**~** Two **~**
The week for Saul crawled by at a snails pace. He and Tabitha had arranged to meet in the secret statue room after Breakfast on Saturday. When the weekend finally came about Saul had gotten up extra early and dressed (usual black outfit), dashed from the Slytherin Dungeon to the main hall and had wolfed his cereal down in one bite. (The other students ignored him, thinking it was typical for Saul to be doing something weird.) On his way to the painting of the birds in the golden cage he had gotten more than lost, finally a distant chirping lead him to the right spot. He tickled the red bird and looking about disappeared into the secret passage.
"You are late!" A voice called from within. It was Hermione. She sat on a statue of a lion next to Tabitha. Tabitha smiled, two little fangs at the front gleamed.
"What the hell is she doing here?" Saul pointed at Hermione. She bristled moodily and hopped down off the lion.
"Tabitha asked me to come, she's scared!"
"I'm sorry!" Tabitha called over Hermione's rather loud voice. "If its okay with you can she stay?"
"Gaaaaah!" Saul put his head in his hands. He was excited about teaching Tabitha about her newly discovered talents even if she was one of those types brainwashed by the Ministry. But this Hermione was a bossy cow, and it was off putting to have her glaring at him all the time. "Does she have to?"
"Its alright." Hermione stuck her nose in the air and turned on her hell. "I'll wait for you in the Library Tabs. I'm sure you will do fine." And she stalked from the gloomy room without a backwards glance.
Saul huffed as the painting slammed shut (he had never heard a painting slam before) and turned to look at Tabitha. "Soooo." He said, sitting down on the paw of a sleeping stone badger. "Another summoner."
"I am?"
"And a part werewolf too. How come I've never seen you about?"
Tabitha shrugged and sat down next to Saul. She scuffed her feet in the dust "I've been in the same year as you since the first year." She said.
"Well, whaddya know."
"Hermione says its because you walk about in your own. what was it she said again.. Oh yeah, 'selfish little dream world' or something." She smiled.
Saul didn't. He stood up took on a far less friendly tone. He didn't appreciate being badmouthed when he was offering his help. "Lets get started. First things first. You let anybody else know about this you can say byebye to your freedom."
Tabitha looked glumly "I don't do it on purpose!"
"Doesn't matter! The ministry wiped out summoners over a thousand years ago. We are apparently evil agents of the dark lord."
"That's silly!"
"Tell that to the idiots who run the ministry." He sighed. He hated the Ministry. Judging by Tabitha's reaction to his comments he assumed she must love them.
"How can you say that? They struggle endlessly to save us from the dark lord and his followers!" She gasped.
"Yeah whatever. I'm sure before the term is out you will see what I mean. They are now going to struggle endlessly to snuff you out if they find out what you are."
Tabitha wrung her hands and her ears drooped sadly. "This isn't fair!" She shouted suddenly "I have been studying all my life to join the Ministry! This is the worst possible thing that could happen! I hate it. I don't want to learn how to use it, I want to get rid of it!" She burst out in bitter tears and shook all over.
Saul almost felt sorry for her, but not quite. He knew how it was for him when he first found out, but he didn't see it as a bad thing. Satsuma was a blessing! So what if he had to live in secret, it was worth it. "Its okay." He mumbled. "Suzette isn't a bad thing. Remember a few days ago when you where holding her in your hand?"
"Yes." She sniffed.
"It didn't feel horrible did it? At the time you didn't think she was a bad thing right?"
"Well.." She rubbed her eyes and stopped crying "No. She was beautiful."
"How can a thing so beautiful be so bad?" Saul smiled at her and he walked to the back of the room. In a sudden and frightening flash and a deafening roar he held out his hand and Satsuma rushed out wreathed in flames. Flying higher and higher towards the domed ceiling he then hunched over and held his massive head next to Saul's, who petted his nose. "Would you like to say hello to him?" Saul called over.
"Um.." Tabitha slid off the statue and walked over. Satsuma growled deeply in his throat, but a look from Saul silenced him. Slowly she stepped closer, until she stood right by his massive jaw. This close she could see jagged teeth jutting from under his glowing whiskers. "Hello Satsuma." She said and nervously she ran her shaking hand over his muzzle. It looked rough and yet smooth like feathers. Flames dances about this massive dragon and yet he was cool to the touch.
"I first met Satsuma when I was five. He was tiny then." Saul looked lovingly at the dragon. "As the years went by my parents taught me that he was my Guardian, and they taught me how to control him. I can use Satsuma for any purpose I like." His eyes shone "I could use Satsuma to burn down the Ministry and that foul Prison."
"What?" Tabitha stepped back in alarm.
"I said I could. But I haven't. The Guardians are not evil, we control what they do. I could also use Satsuma to help the Ministry and bring down all the darkness left in our world."
"Why don't you?"
"Because the moment they found out a Summoner exists they would probably kill me before I could suggest it to them." He growled with resentment and with a bitter roar Satsuma delved back into nothingness. The room fell dark and silent again.
"How sad." Tabitha looked at Saul with pity and held his hand. He didn't appreciate it and he brushed her off roughly.
"So what is the point of us learning these skills? If we will not use them for evil and cannot use them for good?" Saul said. "Its so we never lose the knowledge. So that we can one day pass what we know onto others. As summoners we owe it to all those killed for what they believed in a thousand years ago. Then maybe in the future summoners like us can practise their art without persecution and help others."
"I think that's a good thing." She said. "Please will you teach me to control Suzette?"
**
That night Saul lay in his bed. All about him the snores of fellow dorm mates mingled with the crackle of the fire. He was on friendly terms with these boys, but could honestly say that he didn't have any friends here. It was better that way, friends get to close. He couldn't let anybody find out about Satsuma. He had pressed the importance of secrecy upon Tabitha too. Today she had done well. She for the first time had communicated with Suzette. Although it was a long way before Suzette would begin to follow her orders. They had agreed to meet every two nights in their secret room. Saul wanted to see Suzette grow, and become strong. He believed it was important to pass the knowledge on, and not let all his parents sacrifices be in vain. With thoughts of his parents swimming in his mind he fell into a troubled slumber.
**
"Mumma? Where are we going?" "Away baby. We have to look after you and little Satsuma." His mothers face was stained with tears, and her eyes where weary and dark. "I haven't got my toys! I want my broom!" "We can't go back. I'm sorry." "Where did Poppa go?" "I'm sorry baby." She gripped him tightly and encompassed him in her embrace. Saul knew his Poppa was in trouble, he had heard his parents arguing last night. "Your Daddy is gone. We wont ever see him again."
**~~**
Ohhhhhh thank you so much for the reviews. It's been a lone time ne? I'm so happy that people still write to me about 'The Odd Couple'. I read all your e mails, and love getting them ^_^ I'm defiantly back in the writing mood and shall work hard to finish 'Dragons Tear'. And yes! Saul is hot hot hot ^_^ Bless him. I think of him looking like a young version of Muraki from Yami No Matsuei. If any of you are lucky enough to have read/seen it then you know the degree of yummieness we are dealing with here ^.^
The week for Saul crawled by at a snails pace. He and Tabitha had arranged to meet in the secret statue room after Breakfast on Saturday. When the weekend finally came about Saul had gotten up extra early and dressed (usual black outfit), dashed from the Slytherin Dungeon to the main hall and had wolfed his cereal down in one bite. (The other students ignored him, thinking it was typical for Saul to be doing something weird.) On his way to the painting of the birds in the golden cage he had gotten more than lost, finally a distant chirping lead him to the right spot. He tickled the red bird and looking about disappeared into the secret passage.
"You are late!" A voice called from within. It was Hermione. She sat on a statue of a lion next to Tabitha. Tabitha smiled, two little fangs at the front gleamed.
"What the hell is she doing here?" Saul pointed at Hermione. She bristled moodily and hopped down off the lion.
"Tabitha asked me to come, she's scared!"
"I'm sorry!" Tabitha called over Hermione's rather loud voice. "If its okay with you can she stay?"
"Gaaaaah!" Saul put his head in his hands. He was excited about teaching Tabitha about her newly discovered talents even if she was one of those types brainwashed by the Ministry. But this Hermione was a bossy cow, and it was off putting to have her glaring at him all the time. "Does she have to?"
"Its alright." Hermione stuck her nose in the air and turned on her hell. "I'll wait for you in the Library Tabs. I'm sure you will do fine." And she stalked from the gloomy room without a backwards glance.
Saul huffed as the painting slammed shut (he had never heard a painting slam before) and turned to look at Tabitha. "Soooo." He said, sitting down on the paw of a sleeping stone badger. "Another summoner."
"I am?"
"And a part werewolf too. How come I've never seen you about?"
Tabitha shrugged and sat down next to Saul. She scuffed her feet in the dust "I've been in the same year as you since the first year." She said.
"Well, whaddya know."
"Hermione says its because you walk about in your own. what was it she said again.. Oh yeah, 'selfish little dream world' or something." She smiled.
Saul didn't. He stood up took on a far less friendly tone. He didn't appreciate being badmouthed when he was offering his help. "Lets get started. First things first. You let anybody else know about this you can say byebye to your freedom."
Tabitha looked glumly "I don't do it on purpose!"
"Doesn't matter! The ministry wiped out summoners over a thousand years ago. We are apparently evil agents of the dark lord."
"That's silly!"
"Tell that to the idiots who run the ministry." He sighed. He hated the Ministry. Judging by Tabitha's reaction to his comments he assumed she must love them.
"How can you say that? They struggle endlessly to save us from the dark lord and his followers!" She gasped.
"Yeah whatever. I'm sure before the term is out you will see what I mean. They are now going to struggle endlessly to snuff you out if they find out what you are."
Tabitha wrung her hands and her ears drooped sadly. "This isn't fair!" She shouted suddenly "I have been studying all my life to join the Ministry! This is the worst possible thing that could happen! I hate it. I don't want to learn how to use it, I want to get rid of it!" She burst out in bitter tears and shook all over.
Saul almost felt sorry for her, but not quite. He knew how it was for him when he first found out, but he didn't see it as a bad thing. Satsuma was a blessing! So what if he had to live in secret, it was worth it. "Its okay." He mumbled. "Suzette isn't a bad thing. Remember a few days ago when you where holding her in your hand?"
"Yes." She sniffed.
"It didn't feel horrible did it? At the time you didn't think she was a bad thing right?"
"Well.." She rubbed her eyes and stopped crying "No. She was beautiful."
"How can a thing so beautiful be so bad?" Saul smiled at her and he walked to the back of the room. In a sudden and frightening flash and a deafening roar he held out his hand and Satsuma rushed out wreathed in flames. Flying higher and higher towards the domed ceiling he then hunched over and held his massive head next to Saul's, who petted his nose. "Would you like to say hello to him?" Saul called over.
"Um.." Tabitha slid off the statue and walked over. Satsuma growled deeply in his throat, but a look from Saul silenced him. Slowly she stepped closer, until she stood right by his massive jaw. This close she could see jagged teeth jutting from under his glowing whiskers. "Hello Satsuma." She said and nervously she ran her shaking hand over his muzzle. It looked rough and yet smooth like feathers. Flames dances about this massive dragon and yet he was cool to the touch.
"I first met Satsuma when I was five. He was tiny then." Saul looked lovingly at the dragon. "As the years went by my parents taught me that he was my Guardian, and they taught me how to control him. I can use Satsuma for any purpose I like." His eyes shone "I could use Satsuma to burn down the Ministry and that foul Prison."
"What?" Tabitha stepped back in alarm.
"I said I could. But I haven't. The Guardians are not evil, we control what they do. I could also use Satsuma to help the Ministry and bring down all the darkness left in our world."
"Why don't you?"
"Because the moment they found out a Summoner exists they would probably kill me before I could suggest it to them." He growled with resentment and with a bitter roar Satsuma delved back into nothingness. The room fell dark and silent again.
"How sad." Tabitha looked at Saul with pity and held his hand. He didn't appreciate it and he brushed her off roughly.
"So what is the point of us learning these skills? If we will not use them for evil and cannot use them for good?" Saul said. "Its so we never lose the knowledge. So that we can one day pass what we know onto others. As summoners we owe it to all those killed for what they believed in a thousand years ago. Then maybe in the future summoners like us can practise their art without persecution and help others."
"I think that's a good thing." She said. "Please will you teach me to control Suzette?"
**
That night Saul lay in his bed. All about him the snores of fellow dorm mates mingled with the crackle of the fire. He was on friendly terms with these boys, but could honestly say that he didn't have any friends here. It was better that way, friends get to close. He couldn't let anybody find out about Satsuma. He had pressed the importance of secrecy upon Tabitha too. Today she had done well. She for the first time had communicated with Suzette. Although it was a long way before Suzette would begin to follow her orders. They had agreed to meet every two nights in their secret room. Saul wanted to see Suzette grow, and become strong. He believed it was important to pass the knowledge on, and not let all his parents sacrifices be in vain. With thoughts of his parents swimming in his mind he fell into a troubled slumber.
**
"Mumma? Where are we going?" "Away baby. We have to look after you and little Satsuma." His mothers face was stained with tears, and her eyes where weary and dark. "I haven't got my toys! I want my broom!" "We can't go back. I'm sorry." "Where did Poppa go?" "I'm sorry baby." She gripped him tightly and encompassed him in her embrace. Saul knew his Poppa was in trouble, he had heard his parents arguing last night. "Your Daddy is gone. We wont ever see him again."
**~~**
Ohhhhhh thank you so much for the reviews. It's been a lone time ne? I'm so happy that people still write to me about 'The Odd Couple'. I read all your e mails, and love getting them ^_^ I'm defiantly back in the writing mood and shall work hard to finish 'Dragons Tear'. And yes! Saul is hot hot hot ^_^ Bless him. I think of him looking like a young version of Muraki from Yami No Matsuei. If any of you are lucky enough to have read/seen it then you know the degree of yummieness we are dealing with here ^.^