20 Aug 2018, 17:30
Claryssa North's Funeral
PV to Reid, Rosie and Alexx
In loving memory of a daughter, sister and friend, Claryssa North.. 02/04/06 - 06/08/2018.
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."
That is what the tomb stone read. Her sister was gone. Dead. Marissa walked up the path with a solemn expression, along with the small gathering of people that had come to pay their respects. Some muggles, others secretly wizards. None of this mattered to Marissa. Her sister was gone and there was nothing she could do about it. Their parents had to take her out of Hogwarts mid-term due to health problems and then it just deteriorated from there. She died in her sleep, peacefully. But Claryssa took part of Marissa with her that night, leaving a wide hole in her heart. Her twin. They shared the same womb for 9 months and the same room for 11 years. They were never the closest, but siblings either way. An unbreakable bond.
They finally made it to the dreadful part. The grave. Everything was so quiet, family members and friends silently weeping whilst others tried to comfort them. James, her only surviving sibling left, was taking care of their mother whilst their father said a few words. How smart, brave and a beautiful young lady she was, who had such a bright future ahead of her. Marissa had no idea how she was able to stand there, watching and listening to people saying their farewells to her sister. Her best friend.
Last edited by Marissa North on 2 Jan 2019, 16:23, edited 2 times in total.
M. North
1 Oct 2018, 17:45
Claryssa North's Funeral
THERE was a guilt that welled up in the young boy, standing solemnly between his mother and father as the funeral began. It was a dreary occasion, one he didn't anticipate going to over his summer and one that he wasn't prepared for. It was his first funeral and it was of someone he didn't even know, though he could only imagine. The young man took a deep breath, exhaling when he heard the faint muffled sobbing from a few of the people attending. A grimace overturned his placid expression, twisted his stomach, and caused him to almost want to retreat into his father's coat.
THE once motionless hand twitched once or twice, he felt a swell of anxiety slam against him at the sound of weeping. This was Claryssa North, a Ravenclaw girl from what he heard and also the sister of a fellow Hufflepuff. By default, he felt the need to care with the only connection he had to her - which was her sister. There was nothing he could think of that could amount to any relief and he simply wished he wouldn't had to talk. Reid looked up at the sky, trying to hide the lines that began to slowly grow on his features.
YES, he didn't know her but he couldn't help but think that someone could die so young. It was sickening for him to know that he had the thought of being glad it wasn't one of his friends. It wasn't anyone at the campout or at any of the other students he's met. He felt his dad's heavy hand guide his gaze back to the scene and it made him shrink. Death was something the boy wasn't used to, something that he shouldn't get used to. He knew it was a part of life, but what pained he was why. But there was no 'why' and if there was, he would never get that answer. All he could do was fill this detachment, to find some sort of meaning in the death of a stranger.
THE once motionless hand twitched once or twice, he felt a swell of anxiety slam against him at the sound of weeping. This was Claryssa North, a Ravenclaw girl from what he heard and also the sister of a fellow Hufflepuff. By default, he felt the need to care with the only connection he had to her - which was her sister. There was nothing he could think of that could amount to any relief and he simply wished he wouldn't had to talk. Reid looked up at the sky, trying to hide the lines that began to slowly grow on his features.
YES, he didn't know her but he couldn't help but think that someone could die so young. It was sickening for him to know that he had the thought of being glad it wasn't one of his friends. It wasn't anyone at the campout or at any of the other students he's met. He felt his dad's heavy hand guide his gaze back to the scene and it made him shrink. Death was something the boy wasn't used to, something that he shouldn't get used to. He knew it was a part of life, but what pained he was why. But there was no 'why' and if there was, he would never get that answer. All he could do was fill this detachment, to find some sort of meaning in the death of a stranger.
"Trouble usually finds me."
2 Oct 2018, 02:02
Claryssa North's Funeral
It was as if a dark cloud had cast over the scene. How could it not? Claryssa North was dead. This was not a day that was meant to be happy; this day was reserved for mourning. So young, but already being stripped from the earth so soon. Alexx wasn't a believer; she stopped believing long ago. But for the sake of the family, and for the sake of everyone attending the solemn event, she allowed herself to wish Claryssa the best, even if she was wishing for an afterlife she didn't believe in.
Her soft and shaking hands reached up to grab those of her two brothers, allowing them to guard either side of her. Her porcelain skin had goosebumps, and an eery chill went up her spine. How could it not? She allowed herself only a sharp staggard breath, holding back all the emotion she was suddenly feeling. Some may have thought her heartless, but she just saw herself as hurt. Looking in the mirror that morning, she could see it in her eyes. Though she hadn't known Claryssa very well, only just knowing the family in general, her natural instinct was to mourn. Mourn the life of someone she didn't know all that well, only because she was mature enough to know that time was the enemy.
One thought crossed her mind, one memory from long ago. The words of a teacher she met on the busy streets of London. He was teaching a sort of wisdom, though she didn't know the name of such knowledge. "This was somebodies family," he would have said to her in his calm and patient voice. "this was someone's child, someone's friend, someone's sibling. This was a real person." and so it hit her, for maybe the third or fourth time that day, that this was somebody. This was real.
chill babe. we're all bad in someone's story.
Her soft and shaking hands reached up to grab those of her two brothers, allowing them to guard either side of her. Her porcelain skin had goosebumps, and an eery chill went up her spine. How could it not? She allowed herself only a sharp staggard breath, holding back all the emotion she was suddenly feeling. Some may have thought her heartless, but she just saw herself as hurt. Looking in the mirror that morning, she could see it in her eyes. Though she hadn't known Claryssa very well, only just knowing the family in general, her natural instinct was to mourn. Mourn the life of someone she didn't know all that well, only because she was mature enough to know that time was the enemy.
One thought crossed her mind, one memory from long ago. The words of a teacher she met on the busy streets of London. He was teaching a sort of wisdom, though she didn't know the name of such knowledge. "This was somebodies family," he would have said to her in his calm and patient voice. "this was someone's child, someone's friend, someone's sibling. This was a real person." and so it hit her, for maybe the third or fourth time that day, that this was somebody. This was real.
chill babe. we're all bad in someone's story.
3 Oct 2018, 19:35
Claryssa North's Funeral
It felt like ages. All the people speaking on how much her sister was. An eternity. Marissa had a blank expression, not from a lack of emotion, but for the numbness she had felt. Claryssa had always been the smarter sibling, obviously, but in Mari's eyes it seemed like she was the favourite. But none of that mattered now. She just stood there, staring at the hole they were about to fill with her sister's coffin. All Marissa wanted to do now was scream and cry like a child, saying that none of this was fair. None. Looking up for a moment, she recognised a fellow Hufflepuff. Reid. She stared at him blankly for a moment, wondering why he was here. Was he a friend of Claryssa? Mari had only seen him in lessons but never talked to him. Soon enough, she turned her attention back onto the burial. Stepping forward, Marissa's mother placed a wreath onto of the coffin. Blue and white, symbolising Ravenclaw. She nearly busted into tears for that, but she kept them at bay.
Why her sister? Claryssa was innocent, smart, sociable and beautiful. Why did she had to be taken away so soon? Marissa knew she had to be strong for a family, even more since she was the only wizard. It was as if she had an empty void in her stomach, nothing was there. Just numbness. Before long, the coffin descended down into its resting place as the priest said some last words. Echoing in her mind was the crying of her mother. Marissa felt like she was not really there, just viewing it from another angle. Soon enough, her father put a hand on her shoulder and guided her away. It was finally over, but people still gathered around to speak to each other nearby. Mari stood motionless with her mother, father and brother as groups came up gave their condolences.
Last edited by Marissa North on 3 Oct 2018, 21:57, edited 1 time in total.
M. North
3 Oct 2018, 20:35
Claryssa North's Funeral
(sad puppo)
Rosie knew this wouldn't be easy.
Clary was one of Rosie's first friends. First real friends. They had run into each other on their first day of school, they connected almost immediately, Rosie thought she had found a best friend, someone she'd keep until the end of their years at Hogwarts. Full of memories, good and bad. Fights, gossip, dancing, anything.
But now she was just gone.
Rosie hadn't found out until a few weeks after. She was sent a letter and her fathers sat her down, explaining what happened. At first, Rosie laughed, believing it was some elaborate prank that her family was pulling. That was, until she realized they weren't smiling. She broke down into tears right then and there into her step father's sleeve.
They had explained to her where they were going for the funeral, and Rosie walked into the graveyard towards the burial, holding her fathers hands. She was already starting to cry, her eyes were watering and her vision was blurry as she set her eyes on the burial. Rosie felt a lump go down her throat as she harshly swallowed, and her biological father squeezed her hand gently. Rosie felt a tear run down her cheek as her bottom lip quivered, her tiny hands shaking. She shut her eyes tightly to blink the tears out of her eyes, hoping Clary's ghost could read her thoughts.
Clary, I'm sorry. I know I couldn't have done anything over the summer, but... I can't help but think about all the things I wanted to do with you as we got older. I wanted to introduce you to my new friends. They can be mean sometimes, which was why I was relieved to have you. You never hurt me. But... I know you're in a good place, cause you're a good person, who left us too soon. I hope you're okay, wherever you are.
She opened her eyes and let more tears roll down her cheeks, sniffling. It was truly a tragic day, certainly not the summer she thought she'd be having.
STAMINA 13 // EVASION 13 // STRENGTH 6 // WISDOM 6 // ARCANE POWER 9 // ACCURACY 8
6 Oct 2018, 12:25
Claryssa North's Funeral
THIS was wrong, in many ways this was very wrong. Reid didn’t feel a tear stain his cheek, not one wet tear for a single moment of the funeral. What was wrong with him? How could he not cry at an event like this? He felt his dad’s hand squeeze his shoulder gently, perhaps noticing at how almost blank the boy seemed. But as his eyes wandered over some faces, the North sister in particular, his heart sank. There was a clear dissonance between her expression and his. A pained looked flashed across his features, looking away as he laid his eyes on the scene before them.
HE barely knew Claryssa, it felt unfair to be brought here. It wasn’t about him, but he was upset that he felt like he couldn’t even muster one bit of a cry. Never in his life has he ever been to a funeral and perhaps this was why. His life had been so sheltered this whole time, limited in scope with Derby and Hogwarts being largely confined. Death was always around, but never at his doorstep or never in his face. The only time death seemed to even come close was at the campout and that was nearly seeing Serena die in front of him.
EVEN he thought he was going to die, but it made him ponder on it a little more. The concept was very real, it scared him but neither was a fear that laid itself in his mind often. There was a freedom to it, not bound to his painful awareness of his own mortality. Reid was free to not care, it was only when it happened to someone he knew that was when it hit home. There was a few words that caught his ear though, about how young she was. His hand came up to grip his black tie, feeling a growing discomfort in the simple black and white suit that he wore.
SHE was the same age as they were right? Of course. What finally settled in was that this was as far as she was going to get in life, there was no coming back. He often remembered hearing mentions of being Beyond the Veil. Where she was going and where muggles went, were they the same? In a split second, his brow slightly furrowed at the thought and he sharply inhaled. His shoulders became squared as the hot air exhaled barely cracked lips.
HE barely knew Claryssa, it felt unfair to be brought here. It wasn’t about him, but he was upset that he felt like he couldn’t even muster one bit of a cry. Never in his life has he ever been to a funeral and perhaps this was why. His life had been so sheltered this whole time, limited in scope with Derby and Hogwarts being largely confined. Death was always around, but never at his doorstep or never in his face. The only time death seemed to even come close was at the campout and that was nearly seeing Serena die in front of him.
EVEN he thought he was going to die, but it made him ponder on it a little more. The concept was very real, it scared him but neither was a fear that laid itself in his mind often. There was a freedom to it, not bound to his painful awareness of his own mortality. Reid was free to not care, it was only when it happened to someone he knew that was when it hit home. There was a few words that caught his ear though, about how young she was. His hand came up to grip his black tie, feeling a growing discomfort in the simple black and white suit that he wore.
SHE was the same age as they were right? Of course. What finally settled in was that this was as far as she was going to get in life, there was no coming back. He often remembered hearing mentions of being Beyond the Veil. Where she was going and where muggles went, were they the same? In a split second, his brow slightly furrowed at the thought and he sharply inhaled. His shoulders became squared as the hot air exhaled barely cracked lips.
"Trouble usually finds me."
10 Oct 2018, 19:42
Claryssa North's Funeral
The blonde girl looked around at all of the sad faces that were familiar to her, at all of the tears that she might have seen once or twice before. And maybe a stranger would have said that she was really only a child, that she knew nothing of what was happening, but they would have been wrong. Alexx knew exactly how real this was. She knew it was real when her hair stood up at the nape of her neck, or when she heard the soft and broken words of a eulogy being presented, commemorating the life that was taken from the earth. She heard how real it was in the people that she didn't know, the ones brought here by this one life; brought here to respect her and love her one last time. She could not bring herself to be mad at any adult who thought they knew better, who thought that the pain of a child was unknowing and naive, because no. She would refuse to let herself be angry. Not today. Not as long as she would mourn.
To respect the life of a deceased loved one was to stay strong, she reminded herself. That task felt impossible; it felt wrong. How was she to do that? How was she to stay stronger than she was? It was a feeling the weighed her down like the world on Atlas's shoulders, the struggle of holding the world on her back impossible for someone at the young age of twelve. To be told how to grieve, how to move on, and then let go, not being allowed to figure it out for herself, that was the hardest part. The words of her mother that morning as she ironed the black dress, the harsh French words that told her to behave, as if she wasn't aware of how to be sad, told her that she should only grow stronger. That Claryssa North did not die in vain, and that her strength through this tragedy would show that.
No one said it would be easy. Showing up and being faced with this. It was a big slap in the face, one that stung her skin and eyes, that briefly made tears run down her soft cheeks. It was one that she forced herself to recover from. To remind herself that she'd be okay. Maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually. She would be okay.
chill babe. we're all bad in someone's story.
7 Nov 2018, 11:00
Claryssa North's Funeral
HE never knew when it began, he didn't know where it came from. The words and the sobbing around him suddenly went dull, muffled as if he grew a thick window between him and the rest. His mind was past these stages, no stage of grief wrought him enough to warrant a tear. His gaze grew empty, uncertain as the seconds slowed to a painful crawl and he found himself wondering what he was doing here. What the hell was he doing here?
HIS hand pressed to his temple, a growing migraine from the weight of the situation he was in. The hand shook, slipping the reading glasses off his face to hold it in his free hand while the other held his mother's own. Reid gave up on mentally beating himself up for not crying and not feeling what they were feeling. He was there and perhaps that was the best that he could do, his presence held no comfort because he was a stranger in the eyes of strangers around him. But perhaps his head provided some sort of fill for the void left in this grim procession.
NOT enough words held meaning to him that he could offer, he couldn't relate, he never lost someone so close. But what did scare him was the eventuality that he would, he was afraid of this great loss. Reid looked up to glance between his mother and father, his breathing found an irregularity. All the variables matter; who, how, and why? There was no knowing and one day he began to realize that he would be up there, delivering a eulogy for a person who has yet to pass.
HE would never know who it was, he would never know when, and that was what began to creep on him like darkness. One day, he'd bury someone near and dear to his heart. But one of the grimmest thought of all was would he be the one instead? This could have been him last year, stuffed in a box only to be buried six feet under. A tiny pop came from the hand that held his glasses, his dad looked over to see that Reid involuntarily snapped the wing. For a second, he glanced at his wife before looking back towards the funeral.
THE Hufflepuff didn't recognize what he had done, he was caught up in an inner dialogue that made him think of a future he isn't sure of. Would anyone come to his funeral? He only met his dad's family, never his mum's. Would he be surrounded by strangers who also couldn't cry for someone they didn't know? Would he have a eulogy one day that told details of a life worth living? His grip on his mum's hand tightened till he felt his mother's thumb brush over his knuckles out of comfort. He relaxed as he grew numb to the overwhelming emotions he began to experience. He didn't know and he wouldn't know, he was fine by that.
"Trouble usually finds me."
25 Nov 2018, 17:03
Claryssa North's Funeral
Death, to Rosie, was a scary thought.
Maybe it was because she was so young, maybe it was because she was scared to lose her family members inevitably. But for whatever reason it was, one thing was clear, the thought of the end of Rosie's life sent the young girl into an existential crisis. She usually went to her father when she had deep thoughts like that, however, and he calmed her down. But the topic was a very real, but scary one. She was still in the mindset to be afraid of death, sadly. Rosie couldn't pick out a valid reason why, but it just did. She would grow out of this eventually.
It was sort of embarrassing to be one of the few crying, but Rosie wiped the worry away for later. She sniffled and wiped her palms across her eyes, her tears off her face. Rosie's father wrapped an arm around her, and she leaned her small head against his sleeve.
Eren leaned down to Rosie, whispering quietly. "Would you like to leave? You seem like you're starting to stumble a bit." He paused. "I know this is hard for you, we don't have to stay if you don't want to." He said comfortingly, rubbing Rosie's arm.
Her step-father gazed down at his daughter, a frown of concern on his face. He never seemed to know what to say, and Rosie couldn't blame him. What was there to say?
Rosie gripped her fathers' hands, and just nodded. She had done everything she wanted to while she was there, and now she was tired. Eren was right, she was starting to stumble. Her brain felt like it was spinning, and she was internally freaking out. She wiped her eyes again and looked up at Eren, nodding again.
The three of them turned around, and silently began to depart the funeral. But Rosie turned over her shoulder and gave one more look at the funeral. Her tired eyes fell on the coffin, which seemed so far away. As they all walked away, Rosie whispered one more sentence,
"Goodbye, Clary."
Reducio
exeunt rosie.
STAMINA 13 // EVASION 13 // STRENGTH 6 // WISDOM 6 // ARCANE POWER 9 // ACCURACY 8
7 Dec 2018, 22:39
Claryssa North's Funeral
IT began to grow weary on him the more he thought of it, the redundancy of his whole mind caused him more stress than he anticipated. It came in all at once and he wasn't prepared for it at all, at least not right now. Reid didn't know if there would ever be a time where he was 'prepared' and hoped that it would never be for his friends or his mum and dad. He pressed a hand to his face, a wave of exhaustion hitting the boy, perhaps partially from the lack of food and his burdensome thoughts.
HIS hand slid off and it was gently taken in by his mum, who seemed a little worried for the young boy. He glanced up at her, who in turn glanced at her husband. Josef pursed his lips and nodded at her, they both could tell that Reid wasn't going to last long. To not make a scene, it was best if he was taken back to the car for now. The snapped frames of his reading glasses were still held tightly together by his gripped fingers, ones that were slowly loosening by the minute. So his mother gently guided him away from the funeral, where his father stayed to wait for her to come back.
REID was about to protest, but he didn't want to say anything out of turn while the others were speaking. He hung his head, rubbing his eyes as he was taken away from the group. "Are you okay, love?" Reid looked up and nodded in response, his eyes were half-lidded and he wore a different type of fatigue. It was the kind that seemed familiar to him and her at the same time, whenever it felt the most appropriate. That usually revolved around fire and death, destructive matters of the heart and mind that began to worry his mum, much to his ignorance.
"I think so. I'm just tired." As they got to the car, she turned to him as she opened the door, letting him sit on the chair whilst facing her. "You know you can always talk to me if something is on your mind." Reid opened his hand to reveal his glasses, it was snapped and had caused an imprint against the surface of his reddened palms. Edith's mouth slightly opened, surprised by it as she gently picked it up from his hands. "What's the matter Reid?"
THE Hufflepuff looked forlorn, staring towards the way they came from as he let out a gentle sigh. "I dunno how to tell you, mum. You know when something bad happens and you just don't want to say it? I just want to forget it and move on. I thought I forgot it." A look of concern crossed her features as she adjusted herself, she wanted to press him about it but she knew how he could be.
REID was as stubborn as his father and she would end up making him clam up more than he already was. "Is this about Claryssa? Was someone bullying you at Hogwarts?" Reid shook his head, that was the last thing that he planned on ever happening to him. He wouldn't repeat what happened in Derby at Hogwarts, he had more tenacity this time.
"NO, it was just a bad experience." A pause cut through their broken conversation, his mum was thinking rather quietly. "Do you want to still stay at Hogwarts?" Reid's head perked up and he nodded vicariously, he would never want to leave the school. There was a twinge of annoyance in his answer. "Yes, definitely. I really want to stay. This funeral just had me thinking about - I'm just ..." His hand came up a little too harshly against his face and almost slapped himself as a result.
HIS mother's hand gently took his own and held it in hers, giving it a small squeeze. "Relax, speak to me when you're ready, okay?" Reid stared at his mother, blinking before he nodded at her slowly. Maybe in time he would tell her, but for now he wanted to deal with it on his own, if he could. He was coaxed all the way into the car, where it was left running and locked at the same time. Reid laid himself out on the seat, listening to the humdrum of the AC till he fell asleep.
[REID EXITS.]
"Trouble usually finds me."