Blood of Enemies, Blood of Friends
Chapter 15 - Shannon's Story
Harry had found Shannon in an empty classroom. She was sitting in the corner, her knees against her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees.
Harry slowly approached her, "Shannon?" No answer. "Shannon, what's wrong?"
Shannon didn't move.
Harry had never seen her like this. He thought of Shannon as a strong warrior. She was a vampire Slayer and a ruthless quidditch player. It scared him to see her so vulnerable.
Harry sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. Shannon leaned into him, and he wrapped his other arm around her. He could feel her shaking in his arms. The two sat together in silence for several minutes. "It's ok," soothed Harry.
Shannon whispered softly, "Every time I start to think it's ok, something reminds me of him."
"Who?" asked Harry.
"Caleb," Shannon spat out the name like it was poison.
"Do you want to tell me about him?" asked Harry.
"No," answered Shannon.
Harry hugged her tighter and began rocking them back and forth. "Shannon, sometimes the best way to let go of something is to get it out. I understand why you wouldn't want to talk to me, but maybe you should talk to Dawn."
"She knows what happened with Caleb, but not about before," said Shannon.
"Yes, but have you talked to her about how you feel?" Harry asked. Harry could feel Shannon's head shaking against his shoulder. He continued, "Shannon, you have to talk to someone. If not Dawn, maybe you can talk to Professor Summers or Professor Wilkins? If it is a Slayer thing, then I am sure they will understand."
Shannon leaned back a little and looked at Harry. She saw empathy in his emerald green eyes. She decided that she could talk to him. "Harry, I am going to tell you everything, but you have to swear that this stays between us."
He agreed, and she believed him.
Shannon began, "I grew up Shannon Elizabeth Moore. I had a fairly normal childhood in South Carolina. My dad was a minister at our local church, and my mom was the total stay at home type. I did what kids do - went to school, played with my friends, and was close to both my parents."
"When I turned eleven, it all changed. On my eleventh birthday, Mr. Victor Crawford showed up on our doorstep. He told my parents that he was a Watcher, and that I was a potential Slayer who needed to be trained. Of course, he talked a lot about me having a sacred duty, being a warrior for the light, and all those other things Watchers like to spout off. When he explained to my parents that I would fight vampires and demons, my father freaked and threw him out of our house."
"Victor returned a few more times. One night he prevented a vampire from attacking my father, as he was leaving the church. Victor thought that after seeing a vampire, my father would accept my destiny. Victor explained that if I were activated, evil would find me - that I must be trained to fight it."
"My father twisted what Victor was telling him. He believed that if evil was attracted to me, then it was because I was unworthy, dirty, and evil myself. He decided that his destiny was to save me. My happy childhood was gone. My father never let me out of his sight. At first he just made me pray all the time, but within a few months he had become physically abusive. One night he beat me so badly, I thought I would die."
Shannon was silent for a moment, as she looked into Harry's eyes. He wasn't sure what to do; so, he hugged her tighter against him and kissed her forehead. When he loosened the hug, she continued, "After the beating, he left the house. I am not entirely sure where he went. Victor found my mother tending to my injuries. That night he took my mother and I away."
"The three of us finally wound up in Las Vegas. My mother always joked that sin city was the one place she could guarantee my father would never set foot in. Though I knew that she was always afraid that he would come looking for us."
"Las Vegas was great. My mom got a job as a dealer in a casino. I made some very close friends in school, and Victor trained me after school each day. Two years ago, my parents' divorce was finalized, and my mom married Victor. I got back the happy family that I thought was lost forever. That year was the best of my life."
For the first time that evening, Harry saw Shannon smile. But the happiness was fleeting, and the smile was soon replaced by tears. "Then the Bringers came. They were sent by the First to kill me, to kill all the potentials. I escaped, but they killed my mother and Victor. I doubled back to our house and found my mother dead and Victor mortally wounded. With his dying breath, Victor told me to go to Sunnydale and find the Slayer, that only she could protect me. He died in my arms"
"You know, this is the first time I have allowed myself to cry for them." Shannon buried her face against Harry's shoulder, her silent tears giving way to retching sobs.
Harry truly empathized with Shannon. Her life was so much like her own. He too had lost the possibility of a happy childhood with his parents because of his destiny. During the past two years, he once again knew what it was like to be loved. He and his godfather, Sirius, were a family. His chance for happiness was again ripped away by his destiny. And, he too had not let himself cry.
As Shannon cried in his arms, Harry felt tears stinging his eyes. With a strangled sob, he broke down as well. He cried for the destiny that neither of them could avoid and for all the people who had died because of it. He cried for Cedric Diggory. He cried for the parents, he had never known. And, he cried for Sirius.
Shannon felt Harry sobbing. She pulled him even more tightly to her, seeking comfort from the only person in her life, who could truly understand. The two teens remained in their tearful embrace for a very long time.
When they were both out of tears, they pulled away enough to look into each other's eyes. "Are you ok?" Shannon asked.
"I think I need that," replied Harry.
"Me too," confirmed Shannon. "Do you want to tell me about it?"
"I think I do," Harry replied.
He spent the next couple of hours telling Shannon everything. He talked about his parents, growing up with the Dursleys, the triwizard tournament, finding and losing Sirius, and the prophesy about him killing Voldemort. Harry had so wanted to tell Shannon everything. Only when I finished did he realize that he had never given her a chance to finish her own story. "I'm sorry," he said.
"For what?" she asked.
"For not letting you finish your story first," he replied. "I'd like to hear the rest of it, if you want to tell me."
Shannon nodded. "I did was Victor told me to. I headed for Sunnydale to find Buffy, but first I found Caleb. I had managed to elude the Bringers until I was just outside of Sunnydale, then they ambushed me."
"I ran as fast as I could, certain that I was going to die, until a young preacher in an old pick up truck pulled up along side me and told me to hop in. It was weird, seeing this young preacher who looked so much like my father when I was a child. I felt like my father had finally accepted me, was rescuing me."
"Caleb was just like my father. He called me a whore and told me that the Bringers were his boys. Then he heated his ring with the cigarette lighter and burned me neck with it." She pulled her hair back, so Harry could see the brand that she would carry forever on her neck. "We all carry scars," Shannon said softly, running her fingers over Harry's forehead.
"He gave me a message for Buffy, then stabbed me and left me on the road to die. Willow and Faith found me and took me to the hospital. A few weeks later, Buffy killed the bastard with a mystical scythe. The same one that Willow used to activate us for the final battle."
Harry hugged her tightly yet again. "I am glad you told me," he whispered.
"So am I," she said. "It kind of does feel better letting someone know. Though I still feel like a wimp for fearing a dead man."
"Everyone fears something," said Harry.
Shannon pulled away from his arms and stood. "Oh yeah? What do you fear?" she asked.
Harry also got to his feet. "Dementors," he answered.
"What's a dementor?"
"Dementors are guards at Azkaban, the wizard prison, or at least they were before joining Voldemort. They were here one year, searching for Sirius. When they look at you, they literally suck all hope out of you. The Dementor's kiss is said to literally suck the soul from the body," Harry explained.
"That sounds like a completely legitimate fear," Shannon noted.
"Ok, well don't tell him that I told you, but Ron's biggest fear is spiders."
Shannon laughed and gave Harry a hug, which he happily returned.
They looked into each other's eyes for a long moment. Then Shannon leaned in and gently kissed Harry's lips. "Harry, thank you for being here and listening."
"I should say the same. If you ever need to talk, I am here. And, I promise not to tell anyone what you told me."
Shannon took Harry's hand, and they walked back to Gryffindor tower.
Chapter 15 - Shannon's Story
Harry had found Shannon in an empty classroom. She was sitting in the corner, her knees against her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees.
Harry slowly approached her, "Shannon?" No answer. "Shannon, what's wrong?"
Shannon didn't move.
Harry had never seen her like this. He thought of Shannon as a strong warrior. She was a vampire Slayer and a ruthless quidditch player. It scared him to see her so vulnerable.
Harry sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. Shannon leaned into him, and he wrapped his other arm around her. He could feel her shaking in his arms. The two sat together in silence for several minutes. "It's ok," soothed Harry.
Shannon whispered softly, "Every time I start to think it's ok, something reminds me of him."
"Who?" asked Harry.
"Caleb," Shannon spat out the name like it was poison.
"Do you want to tell me about him?" asked Harry.
"No," answered Shannon.
Harry hugged her tighter and began rocking them back and forth. "Shannon, sometimes the best way to let go of something is to get it out. I understand why you wouldn't want to talk to me, but maybe you should talk to Dawn."
"She knows what happened with Caleb, but not about before," said Shannon.
"Yes, but have you talked to her about how you feel?" Harry asked. Harry could feel Shannon's head shaking against his shoulder. He continued, "Shannon, you have to talk to someone. If not Dawn, maybe you can talk to Professor Summers or Professor Wilkins? If it is a Slayer thing, then I am sure they will understand."
Shannon leaned back a little and looked at Harry. She saw empathy in his emerald green eyes. She decided that she could talk to him. "Harry, I am going to tell you everything, but you have to swear that this stays between us."
He agreed, and she believed him.
Shannon began, "I grew up Shannon Elizabeth Moore. I had a fairly normal childhood in South Carolina. My dad was a minister at our local church, and my mom was the total stay at home type. I did what kids do - went to school, played with my friends, and was close to both my parents."
"When I turned eleven, it all changed. On my eleventh birthday, Mr. Victor Crawford showed up on our doorstep. He told my parents that he was a Watcher, and that I was a potential Slayer who needed to be trained. Of course, he talked a lot about me having a sacred duty, being a warrior for the light, and all those other things Watchers like to spout off. When he explained to my parents that I would fight vampires and demons, my father freaked and threw him out of our house."
"Victor returned a few more times. One night he prevented a vampire from attacking my father, as he was leaving the church. Victor thought that after seeing a vampire, my father would accept my destiny. Victor explained that if I were activated, evil would find me - that I must be trained to fight it."
"My father twisted what Victor was telling him. He believed that if evil was attracted to me, then it was because I was unworthy, dirty, and evil myself. He decided that his destiny was to save me. My happy childhood was gone. My father never let me out of his sight. At first he just made me pray all the time, but within a few months he had become physically abusive. One night he beat me so badly, I thought I would die."
Shannon was silent for a moment, as she looked into Harry's eyes. He wasn't sure what to do; so, he hugged her tighter against him and kissed her forehead. When he loosened the hug, she continued, "After the beating, he left the house. I am not entirely sure where he went. Victor found my mother tending to my injuries. That night he took my mother and I away."
"The three of us finally wound up in Las Vegas. My mother always joked that sin city was the one place she could guarantee my father would never set foot in. Though I knew that she was always afraid that he would come looking for us."
"Las Vegas was great. My mom got a job as a dealer in a casino. I made some very close friends in school, and Victor trained me after school each day. Two years ago, my parents' divorce was finalized, and my mom married Victor. I got back the happy family that I thought was lost forever. That year was the best of my life."
For the first time that evening, Harry saw Shannon smile. But the happiness was fleeting, and the smile was soon replaced by tears. "Then the Bringers came. They were sent by the First to kill me, to kill all the potentials. I escaped, but they killed my mother and Victor. I doubled back to our house and found my mother dead and Victor mortally wounded. With his dying breath, Victor told me to go to Sunnydale and find the Slayer, that only she could protect me. He died in my arms"
"You know, this is the first time I have allowed myself to cry for them." Shannon buried her face against Harry's shoulder, her silent tears giving way to retching sobs.
Harry truly empathized with Shannon. Her life was so much like her own. He too had lost the possibility of a happy childhood with his parents because of his destiny. During the past two years, he once again knew what it was like to be loved. He and his godfather, Sirius, were a family. His chance for happiness was again ripped away by his destiny. And, he too had not let himself cry.
As Shannon cried in his arms, Harry felt tears stinging his eyes. With a strangled sob, he broke down as well. He cried for the destiny that neither of them could avoid and for all the people who had died because of it. He cried for Cedric Diggory. He cried for the parents, he had never known. And, he cried for Sirius.
Shannon felt Harry sobbing. She pulled him even more tightly to her, seeking comfort from the only person in her life, who could truly understand. The two teens remained in their tearful embrace for a very long time.
When they were both out of tears, they pulled away enough to look into each other's eyes. "Are you ok?" Shannon asked.
"I think I need that," replied Harry.
"Me too," confirmed Shannon. "Do you want to tell me about it?"
"I think I do," Harry replied.
He spent the next couple of hours telling Shannon everything. He talked about his parents, growing up with the Dursleys, the triwizard tournament, finding and losing Sirius, and the prophesy about him killing Voldemort. Harry had so wanted to tell Shannon everything. Only when I finished did he realize that he had never given her a chance to finish her own story. "I'm sorry," he said.
"For what?" she asked.
"For not letting you finish your story first," he replied. "I'd like to hear the rest of it, if you want to tell me."
Shannon nodded. "I did was Victor told me to. I headed for Sunnydale to find Buffy, but first I found Caleb. I had managed to elude the Bringers until I was just outside of Sunnydale, then they ambushed me."
"I ran as fast as I could, certain that I was going to die, until a young preacher in an old pick up truck pulled up along side me and told me to hop in. It was weird, seeing this young preacher who looked so much like my father when I was a child. I felt like my father had finally accepted me, was rescuing me."
"Caleb was just like my father. He called me a whore and told me that the Bringers were his boys. Then he heated his ring with the cigarette lighter and burned me neck with it." She pulled her hair back, so Harry could see the brand that she would carry forever on her neck. "We all carry scars," Shannon said softly, running her fingers over Harry's forehead.
"He gave me a message for Buffy, then stabbed me and left me on the road to die. Willow and Faith found me and took me to the hospital. A few weeks later, Buffy killed the bastard with a mystical scythe. The same one that Willow used to activate us for the final battle."
Harry hugged her tightly yet again. "I am glad you told me," he whispered.
"So am I," she said. "It kind of does feel better letting someone know. Though I still feel like a wimp for fearing a dead man."
"Everyone fears something," said Harry.
Shannon pulled away from his arms and stood. "Oh yeah? What do you fear?" she asked.
Harry also got to his feet. "Dementors," he answered.
"What's a dementor?"
"Dementors are guards at Azkaban, the wizard prison, or at least they were before joining Voldemort. They were here one year, searching for Sirius. When they look at you, they literally suck all hope out of you. The Dementor's kiss is said to literally suck the soul from the body," Harry explained.
"That sounds like a completely legitimate fear," Shannon noted.
"Ok, well don't tell him that I told you, but Ron's biggest fear is spiders."
Shannon laughed and gave Harry a hug, which he happily returned.
They looked into each other's eyes for a long moment. Then Shannon leaned in and gently kissed Harry's lips. "Harry, thank you for being here and listening."
"I should say the same. If you ever need to talk, I am here. And, I promise not to tell anyone what you told me."
Shannon took Harry's hand, and they walked back to Gryffindor tower.