Sitting by the lake ((Ivy))

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla had just left the common room. She wanted to continue thinking so she decided to go sit by the lake. She walked out to see no one there so she quietly walked over and sat down. She looked at the lake a felt calm considering how weird her day ahd been. Charms class had been wonderful but Ancient Runes had sucked. She looked into the water and started thinking about her real Mother and Father and the letter she had sent them over the summer while she had been at home with her adoptive Mum, Kelly. She remembered the letter so vividly. She thought back to some of the things it said and wanted to take back the letter. What if it didn't even send? What if the address wasn't right? She also was worried about her Mum, Kelly because she had been really sick for a while. Her mum had been in the hospital on and off during the summer. She was even in the hospital when Kiyla left for school! Kiyla was begining to get scared. She hoped she was okay. She was glad that she wrote her that letter and was hoping she would get a fast response.
Kiyla closed her eyes and took in the breeze as it passed her and her thoughts quickly adverted to Ivy. What had happened to her? What did her dad do?
Kiyla had been thinking so hard about Ivy, Ivy's summer and her summer that she didn't even notice that someone was sitting by her.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy walked down from the Hufflepuff Common Room, quietly following Kiyla. She wanted to talk to Kiyla as she felt she owed her an explanation to start with.
And also Kiyla had been looking down herself recently. Ivy wanted to know why but she was not going to ask Kiyla to tell her. If Kiyla wanted her to know, she would.

Ivy stepped out of the huge oak doors into the fresh air. Today there was some of the lingering good weather of summer, and she intended to make use of it.

Ivy spotted Kiyla across the lawn, looking into the lake. She strolled across to where Kiyla was sitting, and sat herself down on the springy grass at the water's edge, gazing over the water to the trees of the Forbidden Forest. She thought about what was in there and shuddered, the warm day momentarily turned cold.

Ivy turned to Kiyla and smiled. Kiyla looked startled to find her there, so Ivy wondered if she should have said something before sitting down.
'No matter now,' she told herself. Kiyla looked sad, she thought. 'What do you think you look like?' she asked herself. Well, only Kiyla knew that really.

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla sighed a sigh of relief when she saw it was only Ivy. Kiyla smiled and said, "Hey!" Kiyla was glad it was Ivy. If it would have been someone else Kiyla would have probably ran away because she had very few friends to begin with.
Kiyla was hoping that she didn't look to sad. She wanted to know what happened with Ivy more than anything.
"So, what's been going on?" Kiyla said looking out into the lake again. She had meant the question more ways than one.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy noted that Kiyla looked glad to see her, which she too was glad about. Kiyla looked away again, and said something that was rendered inaudible by the shrieks of some second years nearby.
"I take it you didn't enjoy Ancient Runes," she prompted. She was curious as to why Kiyla had been late, it wasn't something she did often and she thought something was probably up.
Ivy waited for a reply, hoping she had said the right thing.

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla turned back toward Ivy trying to figure out if she had heard her or not but she guessed that she didn't.
"Well it didn't help that I arrived late." Kiyla said with a groan. She wanted to kno what was up with Ivy so she asked her again, "So what's been going on with you?"

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy guessed that it hadn't been a good idea to remind Kiyla of the Ancient Runes lesson, it looked as if her mood had blackened again. Kiyla quickly changed the subject away from herself and back onto Ivy. She seemed to do that a great deal nowadays. Ivy wondered what she was hiding.
"Well, I didn't have that great a summer," she said, "but then I guess quite a few people didn't. But I've just been trying to keep up with what my dad needs and stuff mainly, and its getting really hard. I dunno..." she trailed off, concious that she had mumbled most of that and unsure how much Kiyla would have heard.

Ivy couldn't even remember how much she'd told to Kiyla of her dad and what had happened with her mum. From the sounds of it Kiyla might understand what it was like with her mum, because she'd been through it herself with her own parents. But at least... at least... well... it wasn't the same really. Ivy sighed, probably quite audibly, and looked away from Kiyla, embarassed.

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla felt bad and tried not to seem so mad. She listened intenetly to what Ivy said and something caught Kiyla's attenetion.
"What do you mean you're trying to keep up with your dad's needs?" Kiyla said looking Ivy straight in the eye with a worried expression. She had no clue how Ivy meant that because the night before Ivy hadn't told Kiyla anything so Kiyla was preparing herself for any kind of response. She shifted around making her self face Ivy full in the face when a letter dropped from out of Kiyla's robes. Kiyla looked at it for a second then realizing what it was she quickly put it back in her robes.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy blanched as Kiyla asked her straight to her face about her dad. How much should she even tell Kiyla?
"Tell her what you can," a voice in her said, "there's no harm in it and you can't do better than Kiyla for someone to talk to about it."
"No!" another protested. "There's no need to say anything. Just cover it up."
"It's hardly as if there's anything to be ashamed about", the first voice insisted.
Ivy could feel Kiyla's eyes boring into her. She looked up and met them, so full of anxiety. It was too uncomfortable. She felt as if she was being probed. Ivy looked down quickly.

"My dad's worse than he was before the summer. I mean... he's so weak and stuff." Ivy trailed off feebly, and was silent for a second or two. Kiyla was starting to speak, but she burst out. "And I don't really know what's wrong with him. The doctors aren't even sure what's wrong with him so..." she stopped awkwardly, mid-sentence, aware that Kiyla had not stopped looking at her once. Every word she was saying, Kiyla would be remembering, and she would never be able to recall the words and live her life as though it were normal again.

"Is it possible for you to live a normal life?" a voice asked maliciously in Ivy's mind.
She forced the thought out of her mind, concious that Kiyla had not said anything. She was going to go on... there was no point in stopping now.

"I don't know if I can cope with him by myself. But I can't tell people really because the doctors don't know it's just me looking after myself and him. They've said it's hopeless already. I don't want to be put in care and not be able to be of use to my dad any more, when he's helped me and made sacrifices for me for so long."

"You just told someone!" said the voice almost gleefully. "I told you not to! Now you've really blown it, Ivy."

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla looked at Ivy full of concern and hope and worry. She wanted to do something.... she looked at her thoughtfully and then said, "I could help you, if you would like. I know it's hard doing things alone. You know I care and I will do whatever i can to help. Mum, isn't doing all that well eitehr. She's been to the hospital on and off, she says she okay but..." Kiyla pauses when she realizes what she's just said.
"Idiot." She growled to herself she was hopeing Ivy wouldn't notice that last part and focus on what she said at first, she hoped that she wouldn't notice she said that like she didn't notice the lettter.
Kiyla looked at Ivy again and hugged her. Ivy looked so helpless, Kiyla wanted to be there for her and she knew she would do everything she could to do that.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy heard Kiyla offer to help her. How? However could Kiyla help her?
She went on to say something about her Mum? Which mum did she mean? Ivy decided that if Kiyla didn't want to tell her at the moment, she wouldn't ask. She would eventually though. Or if Kiyla wanted to tell her.

"I know what," Ivy said, as Kiyla embraced her. "If you can help, will you come to my house over the October half term? Then..."

'Why are you asking her that?' Ivy thought. Well, it would be good if she could have Kiyla come. And it would hardly as if she would be putting on anyone to have a friend come. Her dad might be glad to see she actually had a friend...
But wouldn't Kiyla want to spend the time with her mum anyway? The thought nagged at the back of Ivy's mind.

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla beamed at the thought of her spending teh term at Ivy's house. Her mum wasn't going to let her come home anyway, she said that she had something important she had to do.
"Of course i would LOVE to come over and help out! Mum won't mind a bit! She said i would have to stay here anyways. Oh, she also told me to tell you hello." Kiyla said to Ivy smiling for what it seemed like the first time today.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy's face broke out in smiles at the thought of having someone else there with her at half term.
"Great!" she said, hugging Kiyla.
"Oh, say hello back to your mum from me!" she added. She'd never met Kiyla's mum, but from the sounds of it they got on quite well.
"I'll have to owl my dad to tell him you're coming. I'm sure he'll be pleased to see someone else than me... and I can show you my house!"
Ivy was already plotting things to do. But she couldn't get too carried away. She still had to be there for her dad. But at least Kiyla would be with her this time.
Her face still lit up, Ivy stood up from the grassy bank, brushing off dead bits of moss and grass. She put out her hands in order to haul Kiyla up too.

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla still beaming grabbed Ivy's hands and stood up causing her letter to fall again. Kiyla looked at it then picked it up.

"My real father sent it to me. Mum, not my real mum, said not to be too hurt by the things he says. I'm so afraid to read it, but now that your here maybe i can." Kiyla said sitting back down with the letter in her hands.

She was holding it like it was fragile. She see her tears starting to blurr her vision a bit. It was a muggle type letter so se turned it around and unsealed it. She took out the piece of paper and held teh letter to her chest afraid of what it said. She looked at Ivy for reassurance. She wanted her best friend to be there for her.

"I'm scared." Kiyla said a tear escaping her eyes and falling onto the grass.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy watched, distraught, as Kiyla's happy mood quickly evaporated. She watched as Kiyla bent down to pick up the letter which must be the cause of her distress, then sank onto the ground again.
Ivy followed suit, sitting down quietly on the damp grass. Kiyla took a piece of folded writing paper out of the envelope, her hands shaking. She held it against her chest as if trying to shield it from the rest of the world.

Ivy wished she wasn't so awkward in these situations. It was something she considered to be one of her greatest failures, that she wasn't able to help her friends. They always seemed to be able to come out with the right words to help her, but when it came to her turn to give support, her throat was just choked up.

Kiyla had said that the letter was from her dad. Her dad, who had dumped Kiyla a bit like Ivy's mum had dumped her.

Ivy knew that Kiyla needed her. Kiyla was looking to her for reassurance right at this moment. Ivy moved closer to Kiyla and put her arm round her. At this moment she seemed so fragile.
"I'm scared", Kiyla confessed.
"I know", said Ivy. She did know. She'd read a letter from her mum about a year ago now. She'd been terrified to open it, and the terror had been verified by what the letter had said. But the right thing to do was to read the letter. That was the right thing to do, wasn't it?

She looked at Kiyla, her eyes pleading to help. 'Please let me help', she thought, 'in anyway I can'.

Kiyla seemed to be waiting for her to say something.
"If you have to read it," she said, "it's better to do it sooner than to wait." Was that right? Are you helping Ivy? Are you?

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla looked At Ivy gratefully and reluctantly moved the letter from her chest then thought better of it and set it face down in her lap. She looked at Ivy and said, "I wrote them a letter this summer with Dumbledore's help. He told me that i had to tell them about my being a witch and abouit this school so..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at the letter.

Kiyla picked up the letter and began to read with her voice trembling on and off:

"Dear Kiyla,

Oh I've missed you so much and I love you but what is this rubbish about you being a witch? Heaven knows that there is no such thing! Do you need me to call someone? Who is this Dumblydoor fellow? What is this Ministry of Magic rubbish? It seems as if you adoptive mother is some crazy old hag! You have grown up so much and become so beautiful that this craziness needs to stop! And why did an owl deliver you message and why is it sitting up here poking me? How did you get your picture to move and make sounds like that? Don't tell me it's that "Magic" nonsense! You have you mother turning crazy as well because she actually believes you! I for one do NOT! I, Derek Harris, as your biological father thinks that this adoptive "mother" of yours has put this magic nonsense in your head. This "Hamhocks School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" is probably just some physco boarding school! Your mother wants me to leave you and your ways alone but I will not! I have to end this letter now but if i hear anymore of this rubbish about you being a bloody witch I will make it my business to fund you and put your "mum" into jail.

Your father,
Derek Harris"

Kiyla looked at Ivy tears streaming down her cheeks.

"He hates me!" Kiyla shouted then threw the letter towards Ivy and bgan to sob hard into her hands. "He hates me." Kiyla whispered silently as she cried harder.

[Ivy Tunstall]

It was all Ivy could do to contain herself from shaking with anger as she heard Kiyla read the letter. Kiyla's eyes were showing more and more hurt building up inside her. How could any parent, how could anyone at that, write anything as insensitive as that?
Ivy saw Kiyla look up, her tear-stained cheeks wet and her throat tight.

"He hates me!" Kiyla said, and Ivy couldn't help but agree with her. How could he have written that if he didn't?
Kiyla thrust the letter at Ivy, who caught it, rather taken aback. She started to sob uncontrollably, each racking cry a jolt to Ivy's system.

Ivy just put her arms around Kiyla, wishing she could be of more help. 'I wish I could think of something brilliant to say,' she thought, 'like the people in books.' The thought was in vain.

'What can I say? What can I say? What should I do? Don't panic Ivy, don't panic.'

Ivy teetered on the brink of saying something. She contemplated saying something like: "Your adoptive mum loves you.", but she decided that would be less than helpful and just sat there, Kiyla shaking in her arms, her brow furrowed and her mind full of angry thoughts towards Kiyla's father, worry for Kiyla and confusion as to what to do now.

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla was still sobbing uncontrolably. 'What did i ever do to him? Why does he hate me so much?!" Kiyla thought over and over each thought making her anrgier and sadder. As she was crying something fell on top of her head. Looking up angrily she saw a piece of parchment fall into her lap. She wanted to throw it, she wanted to rip it up but instead she picked it up and opened it. She looked at the end to see it was from her mom. She looked at Ivy and handed her the letter.

"You read it first." Kiyla said lookin at Ivy with eyes full of sorrow.

((Okay now I'll IM you the letter so you can put it in there okay? I know you don't have time to be figuring out what my mom said in a letter))

[Ivy Tunstall]

((Okay, it took me a while to figure that out but I've got it now.))

Ivy nearly jumped out of her skin as a piece of parchment fell from overhead. Kiyla looked to be considering violent tendencies towards it, but instead gave the letter to Ivy without reading it.
"You read it first," Kiyla insisted.
What would the letter say? Would it be another heartless and offensive letter that would hurt Kiyla still further? Ivy wasn't sure about the wisdom of reading the letter out.
She began hesitantly, clearing her throat every now and then.

"Dear Kiyla,

I am so so so so so so sorry about your father's letter. He doesn't understand. I believe you when you say you are a witch. I always knew you were special but I would have never dreamed you were a witch. Dumbledore is a very good friend of mine, your father doesn't know it but it's true. He and I meet when I was pregnant with you. As you grew older and weird things started happening he told me that you were most definiatly a witch. Dumbledore knew that your father would not accept what you were and that he would want you to be as "normal" as possible. Dumbledore knew if that was to happen that the wizarding world would be exposed. That is why i had to give you up. Dumbledore found a suitable witch parent. He always keeps me updated on you and recently i have been meeting Keisha, your adoptive mum. You know when she says she says she is at the hospital? She's not sick she's meeting me. I've tried so many times to make contact with you but each time was unsuccessful. Dumbledore told me to sit and wait until you contacted me. I love you and miss you so much! With all my heart! Let's please keep in touch!

Love,
Mom"

Ivy stopped with a sharp intake of breath. She didn't know what this would mean to Kiyla. But she wondered whether Kiyla would have bitter feelings towards her adoptive mum for concealing things and towards her real mum for staying silent for so long.

[KiylaJohnson]

Kiyla wiped away her tears and listened to Ivy read the letter. When Ivy was done Kiyla sat with her head in her hands and thought.
'Why wouldn't mum just tell me she was meeting mom, sounds weird calling her mom when i never even met her... but anyways why didn't Mum just tell me! Unless Dumbledore told her not to... yeah that's probably why... but still...' Kiyla thought to herself. She looked over at Ivy to see her reaction and to her surprise Ivy was looking to see Kiyla's reaction. Kiyla decided that her mom probably wasn't lying and that she was happy that at least one of her parents understood and loved her. Kiyla smiled at Ivy and began thinking about how life would be if she was never given up for adoption. It was all her dad's fault, but then Kiyla began to wonder why her mother had seemed to have chosen her husband over her one and only, hopefully, daughter. Kiyla looked over at Ivy puzzled and wondered what was one her mind.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy saw that Kiyla's expression read of puzzlement. There was a flicker of hurt, for a moment, but it seemed to soon pass away and be replaced by confusion.
Ivy smiled tentatively at Kiyla, proffering the letter. Kiyla didn't have to take it if she didn't want to, but it wasn't exactly as if Ivy was holding it firmly any more.

Things must have changed so much for Kiyla in the past minutes, Ivy thought. She didn't know what to say to her, so she allowed time for things to mull over.