September 27, 1891 - The Owlery

The day had passed in a fog, if a fog could be considered painful. Sisse had tried to cover up her red rimmed eyes with a smile all day. The faculty had offered to excuse her from classes, but Sisse didn't want to miss anything - besides they provided a good distraction. She didn't know if Henry were attending classes, the faculty had taken them aside seperately. She had recieved another note from Matthew saying that the funeral would be on Saturday and that father (she supposed it would actually be Matthew from what she inferred by him writing to her and not her father) would send the carriage up to the school Friday evening to collect Henry and herself so as not to interupt their studies. So Sisse had tried to smile, tried to act like her world hadn't be shaken up like an upside down snow globe. But people were beginning to know and no matter how much she tried to act like everything was alight they were sending her pitying looks. Of course her friends knew, but the note from Mr. Sewlyn had been just the beginning of it.

If it hadn't been for those looks Sisse wasn't sure she would have taken Mr. Selwyn up on his offer, but one pitying friendly face was better than those in the common room - or even the ones that had followed her to the library. So she climbed the steps to the owlery and found Mr. Selwyn there waiting for her.

"Good evening." Sisse tried to say bravely, but even she could hear the shy tone in the midst of the sadness.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Concerns for the feelings of others was not high on Cad's priority list, however, the realisation of his potential isolation at the end of this year as his usual buddy group moved on, had made him feel like he needed to make some efforts with those who would remain in the school longer term. He hadn't specifically decided to 'target' Sisse, but sensing the dissent between Sisse and the rest of Gillenwaters little harem he had made a special effort to pay polite attentions to the 5th year Gryffindor prefect. When he had heard, through the hushed whispers of the table that her mother was dead an offer of a walk seemed like an easy win.

The hastily scribbled note, and the invitation for a walk would seem sensitive, the sort of thing a fornlorn poetic type might indulge in - a sojourn away from either the overly sympathy noises or the oppressively awkward silence of the common room. The owlry was always cool and quiet, he liked it as a place to think, the hooting of the owls was a nice background noise, and he liked to check on Deimos, his short eared Owl. He heard footsteps on the stairs, and gave a chooting noise and Deimos flew to his arm, as Miss Thompsett entered the room.

She looked pale, paler than usual that was, the sort of paleness that comes with exhaustion. 'Good Evening Miss Thompsett,' he said formally, with a grown up nod in greeting. 'How are you feeling?' it was something he had heard his father ask someone at a funeral once.

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Behold the Awesome of Stefanie!

Mr. Selwyn looked the part of a gentleman as he stood there with an owl perched on his arm. She was well aware of her friends' views on Mr. Selwyn, but she had never really had a problem with him. Not that she voiced that to them, but he was generally polite and even kind to her. Last year he had certainly made a better dance partner than Cam had and he had helped her before school started this year. Besides, she had never really thought that because one's friends didn't like someone one shouldn't either. She tried to be nice and polite to everyone and really had only failed when it came to Holly Scrimegeour.

Well if Mr. Selwyn looked the part of the gentleman, Sisse would look the part of a lady. It was what her mother would have wanted after all. A brave face, polite words, a perfect mask. Internally Sisse took a calmly breath and then presented Mr. Selwyn with a small smile, "As well as can be expected." Given the circumstances that seemed the perfect line between truth and facade.

The chilly evening air brushed in from one of the windows and while normally Sisse hated the cold she found the autumn crispness refreshing and she adjusted her shawl around her shoulders, grateful she had exchanged her school robes for one of her gowns. It wasn't black, but rather the dark lavendar gown she had worn to Maddie's for the bunny funeral. Matthew had written that her aunt was ordering mourning clothes for her and that they would be there soon.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

He gave a grim nod, gave Deimos a scratch behind the ears causing the owl to scrunch it's head into its shoulders in pleasure


'I'm sorry' he said lamely- 'I know I invited you here but I'm not sure what to say that might help' this was true from two perspectives. He wasn't really able to fathom the sort of expression of internal emotion that one might experience in the aftermath of a death - both from the from perspective of his particular personality flaw but also becuase he was a young man touched by little tragedy and so couldn't fathom the loss of a parent - but then can anyone who has not experienced it really imagine what it is like to lose the cornerstones of ones own existence in an instant - like blowing out a candle in a dark room.

'I did bring some pumpkin juice and a bit of chocolate.' he added lamely, to show that he wasn't entirely unprepared for the walk he had invited her own. He gestured to the blanket, 'I thought it might just be nicer for you to be our of the common room for a bit'

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Behold the Awesome of Stefanie!

It was the most geninue thing Sisse had heard from Mr. Selwyn (indeed for most of the day) and she smiled softly as she murmured, "That's quite alright." It was touching that he'd admit something like that. She remembered having the very same thoughts when Maddy's letter had come in about Elliot. What did one say in the face of such things? Now she knew the answer - there were no words that could make anything better.

And then he gestured to the sweets and somehow he seemed to have managed to know that she just wanted to escape. "That is very kind of you. Thank you." Her sad smile was warm as she looked at the blanket. She wasn't sure how exactly to tell him how much the thoughtfulness meant. "It is nice to be ... away." Away from the eyes and the comments and the constant analyzing of how she was expected to fact and how she should act.

"I-" Sisse swallowed and looked away not quite sure how to say what she wanted to say. She wanted to pretend none of this had happened, act as if this were normal. But really it wasn't normal. Mr. Sewlyn had never once sought her out for anything and she didn't want him to think she was misinterpreting his intentions. But she also didn't want that pitying look on his face. "Perhaps we might not talk of it?" It would set them both at ease, help her feel normal and not like half her life was suddenly a gaping wound that could never heal.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Cad tried to hide his relief - feigning sympathy was hard for short periods, he wasnt sure if he would be able to sustain the fiction if they started delving into deep matters of the heart.

'Not speaking of it, it is.' he said authoritively, and seated himself on the blanket. 'Have you met Deimos?' he asked gesturing to his owl, who had jumped from his arm to the floor where he picking at the bits of straw that littered the owlry floor. The owl was the opposite of his owner and his name - named for the god of dread and terror, Cad had thought he looked fearsome, with his grumpy and intense face, but he had turned out to be a sweet and very affectionate animal who, when he was able, liked to sit on his owners shoulder, and fall sleep with his head turned into Cad's hair. For all of his grumping, he didn't really mind it, and on the holidays he liked to let Deimos sleep in his room.

Knowing he was being discussed, the owl turned towards his master and the girl he was with and fluffed his feathers, preening. Cad let out a chuckle, 'He's a bit of a show off'

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Behold the Awesome of Stefanie!

Sisse graceful sank down onto the blanket beside Mr. Selwyn, feeling relief at the change of topic and the easy way they could adjust away from everything that had happened. Her skirts pooled around her as she tucked her knees to her side. "I have not." To be honest she rarely spent time up here with so many other places to go and things to do. But she did use a school owl to regularly send letters home. "A pleasure." She inclined her head toward the owl as if he were a potential dance partner, a small half smile curled her lips as the owl preened. "And quite handsome." Sisse added, although really the owl was a bit fearsome in appearance. But she supposed for owls that meant they were handsome.

"Do you visit him often?" She knew quite a few students who visited their owls regularly and didn't just use them to send letters. Mr. Selwyn, surprisingly, seemed one of the former.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Deimos gave an appreciative hoot and waddeled on his ungainly fluffy legs towards a spot nears Cad's hand where he pushed his head into the boys palm, hinting oh so subtly that he required his head scratched regardless as to what Cads plans might be for this rendevous. He obliged and absently began to scratch the owls head.

He shrugged at her question, the sort of awkward shrug behoving a teenage boy who wasn't entirely sure how to respond honestly but also to keep his street cred. 'I suppose so' he finished, 'It's quiet up here. It's good when the common room is too loud and I need somewhere quiet to study.' The truth was he often came here when Cameron and his gang of sycophants were hanging out in the common room being loud or rambunctious. It was amazing how much real estate Cameron Gillenwater took up rent free in Cad's brain.

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Behold the Awesome of Stefanie!

"I could see that." Sisse glanced around the tower. The hooting of the owls was almost a calming background noise, much like the crackling of flames or the whispered voices in the library. It was a tad draftier though. "When the common room is too loud I tend to go to the library." Sisse admitted, she had a quiet alcove all her own that she had found her first year. "It seems almost calmer here though - less interuptions." Except perhaps the other students who had to send letters. She wondered how many of them came up here frequently though, it was rather a long trek.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

He nodded, in spite of himself taking pleasure from the company of his animal, although it may have appeared as a general pleasure in the current human company 'And sometimes the company is better' he added idly, which could again be taken to be referring to both his owl and the human who was his current companion.

Deimos nipped his fingers reminding him to pay attention - 'I shouldn't mind at all if you would like to use my sanctum as well' he said with a smile, that hid more than it displayed. He was fairly sure she wouldn't take him up on it, but at least he good to look like the gallant.

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Behold the Awesome of Stefanie!

Sisse wasn't entirely sure what to make of that comment. Did he mean the company of owls over their classmates? It wouldn't surprise her given that Cam and Sloane and most of her friends throughly disliked Mr. Selwyn and he them, but perhaps he just didn't like people. But then there was a brief look he had given her - did he mean her company? What did one say that wasn't dismissive or too presumptive in such a situation. "I could see that." She replied mildly.

"Oh no, I couldn't." Sisse found the words sliding out of her lips before she could truly think them through and followed them up with, "It is a very kind offer, but I'd feel as if I were intruding."

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

you wouldn't be he said with a light laugh, the comment was pointed, 'besides' he added, 'You might stop me from becoming the mad man in the belfry who talks to owls.' he said with a laugh, 'I think it's frowned upon for eldest sons to eccentrics?'

He turned to his satchel and pulled out his chessboard - 'fancy a game before we head back?' he asked.


Wrap?

  

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Behold the Awesome of Stefanie!

"Is it?" Sisse smiled, half a laugh tripping over her lips. "In that case, I shall consider it." She'd probably always be too nervous to do so, but it was nice of him to offer it - and when he put it that way. Well she was grateful for any reason to smile instead of cry.

Chess. It seemed like just the thing to distract her. "I would love to, thank you." And so she settled in to the most unlikely evening she might have expected during her time at Hogwarts.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom