Post by Scarlett on Apr 14, 2011 20:23:02 GMT -5
The smallest upward twitch of satisfaction tugged unconsciously at the woman’s lips as she watched the cruel, dark-haired one break down in front of her. The other, a wretched boy who had his peace of mind torn away from him as a violent gale tears a blanket from a child’s grasp, she would allow to leave. But murderers, true killers, she would never, ever forgive. And she would never, ever forget.
The woman stepped forward. Her robes swirled about her feet as if she were floating. One could almost believe her to be one of the wraiths that followed her like a shroud were it not for her face, partially hidden by her crimson hood and paler than a specter, but undeniably whole.
She took another step, and her nightmarish companions advanced with her, pressing forward in their impatience, but never passing her. They inhaled, ravenous, the wind whistling through gaping mouths as they struggled to absorb life into their afflicted bodies. Soon. They would have their meal soon.
But Scarlett had stopped, and they could not pass her.
She stood still, her piercing eyes set on the boy who had placed himself defiantly between her and the one she intended to make disappear. He shook, only moments from bursting into tears, his fear leaving him quavering even as his conviction tried desperately to keep him on his feet. His voice came in fits and spurts as he put up a valiant facade.
"I have no clue who the fuck you are, lady. Who do you think you are, coming out of nowhere with those things,” he began.
She remained still, though her gaze still fixed on him as if she meant to drill down his brave front with sight alone.
”We'll work this out on our own. Either that, or make them leave."
She was silent, even when he admitted to the deed of killing the young man left behind her, his blood pooling under him, dyeing the floorboards rust red.
Finally, the hooded woman spoke.
“I don’t think you understand,” she said, boring into his eyes with her own. “You haven’t the right to question me, nor treat me as if I have no part in this.”
A slender hand emerged from her cloak, gesturing first to the still warm body, then to the two boys in front of her.
“I allowed you three stay to bide the rain, though you came uninvited. And not only did you come uninvited, you commit the atrocity of murder in the sanctity of another’s house.”
The woman paused, taking another step forward.
“So,” she said. “I believe the question is, who do you boys think you are, barging into a place you have no right to enter, taking a life you have no right to take?”
“You have killed,” she stated, continuing to close the distance between them. “You have stolen, not only the life from this young man, but also the happiness of those who hold him in their hearts. A father? A mother? A sister? A brother? A friend? A lover?” Her voice had risen, ringing in the enclosed space. “Yes!” she bit off the words harshly, one by one. “You have stolen from them all. You have stolen something precious that can never be recovered, that can never be replaced.”
As she advanced, the dementors came with her, their rattling sighs growing louder as they sensed their prey. “That is a heavy debt to repay. It is a burden you must carry for as long as you live. But!”
She suddenly halted, punctuating the last word. The wraiths moaned loudly, milling behind her as they were denied their prize once again.
“But,” she began again, more softly. “You have remorse, do you not? This man here.” The woman swept a hand back. “You will remember him, yes? The life, the past present and future you’ve erased?”
The woman stared long and hard at Zephyrus before sparing a glance to the broken boy behind him. Her eyes drifted back to the Gryffindor.
“You,” she said. “Promise you will not forget him. Promise that he—” She nodded towards Gabriel. “—will not forget him. Promise you will visit his grave in lieu of those who do not know of his fate.”
“Promise this, pay your debt, and I will let you go free.”
The woman stepped forward. Her robes swirled about her feet as if she were floating. One could almost believe her to be one of the wraiths that followed her like a shroud were it not for her face, partially hidden by her crimson hood and paler than a specter, but undeniably whole.
She took another step, and her nightmarish companions advanced with her, pressing forward in their impatience, but never passing her. They inhaled, ravenous, the wind whistling through gaping mouths as they struggled to absorb life into their afflicted bodies. Soon. They would have their meal soon.
But Scarlett had stopped, and they could not pass her.
She stood still, her piercing eyes set on the boy who had placed himself defiantly between her and the one she intended to make disappear. He shook, only moments from bursting into tears, his fear leaving him quavering even as his conviction tried desperately to keep him on his feet. His voice came in fits and spurts as he put up a valiant facade.
"I have no clue who the fuck you are, lady. Who do you think you are, coming out of nowhere with those things,” he began.
She remained still, though her gaze still fixed on him as if she meant to drill down his brave front with sight alone.
”We'll work this out on our own. Either that, or make them leave."
She was silent, even when he admitted to the deed of killing the young man left behind her, his blood pooling under him, dyeing the floorboards rust red.
Finally, the hooded woman spoke.
“I don’t think you understand,” she said, boring into his eyes with her own. “You haven’t the right to question me, nor treat me as if I have no part in this.”
A slender hand emerged from her cloak, gesturing first to the still warm body, then to the two boys in front of her.
“I allowed you three stay to bide the rain, though you came uninvited. And not only did you come uninvited, you commit the atrocity of murder in the sanctity of another’s house.”
The woman paused, taking another step forward.
“So,” she said. “I believe the question is, who do you boys think you are, barging into a place you have no right to enter, taking a life you have no right to take?”
“You have killed,” she stated, continuing to close the distance between them. “You have stolen, not only the life from this young man, but also the happiness of those who hold him in their hearts. A father? A mother? A sister? A brother? A friend? A lover?” Her voice had risen, ringing in the enclosed space. “Yes!” she bit off the words harshly, one by one. “You have stolen from them all. You have stolen something precious that can never be recovered, that can never be replaced.”
As she advanced, the dementors came with her, their rattling sighs growing louder as they sensed their prey. “That is a heavy debt to repay. It is a burden you must carry for as long as you live. But!”
She suddenly halted, punctuating the last word. The wraiths moaned loudly, milling behind her as they were denied their prize once again.
“But,” she began again, more softly. “You have remorse, do you not? This man here.” The woman swept a hand back. “You will remember him, yes? The life, the past present and future you’ve erased?”
The woman stared long and hard at Zephyrus before sparing a glance to the broken boy behind him. Her eyes drifted back to the Gryffindor.
“You,” she said. “Promise you will not forget him. Promise that he—” She nodded towards Gabriel. “—will not forget him. Promise you will visit his grave in lieu of those who do not know of his fate.”
“Promise this, pay your debt, and I will let you go free.”