DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own a fair amount of the
background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and
Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The
rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.
Author's Note: Tainted? Tainted. Tainted! Hehe! I got so many confused comments about that, but that's how I planned it. I had a major brain blockage for a long, long time, but I finally made myself start writing this chapter and then it all started up again. I'm free of the brain blockage! And, as a bonus to ski, who I know will be pleased, there were no extra chars in this chapter! YAY! And just to have it said today is my birthday! I'm getting so old... *sniffle* Aren't you proud? XD Anywho, enjoy this chapter as my present to you for my birthday.
Mystixnight
Chapter 9 Conflict
"It wasn't hard." Her hair ruffled over her shoulders as she shook her head.
"Still... The deed is done. Now we wait..." The impossibly thin lips stretched back in a smile that managed to turn the pleasant gesture into a revolting grimace. "You're quite beautiful, Nimue."
Nimue winced, as he knew she would, that absurd smile widening.
"I used to be." Her full lips pursed, brows twitching downwards.
"I took nice care of that, though, didn't I?"
She nodded, gaze turned downwards. "Of course..."
"Of course," he echoed in sadistic pleasure. "Don't pout... It spoils what looks you have left."
He turned away before he could see her wince.
* * *
Kairn crested the hill at full speed, Taseia running along after him in an effort to keep up.
"Sei!" Seth's face broke into a grin as he stood up to see the two figures better, chocolate occuls lighting up. "And Kairn."
Fael looked up, her lips twitching upwards almost distrustfully. What was up with Kairn? She turned back to Harry in time to see his brows shoot upwards and his green eyes bulge outwards. He stood hastily, coughing into a hand. Fael stood too, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders.
"I think... I don't... I'd better be off!" Harry said quickly, smiling in a horribly transparent attempt at trying to conceal is anxiety.
Fael grabbed hold of his shoulder, shaking a finger in reprimand. "Oh, no you doubt."
Harry took one look at her hair, which was still stationary at the moment but you could never really tell when it was going to start to smoke, and sat down again. Fael backed up a step upon noting that he looked like he was going to throw up.
"Seth! Faellen!" Taseia jogged up and grinned at them both. Kairn had stopped dead and his gaze was shifting from revulsion upon Seth and Fael, to accusation upon Harry.
"Sorry about this, I have no idea what in the hell Kairn is going on about. We were coming back from the lake and I ran into Sienna." If anyone besides Kairn had been watching Harry they would've seen him flinch while continuing to determinedly stare at his shoes. "She was being a total prat... As usual." Harry frowned and looked as though he might've said nothing, but snuck a glance at Kairn who had a vein in his temple throbbing and stayed silent.
Taseia continued on oblivious to Harry, talking fast. "And so me'n Kairn went to leave and guess who decided to butt in! Not only butt in but also get Kairn in heaps of trouble while he ran off! You won't be able to guess, so I might as well tell y-"
She stopped dead, brows rising, jaw dropping and a scarlet flush on her cheeks as she saw Harry. Fael frowned and threw her hands up in exasperation, a few strands of her hair beginning to flicker precariously. "Is NOBODY going to make sense today?! Nobody at all?"
With a huff she threw herself back down onto her seat, arms crossed, her tresses beginning to flame.
Harry stood up hurriedly and smiled meekly. "That's, uh... What I was trying to talk to you about, Faellen. See, Kairn and I had a bit of a... A disagreement and things got out of hand and..." He trailed off.
"Fael. I have to talk to you." Kairn finally spoke again, his voice dead serious, his face entirely composed. There was not a single inflection in his sentence. It wasn't even an implication, let alone a question. "Now..."
Faellen snarled. "No! Why do I have to go talk to you right now? I just fell into the damn lake! If you want to say something, say it here!" Her hair wasn't on the brink anymore, it was alight with flames, wavering and spitting.
Kairn gave a twitch, but nodded. "Fine. I'm going." He turned on heel and stalked off. It was times like this Faellen wished she were enough like to Taseia to carry around her schoolbooks. Even if it was only for the sole purpose of chucking one directly at Kairn's head. Taseia frowned, her slender brows furrowing and looked to Faellen.
"I'm gonna go see what's the matter with him, alright Fael... I'll be back in a bit. Bye... Bye Seth." She turned around to run after Kairn.
Seth made a low rumbling sound deep in his throat his eyes following her as she began to run off. He looked to Fael apologetically. "I'm... I'll... Sorry, Fael. I'm gonna go see what's wrong with Kairn too." He gave her another pleading look and then darted after them, catching up to and falling in pace with Taseia.
Faellen stood up, quivering with anger, her hair flaring a full foot into the air. "Fine! See if I care! I'm fine here! You're all... Stupid," she finished lamely, pouting like an infant. She dropped herself down onto the ground, pulling her knees to her chest and muttering under her breath.
Harry shifted position awkwardly and Fael looked up. She'd forgotten he was there. "You got in a fight, then..." She mumbled somberly.
He nodded. "Yeah..."
"Why?"
"Ugh... It was stupid. Can we just forget about it?" He grinned in a plea.
"Fine..." She agreed resentfully, standing up again and running her hand over her tresses to flatten them down again, only half succeeding.
Harry smiled in obvious relief. "It's about lunch now... You wanna go grab a bite to eat?"
Fael grinned hesitantly, but nodded. "Sure..."
Harry returned the grin and the headed down the lawn together.
* * *
Kairn was fuming. Why did she have to be so stupid! Stupid, stupid stupid! Dammit, Faellen... He was in such a state he didn't even realize Taseia and Seth were there until he stepped into the school's hallways and almost fell over Tai before his eyes adjusted to the dark.
They made their way in silence to the library, wherein they found a corner table and plunked themselves down into the seats. Taseia didn't dare say anything for the first two minutes. Kairn's eyes were blazing...
After a tense while Seth finally coughed, breaking up the reverie a bit. Taseia took the opportunity. "Kairn? What was that all about? Was it about the fight?"
Kairn grunted a laugh, but it was dry. "You think I'm the kind of person that makes those kind of bitter grudges?"
Taseia shook her head quickly. "No! No, that's not what I meant. I just thought... I mean, why else would you be upset...?" She tilted her head to the side, trying in vain to understand.
Kairn shook his head as well, though slower, more deliberately, a new emotion she couldn't place flickering over his dark features. "You wouldn't understand, Sei."
She let out a disgruntled breath. "Try me!"
Kairn chuckled again. "Rather not, thanks..."
Taseia was frowning now, getting a frustrated as well as concerned. Seth put out a hand quickly, shaking his own head. "Forget it... We'll talk 'bout it when ye wan' t'do so." He gave them both a glance that confirmed the subject was indeed over with. Taseia didn't know whether to be mad or thankful. Even if he was a bit dim about schoolwork, Seth was an excellent people person.
"Right, then..." Taseia's voice indicated she accepted defeat for now. "You have a class with me tomorrow, right Seth?"
Her face lit up with a grin, which he returned quickly. "So I am! Tha'll be great! What class?" Unless he had his list right in front of him he usually didn't know where he was supposed to be most of the time... It made him late a lot, as you might have guessed.
Taseia grinned widely. She was used to and rather fond of his quirky mentality. "Charms, Seth. Second block."
Seth nodded enthusiastically, as though he was fully aware that Charms was second block. "Oh right. 'Course..."
He grinned sheepishly as Taseia burst out laughing, even Kairn arching a brow, a half smile of pity and amusement curving his maw. Taseia met his gaze somberly. "What happened to Faellen? She said something about falling in the lake?"
Seth nodded, serious as well. "Yeah. I took 'er out t'go skating and she was jus' getting the hang o' it but the ice wasn't fully frozen yet. I... I got pulled 'way from 'er and she fell through the ice." His shoulders hunched and he lowered his head closer to the table, looking up at Taseia in apology. "I didn't mean t'leave her! This girl ran int'me and the next thing I knew she was gone! I was really worried 'bout 'er an' then I heard her scream... I got there as fast as I could..." His gaze shifted to the table.
Taseia shook her head, reaching over the table to tap Seth's shoulder. "Seth! Come on... It wasn't your fault. You didn't mean for it to happen, and she's okay... That's what matters." She felt guilty for bringing it up as Seth was obviously pretty messed up over it. Taking the blame...
"She wouldn't be if Harry 'adn't been quicker'n me... He's the one that pulled 'er out."
Kairn looked up, taking an interest in the conversation for the first time. "Harry pulled her out?"
Seth looked up, bemused. "Yeah... Tha's what I said, right?"
Kairn wasn't listening, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. Is dark eyes were narrowed, lips pulled into a scowl of concentration. After what seemed to take forever he finally murmured, "Why?"
Seth shrugged, raising his hand to rub behind his ear. "I dunno... 'E saw 'er drownin' an' helped 'er. It was the right thing t'do, I guess."
Kairn chuckled dryly. "No... The tricky little bugger. I don't know what he's trying to pull but I'm not going to let him get away with it."
Taseia blinked, trying to see what was going on behind that closed expression. "Kairn...?"
He pushed back his chair, though, the wooden seat clattering loudly on the cobblestones and stalked from the library. Taseia let out a groan and slumped in her own seat, head in her hands on the table.
"What's up with him? He won't talk about it; he won't let anyone help... I get worried about him... You know? You ever worry?" She looked up through the curtain of her silver hair to Seth, her shifting cyan occuls almost begging for some sort of reassurance.
Seth nodded, looking more confident than he felt. "Everyone worries, See... It's normal. An' Kairn gets pretty confusion'. He'll be aright, though. I think 'E's just stressed. Everybody's getting' worn thin. After Winner Break ell be fine. You'll see..."
Taseia nodded in relief, switching chairs to sit by Seth, folding her arms on the table and resting her dial atop them. "You staying for Winter Break, Seth?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Me Mum 'as six oth'r little uns at home an' another on the way. She doesn't need anoth'r mouth t'feed."
Taseia couldn't help her brows shooting up. "Big family..."
Seth grinned in embarrassment. "Aye... It's fun, though. An' they're real good kids. It's a bit loud, but... cozy." He shrugged. "Pro'bly sounds like too much to ye, but it's really not tha-"
Taseia shook her head quickly. "No, no! It sounds great! I only have one sister. She's a god ten years older than I am though... I never see her."
Seth blinked. "That's pretty far apart."
Taseia shrugged, nodding. "That's just the way it worked out..."
Seth smiled sympathetically. "Ack... Forget it! Ye've got enough people 'round now that ye'll probably be goin' crazy for some time alone by the end o' things."
Taseia grinned, nodding back. "You're probably right; about everything. I'm definitely ready for a vacation..."
Seth leaned back in his chair. "Ye don't need t'say tha' again... So what about ye? Are ye stayin'?"
Taseia nodded. "My family is too far away to go and visit. Even after taking the train, I'd have to travel another few days on a muggle coach, which is so uncomfortable after the Hogwarts train. Then I'd only have a few days with my family, not even enough time to settle down before I'd have to get back on a train if I wasn't to be here on time."
Seth frowned in concern. "Did ye want t'go back?"
Taseia shrugged. "I don't know... I'm kind of liking it here... Even though my mom's cooking is to die for." A smile tugged at her lips. "If I'm lucky she'll send some up with the presents. You'd like it I think."
Seth grinned back. "I'm sure I will!"
Taseia stood up, righting Kairn's chair back up again. "I'm getting hungry... You in the mood for lunch?"
Seth hopped to his feet, pushing in their chairs. "Do you even need to ask?"
Taseia's laugh was anwser enough as they strolled out through the doors.
Author's Note: Tainted? Tainted. Tainted! Hehe! I got so many confused comments about that, but that's how I planned it. I had a major brain blockage for a long, long time, but I finally made myself start writing this chapter and then it all started up again. I'm free of the brain blockage! And, as a bonus to ski, who I know will be pleased, there were no extra chars in this chapter! YAY! And just to have it said today is my birthday! I'm getting so old... *sniffle* Aren't you proud? XD Anywho, enjoy this chapter as my present to you for my birthday.
Mystixnight
Chapter 9 Conflict
"It wasn't hard." Her hair ruffled over her shoulders as she shook her head.
"Still... The deed is done. Now we wait..." The impossibly thin lips stretched back in a smile that managed to turn the pleasant gesture into a revolting grimace. "You're quite beautiful, Nimue."
Nimue winced, as he knew she would, that absurd smile widening.
"I used to be." Her full lips pursed, brows twitching downwards.
"I took nice care of that, though, didn't I?"
She nodded, gaze turned downwards. "Of course..."
"Of course," he echoed in sadistic pleasure. "Don't pout... It spoils what looks you have left."
He turned away before he could see her wince.
* * *
Kairn crested the hill at full speed, Taseia running along after him in an effort to keep up.
"Sei!" Seth's face broke into a grin as he stood up to see the two figures better, chocolate occuls lighting up. "And Kairn."
Fael looked up, her lips twitching upwards almost distrustfully. What was up with Kairn? She turned back to Harry in time to see his brows shoot upwards and his green eyes bulge outwards. He stood hastily, coughing into a hand. Fael stood too, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders.
"I think... I don't... I'd better be off!" Harry said quickly, smiling in a horribly transparent attempt at trying to conceal is anxiety.
Fael grabbed hold of his shoulder, shaking a finger in reprimand. "Oh, no you doubt."
Harry took one look at her hair, which was still stationary at the moment but you could never really tell when it was going to start to smoke, and sat down again. Fael backed up a step upon noting that he looked like he was going to throw up.
"Seth! Faellen!" Taseia jogged up and grinned at them both. Kairn had stopped dead and his gaze was shifting from revulsion upon Seth and Fael, to accusation upon Harry.
"Sorry about this, I have no idea what in the hell Kairn is going on about. We were coming back from the lake and I ran into Sienna." If anyone besides Kairn had been watching Harry they would've seen him flinch while continuing to determinedly stare at his shoes. "She was being a total prat... As usual." Harry frowned and looked as though he might've said nothing, but snuck a glance at Kairn who had a vein in his temple throbbing and stayed silent.
Taseia continued on oblivious to Harry, talking fast. "And so me'n Kairn went to leave and guess who decided to butt in! Not only butt in but also get Kairn in heaps of trouble while he ran off! You won't be able to guess, so I might as well tell y-"
She stopped dead, brows rising, jaw dropping and a scarlet flush on her cheeks as she saw Harry. Fael frowned and threw her hands up in exasperation, a few strands of her hair beginning to flicker precariously. "Is NOBODY going to make sense today?! Nobody at all?"
With a huff she threw herself back down onto her seat, arms crossed, her tresses beginning to flame.
Harry stood up hurriedly and smiled meekly. "That's, uh... What I was trying to talk to you about, Faellen. See, Kairn and I had a bit of a... A disagreement and things got out of hand and..." He trailed off.
"Fael. I have to talk to you." Kairn finally spoke again, his voice dead serious, his face entirely composed. There was not a single inflection in his sentence. It wasn't even an implication, let alone a question. "Now..."
Faellen snarled. "No! Why do I have to go talk to you right now? I just fell into the damn lake! If you want to say something, say it here!" Her hair wasn't on the brink anymore, it was alight with flames, wavering and spitting.
Kairn gave a twitch, but nodded. "Fine. I'm going." He turned on heel and stalked off. It was times like this Faellen wished she were enough like to Taseia to carry around her schoolbooks. Even if it was only for the sole purpose of chucking one directly at Kairn's head. Taseia frowned, her slender brows furrowing and looked to Faellen.
"I'm gonna go see what's the matter with him, alright Fael... I'll be back in a bit. Bye... Bye Seth." She turned around to run after Kairn.
Seth made a low rumbling sound deep in his throat his eyes following her as she began to run off. He looked to Fael apologetically. "I'm... I'll... Sorry, Fael. I'm gonna go see what's wrong with Kairn too." He gave her another pleading look and then darted after them, catching up to and falling in pace with Taseia.
Faellen stood up, quivering with anger, her hair flaring a full foot into the air. "Fine! See if I care! I'm fine here! You're all... Stupid," she finished lamely, pouting like an infant. She dropped herself down onto the ground, pulling her knees to her chest and muttering under her breath.
Harry shifted position awkwardly and Fael looked up. She'd forgotten he was there. "You got in a fight, then..." She mumbled somberly.
He nodded. "Yeah..."
"Why?"
"Ugh... It was stupid. Can we just forget about it?" He grinned in a plea.
"Fine..." She agreed resentfully, standing up again and running her hand over her tresses to flatten them down again, only half succeeding.
Harry smiled in obvious relief. "It's about lunch now... You wanna go grab a bite to eat?"
Fael grinned hesitantly, but nodded. "Sure..."
Harry returned the grin and the headed down the lawn together.
* * *
Kairn was fuming. Why did she have to be so stupid! Stupid, stupid stupid! Dammit, Faellen... He was in such a state he didn't even realize Taseia and Seth were there until he stepped into the school's hallways and almost fell over Tai before his eyes adjusted to the dark.
They made their way in silence to the library, wherein they found a corner table and plunked themselves down into the seats. Taseia didn't dare say anything for the first two minutes. Kairn's eyes were blazing...
After a tense while Seth finally coughed, breaking up the reverie a bit. Taseia took the opportunity. "Kairn? What was that all about? Was it about the fight?"
Kairn grunted a laugh, but it was dry. "You think I'm the kind of person that makes those kind of bitter grudges?"
Taseia shook her head quickly. "No! No, that's not what I meant. I just thought... I mean, why else would you be upset...?" She tilted her head to the side, trying in vain to understand.
Kairn shook his head as well, though slower, more deliberately, a new emotion she couldn't place flickering over his dark features. "You wouldn't understand, Sei."
She let out a disgruntled breath. "Try me!"
Kairn chuckled again. "Rather not, thanks..."
Taseia was frowning now, getting a frustrated as well as concerned. Seth put out a hand quickly, shaking his own head. "Forget it... We'll talk 'bout it when ye wan' t'do so." He gave them both a glance that confirmed the subject was indeed over with. Taseia didn't know whether to be mad or thankful. Even if he was a bit dim about schoolwork, Seth was an excellent people person.
"Right, then..." Taseia's voice indicated she accepted defeat for now. "You have a class with me tomorrow, right Seth?"
Her face lit up with a grin, which he returned quickly. "So I am! Tha'll be great! What class?" Unless he had his list right in front of him he usually didn't know where he was supposed to be most of the time... It made him late a lot, as you might have guessed.
Taseia grinned widely. She was used to and rather fond of his quirky mentality. "Charms, Seth. Second block."
Seth nodded enthusiastically, as though he was fully aware that Charms was second block. "Oh right. 'Course..."
He grinned sheepishly as Taseia burst out laughing, even Kairn arching a brow, a half smile of pity and amusement curving his maw. Taseia met his gaze somberly. "What happened to Faellen? She said something about falling in the lake?"
Seth nodded, serious as well. "Yeah. I took 'er out t'go skating and she was jus' getting the hang o' it but the ice wasn't fully frozen yet. I... I got pulled 'way from 'er and she fell through the ice." His shoulders hunched and he lowered his head closer to the table, looking up at Taseia in apology. "I didn't mean t'leave her! This girl ran int'me and the next thing I knew she was gone! I was really worried 'bout 'er an' then I heard her scream... I got there as fast as I could..." His gaze shifted to the table.
Taseia shook her head, reaching over the table to tap Seth's shoulder. "Seth! Come on... It wasn't your fault. You didn't mean for it to happen, and she's okay... That's what matters." She felt guilty for bringing it up as Seth was obviously pretty messed up over it. Taking the blame...
"She wouldn't be if Harry 'adn't been quicker'n me... He's the one that pulled 'er out."
Kairn looked up, taking an interest in the conversation for the first time. "Harry pulled her out?"
Seth looked up, bemused. "Yeah... Tha's what I said, right?"
Kairn wasn't listening, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. Is dark eyes were narrowed, lips pulled into a scowl of concentration. After what seemed to take forever he finally murmured, "Why?"
Seth shrugged, raising his hand to rub behind his ear. "I dunno... 'E saw 'er drownin' an' helped 'er. It was the right thing t'do, I guess."
Kairn chuckled dryly. "No... The tricky little bugger. I don't know what he's trying to pull but I'm not going to let him get away with it."
Taseia blinked, trying to see what was going on behind that closed expression. "Kairn...?"
He pushed back his chair, though, the wooden seat clattering loudly on the cobblestones and stalked from the library. Taseia let out a groan and slumped in her own seat, head in her hands on the table.
"What's up with him? He won't talk about it; he won't let anyone help... I get worried about him... You know? You ever worry?" She looked up through the curtain of her silver hair to Seth, her shifting cyan occuls almost begging for some sort of reassurance.
Seth nodded, looking more confident than he felt. "Everyone worries, See... It's normal. An' Kairn gets pretty confusion'. He'll be aright, though. I think 'E's just stressed. Everybody's getting' worn thin. After Winner Break ell be fine. You'll see..."
Taseia nodded in relief, switching chairs to sit by Seth, folding her arms on the table and resting her dial atop them. "You staying for Winter Break, Seth?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Me Mum 'as six oth'r little uns at home an' another on the way. She doesn't need anoth'r mouth t'feed."
Taseia couldn't help her brows shooting up. "Big family..."
Seth grinned in embarrassment. "Aye... It's fun, though. An' they're real good kids. It's a bit loud, but... cozy." He shrugged. "Pro'bly sounds like too much to ye, but it's really not tha-"
Taseia shook her head quickly. "No, no! It sounds great! I only have one sister. She's a god ten years older than I am though... I never see her."
Seth blinked. "That's pretty far apart."
Taseia shrugged, nodding. "That's just the way it worked out..."
Seth smiled sympathetically. "Ack... Forget it! Ye've got enough people 'round now that ye'll probably be goin' crazy for some time alone by the end o' things."
Taseia grinned, nodding back. "You're probably right; about everything. I'm definitely ready for a vacation..."
Seth leaned back in his chair. "Ye don't need t'say tha' again... So what about ye? Are ye stayin'?"
Taseia nodded. "My family is too far away to go and visit. Even after taking the train, I'd have to travel another few days on a muggle coach, which is so uncomfortable after the Hogwarts train. Then I'd only have a few days with my family, not even enough time to settle down before I'd have to get back on a train if I wasn't to be here on time."
Seth frowned in concern. "Did ye want t'go back?"
Taseia shrugged. "I don't know... I'm kind of liking it here... Even though my mom's cooking is to die for." A smile tugged at her lips. "If I'm lucky she'll send some up with the presents. You'd like it I think."
Seth grinned back. "I'm sure I will!"
Taseia stood up, righting Kairn's chair back up again. "I'm getting hungry... You in the mood for lunch?"
Seth hopped to his feet, pushing in their chairs. "Do you even need to ask?"
Taseia's laugh was anwser enough as they strolled out through the doors.
