Darkness Round the Sun ((Ethan))

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

Weetzie looked at her reflection. Her hair, which had been brown, now hung black and to the end of her ribcage. She liked it. It was different. But that wasn’t the only thing that was different about Weetzie’s appearance. She had changed everything about her appearance as much as she could. Looking at her old appearance had reminded her too much of Gracie and Weetzie wanted to forget everything she could about her little cousin. Everything. Weetzie ran her fingers through her black hair and leaned further into the mirror as she picked up her eyeliner pencil and started to apply it to her eyes. After that was finished she applied her eyeshadow and then looked at her over all reflection. With her darker hair, her skin tone looked paler but not sickly pale. Just porcelain like. Her eyes popped with her make up, because they originally were a nice shade of green, but now they were more wowing. Then there was the most recent addition to her face. The nose ring. She had gotten her nose pierced the week she had returned home and she knew that she would have to take it out during school or use a camouflage charm of some sort, because piercings were against the rules, but Weetzie had thought it was new. Her mother had gone into a near catatonic state when she saw it, but after awhile she grew to like it. Just like she had grown to like Weetzie’s new sense of style. That was the best thing about Weetzie’s mum. She was always so accepting. Even when she probably shouldn’t be.

She grabbed her new black leather jacket and slipped it on over her shoulders, sliding her hands into the sleeves and pulling her hair out of the collar. She checked the pockets of her jacket, making sure she had money and her cell phone, and then left her room… hurrying past Gracie’s old room. Her mother was in the kitchen with her aunt Stephanie talking over mugs of coffee. Steph had yet to see Weetzie’s new change, but Maire had filled her in on everything. Still, she wasn’t expecting to see what she did when Weetzie walked into the kitchen. Steph nearly dropped her mug and let her eyes widen, “Weetz… wow…” Weetzie shrugged at her aunt and moved to the refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of water, and opened it before taking a swig. “I…” Steph looked to Maire who smiled and shrugged like Weetzie had, “I like it… it’s different. Dark…er…” she trailed off because she knew what had sparked this change in Weetz. Everyone knew what had sparked this change in Weetz. Maire and Steph both looked down at their hands and Weetzie capped her bottle of water before brushing past them. She didn’t know how Steph was still standing with the loss of her six year old daughter. Well, no, that’s a lie. She did know. Gracie was never really Stephanie’s daughter. She was Weetzie’s. Therefore, Weetzie was more affected by her death than Steph was. Weetzie scowled at this thought.

“Going out, doll?” Her mother called as she made her way through the kitchen toward the living room and front door. Weetzie didn’t bother to answer her, she opened the door, stepped outside, and then let it slam shut as she made her way down the walkway. There were benefits to living in Hogsmeade. For instance, there was always a good place to eat within walking distance. Which was where Weetzie was on her way to now. She needed to get something to eat, and the Three Broomsticks always served as a good place for that. Madame Rosmerta knew her quite well, because Maire wasn’t much of a cook so a lot of her meals were spent at the pub. Weetzie pushed her hair behind her ear and hurried into the shopping district, wanting to distance herself from the cottages as fast as possible. She reached the pub and entered it, welcoming the dark and bar like atmosphere. “Hello, Weetzie, you look nice today, same thing as always?” Rosmerta smiled at her before waving her wand and sending a bottle of butterbeer her way. Weetzie managed a small smile of thanks and sat down at the bar, twirling the bottle around in a circle slowly, her eyes downcast.

[Ethan Jacobs G5]

Ethan paced around the room, wondering what he was going to do about his small problem he had going on. He couldn't ask his parents, as they were both at work again, even though it was Sunday. His mother wouldn't be able to help him anyway, as his problem involved her. If his father wasn't too busy autographing his bestselling books at his bookstore, he would have been able to help. But unfortunately, he had a life; a life that didn't involve his own son. Ethan kicked his rubbish bin, causing bits of paper and old food to tumble out. He continued to pace. Tomorrow was his mother's thirty-fifth birthday, and Ethan had basically nothing to give her. He was way past the age of giving her macaroni glued to Popsicle sticks, and he didn't have the kind of money it took to get Amanda Jacobs a decent gift. Amanda ran a multimillion galleon business that included high end fashions and cosmetics for the rich and famous. She even had a make-up line for teenage witches who couldn't afford her more expensive products. How could you possibly find a good gift for someone who had everything? He needed a break. He couldn’t think straight at the moment. He needed someplace to get away, to relax and have fun, just for a couple of hours. Then he would come back to the house to come up with a good gift, and then by some miracle; come up with the money to buy it.
Ethan decided he’d stop by the three broomsticks for a while, maybe grab a butterbeer or two. He scribbled a note on a piece of parchment that said he was going out and taped it on the refrigerator. He simply glanced at the million other “I’m going out” notes that were scribbled during previous days that simply haven’t been taken down yet. He removed his special bag of floo powder from his pocket (he had his own bag since he traveled a lot) and dropped it into the fireplace and watched the flames turn green. He walked in and clearly stated “Hogsmeade” and let the flames take him over to the Three Broomsticks. The sensation of watching green flames and jumping into fire had long ceased to amaze Ethan, for he had done this several times a week. He yawned as he casually walked into the Three Broomsticks and took his seat at the bar. “The usual, please. And I must say, Madame Rosemerta, you look very lovely today.” He always greeted her with a compliment when he saw her. He obviously didn’t fancy her, but everyone knew his style. He didn’t have to like the girl to flirt with her. He noticed a girl about his age sitting next to him. She was rather pretty, and shared his sense of style. Ethan had seen her before, but today she looked much different than usual. She had dyed her hair black and added a nose ring. Her clothes were also much different than her usual style. This girl was Weetzie O’Keef, a sixth year Hufflepuff. Ethan had talked to her before, but they weren’t exactly good friends.
“Weetz? Is that you?” He asked, unsure of the answer he might get. He wasn’t sure that she would remember him, for they had met very briefly in Ethan’s third year.

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

She sipped at her butterbeer slowly, her eyes looking at the pictures that were hanging on the wall behind the bar. Wizards waltzed in and out of the frames, although most were sleeping. Weetzie pushed her hair over her shoulder as she drank her butterbeer and focused on one photo in particular of her mother. Maire was maybe 18, probably closer to 19, in the photo and she had her long brown hair down around her shoulders. She was laughing as she most always was. But the one things that always caught Weetzie’s attention was who she was in the photograph with and what she was wearing. It was no secret that Weetzie’s parents had gotten married at the Three Broomsticks. Weetzie had always known because it was her favourite story to hear. So it was no surprise to find the photograph of her parents, smiling and laughing and kissing, on the wall behind the bar. It was one of Madame Rosmerta’s favourite stories to tell. Weetzie could never ask her mother about her father. She’d tried, but Maire just shuts up whenever the question is brought up. “Weetz? Is that you?” She looked to her left at whoever had spoken, her stare blank as she tried to figure out who the boy was. Finally, she came up with a name, and shrugged; “I used to be.” It was a rather accurate statement.

Weetzie took a deep drink of her butterbeer before looking back over at the photograph, her expression lost, “You’re Ethan, though. Unless you’ve changed from the last time I saw you bouncing around the halls and making girls giggle and blush.” Ethan Jacobs was a flirt. It was a wide known fact. He flirted with any girl alive. Weetzie, the old Weetzie, wouldn’t have minded. In fact, she was used to flirting. She did it often enough. But that was because it was a part of who she was. She was so good at just talking with someone that they didn’t even realize she was flirting. Weetzie hadn’t been an obvious and open flirt, she was just someone who got along with everyone and knew how to make people more inclined to being her friend. As much a flirt Weetzie had been, she hadn’t ever liked anyone and she hadn’t ever had a boyfriend. Relationships just weren’t in the bigger scheme of things. Now, relationships were the furthest thing from her mind. She drank from her bottle of butterbeer again and rested her elbow on the bar, looking at Ethan once more; “Still the biggest flirt in Gryffindor?” she asked him with a smirk, “Or have you found yourself someone to latch onto?”

The idea that Ethan had found a steady girlfriend was rather bewildering. He was always so wrapped up in flirting shamelessly that the idea of him having a girlfriend and not flirting was just… shocking. Weetzie raised an eyebrow at him before sipping at her butterbeer again, finishing it off. Wasn’t that the point of having a girlfriend? Weetzie had never dated before, but she knew that if she had and her boyfriend went around flirting with other girls… she would be thoroughly ticked off. Of course, perhaps that was just her, and if Ethan had a girlfriend…perhaps she was a tinge more understanding about that sort of thing. Whatever the excuse, Weetzie was still waiting for an answer.

[Ethan Jacobs G5]

Weetzie stared bluntly at him, as if she had just been in the middle of a rather tiring daydream. This happened to Ethan a lot, mostly about the most random of things. Sometimes he thought of his dead sister, or his family, or sometimes he even thought of something as silly as school. Most of his daydreams were about Ezzie, though. His thoughts were constantly occupied by her image, her voice. These thoughts were constantly crowding his brain, and gave him no rest. Ethan sighed as he glanced over at Weetzie. She had looked so different, so much more like the rebel he knew was hiding in most people. In some, the rebel was obvious and could be spotted from a distance. In others, however, the rebel inside stays hidden. Ethan thought back to his friend Carey, whom he knew from the fancy pureblood country club in Whales. She had always listened to her parents, leaving her rebel hidden deep under. This was somewhat like Ezzie, who could be so unpredictable it drove him crazy. Sometimes, Ezzie went all the way with her rebellion, and other times, she stayed trapped in her little shell never to come out. She was always different to Ethan, but yet, she was still the same person inside. She changed a lot, but would never do it on the command of someone else. She made her own choices, and did what she wanted, and that was what Ethan loved about her.

Ethan smiled as Weetzie told him of her memories of him. They had both changed immensely since they had last met, but Weetzie definitely took home the gold medal for most changed.Ethan still had a mental picture in his head of the old Weetzie. Her dark brown hair had turned black, something that suited her well. She now had a nose ring, which Ethan completely approved of. Ethan had two piercings of his own, only they weren't entirely real. Her clothing was much different as well. Her style from before was much more girly, much younger. He could tell something big had happened in Weetzie's life. Something completely life changing. He dismissed the two Weetzies from his mind and returned to planet earth, where he was talking to Weetzie O'Keefe in the Three Broomsticks. She told him of her memories of him always being surrounded by girls who adored him. He didn't blame them either. What girl in their right mind could possibly resist a man with good looks, amazing personality, and more gold in his pocket than both their parents made in a year combined?

"Well, yea I guess you could say that." He said as Madame Rosmerta placed a butterbeer on his table and he took a sip. "I've kind of mellowed down to only one girl, which is a big change. I'm dating this girl named Ezzie. I have been all summer. You might know her from those stupid chick magazines. She's in there a lot." He sighed as he took another sip. Ezzie was pretty famous now, and she barely had enough time for him anymore. The constant pressure Ezzie received from the media wasn't helping their relationship much either. The paparazzi were always following her around, and never left her alone. "But just because I'm dating someone doesn't stop any girls from giggling and blushing at the sight of me." He said with a smile. "I've been blessed with a curse, is all I can say." He chuckled. "So how about you? Are you dating anyone?"

((FINALLY! sorry for the wait!))

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

“Mmm,” Weetzie said noncommittally, “I don’t read girly magazines. I’m not one to read the tabloids. Gossip isn’t something I’m interested in.” That was quite the understatement. Weetzie in fact hated gossip. She hated the problems it caused. It was because of this that she tended to stay away from gossip if she could help it – which meant avoiding tabloids and magazines of any sorts because that’s all they were full of. Meaningless, mindless, and hopeless gossip. She felt bad for Ethan’s girlfriend if she was being featured in those trash magazines, but she didn’t say anything to him about it. The fact that she was in them, though, did pique Weetzie’s interest; “She famous or something?” Weetzie eyed Ethan a moment and then wracked her brain. Ezzie….Ezzie… Weetzie’s eyebrows rose and she stared at Ethan, “Ezzie Mendez is your girlfriend, eh? Hmm. Well, you don’t have to read the magazines to hear about her. She’s everywhere.” Weetzie took another deep drink of her butterbeer and smirked, “It would appear Hogwarts is getting a lot of pop stars or rock star wanna bes. I wonder how Mackenzie Holden feels about that.” Weetzie and Mack didn’t ever really get along. Weetzie had respected Mack’s music but it wasn’t her type and she didn’t like that Mack had sold out to a record label, but then again – Mack wasn’t Weetzie.

Ethan had asked her about dating anyone and Weetzie had to hold in a snort, “Yeah, right, when Muggles and Wizards live together in peace and harmony.” She smirked again and finished off her butterbeer before setting down a knut and ordering another. The new butterbeer appeared in front of her and Weetzie took a drink of it immediately before seriously answering his question; “No. I’m single, still. I always will be. No one wants to date a cynical manic depressive like me. Everyone else is getting a boyfriend or girlfriend, though. Even my best friend has gotten someone hooked on him. But oh well,” Weetzie drank from her butterbeer again and stifled a sigh, “That’s life, it’s how it goes. Some people are a relationship type person and some people just aren’t. I’m one of those who aren’t. Some guy would have to be completely crazy to be with me. I mean, I’m intimidating enough without all of this dark clothing.” Weetzie smiled evilly at Ethan and tucked her hair behind her ear casually with nonchalant shrug. She looked over at him a moment, “Though, I must say I never pictured you to be tied down, Jacobs. You always seemed to like the ability to flirt with whomever you pleased.

“But, whatever flies your broomstick. I just don’t know how you do it, mmm? Dating someone as famous as your girlfriend appears to be. Doesn’t it get hard? I mean…you know…getting a record label is huge.” Weetzie wondered briefly if she was prying and then she smirked, realizing she wasn’t going to care; “You should contact someone who has a standing record label and ask them how it affected their relationships. And you should warn your girlfriend what exactly she’s getting herself into. You might know the ins and outs of it, Ethan, but you don’t know what kind of work goes on behind everything. What it does to a person’s personality and relationships.” She looked at him and then shrugged and took another drink of her butterbeer, “You should probably find out.”