Darling locks and sunny smiles ((Mackie-girl))

[kris]

Raising from his crouch Kris stretched and made a lazy circle with his head. He had had a rather active morning already with his wake-up call being as usual at 4 AM. But that wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for Kris. Kris rubbed his hands together to get rid of any wood-dust or pieces of wood that might have stuck to his fingers. He enjoyed creating things with his hands and Kris most certainly had to brush up on his wood-work skills after he had became blind. Kris felt over the small wood figurine of a dancing couple that was only half-ready. Kris had started from the legs this time and had managed them up to the waist. The flowing skirt of the female and the legs of the male. Not much but it was something. He wanted to have the male dipping the woman back the question whether he would actually be able to manage that was already an other problem. Blowing gently on the figurine that fitted into his palm nicely for now Kris replaced his knife back into it’s sheath at his left ankle and stood.

Throwing the figurine lazily form one hand to the other Kris picked up his cane and started to move back towards the Hogwarts castle. He obviously couldn’t look at a watch to know what time it was but his inborn clock and the emptiness of his stomach told Kris that it should most certainly already be breakfast time. Maybe even a little bit after it. Which would be fine as Kris didn’t like going to the Great Hall anyway. Being blind he was rather helpless there and he did not like being or seeming helpless. His pride wouldn’t allow it and Kris would never ask for help either. Ordering the house-elves in the kitchen’s to bring him food was much easier and not nearly as embarrassing. That was where Kris was heading now too to get some coffee, maybe even some hot buns. He didn’t get too far on his way however before catching the sound of a familiar voice.

Taking his walking-cane in his left hand and ordering Morrigan to jump on his left shoulder as well while Kris followed the voice. Mackie-girl wasn’t keeping pleasant company today anyway as by the words Kris heard as he approached quietly let Kris guess that she was either talking to some Gryffindor or a mudblood. Mackie-girl didn’t seem to notice her until Kris calmly slung his arm around her shoulders arching her eye-brows towards who-ever she had been talking too and calmly stating: “Booh.” His walking cane swinging easily back and forth in his left hand Kris heard Morrigan gave a small meow. Though he wasn’t exactly sure whether to interpret the sound as a greeting to Mackie-girl or Morrigan’s statement to Kris that the current company was acceptable. Drawing the younger girl away from the scene Kris tried to use his memory on his way towards the kitchen’s.

“Bad morning, Mackie-girl? Come with me, I’m sure some time near my sunny personality will surely cheer you up,” Kris commented calmly slowing his pace to let Mackie-girl dictate the tempo they were moving with while arching a slightly amused eye-brow at the rumbling coming from his stomach, “And no, that isn’t the roof caving in somewhere, but rather my stomach. Kind of missed breakfast as you most surely noticed from the lack of my darling locks as you once called them so lovingly.”

[Mackenzie Holden]

Mack rolled over on her side and glared at the clock that was ringing on her bedside table. She picked it up and threw it at the wall before swinging her legs over the bed and slipping them into the slippers. She grabbed her robe and put it on, tightening it around her before making her way to the showers. She took a quick shower and then got dressed. Mack waved her wand over her hair, which pulled itself up into two french braids and green ribbons tied around the ends. She finished it off with a pair of Kris' sunglasses, and then headed down to the common room and toward the Great Hall for breakfast. Her black mary janes not making a noise. She pulled a lolly-pop out of her pocket and stuck it in her mouth as she made her way through the crowded hallways. Students were everywhere. Rushing to get this way and that. Finally, the hallway cleared. Except someone ran into her, knocking the sunglasses off her face and onto the floor - only to get trampled by teh same person.

"Look what you did! Are you so insolent not to watch where you are going?!" Mack screamed at the girl who couldn't be younger than a second year. The girl quivered under Mack's anger and started to turn and run but Mack grabbed her arm; "Those were very expensive sunglasses! Don't you understand anything like that? Or do you not get what expensive means? Merlin's beard! Why can't people understand anything anymore?!" The girl continued to shake and she was now starting to cry, Mack didn't let it faze her though. She continued to rant and rave and scream at the girl. Words pouring from her mouth like venom. Now the girl was in hysterics. Good, maybe she'd think twice about knocking into people next time. She released her grip on the girls arm a little bit, but she did not let go. "You will pay for these glasses if it's the last thing you do, and it might very well be! What's your name?! What is it?!" Mack pressed when she didn't get an immediate answer. When she was given a name, she let go of the arm. The girl started to move but her eyes got wide and in moments Mack felt someone's arm around her.

She lifted her eyes to see Kris standing beside her and he gave a 'boo' and that was all it took for the girl to start running off. All this time, Mack had been holding the lolly-pop in her free hand. Now she put it back in her mouth and bent down to pick up the remains of the sunglasses. She looked at them and sighed as she allowed Kris to direct her to the kitchens. She listened to him speak and smirked at his references to their conversation in the courtyard. "Yes, dreadful morning. Some insufferable mudblood ruined my precious sunglasses. They were the ones you gave me at the lake too. I really liked those ones." Mack sighed again and took out the lolly-pop a moment, she looked up at Kris and smirked once more, "That hungry, m'King? Why didn't you eat breakfast? I'm sure the delicious food would make up for the nauseating existance of mudbloods." That was one of the reasons Mack actually ate in the Great Hall. The food was good enough to put up with the mudbloods and mudblood lovers. It wasn't often you found her eating in the kitchens, though she didn't mind doing that either. House elves were easier to put up with.

[kris]

Kris liked Mackie-girl. She was a little bit too young for him perhaps, but they could bicker and have fun just teasing each other. Which they usually did. Kris smirked lazily recalling the numerous arguments he had with Mackie-girl on the topic of whether or not she was a worthy enough worshipper. They had got to talk less lately for numerous reason actually. Exams were coming up soon which did require some revising, Kris had been rather preoccupied with Cleo and Mackie-girl with her boyfriend and things had just kind of passed them. Kris still enjoyed the company of both Holden girls though, even if the two girls themselves couldn’t tolerate each other. “Yeah, I did manage to hear a little bit of that. If those are sunglasses you stole from me, then how do you expect anyone to be able to afford paying for them? And you call yourself a worthy worshipper? Shame on you, Mackie-girl,” Kris commented with a some irony in his voice as he let his arm drop lower to Mack’s waist where he tickled her for a moment.

Kris smirked at the title king but didn’t object. This had always been part of their teasing. Though now that he thought of it… Kris raised his left hand with the cane to his heart in mock shock: “King? Why, you are trying to give me a nervous break-down here, Mackie-girl. Last time I checked I was equal to the gods and now you call me a mere king? You are a disgrace to my fanclub of faithful worshippers!” Kris smirked towards the top of Mack’s head while raising his arm to her shoulders once again the heir-loom ring on his finger giving of a dull glint for a moment as Kris moved the wood half-done figurine hanging from one of his fingers, “And didn’t really know the time, besides I was engrossed in a very deep creating process. Must admit that I’m not in my top-shape for carving wood but I figured that I should try to get at least some of that skill back. My fingers and hands still recall the movements so if I go slowly enough I might be able to create something more or less acceptable again in the end. And I have never been overly fond of the Great Hall. Now I tend to stay out of it even more.” Kris didn’t specify and he hoped that Mack would have the grace not to enquire closer. His blindness was a touchy topic for him still yet it was a lack of sense that was so crudely noticeable for everyone.

“Morrigan does a better job at finding the kitchens than you do,” Kris remarked rather dryly as a clear hint that he wasn’t completely sure where he was. Hopefully Mack would understand and start moving towards the kitchens now while Morrigan gave an hiss from Kris’s shoulders when Kris mentioned her name. “With some coffee and maybe some hot buns I should be able to survive until lunch and a steak. I adore meat too much to ever give up eating it no mater how fond I am of animals too. But I can distinguish a steak from a prancing fairy-tale Bambi.” Kris smirked at Mackie-girl tilting his head hearing some faintly familiar voice speaking in the far background. Kris discarded the thought after a moment as it didn’t seem important as he turned his attention back to Mack: “What’s new with you? Enjoyed Beltane? Must admit that I did. It ended rather pleasingly.” Kris allowed himself a quick quirk of his lip-corner as news of his engagement hadn’t really spread yet. At least no one had came to him about them. “I expect you will be receiving an owl with an invitation to my wedding sometime in June. I got engaged on Beltane and am marrying in August.”

[Mackenzie Holden]

Mack smirked and looked at Kris with an inquisitive glare; "I didn't steal this pair. You gave them to me. And I'll be sure to have that little brat pay me back every year, at least one thousand galleons. Not that it's enough. You can't put a price on something as spectacular and valuable as these sunglasses." She shook her head with disgust and still a bit of anger. If only that mudblood hadn't run into her, everything would be fine. Not fine fine, but good enough not to ruin the beginning of Mack's day. She would at least have been able to sit through breakfast without scowling. Maybe Kris would lighten her mood, he seemed to have that effect. It wasn't that she liked him, after all how could she after he had so kindly launched her into the lake? Kris was someone she looked up to and knew would protect her, but her was always someone to have fun with as well. She felt his hand slide to her waist, and in one second he tickled her lightly. She felt herself jump and she sent him a slight glare.

Kris moved his hand to his heart and Mack rolled her eyes at his response, "Well, what can I say? I'm a rebel, though I am still president. Well, maybe not president - that's too much responsibility. But everyone listens to me. You do have quite a big fan club you know." He continued to tell her why he missed breakfast, and Mack nodded understandingly, especially when he mentioned the bit about the Great Hall. She didn't press further, for she felt she had an idea as to why he didn't like eating in there much any more. She bit her bottom lip and smirked before answering, "Kris, you'll always be the master at carving wood into elegant figurines. You have the power in your hands. You'll get back into it easily, I'm sure. You're just that good." Which was true, Kris was wonderful with things like that. Many didn't have any talents near as close to what Kris had, not even Mack. The only good she could do was sing and even that wasn't up to the standards it should be at this point in her life.

Mack rolled her eyes and started to head in the correct direction of the kitchens at Kris' subtle hint. She couldn't help but let a smile appear on her lips for a moment. When Morrigan hissed, she looked at the cat and grinned. She was a cute thing, but obviously viscous. The corridors were empty now, and the only sound was coming from their voices. If they were breaking any rules, no one stopped to say anything. When Kris asked what was new with her and if she enjoyed Beltane, Mack shrugged. He continued with telling her he did and that he was engaged. She looked up at him with surprise; "You're engaged? Well there goes my chance." She pretended to be heart broken before her eyes lit up with excitement for him. "May I ask who the blushing bride to be is? Do I know her? What house is she in?" She knew she was probably sounding like someone who had no life, but Mack couldn't help it. How did she not know about this? Of course, it was nice to hear it from Kris himself and not someone else along the grapevine - but Mack didn't like surprises much.

[kris]

Kris smirked lazily at Mackie-girl’s words. Thousand galleons a day. Rather expensive sunglasses must have been as Kris himself had only paid about 5 galleons for them. Or something near that because the only pair of sunglasses Kris had paid more for were the ones he was wearing now. But then again the ones he was wearing now were heavily enchanted. They had to never let anyone see beyond the glasses to Kris’s damaged eyes and they always had to stay on no way in which direction Kris jumped or twisted his head. They had cost him a pretty sum but Kris knew the curse with which his eyes had been damaged and he knew how his eyes looked. Cold, lifeless, menacing. The liquidy cover on his eyes never flowed or moved and that was what made it so scaring probably – it looked as if there was something pure evil residing behind that cover. “Well, you are rather welcome to the store of sunglasses I have somewhere in my trunk,” Kris said with a shrug and a much more careless tone of voice then he felt. But he had always been able to control himself just like every other proper Slytherin. He would not let Mackie-girl in on how much he was still aching inside. How much he would most likely ache for all eternity.

“A big fan club? And why, pray tell, have I never been invited to meet the members or give a speech? Why, I have never even been introduced to the other members. I do presume you accepted Andy the Dust Bunny to the group too,” Kris commented with a light tone while shrugging again. He had been rather good with wood-carving before. But that was before. Even with his fingers he could tell that the dress would need some more curves to add movement and to make it look as if it was really flowing with the steps. And the bent of the man’s left leg was rather awkward, leaving the leg shorter than the other one. Mistakes that Kris would have never forgiven himself before and he wasn’t about to do it now either. Kris wasn’t the master anymore and he knew it better than anyone else. “There are plenty of mistakes to the figurine. Unacceptable mistakes.”

Other voices had toned down for the most part and Kris could hear the excitement in Mackie-girl’s voice as she questioned him about the engagement. “Well, it might take quite a lot to make the bride blush,” Kris commented with a slight chuckle, knowing fully well that Cleo wasn’t a delicate flower who couldn’t handle herself. She had bested him with speed and originality more than once while placing some rather nasty jinxes on him. Nothing exactly harming but still unpleasant. That was most likely what had made her catch Kris’s interest and eventually win over his heart, “And yes, I got engaged. She’s wearing my great-grandmothers ring. Diamond surrounded by emeralds and sapphires. Oddly suiting as my Cleopatra is Ravenclaw. Fifth year if it really was that hard to guess with which girl I have been spending plenty of time with lately. As for whether or not you know her – I can’t really answer that question. Don’t have a clue if you have ever had the pleasure… or misfortune as it might be just as easily as she is about as far from being a delicate flower for someone to care for as I am.”

[Mackenzie Holden]

Mack smirked and tilted her head at Kris, "I might just do that. If you hear someone rummaging in your trunk in the wee hours of the night, I ask you to not curse them. It is only me, and I do no harm." Mack would be foolish to believe she could protect herself against Kris if need be. He was far older, far wiser than she. He knew more spells than she did and he knew how to use them and when to use them, despite his eyesight. Kris was probably still dead on with the aiming anyway, what didn't make him weaker; made him stronger. Mack also knew that Kris wouldn't curse her or harm her unless it was for good cause, and even then he might not. In a sense her made her feel safe, but it also made her feel a little bit uneasy. She didn't want to disappoint Kris or upset him, she did care what he thought about her...even if she shouldn't. Mack shouldn't care what anyone thought, but she did...but only those who she deemed important; which weren't many.

A small smile tugged at her lips at Kris' words about his fan club. Quickly, her mind searched for a witty remark. When none came, Mack was disappointed but she made due with what she could. "Kris, do you honestly believe you would remember each and every fan club member? Girls would be screaming, some would be throwing themselves at you, willing and ready to do your every wish and desire. You don't want that do you?" She smirked at him and steered right, her feet carrying her in what she hoped to be the right direction. If it were the wrong direction she might as well ask Morrigan to lead. She probably knew her way around here much better than Mack did, and Mack had been here four years. "And, sadly, no. We did not accept Andy the Dust Bunny. He just left dust everywhere, really it was hard for the house elves to clean up. They got quite exhausted and even more incompetent than usual."

Mack looked out of the corner of her eyes at the figurine, and then took it gently from Kris' hand. She looked it over, searched every detail as she could. Her fingers tracing the work, and she couldn't find anything significantly wrong with it. But then again, Mack didn't know much about wood work and for all she knew it was shoddy. But she didn't see it that way. The way Mack saw the figurine, if someone took patience to make that - it was beautiful in it's way. Patience, care, and devoted time all made something that could never be replaced. She didn't think Kris saw this, or else he wouldn't be so harsh on the figurine - but she always figured he was probably sore about it because of the great sense he lost...the one that was probably one of the key elements to carving wooden figures. She looked up at him, handing the piece back into his hand; "I think it's wonderful, but what do I know, eh?"

When he commented on her blushing bride to be remark, Mack couldn't help but smirk; "It's a figure of speech Kris, I'm sure you know what those are." Mack stopped walking a moment, her eyes scanning the corridor. She chewed on her bottom lip before deciding to head left; hoping Kris didn't realize she hadn't the foggiest idea as to where she was heading. She turned her attention back to him and grinned, "Ravenclaw? Well, yes that suits. I suppose you wouldn't get engaged to anyone in Slytherin - well you might, if you really wanted to...but Ravenclaw makes sense as well. Isn't your cousin....um...Dana, in Ravenclaw? She is your cousin, right?" Mack chewed on her lower lip, which was becoming more of a habit lately. OK, she thought that portrait looked familiar but they all looked familiar.

[kris]

“Don’t do that, Mackie-girl. While I wouldn’t curse I can’t say anything about the other boys in the dorm as most of us sleep with our wands ready. And in dark it would be even harder for you to get past the enchantments on my trunk,” Kris replied lazily. The enchantments against strangers had been part of the order that went along when Kris got the trunk before his first year. It was 6 years old already but in reality it was hardly showing any signs of it’s age. And Kris liked the black trunk with silver corners and his initials on it, so he kept it and used it. He had even added some more enchantments on the trunk himself as years went by and he learned some more. Slytherins were rather paranoid by nature already and at this aspect Kris didn’t differ from the classical Slytherin nature the least bit.

“Girls screaming and throwing themselves at me? Now, that might be rather interesting,” Kris mused lazily turning his face upwards as if looking for guidance from above to this problem, before sighing, “However intriguing it would be, I do believe Cleopatra would allow none of that. And that’s why I found Andy the Dust Bunny stalking me alone in the hallways then. Oh well, I shipped him off to my castle in Italy so he will have a good life near my vicinity to make up for that disappointment. You obviously have very high standards for the members of the club. Good girl,” Kris mused lazily stopping out of reflex and pulling Mack to stand too as Morrigan hissed and extended her claws. Turning Kris reached out his hand his finger-tips meeting the frame of the painting and then gliding upwards while tickling the painting until the door-knob appeared in his hand. The pear on the painting must have been going off in hysterical laughter again.

“After you, m’lady,” Kris said while pulling the door open and letting his arm drop from Mack’s shoulders, “After I get a pie to go and a cup of coffee we may continue our stroll. Think of how many members of the fan club will be furious upon seeing you spending so much time with me. It might even get to the point where others will try to play you only to get close to me. Dangerous times ahead, Mackie-girl, very dangerous times. Meat-roll and coffee,” Kris added to the house-elves as Kris leaned himself comfortably against a near-by counter and gave a quirky grimace, “It’s not that good, but I figure that I had to restart from somewhere.”
Kris tilted his head back again and closed his eyes behind his sunglasses: “Why not get engaged with some Slytherin? But yes, Cleo is a Raven. Dana is my cousin – distant one, according to bloodlines, but she feels more like a sister. We were brought up together and we do have a similar sense of humour and some connecting interests. Dana sent a poisoned bouquet of flowers once to a girl who I had some trouble with. Nothing too bad – just enough to make the girl keep out of everyone’s sight for about a week.”