Owlery

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

Erm...yeah, the owls stay here.

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

((well, they do...))

Meira walked in and looked around, ignoring the smell of owl droppings. It was quiet except for the occasional hoot, and she stepped over to the window and leaned against it, eyes closed.

[Poet in the Dark]

Noray swiveled her head and watched Meira, recognizing her from the day before at the train station. She flew over and landed on the windowsill next to her, watching her with her coal black eyes.

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

Meira turned slightly to look at the owl, hand outstretched.

[Poet in the Dark]

Noray stepped forward, leaning forward, her eyes never leaving Meira's. She nibbled at her fingers gently, then pressed the side of her face against them, closing her eyes.

Tren walked in silently and was about to say something when he saw what was happening. He hid behind a support beam and watched quietly.

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

"I don't belong here, do I?" Meira whispered, stroking the owl's glossy feathers. She sighed lightly, tears dripping down her face. "So many people have asked how I got my scar. I told them it was a curse. Was it wrong not to tell them that my wand caused the scar? That both of them shattered and the explosion forced them inti my arm?" She scratched furiously at the scars, her nails drawing lines of blood across them as she dug into her skin without so much as a flinch. "I can still feel them inside of me."

[Poet in the Dark]

Noray brushed her face against Meira's cheek, ruffling her feathers quietly.

Tren frowned and wished he could help her in some way. He let out a quiet breath, thinking of what he could do.

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

"I can hear you, Tren, you know that, right?" she whispered softly.

[Poet in the Dark]

He sighed, a little surprised, but walked forward and stood next to her. He didn't know what to say. She had made it clear that she didn't want pity. Noray looked at Tren with her black eyes, then nibbled gently at Meira's fingers again.

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

"So now you know. I'm a walking time bomb. No one could tell me what the wand pieces would do, but they did tell me it wasn't good. They'll probably kill me, in the end."

[Poet in the Dark]

Tren shook his head, "No. I don't think so. There may be a way to stop it."

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

"Like cutting off my arm. Sure. The unicorn hairs hav already dissolved into my bloodstream."

[Poet in the Dark]

((Sorry, computer went wacky. It's been acting strange for a while.))

He sighed and stepped a little closer without realizing it. "I'm... sorry, Meira. I know you don't want pity, but... I don't really know what to do. I really wish I could help you."

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

"I really wish I could be helped. But it's not possible now. At least I should be able to finish school before...anything happens."

[Poet in the Dark]

Tren was surprised at how decided she was. How calmly she was dealing with what had been given. "Well, then it's going to be the best years of school you've ever had."

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

"I certainly hope so. I also hope I'm wrong." ((oh, she is. I have a plan! Harry was a horcrux, Meira is *dramatic pause*...A HUMAN WAND! dun dun dun...))

[Poet in the Dark]

((Wow, epic!! :D ))

"So do I," Tren said, stroking Noray.

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

She smiled, looking at the owl. "I'd better get to class. When are the quidditch tryouts, by the way?"

[Poet in the Dark]

"Um, this afternoon, during lunch, I think."

[Everley Sharp, the Clankinist, Merlin's pants!]

"I'll be there. See you later, Tren," she said, slinging her bag up over her shoulder and heading out.

[Poet in the Dark]

"See you," he said quietly, stroking Noray, then leaving for class.

[Poet in the Dark]

Court walked in and looked around for his owl, which was a snowy named Torthin. The male owl opened his eyes and flew over, landing on Court's arm and then hopping up to his shoulder. Court stroked his breast gently, smiling slightly, still processing the news.

[Dovewing]

"Is that your owl? she asked quietly. She didn't know why, but she always whispered in the owlery, like she did in the library. It just seemed to be a place for quiet words.

[Poet in the Dark]

He nodded, turning so Torthin could see her. "His name's Torthin. He was hatched from Mum's owl."

[Dovewing]

"He's gorgeous." she said with a fake, yet believable, smile. She reached a hand toward the owl, stopping just short of it's head so it could decide whether or no to like her.

[Poet in the Dark]

Torthin gave a low sound that seemed to be a combination of a purr and a hoot. He lowered his head so her hand was resting on it, closing his eyes halfway happily.

[Dovewing]

She kept the fake smile on her face and rubbed the owl's head with her thumb. "Mother wouldn't let me get an owl. She said it would look odd, and owl flying about the palace grounds. They're beautiful creatures, though."

[Poet in the Dark]

"I don't know what I would do without Torthin," Court replied, frowning and thinking for a few moments. "You should just ask your mum about falconry. I mean, palaces in the middle ages had falconers all the time, and I think there are still some royal families that keep birds. I hear Muggles have started keeping Barn owls as pets, too."

[Dovewing]

"Really? I'll have to talk to her about that over the summer. And I think the owls are rather uncommon. There's a book about a lady who raised an owl, but that for for a rescue. Most muggles don't keep quote-on-quote 'wild animals'"

[Poet in the Dark]

He shrugged, "Owls are less common falconry birds, but if you have a falconer people won't really question an owl."

[Dovewing]

"Really? I didn't know that. Interesting."

[Poet in the Dark]

He shrugged and looked away, stroking Torthin again.

[Dovewing]

"Are you and your father... close?"

[Poet in the Dark]

Court was quiet for a moment, then nodded, "Yeah. Especially after Mum died. We don't really talk a lot, but we kind of understand each other without needing to."

[Dovewing]

"That must be nice. I'm sorry he was injured."

[Poet in the Dark]

He nodded slightly, "It's okay. Mum always said he was a tough one; he's probably pestering the healers to leave already."

[Dovewing]

"If I ever tried to get the doctors to leave, Mother would rap me on the head with whatever she had in her hand at the time." she said with a smile.

[Poet in the Dark]

Court grinned, "Sometimes Mum would have to use a spell to keep him in his room while he was recovering from a cold or something."

[Dovewing]

"He must have loved that." The smile slowly melted off her face as she lapsed into silence once more. She looked out the window, letting her face reflect some of her feelings - as long as nobody saw, she figured it would be okay to look sad instead of collected, like her mother and father always said she should be.

[Poet in the Dark]

Court exhaled and also looked out the window, Torthin still perched on his shoulder. The owl started preening Court, running his beak through his hair gently.

[Dovewing]

A single tear dripped from her eye, and she reached a hand to her cheek to wipe it away. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, willing the moisture to vanish. She couldn't - wouldn't - break down, not in front of anyone, especially Court. It would be much too embarrassing.

[Poet in the Dark]

Court glanced over at her and frowned, "Hey, are you okay?"

[Dovewing]

"Yes," she lied, then paused. "No. Not really."

[Poet in the Dark]

He put an arm around her shoulder, "I'm sorry. How can I help?"

[Dovewing]

"I don't know. I'm not sure you can. I don't think it's something that can be helped, really."

[Poet in the Dark]

He nodded quietly and looked out the window again.

((Hey, sorry, but I'm just not that interested in this role play anymore, so I'm leaving the group. Sorry!))

[Dovewing]

((yeah, it has been getting kinda boring. Ah well. Sad to see you go.))