Riding out the storm (Tia, Open)

[Jayce Anderson]

Jayce looked to the side, thinking. This was too much, for both of them. She was used to comforting a little girl with small worries, not dealing with someone out for her cousin's life. Life would be so much easier if she had just stayed in Canada, yet.... could she really take the thought of not having met her friends, or Tia?

Jayce shook her head at such thoughts, resolute. Yes, life would have been simpler, but the only thing she would change from what she had now would be that there would be no one out to get Tia. She turned back to her cousin, taking a deep breath. Now was not the time to admit how scared she was.

"Yes, I saw a picture in there. It may be best to not take it out, though. Some things are better left until the scars have healed. If someone had been after you to kill you then, you wouldn't be here right now. We've both got to be strong, or they'll tear us up before they even get close. We may be first years, but we aren't alone. Marcus had few he could turn to around him. You have the support of your friends, and our family once I tell them. If this happens again, we can go to the headmaster, or Professor Wise. We aren't in this alone, and we will get to the bottom of this."

[Tocanema Tia Spellman]

"Yes, I saw a picture in there. It may be best to not take it out, though. Some things are better left until the scars have healed."

"Is there anything on it, Jayce? What are you not telling me?" ,Tia asked her cousin, knowing that Jayce had seen something in connection to the picture. Something that she was afraid would hurt Tia more seeing than if she didn't see it.

"If someone had been after you to kill you then, you wouldn't be here right now."

"If that was the case Jayce, Then why was I never allow to go anywhere without either Marcus, Seth or Mrs. Wright? I could even go to a friend's house without one of them checking it out." , Tia said as she recalled to Jayce all the times she hated them being overprotective.

"We've both got to be strong, or they'll tear us up before they even get close. We may be first years, but we aren't alone. Marcus had few he could turn to around him."

"I don't know if I can Jayce. I know I have talked about finding Marcus' killer and getting justice. But I have always thought it would be giving the name and proof to somebody that would see that person go to prison." , Tia confided to Jayce. She had never thought of going after the person herself. Now it looked like the killer knew that she was there at Hogwarts and was going to make sure that she never graduated. "Jayce, Marcus had Seth. SSomething made him go alone that day. I wish I knew what Marcus meant when Mrs. Wright asked him, 'Why meet with him now?' Marcus said, 'Do we want him to come here?' She said, 'No, but I don't want you to face him either.' Marcus looked at me and then he told her, 'He doesn't know he missed her and I want it kept that way. If he comes here, then he won't care who gets killed. He proved that with James. I can't risk it. Nobody takes our fall. I have got to go. Tell Seth where I've gone and have him get there asap. Samantha, protect her as you have always done.' Who were they referring to? Who are they scared would come?", Tia said terrified that he had referred to Tia when he said that the man had missed her and didn't know it.

" You have the support of your friends, and our family once I tell them."

"Jayce, I know but Marcus was afraid that this person would kill anyone that stood against him and his target." , she told her cousin terrified she would get her cousin and friends killed. "It looks like I am his target. I don't want you guys to get hurt because of me." ,Tia looked around as she tried to explain to Jayce why if faced with a choice she would face the man alone just like Marcus.

"If this happens again, we can go to the headmaster, or Professor Wise. We aren't in this alone, and we will get to the bottom of this."

When Jayce brought up the headmaster and Professor Wise, Tia thought of what Wise had said about her walking that fine line and about one day being good at non-verbal spells. "Jayce, do you think that the Wrights sent me here because they knew that the headmaster was extremely protective of his students. Could Seth know somebody here that he trusts with my safety?" ,Tia said wishing she knew more about the Wrights. Remembering the four Wrights that were students here, she asked Jayce, "Could the four Wrights here be related to Seth and Mrs. Wright?"

[William Blakelee]

It was very rare to see Will outside with a broomstick in his hands. Why was that you ask? Well, to make a long story short. During the first ever flying lesson he had ever taken, he had a nervous breakdown. He was afraid of heights and he was afraid that if he went up in the air that he'd pee himself. Well, unfortunately he did pee in his pants and now his sister taunts him with that story ever since. And, he never flew again. That was why it was so rare for him to be seen with a broom in his hand. And honestly, the broom didn't feel right in his hands. Like the broom knew he was scared and would buck him off as soon as he was about a few feet in the air. Well, some do say that brooms were like horses and could sense fear. Shrugging off the thought of his first flying class, Will made his way out towards the the middle part of the field.

Putting his broom down on the ground, he had to rack his brain for the first thing to do first. Remembering that he was supposed to put his hand over his broon, Will felt like he was eleven years old again. Frightened of what was to come and praying long and hard to not pee his pants again. Saying the required word to get his broom into his hand, he was very surprised when the broom actually flew into his hand. It took him about ten tries the last time he tried flying. But, he was wiser and smarter and knew that it was ridiculous to be scared. The thought gave him a bit more courage and started to mount his broom. He closed his eyes before kicking from the ground and opened them when he was in the air. He was very surprised to say that he didn't feel scared at all. So, he started flying for about an hour until he saw noticed two girls on the ground below him. How long had they been there? Will hoped they weren't having a laugh at his broomstick skills. But, then he noticed that the two girls looked a bit troubled and took out somethings that he was sure were like parts of a mystery.

Knowing that it was prying what he was about to do, Will landed to the ground and strolled over to the two girls. Once where the two were, he said, "Hello ladies. I couldn't help, but notice how you two looked a bit troubled and wondered if there was anything I could do." They were first years by the looks of it, so how big could the two girls troubles be?

[Jayce Anderson]

"Is there anything on it, Jayce? What are you not telling me?"

"It's nothing. See?" Jayce took the picture out of Tia's bag herself, showing an unmarred picture of the two. However, she held it so that Tia couldn't see the back, or the writing placed there. 'All ties are broken easily. Even family doesn't last, eh? I'll prove you wrong, whoever you are.' Jayce smiled at her cousin, slipping into her non-literal mask to hide the lie with practiced ease. 'I hate lying to her, but she doesn't need to see this. It'll simply cause a panic.'

"Hey Tia, can I please keep it? Even though I never got to meet him, this picture will at least let me get a glimpse of what he was like. Even just for a little while?"

Her face went serious again, as she contemplated the problem. She shook her head, expression somber. "I don't know, Tia. Our family's got a lot of influence, so did the Andreas', here in Europe. Influence means enemies, many of which we wouldn't know about. I don't really blame them for being overprotective, since you were found in the arms of a murdered woman."

"Jayce, I know but Marcus was afraid that this person would kill anyone that stood against him and his target." , she told her cousin terrified she would get her cousin and friends killed. "It looks like I am his target. I don't want you guys to get hurt because of me.

Jayce grabbed Tia's hands, sharing the warmth as she made sure to slip the picture in her pocket. If her cousin said no, she would do her best to convince her that Jayce really wanted to know Marcus through the picture.

"We'll be okay. I swear to do all in my power to not let him get you, or hurt any of us."

Jayce's arms slipped around Tia, hugging her. The act was meant for not only Tia's reassurance, but for Jayce's as well. They were just kids. They shouldn't have to deal with this stuff. But, deal with it Jayce would, with every resource at her disposal. This was turning into a very risky, very complicated game of chess. Who knew what the next move would be, and what piece played the king on each side?

"Jayce, do you think that the Wrights sent me here because they knew that the headmaster was extremely protective of his students. Could Seth know somebody here that he trusts with my safety?" ,Tia said wishing she knew more about the Wrights. Remembering the four Wrights that were students here, she asked Jayce, "Could the four Wrights here be related to Seth and Mrs. Wright?"

"Well, Hogwarts is supposed to be one of the safest places around. I guess they thought whoever's looking wouldn't get so close. But, the Headmaster should be enough for him or her to not get much closer. I'm not so sure about the Wrights being related, though. For all I know, it could be a reasonably common last name in certain parts."

Jayce parted from her cousin, seeing someone approaching. She frowned slightly when she realized it was Veronica's twin, but shook it off. Of the two, William seemed the most reasonable of the two.

"Hello ladies. I couldn't help, but notice how you two looked a bit troubled and wondered if there was anything I could do."

Jayce put a smile on her face, her eyes closing. He didn't seem to have a very good memory for names or faces, which is probably why he didn't address them by name. "It's nothing big, really. Someone just played a really mean prank on my cousin."

She silently prayed that Tia went along with it, for now.

[Tocanema Tia Spellman]

"It's nothing. See?" Jayce took the picture out of Tia's bag herself, showing an unmarred picture of the two.

Tia was glad that there was nothing on the picture. "Sorry, Jayce. I guess I'm just jumpy. The knife was open. Why would they do that?" , Tia asked her cousin looking still pretty shook up.

"Hey Tia, can I please keep it? Even though I never got to meet him, this picture will at least let me get a glimpse of what he was like. Even just for a little while?"

Tia nodded not being able to speak for a few moments. Then she said, "Sure, that was Marcus' photo. I have one in my album. It was taken when we went to lunch for my 11th birthday." She didn't tell Jayce that it was taken two days before Marcus' death. She knew that the date was on the back. "Jayce, who could get in my bag and leave these? More importantly what will be next?" ,Tia asked terrorifed of the answer. "Is there anything else in the bag that you think should not be there?" ,Tia questioned not wanting to look herself for fear of what she would find.

Her face went serious again, as she contemplated the problem. She shook her head, expression somber. "I don't know, Tia. Our family's got a lot of influence, so did the Andreas', here in Europe. Influence means enemies, many of which we wouldn't know about. I don't really blame them for being overprotective, since you were found in the arms of a murdered woman."

"But why come after me or Marcus? Like Marcus said I am a child. I am no threat to anybody. Am I?" ,Tia said trying to not show how scared she was as she realized that to somebody she was a threat. A threat they planned on seeing destroyed.

"We'll be okay. I swear to do all in my power to not let him get you, or hurt any of us."

Tia wasn't so sure. Somebody wanted her to know that they had killed Marcus and that she was next. "Jayce, how long do you think they will keep doing this game of thiers? And who's move is next?" ,Tia asked thinking of what Marcus had said about life being like a game of chess. This was one game that she prayed she didn't lose.

Jayce's arms slipped around Tia, hugging her.

Tia was glad her cousin was there and as she hugged her back Tia thought, 'I don't know if I could've handled it if I had found those alone?'

"Well, Hogwarts is supposed to be one of the safest places around. I guess they thought whoever's looking wouldn't get so close. But, the Headmaster should be enough for him or her to not get much closer. I'm not so sure about the Wrights being related, though. For all I know, it could be a reasonably common last name in certain parts."

"I guess we will just have to ask Seth. He got to answer the questions about my past now." ,Tia said determined.

Jayce parted from her cousin, seeing someone approaching.

Tia saw the person at almost the same time Jayce did and jumped. 'Could this be the one who left the presents?' ,Tia thought worried that the person knew her and yet Tia wouldn't be able to find out who he or she was.

"Hello ladies. I couldn't help, but notice how you two looked a bit troubled and wondered if there was anything I could do."

Tia was still shook up about finding the presents in the bag. 'I think Jayce is able to handle this better then I can right now.' ,Tia thought as she reach her hand into the bag to keep Veronica's brother from seeing it shaking only to touch something wet at the bottom of the bag. Keeping her hand in the bag, Tia tried to get her cousin's attention.

Jayce put a smile on her face, her eyes closing. "It's nothing big, really. Someone just played a really mean prank on my cousin."

[William Blakelee]

"It's nothing big, really. Someone just played a really mean prank on my cousin."

William's eyebrows went up slightly when he heard the Ravenclaw girl which he remembered at that moment was from the forest when the centaur situation happened. He remembered her as Jayce and her cousin name was Tia. He didn't know why he seemed to attract the certain students that were in the forest trying to save Kalaira, but was it fate trying to tell him that everyone in the small group had a problem to solve? Or was it fate trying to bring the group back together again to get through their problems together instead of working alone?

Will didn't know, but he was certain that Jayce was just bluffing about someone pulling a really mean prank. If there was a prank involved then the two wouldn't look like they had a secret to hide. No, he wasn't a soul reader, but it was just the two first year's faces and actions that kind of gave them away. Especially the little Slytherin who seemed to be trying to get Jayce's attention. He wondered what was in bag since Tia hadn't taken her hand out, but just left the thought alone and said, "Oh really? If it was just a mean prank, you two would be probably laughing it off or trying to get revenge. It didn't look that way when I saw you two. It looked liked as if you were dealing with much more other than a mean prank." Suddenly smelling salt and rust, Will looked over at Tia with a concerned expression and continued, "Tia? Are you bleeding?"

[Jayce Anderson]

Jayce could feel Tia trying to get her attention, as a ball of dread grew in her chest. She wondered about the merits of dropping the bluff, since William wasn't buying it, from the look on his face. Then, the smell of copper hit her nose.

"Oh really? If it was just a mean prank, you two would be probably laughing it off or trying to get revenge. It didn't look that way when I saw you two. It looked liked as if you were dealing with much more other than a mean prank." Suddenly smelling salt and rust, Will looked over at Tia with a concerned expression and continued, "Tia? Are you bleeding?"

Jayce's smile immediately dropped, as she turned to her cousin. Her first thought was Tia's leg, so she dropped onto one knee on the snow. That was when she noticed a dark stain spreading along the bottom of Tia's bag. Her face paled, almost as white as the snow, as she got back up. Her hand reached into Tia's bag, only to touch something wet and feathered. Her hand drew back out, the tips died a rusty red. Jayce's face paled even more, as her hands went back into the bag and started taking out the books and other things that Tia kept in their. Some of them were definitely stained with blood. Jayce forced herself to calm down, taking several shuddering breaths. "Tia.... did those owls you sent out ever return?"