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Post by Seth Silver on Dec 3, 2006 23:07:18 GMT -5
It was a rare occasion that Seth simply gave up on something, especially something so blatantly important. But, in this case, he was pleased they had not come to blows. And ... Oione had promised to tell him. She usually kept her word, especially about matters such as this one. If Oione had something to keep from him, Seth knew, she had a good reason for it. She never kept things from him for no reason at all. Well, most things.
'Fine, don't tell me all you want. I'll wait, but don't take ages, hm? I haven't got years to wait.'
Still, Seth could not completely dismiss the feeling that she was hiding something very important from him, something that concerned him in some way. What if she never did tell him? Was it something about the Knights? Or Richard Wilkes? PErhaps she thought Wilkes might tell her something about their Christmas holiday?That was nothing to worry about. Wilkes would do no such thing, Seth was almost certain of it.
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Post by Oione Mireault on Dec 4, 2006 5:04:56 GMT -5
Oione gave him a look of polite astonishment, clearly suprised that Seth Silver gave up on something that reeked of involving him (because she would have told him long ago if it didn't), but maybe this time he really cam to conclusion that dropping the matter was the only reasonable thing to do, even though the boy and reason did not know of each-other's existance.
"Don't worry, I'll have it solved by Christmas" Oione said pleasantly as they finally reached their destination. It was what she hoped for, if Richard Wilkes grew at least a bit interested and agreed upon meeting her (as Jude Milton) during the Christmas break she would have to tell Seth, even though it would be extremely risky. She couldn't just appear out of nowhere, dragging him along and announcating that she had found his long lost father. There was Wilkes' family to consider and Oione did not want to end up bringing catastrophe to that household. "Will you wait here or do I have to force you to stay?" she asked wearily, lying her hand on the doorknob.
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Post by Seth Silver on Dec 4, 2006 6:47:53 GMT -5
Seth considered for a moment. For reasons unknown to him, something about tonight had planted a bit of sense into his head, and he found himself knowing just what to do not to get himself on the wrong side of Oione's rather nasty temper. It was not nearly so interesting as making a nuisance of himself was, but it achieved what he needed for the night - Oione had promised to tell him by Christmas. This was not such an unreasonably long wait. His own secret, he thought, would have to be released by Christmas anyway. Oione was going to have to help Sethonce he became a Knight. He could never do it all on his own.
'Ach, just get on wi it, will ye? I'll wait till Christmas if that's what ye'd like, but go now before I change me mind.'
He had every intention of staying in the corridor, on the stairwell, and quite out of earshot from Oione. For once in his life, Seth Silver truly meant well. He tried not to think about the wait until Christmas, or the letter, or anything else of great importance. His mind turned to the upcoming holiday. Where would they stay? Tom was to give them his brother's money the first day - Muggle money, so they wouldn't have to do the exchange themselves. "Muggle places" were the best to stay in usually, he had said. And he must arrive in Oslo on time. Augustus would give him a few moments to go over what they had practised before they joined the rest of the Knights for the ceremony.
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Post by Oione Mireault on Dec 4, 2006 19:18:09 GMT -5
"Thanks" Oione smiled up and him and vanished behind the Owlery door, practically swept away by the ice cold air that had free access to the room though the one giant glass-less window, it effectively reminded Oione that summer had undoubtedly ended. When it came to owls the choice was somewhat limited as the majority of them was off hunting. Passing round a half-eaten mouse Oione grabbed a a large barn owl that showed her how much it didn't want to take part in her nightly correspondence the minute it found itself in the girl's hands. The owl moved to bite her once again but was quickly stopped from doing so by an envelope being shoved into its beak. "Richard Wilkes, France" Oione said irritably, tossing the just as irritated bird out of the window. Surely, it knew where to go, right? They always found a way to deliver a letter.
"Done" Oione gasped out, a puff appearing before her as she shivered from head to toe. She slammed the door shut. "Let's just go back, eh?" Strangely, Oione was under the impression that their conversation seemed a bit...odd. After weeks (that turned into months) of bickering and constant arguments it was as if they couldn't even be remotely friendly to each-other and suddenly their somewhat civil tone and words seemed out of place, as though not belonging to them. However, Oione decided it was a nice change. As for Seth's secret, the girl was quite certain that it involved the Knights. What else would he be hiding so carefully from her? She noticed the looks the boy exchanged with Snape during their detention. However, it did not cross Oione's mind even once that perhaps Seth was going to become a Knight on Christmas, she was convinced that the ceremony could only take place in summer and Oione believed she would think of something to discourage Seth from it by then. If she knew, she'd probably attempt( though considering her physical strenght or lack thereof it would be to no avail) to push Seth off of the stairs in the first impulse (and she was a rather impulsive person to begin with).
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Post by Seth Silver on Dec 6, 2006 0:59:16 GMT -5
It was a queer thing they hadn't fought yet, but Seth gave it little thought. He was rather pleased with himself, and believed it was he who was responsible (solely) for ceasing the battles for a night or so. He also believed Oione had no idea what he was planning for Christmas holidy. She hadn't even been suspicious yet, as far as Seth was concerned, and he silently congratulated himself for his genius. It was a magnificent thing, truly, being so clever. Oione would never guess his secret, but he would know hers, and they wouldn't even have to fight to let it all out. And to think, this was all thanks to Seth and his grand intelligence. He smirked. Breathtaking intelligence.
'Back to the common room, then,' he said brightly, runniing his fingers along the wall. He had a habit of touching things when he was in an absurdedly good mood. Right now, Seth Silver was almost disgustingly happy. With himself, with the world, with his life - but mostly with himself. What had he done to earn himself such massive amounts of brain power? Where had he - he stopped short, pulling his fingers from the wall quickly, as though he had been shocked. Oione was never this easy.
When she kept something from him, she went to great lengths to make sure he never found out just what was being hidden from him. She would never have let him simply stand outside the Owlery waiting, or promised to tell him, or any such thing. She would never have made things so simple, would she? Seth frowned. Oione must be hiding something deeper, and everything she'd told him was simply a cover-up. It never occurred to Seth that perhaps he was actually being trusted to behave himself. How could he be? No one trusted Seth Silver to behave any single bit of him. It defied the laws of life.
'Hvor er galt?' he asked himself, half whispering. The Norwegian slipped from his lips without warning, and Seth bit them quickly. Augustus had been teaching him, for when they were in Oslo. He would need to do some communicating in Norwegian, Italian, French, English, Irish, and Latin. Not only did the Knights span across Europe, but each culture absorbed into them added to the rituals and traditions that must be performed - in a variety of languages. His Rite of Passage would be spoken in Irish, as the druids had spoken. His vows would be in Latin, his branding oath in English and French, his confession in Italian, and everything else would be either English or Norske.
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Post by Oione Mireault on Dec 6, 2006 19:31:55 GMT -5
One could think that a sun appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the night because Seth Silver was so smug her practically glowed, however Oione did not ponder his sudden source of mildly subdued ecstasy as she was quite happy herself. After all, she had gained what she wanted right now; a non-aggression pact with her best friend, peace to think next moves over and she most importantly time. The girl believed that she would have everything sorted out by one mean or another before or at the very beginnig of their journey.
As for the journey itself, Oione was positive that Seth was hiding the real purpose of it he was not about to give it away by any costs. She suspected a secret meeting of the Knights but it was the spot where it was to take place. Why Oslo? Why did they have to travel across whole Europe in order to get to some meeting so they could check if Seth was good enough to join them. She couldn't help but feel alarmed by this, but she decided that she not going to show any sign of even vague suspision to Seth. The more confedent he felt the more likely he was to make a mistake and Oione was there, longing for this mistake. "What were you saying?" Oione murmured in a tone of someone who had just been in deep thought.
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Post by Seth Silver on Dec 6, 2006 20:25:02 GMT -5
Seth shrugged, fighting the urge to smirk. 'Det er norsk. Jeg laere for reisen.' He grinned, even more pleased with himself, if that was possible. Seth enjoyed being able to speak in tongues Oione could not understand. It made him feel superior, which was a feeling he thoroughly enjoyed. He remembered when they were younger, before he could speak French properly, and constantly being frustrated when he could not eavesdrop. It hadn't helped, of course, that Oione had spoken to him in French more time than he could recall, and each time had resulted in a tantrum of some sort, with Seth being sent to his room to await Augustus.
He used to like hair. Tugging on it, cutting it, twisting, tangling, pulling it out. He cut his mother's hair once while she slept, and tugged at the braids of a neighbourhood girl, fascinated by the vivid red colour. He twisted Augustus's hair when he could reach it, cut his own hair more time than he could recall (usually with a kitchen knife). If he had was not swinging little fists or kicking during a fight or tantrum, Seth could be counted on to pull hair. He bit, scratched, tugged, dug his fingernails into people with little need for provocation - right up until he turned nine. August followed a very strict policy of belting and caning when Seth was younger - "character building". He rarely, if ever, used magic on the boy back then. It was inhumane, he explained, to use magic on a boy who could not fight back likewise. But beating - that was another matter entirely. Children, in Augustus's mind, were mislead, devilish creatures that needed a good, heavy hand to keep them in place. He was all-too pleased to provide one.
'Norwegian, ye daft fool,' he snorted. 'Augustus been teachin' me, for when me an' him go to - to meet in Oslo. We got to stay the night there, din' I tell ye that? Mebbe a bit longer, dependin' on his mood. Dun really know just now, but it might be a bit. Might have to skive out of Russia or soomink.'
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Post by Oione Mireault on Dec 7, 2006 9:49:05 GMT -5
Walking ahead of him Oione gave a tiny little smirk. For Seth it seemed to be sort of personal vendetta for their childhood times when the girl constantly spoke French (mainly, because she hadn't learned English sufficiently well by then) and it was a long time before she finally managed to force the language into him. By intuition only she had the vague idea of what he was speaking, thanks to the mild similarity to German. Oione couldn't help but grin to herself. Seth could be such a show-off on occasion.
Not deeply infuriated for something that felt like the first time in ages Oione let her mind drift to safer and more prosaic things such as preparations for the said trip and Christmas Eve itself, that was to be spent at the Rookwood's and therefore would probably turn into a scene of turmoil and torture not only because of the dress robes Oione would be forced to wear (since Mrs.Mireault took arguments such as 'I can't breathe in this, Mum!' for a petty excuse).
"I know it's Norwegian" Oione scoffed at him. Honestly, just because she understand it didn't mean she didn't know what it was. The stuck-up idio--- She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around abruptly, facing Seth. Surrounded by darkness she gave the impression of an alley cat caught in the headlights of a speeding car, Oione's large, almond- shaped eyes adding to the effect. Unfortunately (for the boy) the first shock didn't last long enough for him to run and hide somewhere where Oione Mireault would not find him. A small cease appeared in between her brows that swiftly changed to a serious frown. The semi-important Knight meeting thesis she came up with shattered like a bathroom mirror. "No, as matter-of-fact you haven't told me" she breathed menacingly, standing on her tip-toes to have better view of Seth's handsome face that she had every intention of leaving dis-shaped. "You told me you have to give Augustus his coat back. Which is the worst lie ever invented." the girl continued in a dangerously sugar-coated voice. "Russia, eh? Anything else that you want to tell me, Seth dearest?"
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Post by Seth Silver on Dec 7, 2006 15:08:26 GMT -5
Oh, shite. Every ounce of brain Seth possessed had just been tossed out the window. He was so stupid. Why was he so stupid? How come Oione could get away with things like this, but for Seth it was like trying to serenade Helen Keller? He stopped short, throwing his head back in exasperation, and slammed his fist into the wall. Once. Twice. Again. It hardly hurt, but it helped him think. He'd given it to her that something was up, and even if she didn't suspect just what it was quite yet, Seth had no doubt that Oione would be on to him soon. She was certainly clever enough.
Covering his face, he repeated in a muffled, vaguely ashamed tone, 'Just mee'ing 'Gooshtoos 'n Oslo, mebbe no Roosha.'
It was foolish of ihm, this lying to Oione, but he was too far in now to back out and tell her the truth. She would have to force it out of him, and he was not giving in easily. Jeg behov møte ridderen i Oslo. Jeg fart være en ridder.'
He was confident enough in his abilities with language to think that Oione would not be able to understand him. After all, she only spoke French, right? French and English, and none of what he had said was in any way related to a language she knew and could comprehend. He felt safe in her not understanding. He was able to confess, without the risk of Oione knowing and exploding on him. That was something he most definitely did not need just now, in an empty corridor, at night, when no one knew where they were....
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Post by Oione Mireault on Dec 7, 2006 18:42:49 GMT -5
Oione's face clouded over in anger, darkening her features. So much for an non-aggression pact there...And to think that merely few minutes ago she was perfectly fine with everything the world had to offer. The only reassuring thought for now was 'No, I can't kill him. Not yet' Seth bodylanguage didn't help him much either, because if the sudden fit of irritation wasn't a proof that he had been lying Oione didn't know what was.
There was no turning back for either of them in this corridor. ''Just mee'ing 'Gooshtoos 'n Oslo my arse" she hissed through gritted teeth making a few steps forward. "Do not lie to me"
It was an unsolved mystery for Oione why did people think she was naive when that was they last thing she could be. In the girl's opinion Seth insulted her by even thinking that she could buy something that so disgustingly stank of lying. As for 'Roosha' Oione would make sure the boy would be wishing to stay in Siberia by the time she was finished.
Speaking Norwegian did not help much Seth, because a confession in any language she did not understand could only annoy her and therefore make the matters even worse than they already were. All subtlety Oione might have kept, not showing her suspicions and pretending she wasn't interested was gone. "It's about the Knights, isn't it?" she advenced, blood thirst clearly visible in her eyes. "I know it is. "
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Post by Seth Silver on Dec 7, 2006 23:19:55 GMT -5
Seth couldn't help but back away. His mouth flapped open, brain as empty and useless as a politician.
'Poland!' he balked, finding the wall, eyes wide. 'There's a meetin' in Poland, and I've got to go for eval'wation, don't I? I weren't jokin' bout Augustus promising to beat me half to death. He'd do it too, if I don't show up. I'm expected, Oione, and what the hell d'ye want me to do, eh? Tell 'em I quit? I'm sorry?' He stopped, suddenly breathing very heavily. Seth took after Augustus with his quick temper, and was often left fuming long after a fight had ended. But tonight ... tonight he wanted peace. He wanted a nice holiday, no tantrums, no wars. Something quiet and lovely, like a story.
'Hey,' an idea struck him. 'Why don't ye come wi me? Sure they'd like that, and yeer parents'd let up on ye. What ye say, eh? We'll go to Poland - er, Krakow - and go to the meetin', and ye'll be a Knight wi me and won't have to do no more worryin'.'
He had every intention of telling her, eventually. Seth knew he could not keep it a secret much longer, even through the night. He would have to tell her all about Oslo and the meeting and Augustus. He'd have to tell her now, before this all got horribly out of hand. Oh, but that was a frightening thought, wasn't it? Scary as hell.
'C'mon,' he hissed, motioning toward a door. 'Empty room - I've too mooch t'explain here.'
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Post by Oione Mireault on Dec 8, 2006 7:20:33 GMT -5
Oione Mireault didn't say anything. She even refused to look at him and stubbornly kept her eyes glued to the floor having fallen into sudden stupor, which was a considerable schift of mood since few seconds she wanted nothing more than to remove Seth's entrails.
Whether she wanted or not, there was some turth in it. Seth didn't have much choice once he was vouched for, but put in his place Oione would have moved heaven and earth in order to wriggle out of this or at least postpone the inevitable. That was what she idid, after all, promising Bellatrix and her parents that she'd join the Knights during summer(of course, she didn't intend to do it).
However, above all, it was simply dangerous. Even though the Knights' mark wasn't as widely recongnized as the Death Eater one, but it was enough to get a person into Azkaban and everybody knew how easy it was to get revealed at school, such as in the hospital wing or the changing room when you had to put your Quidditch robes on.
Oione wondered if Seth realised how ridiculous his offer seemed to her. That was what she had been avoiding all this time. Why should she give up now? "You don't get it" she whispered quietly, adressing the purple carpet. Slowly, somewhere at the back of her mind it became apparent that she couldn't keep this on for ever, one day she would have to stop running. Simply because she was growing tired of it. Dragging her feet behind her she followed Seth into the chamber. It was better not to discuss such things in the corridors, walls literally had ears here.
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Post by Seth Silver on Dec 8, 2006 14:48:05 GMT -5
Steeling his nerves, Seth took a deep breth and began. It was better, after all, to launch straight into things with little thought, lest his nerves got the better of him.
'There's a meetin' in Krakow,' he explained quietly, running a shaky hand through his hair. 'Eval'washun sort o' thing. They want to know I'm good for it all, ye know, not a coward or noothin'. Augustus can't be there on account o' me mam bein' ill, but Tom Wilkes's goin', and it's him that'll be vouchin' for me. He likes me better than Augustus do, anyway, so that's all right.' Seth frowned, licking his lips and preparing himself for the worst. 'And then there's Oslo,' he said quietly. Here was where it got a bit tricky. 'Oslo ... it's my - well, not just me, a few other boys - but, we're bein' Knighted in Oslo this Christmas.'
He stopped here. Oione could work out the rest on her own. This was going to be difficult, not just because Oione did not approve, but because it would be complicated to hide his brand and tattoo once he was given them. The runic tatto was not quite as recognisable, but there was no mistaking the brand of Walpurgis. He might have to forfeit Quidditch. Seth had spent days on end scouring the library for a proper concealing charm, but nothing seemed to work with magical marks like the Knights and Death Eaters sported. He had no acne to cover, nor scars that might be humiliating. But the mark of a Knight meant Azkaban, with or without trial, and who knew how long he'd be stuck there?
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Post by Oione Mireault on Dec 8, 2006 18:57:37 GMT -5
Oione tried to smile but it turned out more as a grimace since her face muscles simply refused to go along. It was a bit like attempting to smooth out wrinkles on an extremely stiff texture. "Oh, good old Mr. Wilkes" Oione murmured to herself, sarcasm dripping from every single word."Should've known it was him" Wasn't it ironic that Augustus didn't even seem to be included in the Knighting of his step-son? He might have hated the boy but he had kept him under his roof for fifteen years. How come Rookwood had to tend to Amerelia all of sudden? Since when had he become such a loving husband? It made perfect sense if one considered possible blood bonds with Tom Wilkes, he was after all, family and therefore had the right to vouch for Seth, just like Bellatrix Lestrange intended to do with Oione. "Do you still want me to go with you?"
Oddly enough she did not yell. This had been probably the most infuriating confession she had ever listened to but she did not yell, rather the reverse. Oione looked placid and pensive and...it scared the living hell out of her. This grim calmness of silent disapproval wasn't a feeling this girl was used to. She knew she should be angry right now, perhaps hex Seth so that she could find comfort in taking out her rage on the person she would like to blame for everything. She found herself more worried than anything else, about Seth because he could land in Azkaban (and Oione knew far too well how reckless Seth could her friend could be) and about her future. The girl just nodded tiredly as he finished his clumsy explanation. "Who are the other boys, then?"
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Post by Seth Silver on Dec 8, 2006 23:01:23 GMT -5
Who were the other boys? Seth had never thought to ask. Other Purebloods, he supposed, from around Europe. The Knights of Walpurgis were a strictly European orginasation. They did not allow membership from anyone outside of the continent, as the group was founded and run by European wizards since its start, and was not about to change its strict policies toward foreigners anytime soon. Seth shrugged, uninterested. What did he care about a few more prats joining? He had known from the start they would be doing so alongside him, and though Augustus hinted he might be familiar with a few of them, Seth had remained relatively uninterested in his fellow Knight-hopefuls.
'I do want ye to coom,' he said slowly. 'I can't go alone, Oione. And, yeer joinin' anyway, aren't ye? Might as well get it out t'way, right? And anyways, I need ye to help me find a good concealor charm for the blasted runic ta'oo. Dunno what the feck they tink they're doin' wi this, but I'm not lettin' meself be caught sportin' a mark good as a Death Eater's, if ye know what I mean.'
The speech was rushed and not horribly well-thought out, but Seth had communicated well enough. He wanted, needed, Oione to come with him. Without her, the entire plot fell apart. He was hoping on enjoying the holiday with someone, and if she came, she could become a Knight as well. The both of them together would be more difficult to catch, he thought, as Oione would be more predisposed to finding a way to hide the marks of the Knights, lest they both wind up with their arses tossed in Azkaban.
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