Unintended Meetings [Dee]

[Kerridon Paradox]

Had Kerridon known the identity of the girl whom D'rorah had followed into the forest, he might have had a little more of a reaction to it. The Chalis family home was quite near to here – over on the other side of the local muggle town. You could in fact see the large building from some of the windows in Paradox Hall – he remembered Taisy running over to tell him that she could see her new friend's house from upstairs, then dragging him up to show him. He had never actually met her parents, nor been inside her house, and the same had applied to her with Raziel and Paradox Hall until she began to serve Dark Phoenix and had to use the portal to the Shadow Realm next to their grounds. A sudden thought came to him that the portal might be being watched now, following Mami's 'escape', but he would have felt the shadows' presence as soon as he had apparated if they had been there. That would definitely be something to bear in mind in the future, though.

Kerridon sighed a little at the news that blocking the Elemental Master of Wind was not really an option. He did not want D'rorah to get hurt so getting rid of the link the protected her did not seem like the best way to go about it. It seemed it would be difficult to prevent knowledge of them finding its way to Bryan eventually, even if he did not often access the connection. He would learn and train – he had to – and then would get more used to contacting D'rorah by it. There was just the matter of whether it would be best to warn him beforehand, to prevent shock and giving some hint of it, and whether he could be trusted with the information at all. [blue]"Do you believe he would keep it a secret if he found out? And would it be better to alert him before he found out via your connection?"[/blue] He trusted that D'rorah would by now have enough of a grasp on her Elemental Master's personality as to know the best course of action to take with that problem.

He smirked a little at her teasing, replying as soon as she had finished. [blue]"I am quite comfortable as I am, Miss Philosophy, and I do not think that a transatlantic apparition is at all necessary so that I can view the extent of how exhausted you can become."[/blue] He had not done much long-distance apparition previously, and never on his own – when travelling abroad, he had usually made use of floo.

[blue]"You mentioned travelling to China previously,"[/blue] he recalled, remembering the night on top of the Astronomy Tower. Following that, one of the Shadow Warriors – Susan, he thought – had approached them to say that Dylan was missing. What a great loss that had turned out to be. [blue]"As much as I do not want others to know... Master Xiu is effectively the leader of the lightfighters, is he not? Do you not trust him with the knowledge?"[/blue] he questioned.

Kerridon snorted slightly under his breath when D'rorah mentioned the 'distance makes the heart grow fonder' line, showing just how much he thought of that. Although he had heard it numerous times, he had shown no evidence of fact in it. He did not suddenly become fond of his grandfather when he disappeared, nor his mother, nor his father. Even with Taisy, he did not think that his feelings towards her had changed besides the guilt since she had gone.

At first Kerridon thought she was going to comply with what he said, but her response made him a little wary of whether she was actually going to. His doubts were confirmed a moment later when she leaned in to kiss him again. Just as before, he found it impossible to pull away and returned the action most agreeably, the hand still resting on her cheek moving to run through her hair just as she was doing with his... hers was quite a bit longer than his, though. At one point he gained enough self-control to pull himself away from her, but it did not last long and mere moments later he was leaning in again. As the kiss gradually deepened, Kerridon shifted slightly so that he was perched up by one arm, leaning over D'rorah as he kissed her. The hand that had previously been running through her hair relocated to the back of her neck as the other hand kept him up.

It took a while – Kerridon wasn't sure exactly how long – for him to work up the self-control to be able to pull away and keep pulled away. He was breathing heavily, and rested his forehead on D'rorah's as he spoke. [blue]"Miss Philosophy... how on earth do you intend to keep your self-control at Hogwarts when you cannot even control yourself here, when you are in need of such a simple thing as sleep?"[/blue] he demanded, trying desperately hard not to lean in again for more. He would never have suspected that he would ever have problems with his own self-control, and it seemed that keeping such a secret at Hogwarts could prove more difficult than he could have imagined.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah hardly had to think of the answer. She knew Bryan would keep any secret she gave him... she remembered his refusal to tell her what the drawing he had made that had upset Caitlin had been about because he was sure it was some private moment of hers. [blue]"Yes, he would keep our secret,"[/blue] she answered. [blue]"I suppose I should tell him the next time I see him, so that he is not shocked by a sudden realization."[/blue] The real question was whether he would tell under duress... she planned to keep it so that Dark Phoenix did not know who he was to attack him, but she found that her best laid plans were often rent asunder by other circumstances. Still, she was reasonably certain he would withstand any attempt to draw knowledge out of him... she was the steadfast and trustworthy type.

[blue]"He is,"[/blue] she replied as Kerridon asked about Master Xiu. [blue]"I do trust him with the knowledge. Actually, I suppose the monastery is the safest place for all of us to be. Safer even than Hogwarts..."[/blue] She smiled a bit as she thought of going there for the summer. It was the one remaining link with her past, a place where people had known her and her parents... a place where she felt safe and didn't have to constantly look over her shoulder. [blue]"I will enjoy being there again. It has been far too long. If I had my choice in the matter, that is where we would all be... however, I bow to the necessities of continued education for the others and keeping them happy. Certainly, withdrawing them all from school would cause a multitude of problems."[/blue]

She smirked as Kerridon snorted at her mention of distance making the heart grow fonder. Obviously he did not agree with the line. She couldn't really blame him for that; it was a rather silly sentiment, after all. She loved her parents nor more and no less since they had been taken from her... though she missed them quite a bit. Especially on the difficult days. Her mother had always been keen at deciphering D'rorah's moods and responding accordingly. Even something as subtle as the way she turned a page or held her quill... tiny clues that most people would never notice, for they weren't very pronounced... she had always taken note of them and had always seen to it that she helped in whatever way she was able.

She lost as track of time as Kerridon responded to her kiss. As he pulled away, she eyed him expectantly and did not find herself disappointed as he once again moved in for another. She shifted slightly with him as he came to perch over her, feeling the familiar goosebumps rise on her neck as his hand came to rest there. When he pulled away again, she was breathless, breathing heavily just as he was. The slight weight as his forehead rested against hers only made her want to pull him in again. [blue]"I intend to have no self-control whatsoever here, while there is no need, Mister Paradox,"[/blue] she replied quietly. [blue]"I shall save my willpower for lonely days and nights at Hogwarts."[/blue] With that, she pulled him in once more. One hand continued to comb through his hair as the other ran over his back and played at the hem of his shirt. Her lips slowly trailed to his neck, where they lingered for a few moments before she pulled back to regard him once more. She was, undeniably, exhausted after everything that had happened. Perhaps, with this pleasant end to the evening, she would find herself able to manage a bit of sleep unperturbed by nightmares and the like. It was worth an attempt. She placed one last lingering kiss at his lips. [blue]"Sweet dreams, Kerridon,"[/blue] she murmured quietly. She shifted once again, turning so that her back was to him and waiting for him to wrap his arms around her so that she might drift off to sleep once again.

[Kerridon Paradox]

Kerridon was relieved to hear that Bryan would keep the secret, although he was still not particularly keen on telling the boy but couldn't get around the fact that it would prevent any bad, hasty reaction if he discovered it via the connection. [blue]"Very well,"[/blue] he acknowledged, a little grudgingly.

[blue]"It may be impossible for me to stay for the whole summer, but a short while would likely be a possibility so long as Dark Phoenix's communication is not blocked by any protections."[/blue] That would cause quite some problems, if she tried to contact him and found she could not get through, and it seemed entirely possible that such a block against communication was in place. He was certainly eager to see the place and meet Master Xiu, there was just the matter of logistics before such a thing could happen.

Again Kerridon felt the goosebumps on D'rorah's neck as he placed his hand there, and it seemed she was just as breathless as he when he finally pulled away. Although he disagreed with there being no need for willpower when she obviously did need to sleep some more, he found that yet again he could not object to her alternative to sleep. Resisting this at Hogwarts was undeniably going to be very difficult, he concluded as he responded to her kiss. He could feel the hand on his back and it raised goosebumps on his own neck, and a moment later her lips had moved down. Fortunately, now his own willpower had come very close to giving up on getting her some more sleep, her own stepped in and she pulled back. The only thing that stopped him from leaning forward again was the exhaustion he could see on her face.

The last kiss she gave him was certainly lingering, and he had to force himself to let her go as she turned again to how she had been lying before. He dropped down from the arm he had been leaning on and wrapped his other arm firmly around her. [blue]"Sweet dreams, D'rorah,"[/blue] he murmured into her ear, kissing the back of her neck gently once before laying his head down. As before, it was not until he heard her breathing steady and was sure that she was asleep before he allowed himself to do so.

The morning light had not yet made its way fully through the gap in the curtains when Kerridon awoke, still with his arm wrapped around D'rorah. He blinked several times, shifting slightly and reluctantly withdrawing his arm from around her as he slipped out of bed. Heading to the chest of drawers he had yesterday directed D'rorah to and picked out a black shirt and another set of trousers similar to what he was already wearing. Glancing back to take in the sleeping Ravenclaw once, he entered the bathroom to shower. It did not take him long, not wanting D'rorah to awake alone in the room, and he emerged buttoning up the shirt with still damp hair, taking a seat at the end of the bed and looking to see if he had woken her or not.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah nodded slightly as Kerridon mentioned he might be able to stay in China a short while over the summer. She remembered having mentioned it to him before and hearing a similar reply. Of course, now she was far more invested in wanting to see him over those long summer months. [blue]"When last I spoke with Master Xiu, he indicated that it would be possible to make suitable arrangements for you while you are there. He seemed quite interested in your joining our ranks for some reason..."[/blue] she trailed off thoughtfully, remembering the 'conversation' they had shared. [blue]"He was particularly concerned that I would have some conflicted thoughts regarding your involvement, I believe."[/blue] Her lips twisted upward ironically. [blue]"He will find this latest development very interesting indeed."[/blue]

His arm wrapped firmly around her, her eyes slid quietly shut. She sighed happily as he murmured a wish of sweet dreams into her ear and laid a soft kiss at the back of her neck. She was more tired than she had realized before. And it seemed that all unpleasant memories of the nightmare that had woken her had faded into the back of her mind. Before she even realized she was falling asleep, she was already asleep. She did not remember dreaming the rest of the night, slumbering peacefully. She was only vaguely aware as Kerridon shifted and rose from bed, but it did not wake her.

She had a slight smile on her face as she slept--a quiet, almost untroubled expression. She felt his weight as he resumed a seat at the end of the bed and easily emerged from her slumber. She blinked a few times, taking a moment to remember where she was and who she was with. Her lungs expanded and stretched as she breathed in deeply and stretched out her feet, pointing her toes to extend the slowly waking muscles and move some blood into them. Feeling the weight at the foot of the bed, she looked in that direction to see Kerridon, hair damp and buttoning a shirt. [blue]"I actually slept through your waking,"[/blue] she remarked, her tone slightly incredulous. [blue]"Usually, I am the first one to rise in the morning."[/blue] She was usually the first one to pass through the common room every morning, in fact... and was usually the first one in the library as well. Of course, usually she hardly bothered to sleep at all. She sat up and gathered her hair, pushing it back behind her shoulders. Leaning forward she placed a kiss on Kerridon's cheek. [blue]"Good morning."[/blue]

She knew they would be leaving for Hogwarts soon... they would have to in order to slip back into the castle without being noticed. And then she would be forced to keep her hands and eyes away from him. It would be difficult to see him around school and not interact with him, but then she was used to difficult situations. She rose from bed slowly and slipped into the washroom herself, treating herself to one last shower where she wouldn't have to worry about hiding her scars from her fellow female Ravenclaws. Her clothes had been cleaned and repaired and looked just as they had when she had put them on the previous morning, crisp and clean. She dried and dressed, buttoning up the austere attire and drying her hair before brushing her teeth, neatly folding the gown she had slept in and leaving it on the counter, and then returning to the bedroom. She felt relaxed and refreshed, and more... human than she had in months. She eyed Kerridon as she emerged and smiled happily. Yes, this would work... they would find a way to make it work. After everything they had both endured for the sake of this war, surely they both had earned the right to some happiness.

Gathering her hair pins, she set to work quickly pulling her hair into the elaborate coif that kept it all tightly controlled and out of her way as she went through her day. It only took a few minutes... she had been doing it for several years now. Usually, she used her wand and a charm, but today she preferred the simplicity of securing it all herself. Finally, looking very much like D'rorah Philosophy, she stood and faced Kerridon, unable to resist the temptation of giving him one last slow kiss before they would have to leave.

[Kerridon Paradox]

Kerridon saw the smile on D'rorah's face as she stirred and paused, simply watching her as she woke. Feeling her stretch under the covers, he gave her a smile and finished buttoning up his shirt. [blue]"As am I. It appears you needed more sleep than you thought,"[/blue] he told her, smirking a little but pleased that she had actually slept for most of the night. [blue]"Did you sleep well?"[/blue] he inquired, just checking. He was certain he would have woken if she had had any more nightmares, but wanted to be sure that there hadn't been any other interruptions to her rest that he had not noticed.

He grudgingly allowed her to leave for the bathroom again and aimed a spell at his hair to dry it, then aimed the same spell at the top of his shirt when water had dripped. It made more sense to do the spell and then put his shirt on, but he was stuck in the habit from when he had been under the strict training regime of his grandfather. Up early every morning to have a shower, then go for a run without any time to do anything other than quickly put clothes on. Using his wandless magic was forbidden outside of specific practice under watchful eyes, so he had simply gotten used to leaving it as it was. Even now, he had not gotten out of the habit of getting dressed and then performing the spell.

Picking up the robe he had left folded the night before, Kerridon noted it had been cleaned and wondered what Edlyn had thought of coming in to the room and seeing him sleeping in the same bed as D'rorah. Pulling it over his head and slipping on his shoes, Kerridon sat down again on the bed and waited for her to emerge. She didn't take long, and she certainly did look better now than she had the night before. He smirked as she eyed him before turning to put up her hair.

He stood as she was doing so and walked over to stand behind her, very glad he had done so a moment later when she turned to face him and kissed him once again. Wrapping both arms around her, Kerridon would much have preferred to spend another day at Paradox Hall – even with its bad memories and dead animal exhibits – with D'rorah than return to school and be forced to basically ignore her... he already had to do that with Mami to avoid raising suspicion. Sighing, he kissed her lightly on the cheek before murmuring in her ear. [blue]"Your books are in the library; we will need to collect them before leaving."[/blue]

[D'rorah Philosophy]

[blue]"I slept very well, thank you,"[/blue] she replied, her smile brightening. [blue]"And, as you so readily pointed out last night... exhaustively... it seems that I always need more sleep than I think I do."[/blue] She smirked before heading off to the shower.

She hadn't noticed that Kerridon had come to stand behind her until she turned. The gentle pressure of his arms around her inspired a smile as he pulled back from their kiss. She reciprocated, her own arms moving around him. His whispered breath against her ear caused her to tilt her head slightly toward him, but she sighed in return as he mentioned needing to leave.

[blue]"However will I manage the coming days if I cannot even dream of you?"[/blue] she asked quietly, placing a longing kiss at his own cheek. There were many things waiting for her at Hogwarts, but none of them as pleasant as this. She had research to fill her days and keep her happy, but she could just as easily do that here.

She forced her mind away from that track quickly before she could entertain the thought too seriously. The other Lightfighters needed training. And, of course, there were the students of the school who needed protecting and an entire war to be fought. And, undoubtedly, it would be noticed if both she and Kerridon disappeared at the same time. For now, she would have to content herself with thinking of him in private, when she was sure that no one would intrude into her thoughts. One never knew who might be looking. [blue]"I suppose my books are some small consolation for our departure,"[/blue] she added.

She followed him from the room, her eyes scanning the house as they passed through it. Certainly, it was large and well-appointed, though the decor left a bit to be desired, scattered with preserved animals as it was. But then, she supposed it was no worse than the home in Tel Aviv that had been drowned in the gaudy style of King Louis XIV by a great grandmother she had never met. She had considered having it redone, but who had the time for such things? And how much did she really care? Not much, apparently... all she ever really concerned herself with while she was there were the libraries.

[blue]"Are you certain it is wise to show me to the library?"[/blue] she quipped. [blue]"That might very well be the final detail that prevents me from actually leaving."[/blue] And yet, as soon as the bantering statement had passed her lips, she found herself entering the library in question and gazing around longingly at the shelves, redolent with what appeared to be centuries of stored knowledge.

[blue]"Between the two of us, we may well possess more than half the written knowledge of the entire wizarding world."[/blue] She smirked at the statement. She was certain it was no hyperbole... she felt sure that Kerridon had other libraries as well, and that they would be as well-appointed as this one was. She accepted her own texts as they were returned to her, gathering them into her arms carefully. She eyed the charred text that was perched on top and her jaw clenched as she recalled the confrontation with Dylan in the common room. Quickly, she pushed the thought away. She wouldn't allow angry memories of Dylan Cooper to taint the precious few moments she had left with Kerridon now. [blue]"I suppose there really is no justification for simply deciding not to return,"[/blue] she remarked, holding him within her gaze as she smiled longingly. The books between them felt like far too much space as she faced him, but she supposed it was good practice for the much greater space she would have to maintain once they had returned to the school.

[Just fixing that crazy spacing to make it easier for me to read ^^]

[Kerridon Paradox]

At the mention of being unable to dream about him, Kerridon was made aware of the danger stray thoughts could provide at Hogwarts if not guarded properly. He would have to watch his thoughts surrounding D'rorah in case there were any other telepaths at Hogwarts not quite as ethical as her in not intruding on others thoughts. Now he was awake, the thought of going back to the school was much more prominent in his mind than it had been before. It was almost bittersweet being here with her now, knowing that in less than an hour he would only be able to occasionally acknowledge her in passing for the most part.

As they left the room, he kept one arm around D'rorah to keep her close as they headed to the library, passing various dead animals along the way. He really would have to get rid of them sometime... there was just the matter as to whether some of the house elves would think they were part of the Paradox Hall legacy, and should be left there in remembrance of the previous owners' time in charge. He had heard stories of house elves hording possessions after being ordered to get rid of them, and did not want to one day come across a room full to the brim of zebra skins and crocodile heads and leopard rugs.

He smirked at her questioning whether going to the library was a wise choice, wishing that there was a possibility that they really could stay here for longer. But their absence would be noted soon enough – hopefully those in his own dormitory had not noticed he was gone during the night. They were usually asleep when he came up at night and then still asleep when he awoke in the morning, so it should hopefully have been no different to normal.

[blue]"We may have to swap libraries for a few days at some point,"[/blue] Kerridon mused, still smirking. He glanced around the library, and withdrew his arm from around D'rorah to reach out to a nearby bookshelf, picking up the pile of books that belonged to her and handing them to her. He saw her eye the text on top that had been burnt and picked it up lightly to avoid ruining any more of the papers. [blue]"I know of a man who restores texts whom I have used before... he could be of use in preventing this from further damage due to its state."[/blue] He knew how vitally important those texts could be and had used this man countless times before to help with badly damaged documents before attempting to decipher them.

[blue]"There is plenty of justification for not returning... but nothing that can truly be accepted as valid justification,"[/blue] he admitted unwillingly. Wrapping his arm around D'rorah once more, he headed for the entrance he had used yesterday, through the main corridor of dead animals. He released her again to step forward, scraping his hand against the rough wall again to draw blood so that the door would open. The system was designed to prevent escape as well as access. Holding the door open for D'rorah, he closed it again as soon as he was through, taking a few steps down the steps. You could only apparate at certain points on the Paradox estate.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah visibly brightened at the mention of swapping libraries. [blue]"You should save extravagant grantings for special occasions, Mister Paradox, or you may find you have spoiled me."[/blue] He withdrew his arm from around her to hand her the texts he had saved from the ground the previous night and she found herself wishing he would return. She frowned visibly as he selected the partially burnt text and mentioned that he knew someone who could restore it. It wouldn't save the parts that were missing, of course, but preventing any further damage was just as important. [blue]"Thank you,"[/blue] she replied, grateful that he knew someone close by who could do the work. The closest person she knew and trusted was in New York, and she really didn't have time to stop in and visit him. [blue]"That will save me a trip to New York over the coming week."[/blue]

She sighed as Kerridon admitted there was no valid justification for not returning to Hogwarts. Of course, she had already known that, but hearing the confirmation voiced aloud only made their imminent separation seem like that much more of a reality. She leaned into him as he wrapped his arm around her, her own arms wrapped around the texts she carried. She watched as he stepped forward and performed the peculiar blood letting that opened the door to the house. [blue]"How could you have achieved any semblance of normalcy in the face of such odd rituals?"[/blue] she asked, cocking an eyebrow as she stepped through the door that was held open for her. Undoubtedly, the next time they wanted to get away from the school, they would find themselves at one of D'rorah's homes. [blue]"I have a cottage in Hogsmeade... or there are any number of other destinations we might indulge in where we need not perform a blood sacrifice to gain entrance."[/blue]

She followed Kerridon to the apparition point and turned to face him. [blue]"I suppose it would not do to be seen together from this point forward..."[/blue] Though her features had resumed their normal, indiscernible appearance as she prepared to return to a life where she was expected to be stoic and closed, there was a hint of sadness in her voice at the prospect of knowing when they would have time together again. She wouldn't kiss him here, out in the open. Though she was certain no one would see, there was a certain danger to doing anything out in the open... there would likely not be as many protections surrounding the grounds outside of Paradox Hall itself. She gave him one last lingering glance before stepping back and disapparating for Hogwarts. She knew Kerridon would follow after her, stopping to see to the restoration of the text first. And so, without waiting for him, she made her way from the gate to the school grounds to an entrance that took her near the library. She forced herself not to think of Kerridon, though it was very tempting to do so. She could not even allow herself to miss him here except in the deepest recesses of her mind, hidden behind barriers so strongly constructed that even to her the thoughts inside were obscure.

Quietly, she set out her texts and began to see to her research. The work never eneded. It was yet too early to venture to the Great Hall for breakfast, but she made a note to herself to stop and ensure that she did eat. She had promised to make an effort to see to her physical needs and fully intended to fulfill that promise to the best of her ability.

[Kerridon Paradox]

[blue]”I grew up with so much security on both this house and my mother’s, it seems strange when I enter places that do not have such measures to prevent unauthorised access,”[/blue] he explained. Taylor Manor did not have quite such a stringent system to gain entry, but there was still some hefty security and privacy spells in place that would cause quite a lot of pain to anyone who tried to break through. There had been occasions when he was younger that he had witnessed a few strangers having tried to enter and been caught in the traps laid – it was not a pleasant sight.

As they approached the place he had apparated to before, Kerridon slowed a little, unwilling to leave but with no real reasons not to. If they waited much longer their absence from the school would be noticed – just one person taking note of it could prove fatal. He watched with a hint of sadness on his face as she disapparated, then he did similarly.

He arrived in the early morning light of northern France, in a small town close to Calais. He had been here numerous times before but never by apparition, so it was good to see the familiar red stone building just down the road. Entering, he climbed the stairs to the appropriate floor and knocked lightly on the door of the correct apartment. Barely a minute later, it opened to reveal a small, balding man with large glasses and a suspicious expression on his face.

A hasty conversation in French followed, and then Kerridon left again, heading to the same apparition point he had just used. This town was like Hogsmeade in that it was entirely magical, but he still didn’t want to be seen here and so kept to the shadows before disapparating straight to the edge of the Hogwarts grounds. He entered the school using a side door next to the main doors and walked calmly in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room. He would need to gather his books up before heading to breakfast… a stray thought wondered if D’rorah would be there as well, but he quickly pushed it aside.