Basic Surfacing
By: April Malone
***********
CHAPTER 5: Surfacing
A cold chill welcomed Areyanna into the room. She carried herself heavily to her bed. Dinner was like the last and Draco sat quietly at the other end of the table. Did he hate her? She hoped not, she didn't mean for anything to happen. She didn't provoke or wish it, it just happened. Areyanna pulled the locket from underneath the pillow and wiped her finger prints from it's gleaming surface. She began to open it. BANG. She sprung from the bed, her hands shaking so much that she had to throw the locket back on the bed before it dropped sending people to investigate all the noise. She scanned the room. The window had shut, banging against the sill. Areyanna paced herself, *please don't let anyone here that*. She waited, no one came. She returned her thoughts to the locket which sat open on the top of her bed. Inside lay a snug fitting key and an old piece of paper. She sat herself back down taking the locket back into her hands and placing it back over her head. The key was brass, unlike the locket and the piece of paper seemed to be stuffed in. She emptied the locket on to the bed. She picked up the brass key and examined it top to bottom. It was in bad condition, for the edges that fit into the lock, they were partially scratched and scraped and the body had traces of ash and charred. Exchanging the key for the paper, Areyanna was careful to open it wiping the soot from her fingers. Black writing was scribbled on the whole page, which fit into the palm of her hand. She looked over it before reading, but she didn't find who it belonged to. Maybe there was reference in the letter, she started to read slowly being sure not to miss a single word.
Please don't be angry with me. The thought of anything happening,
especially to you, would haunt me forever.
A chain of fear fluttered through her body. The words seemed so close to her, but for the reason unknown. The simple handwriting was so gentle against the paper. The thoughts forever carved on the thin flesh of tree. She read on.
The information I know will only
destroy the things
we love. I do this so that you and
the otherswill live. There is so much evil
for you to fight, Snape, I am
thankful to do this for you.
SNAPE! What how could a person love him. She felt like puking, her worst enemy, the love of this person's life. This letter was getting sick.
Tell my mom and my brother,
Houton that I love them, and
I am sorry for the pain I caused them.
The child was a mistake and I
hate to burden them with her.
Remember our pact. I will hope to
see you in another time.
Your friend beyond the end,
Madaline Scallon
Areyanna gasped. Tears flooded from her heart to her eyes and down her face. The world she had once lived so greatly in, crumbled away infront of her. She was a mistake. Mistake. A heartless word that made her run from the room. She didn't care about the fact of Houton. She wasn't even concerned about the fact that her uncle had cared for her all those years as her father, when he didn't have to. She didn't care that Snape was only her mother's friend. She cried because she wasn't wanted by the person that gave her life.
The grief stricken girl ran past the fire that had warmed a cold heart when she had arrived. She ran past a blonde boy, who had excepted her. He ran behind her, calling for her to slow down. Every time reaching her but only to slow down before he could stop her. She couldn't, not now. The locket jumped against her chest beating the truth into her. The paper crippled in her white knuckled hand.
***********
Snape clattered down the hall towards Filch's office. His face stretched downward and his eyes searching his thoughts.
*How could Filch just leave it in a drawer* he turned down a hallway, *It's not just a piece of metal* It was the only real piece of his friend he had left. His gaze turned to the floor. She gave her life for him. Voldermort had almost got rid of him. She found out before. He swore that if he could go back, he would save her. He had blurted the words into the darkness that night, the only way that Voldermort could have heard him that night. He remembered touching her, feeling her skin. Visions of her burnt and twiching body lay before his eyes. Her eyes shut so tight from the pain they started to bleed. After Dumbledore had come the only remains of her was a key that he pocketed and placed in the locket. He was off to find out how it got stolen. Her image flashed upon him again. Blinking didn't help, nothing could help.
Dumbledore approached him.
"Professor Snape," Dumbledore smiled as Snape stopped. His look was a bit frightining.
"Head master Dumbledore, is everything alright?" Snape waited impatiently, wishing that he was still alone. These memories that were surfacing made it hard to think about anything.
"I should ask you the same question, what is going on?" Dumbledore watched Snape search for an answer.
"Well..." Dumbledore knew about what happened, but still Snape didn't want to talk out loud about it.
Sensing the tension Dumbledore nodded with gentle blue eyes, "Oh, I see," he tapped his nose and went on his way.
Snape sighed and continued toward FIlch's office. The night loomed in from the window, clouds rising and stirring together. He walked faster.
***********
Her tears were hot, yet against the wind they grew cool. She ran faster and faster down the hallways, away from everything. The next dark cold space she could find, she would crawl in and just leave herself to it. An emptiness hollowed her heart, her own mother. They didn't even know each other.
"Areyanna, please," Draco yelled still behind her. What ever happened to make her hurt, he would fix. He watched her hair fly and wiped about her head, the red streaks a blur.
***********
Snape turned the corner of the hall. WHAM. He stumbled backwards as Areyanna plowed into him falling. Draco stepped behind her, he tried to pick her up but she refused his arms. Snape spotted the necklace.
"Areyanna Scallon," Snape wanted to yell at her. She had the locket. The safest place to hide it, Filch's drawer, was now vulnerable. Pity loomed through his dark eyes, and Areyanna caught it, standing.
"You..." she was hysterical. Her white fist shaking at him, with the paper of his inside,"...th..this..." she sobbed harder, her grey eyes drowned in pools of glistening tears.
"Areyanna calm down, please, tell me what's going on," Draco stood in the middle of an unwanted child and that of the only one who knew the mother as she used to be. He felt the angry and sad enegry between both. "What's happened?"
Areyanna felt more lonely then ever. Her stomach turned making it harder to keep her balance.
Snape looked to the floor again. Poor girl, she must feel desolate. He couldn't help but feel guilty knowing that her mother loved him more than her own child. Madaline had been his best friend since he had came to the school and know was the second time he regreted it. The first time not being their for her death, saving her from Voldermort.
"Move Draco," Areyanna spat trying to move around him. She just wanted out. He held her back, she tried again. He held his ground and her strongly. Slapping him made him move. Areyanna's breath grewer faster with another attack of misery.
Snape watched Draco holding his burning cheek and watching the floor as if it were to swallow him hole. Areyanna moved closer to Snape. She hurled the paper at his feet and ran off wiping scornful tears with a hot hand.
Where she was headed, she didn't care. As long as she got out of this hell hole. The farther the better. No one had followed her, which was good, or maybe she wanted someone to. She couldn't really be sure, the pain took over as she existed the burning flames of hell.
***********
Draco turned to see Areyanna gone. What was he to do now? If he went after her she would more than likely push him away. He wanted to know what was going on, and the only one to do that was Areyanna, but she had run. Then rememberign Snape was behind him, Draco turned. Snape read the paper, solemnly.
"What does it say?" Draco urged.
"That's none of your business," Snape's voice was shaky and quiet.
Draco wished he had commented or forced Snape to read it, but as he opened his mouth nothing escaped. He wanted to rip the letter from Snape's curled fingers, then he could understand, then he could comfort Areyanna. A chill breeze made him shutter, it was moist. Draco could sense rain coming, and pleaded inside himself with anything that would listen that Areyanna didn't leave the school. With her temper and pride she wouldn't come back for thought of looking weak. "Please..." Draco reached his hand out for the letter, it still smelled of her scent.
Snape rewarded Draco's hand with the letter. Not laying an eye on him, Snape repeated the memorized note and began to explain, "The night Madaline died was the night I was supposed to. She gave her life to save me from the likes of Voldermort and his people. She...she was burned alive," the boy's eyes darted up, the glare of the light bounced sharpy off each. "She wrote me that note," Snape gestured toward it, "She left it in the locket on my dresser for me that night."
Draco could hear a hint of remorse building behind Snape's strong features.
"Burned alive..." Snape shook his head reciting the words again and again to the point of driving Draco insane.
Areyanna was alone out there in the darkness. Her life full of lies, her soul in anguish and her heart broken. She was alone, in the middle of a place she hardly knew, ready to take any offer to stop the pain. His face hardened.
Snape turned from the anger look of the boy and headed towards Dumbledore's office. Areyanna was in trouble and he couldn't let it happen again. The same regret would hold him to his death and beyond.
***********
In a split second Draco found himself outside. He had to find her, despite no help from Snape. Snape the one who caught on to fear and walked away. Areyanna was in danger and he just walked away, not even thinking about anyone except himself. Draco was disgusted. A bitter after taste of Snape's offensive display was making it's way into his mouth.
The wind was strong, swaying trees and knocking pine cones at him. The clouds assembled above over the blackness of the sky. His robe fluttered about his legs revealing his black pants to the darkness. There would only be a short time before the rain would fall, soaking the ground, soaking everything under it. At least there was no threat of fire.
By: April Malone
***********
CHAPTER 5: Surfacing
A cold chill welcomed Areyanna into the room. She carried herself heavily to her bed. Dinner was like the last and Draco sat quietly at the other end of the table. Did he hate her? She hoped not, she didn't mean for anything to happen. She didn't provoke or wish it, it just happened. Areyanna pulled the locket from underneath the pillow and wiped her finger prints from it's gleaming surface. She began to open it. BANG. She sprung from the bed, her hands shaking so much that she had to throw the locket back on the bed before it dropped sending people to investigate all the noise. She scanned the room. The window had shut, banging against the sill. Areyanna paced herself, *please don't let anyone here that*. She waited, no one came. She returned her thoughts to the locket which sat open on the top of her bed. Inside lay a snug fitting key and an old piece of paper. She sat herself back down taking the locket back into her hands and placing it back over her head. The key was brass, unlike the locket and the piece of paper seemed to be stuffed in. She emptied the locket on to the bed. She picked up the brass key and examined it top to bottom. It was in bad condition, for the edges that fit into the lock, they were partially scratched and scraped and the body had traces of ash and charred. Exchanging the key for the paper, Areyanna was careful to open it wiping the soot from her fingers. Black writing was scribbled on the whole page, which fit into the palm of her hand. She looked over it before reading, but she didn't find who it belonged to. Maybe there was reference in the letter, she started to read slowly being sure not to miss a single word.
Please don't be angry with me. The thought of anything happening,
especially to you, would haunt me forever.
A chain of fear fluttered through her body. The words seemed so close to her, but for the reason unknown. The simple handwriting was so gentle against the paper. The thoughts forever carved on the thin flesh of tree. She read on.
The information I know will only
destroy the things
we love. I do this so that you and
the otherswill live. There is so much evil
for you to fight, Snape, I am
thankful to do this for you.
SNAPE! What how could a person love him. She felt like puking, her worst enemy, the love of this person's life. This letter was getting sick.
Tell my mom and my brother,
Houton that I love them, and
I am sorry for the pain I caused them.
The child was a mistake and I
hate to burden them with her.
Remember our pact. I will hope to
see you in another time.
Your friend beyond the end,
Madaline Scallon
Areyanna gasped. Tears flooded from her heart to her eyes and down her face. The world she had once lived so greatly in, crumbled away infront of her. She was a mistake. Mistake. A heartless word that made her run from the room. She didn't care about the fact of Houton. She wasn't even concerned about the fact that her uncle had cared for her all those years as her father, when he didn't have to. She didn't care that Snape was only her mother's friend. She cried because she wasn't wanted by the person that gave her life.
The grief stricken girl ran past the fire that had warmed a cold heart when she had arrived. She ran past a blonde boy, who had excepted her. He ran behind her, calling for her to slow down. Every time reaching her but only to slow down before he could stop her. She couldn't, not now. The locket jumped against her chest beating the truth into her. The paper crippled in her white knuckled hand.
***********
Snape clattered down the hall towards Filch's office. His face stretched downward and his eyes searching his thoughts.
*How could Filch just leave it in a drawer* he turned down a hallway, *It's not just a piece of metal* It was the only real piece of his friend he had left. His gaze turned to the floor. She gave her life for him. Voldermort had almost got rid of him. She found out before. He swore that if he could go back, he would save her. He had blurted the words into the darkness that night, the only way that Voldermort could have heard him that night. He remembered touching her, feeling her skin. Visions of her burnt and twiching body lay before his eyes. Her eyes shut so tight from the pain they started to bleed. After Dumbledore had come the only remains of her was a key that he pocketed and placed in the locket. He was off to find out how it got stolen. Her image flashed upon him again. Blinking didn't help, nothing could help.
Dumbledore approached him.
"Professor Snape," Dumbledore smiled as Snape stopped. His look was a bit frightining.
"Head master Dumbledore, is everything alright?" Snape waited impatiently, wishing that he was still alone. These memories that were surfacing made it hard to think about anything.
"I should ask you the same question, what is going on?" Dumbledore watched Snape search for an answer.
"Well..." Dumbledore knew about what happened, but still Snape didn't want to talk out loud about it.
Sensing the tension Dumbledore nodded with gentle blue eyes, "Oh, I see," he tapped his nose and went on his way.
Snape sighed and continued toward FIlch's office. The night loomed in from the window, clouds rising and stirring together. He walked faster.
***********
Her tears were hot, yet against the wind they grew cool. She ran faster and faster down the hallways, away from everything. The next dark cold space she could find, she would crawl in and just leave herself to it. An emptiness hollowed her heart, her own mother. They didn't even know each other.
"Areyanna, please," Draco yelled still behind her. What ever happened to make her hurt, he would fix. He watched her hair fly and wiped about her head, the red streaks a blur.
***********
Snape turned the corner of the hall. WHAM. He stumbled backwards as Areyanna plowed into him falling. Draco stepped behind her, he tried to pick her up but she refused his arms. Snape spotted the necklace.
"Areyanna Scallon," Snape wanted to yell at her. She had the locket. The safest place to hide it, Filch's drawer, was now vulnerable. Pity loomed through his dark eyes, and Areyanna caught it, standing.
"You..." she was hysterical. Her white fist shaking at him, with the paper of his inside,"...th..this..." she sobbed harder, her grey eyes drowned in pools of glistening tears.
"Areyanna calm down, please, tell me what's going on," Draco stood in the middle of an unwanted child and that of the only one who knew the mother as she used to be. He felt the angry and sad enegry between both. "What's happened?"
Areyanna felt more lonely then ever. Her stomach turned making it harder to keep her balance.
Snape looked to the floor again. Poor girl, she must feel desolate. He couldn't help but feel guilty knowing that her mother loved him more than her own child. Madaline had been his best friend since he had came to the school and know was the second time he regreted it. The first time not being their for her death, saving her from Voldermort.
"Move Draco," Areyanna spat trying to move around him. She just wanted out. He held her back, she tried again. He held his ground and her strongly. Slapping him made him move. Areyanna's breath grewer faster with another attack of misery.
Snape watched Draco holding his burning cheek and watching the floor as if it were to swallow him hole. Areyanna moved closer to Snape. She hurled the paper at his feet and ran off wiping scornful tears with a hot hand.
Where she was headed, she didn't care. As long as she got out of this hell hole. The farther the better. No one had followed her, which was good, or maybe she wanted someone to. She couldn't really be sure, the pain took over as she existed the burning flames of hell.
***********
Draco turned to see Areyanna gone. What was he to do now? If he went after her she would more than likely push him away. He wanted to know what was going on, and the only one to do that was Areyanna, but she had run. Then rememberign Snape was behind him, Draco turned. Snape read the paper, solemnly.
"What does it say?" Draco urged.
"That's none of your business," Snape's voice was shaky and quiet.
Draco wished he had commented or forced Snape to read it, but as he opened his mouth nothing escaped. He wanted to rip the letter from Snape's curled fingers, then he could understand, then he could comfort Areyanna. A chill breeze made him shutter, it was moist. Draco could sense rain coming, and pleaded inside himself with anything that would listen that Areyanna didn't leave the school. With her temper and pride she wouldn't come back for thought of looking weak. "Please..." Draco reached his hand out for the letter, it still smelled of her scent.
Snape rewarded Draco's hand with the letter. Not laying an eye on him, Snape repeated the memorized note and began to explain, "The night Madaline died was the night I was supposed to. She gave her life to save me from the likes of Voldermort and his people. She...she was burned alive," the boy's eyes darted up, the glare of the light bounced sharpy off each. "She wrote me that note," Snape gestured toward it, "She left it in the locket on my dresser for me that night."
Draco could hear a hint of remorse building behind Snape's strong features.
"Burned alive..." Snape shook his head reciting the words again and again to the point of driving Draco insane.
Areyanna was alone out there in the darkness. Her life full of lies, her soul in anguish and her heart broken. She was alone, in the middle of a place she hardly knew, ready to take any offer to stop the pain. His face hardened.
Snape turned from the anger look of the boy and headed towards Dumbledore's office. Areyanna was in trouble and he couldn't let it happen again. The same regret would hold him to his death and beyond.
***********
In a split second Draco found himself outside. He had to find her, despite no help from Snape. Snape the one who caught on to fear and walked away. Areyanna was in danger and he just walked away, not even thinking about anyone except himself. Draco was disgusted. A bitter after taste of Snape's offensive display was making it's way into his mouth.
The wind was strong, swaying trees and knocking pine cones at him. The clouds assembled above over the blackness of the sky. His robe fluttered about his legs revealing his black pants to the darkness. There would only be a short time before the rain would fall, soaking the ground, soaking everything under it. At least there was no threat of fire.