louise had named. It was the sort of place that might have been better suited for her home, Bleak Street, and not for the brightness of the village. As she pushed open the door, the young woman’s nose received an onslaught of smells, not unpleasant, just unfamiliar. It was not the sort of place she’d come to on her own, that was for sure, and she was sure neither her husband nor her father would be pleased to learn that she’d come at all.

It didn’t take the red-eyed girl long to spot Professor Louise, and she smiled as she walked over. There was an awkward moment for her when she wondered how exactly to greet the man who’d just very recently been her professor, but he took care of that by pulling her chair out. With a nod, she moved with the seat as she settled in, the smells and sounds of the café along with the slight breeze from the open window already making her feeling comfortable. “I’m married to a Zhefarovich, professor. I don’t think it gets more frightening than that” she said, only half joking as she shook her head slightly. “Thank you for meeting me.” Alana had been surprised when Professor Louise had agreed to meet up. She’d written to him on a whim after an experience that no doubt had aligned with his previous palm reading.

 

[Wren Louise]

Wren gave his former student a friendly smile of complete non-comprehension at her joke, not knowing anything about the reputation of the Zhefarovich family. Wren was so far out of the loop, he was a triangle. The closest he'd get to understanding is if he knew that Kalif Styx was connected to the family, and he did not, so the joke roared overhead like a 747.

"You're very welcome," Wren said simply, gesturing at the cafe menu in case she wanted tea or other light refreshments. "I did not know you were married; congratulations! You are happy?" he asked, not meaning anything by it but hoping it was a positive answer nonetheless. Most people took the question as an opportunity to gush about their new spouse, their honeymoon or future plans, but occasionally the question took a dark turn, especially when he accidentally asked those in unhappily arranged marriages.
"I like to think you were better prepared for life outside of Hogwarts thanks to the revelations of our last reading," the Frenchman continued, thinking back on some of Alana's more interesting and startling symbols. "But there is always more to discover, as we continue to grow. Shall we discover some more?" Wren asked Alana with an impish smile.​

 

[Alana Finch]

Alana was glad for the menu he'd brought to her attention. She kept her gaze on it, the words blurring together as Professor Louise offered her congratulations on her marriage. Of course she didn't expect him to know she wasn't happy about it and that her attempts to come to terms with it and take control had backfired against her. So, she composed herself and then looked up, a smile on her face that was as false as the words ready to cross her lips. "Thank you. Marriage has been...challenging." Glad when he continued, Alana nodded. Yes, her last reading had been quite illuminating, even more so when something the professor had seen in her palm had come to light. Indeed, she had been grateful for the heads up. Too much of her life was out of her hands, so it was nice to literally see what was in her hands.

The former Slytherin knew her husband didn't put much stock in this sort of thing, but Alana did. They'd argued about it before long ago, when they'd just learned of their betrothal. All these years later, Alana was sure his opinion hadn't changed. So her books were locked away, this meeting disguised as an 'errand.' Rubbing her hand on her pants to make sure they weren't sweaty, Alana placed them on the table, palms up. She wasn't sure which one the professor would need. "Yes, please."

 

[Wren Louise]

Something like a premonition came over Wren at Alana's mention of a challenging marriage. The Professor glazed over for a second, not long enough for his former student to notice but enough to unsettle him deeply. He usually kept his current student's birth charts to keep track of them for the syllabus, but there were one or two that he cared for long after his students had graduated, such as Orwell Brocken's, Esme Lancaster's and, indeed, Alana Finch's.
Everything from her chart, the last palm reading and all of the classes they'd done together seemed to marry up in that moment, and though he couldn't have known the challenges the young woman was facing, he felt their presence quite keenly. When Alana looked up his brow was furrowed, but he tried to smile through it though the feeling of foreboding never faded.

"Let's start with the left hand," Wren began gently. He took Alana's hand in his own, but it felt more like her hand was the crystal ball and his fingers were the stand rather than anything intimate. The Diviner's hands were baby-soft and extremely thin. He balanced the back of her hand on those fingertips and began to peruse the lines, looking for changes since he'd last seen her. Deeper lines, absent lines, new lines, they were all precisely catalogued. Suddenly Wren didn't look a bit sleepy, and his doe brown eyes glittered with focus and awareness. Only Divination could make him like this.
"We took a very keen look at your fate line, last time," said the Frenchman, tapping it with his finger like the touch of a butterfly. "I wonder if you would be interested in perusing the heart line? I know it can be rather ... personal," he noted apologetically, "But if you are willing...? I have no vested interested in prying, chérie. I am here only for your benefit. If you do not wish to know, we can move on."​

 

[Alana Finch]

Having noticed nothing but her own nerves and the cloying smell in the room, Alana shifted forward in the seat to allow the professor easier access to her left hand. She'd had a feeling it would be that one. So many forms of divination called for the left hand to be used. "Sorry. I'm nervous" she admitted, her voice low and apologetic as he took hold of her clammy hand. The professor's hand was softer than hers which had some calluses on it from gripping a broom during her years of playing quidditch. She'd not practiced in months however, so they were softening, the pitch her husband had installed in their backyard going to waste as they spent more time worried over their lives than thinking about sports. Her breath huffed out of her, soft but quick as she waited for him to begin. Alana had never been able to keep track of all the lines and their meanings, but it was this form of divination that held her rapt, her previous reading having made her a true believer. The former Slytherin didn't know if the Professor Louise was a Seer. She felt it was too personal a question to ask someone. But, she would have easily believed if someone had told her he was.

The young woman nodded her head, knowing she would never forget the things he'd told her during their previous reading. As he continued on, she opened her mouth, closing it just as quickly. Her heart line. Of all the areas to focus on today, Professor Louise had chosen the very area that she'd hoped to avoid. Her fate and what she might accomplish was one thing. A love life that she'd never get to see come to fruition another thing entirely. In class, she'd only pretended to do readings on her love line, not wanting confirmation that hers was filled with heartbreak and a loveless marriage only to be cut short by death. But he had honed specifically on that line, and Alana wondered if he saw something he wanted her to know. "Ok. I think it'll be disappointing though" she replied. Alana had always assumed her love line was horrible, so really there was nothing to be afraid of here she said to convince herself. The professor was simply going to confirm what she already knew, that it was not written in the stars for her to keep love. Her feelings for Matthew Cosgrove had been intense but he'd been her first relationship and love hadn't even crossed her mind. Asa had just been a way to pass the time. Ivaylo had been a longtime crush, more a desire for what she couldn't have than anything else. For Alana there'd never been that four letter word.

 

[Wren Louise]

"It is your life," Wren responded seriously. "It would never be disappointing." It was disheartening to see a young, newly married person be so cynical, especially viewed by a man so passionate about love. He forgot to check his facial expression and so his eyebrows were pulled together again, reflecting the sorrow he felt for her despondent disposition. "Let's not dwell on the fears of your heart," Wren told her decisively. "And focus on what's there. It's not all doom and gloom," he joked, trying to make her smile. "Let's see ..."

Wren was glad that he had started with the left hand, although he wished to compare both hands at a later date to note the differences. Alana's heart line was a curious mix of contrasting signs that very much intrigued him, and for the moment he forgot about his empathy and indulged in the curiosity of palmistry. He tried to be tactful as well as informative, as it was a deeply person subject for them to tackle today.
"I wonder if you've perused any of this yourself," Wren queried aloud. "And it has made you anxious. The chains at the beginning of your heart line do suggest many complicated and intertwined relationships, but they are attached to a very deep and solid main line. All of these relationships are meaningful," Wren declared, tapping the line thoughtfully as he was wont to do. "I do not believe any of them should be dismissed, even if they have passed. They have and will have an effect on past, present and future you for years to come. I do not mean that they'll plague you," the Frenchman explained, "But they shape your behaviour."

"All in all, the heart line is deep," he repeated, "It curves slightly, but not dramatically, suggesting a deeper focus and greater surety of your affections than you may realise. Ah," Wren exclaimed as though he'd had a sudden insight. "Perhaps this is why your heart confuses you. It runs closer to the head line than most other's. In fact here," he pointed out, "It nearly intersects. The head line is almost interfering. The heart itself runs true, but ... hmm, this may also have an effect ..." he mused. "A faint grill between them both, leading up from the head line. The head line is acting like a drain to the heart line. Perhaps this is why it troubles you so. Nevertheless, I see true passion."

Wren smiled, finally looking up at Alana with warmth. "It is unswayed, despite the gentle curve of the line. The curve is only suggesting maturity and a more intellectual leaning towards a partner. You will not be tormented by ill-fated love in the later years of your life- only by its proximity to the head line. Be aware of this, and you may change the course of your fate by acting contrary to the drain on your heart."​

 

[Alana Finch]

Even with knowing what was likely in her heart line, Alana couldn’t help but be apprehensive. Professor Louise’s other reading had been accurate, so she had no doubt that whatever his next words might be would be accurate. Watching him study her hand, Alana tried her best to remain still and silent, neither of which were easy when the man was literally reading her life in her hands. Biting her lip as he spoke, Alana’s red eyes stared down at her hand. She shook her head. She hadn’t truly read her hand. Sure, she’d recognized a shape here and there, but reading her palm as a whole had been something that Alana had done her best to avoid until today. She let out a sigh, the beginning of his explanation simply confirming what she’d already suspected. Complicated and intertwined relationships sounded exactly right. Every relationship she’d been in had taken place in the shadows of her betrothal to Chaos Zhefarovich.

As Wren continued to explain, Alana’s eyes narrowed not in anger but in deep thought to what he was saying. It was true that all of her relationships had shaped her thoughts. Matthew had taught her to value kindness in her relationships and Asa had taught her to value fun. She wasn’t sure what Chaos was meant to teach her. Resignation? Surely, that wasn’t the lesson meant for her in this relationship. “I see” she murmured, quieting quickly as he continued. Alana thought that would be the end of it, though she should have known better. However, as the professor continued, Alana’s unease grew. He was telling her things she didn’t want to hear. Eventually, the words began to swim together. Passion. Unswayed.Leaning. Alana took a deep breath, the frog in her throat taking a moment to move out of the way enough to allow her the space to form words. All the while, she watched the professor, so friendly and gentle as he smiled at her. “Professor, are you telling me that I’ll…” she shook her head. No, that just could not be right. “What are you saying?” Even if he confirmed this, she was not happy with what she thought she was understanding from the reading. If she was understanding correctly, it sounded as if the lesson she'd learn from Chaos would be a version of love, and surely, that was not going to be the case.

 

[Wren Louise]

Wren's smile became a little sad at Alana's distress. She was keeping it together well, but he could feel her confusion and denial as if it was his own, and he let her hand rest on the table as he took his own away momentarily.
"Alana," said Wren delicately, using her name for the first time in their professional relationship. "The heart line is connected to love; in any and all of its forms. It stands for passion, conviction and constance. Whatever happens, you-" he pointed for emphasis, "Will remain steadfast. What this says here is that you will face trials, you will learn from them and they will guide you down a solid path towards an ending of your choice." He couldn't know what obstacles Alana faced in her marriage and family life, but he believed in the power of human action. Alana may have felt trapped and facing a bleak future, but there was a choice- there was always a choice. Even if that choice was resignation.
"You must always take stock of what you have control over. One thing that belongs to you and you alone is control over your actions. Your head is chaotic, but your heart is steady; find it."
With that stated, Wren felt that they were ready to move on to other lines of the palm, as Alana had enough to be getting on with. Everything that he said carried weight and meaning, but she would take from it what she would. If she wanted to know more about the heart line he would oblige, but considering her reluctance in the first place he rather thought she needed something a bit more tangible to work with. "So," Wren exhaled. "Head, Health, or Fate?"​

 

[Alana Finch]

Alana was glad for the slight separation that came when the man dropped her hand. She gave her hand a squeeze as she worked to compose herself. Her temper had never been a secret. The teenager had frequently allowed herself to show anger while in the school, and in front of people in general. Her worried side was something she'd worked hard to hide. It was a sign of weakness to her, a sign that she didn't trust herself to find her way out of whatever situation she was in. And she didn't like the idea of anyone seeing that piece of her. The Slytherins knew just how to use what they learned about each other, so Alana had always tried her best to hide what she didn't want used. She assumed that others behaved similarly, always looking for an angle. Professor Louise seemed intent on helping her, and as he spoke and further explained the line to her, Alana kept her gaze down as she listened, needing them desperately. No one had ever guided her in this way, reminding her that in spite of everything, there was hope for some control. 'An ending of your choice' The words echoed deep within her soul, what she'd always really wanted, the opportunity to feel as if she'd made her own choices, taken her path, not a path designed for her by someone else. "Thank you. I haven't had many people tell me that. I... I needed that reminder" she explained.

As he offered her the opportunity to move on, Alana considered asking him more about her heart line. She bit her lip, looking up, her red eyes watery though she knew she wouldn't cry. Just as she was about to ask another question, she realized she'd learned what she wanted to for now. If, one day, she wanted to learn more, she knew she could ask Professor Louise or take a stab at reading her heart line herself. That wasn't ideal she knew as she'd not be subjective about what she saw, but it was an option. There was one thing that had struck her during her explanation and she opened her palm, leaving it face up for the professor. It was true that her head was chaotic. It always had been. Her parents had always said she was never content with any of their explanations, always wanting to know why. Alana let out a long, slow breath. "Head, please." The woman looked more steady by the moment, her composure returning. "You're right about the chaos. It's always been there" she replied quietly.

 

[Wren Louise]

Wren could see Alana's indecision about whether or not to move on, but in the end she chose to focus on the head line, which the Frenchman thought was best. There was only so much encouragement he could give without feeling like he was prying. It was part ways his job here, but it was still a private matter, and he could tell that Alana kept these matters close to the chest. He felt privileged to be able to share it with her.

"Of course," he agreed gently. "Let's go with the right hand for the head line. It'll show us a more practical application of the line's nature. Specificity is always helpful when it comes to the head- it can be a very non-specific concept to consider." Wren held Alana's right hand flat then curled it a little, nothing the way the lines flattened and deepened depending on what he did. He was pleased to see the head line beginning with a set of double lines, which was indicative of talent and passion from the very beginning of her life, and he told her so as he pointed it out. "Curious that it is deep in places and yet faint elsewhere," Wren continued, tracing out said spots to highlight them. "Do you have a poor memory for some things and a good memory for others? That isn't uncommon. Oh, but there's that chaining again, just like the heart line. Your roots are strong, Alana," Wren assured her, "But it's the outside influences that are giving you the most trouble. I like to see them fade out towards the end of the line, that is good to see. You will grow into greater clarity the longer you live. Every day is a step towards it all making sense."
Such was the way of things. People spent all their lives getting lost in the details when the path ahead was much simpler than it appeared. Motivations and situations were complex, but actions were not. "I think you would benefit from more decisiveness," Wren told her thoughtfully. "Your heart line is always going to run near to your head- that can't be changed- but so, too, does the head line affect the heart line in return. Maintaining solidity in your thoughts will help you govern matters of the heart more efficaciously."​

 

[Alana Finch]

Alana nodded her head and released her right hand from the grip of her left. She placed it into Professor Louise's hand and took another deep breath. He continued on, and the teenager was grateful for that. The man was giving her information without prying much, which was surprising her. Alana appreciated it very much. As he asked about her memory, Alana snorted. "My parents call it selective " she smirked. He'd certainly hit the nail on the head there. Alana remembered what she wanted to- divination things, grudges, anything that made her angry- while other things seemed to enter her brain and leave right through some trapdoor in there. She'd never been good at remembering dates that most people considered important like birthdays and names, mostly because she always expected that someone else would remind her.

The teen had chosen the right line to move to. As the man had mentioned, her head line showed good things, and she found herself relaxing more and more as she listened to him speak. The sounds in the room carried on around them, but Alana hardly heard anything, so involved she was in retaining all of the information she was being given. Alana truly believed in divination and its importance in life, and she knew that the professor was giving her truly valuable information. She knew that Chaos would never understand this. Neither did her father. So she was happy to have someone who could understand this with her, someone who could help her understand. Alana knew that even though she was no longer in school, she wanted to continue learning about divination. She'd even bought a few books, though they were on tea leaves and not palmistry. As Professor Louise finished, Alana took a moment to consider. She wasn't sure that she exactly understood what he was saying. He'd used some words she didn't know. "Professor, are you saying if I can keep my head straight, my heart will follow?"