First, thanks to Leena, she reviewed.
Now, Chapter 2.
Somehow, Ron's ability at storytelling spread through the school. Malfoy had made as much of a show as possible by mock storytelling in the great hall in a loud, obnoxious voice. One of Ginny's friends passed him on her way out in the middle of his performance. "Ron's is of much better caliber, just to let you know." You can bet the Griffindors got a kick out of that.
It was beginning to get out of hand when Ron walked into a room and some Griffindor or the other would be telling what he or she could remember of Alronohare's first tale. Others would begin jumping in about what they remembered, and soon fights were breaking out over little facts such as if Quick Wing had blond hair or black
"I have never been happier to start telling this old story." Ron told Harry that Saturday.
"Well, there is something I think you should know..." Harry said, looking guilty.
"What is it, Harry?" Ron did not like that look.
"Because of all the fights, Dumbledore said you have to tell the story outside of the common room. He said we could use the library instead, and that it would be nice if we allowed the other houses to attend..." Ron sighed as Harry said this he more than definitely did not like public speaking. In all his years, there was never enough time for him to perfect the art.
"It's all right, Harry. If the Slytherins barge in and ruin the whole thing we'll just stop." Harry seemed put out, he for one enjoyed the fact that Ron had found a talent everyone could enjoy. "Don't worry." Ron reassured him again.
It was an amazing turnout for the second tale. Griffindors came just to listen again, Hufflepuffs out of curiosity over this supposedly great story, Ravenclaws because they insisted that every legend had a basis in fact (and they wanted to find it!) Slytherins, on the other side of the line, were there to laugh in the suspenseful parts and talk during the rest of it.
As Ron entered, quiet conversations ended and all eyes turned toward him in expectance. A small path appeared through the bodies lounging, uncomfortable library chairs having been transfigured into more comfortable beanbags and squashy armchairs. At the end of it, Ginny stood next to an armchair with a small table and a glass of water.
"Well, don't I feel special." Ron said, lightening the tense air between the houses. With light steps, he crossed the path and sat in the chair. Shifting a little, he began where he'd left off.
"The second tale of Alronohare is 700 years after the first takes place. Human civilization in only just beginning, and Alronohare sees them at first for what they started as: Sophisticated animals. He never counted on a woman showing him exactly what humanity was...Her name was Felitalda..."
The life of the young woman flowed off his lips. Felitalda it seemed, met Alronohare when she was little, he'd saved her from drowning in a river near her village. She brought him things from time to time, when she could sneak them away from her brothers and mother. A bag of pretty shells she'd collected was her first gift to him.
Alronohare had not understood why she offered these things to him, and as she grew older she tried to explain it to him. Gratitude on a demonic level was much lower than that of a human's. Felitalda became a friend, if you could call it that. Alronohare became tolerant of her, and eventually started caring for her. This was very important when Felitalda was arranged into marriage.
Felitalda loved a man named Juno, but Juno was a poor man by trade, and could not afford the wedding price—his best livestock. Then Felitalda was sold to another man who could. Alronohare followed the young woman to her fiancé's home, and comforted her in the lavish, exotic garden. He did not much approve the match either.
"No matter his riches," Ron spoke for the Demon, "To have you unhappy is not worth all the riches he has to offer.' After much debate with himself, he finally offered to her the only solution he could see. 'I'll kill him for you—on your wedding night. You can pay for your wedding with Juno and—' Felitalda stopped him there.
'No, Alronohare, I'll not kill for my benefit. I'll not let you kill either. That is part of being human. Trying to find the most peaceful solution that will leave the most people happy. He has a family too, Alrono. They would miss him, and I cannot bear the thought of using his money earned in blood to lead a happy life. No, Alronohare. I will not let you go through with that plan.'
The door was open now, and Alronohare understood a little more. Humans did not instinctively enjoy bloodshed like his own race had come to do.
'Then what do you suppose we do?' He asked the girl. Both thought and mulled over the information they both knew too well.
Felitalda was struck with inspiration! 'I disappear!' she cried! 'I disappear! Then I need not worry over marriage with some one I do not care for! Alronohare! Take me to a place far away with Juno, and let us restart! That is our answer!' She explained."
Ron stood up in the middle of Felitalda's speech, and began to move, using his whole body to tell the rest of the story.
Alronohare carried the young woman and her beloved far away into the neighboring kingdom, to start life over, peacefully. The man she was to marry was at a fret over the missing woman, but her old village all accepted it as a woman's wish, and did not question it any further. Alronohare stayed by the Felitalda's side. Right to the day she died. And he stayed still, to watch her sons and daughter, and her daughter's children. For the next 300 years he spent with them, he never stopped learning about humanity. He stayed with them and guarded them, protected them and watched over them. And he saw that humanity was good.
"Alronohare swore that day, to protect for ever the young women descended of the beautiful, black haired maiden named Felitalda. And through this oath ends the second tale of Alronohare ends. Alronohare has learned humanity, and at the price of his free-walking days as a wanderer. Bound by oath to blood, he has begun the road to being human." Ron finished, water glass empty, crowd silent.
The most noticeable thing was that the Slytherins were as enthralled with the story as the rest of the houses. They held their voices and sharp remarks, and, strangely, were some of the last to leave the library.
Ron wondered about this, laying in his four-poster bed later that morning (" One' o'clock in the morning! Ron, you know how to tell a story!" yawned Neville,) why had the Slytherin stayed? From what he knew, they were always mean and spiteful. Maybe the moral of the story today had touched their humanity? No matter, these were things to be analyzed later, when the brain wasn't fuzzy for sleep, and hungry for dreams. 'Next Saturday shall be interesting.' He thought, drifting slowly into dreams.
Somehow, Ron's ability at storytelling spread through the school. Malfoy had made as much of a show as possible by mock storytelling in the great hall in a loud, obnoxious voice. One of Ginny's friends passed him on her way out in the middle of his performance. "Ron's is of much better caliber, just to let you know." You can bet the Griffindors got a kick out of that.
It was beginning to get out of hand when Ron walked into a room and some Griffindor or the other would be telling what he or she could remember of Alronohare's first tale. Others would begin jumping in about what they remembered, and soon fights were breaking out over little facts such as if Quick Wing had blond hair or black
"I have never been happier to start telling this old story." Ron told Harry that Saturday.
"Well, there is something I think you should know..." Harry said, looking guilty.
"What is it, Harry?" Ron did not like that look.
"Because of all the fights, Dumbledore said you have to tell the story outside of the common room. He said we could use the library instead, and that it would be nice if we allowed the other houses to attend..." Ron sighed as Harry said this he more than definitely did not like public speaking. In all his years, there was never enough time for him to perfect the art.
"It's all right, Harry. If the Slytherins barge in and ruin the whole thing we'll just stop." Harry seemed put out, he for one enjoyed the fact that Ron had found a talent everyone could enjoy. "Don't worry." Ron reassured him again.
It was an amazing turnout for the second tale. Griffindors came just to listen again, Hufflepuffs out of curiosity over this supposedly great story, Ravenclaws because they insisted that every legend had a basis in fact (and they wanted to find it!) Slytherins, on the other side of the line, were there to laugh in the suspenseful parts and talk during the rest of it.
As Ron entered, quiet conversations ended and all eyes turned toward him in expectance. A small path appeared through the bodies lounging, uncomfortable library chairs having been transfigured into more comfortable beanbags and squashy armchairs. At the end of it, Ginny stood next to an armchair with a small table and a glass of water.
"Well, don't I feel special." Ron said, lightening the tense air between the houses. With light steps, he crossed the path and sat in the chair. Shifting a little, he began where he'd left off.
"The second tale of Alronohare is 700 years after the first takes place. Human civilization in only just beginning, and Alronohare sees them at first for what they started as: Sophisticated animals. He never counted on a woman showing him exactly what humanity was...Her name was Felitalda..."
The life of the young woman flowed off his lips. Felitalda it seemed, met Alronohare when she was little, he'd saved her from drowning in a river near her village. She brought him things from time to time, when she could sneak them away from her brothers and mother. A bag of pretty shells she'd collected was her first gift to him.
Alronohare had not understood why she offered these things to him, and as she grew older she tried to explain it to him. Gratitude on a demonic level was much lower than that of a human's. Felitalda became a friend, if you could call it that. Alronohare became tolerant of her, and eventually started caring for her. This was very important when Felitalda was arranged into marriage.
Felitalda loved a man named Juno, but Juno was a poor man by trade, and could not afford the wedding price—his best livestock. Then Felitalda was sold to another man who could. Alronohare followed the young woman to her fiancé's home, and comforted her in the lavish, exotic garden. He did not much approve the match either.
"No matter his riches," Ron spoke for the Demon, "To have you unhappy is not worth all the riches he has to offer.' After much debate with himself, he finally offered to her the only solution he could see. 'I'll kill him for you—on your wedding night. You can pay for your wedding with Juno and—' Felitalda stopped him there.
'No, Alronohare, I'll not kill for my benefit. I'll not let you kill either. That is part of being human. Trying to find the most peaceful solution that will leave the most people happy. He has a family too, Alrono. They would miss him, and I cannot bear the thought of using his money earned in blood to lead a happy life. No, Alronohare. I will not let you go through with that plan.'
The door was open now, and Alronohare understood a little more. Humans did not instinctively enjoy bloodshed like his own race had come to do.
'Then what do you suppose we do?' He asked the girl. Both thought and mulled over the information they both knew too well.
Felitalda was struck with inspiration! 'I disappear!' she cried! 'I disappear! Then I need not worry over marriage with some one I do not care for! Alronohare! Take me to a place far away with Juno, and let us restart! That is our answer!' She explained."
Ron stood up in the middle of Felitalda's speech, and began to move, using his whole body to tell the rest of the story.
Alronohare carried the young woman and her beloved far away into the neighboring kingdom, to start life over, peacefully. The man she was to marry was at a fret over the missing woman, but her old village all accepted it as a woman's wish, and did not question it any further. Alronohare stayed by the Felitalda's side. Right to the day she died. And he stayed still, to watch her sons and daughter, and her daughter's children. For the next 300 years he spent with them, he never stopped learning about humanity. He stayed with them and guarded them, protected them and watched over them. And he saw that humanity was good.
"Alronohare swore that day, to protect for ever the young women descended of the beautiful, black haired maiden named Felitalda. And through this oath ends the second tale of Alronohare ends. Alronohare has learned humanity, and at the price of his free-walking days as a wanderer. Bound by oath to blood, he has begun the road to being human." Ron finished, water glass empty, crowd silent.
The most noticeable thing was that the Slytherins were as enthralled with the story as the rest of the houses. They held their voices and sharp remarks, and, strangely, were some of the last to leave the library.
Ron wondered about this, laying in his four-poster bed later that morning (" One' o'clock in the morning! Ron, you know how to tell a story!" yawned Neville,) why had the Slytherin stayed? From what he knew, they were always mean and spiteful. Maybe the moral of the story today had touched their humanity? No matter, these were things to be analyzed later, when the brain wasn't fuzzy for sleep, and hungry for dreams. 'Next Saturday shall be interesting.' He thought, drifting slowly into dreams.