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Post by Cassandra Blackfire G7 on Feb 19, 2005 13:51:43 GMT
She had received the message that morning. It wasn't anything she hadn't been waiting for almost three years now. Cass sat on the Knight Bus and let it roll in front of her dumpy little house back in Birmingham. The driver took her luggage of the bus for her and helped her off the bus. As she stepped to the ground, she heard the bus backfire and it was gone.
Before she had left the school, she had left owls with all her friends telling them what had happened. Many of them didn't know that her father was sick, so it probably came as a surprise. The message simply read....
" Dad's got worse overnight. I have to go back home. They think this is it. I'll be at the hospital in Birmingham if any of you want to reach me."
Cass walked up the walk to the dingy house. As she walked in the door, she could see the flury the family was in before they left. There were chairs knocked over, clothes laying on the dingy yellow carpet, and she took a peak in the kitchen to see the refrigerator door open. The food was ruined inside but she shut the door anyway. She walked back to her bedroom to find it the only clean room in the house. She layed her trunk down and took off her cloak. Rummaging through the closet, she found a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee, and a red sweater. The both hung off her a bit since she had loss quite a bit of weight over this past school year. She laid her wand on the pillow of her bed. You, stay there, she thought to herself.
The door opened rather loudly and Craig soon stepped into her bedroom. " Ready to go?" he said sort of solemnly. She nodded and followed after him. She got in Craig's BMW and went to the hospital. She was glad for Craig. Her cousin had opened his business and he was doing quited well for himself.
They soon arrived and she followed him to the room. She looked through the glass windows and saw her father lying there. Her mother was in the room with him. She looked at her family, and realized if she hadn't of come with them, you never of known she belonged to them. There blond, blued eyed, tan complexions contrasted greatly with Cass's black hair, hazel eyes, and pale skin. She looked at a sign and realized she couldn't go in because there was only one person allowed in at a time. She sat down outside the room and laid her hands down in her hands. So, all I can do is wait, she thought to herself.
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Post by dana on Feb 23, 2005 14:04:56 GMT
((Hope I'm allowed to join  )) Dana received an owl from Cassandra in between classes and found out what had happened to her father. Dana thought for a moment, glancing at her watch just as the next class started, but then sprinted towards Dumbeldore’s office, causing people to glance at her curiously. It wasn’t really like Ravenclaws to miss a class unless they were very seriously ill. But for Dana friends came first. Dana considered herself lucky as she almost ran into Dumbeldore on her way to his office and Dumbeldore only smiled his mystical smile and allowed Dana to go, to see if Cass would need any help. The Headmaster even allowed Dana to use Floo-powder, so Dana flood from Dumbeldore’s office to the Ministry of Magic, after Dana had quickly changed into muggle clothes, so she was wearing btight black jeans, black heeled boots and a blue V-necked sweater that brought out her eyes, while her hair were pulle dinto a low pony-tail at hte nape of her neck. Exciting the building without any problems, Dana caught a taxi on the road and told the driver to go to the hospital Cass’s father was in. She had learned the name of the Hospital from Dumbeldore. The drive was rather long from the Ministry, but luckily Dana had a muggle credit-card as well – just in case, something should happen that would require her to venture into them muggle world like right now. Paying for the taxi, when they finally made it to the hospital, Dana went in and asked around from some nurses as to where she could find Cassandra. Finally getting the instructions Dana set out to find her friend. Dana turned the corner and noticed Cass sitting in the hallway, on a hospital chair, while she was holding her head. “Hi,” Dana said walking closer and sitting down next to Cassandra, while placing a comforting hand on the younger girl’s shoulder. Dana wasn’t really used to these kinds of situations, but she would be there and do the best she can to help Cassandra. “How are you holding up?” Dana asked softly, ”You know that if there is anything I can do, you just have to let me know.” |
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Post by Cassandra Blackfire G7 on Feb 24, 2005 1:21:20 GMT
Cass heard footsteps coming down the corridor. She suddenly felt a comforting arm enclose her shoulder, and heard Dana's voice. Even though she really didn't want company, it was nice to hear somebody elses voice.
Cass's red eyed face lifted from hand slowly, as if she was afraid to even look up. " I'm surprised you came. The doctor's say it shouldn't be long now. They took him off life support a couple of hours ago." She looked back at the room to where her father lay, and where her mother sat. Their eyes met, and you could tell that her mother was made uncomfortable by the look. She quickly looked back at Cass's father.
Cass leaned her head back against the glass. " That's pretty bad when your own mother gets wierded out by your stare. She always said I was the oddball of the family. I guess she's right."
She looked over at Dana. " I hope this ends soon. Three years of agony has been enough for me."
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Post by dana on Feb 25, 2005 18:23:17 GMT
“You’re my friend – of course I came. I can make up the work for classes I skipped,” Dana said. Even though she was a Ravenclaw and rather liked her studies, friends came first to Dana. Friends and the people she considered family.
Noticing the look exchanged between Cass and her mother, Dana frowned. Cass didn’t look much like her mother did, but that didn’t bother Dana. Her mother’s behavior did – how could she not support her child right now. Dana was sure Cass would like to say ‘bye’ to her father as well.
“you most definitely aren’t an odd-ball. Or at least you are an odd-ball I really like as friend, so please don’t change,” Dana answered, wishing she knew some way to comfort Cassandra. Although there wasn’t much to do right now besides being there for Cass.
“Do you want to get some coffee or something? A soda?” Dana offered, as she had passed a drink’s machine on the way here, although she doubted that Cass would want something. Glancing at the glass door once again, Dana nodded towards it, while moving so she was now crouching in front of Cass, “Are you going to go in there soon, to say farewell to your father?”<br>
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Post by Cassandra Blackfire G7 on Feb 28, 2005 2:24:51 GMT
Cass looked back into the room. She shook her head, " Sorry, Goodbye is just too hard right now. I probably should, but I really don't want to disturb my mother."
She heard patting coming from down the corridor and she saw Megan and Meloeny come towards her. As they cam up, she introduced them to Dana. The three friends quickly conversed about the situation, and they soon left, leaving their thoughts and prayers. Even they, seemed uneasy with Cassandra's presence.
She turned back to Dana, " The three of us have been friends since grade school. Ever since I went to, well, you know where, they have always felt uneasy around me, " Cass looked suddenly depressed, " Cola sound good. Let's go get some."
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Post by Chelle on Mar 1, 2005 0:59:42 GMT
Kari sat in the Gryffindor Common Room. THe red and gold furniture around her seemed comforting, and she could feel herself drifting off to sleep. Suddenly, there was a loud tapping sound on one of the windows nearby. She jumped up, and, after opening the window, began to untie the note.
Dad's got worse overnight. I have to go back home. They think this is it. I'll be at the hospital in Birmingham if any of you want to reach me.
"Oh no..." she said, rolling it back up. Cass was back in Birmingham, and her dad was in the hospital. Kari collapsed onto a chair. She decided the best thing to do was to go see her. Friends stuck together, no matter what. She pulled out ink and a quill, and began to write on a scrap piece of parchment from her charms essay that she had been supposed to be working on.
Cass,
I'm coming over there. You're my friend, and I want to make sure you're okay.
Kari
She tied the note to the owl's leg and let it go out the window. Then Kari realised something. She had no way to get to Birmingham.
Kari left the Common Room, and headed down the stairs and out the door. She headed straight to her house, and her feet seemed to carry her out back to the broom shed. She pulled out her dad's old Cleansweep, and even though she wasn't good at flying, managed to get into the air without falling off.
Kari directed her broom in the direction she knew Birmingham was in, and zoomed forward.
When Kari finally managed to get to Birmingham, she stopped. She somehow managed to get back onto the ground safely. She walked down the road, and stopped in front of a house with a mailbox outside with the name Logton on it in slightly peeling letters.
Kari walked up to the house, and opened the door.
"Hello?" she said, looking around. "Cass?"
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Post by dana on Mar 1, 2005 17:04:20 GMT
Dana nodded her in understanding as Cass said that saying bye to her father might be a bit too hurtful at the moment. Two girls came up and Dana nodded in greeting as Cass introduced them as Megan and Meloeny. Guessing that the two grils were friends with Cass, Dana kept quiet and let htem converse quickly with each-other. Megan and Meloeny left rather quickly though and Dana smiled as Cass explained that they had felt awkward around her ever since she went to Hogwarts. “I went to a muggle elementary as well and had a very good friend there. After I went to Hogwarts and she went to some other school, we sort of lost touch until the last summer, when we accidentally ran into each-other at the magical Alley in France. She was a muggle-born witch and going to Beauxbatons, but we both had been trying to keep a secret of the fact we were witches from the other for 5 years,” Dana told Cass, hoping to take her mind off painful things, even if only for a minute, as they walked down the hallway towards the drinks machine with Dana’s heeled boots making small clicks on the floor. Reaching the drinks-machine Dana inserted the coins she dug out from the pocket of her jeans and got a cola and a cup of espresso for themselves and took a sip of the drink. It wasn’t very good, but it was hot. Grimacing a little, but taking one more sip anyway, Dana looked at Cass with a small smile: “I hope I won’t have to tell you that should you EVER need it, I’m only a phone-call away. You can stay at the apartment my grand-parents have at London, should the need ever rise. But whenever you need help with anything, just let me know, alright?”<br>Dana asked gently taking one more sip of the drink and deciding htat even madam Puddifoot’s was better. ((I didn’t react to your post, Karissa, as Dana doesn’t really know you and because me and Cass are at a hospital, not at Cass’s house.  )) |
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Post by Cassandra Blackfire G7 on Mar 2, 2005 1:27:55 GMT
Cass took a sip of the soda. " Thank you for the offer. I may have to take you up on it, but I wouldn't want to impose. I'm not really sure what is going to happen once it is all....over. Mom is getting to the point where the whole wizard stuff is too strange for her."
She was very glad her friend was there to support, but she was also a little ashamed. She just couldn't help it. Cass had never really had much but family, and it soon began to slip away from her. She would never tell this to Dana, but Hogwart's had actually helped enlarge the rift between her and her mother. To begin with, her mother had worked tirelessly to raise the money to send her daughter to a "special" school. Then, she came home to find her not like she was when she left. Being exposed to a whole new world had really changed Cassandra. It made mother and daughter grow apart.
" I'm more worried about Mom than anything. Dad got sick about about the time I left for school. She has been dealing with this mostly by herself. I just don't want her to split apart when this is all over."
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Post by dana on Mar 3, 2005 19:54:07 GMT
“Don’t mention it,” Dana waved it off as she found an napkin and scribbled the address of their apartment there. It was in a rather classy muggle area, so Dana figured that most people would know how to get there, if Cass got lost on the way, “I’ll make sure to let the door-keeper on the ground-floor know to let you in and let you in the elevator. The elevator will take you straight to the apartment. The security code for it is 08280. Just go by whenever, even if I’m not in town. There are two guest bed-rooms besides the rooms for my grand-parents and me, so just pick which one you like more.”<br>
Dana took one more sip of the coffee and decided it was foul enough o not be drank and threw the cup away, getting a bottle of regular water from the drinks machine instead: “Must be tough on both you and your mom. Hope everything will work out.” Dana opened the water-bottle and took a couple of sips. Dana hadn’t really faced a problem like this before, so she didn’t really know how to react or what to say.
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Post by Cassandra Blackfire G7 on Mar 6, 2005 13:55:29 GMT
Cass took a sip of her drink. " Thanks." Cassandra was actually very surprised at Dana's generosity. For not starting out with very many friends this year, she sure had some good one's now.
She began to head back to her father's room. " It's really odd. I'm getting to the point where I about hate myself as much as the purebloods do. I mean, I don't fit in the muggle world anymore, but I don't fit in the wizarding world either. Sometimes I wish I never went to Hogwarts, but I would be so much like I used to be. Quiet, a bookworm, afraid to look at my own shadow. That's why I was so confused over my house. I couldn't believe I didn't end up in Hufflepuff. Of course, I know some pretty wild Hufflepuffs."
She sniffed at the clean, alcohal smelling hospital air. " I'm really not sure what will happen after he's gone. My mother won't last long after that. She's been taking care of him for almost three years now, and after it's over, she won't have anything to devote her life to me. As for me, she's supportive enough, but she really hates me for not being able to do anything for him. Her last letter told me that, and I quote, " For all your powers, it's funny how you haven't done anything for your father."
She grimaced at hearing the words from that scathing note again.
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Post by dana on Mar 8, 2005 14:05:27 GMT
Dana waved Cass’s thanks off – it really wasn’t any trouble more than exchanging a couple of words with the door-keeper of the house where the apartment was situated.
Listening to Cass’s words, Dana frowned a little: “Don’t say that. I’m a half-blood to actually, even though I was raised in the magical world. And I know I have learned to be a part of both words. It’s the same with you – the ability of participating in both muggle and wizarding worlds I one of the many things that makes you special.”<br>
Dana thought about what Cass had told about her mother and took a sip of her water while thinking. The loss of someone so dare, who you have supported most of your life, like a husband, would be devastating and hard. Dana didn’t doubt that.
“I know what you mean. I don’t know if my grand-parents would survive without each-other,” Dana said out loud and looked questioningly at Cass, “Do you know what will happen then though? What you’ll do or anything like that?”<br>
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Post by Cassandra Blackfire G7 on Mar 9, 2005 4:44:44 GMT
Cass listened to her friends questioning, but when she asked what she would do if her mother did die, it was a shock. What would she do? She could live with Craig, but she would have to put up with all his playboy tendancies, and some of the girls he brought home left a lot to be desired. She could probably crash and Megan and Meloney's placed, but she couldn't do that for long. Other than that, she didn't have much family.
Sort of in shock now that she had thought about it, " No, I really don't know what I would do. You don't think there is an orphanage for parentless witches? Oh hell, that is a scary thought. Craig would take me in, but that wouldn't be a very good situation. He's too much of a ladies man. Megan and Meloney's parents wouldn't put up with me long." Cass sunk down on the nearby bench and stared straight ahead. " This has got to be the worst day of my life. I never wanted to have to face these things. I guess I should probably start worrying about it. My mother would never throw me out unless she just couldn't look at me anymore."
Tears made there way down her cheeks. " I really just can't deal with that thought right now. I mean, there would be no one really."
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Post by dana on Mar 10, 2005 14:32:03 GMT
“Parentless witches?” Dana thought for a moment. As her grand-parents were so important in the Ministry of Magic in France, Dana knew the basic laws in all wizarding communities and how the Ministries were built up, “No I don’t think there is such a thing. People like you usually go to live with some relatives or it might be organized for you to go live with some random wizarding family, although you might never know with what kind of family you end up. You can always crash at my apartment.”<br>
Dana sat down on a couch near-by and smiled at Cassandra comfortingly: “Don’t worry about it yet – you’re mother isn’t gone. Besides I’m sure Dumbeldore wouldn’t let anything that awful happen to any of his students, so no need to worry about that just yet.”
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Post by Cassandra Blackfire G7 on Mar 13, 2005 12:43:51 GMT
Looking up, Cass realized that they were near the room where her father was being held. Noticing her mother gone, she excused herself from her friend and walked in. The smell of rubbing alcohal in the air overtook the senses. Looking at the strong, proud man that was her father laying on that bed was almost too much for her. She kept her tears in. She had come to grips with his death a while ago, and had already shed her tears.
She let her fingers brush the top of his hand gently to let him know she was here. She looked at all the dials and lights on the machines that were keeping him alive. How could he let this happen to himself? she thought. A rush of emotions and thoughts surged across her face at once. She couldn't believe her father was leaving her alone with her mother, that now hated her, and Craig.
Suddenly more angry than usual, she didn't hear the equipment short circuit to the left of her. The faint buzzing of one of the pumps only reached her ears when a young nurse pushed her out of the way to reach him with a pair paddles.
Shocked with what happened, she walked out of the room. Looking for Dana she sat down beside her. Joyful, that the years of suffering for her Dad were over, but sad, because she lost her father.
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))
))