18 Mar 2021, 18:57
What is Wrong with You?!
She was rushing through the corridors. It wasn't her regular pace. It wasn't her regular state. She was, let's say 'inclining towards anger'. A feeling not completely new to her, of course, but not something she was used to. But not that it mattered at the moment when she was moving without a glimpse of an intention to stop. The students that were unlucky to stand in her way were shoving themselves to the side to avoid the crash once they felt with the back of their necks the incoming ball of fire, slightly burning their neck hair and creating a tingling sensation — more of an unpleasant one.Participants:
@Meenauh Silmataurea
@Jake Morris
The 15th of March, 2021
Afternoon
From what we should probably move to why. If any voice of hers would try to speak, she'd... Nah, it was impossible to even dare to speak. Her mind was an epicentre of an explosion — the heat was pumping as if a small star was just born right inside of her tiny young skull. But really, would a reason be required for a fourteen years old Gryffindor to be angry? It was a couple of months already as she found out she was no longer a prefect — thank you, Father — but at least she got a co-captain position, which was nice, but still... She was not happy with all the loose ends of their investigation and how the proper people — adults, aurors, whoever — do something to prevent the bad things happening to students like the one right after the beginning of the year. She clenched her fists, remembering the palm cuts and the rolling train. There could be a thousand whys. But that exact one was a regular day one — a bully. She saved a child from a bully. Not that much, but the adrenaline was still inside her and all the thoughts about why the stronger ones would hunt the weakest ones. Both — children, so what the hell?! What is wrong with you, bullies?!
The corridor was turning, but was she at the right speed to make an elegant manoeuvre? She dived a bit lower as a skating sprinter would do to gain more manoeuvrability and slid behind the corner as her face met something sturdy. The next moment she found herself sitting on the floor with a blunt pain in the nose, not yet sure if bleeding or not. There seemed to be no concussion, but the fiery anger inside wasn't calmed by the unfortunate crash. Maybe even the opposite.
"What the hell?!" she actually shouted. She tried to look at what that was, but the eyes still were blurry for another second or two. After that, it turned out that it was a who, not a what. And that who was no other person than Jake Morris. Yes, the small huffle kid. For a second she frowned and wondered whether she could have killed him in that crash.
"Jake?!" she wondered in a hasty voice, still heightened. She couldn't yet see or understand how much damage to his face was done.
Permission to crash into Jake Morris is granted by Jake Morris
Meenauh Silmataurea | STA: 9 | EVA: 10 | STR: 2 | WIS: 25 | ARC: 14 | ACC: 13
23 Apr 2021, 00:27
What is Wrong with You?!
@Meenauh Silmataurea
Everywhere at Hogwarts was dangerous. From the moving stairs, to the dark arts class, to the exploding cauldrons. Even the hallways. It wasn't that long ago that Jake had found himself buried in a book and crashing straight into Freya Thomas, something that had left him in tears.
Jake had learned his lesson that day about paying attention where you were going, a lesson his mum had used to teach him many times and that he had used to listen to, until he had found himself at school with books to read and no grown-up to stop him from keeping his face in them. Now he was much more careful, but it turned out that even that couldn't save him.
Because one afternoon, a blur of motion shot out like a cheetah and barreled straight into his face, before he could even react. The collision had him tumbling backwards to the floor once again. The small Hufflepuff sat up, stunned.
"Ow....." Jake sniffled, rubbing at his face. But though the Hufflepuff whined, his face remained pristine, his small nose unbroken where Meenaugh's head should have smashed the fragile boy. Yes, the pain was not as much as it could have been - his face was the most protected part of him, something that Meenaugh would be finding out all too well - but falling still hurt...
"What happened...?" the second-year blinked, holding at his head, still stunned at how fast the collision had come.
Everywhere at Hogwarts was dangerous. From the moving stairs, to the dark arts class, to the exploding cauldrons. Even the hallways. It wasn't that long ago that Jake had found himself buried in a book and crashing straight into Freya Thomas, something that had left him in tears.
Jake had learned his lesson that day about paying attention where you were going, a lesson his mum had used to teach him many times and that he had used to listen to, until he had found himself at school with books to read and no grown-up to stop him from keeping his face in them. Now he was much more careful, but it turned out that even that couldn't save him.
Because one afternoon, a blur of motion shot out like a cheetah and barreled straight into his face, before he could even react. The collision had him tumbling backwards to the floor once again. The small Hufflepuff sat up, stunned.
"Ow....." Jake sniffled, rubbing at his face. But though the Hufflepuff whined, his face remained pristine, his small nose unbroken where Meenaugh's head should have smashed the fragile boy. Yes, the pain was not as much as it could have been - his face was the most protected part of him, something that Meenaugh would be finding out all too well - but falling still hurt...
"What happened...?" the second-year blinked, holding at his head, still stunned at how fast the collision had come.
23 Apr 2021, 22:23
What is Wrong with You?!
Jake wasn't exactly crying, or showing any sign of face turning into a bloody mess.
"What happened?!" she shouted at him, losing her usual steady stance, "You've almost broken my nose!"
She kept touching her nose, but because of the shock, it was still numb. The picture before her eyes started to get clearer and clearer. The boy was small. Meenauh could really smash the life out of him in such a fierce clash. Yet, here he was, sitting on the floor, just rubbing his untouched angelic face as if a mosquito was feeding on it just a second ago, not a third-year girl battered it at full speed.
For a moment, she started to calm down and wanted to question whether the boy was okay. But seeing that for the second time, the boy was protected by some army of angels, her inner demon kept throwing more sticks into the fire, blowing it further and further through her veins, igniting her all inside.
"Ugh, Jake! What is wrong with you?!" she made a few steps closer to him and leaned to his face, trying to see something on it, "How come you've got off lightly again?!" she kept pressuring him further, without understanding how fragile he was and then she allowed herself something she wouldn't ever allow if not the circumstances — she grabbed his head with her both hands, trying to feel something with her thumbs, applying pressure to his cheeks. She felt something. She felt something that was not his face.
In shock and terror, eyes-wide-open, she released the boy's head and jumped away from him, frozen in place for the next several seconds. When the shock faded away, she drew her wand and pointed at the boy's face.
"Do not move," she said in a tranquil voice now, steady and serious. It may have sounded as if she was going to shoot an apple on his head with an arrow.
"Revelio!" she clearly pronounced the spell and loudly gasped as the surface of Jake's face started to become solid and turn into a shade of gold. She didn't dare to move. She would immobilise Jake if he'd dare to move either.
Here he was. Sitting in the middle of a random corridor.
@Jake Morris, the Wearer of the Mask.
"What happened?!" she shouted at him, losing her usual steady stance, "You've almost broken my nose!"
She kept touching her nose, but because of the shock, it was still numb. The picture before her eyes started to get clearer and clearer. The boy was small. Meenauh could really smash the life out of him in such a fierce clash. Yet, here he was, sitting on the floor, just rubbing his untouched angelic face as if a mosquito was feeding on it just a second ago, not a third-year girl battered it at full speed.
For a moment, she started to calm down and wanted to question whether the boy was okay. But seeing that for the second time, the boy was protected by some army of angels, her inner demon kept throwing more sticks into the fire, blowing it further and further through her veins, igniting her all inside.
"Ugh, Jake! What is wrong with you?!" she made a few steps closer to him and leaned to his face, trying to see something on it, "How come you've got off lightly again?!" she kept pressuring him further, without understanding how fragile he was and then she allowed herself something she wouldn't ever allow if not the circumstances — she grabbed his head with her both hands, trying to feel something with her thumbs, applying pressure to his cheeks. She felt something. She felt something that was not his face.
In shock and terror, eyes-wide-open, she released the boy's head and jumped away from him, frozen in place for the next several seconds. When the shock faded away, she drew her wand and pointed at the boy's face.
"Do not move," she said in a tranquil voice now, steady and serious. It may have sounded as if she was going to shoot an apple on his head with an arrow.
"Revelio!" she clearly pronounced the spell and loudly gasped as the surface of Jake's face started to become solid and turn into a shade of gold. She didn't dare to move. She would immobilise Jake if he'd dare to move either.
Here he was. Sitting in the middle of a random corridor.
@Jake Morris, the Wearer of the Mask.
Meenauh Silmataurea | STA: 9 | EVA: 10 | STR: 2 | WIS: 25 | ARC: 14 | ACC: 13
16 May 2021, 01:24
What is Wrong with You?!
@Meenauh Silmataurea
"I...I didn't MEAN to..."Jake whined, as the older girl shouted at him. He sniffled again, trying to gather his composure and not start to cry, but it was hard when the other girl was yelling at him. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He hadn't even seen her coming...She began to get closer to him then, putting her face in his.
"Wh-what are you talkin' about?" Jake mumbled, "H-hey!" he whined, squirming as she began to squeeze at his face. He tried to maneuver out of the way but he was still stunned from his fall, and he was weaker than she was.
But then he saw a look in the other girl's face and felt a pang of fear in his own heart, though he didn't even know yet about what it was. It felt like a great weight had fallen upon him and suddenly he felt like a fly trapped in a web. His heart beat faster, and he felt the sudden urge to run far, far, away. And then Meenaugh's wand came out and pointed at him.
"Wh-what...? What are you lookin' at me like that for....?" Jake whined, a tear coming to his eye, and a deep fear continuing to creep into his heart. But if there was any chance he could run in the face of her wand, she ordered him to remain in place, and then Jake's legs locked, the frighteningly serious tone in the other girl's voice impossible to disobey. She cast a spell at him, and he braced himself for something, but there was nothing. Just the other girl staring at him. Staring at his face.
A whimper escaped Jake's lips. "I didn't do anything..." he whispered.
"I...I didn't MEAN to..."Jake whined, as the older girl shouted at him. He sniffled again, trying to gather his composure and not start to cry, but it was hard when the other girl was yelling at him. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He hadn't even seen her coming...She began to get closer to him then, putting her face in his.
"Wh-what are you talkin' about?" Jake mumbled, "H-hey!" he whined, squirming as she began to squeeze at his face. He tried to maneuver out of the way but he was still stunned from his fall, and he was weaker than she was.
But then he saw a look in the other girl's face and felt a pang of fear in his own heart, though he didn't even know yet about what it was. It felt like a great weight had fallen upon him and suddenly he felt like a fly trapped in a web. His heart beat faster, and he felt the sudden urge to run far, far, away. And then Meenaugh's wand came out and pointed at him.
"Wh-what...? What are you lookin' at me like that for....?" Jake whined, a tear coming to his eye, and a deep fear continuing to creep into his heart. But if there was any chance he could run in the face of her wand, she ordered him to remain in place, and then Jake's legs locked, the frighteningly serious tone in the other girl's voice impossible to disobey. She cast a spell at him, and he braced himself for something, but there was nothing. Just the other girl staring at him. Staring at his face.
A whimper escaped Jake's lips. "I didn't do anything..." he whispered.
24 May 2021, 20:15
What is Wrong with You?!
Why was she looking at him like that? Yes, why was she looking at him like that? What if she was just mistaken and that was just a magically hidden horribly-looking regular mask on a young little face of the Hufflepuff boy? Just casually attached to his face by a prankster.
She didn't dare to come closer. She just froze there in place, remembering the first words when she found out about the mask:
"He was seeking the glove and the mask with his partner."
"The glove is able to control anyone wearing the mask."
Was Jake controlled? He surely wasn't. That was just the regular Jake they all knew. Something stuck in her throat making her unable to speak. The horror? The disbelief? Whatever that was, she had to cough several times before speaking to the boy.
"How are you feeling?" she started slowly, "It's going to be okay. I believe you that you didn't do anything. And even in case you did," she flinched as she couldn't imagine what the boy could have done and was he connected to all the evil that was happening through the year, "Even in case you did... it wasn't you."
She paused not to throw Jake into the whirlwind of fear or cause him to flee.
"I am looking at you Jake like... that... because there is an item attached to your face that should not be there," she continued in a quiet tone. She looked around and to her own surprise, the corridors were empty. So empty that her quiet words bounced off the walls and returned to them amplified. Their event at the library was... who knows how long ago — a year? That thing was there all that time and who knows how many months before that. She shuddered.
"Do you know how you got it, Jake?" she made a few steps closer to him. She couldn't evaluate the danger. It was Jake. Jake Morris. On the scale of danger where zero was a bowtruckle and ten was a crup puppy, he was minus 10. But did the dark artefact add some mysterious power to him? Did it add inevitable danger? She hesitated, approached him with words only, wand at the side.
"I can help you, Jake."
Veritaserum would help.
She didn't dare to come closer. She just froze there in place, remembering the first words when she found out about the mask:
"He was seeking the glove and the mask with his partner."
"The glove is able to control anyone wearing the mask."
Was Jake controlled? He surely wasn't. That was just the regular Jake they all knew. Something stuck in her throat making her unable to speak. The horror? The disbelief? Whatever that was, she had to cough several times before speaking to the boy.
"How are you feeling?" she started slowly, "It's going to be okay. I believe you that you didn't do anything. And even in case you did," she flinched as she couldn't imagine what the boy could have done and was he connected to all the evil that was happening through the year, "Even in case you did... it wasn't you."
She paused not to throw Jake into the whirlwind of fear or cause him to flee.
"I am looking at you Jake like... that... because there is an item attached to your face that should not be there," she continued in a quiet tone. She looked around and to her own surprise, the corridors were empty. So empty that her quiet words bounced off the walls and returned to them amplified. Their event at the library was... who knows how long ago — a year? That thing was there all that time and who knows how many months before that. She shuddered.
"Do you know how you got it, Jake?" she made a few steps closer to him. She couldn't evaluate the danger. It was Jake. Jake Morris. On the scale of danger where zero was a bowtruckle and ten was a crup puppy, he was minus 10. But did the dark artefact add some mysterious power to him? Did it add inevitable danger? She hesitated, approached him with words only, wand at the side.
"I can help you, Jake."
Veritaserum would help.
Meenauh Silmataurea | STA: 9 | EVA: 10 | STR: 2 | WIS: 25 | ARC: 14 | ACC: 13
21 Jun 2021, 05:15
What is Wrong with You?!
@Meenauh Silmataurea
Jake stared up at the girl with eyes wide and mouth agape. She knew...He could see in her face that she knew. And then she said it for sure. He didn't know how...nobody had ever been able to see it before....only Jake had ever known it was there. But she was studying his face, and he felt that she saw. Sometimes people would look at him and it felt like they could read his mind, especially grown-ups. He never knew how they did. But even if they could see what Jake was thinking, or feeling, none of them had ever been able to see what was hidden on the surface. Not until now...
He didn't answer her questions...he was frozen. His heart beat faster, faster....his toes curling.
She took a few steps closer and when she did she would see Jake flinch. Panic came ever closer. Her quiet tone stopped him from running, but it didn't stop his fear. He was like a scared bunny, the wrong move might cause him to dart off, but something in her voice kept him still. The small boy began to tremble, but could not move.
She asked if he knew how it had got there. He slowly nodded his head, but didn't say a word. Of course he remembered. He still had nightmares about the man's face. Sometimes when he lay in bed in the dark the man's face would come back to him, and he would try to climb up onto George's bed, or cry quietly into his pillow. If George asked what was wrong, he couldn't even tell him. He would say he didn't remember. That he had had a bad dream. He had seen that man at school again once. Had run from Professor Browne's party. Of course he remembered...
How...how did she know...? And what was she going to do now that she did...?
At first, he'd thought he didn't want it to come off. The voice was helpful to him. Sometimes even soothing. Kind. It warned him sometimes of what was going to happen. It didn't yell at him anymore. It wasn't a bad voice. It was nice. And it wanted to help him...he knew that. It would tell him sometimes where to go, where not to go...
But the lying...the secrets. The secret had eaten at him. To not be able to tell his friends everything. His parents. He had never kept a secret from his parents before. From Professor Browne who he looked at like a second dad. What would he say, when he found out Jake had lied? What would George say?
And then there was the question of why. Why hadn't he told? What had he known that made this different from anything else? He never lied...so why had he...? Because it hadn't wanted anybody to know.
Was that why he felt afraid...? Was there some feeling that no matter how nice the voice was, that there was something dark behind it? Something terrifying that Jake couldn't think too deeply about if he still wanted to function...the memory of a mask that had attached itself to his face and refused to come off, refused to let Jake tell a soul....
Or was it the feeling of being caught...caught in a lie that had spiraled far out of control.
"He doesn't wanna come off..." the boy whispered, barely audible, trembling like a leaf as he looked up at the older girl. Frightened tears began to roll down his cheeks. He had never mentioned it out loud before. Ever.
Jake stared up at the girl with eyes wide and mouth agape. She knew...He could see in her face that she knew. And then she said it for sure. He didn't know how...nobody had ever been able to see it before....only Jake had ever known it was there. But she was studying his face, and he felt that she saw. Sometimes people would look at him and it felt like they could read his mind, especially grown-ups. He never knew how they did. But even if they could see what Jake was thinking, or feeling, none of them had ever been able to see what was hidden on the surface. Not until now...
He didn't answer her questions...he was frozen. His heart beat faster, faster....his toes curling.
She took a few steps closer and when she did she would see Jake flinch. Panic came ever closer. Her quiet tone stopped him from running, but it didn't stop his fear. He was like a scared bunny, the wrong move might cause him to dart off, but something in her voice kept him still. The small boy began to tremble, but could not move.
She asked if he knew how it had got there. He slowly nodded his head, but didn't say a word. Of course he remembered. He still had nightmares about the man's face. Sometimes when he lay in bed in the dark the man's face would come back to him, and he would try to climb up onto George's bed, or cry quietly into his pillow. If George asked what was wrong, he couldn't even tell him. He would say he didn't remember. That he had had a bad dream. He had seen that man at school again once. Had run from Professor Browne's party. Of course he remembered...
How...how did she know...? And what was she going to do now that she did...?
At first, he'd thought he didn't want it to come off. The voice was helpful to him. Sometimes even soothing. Kind. It warned him sometimes of what was going to happen. It didn't yell at him anymore. It wasn't a bad voice. It was nice. And it wanted to help him...he knew that. It would tell him sometimes where to go, where not to go...
But the lying...the secrets. The secret had eaten at him. To not be able to tell his friends everything. His parents. He had never kept a secret from his parents before. From Professor Browne who he looked at like a second dad. What would he say, when he found out Jake had lied? What would George say?
And then there was the question of why. Why hadn't he told? What had he known that made this different from anything else? He never lied...so why had he...? Because it hadn't wanted anybody to know.
Was that why he felt afraid...? Was there some feeling that no matter how nice the voice was, that there was something dark behind it? Something terrifying that Jake couldn't think too deeply about if he still wanted to function...the memory of a mask that had attached itself to his face and refused to come off, refused to let Jake tell a soul....
Or was it the feeling of being caught...caught in a lie that had spiraled far out of control.
"He doesn't wanna come off..." the boy whispered, barely audible, trembling like a leaf as he looked up at the older girl. Frightened tears began to roll down his cheeks. He had never mentioned it out loud before. Ever.
4 Jul 2021, 22:35
What is Wrong with You?!
As her promise, and yes indeed it was a promise — to help... so as her promise left her lips, she was looking at the boy and only seeing horror. Deep horror, frozen in the veins, carved into his small child heart. Whoever did that to him was evil. Whoever did that to him was not wishing him well. Whoever did that to him will pay.
She wouldn't dare to touch him as if he was frozen and touching him would break him into billions of small fragments, impossible to summon back together.
As Meenauh asked him about who did that, Jake managed to answer with a nod. She couldn't imagine what was going on in his head, in his mind. Whatever the Mask was telling him was a lie. It was a manipulation. It wanted Jake to perform malevolent acts. Could it be that Jake was behind any of the dark stuff happening at the school? What if the Mask was talking to him... at this very moment?
And then Jake spoke. Whispered.
It? It doesn't want to come off? The Mask? Why 'he'? Jake is talking about the Mask as if it was alive. As if it was a living being attached to him. It couldn't last anymore.
"Jake. The Mask is just a tool," she started very carefully, "Whoever talks to you, he will be found. He will not be able to hurt you. If you know who did this to you, just say his name and we'll take it straight to Professor Browne," she tried to talk very slow but kind of failed, but she hoped that mentioning his Head of House would give him some hope.
"And most important — you will be free. You will never hear him again," she promised. She really promised.
Afterwards, if Jake would speak the name or wouldn't, without further introductions, she would grab the Mask by its sides and start to pull it with her full two strength.
"I'm sorry, Jake," she would sincerely apologise, she should have numbed his face first or something, "We need to take you to Professor Browne. There's no more time to wait."
She wouldn't dare to touch him as if he was frozen and touching him would break him into billions of small fragments, impossible to summon back together.
As Meenauh asked him about who did that, Jake managed to answer with a nod. She couldn't imagine what was going on in his head, in his mind. Whatever the Mask was telling him was a lie. It was a manipulation. It wanted Jake to perform malevolent acts. Could it be that Jake was behind any of the dark stuff happening at the school? What if the Mask was talking to him... at this very moment?
And then Jake spoke. Whispered.
It? It doesn't want to come off? The Mask? Why 'he'? Jake is talking about the Mask as if it was alive. As if it was a living being attached to him. It couldn't last anymore.
"Jake. The Mask is just a tool," she started very carefully, "Whoever talks to you, he will be found. He will not be able to hurt you. If you know who did this to you, just say his name and we'll take it straight to Professor Browne," she tried to talk very slow but kind of failed, but she hoped that mentioning his Head of House would give him some hope.
"And most important — you will be free. You will never hear him again," she promised. She really promised.
Afterwards, if Jake would speak the name or wouldn't, without further introductions, she would grab the Mask by its sides and start to pull it with her full two strength.
It would be painful. The Mask wouldn't come off easily. It would feel as if it was superglued to Jake's tender child skin. And Meenauh would try to tear it open. It would be painful. Disregarding whether Jake would scream or try hard to keep it silent, Meenauh would let it go.DC 20
[d20: 15] + 2 = 17 → Failure
"I'm sorry, Jake," she would sincerely apologise, she should have numbed his face first or something, "We need to take you to Professor Browne. There's no more time to wait."
Meenauh Silmataurea | STA: 9 | EVA: 10 | STR: 2 | WIS: 25 | ARC: 14 | ACC: 13
7 Aug 2021, 05:15
What is Wrong with You?!
"No time to wait for what?" Caradoc's voice carried itself across the hallway. Stepping into the light, the Head of Hufflepuff stared at the two students that had seemingly collided just before. His eyes would dart between those of Meenauh and Jake. Something was off with the two of them. Slowly walking forward, his hands tucked inside the pockets of his trousers, Doc's smile would slowly fade. "Is everything alright here?"
When things came to Jake, he was meant to be a sweet kid. He knew the boy would not actively make himself become trouble, but the old badger was very aware of the kid's tendency to get himself into it. The girl, was someone Caradoc had interacted with fairly little. Aside from a few side comments back at summer camp, it seemed they had yet to make themselves better acquainted.
Now the two of them seemed to be entangled into something else entirely. What exactly was up with them trying to get Jake to him, was yet to be found out by the man himself. He narrowed his eyes at the smaller boy. There was not another word that would escape the man's lips before any of the two children spoke to him and explained what was going on.
If you're reading this... You're awesome.
Calming Presence/Healing Sage/Wandless/Non-Verbal
STA - 16 | EVA - 6 | STR - 15 | WIS - 16 | ARC - 8 | ACC - 4
29 Aug 2021, 06:18
What is Wrong with You?!
@Caradoc Browne @Meenauh Silmataurea
The Mask was just a tool, Meenaugh said. Jake shook his head quietly, eyes glassy with tears. No....no....she was wrong. It was a lot more than that...
Hadn't it only been when that...that...thing...attached itself to his face that he began to hear him? It wasn't a tool. It was 'him'...'he' was it...it had to be. What or who 'he' was, Jake didn't know. But when he spoke to Jake, Jake just knew he was close by.
There was something else that Meenaugh said that was wrong too.
"But...he...he doesn't wanna hurt me..." Jake uttered quietly, for the first time sounding confused...almost dazed. The trembling boy tried to think but thoughts wouldn't come to him. Something just didn't make sense...the fear he felt...and the memories of the voice. The voice that had often been something of a comfort. It had started scary..but over time it had changed. And why? Because Jake knew...it didn't want him to be hurt at all. "He...he wants to help me..."
The boy's face narrowed as he tried to make sense of his feelings. If that was true then why...why was he so scared.....?
"And...b-but...he...he's not who did it to me. Who did it to me was...was...." the boy said, clutching at his robes and shifting from foot to foot, squirming with discomfort. He wanted to tell her the truth. Who it was that had brought him this in the first place. But he couldn't. He couldn't say those words. Sure that man wasn't here. Not now. But he was an adult. They knew everything. If Jake told her, he would know somehow. He just knew he would. And then the next time he saw him....
His voice trailed off...he shook his head...and then suddenly the girl's hands were upon his face.
The boy felt sudden pain, radiating through his cheeks. The girl tugged upon him, but his face wasn't moving. "Owwwww....! Ow, that hurts!!" Jake whined, voice cracking with tears. He began to sob, the pain in his cheeks unbearable. It was like she was trying to rip his skin right off.
The boy wriggled, trying to escape her grasp, all thoughts gone but escaping the pain. The boy became unfrozen, pain breaking through fear. He needed to run. Run and run and run until his legs stopped working. And then came a voice. Not the voice in his head. Not Meenaugh. Somebody else...and everything stopped once more.
The Hufflepuff head of house would never have seen Jake look so guilty. Jake turned his head and stared up at the man, his face a mess from crying. That would have been no surprise to Professor Browne. Jake had cried many times at Hogwarts, and many times he went and got Professor Browne when he did. But this time was different. There was something in Jake's eyes that had never been there before. Like maybe Professor Browne was the last person on Earth he wanted to see. The fear of a child caught red-handed.
"P-P-Professor..." the boy sniffled. "I...I..." he mumbled, trying to speak, but unable under the gaze of Professor Browne. He stared up, feeling the ache of his throbbing cheeks. And then the boy hung his head down and cried with everything in him.
The Mask was just a tool, Meenaugh said. Jake shook his head quietly, eyes glassy with tears. No....no....she was wrong. It was a lot more than that...
Hadn't it only been when that...that...thing...attached itself to his face that he began to hear him? It wasn't a tool. It was 'him'...'he' was it...it had to be. What or who 'he' was, Jake didn't know. But when he spoke to Jake, Jake just knew he was close by.
There was something else that Meenaugh said that was wrong too.
"But...he...he doesn't wanna hurt me..." Jake uttered quietly, for the first time sounding confused...almost dazed. The trembling boy tried to think but thoughts wouldn't come to him. Something just didn't make sense...the fear he felt...and the memories of the voice. The voice that had often been something of a comfort. It had started scary..but over time it had changed. And why? Because Jake knew...it didn't want him to be hurt at all. "He...he wants to help me..."
The boy's face narrowed as he tried to make sense of his feelings. If that was true then why...why was he so scared.....?
"And...b-but...he...he's not who did it to me. Who did it to me was...was...." the boy said, clutching at his robes and shifting from foot to foot, squirming with discomfort. He wanted to tell her the truth. Who it was that had brought him this in the first place. But he couldn't. He couldn't say those words. Sure that man wasn't here. Not now. But he was an adult. They knew everything. If Jake told her, he would know somehow. He just knew he would. And then the next time he saw him....
His voice trailed off...he shook his head...and then suddenly the girl's hands were upon his face.
The boy felt sudden pain, radiating through his cheeks. The girl tugged upon him, but his face wasn't moving. "Owwwww....! Ow, that hurts!!" Jake whined, voice cracking with tears. He began to sob, the pain in his cheeks unbearable. It was like she was trying to rip his skin right off.
The boy wriggled, trying to escape her grasp, all thoughts gone but escaping the pain. The boy became unfrozen, pain breaking through fear. He needed to run. Run and run and run until his legs stopped working. And then came a voice. Not the voice in his head. Not Meenaugh. Somebody else...and everything stopped once more.
The Hufflepuff head of house would never have seen Jake look so guilty. Jake turned his head and stared up at the man, his face a mess from crying. That would have been no surprise to Professor Browne. Jake had cried many times at Hogwarts, and many times he went and got Professor Browne when he did. But this time was different. There was something in Jake's eyes that had never been there before. Like maybe Professor Browne was the last person on Earth he wanted to see. The fear of a child caught red-handed.
"P-P-Professor..." the boy sniffled. "I...I..." he mumbled, trying to speak, but unable under the gaze of Professor Browne. He stared up, feeling the ache of his throbbing cheeks. And then the boy hung his head down and cried with everything in him.
8 Sep 2021, 23:00
What is Wrong with You?!
It was guilt. He recognized it in other children's faces, Cassanora's above all, but Jake? He could not recall seeing it in the little boy's gaze before. Yet he made it so obvious. Caradoc knew there was little to fight for Jake when these feelings welled up. It came as no surprise to see the small badger start crying. What the girl's stake in this matter was, that had yet to be found out. Doc's eyes darted from one kid to the other, trying to see if either of them would explain things to him.
With a firm step, he came closer to the pair, looking down at the both of them. "What have you done, Mr Morris?" Caradoc would softly ask his student. Followed by an almost whispered: "Jake?" The Head of Hufflepuff did not reach out a hand, though, not yet. First, he needed answers. Else, there was no way to judge any situation. "Jake, I need you to tell me what is going on here." He said, this time more sternly. His eyes locked onto the girl. "Or you, Miss?" He would have addressed her by her last name, but he couldn't get a hold of it in his mind. It was something a little more complicated than most.
Folding both arms, Caradoc stood looming over the two students in the narrow corridor. Silently, he'd stare them down until either of them finally felt like they could share.
@Meenauh Silmataurea & @Jake Morris
If you're reading this... You're awesome.
Calming Presence/Healing Sage/Wandless/Non-Verbal
STA - 16 | EVA - 6 | STR - 15 | WIS - 16 | ARC - 8 | ACC - 4