Return to Hogwarts

[Kalylia]

I took the hand slowly, letting him help me up. I couldn't help but get lost in his eyes for a moment.

I shook myself. "Thanks," I said. "I'll be... I'll be on my way then."

I took another few shakey steps before turning. "Hey... If you... If you ever just want to talk to someone about anything, school, whatever... I... Well... You know I'm around."

I cursed the blush tinging my cheeks and started back for the school.

 

[~Ozy~]

I turned the other way, walking towards the Forbidden Forest. The fight had heightened my battle-lust and I wanted to relieve it. That, and I wanted to avoid the inevitable trouble, the detentions, the teachers and students for a time. I slipped quietly into the black wall of trees.

 

[Kalylia]

OOC: I hope the following is okay, Kacho-chan. If not, I'll edit, of course.

BIC: It had been three days since I'd last seen Leito. Since the incident. I'd been called into the Headmaster's office to deal with things, and Leito's actions were apparantly "unnecissarilly rough". But, seeing how scared and hurt I still was over the ordeal, Headmaster Zanyte figured I wasn't telling him all there was to tell.

Thus, It was decided the incident would slide. Both had learned a lesson, as far as Zanyte was aware, and it was a better one than he could teach. The kindly headmaster promised me that they wouldn't hurt me anymore. I laughed.

I'd been hazed incesetly since Leito laughed. My bubble of protection was gone. I took to hiding in my dorm on a constant basis. Whenever I wasn't in class I was in my dorm. I stayed in well-lit areas, hoping to avoid the pain.

Scars anew laced my body, from the hazing and from my own blade. As the hazing got worse, my bloodlust got worse. I was taking from myself very frequently, now.

And, scarilly, I wanted someone else's blood. My own was no longer satiating my completely.

We were coming up on Halloween. A Hogsmade trip was in order. I could get some Blood Pops. Maybe the sweetened bloody treat would curb my needs. It was worth a shot.

Trilla was desperatly worried about me, and I did my best to ignore it. I was more worried about Leito than myself, and it showed. I was getting thinner and thinner and more and more scars were overtaking my pale skin. Bags started to show under my jade green eyes. Still no sign of the only chance at a friend I'd ever had...

 

[~Ozy~]

I knew I'd gotten in over my head as the th sun of the next day dawned. I'd been hunting all night, ever since the incident. I'd been stalking a direwolf. It was only when thier net closed around me that I realized that I had been being stalked myself. My last thought was how I still needed to improve my skills.

I was surprised to awake to the setting sun... In pain, but alive.

 

[Kalylia]

I couldn't help but spend the next evening pacing. I was in the owlry. There didn't seem to be any hope. He'd left. Had to have. There was no sign of him anywhere. No one had seen him. Headmaster Zanyte was considering a search party.

I climbed out onto one of the outer perches. The thought of jumping off crossed my head for a moment. Maybe I should go looking for him myself.

Like it'd do any good. He didn't want me to come after him.

I'd caused enough trouble.

Again...

I sighed and rocked, coming dangerously close to just letting go of the perch before Trilla made me get down.

 

[~Ozy~]

I blinked wearily several times, realizing that I was seeing through a crimson haze of my own blood. I was in bad shape. Numerous puncture wounds covered my body, dirt from the forest in any number of them. Several appeared to be slowly festering. I had been here several days at least.

 

[Kalylia]

I sighed and raced to my dorm, grabbing a pack with a supply of medical necesities and some food and water. Clenching my wand tightly, I headed out into the forest.

I searched for hours, well into twilight. I didn't know where I was or where I was going, but Trilla seemed to know at least the way back. Or, the general direction. So, I kept going. The only light for me now was at the end of my wand. The foliage kept out any hint of moonlight or stars.

The sun was just beginning to rise when I found him. I gave a small scream and rushed over to him, tears exploding into my vision. "Leito!" I gasped, turning his face to mine, attempting to tell if he was consious. "Leito! If you can hear me, answer me!"

 

[~Ozy~]

"Students aren't supposed to be here," I said groggily, a wearied smile on my face. "You should go back to your dorm..."

 

[Kalylia]

I merely growled at him and tore the remains of his shirt off. Using some of the water I'd brough along, I washed out his wounds and dressed them tightly. "What the hell happened? What were you thinking?" I asked him rather harshly, my fear clearly coming through in my voice.

I gently took him out of his pants as well, tending to his lower body wounds as well and redressing him. Well, the lower half of him. His shirt had been absolutely destroyed.

Without really listening to whatever answer he'd give me, I held the waterskin to his lips. "Drink. You've been out here for almost four days."

 

[~Ozy~]

"I needed to work out m-" I coughed and spluttered as she poured the water down my throat. Slowly, I managed to get out, "I needed to work out the rest of my agression. Call it a hunting accident." I raised one arm to rest on her shoulder, getting it out from under me.

 

[Kalylia]

The touch on my shoulder made me flush noticably. I sighed a little. "You're hunting accident has caused quite the stir. Headmanster Zanyte is not going to be pleased." I smiled rather softly. "But I'm not going to say anything if you don't."

I winced a bit as I noticed the odd angle at which his other wrist hung. "That one's broken," I whispered, pointing. "You're in for a little pain here..."

I shifted slightly, letting his arm continue to rest on my shoulder, discreatly giving him some robe to clutch as I popped the bones of his wrist back into place. I quickly bound it to avoid any more swelling.

With a gentle look at him, I touched his cheek. "You're burning up with fever. You're wounds are harshly infected, and it's going to take Madam Nelson to fix you properly. Can you walk or do you want me to Levitate you back to the castle?"

 

[~Ozy~]

I tightened my grip on her shoulder and pushed myself up, visibly wincing. I set my face and said, "I'll walk. Help push my pain tolerance." Letting go of her shoulder, I let go of her shoulder and began to take hobbling steps, obviously favoring my left leg.

 

[Kalylia]

I gently snaked under his left arm, giving him support as we walked. To avoid any odd questions and to hide my blush, I whispered, "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone. I'd just rather we make it to the hospital wing with you still breathing..."

 

[~Ozy~]

"Only so long as I'm alive long enough to get her out," I replied, grimacing through the pain. we hobbled through the castle's front entrance. Fortunately, dinner was done and most students had returned to their rooms.

 

[Kalylia]

"You will be," I whispered, giving him over to the care of Madam Nelson, who immediatly shooed me away. I gave his hand a tight squeeze before sitting down to wait. I wasn't going anywhere, no matter what Madam Nelson said.

Trilla sat with me, nuzzling my chest, reminding me that's been two days since I'd eaten anything. I shook her off.

 

[~Ozy~]

Madame Nelson was prim, overbearing and capable. She tsked and fussed over my injuries whilst I laid motionless and thought. I needed to leave soon. I had planned to leave at the end of the year, but Natalia was getting too close to me. I'd draft a letter tomorrow, leave on Halloween. Morbidly fitting in its own way.

 

[Kalylia]

I'd fallen asleep in the ward, totally exhausted. There was a warm blanket around me when I awoke. The sun was streaming in. Saturday, thank heavens. I smiled and rose, walking over to the closed curtain where I assumed Leito would still be sleeping.

"Leito?" I asked slowly, drawing back the curtain.

 

[~Ozy~]

I had awoken earlier, still tender in spots but healed. My letter had been written and propped on the bedside table, Natalia's name written in my loopy, elegant script. It was a farewell, an explanation of my leaving, my reasoning. I told her that we would probably never see each other again. I had had to fight back tears in my eyes and bile in my throat as I wrote those words.

Left there, I snuck out the other side of the Hospital Wing and left via the tower. I was passing the lake as the sun rose.

 

[Kalylia]

The parchment shook in my fingers as I read, my knees collapsing out from underneath me. Gone? How could he be gone? How could he have just left?!

I sobbed, tears spilling down my pasty cheeks. Had there been anything in my stomach, I wouldn't have been able to hold it. Never see each other again? Darkness splotted my vision. I was blacking out.

I awoke on the floor of the hospital ward, the curtain drawn around me. I pulled my knees to my chest. I'd only been out for a few moments. Trilla was pawing at my feet, worried and anxious.

A trance seemed to overtake me in those moments. Halloween was today. I rose to my feet, the dark circles of my eyes more pronounced than ever. A reflection of myself passed me by as I raced out of the building. Something led me to him. Something was guiding me. I clutched the note with a bleeding hand, punctured by my own nails.

"What do you think you're doing!?" I shouted at the figure, my own body not able to keep up with my mind. I hurtled into him, punching him in the stomach, though it didn't do much due to my lack of food and blood over the past couple of days. "Just leaving without saying goodbye!?"

I collapsed into the lush grass next to the lake, crying openly. "Leito, how could you? I... I saved your life! You saved mine! I thought you cared!"

I got up again and grabbed his shirt. "Stop!"

 

[~Ozy~]

I yanked my shirt from her grass. I was surprised to find genuine tenderness in my voice as I said, "I'm sorry, Natalia. Truly, I am. This hurts me too, and that's why I have to go. If this went on any longer, I couldn't being myself to go. I would break my promises. I pulled up the sleeve on my left arm, revealing a long, jagged scar and said, "This is a testament to them, to her. If I live, I'll be back. Don't expect anything, though." I laughed and said, "They pulled the hospitals out of my neighborhood when they put the wall up."

I turned again and took a few steps, fully expecting her to argue, to pursue.