A/N: Yeah, things are getting better now...
The letter was posted that night, Coral sat on the top of the stairs, watching the door like it would swing open suddenly, showing Michael with his hand full of mail. But that sight never graced her eyes.
She gave up late the next afternoon, sighing heavily and plodding back up the stairs. Coral plonked herself down at the kitchen table with a glass of water. She wondered when he would write back, or if he would write back. She would much prefer if they just showed up and rescued her but she knew, deep down that that would never happen. Coral was shocked out of her miserable thoughts by the sound of the door opening and closing. She looked up to see a grumbling Michael followed by a tall teenage boy. He had green eyes and a shock of dark brown hair. Coral's heart skipped a beat.
"John!" She leapt up from the table and threw herself onto him. John grinned and wrapped his arms around her petite frame. Michael went back down to the shop.
"Your hair!" He exclaimed, holding her arms back to examine her. He looked the same, apart from the stress lines on his forehead seemed a bit deeper, and the bags under his eyes looked a little darker.
"Yeah, I- um, dyed it." She said, her smile still wide as she took him in. She couldn't believe it was him. Maybe it wasn't, a dark afterthought pricked her mind.
Coral stepped back, eyeing him with sudden suspicion.
"What?" He said, his perfect brows creasing in confusion.
"You remember when we were little, when we were at the hospital with Dad-" Coral said slowly.
"What is this all about?" He said again, stepping towards her. Coral moved back again and reached for the kitchen knife.
"Woah!" He said loudly, holding his hands up in submission.
"What did I say to you?" Coral said, the knife wavering in her outstretched hand.
"What is this all about? I can't remember back then, it was so long ago." He said, sweat beading up on his forehead.
"What did I tell you?" She said, desperation leaking into her voice. If it was really him, he would answer the question – if it wasn't – she would strike.
"I- errm, you said something about Dad..." He replied slowly.
"What did I say, John, I need to know you're not one of them!" She said, her voice rising.
"One of who?" He said as she jabbed the knife towards him, "- okay, okay You said maybe, maybe he was killed. Maybe he was murdered."
Coral lowered the knife slowly. Finally it dropped from her grasp and she fell to her knees, defeated. Michael ran to her side and replaced the knife onto the side of the cupboard.
"What is this all about?" He murmured, cradling her against his toned chest.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Coral told him it all. Everything. Every single thing, from the moment she exited the window, to when they were sitting on her bed right now. Everything apart from their names – she didn't waste time over petty details. John hadn't cried, or shouted in anger, or done anything really. He just sat there, motionless, listening intently. It was worse this way because Coral had no idea what was going on inside his head. After a couple of minutes he shifted closer and pulled her into his embrace. Coral stiffened in confusion but relaxed into her brother's protective arms for what seemed like an eternity. She had missed this form of comfort for years. They still fought like brother and sister, but they stood up for one another like brother and sister.
Coral pulled away from him, "What do we do?" Her hazel eyes bore into his as he made a decision.
"You say they can do, like, real magic?" John asked, his expression deadly serious.
"Yup." She replied.
"Well then, as much as I'd like to, we can't run away from all of this." He stood up from her bed. John saw some paper from earlier sticking out the bottom drawer of her dresser. He took it and gently folded it in half on his lap, sat down and grabbed a biro from the top.
"Let's make a list." He suggested.
"Okay." Coral murmured, leaning over him as he scribbled.
Get money for Linda and Michael.
Gather possessions.
Leave.
"It looks much easier when you write it down." She mused.
"Maybe it will be easy." He replied optimistically. Coral chuckled sadly, he had no idea.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Scabior trudged along the streets of a muggle village. The others had gone off to get supplies and he was left alone with his gruesome thoughts. He kicked a few stones towards a slim blonde in her early twenties, who looked back and scurried away at the sight of him.
When he finally looked up from his scuffed boots he nearly walked into a post van. The looming red shape shook him out of his daze. He side stepped a rather large man who jumped down from the van and swung the doors back, narrowly missing the post box next to him.
"Watch it." Scabior grumbled moodily.
"No, you better watch it!" The large man replied loudly.
Scabior turned around quickly and shoved the man up against the door of his van. He pressed his face close as his arm dug into his throat.
"What did you say to me?" Scabior asked lowly, his blue eyes blazing furiously. The man's eyebrows receded into his hairline, "Nothing!"
"Good." Scabior chuckled darkly, shoving the man into his van and walking away. Letters cascaded from the back of the van and spilled out onto the damp cobblestone street. Scabior looked back and spat on the ground.
He cricked his neck to the side and sighed heavily, watching Greyback come out of a nearby butcher's, something large contained in a plastic bag was slung over his shoulder. He sighed again and jogged over to him.
"What ya got there?" He asked, gesturing to the sack which was beginning to smell a little odd.
"Dead body." Greyback replied, watching Scabior's reaction. He was sorely disappointed when Scabior simply turned and walked the other way. He was hoping for some reaction from him, because of course annoying his boss was his favourite pastime. He called after Scabior, "It's human!" But Scabior didn't bat an eyelid.
Scabior's eyes flitted from shop, to girl, to post box, to sign, to girl, to girl, to girl...
None of them really looked like Coral though; they were either too big, too short, too blonde, too ugly, or too old. None of them had her soft lashes, her pale skin, and the long brown hair that just begged for you to tangle your hands in...
Scabior shook his head and, emptying his thought of that goddamn girl, strode past the point he had attacked the post man. His eyes fell on a letter that obviously didn't make it into the post box. He bent down and picked it up, eyeing the sloped writing in his dirty hands.
Greyback leant over his shoulder, "You gonna post that, then?"
Scabior scrunched up his nose, "What'chu on about? Course I'm not, and get that fuckin' thing out of my face." He eyed the bag warily. "Whatever that it, you have to eat it tonight, cause I'm not havin' it sittin' around camp stinkin' up the place."
Greyback scowled and hitched it further onto his shoulder, pushing past Scabior roughly.
"Dick'ead." Scabior muttered. He turned the letter over and ripped the back open, shoving the envelope in his jacket pocket. He unfolded the paper inside and his eyes skimmed over the words. He went back and read it again and again, eyes wide.
A malicious grin crept onto his rugged features; she was his now.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
It was two days later. Michael finished his shift and made his way up the stairs, closing the door with his elbow and washing his hands in the kitchen sink. Coral was still planning with Michael, a single sheet of paper sat between them. There was writing on both sides and doodles from when Coral had gotten bored.
"You wouldn't mind poppin' to the shop for some stuff, would ya, Coral?" Michael asked over his shoulder.
Coral was about to agree when Linda burst into the room, "No."
"Why not?" Coral and Michael asked in unison.
Linda gave them an exasperated look, "Coral, when you went out the other day to get your hair done – we had no idea where you had gone, and apart from that it's dangerous for you!"
Coral slumped in her seat, "Well, who's gonna get the shopping?"
Linda paused, looking from her to Michael. Her eyes fell upon John who was gazing innocently down at the paper.
"You wouldn't mind, would you, John?" She asked tentatively.
He glanced up at her.
"Well, it's just that no one knows who you are here..." She wrung her hands nervously. If he refused then she or Michael would have to go out and well, they were in danger too.
"Yeah, sure." His tone was clipped. Maybe he was nervous too, Coral thought.
Linda's face broke out in a smile, "Thank you."
John stood, "Do you want me to go now?"
"Yeah, that would be great.
"Do you have a specific list?" He asked, his nerves feeling tingly.
"No, not really, just be careful, that's all." John nodded and disappeared from sight. Coral heard the door close and she tried to calm her nerves – there was no way he was in danger – no one knew who he was. They were safe. For now.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Scabior's fingers curled around the corner of the bricked wall as he leant forward an inch. He watched the boy exit the shop and check both left and right. He scratched the back of his head and quickly walked towards the alleyway which would lead straight along to the supermarket. Scabior motioned for his men to step back into the shadows and they did. Scabior lit a cigarette and didn't look at John twice until he finally turned his head away. He relaxed against the doorframe as he exhaled his second favourite addictive drug. Coral was his first.
It took only ten minutes for John to get everything he needed. He guessed most of the stuff, but he was familiar with what the essential weekly shop consisted of. is fHe concentrated on his steady heart beat and the rhythmic sound of his soft shoes hitting the ground. John was feeling much more relaxed now; he was nearly back and he would see the light beaming in from the end of the alley. John let a stupid smirk plaster on his face as he looked at the ground. When he looked back up again however, it had vanished.
He stopped five feet from Scabior and his men who had blocked the end of the alleyway.
"'Ello, John." Scabior greeted, his voice low.
John stepped backwards but was hit on the head with a very solid object. The last thing he remembered before blacking out was the floor coming up to meet his face.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Coral fidgeted in her seat, looking around at the door every minute. She nearly jumped up in glee when she saw John open and close the door slowly. He walked forward coolly and placed the shopping bags on the ground next to Coral.
"I'm so glad you didn't get hurt." She said, standing up and giving him a warm hug. John wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply. Coral tried to pull back but John held on a little longer. When he finally leant back he trailed a finger down her cheek and grinned. Coral chuckled and slapped him playfully on the shoulder.
They ate dinner that night in front of the TV, a rare treat that Linda granted them seeing as John would be getting their money back soon and they were all safe and sound. John kept sneaking calculating glances over in her direction but disguised it as stretching his neck and looking at the room. Coral thought nothing of this though because apart from the strange movement now and again, he was still John.
Later on that night, Coral asked him quietly how to get the money.
"I'll think of something." He muttered quietly, turning over on the mattress on the floor.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Coral tried shifting her leg but it was tangled up in the sheet. She cursed and tried untangling herself but to no avail. Coral sighed once more and sat up. She switched on the light on the bedside table and pulled the sheet off of her. She kicked it to the end of the bed in frustration and curled up on her pillow. She turned her head to see if John was still asleep but he wasn't there. Coral began to panic when she looked all over the floor but couldn't see him. She put on some loose pyjama bottoms and pulled on her jumper from earlier.
Coral checked in the bathroom and downstairs in the kitchen as well. He wasn't there. Coral could feel her heart beating louder and faster now, what if he got taken in the night? Wait, wouldn't they take her instead?
Coral tried to justify some reason he wasn't there in the house. She doubled a glance back to make sure no one else was stirring upstairs. Coral slipped on her boots and crept downstairs, closing both doors behind her. She shivered in the cold and was mildly surprised and heavily relieved to see John standing there, dragging on a cigarette. She walked over and poked him on the shoulder. John nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden contact.
"Woah!" Coral said, holding her arms out, "It's just me."
John relaxed and took another heavy drag on his rollie.
"I thought you hated smoking." Coral said, furrowing her brows.
John looked uneasy for a second, "I- erm, well, you know, stress and...stuff..."
Coral shrugged her shoulders, he was right. Stress made you make very bad decisions sometimes. She stepped closer.
"Do you have another on you?" She asked hopefully. John grinned and fished a packet out of his jacket pocket. He held out a packet of Marlboro Reds. Coral saw the packet and hesitated, her hand hanging in mid air.
"What?" He asked.
"I, well. They're the cigarettes that...he buys."
John frowned for a moment, "Oooh, you mean the ones Scabior buys."
Nodding, Coral took the cigarette and lighter and was about to light her fag when the information sink in. She dropped her cigarette.
"How did you know who I was talking about?" She asked, her tone deadly serious.
"What?" John pretended he hadn't heard her.
"John, you heard me the first time." She said warily, stepping back again.
"I, oh, Michael told me earlier." He said, dropping his gaze to her trousers briefly.
Coral was so sick of being suspicious; she just wanted to trust more than one damn person in this fucking world.
Coral gave him an unconvincing smile.
"Hey," He said, smiling slightly and flicking away his fag butt, "If I wasn't your brother, would I know that's not your natural hair colour?"
This made Coral chuckle, "You'd never tell, would you?" She said, twirling a piece in her fingers.
"Never." He agreed, walking over and slinging an arm over her neck, leading her back into the shop.
"Oh wait!" He said as they reached the door.
"What?" She breathed, not wanting to wake anyone up.
"Wait here a moment." He mumbled, walking back off around the corner.
Coral suddenly felt very alone, "Don't leave me here!" She hissed quietly. John was gone for at least three minutes and Coral was counting the seconds in her head. He came back with a green army type bag. He dumped it on the floor in front of her. Coral frowned at him before reaching down and unzipping it. She reached inside and pulled out a stack of notes, sellotaped together in the middle. Coral slipped one ten pound note from the middle and held it up to a street lamp. She could faintly see the Queen's head in the little oval at the bottom.
It was real.
"Where did you get this kind of cash?" She said, replacing the money in the bag which was filled with similar sized stacks.
"I have connections." He replied simply.
"But how did you just whip it up out of thin air?" She asked.
"I hid it earlier down the street down there and forgot about it." He explained.
"Ooh", Coral bought it. It was a reasonable enough explanation, just a little odd for John though, connections? He isn't connected to anyone. Maybe he was but always kept it on the down low; that would make more sense.
"Right, we better get this stuff inside then." He added, picking up the bag and prodding her in the direction of the door.
Coral and John settled back down much more easily this time and slept until sunrise.
A/N: Is there anything dodgy with John? Or not? REVIEW MA LOVELIES.