Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. Although, I might own Rio - I'll have to ask her... And Roman's owning me, currently, and Thom...owns himself, yep.
A/N: A 'Thank You' to my only Roman for the headline further down. Ta, lovey .:Huggles:.
- - -
Thomas strode into the Great Hall for breakfast, his grey eyes first sweeping the Hufflepuff table, looking for Nessa, before turning to the Ravenclaw table, looking for a familiar girl. Spotting a head of short black hair, with red streaks, he smirked to himself and changed directions to head for the Ravenclaw girl.
"Rio," he called as he drew near, "I've been looking for you."
The 5th Year girl sat up straight quickly, and looked over at him, a bright smile on her lips. "Were you? That's very thoughtful of you."
Thomas grinned and sat down on the bench, squeezing in between Rio and another Ravenclaw, a leg on either side of the wooden seat. "So, what you been up to?" he asked, flicking some blonde hair out of his eyes.
Rio giggled faintly and toyed with her spoon, looking coyly at Thomas from one side. "Certainly nothing interesting," she replied, pouting slightly. "It's so boring, not having anyone as interesting as you around all the time."
"Darl, of course it's boring," he informed her, leaning his elbow on the table and watching her, a faint smirk on his lips. "Surrounded by them all the time…?" He shook his head sadly. "Not fun at all."
"Well?" she demanded a little petulantly, crossing her arms and looking at him properly. "What are you going to do about it?"
Thomas pretended to look thoughtful for a moment. "You, me – the lake, next Tuesday."
Rio blinked rapidly for a moment, a disbelieving look crossing her features. "You mean…like a date?" she practically squeaked. Watching him shake his head, she sighed and pouted again. "I knew it – you're too mean…"
"Darl, I'm not that mean. Meet me by the lake next Tuesday – it's not a date, per say, just a meeting of friends."
"You, Thomas Malfoy," she said, frowning slightly and poking him hard in the chest, "are the biggest tease I know."
"So you won't be there, then?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Oh no, I'll be there. Don't think you'll get out of this that easily!" Poking him once more in the chest for good measure, Rio swung her bag over her shoulder, rose, and walked off. Thomas could almost hear the indignant sniff, not that she deigned to give one.
"Now, see…why isn't it always that easy?" he muttered, ignoring the looks from the other Ravenclaws, and standing as well. Heading for the Slytherin table, he froze abruptly, looking out the window at the bird hovering there, apparently letting out a loud call, not that it could be heard in the busy and noisy Great Hall.
"Damn it, not yet!" he growled, striding out of the Hall, and outside into the grounds, whistling a high, sharp note. The kite screeched a loud note in reply and swooped over to him, landing on his outstretched arm. Carefully, Thom reached over and unscrewed the top of the cylinder attached to the bird's leg, slipping out the piece of parchment inside. Beginning to scan it, he winced as the kite screeched again, and he tucked the note into his pocket momentarily. He reached across his body again, and ran a gentle finger down the bird's chest.
"Thank you, Bijou," he said softly, stroking the kite still. "Off you go." He jerked his arm up carefully, and Bijou flew off, a shrill note piercing the air as it began to disappear into the forest.
Thomas shook his head, a look of wry amusement on his face – why she couldn't just use an owl like everyone else… Slipping the note out of his pocket again, he quickly read it, a smile beginning to creep over his lips.
"Excellent," he breathed, chuckling to himself as he folded the note carefully and put it away. Whistling cheerfully, he headed back inside, turning for the Great Hall – he had a certain someone to talk to.
- - -
"Ness!"
Jumping slightly, Nessa looked up from her book at the Hufflepuff table and spotted Thomas making his way over to her. Smiling warmly at him, she closed her book and shifted over slightly, making more room for him, and shooting a quick smile at Merenwen, who was sitting across the table from her.
"Do you happen to know Rio?" she asked him quickly, before he could say anything. Watching his expressions carefully, she smiled faintly. "Ravenclaw, 5th Year? Probably could have been in Slytherin or Ravenclaw…?"
"Yes, I know her," Thomas replied carefully. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, it's just she gave me the weirdest look before. No idea why either. Anyway, what were you going to say?"
Thomas shifted slightly, looking vaguely uncomfortable, but he pulled out his best smile and leant forward to whisper in Nessa's ear. "I just got a letter from Lessien…"
Her breath catching, Nessa leaned back to stare at him, examining him closely. "You're not even kidding, are you?"
"No, of course I'm not," he replied, laughing slightly. Reaching into his pocket, he pressed the piece of parchment into Nessa's hand, gesturing to her to read it.
Staring at him for a moment longer, she turned her gaze to the letter, well aware that Merenwen was looking at the pair of them with interest, all thoughts of breakfast forgotten. She swiftly read the letter, and then moved her gaze back to the top, re-reading it slowly.
"She really wants to meet me," she breathed softly, a smile touching her lips again.
- - -
"She really wants to meet me," Lessien murmurs, her light brown hair falling over her shoulders as she reads Thomas' letter again. She seems slightly bewildered as she drops the letter to the ground, and she rises to her feet to walk to the nearest window and stare out of it. Watching the breeze lightly move the trees outside, she smiles as she watches a familiar bird soar over the top of them and towards her window. Pulling it open, she holds an arm out and allows the red kite to land on her.
"Been a long day's hunt, Bijou," she murmurs quietly, stroking the back of the kite's head. Moving to the other side of the room, she gently places Bijou on the perch made for it, her green eyes turning back to the window. "Why does she want to meet me? I'm a Death Eater, not even really a part of her family…" Sighing, she begins to wander aimlessly about the room, wrapping her arms about her thin, almost frail-looking form. Glancing at the clock, she frowns slightly – it's nearly time.
She walks to her desk and pulls out a clean sheet of parchment, and carefully dips her quill into her favourite teal-coloured ink. Swiftly penning a reply, she blows on the ink, dusting some sand across the surface to dry it, and then carefully tips it off. Rolling it tightly, she absently lifts her arm up, feeling Bijou's weight settle onto it a few moments later.
"This is for Thomas," she informs the red kite, slipping the letter into the round case on Bijou's leg. "You know where he is…"
She walks to the window and jolts the kite off her arm, listening to its cry disappear into the cool night's air. Checking the time again, she sighs once more and changes into her pitch-black robes, tying up her hair carefully and pulling the deep hood up.
"Some things must be done," she mutters, tucking her wand into one of the inner pockets and moving swiftly yet silently for the door.
- - -
"Hey, Nessie, you should read this!" Mere's excited voice cut through Nessa's thoughts, and she jerked her attention to her younger sister, reaching across to take the proffered Daily Prophet from her.
" 'Reporter Sneers at Ridiculous Incident'?" Nessa read aloud, raising an eyebrow at her sister.
Merenwen sighed good-naturedly and rolled her eyes. "The other page, silly."
Nessa grinned over the top of the paper at her dark-haired sister, and said, "I didn't think it could have been that one, somehow…" She angled the newspaper appropriately, so that she could see the other page properly, and her eyes widened. Clearing her throat softly, she began to read out loud again.
" 'A strange, and unexplainable, murder was committed last night at old Mrs. Mackenzie's house in Hogsmeade. The elderly lady's grandson had been visiting for the past few days, and when Mrs. Mackenzie went to wake the 21-yr-old male, she was shocked and horrified to find him lying completely still in bed, eyes open and face frozen in a look of utmost terror.' "
She lifted her gaze from the paper, dropping it down onto the table. "Hogsmeade…" she breathed, her eyes wide.
Thomas raised an eyebrow slightly. "That's a bit too close, don't you think?"
"You're not wrong there," Nessa replied, impulsively leaning against him. "I mean… Merlin, you hear about things like that occasionally happening in London, not in Hogsmeade!"
Putting his arm about Nessa to balance her, he smiled to himself briefly before nodding agreement. "London is a hell-hole for that sort of stuff. I wouldn't have thought it would happen just barely down the road."
Nessa shivered slightly, and shifted closer to Thomas, resting her head on his shoulder. "Okay, that's it – enough talk of murders," she said firmly. Blinking, she realised that she'd completely forgotten about Lessien's note, and she picked it up again, lifting her head to look at Thomas and raising her eyebrows in a silent question.
"I'll ask her if she can make it Friday," he responded quietly, understanding what she meant.
"You'll be there too, won't you?" she asked softly, a touch of panic in her voice.
"Of course I will, love. She's probably just as nervous as you, if not more so – just remember that she never used to think that she had a family, or, if she did, that they didn't care about her."
Nessa nodded – that made sense. Glancing at the time, she pouted slightly and then sat up properly, picking up her bag.
"What do you have now, Thom?" she asked him softly, rising to her feet.
"Nothing but a spare block…"
"Oh, good, you can walk me to Ancient Runes!"
Grinning, she hauled him to his feet, and, shooting a glace and smile at Merenwen, led Thomas out of the Hall and towards her class.
- - -
Lessien glared fiercely at the door from her room. She knew, without even testing the handle, that it was locked – her carers were always very careful to follow their orders to the letter, always careful to avoid taking any of the blame. Snarling softly, she paced about the room for a moment, feeling like an animal trapped in a cage. She glanced at her desk, and moved towards it, quickly re-reading Thomas' note. Friday, at Hogwarts – she wasn't going to be let out soon enough to make it in time, not if she waited for them to unlock the door.
Almost cautiously, she looked over her shoulder at the door, before licking her lips lightly and shifting Thom's note to one side, staring at the other bit of parchment there. Her first letter from Nessa, from…family. Her face expressionless, she lifted up the parchment and carefully folded it, slipping it into her pocket. She stood still for a moment, her face growing determined, and she spun on her heel, walking to her wardrobe and flinging the door of it open. From the bottom of it, she dug out an old bag, slightly dusty but in one piece none-the-less. Throwing some clothing into it carelessly, she then walked back to the desk and collected up all the various notes from Thomas, putting them into the bag as well – if her carers decided to search her room while she was gone, she didn't want to leave anything to make them suspicious.
Glancing at Bijou's empty perch, she paused then shrugged. The red kite was an intelligent bird, it'd be able to find her regardless of where she was. Opening the window, she peered outside – it was something her carers had never thought of, her climbing out the window. They considered her to be sufficiently 'broken', as she'd heard them word it, not to consider such a move. Snorting inelegantly to herself, she dropped the bag to the ground, and then dropped out of the window, crouching carefully as she landed. Chuckling softly, she slung the bag over her shoulder and quietly crept off, silently thanking her carers for conveniently placing her in a first-floor bedroom. If she was lucky, she'd make it to Hogwarts in time for meeting Nessa. If not… she twitched her shoulders slightly, an unconscious echoing of her older sister. There was no 'if not' – she was going to make it.
- - -