Closed Let Us Go to the High Place PV

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The headaches, cramps and pains of the Moon had passed; waning even as the Moon himself was diminishing in the sky overhead. Colin reckoned it was time. Colin had written a letter to his best friend and had sent it to his dear Hufflepuff. But something needed doing first, on this day. The great magical holiday of Hallowe'en was now past. Colin had managed to amass a respectable amount of sweets over the course of the week, but they assaulted his nose with sickly sugar smell. He kept the good chocolate, of course, for that was practically medicine and potion all rolled into one! And indeed he was munching on some chocolate even now. But the sweets, those went to the first and second years of his acquaintance.

If truth be told, the lion share of those sweets actually ended up in the pockets of Jannette Applebottom! But Colin didn't mind. She was a sweetheart and would most assuredly ply him with bacon and sausages for a week!

After classes finished, Colin went down to the appointed place. The fountain in the courtyard. He saw them there. Liam and Ciarán. Liam was smiling. Their little sister looked confused. Colin returned Liam's smile and nodded. "Come, Ci!" was all he said, as, arms over the girl's shoulders, they led her through the grounds and up, far away from the castle. They didn't run and they didn't horse around this time. Surely anyone familiar with Colin and his twin would think they were sick!

The way was long, Colin noted. But he reckoned it was only long because he hardly ever walked up here. He'd always run! And his long legs could carry him far in a short time. Eventually the place came into sight. The stone outcropping in the high meadows above Hogwarts. Ciarán looked from Colin to Liam and back again. Maybe she knew what they were going to do? It had been a long while since Da and their Seanmamó to them up into the high country beyond McCoire House, way above the old stone cottage, and even above the tumbled tower.

Colin and Liam helped their little sister up onto the outcropping and turned her to face each direction in turn. East, then South, then West and then North. She gasped when she saw Hogwarts in the distance, and the Forest and the quidditch pitch beyond the castle. Up here there were no sounds of raucous children or games being played or laughter or tears. No talk of professors. No late explosions from the potions classroom or any sound other than the wind in the heather and the dying leaves rustling on the sleepy trees a way behind.

Colin and Liam took Ciarán into a close embrace and they began to sing. First Colin, then Liam almost immediately after. After a few words, Ciarán understood and joined in.

Rob tú mo baile, a Choimdiu cride:
ní ní nech aile acht Rí secht nime.

Rob tú mo scrútain i l-ló 's i n-aidche;
rob tú ad-chëar im chotlud caidche.

Rob tú mo labra, rop tú mo thuicsiu;
rob tussu dam-sa, rob misse duit-siu.

Rob tussu m'athair, rob mé do mac-su;
rob tussu lem-sa, rob misse lat-su.

Rob tú mo chathscíath, rop tú mo chlaideb;
rob tussu m'ordan, robtussu m'airer.

Rob tú mo dítiu, robtú mo daingen;
rob tú nom-thocba i n-áentaid n-aingel.

Rob tú cech maithius dom churp, dom anmain;
rob tú mo flaithius i n-nim 's i talmain.

Rob tussu t' áenur sainserc mo chride;
ní rob nech aile acht Airdrí nime.

Co talla forum, ré n-dul it láma,
mo chuit, mo chotlud, ar méit do gráda.

Rob tussu t' áenur m' urrann úais amra:
ní chuinngim daíne ná maíne marba.

Rob amlaid dínsiur cech sel, cech sáegul,
mar marb oc brénad, ar t' fégad t' áenur.

Do serc im anmain, do grád im chride,
tabair dam amlaid, a Rí secht nime.

Tabair dam amlaid, a Rí secht nime,
do serc im anmain, do grád im chride.

Go Ríg na n-uile rís íar m-búaid léire;
ro béo i flaith nime i n-gile gréine

A Athair inmain, cluinte mo núall-sa:
mithig (mo-núarán!) lasin trúagán trúag-sa.

A chride mo chride, cip ed dom-aire,
a Flaith na n-uile, rob tú mo baile.

As the voices stopped singing, for just a moment, perhaps, their echo could be heard among the sleeping trees and the high mountains beyond. The three spoke no other words. And in silence they broke their embrace and Liam went back down to the castle with Ciarán. But Colin remained. Watching them for a long while as he crouched on the stone outcropping. His heart was high and his eyes half closed and his thoughts passed from his siblings to those who had disappeared and to those who had died. Some he knew, or knew of, or knew from history. He wondered how many kids had died in this school. Life, of course, was perilous enough; and magic made it no easier in many respects. Say the wrong thing and you could end up dead. And magic was no proof against fallen human nature: if Muggles had armies and mechanical gonnes, then Wizards had inferi and wands. War was the same for humans of all kinds.

Eventually his thoughts turned towards his friends. To Clair, of course, and Luci, to Rebecca and Jannette, to Qrow and Keith, and of course to his new sister Lily. But it was one friend in particular he felt the need to be with today.

"AngelFyre!"

@AngelFyre McCubbin

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Be thou my vision O Lord of my heart
None other is aught but the King of the seven heavens.

Be thou my meditation by day and by night.
May it be thou that I behold ever in my sleep.

Be thou my speech, be thou my understanding.
Be thou with me, be I with thee

Be thou my father, be I thy son.
May thou be mine, may I be thine.

Be thou my battle-shield, be thou my sword.
Be thou my dignity, be thou my delight.

Be thou my shelter, be thou my stronghold.
Mayst thou raise me up to the company of the angels.

Be thou every good to my body and soul.
Be thou my kingdom in heaven and on earth.

Be thou solely chief love of my heart.
Let there be none other, O high King of Heaven.

Till I am able to pass into thy hands,
My treasure, my beloved through the greatness of thy love

Be thou alone my noble and wondrous estate.
I seek not men nor lifeless wealth.

Be thou the constant guardian of every possession and every life.
For our corrupt desires are dead at the mere sight of thee.

Thy love in my soul and in my heart --
Grant this to me, O King of the seven heavens.

O King of the seven heavens grant me this --
Thy love to be in my heart and in my soul.

With the King of all, with him after victory won by piety,
May I be in the kingdom of heaven, O brightness of the sun.

Beloved Father, hear, hear my lamentations.
Timely is the cry of woe of this miserable wretch.

O heart of my heart, whatever befall me,
O ruler of all, be thou my vision.