Niobe Blakes
Ravenclaw
[blue]Fourth Year Ravenclaw[/blue] Shadow Warrior of Earth
Posts: 88
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Post by Niobe Blakes on May 6, 2009 1:16:27 GMT -5
Fire. She could smell it, feel it, taste it, even touch it. Hot and scalding to the touch, smoke wafting into her lungs, choking her.
Eyes burning. The heat, the smell of ashes. The gritty taste of dirt dried her mouth, her lips were chapped and dry. Her tongue felt like the size of a golf ball, keeping her from speaking.
The screams. There were so many screams, so much pain. Was that her flesh burning? Death and decay, blood and ash. Stumbling, coughing, burning...
Laughing. The sound of a maniac. The whimpers of a woman in pain. The soft grunt of a man dying. She was weeping, somehow she could hear herself screaming, her throat burning and bleeding from the effort. Burning, blazing eyes tried to open and focus through the tears, her screams turning into soft gurgles of pain.
She focused through the blur and saw her mother being held up by the hair by a dark figure. Her father was lying at the figure's feet, dying.
She woke up.
Sweat was pouring down her brow, she was panting, sitting up in bed. Niobe Blakes looked around wildly about her room, seeing nothing but darkness.
Her heart was pounding, as was her head. The dark skinned girl forced her breathing to calm and to regain her composure. Her mind was working furiously, trying to figure out what had jolted her awake. As usual, the nightmare was gone from her mind, a lingering sensation of the fact that it had happened the only thing present.
Knowing that she was going to get no sleep this night, she rose and bathed herself, as was the norm after such a nightmare. It was distressing, having a dream over and over with no real memory of what actually transpired.
Niobe decided it was time to do something about this. Research was her friend, her solace. Even if she didn't remember anything about the nightmare, there had to be something in the library on her issue. Dressing herself in a black shirt with white baggy pants, she slipped on some black soft soled shoes and quietly left the dormitories and headed for the library.
She found that it wasn't too late to be walking the halls, so she found the library open and available. With a sigh, she began to search for any books on strange dreams, becoming oblivious to anything and everything around her.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 6, 2009 1:55:34 GMT -5
D'rorah had settled on the library as the best place to research. It was typically quiet and she found she generally didn't have to worry about interruptions. She took up residence at a table in the back, finding the restricted section had already been closed by the librarian. Likely, she had finally noticed that that was where D'rorah seated herself the times she managed to get locked in the library all night long. Ah well, she would find another place to study when the library closed if she must. She set her books around her, practically burying herself in a stack of thick tomes as she set her quill to its relentless flight across parchment.
Her hands were in constant motion, scratching hasty but elegant writing across the sheaves of her notebook. Her lips were pursed in concentration until her quill suddenly came to a halt. She stared in frustration at the text before her, knowing she would need to find an additional source text to go with and just as certain that it would not be found in this library. However, as this was where she was, it was where she would look first. She made her way to a section of ancient journals and dream texts, moving with purpose and methodically searching for the text she sought.
Her brow was furrowed in annoyance and she looked rather intimidating at her full height of 5'11" enclosed in robes that concealed her flesh except for her face. The collar of the dark navy robes reached to her chin and the sleeves just past her wrists to the heels of her hands. The hem of her robes swirled at her feet malevolently as she searched the shelves. A few wisps of her greyed hair escaped from her tightly bound, intricately constructed coif, dancing in the drafts of the room. The gaze of her grey eyes was penetrating as she spotted a book that might be helpful. Unfortunately, it seemed there was someone else standing in front of it.
[blue]"Pardon me,"[/blue] she asked the younger girl, reaching out a pale hand to indicate the book she wished to take hold of.
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Niobe Blakes
Ravenclaw
[blue]Fourth Year Ravenclaw[/blue] Shadow Warrior of Earth
Posts: 88
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Post by Niobe Blakes on May 6, 2009 2:15:40 GMT -5
"Oh!"
Niobe hadn't been aware that someone else was in the library at this hour. Completely startled, she actually jumped away from D'rorah, her eyes widening. Or perhaps it was from frazzled nerves from a nightmare that she could not remember yet plagued her all the same.
"Sorry," she said softly as she realized that she was in the other girl's way. Bright brown eyes blinked a bit in confusion as she realized that she knew this girl in the robes.
D'rorah Philosophy, house prefect. Niobe did not know her personally, but knew of her. Two grades her senior, there were not many Ravenclaws that did not know of her. She excelled in all of her classes and was a true bookworm.
Niobe glanced at the book she was reaching for "You are researching dreams?" the younger Ravenclaw asked, puzzled.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 6, 2009 2:30:41 GMT -5
The corners of D'rorah's lips tugged downward as Niobe jumped away from her. She supposed it was a natural reaction to her appearance. Recalling the last time she had caught her own reflection in a mirror, she knew she wasn't what one would call a pleasant sight. Her features were pretty, but her skin was pale almost to the point of being ashen after so many brushes with corruption.
[blue]"No need to apologize, Miss Blakes,"[/blue] she replied, making an effort to moderate her facial expression so that it was less harsh. She extracted the desired book from the shelf, flipping through it as Niobe asked whether she was researching dreams. She scoffed, snapping the book closed. "[blue]Hardly. However, first hand accounts of those from the past provide valuable perspective from time to time."[/blue] Her lips pursed slightly. [blue]"And dreams from time to time have their usefulness... depending on what their origins."[/blue] She replaced the book on the shelf, reaching for another as a name caught her eye. [blue]"I suppose you are researching dreams for one reason or another?"[/blue]
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Niobe Blakes
Ravenclaw
[blue]Fourth Year Ravenclaw[/blue] Shadow Warrior of Earth
Posts: 88
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Post by Niobe Blakes on May 6, 2009 5:34:23 GMT -5
Niobe was surprised the older girl knew her name "Of sorts," she replied to D'rorah's question "I'm actually looking for something that could help me concerning disturbing dreams that you can't remember." before the older girl could say anything, she hastily continued "Thing is, I know I'm having horrible nightmares, I just can't remember a thing when I wake up. It's like something's...blocking it. I merely want to see if it's my subconcious playing tricks with me."
Otherwise, dreams were not really something she would be concerned with either. Dreams were not scientific, nor where they particulary interesting. Normally, dreams were just a manifestation of one's subconcious. Nine times out of ten, they held no real meaning. In this situation, however, Niobe felt that if she did not find out what she was dreaming about, it could be harmful to her. She did not have nightmares often, in fact, she didn't even dream. The fact that this was happening now, especially with the fact that all of the students that she encountered seemed depressed or otherwise darkly occupied, was no coincidence.
"I normally don't dream," she decided to add "And I wake up constantly throughout the night, terrified of something I do not remember." she pulled out a book "So I'm hoping to find it within one of these books."
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 6, 2009 5:56:34 GMT -5
D'rorah nodded as Niobe went on to explain what she was looking for, her eyes still scanning the shelves for anything that might be useful. She found her eyes pulled to regard the younger student more fully, however, as she continued to speak. D'rorah gave the bookshelves one last fruitless scan, frowning thoughtfully.
[blue]"I doubt, Miss Blakes, that you will find anything suitable for your situation here,"[/blue] she remarked, a slight annoyance creeping into her voice on account of the library's deficiency. [blue]"While this library is the most remarkable single collection in the wizarding world, it does lack in certain areas. The books on dreams, in particular, leave much to be desired."[/blue] She pulled one from the shelf in example. [blue]"This gaudy piece of tripe, for instance, purveys itself as having some modicum of expertise in the area of interpreting nightmares; however, the research is second rate--poorly done, and filled with half-witted opinions,"[/blue] she spoke the word opinions as though she were talking about toxic sludge, drawing out the last syllable slightly as though it left a foul taste on her tongue.
D'rorah pursed her lips as she slid the book back into its space on her shelf, happy to be rid of the shoddy piece of rubbish before it might possibly contaminate her with its mediocrity. [blue]"Most authors who write about dreams fancy themselves some sort of divinations experts... hopeless mediocrity at its finest."[/blue] She turned her full attention back to Niobe, her grey eyes penetrating as she assessed her. She wondered if it would be worthwhile to offer her assistance... she was always on the lookout for odd occurrences, and the sudden appearance of inexplicable nightmares which the dreamer could not remember might or might not fall into the category of "odd".
She threw a look to her table, reassuring herself that no one was disturbing or attempting to read the texts she had left sitting there. They were a jumble of languages, many of them dead and nearly forgotten, but one never knew who might be able to read them. [blue]"Perhaps I might be of some assistance,"[/blue] she offered, unable to talk herself out of investigating any strange occurrence which had the possibility of proving to be significant. [blue]"I find myself particularly sympathetic to your plight."[/blue] Certainly, D'rorah had spent far more than her fair share of sleepless nights tortured by nightmares; however, unlike Niobe, she knew exactly where hers came from.
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Niobe Blakes
Ravenclaw
[blue]Fourth Year Ravenclaw[/blue] Shadow Warrior of Earth
Posts: 88
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Post by Niobe Blakes on May 7, 2009 0:11:39 GMT -5
Mentally, Niobe paused. There was something a bit...off about D'rorah. It was mostly the way she spoke. It almost came off as snobbish, or perhaps...adult?
Perhaps that was it. D'rorah didn't speak like any girl her age, she spoke like an adult. Niobe didn't feel like she was speaking to a girl two years her senior at all. It wasn't uncomfortable at all, just different.
Niobe was curious as to how she felt she could help her. D'rorah seemed to feel quite disdainful of any books concerning dreams. The young Ravenclaw wondered how this girl would fare over authors that were well read and known.
"Well, as long as I'm not bothering you..." Niobe said. "You look as if you're doing something important, I don't want to drag you into my business over something that could mean nothing at all."
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 7, 2009 0:55:58 GMT -5
[blue]"You would not be bothering me,"[/blue] replied D'rorah, hoping that would turn out to be a true statement. [blue]"And I am certain it will not turn out to be nothing. At the very least, I feel inclined to address your lack of sleep. Such things can affect one's health if they are allowed to continue."[/blue] Indeed, D'rorah's appearance was certainly proof of that. Between routinely missing meals and losing sleep either to overzealous work ethic or nightmares, she looked as though she could stand a long sleep herself. She smiled, attempting to make the expression warm on her cold features. [blue]"I am, after all, one of your house prefects. Attention to such matters would seem to fall squarely within my responsibilities to that position."[/blue]
She gestured for Niobe to follow her, leading the way to her table in the back. As soon as they were back there, D'rorah set about closing texts, obscuring the words of the myriad languages which adorned them from view. She resumed her seat, gesturing for Niobe to take the seat situated across from her. [blue]"Now then, Miss Blakes, you have my full attention. So, we shall start with what you do know or remember. And from there we shall attempt to elucidate upon what you do not."[/blue] She waited, quill in hand, prepared to note down what Niobe said so that it might be referred to later.
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Niobe Blakes
Ravenclaw
[blue]Fourth Year Ravenclaw[/blue] Shadow Warrior of Earth
Posts: 88
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Post by Niobe Blakes on May 7, 2009 2:03:50 GMT -5
"Well, like I said.." she began "There's not much to remember."
She put the book she had grabbed away and followed D'rorah. "Thank you, in any case, for helping me." she sat down, eyeing the texts but not trying to pry. Taking a deep breath, Niobe tried to cooperate with D'rorah by trying her best to sort through the black haze that was her nightmares.
"....Heat." she said finally, after a long moment of concentration "Just a lot of heat." she shook her head. It was too difficult to come up with anything else "Like something's burning." Something horrible. It was just a sensation, nothing more.
"Beyond that...nothing." she said honestly "My mind starts to become fuzzy and dizzy if I try to think of it any more than that."
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 7, 2009 2:38:51 GMT -5
D'rorah listened intently, writing down the scant information Niobe had available to her. She wondered what the burning might be about. It would be an uncommon manifestation for anything relating to Shadows, though she supposed it was not impossible. What truly piqued her interest was the statement that things became fuzzy and dizzy if she attempted to concentrate on the dream. Most people might think that was normal, but D'rorah knew that most dreams simply faded away and remained just beyond grasp when the dreamer later attempted to recollect them. She had read enough dream accounts in her translations and research to know that the combination of fuzziness and dizziness meant something was attempting to obscure her from remembering.
[blue]"This... fuzzy, dizzy,"[/blue] she tripped slightly over words that sounded so colloquial and imprecise, [blue]"feeling you speak of--it recedes once you cease attempting to remember the dream?"[/blue] It was half-statement, half-question. She wished she could simply delve into her housemate's mind herself and find the information, but could not invade her privacy so ruthlessly. She refused to abuse her gift of telepathy... besides, there was always the possibility that Niobe might notice the intrusion and D'rorah's secret would get out. Knowing the fear and ostracism that accompanied suspicion of telepathy, D'rorah figured she didn't need any additional reason for others to find her off-putting.
She had an idea. [blue]"Can you think around your dream? What I mean to say is, you know that you start with heat... can you allow your mind to wander from there? You may be able to associate other things with that without thinking directly of the dream."[/blue] Short of monitoring Niobe's sleep, she knew it would be difficult to find the information in the dream if it was being blocked. And somehow she had a feeling that the younger Ravenclaw wouldn't feel comfortable with D'rorah watching over her as she slept. [blue]"How often have you had the dream? Does it happen more than once in any given night?"[/blue]
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Niobe Blakes
Ravenclaw
[blue]Fourth Year Ravenclaw[/blue] Shadow Warrior of Earth
Posts: 88
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Post by Niobe Blakes on May 7, 2009 4:32:32 GMT -5
A frown appeared on Niobe's brow as she continued to concentrate "Yes." she replied slowly "Mind you, I've never tried this hard before now to actually focus on it, but the less I try to focus on it, the better I feel. The more I try to focus on it..."
A pause. Niobe was trying to think on the older Ravenclaw's questions, but she also found herself actually trying to remember the dream. Before, it was as if she never held any interest in thinking about it, but perhaps that hadn't been the case. It was almost as if anything beyond being disturbed from the nightmare was made fuzzy, pushed to the side. She couldn't really think of why she had never tried to remember the dream, only that it had been simpler to let it go.
She tried to do as D'rorah suggested and think around the dream. Closing her eyes, she felt her head begin to spin and her stomach churn. Another pause. There was noise, faint at first, hardly noticable. It was difficult to focus on, for her head began to actually start buzzing and she felt a bit of nausea creep up on her.
"Noises...I can't make them out. High pitched...almost like..."
The sharp, agonizing scream of her mother jolted her out of her thoughts. With a cry, she jumped out of her chair. Her head was buzzing, her eyes were burning. Her hands moved over her mouth and she felt like retching.
Niobe shook her head "I...I can't." she began "I...don't think I can do anymore." The dark skinned girl actually looked quite pale "I...I need to use the washroom, I think I'm going to be ill."
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 7, 2009 9:09:04 GMT -5
D'rorah watched Niobe carefully as she began trying to explore her dream once again. Her quill scratched away, making notes of everything she said to that anything useful could be sorted out later. She felt the force of the scream that sounded in Niobe's head and quickly shielded herself against the mental projection. D'rorah was out of her chair in an instant and at Niobe's side, seeing the librarian shooting her evil looks from across the room.
[blue]"Quickly then, Miss Blakes,"[/blue] she urged, intent on helping the younger student to the washroom and making sure she was alright. She rose from her seat at the same time as she cast a packing charm, sending everything into her satchel and slinging the strap over her shouler hastily as she began leading Niobe from the library hastily. [blue]"My apologies,"[/blue] she offered in a strained voice. [blue]"I did not intend to make matters worse."[/blue]
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Niobe Blakes
Ravenclaw
[blue]Fourth Year Ravenclaw[/blue] Shadow Warrior of Earth
Posts: 88
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Post by Niobe Blakes on May 7, 2009 17:39:59 GMT -5
Upon entering the washroom, Niobe found herself a toilet and promptly lost some of the contents of her stomach. She felt horrible, her mind was buzzing and her stomach was roiling. This was nothing simple or ordinary.
When finished, she quickly washed up and excused herself to D'rorah. Niobe felt a twinge of embarrassment, but decided not to voice it.
"Don't worry about it," she said eventually, when she was right again. "You didn't do anything wrong."
A few deep breaths. She closed her eyes and opened them after a moment, looking at D'rorah. She wondered how much to tell the older Ravenclaw. Then again, had it not been for her, Niobe wouldn't have even thought to do what she did. She owed her some explaination.
"I heard my mother's voice." Niobe said finally "She was screaming. I...think the heat was fire. Things were burning." she shook her head, even recalling that much made her feel nauseated "But that's it. Anything more and I become ill." a pause "I...don't think it's natural. The more I try to focus on it, the more painful it becomes. It leads me to believe that someone has cast a rather powerful spell on me...but for what reason? Why would someone not want me to remember this dream? What significance does it hold...besides being personal that is." the last bit was said quietly.
The fact that she knew it was her mother screaming greatly disturbed her. What sort of nightmare was this? Or was it a nightmare at all?
Unfortunately, she did not come from a family of divinators, she came from a family that excelled in protection spells, charms, and potions. She didn't really think any of those would help her at this juncture.
"The biggest question is, how can someone know that I'm having a dream that they don't want me to see? Isn't that impossible?"
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 7, 2009 18:31:13 GMT -5
D'rorah waited quietly for Niobe while she was sick, her lips pursing slightly as she considered the information she had so far. This couldn't be an ordinary dream... not with such a violent reaction. She attempted to make herself as inobtrusive as possible as the younger student washed up, mulling over the strange events in her mind. The brief absolution Niobe sent her way was met with a short nod which quickly became full attention as she began to explain what she had seen and heard.
She knew it must have been disturbing for Niobe to have dreams about her parents. Likely, they were somewhere in the world, safe. It must have been more difficult to have to worry over the protection of the living. D'rorah had had that responsibility removed from her by the Mage... in violent and traumatic fashion.
Her last question was met with a slow shaking of D'rorah's head. [blue]"You will find that there are many ways a person can be tormented by those who wish to do so. I am no analyst of dreams, by any stretch of the imagination..."[/blue] she paused, carefully towing the line between revealing too much and too little. [blue]"I have read an account similar to yours before, where the disturbing image was merely a diversion. It was the underlying details which someone was attempting to obscure. The dizziness and nausea are merely another layer of that subterfuge, attempting to make you cease delving into the dream..."[/blue] she trailed off for a moment, leveling Niobe with an assessing gaze. [blue]"That is, unless the dream itself has some basis in historical fact?"[/blue] She was certain Niobe would have said something if her mother had been killed in a fire or killed at all. It would have come along with the dream. [blue]"Sometimes the mind itself blocks certain things from a person as a self-protective mechanism."[/blue]
She gestured for Niobe to follow her as she turned to exit the washroom, thinking it would be best to return to the common room. [blue]"In any matter, I do not believe we should explore it further tonight. The dreams are likely to stop for the time being. You would benefit from sleep, I believe. And perhaps tomorrow we can pursue this matter further."[/blue]
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Niobe Blakes
Ravenclaw
[blue]Fourth Year Ravenclaw[/blue] Shadow Warrior of Earth
Posts: 88
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Post by Niobe Blakes on May 9, 2009 17:21:21 GMT -5
Niobe frowned as D'rorah explained that her situation was nothing she hadn't heard before. Another person had experienced the same issue? She wasn't sure if she liked that, who would play around with other people like that? The thought upset her a bit.
"No, my parents are very much alive." Niobe answered. At least, she hoped it wasn't happening right now. She would have to write a letter to her family immediately to make sure that everything was okay.
"Rest...that sounds like a good idea." she was tired. Her head hurt and she still felt the subtle waves of nausea. "If you wish to continue to help me, please let me know when would be a good time for you...I know you're very busy, I don't wish to bother you with my trivial matters."
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