Disclaimer: As always, everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except Will, Hazel, Eli, and of course, the plot.
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Paths of the Grave and Shierden
Chapter 1: Meaningless Goodbyes
Winds from the dark ocean raged across the land, some roving east, some to blister young skin in the north, and some managed over the mountains to the south. These particularly ruthless winds spread out past the mountains, and a small village sitting under the sheer peaks was battered with a force that it surely could not stand. However, it stood; even the tiniest cottage did not creak. A miracle must have occurred in that small cottage, or otherwise pure luck. Overgrown and rank with the smell of poverty, the place received few visitors and contained but three residents. In fact, on the particular night that the wind nearly shattered its existence, there were only two remaining residents. The third had gone on a journey to anywhere with one bag, one love, and wishing death. Sad, slow music seeped from the house, reflecting the overall mood.
"Would you please stop playing that piano? It's just making everything worse, Hazel," a boy's voice crept from the corner of the one room cottage.
"Well, it makes me feel better Eli," replied his sister Hazel, "and besides, nothing could possibly make it worse, you know?"
"I guess so," sighed Eli, who was in fact the boy whom had first spoken," I just can't believe he'd leave us…and on a night like this…if he ever comes back, I'll-I'll kill him for sure…"
"Nonsense…Will had a good reason for leaving, and you'd be no match against him, even if you've just turned sixteen," she said.
"Yeah, but-he WAS OUR GUARDIAN! I MEAN, FIRST HOGWARTS CLOSIN' AND NOW HE GOES OFF AND LEAVES!" Eli wept, as he obviously had some emotion for both Hogwarts and Will.
A long silence ensued. Both thought of the sudden terrifying events that recently past them by with a cold, numb shrug. Dumbledore gone, never to protect or befriend them again. Will, left, never to return. Hogwarts closed…for good. Suddenly the icy silence thawed with the hammering of Hazel's fists on the piano. Tears gliding gently down her face as well, she stood and faced her twin brother.
"Well, let's go…there's obviously nothing left for us here…" Hazel mumbled and gruffly pulled Eli to his feet. "Get your broom."
"Yeah, sure," her brother sighed sarcastically, "Like we're just going to leave this instant, without any preparation, into the cold, and heartless world."
"Idiot," Hazel snorted at Eli's pathetic attempt at being dramatic. She knew her brother too well. But, he had a point. After all, in the middle of the night they would be too tired to do anything, much less start out into a friendless world. "Awright," she laughed grimly, "Let's get some sleep!" Both moaned in agreement and fatigue. For soon; the siblings were sprawled in awkward positions, fast asleep. However, the sun dawned soon after, and with a sudden hatred for the sun, Eli woke up. The sun, fiercely bright after the storm, blinded his eyes through holes in the roof.
"Mmmph," he groaned, but turned over as if to hide from the hideous fiery beast that had so rudely attacked his eyes. Hazel was a particularly light sleeper, and Eli's slight sound had been as discourteous to Hazel's ears as the sun had been to his eyes. Though his sister, realizing that the morning took several precious hours of the wonderfully sunny day, decided it was about time to go.
"Get up, Eli Joshua Shierden, you selfish git, we have to leave, NOW!" she announced with force. Hazel knew nearly all the ways to make Eli's mind work, and she was currently using a common technique... "Don't you want to find our brother Will…maybe even Dad?" she questioned him innocently. "Because if you're anything as brave, or noble as them, you'd GET…UP!" This seemed to work for a moment, for Eli sent her a very sinister glare. He followed that by curling into a ball and refusing to move. "That's IT! I have had it, you stupid little prat!" Hazel screamed and proceeded to jump on the round lump that was her brother.
"Aargh!" Eli yelled as he lightly punched his sister. Then, as to prove she had accomplished her task in waking him, he stood up.
"Now, was that so extremely difficult?" Hazel asked with an innocent grin. "Well, let's start packing…Then, we can eat breakfast."
Eli could not be angry at his sister as she bossed him around. She always needed to be a leader. So, he let the command pass when something occurred to him. "Hey, don't you think we could eat earlier if I started preparing breakfast while you packed?"
"Eli, you're always thinking of your stomach, aren't you?" Hazel giggled. "That is a pretty good idea though…thinking just like a…" she trailed off, noticing what she had almost said.
"A Ravenclaw?" Eli finished her sentence. Both sorted into the Ravenclaw House in Hogwarts before it closed, an awkward silence filled the air, sticking to his words. It brought back such brilliant memories. Eli, lost in his thoughts, did not see Hazel move toward the door. His concentration broke, however, by the shutting of the back entrance as Hazel went to get their brooms. At once, Eli shook his head and started cooking breakfast. Unfortunately, the ingredients in their quite bare cupboards only amounted to a very scant meal of porridge, just enough for the two. Hazel strode through the door to the small, undecorated table where two bowls of porridge steamed and one anxious brother waited politely. They knew the porridge would not energize them for long, but both smiled and began to eat unceremoniously. Finally, after swallowing what she could of the rather lumpy porridge (Eli had never been an excellent cook), Hazel stood up and left the house for a short time. She came back with brooms, and with a serious smile held one out for Eli. He took it immediately and held it with a firm grip. Then, both trudged out the mold ridden door and stared at the dismal box they called home. At once, Hazel mounted her broom, but Eli hesitated.
"Shouldn't we, say goodbye, or have a moment of silence or something?" he asked. "I mean, we'll probably never see this house again."
"Are you thinking of actually staying here, instead of going to find great adventure?" Hazel questioned reproachfully.
"Well, I mean-It's just that…last night, before Will walked out on us, we grew up here…I just think it's a little rash…" Eli explained. However, Hazel was already preparing some kind of noble speech in her mind even as he spoke.
"Alright, we're moving too fast. But what good is it to wait here until we rot like the rest of this dump?" she went on. "We should make this a quest...not only for Will (because, let's face it, he left us), but for adventure, experience, even for Dad."
"But, where would we possibly look for Dad? Mum never told us where he'd gone…just said he was doing Auror stuff; then, he just disappeared…Do you really think we could find him?" inquired Eli.
"It will take courage," Hazel said, her voice becoming stronger and more dignified as she spoke, "It will take bravery, and discipline from both of us. We have to promise to help each other in all situations and trials, and to always love each other (fraternally, of course)… no matter what awaits our grave paths…So, do you promise?"
"I bloody well guess so," Eli muttered, tired of this speech already.
"And I promise as well," proclaimed Hazel, "Now, let's go!" She mounted her broom and hovered slightly above the ground, waiting for her brother. He hesitated again, looking at the wretched cottage in front of him. Eli tried to think of some kind of gesture, or goodbye, realizing he couldn't. Every special or joyous memory his mind contained did not take place here, but at Hogwarts. Any kind of gesticulation would be meaningless, and emotionless. So reluctantly, Eli got on his broom and caught up with his sister. He couldn't let a little thing like regret keep him from beating Hazel at the only thing that produced joy at the moment: flying.