The Avery Women
Jul. 26th, 2007 07:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
morgynleriTitle: Grace
Word Count: 1662
Chapters 1-3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5: Nightmares
This-wolf isn’t in any pack, this-wolf is alone.
Free, running. The moon lighting up the landscape like daylight. Not alone, in the dark. Joyful, jubilant. No more barriers between the wolf and the prey. No more mewling, two-legged things keeping it caged when it wanted to run.
Niobe whimpered in her sleep, her heels digging into the mattress, pushing her towards the headboard.
There! Something to chase, a four-legged thing. Wooly and bleating, scared. Wait. Something’s growling, whirl around to growl back. This-wolf is not a puppy, not a two-legged thing for the other to scare. The other isn’t a wolf, not a thing to obey. It’s a not-wolf, that follows after the two-legged things. Something to kill.
“No.” Niobe trembled, reaching out blindly with one hand as if to stop someone. “Don’t.”
Blood in the mouth, sweet. Not-wolf thing is dead. Still not alone. Other wolves. One larger, alpha, grey. Grey-alpha not happy, growls; growl back, not its kill. Not its prey. Its prey is two-legged things, little squealy two-legged things. The not-wolf and the woolies are for this-wolf.
Grey-alpha doesn’t agree. This-wolf is in its territory, will be in its pack, or this-wolf will be a dead wolf for the two-legged things to find in the morning. This-wolf isn’t in any pack, this-wolf is alone, grey-alpha does not rule this-wolf.
PAIN!
Niobe screamed, the pain burning along her nerves an echo of the dream, her room-mates jolted awake by the fear and agony of the sound.
Growl and lunge for grey-alpha. Not hurt this-wolf, this-wolf hurt grey-alpha! Teeth snap shut on air, grey-alpha is laughing. This-wolf is still young, has much to learn before it can hurt grey-alpha.
“Niobe?” One of the girls pushed aside the curtain, reaching out to touch Niobe’s shoulder, trying to wake her. “Niobe, what’s wrong?” When her only answer was a quiet whimper, she turned to the other girl. “Get a prefect.”
Panting, tired. Grey-alpha is impatient for this-wolf to chose. This-wolf can’t fight grey-alpha much longer, grey-alpha knows this. Grey-alpha is waiting, though, hasn’t killed this-wolf yet, for all grey-alpha’s threat. This-wolf is something grey-alpha wants.
“What’s going on?” Andromeda followed Diana into the first-year girls’ dorm, raising an eyebrow at the girl still trying to wake Niobe.
“Niobe woke us, she was screaming, and now she won’t wake up.” Ophelia gave Andromeda a panicky look. “I’ve tried shaking her, and talking to her, but she’s just whimpering, and she won’t open her eyes.”
Andromeda sat on the side of Niobe’s bed, lighting her wand to get a better look at Niobe’s face. She frowned at the pallor, dousing the wand light to scoop up Niobe. “Diana, get Professor Jemson, and bring him to the hospital wing. Ophelia, you need to come with me, and tell Madame Pomfrey what you did to try to wake Niobe.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The two scrambled to grab robes to throw around themselves, glad to have someone else taking care of the problem, to worry about what was going on, and tell them what to do.
The not-wolf’s body is left behind, this-wolf running beside grey-alpha. Hunting two-legged things. Not like the two-legged things that caged this-wolf. Smelling of dirt and metal. The two-legged things that caged this-wolf smelled like fire and water. This-wolf sneezes, pawing at its nose.
“Miss Black, it’s after curfew...” Madame Pomfrey paused, looking at the blanket-wrapped figure in Andromeda’s arms a moment. “What is wrong with Miss Avery?”
“Ophelia can explain it better, but I didn’t want to try any magical means of waking her out of... I think it may be a bad dream. I didn’t want to try waking her up with magic without knowing entirely what’s wrong, if it’s anything at all other than a bad dream.”
“I see.” Madame Pomfrey waved Andromeda in, directing her to one of the beds. “I really don’t think this is something that would require my assistance.”
“I disagree, Madame Pomfrey. I don’t know what’s going on, but I wonder if this might have something to do with the letter she received from her mother Wednesday.” Andromeda held Pomfrey’s gaze stubbornly. “I already sent her other room-mate to wake our Head of House and bring him here because I’m worried about Niobe. If it was just a bad dream, she should have woken up, should she have?”
“Yes,” Pomfrey allowed, frowning slightly before she directed Andromeda to an empty bed, lighting a candle on the table beside it so that she could get a better look at the girl.
The blood of the two-legged thing the pack is hunting is sweeter than that of the not-wolf. Not like their smell, not like the smell of the others. This two-legged thing had hidden in a not-cave, and it had something that spat fire, and made one of the pack yelp. It screamed when grey-alpha hurt it before killing it.
Niobe whimpered, and shook her head violently, almost thrashing against the pillow. “Noooo!”
Pomfrey pressed her lips together, glad at least for the restraining spell that kept the girl from scrambling clean out of the bed, as she’d tried a moment ago, still firmly caught in whatever dream... nightmare had a grip on her sleeping mind.
“Poppy, one of my students...” Jemson cut himself off when he saw Niobe on the bed, raising an eyebrow at the medi-witch. “What happened?”
“Miss Black brought her up. She woke her friends out of their sleep with her nightmare, but she isn’t waking up.” Pomfrey moved away from the bed, closing the curtains around it for now. “I’ve already summoned Albus. I’ve not seen this before, and none of the solutions I’ve tried have worked.”
~ ~~ ~
Marion sipped at the cup of tea Dumbledore had offered, using the moment to gather her thoughts, and try to force her emotions to the back of her mind. She couldn’t simply blurt out the details of what had brought her here. Despite her instinct to protect her daughters however she could, the proprieties had to be kept.
“Lemon drop, Mrs. Avery?” Dumbledore offered the tin, his blue eyes watching Marion intently despite the banality of the scene.
“No, thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore,” she demurred politely, inclining her head in thanks for the offer. She took a sip of her tea before speaking again. “I apologize for arriving so abruptly; I didn’t intend to disrupt your evening.”
“I am always delighted to take the time to meet the parents of my students, Mrs. Avery.” Dumbledore set the tin of candies down once he’d popped one into his mouth, picking up his cup of tea once more. “I hope nothing has happened which would cause you to be concerned for your daughter.”
“I trust that you have the means to adequately protect the students within your walls. I am not concerned for Niobe’s safety.” Marion pursed her lips a moment, watching Dumbledore. “I do worry after her health, though, with some recent events concerning our family.”
“I see.” Dumbledore paused, sipping his tea. “Might I inquire as to what you could tell me of these concerns?” He knew the moves to this delicate dance better than Marion expected from someone not raised in the circles of the elite, but perhaps she should have thought he’d learn them. After all, he would need to play politics of this sort with the parents of the more pure-blooded and high-society students.
“It is a delicate matter, Headmaster. You will recall some years ago some speculation on my husband and myself?”
“Indeed.”
She expected nothing less, remembering the minor scandal it had caused. “I shall only say that something of the events of the time have had consequences since that are... difficult for the family.” Marion pressed her lips together. “It is not something which I find easy to speak of, and I am afraid that there may be some trouble for Niobe should anyone hear of this.”
“I cannot give you my word that no one outside of this room shall discover this secret, only that I will tell no one.” Dumbledore watched her carefully. “Would you care for more tea, Mrs. Avery?”
“That would be acceptable, Headmaster.” Marion automatically held out her cup for him to pour as she thought over what she could tell him, and what she would tell him. And how she might allow Dumbledore to know about what Malcolm had told her without telling him herself.
“I would assume that Niobe is aware of the events which concern you?” Dumbledore offered her the tray of biscuits once more, and she inclined her head slightly.
“I have of course sent her a letter informing her of the news, but I suspect she is more aware of the details than I, or at the very least, can discover them more readily.”
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, and Marion glanced down at her tea for a moment, sighing.
“Niobe’s sister, her twin, has vanished. Grace... is not well. And I am afraid someone might well have recently added to her burdens, though how, I am uncertain.” Marion carefully skirted her word to Malcolm, sipping at her tea once more. “I am, therefore, concerned for Niobe’s health. I am certain you understand.”
“Of course, Mrs. Avery.” Dumbledore paused. “If you would forgive an old man prying, might I inquire as to the nature of Grace’s illness?”
“You may inquire, but I am disinclined to speak of it.” Marion glanced out the window at the rising full moon. “I should be concerned for the welfare of any who might encounter my daughter tonight, yet I find myself more concerned for her well-being.”
“Ah.” Dumbledore munched on a biscuit. “Would you care to speak with Niobe?”
“No, Headmaster. I have stayed too long as it is.” Marion set her cup on the edge of his desk, standing to take her leave. “I apologize once more for disturbing your evening, Headmaster. I should not have burdened you with my concerns for a child not in your care.”
Word Count: 1662
Chapters 1-3
Chapter 4
This-wolf isn’t in any pack, this-wolf is alone.
Free, running. The moon lighting up the landscape like daylight. Not alone, in the dark. Joyful, jubilant. No more barriers between the wolf and the prey. No more mewling, two-legged things keeping it caged when it wanted to run.
Niobe whimpered in her sleep, her heels digging into the mattress, pushing her towards the headboard.
There! Something to chase, a four-legged thing. Wooly and bleating, scared. Wait. Something’s growling, whirl around to growl back. This-wolf is not a puppy, not a two-legged thing for the other to scare. The other isn’t a wolf, not a thing to obey. It’s a not-wolf, that follows after the two-legged things. Something to kill.
“No.” Niobe trembled, reaching out blindly with one hand as if to stop someone. “Don’t.”
Blood in the mouth, sweet. Not-wolf thing is dead. Still not alone. Other wolves. One larger, alpha, grey. Grey-alpha not happy, growls; growl back, not its kill. Not its prey. Its prey is two-legged things, little squealy two-legged things. The not-wolf and the woolies are for this-wolf.
Grey-alpha doesn’t agree. This-wolf is in its territory, will be in its pack, or this-wolf will be a dead wolf for the two-legged things to find in the morning. This-wolf isn’t in any pack, this-wolf is alone, grey-alpha does not rule this-wolf.
PAIN!
Niobe screamed, the pain burning along her nerves an echo of the dream, her room-mates jolted awake by the fear and agony of the sound.
Growl and lunge for grey-alpha. Not hurt this-wolf, this-wolf hurt grey-alpha! Teeth snap shut on air, grey-alpha is laughing. This-wolf is still young, has much to learn before it can hurt grey-alpha.
“Niobe?” One of the girls pushed aside the curtain, reaching out to touch Niobe’s shoulder, trying to wake her. “Niobe, what’s wrong?” When her only answer was a quiet whimper, she turned to the other girl. “Get a prefect.”
Panting, tired. Grey-alpha is impatient for this-wolf to chose. This-wolf can’t fight grey-alpha much longer, grey-alpha knows this. Grey-alpha is waiting, though, hasn’t killed this-wolf yet, for all grey-alpha’s threat. This-wolf is something grey-alpha wants.
“What’s going on?” Andromeda followed Diana into the first-year girls’ dorm, raising an eyebrow at the girl still trying to wake Niobe.
“Niobe woke us, she was screaming, and now she won’t wake up.” Ophelia gave Andromeda a panicky look. “I’ve tried shaking her, and talking to her, but she’s just whimpering, and she won’t open her eyes.”
Andromeda sat on the side of Niobe’s bed, lighting her wand to get a better look at Niobe’s face. She frowned at the pallor, dousing the wand light to scoop up Niobe. “Diana, get Professor Jemson, and bring him to the hospital wing. Ophelia, you need to come with me, and tell Madame Pomfrey what you did to try to wake Niobe.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The two scrambled to grab robes to throw around themselves, glad to have someone else taking care of the problem, to worry about what was going on, and tell them what to do.
The not-wolf’s body is left behind, this-wolf running beside grey-alpha. Hunting two-legged things. Not like the two-legged things that caged this-wolf. Smelling of dirt and metal. The two-legged things that caged this-wolf smelled like fire and water. This-wolf sneezes, pawing at its nose.
“Miss Black, it’s after curfew...” Madame Pomfrey paused, looking at the blanket-wrapped figure in Andromeda’s arms a moment. “What is wrong with Miss Avery?”
“Ophelia can explain it better, but I didn’t want to try any magical means of waking her out of... I think it may be a bad dream. I didn’t want to try waking her up with magic without knowing entirely what’s wrong, if it’s anything at all other than a bad dream.”
“I see.” Madame Pomfrey waved Andromeda in, directing her to one of the beds. “I really don’t think this is something that would require my assistance.”
“I disagree, Madame Pomfrey. I don’t know what’s going on, but I wonder if this might have something to do with the letter she received from her mother Wednesday.” Andromeda held Pomfrey’s gaze stubbornly. “I already sent her other room-mate to wake our Head of House and bring him here because I’m worried about Niobe. If it was just a bad dream, she should have woken up, should she have?”
“Yes,” Pomfrey allowed, frowning slightly before she directed Andromeda to an empty bed, lighting a candle on the table beside it so that she could get a better look at the girl.
The blood of the two-legged thing the pack is hunting is sweeter than that of the not-wolf. Not like their smell, not like the smell of the others. This two-legged thing had hidden in a not-cave, and it had something that spat fire, and made one of the pack yelp. It screamed when grey-alpha hurt it before killing it.
Niobe whimpered, and shook her head violently, almost thrashing against the pillow. “Noooo!”
Pomfrey pressed her lips together, glad at least for the restraining spell that kept the girl from scrambling clean out of the bed, as she’d tried a moment ago, still firmly caught in whatever dream... nightmare had a grip on her sleeping mind.
“Poppy, one of my students...” Jemson cut himself off when he saw Niobe on the bed, raising an eyebrow at the medi-witch. “What happened?”
“Miss Black brought her up. She woke her friends out of their sleep with her nightmare, but she isn’t waking up.” Pomfrey moved away from the bed, closing the curtains around it for now. “I’ve already summoned Albus. I’ve not seen this before, and none of the solutions I’ve tried have worked.”
Marion sipped at the cup of tea Dumbledore had offered, using the moment to gather her thoughts, and try to force her emotions to the back of her mind. She couldn’t simply blurt out the details of what had brought her here. Despite her instinct to protect her daughters however she could, the proprieties had to be kept.
“Lemon drop, Mrs. Avery?” Dumbledore offered the tin, his blue eyes watching Marion intently despite the banality of the scene.
“No, thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore,” she demurred politely, inclining her head in thanks for the offer. She took a sip of her tea before speaking again. “I apologize for arriving so abruptly; I didn’t intend to disrupt your evening.”
“I am always delighted to take the time to meet the parents of my students, Mrs. Avery.” Dumbledore set the tin of candies down once he’d popped one into his mouth, picking up his cup of tea once more. “I hope nothing has happened which would cause you to be concerned for your daughter.”
“I trust that you have the means to adequately protect the students within your walls. I am not concerned for Niobe’s safety.” Marion pursed her lips a moment, watching Dumbledore. “I do worry after her health, though, with some recent events concerning our family.”
“I see.” Dumbledore paused, sipping his tea. “Might I inquire as to what you could tell me of these concerns?” He knew the moves to this delicate dance better than Marion expected from someone not raised in the circles of the elite, but perhaps she should have thought he’d learn them. After all, he would need to play politics of this sort with the parents of the more pure-blooded and high-society students.
“It is a delicate matter, Headmaster. You will recall some years ago some speculation on my husband and myself?”
“Indeed.”
She expected nothing less, remembering the minor scandal it had caused. “I shall only say that something of the events of the time have had consequences since that are... difficult for the family.” Marion pressed her lips together. “It is not something which I find easy to speak of, and I am afraid that there may be some trouble for Niobe should anyone hear of this.”
“I cannot give you my word that no one outside of this room shall discover this secret, only that I will tell no one.” Dumbledore watched her carefully. “Would you care for more tea, Mrs. Avery?”
“That would be acceptable, Headmaster.” Marion automatically held out her cup for him to pour as she thought over what she could tell him, and what she would tell him. And how she might allow Dumbledore to know about what Malcolm had told her without telling him herself.
“I would assume that Niobe is aware of the events which concern you?” Dumbledore offered her the tray of biscuits once more, and she inclined her head slightly.
“I have of course sent her a letter informing her of the news, but I suspect she is more aware of the details than I, or at the very least, can discover them more readily.”
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, and Marion glanced down at her tea for a moment, sighing.
“Niobe’s sister, her twin, has vanished. Grace... is not well. And I am afraid someone might well have recently added to her burdens, though how, I am uncertain.” Marion carefully skirted her word to Malcolm, sipping at her tea once more. “I am, therefore, concerned for Niobe’s health. I am certain you understand.”
“Of course, Mrs. Avery.” Dumbledore paused. “If you would forgive an old man prying, might I inquire as to the nature of Grace’s illness?”
“You may inquire, but I am disinclined to speak of it.” Marion glanced out the window at the rising full moon. “I should be concerned for the welfare of any who might encounter my daughter tonight, yet I find myself more concerned for her well-being.”
“Ah.” Dumbledore munched on a biscuit. “Would you care to speak with Niobe?”
“No, Headmaster. I have stayed too long as it is.” Marion set her cup on the edge of his desk, standing to take her leave. “I apologize once more for disturbing your evening, Headmaster. I should not have burdened you with my concerns for a child not in your care.”
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Date: 2007-07-27 11:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-30 03:22 pm (UTC)This chapter developed oddly, as the conversation between Marion and Dumbledore actually takes place before Niobe's nightmares. I'm not sure I'm going to keep that format when I post it elsewhere, or if I'm going to reverse the order of the scenes.
Marion's refusal to believe that Grace is dead has more to do with her refusal to take anything Malcolm says at face value than a certainty that Grace is alive. Though Niobe's nightmare will give her the absolute conviction that Grace is alive.