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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 8, 2007 11:15:56 GMT -5
D'rorah watched the puzzlement spread across Alessandro's face. "The nightmares and visions are part of the book's evil. They cannot simply be taken away until the book's hold on you is broken. Surely anyone who knows so much of the history of the book would know that." She took a deep breath... she should have pushed harder before. The time she had delayed in taking the book from him had been so long. She now seriously doubted whether she could safely break its hold from Alessandro... once Vanessa's barrier had been breached by the evil growing within, there was a high likelihood that he would be swept away by it.
She found herself pulled back to the present by his next statement. His facial expression evoked little confidence in whatever he would say next. She made a monumental effort to keep her voice even and her expression neutral as she spoke again. "Yes, I remember when you said that the book is in a safe place... I know now that it was in your dormitory the day I first confronted you about it. Where is it now?" she asked quietly.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 8, 2007 11:25:58 GMT -5
He gulped as he stared at her. He inhaled through his nostrils and then spoke. "I, uh...sent it home..." He said softly. "It was the only place I could think of where it would be safeguarded from anyone. My specific instructions were to have it dropped off on the balcony to my bedroom. My mother, nor Hewlett, would see it there." He said painfully
He rubbed his forehead agitatedly and then ran his hand back through his hair, revealing his fearful, confused gray eyes.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 8, 2007 11:37:16 GMT -5
D'rorah took a deep breath. She stood from her seat on the common room floor and began hastily gathering her things into her satchel. "Come with me," she said urgently. "You are to use no magic from the time we leave to the time we return. The Ministry's trace on underage wizards will make your spells easy to track. I am of age, I will perform whatever magic we find necessary."
She hid her anger and disappointment behind a mask of determination. First, they would retrieve the book... one step at a time. She could see the fear and confusion in his eyes and knew at the moment he needed her understanding, rather than her anger. Her only hope was that, once they had returned with the book, some of the others might be able to help with destroying the darkness so carefully shrouded inside of Alessandro. She knew she would not be able to do it alone.
Taking him by the hand, she led him to his dormitory. "Secure these in your locker," she directed, handing him her satchel.
"Now then, the fastest way to leave the grounds is to fly... stay beside me and I will transfigure you back once we have reached a safe spot from which to apparate. Do not use any magic," she reiterated... the last thing they needed was to be caught leaving the grounds without permission and there was certainly no time to secure permission... even if there had been, there was no one to ask it from.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 8, 2007 23:37:12 GMT -5
Alessandro was devastated inside. He hated himself for being so distrustful to D'rorah, he knew he should have just let her have the book in the beginning. He thought he could handle it but he was wrong. It turned out that he wasn't as strong as he thought he was. He listened to Dee as she spoke quickly making hasty preparations for their unscheduled and unapproved departure. His gaze never met hers until she told him that she would transfigure him.
"What??" He asked. "You're going to transfigure me??" He asked a little scared of what he may become. He remembered how uncomfortable it was as a mouse, when Keaira had transfigured him for tricking her with rat-apples.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 8, 2007 23:50:17 GMT -5
"Yes, of course," she replied, somewhat impatiently. "Unless you know a better way of flying without being noticed, Mister Darko. We cannot apparate while on school grounds and I do not wish to be seen leaving. We will be birds. I want you to stay very close to me. After I transfigure you, I will shift to my own animagus form and we will fly together to..." she thought for a minute. "The mountains just beyond the castle grounds. We can apparate safely from there without being seen."
She brandished her wand and waited for Alessandro's approval before beginning. Though time was rather of the essence, so she hoped she wouldn't be met with further objections.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 9, 2007 0:08:37 GMT -5
Alessandro nodded as he recieved his explanation. At least he wouldn't have to be a bird for long. He wondered what it would feel like and hopefully he could get the hang of flying as a bird, something he hadn't the pleasure of doing.
He watched as D'rorah continued to make haste, brandishing her wand and seemingly waiting for him to grant approval. He gave her a nod that said: "Go ahead" and he waited for his body to begin to form the bird. He wondered what kind of bird he would turn into, remembering his transfiguration class, he turned the gravy boat into a raven. He didn't know many other birds than that except for blue jay, and robin, and some other common birds.
He shut his eyes and continued to wait, silently praying that it wouldn't hurt.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 9, 2007 0:22:16 GMT -5
Seeing him nod, D'rorah flourished her wand and watched as Alessandro transformed into a form she was quite familiar with--a bird she knew quite well, as it was her own animagus form--a sparrow. True, it wasn't the quickest bird for flight, but it was one she knew well enough to transfer to another person.
Once she had finished, she pocketed her wand and transformed into a sparrow herself. Hopping up onto the windowsill, she tilted her head and considered Alessandro's sparrow form. She dove from the window first, wanting to offer a crash tutorial on flying. She assumed he would pick it up fairly quickly... Dylan had on the day they had flown back from Hogsmeade.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 9, 2007 0:42:01 GMT -5
Alessandro had opened his eyes right as the transformation had begun. Everything rushed away from him as he began to shrink rapidly, having feathers begin to sprout all over his body. His nose and mouth protruded forward quickly, hardening into a beak. He felt sick as he felt his teeth quickly dissapear into his gums. His shoulders cracked as the bones reformed, sending his arms backwards, and his fingers melding into his hand. His knees popped backwards and his heels sprouted claws as the front of his feet divided into claws.
In a matter of moments, he was fully transformed into a sparrow, yet he didn't know what kind of bird he was. He looked on as Dee morphed herself and hopped onto the window sill and dove off.
Following suit, he hopped up onto the sill and lagged with apprehension. She expects me to just JUMP?? He thought as he watched her fly off. Damn it... He thought as he hopped into the air spreading his wings.
Immediately he plummetted into a panic. This is hard! He thought as he began to chirp crazily. He was flapping his wings hard and he slowly began to gain altitude.
Dee!! Wait up!! He thought, hoping she was allowing incoming calls.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 9, 2007 0:53:38 GMT -5
D'rorah made a loop back around as she heard frantic chirping behind her. Hearing Alessandro's thought, she fell back to fly beside him. Use your tail to steer and use the wind to your advantage... ride the currents when possible.
She demonstrated as she continued on. She knew that learning to fly took a bit of practice, but the only real way to do it was simply... for lack of a better term... to jump in. She eyed the mountains in the distance and hoped he would be able to make it that far. They at least had to make it off grounds... past the apparition barriers in place around the school. She preferred further out simply so they would not be seen leaving.
She enjoyed the flight, personally. Despite the motivating factors behind it, she felt a connection with her element when flying. She drew strength from the wind... strength that was much needed, given recent events. However, embracing Wind did make her wonder where Mordred was and whether she would find him again. She hoped soon... before they had another encounter with the Mage... pushing the thoughts from her mind, she pressed on.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 9, 2007 1:03:05 GMT -5
As D'rorah instructed him, he found that using his tail did indeed help him steer better, almost like a motor boat. It was exhilirating flying like that, feeling the wind caress his bird form, feeling it rush through his feathers. He was getting the hang of it quite quickly.
What an idiot I am...sending the maleficus home...gah... He thought scathingly. Why on earth would I do that? He questioned himself, not expecting to recieving an answer. We had to keep it from her. said a voice from deep down in his mind. Was it his own? It almost sounded like it was, but it sounded like there was another present.
Ohhh Dee, we have to hurry! Alessandro cried out to her.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 9, 2007 6:31:19 GMT -5
D'rorah head Alessandro's cried thought just as they were nearing the mountains. Deciding they were far enough away from the castle that they would not be seen, she came short of her intended destination and rapidly dove for the ground, shifting back to human form just in time for her feet to touch down upon the grass.
She waited for Alessandro to land before brandishing her wand and transfiguring him back to his human form. Taking his hands into hers, she locked gazes with him. "Think of your home," she instructed. "Think of your home and I will find the location and take us there... and continue to fight. I know it is difficult, but you must." She could feel, just looking at him, even without stretching out her awareness, that it was almost as though there were two beings before her. Vanessa's barrier had been carefully calculated... it would remain up just long enough to thrust him into a hopeless situation.
She sent out a thought to the others, knowing she would need the other Shadow Warriors and as many Elemental Masters as she could gather together once they returned to fight the effects of the book. They would meet in the Room of Requirement upon their return... she would get him there somehow... though she wasn't entirely certain how.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 9, 2007 10:54:17 GMT -5
Seeing D'rorah immediately swoop down to the ground, he followed suit landing on the ground somewhat gracefully next to her feet. In a matter of moments he was rising up quickly from his bird form to face her. Her eyes were penetrating as she gripped both of his hands with hers.
He swallowed hard. He was beginning to feel very strange. His thoughts were racing as she spoke and instructed him to think of his home and continue to fight. "Home..." He spoke and closed his eyes.
He filled his thoughts with the three story victorian home nestled in the heart of Manchester, England. He began to think of the smells of his kitchen, and the comfort of his room. Realizing he should probably concentrate on one specific place, he began to think long and hard about the detailed veranda that Hewlett and his mother liked to sit out on and watch the sunset.
He began to see the dark stained wood veranda, then the bench swing, the ivy winding its way up and down the walls, the lavish front door with a Lion's head doorknocker. It all became a strong and vivid thought that he latched onto in his head.
"Okay..." he whispered.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 9, 2007 15:51:14 GMT -5
D'rorah probed into the thoughts Alessandro projected, focusing on the location. She recalled the details very carefully, wanting to get there as quickly as they could. Gripping his hands more tightly, she apparated, taking him with her. She looked around for a moment, surveying her new surroundings. Had their situation not been so urgent, she might have taken some time to appreciate the lovely house. As it was, she issued only one directive. "Find the book. Retrieve it so we can leave quickly. Wait."
She paused, she could already feel Vanessa's barrier beginning to weaken. Thinking quickly, she pushed into his mind, strengthening the barrier, hoping she could make it hold out long enough for them to get back to Hogwart's. "Fight harder," she instructed quietly as she set to work linking their two minds together. She would remain with him, thinking their combined strength would make holding off the darkness easier for him. Once she was satisfied, she again repeated her instruction to find the book. She could hear his thoughts echoing could feel his memories whisper past as though his mind was her own... likewise, he would be able to do the same... a thought which made her vaguely uncomfortable, unused as she was to sharing private memories.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 9, 2007 23:08:42 GMT -5
In an instant it seemed as though he was plunged into darkness and had all the air sucked out of his lungs. It felt as though he was being squeezed through a tiny rubber tube. When they apparated onto his veranda, he let out a small choking noise as he sucked in massive quantities of air. Being a fifth year, he had never apparated before.
D'rorah gave him a simple command: Find the book, leave quickly. He was about to go inside before he urged him to wait. She looked at him in the eyes and he felt that tingly sensation again, and then she said "Fight harder."
He nodded and went to the front door. He took a breath as he gripped the handle and pushed forward entering the foyer. He hoped that his mother wasn't home, he didn't want to explain anything to her right now, as there was little time. He knew Hewlett wouldn't be home so that was one down. He crossed the sitting room peering to the left into the conservatory and then right into the kitchen area. No mother. He quickly leapt onto the staircase and made his way up to the second floor where his room was at the end of the corridor.
He began to hum a song softly as he though the words in his head as he entered his bedroom
[glow=white,2,300]"There's a spark inside us, That we can all ignite, And all thats dark inside us, Will flicker into light...[/glow]
His room was decorated with wall hangings of American Movie posters, and a large tapestry with the picture of a crescent moon on it. He tiptoed over the dark stained hardwood floors as he made his way over beside his desk to the french doors to his balcony. "There it is..." He breathed as he pressed his face against the glass looking at the brown paper wrapped book.
His heart began to race as he opened the door and slowly approached the book. He could hear it pounding in his ears. Pick it up...open it... said a voice at the back of his mind. He bent down and gripped it in both hands, then tearing the paper off, revealing the weathered, leather cover. He felt an energy surge all over his body as he held it in his hands, his eyes transfixed on it.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 9, 2007 23:24:04 GMT -5
D'rorah had remained mostly where she was, knowing that Alessandro would find the book more quickly without her tagging along and sure she would only get lost if she tried to move about the house on her own. She was waiting, feeling him search for the book as she watched in her mind.
And then, he had found it. She saw its pull on him even as he ripped the wrapping from the book. She hurried through the house, desperate to find him before he opened the book. She could not hold the barrier she had reinforced if he opened the book...
"Alessandro, do not open the book," she said calmly, advancing upon him slowly now that she was in the room with him. "It calls to you, but you must resist. Please, hand it to me," she asked, holding out a hand calmly. "I promise, I will return it after we have dealt with the darkness you are fighting."
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