Post by Cassandra Blackfire G7 on Dec 3, 2008 2:28:58 GMT
((These events occur over the Christmas holidays.))
It was two days before Christmas, but there was no joy in the Fallon household.
“Cassandra! Cassandra! You will listen to reason!” Julian’s angry voice called after his wife as she tore through their London flat. The look on her face was frightening, but powerful at the same time. She ignored him. He kept following her through the house in a panic. She could tell he was infuriated with her, and truthfully it scared her a bit. She had never seen Julian so angry. She deserved his wrath. Cass was four, almost five months pregnant now. The baby bulge was noticeable, and she was starting to get all those annoying little questions. ‘Oh, dear. How far along are you?’ and ‘Is it a boy or a girl?’ Hell, she had only been to the doctor for the first time three weeks before. The healer had admonished her for a good two hours then. Julian had sat at the head of the bed and agreed whole heartedly with the woman. The woman had confirmed Cass’ assertion that it was a girl. Julian beamed with pride and almost shouted it to the rooftops as they left St. Mungos’. Cass could only murmur a sour “Why aren’t you passing out the pink cigars yet?” as the two walked to the nearby Leaky Cauldron for lunch. The woman had also imparted upon the couple how dangerous it would be for Cass to perform magic. Even the simplest spells could become deadly when performed by a woman with child. Apparently, it had something to do with her body being all out of sorts at the moment. She could only groan. It would explain all of the fouled up spells she had performed while she was at Hogwarts. She spent the last two weeks of school performing some of the worst spell work she had ever conjured. Poor Professor Flitwick’s hair would probably never be the same.
Julian’s voice was like nails scraping against the chalk board all through lunch. He hadn’t done anything wrong, but his mere presence was bothering her. He was happy, and she was glad for it. His smile made her smile. He just couldn’t wait for their little family to be complete. Still, Cass felt like she was falling into the pureblood mold that she had spent so many years fighting against. Isn’t this what good pureblood girls were supposed to do? Marry a respectable man of proper house and station, get pregnant, and have a gorgeous baby? Yes, it was, and it was never what she wanted for herself.
The day went from bad to worse. After a short shopping trip in Diagon Alley, they had gone home. The weather was getting bad, and Julian didn’t want them to be out in it. Cass slid on a pair of slouchy red flannel pajama bottoms and a black tank top. Her swollen, white belly peaked out from underneath the shirt. It wasn’t too large, but it was definitely noticeable now. It almost sickened her to look at it. To think, her little Cynthia had caused all of these problems. She had made herself a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Grabbing a book off the shelf, she went to her living room and plopped herself onto her overstuffed blue couch. The blue and white lights from the Christmas tree provided her enough light to read the printed page. It was a fantasy book. Cass loved fantasy stories.
She had begun reading a particularly good chapter when Julian came into the room. Sitting at the end of the sofa, he placed her feet in his lap so he could rub them. They sat in silence like that for about fifteen minutes. They were just enjoying each other’s company. These moments were always her favorite. Neither had to say a single word to express the love they had for each other. It was just understood.
“Cassandra,” Julian had resolutely said. It pierced the silence like a knife. Why did he have to interrupt their perfect moment? She knew trouble was brewing when he said her name. “I think we need to talk about the baby.” It all went downhill from there. Julian professed that he thought Cass wasn’t taking care of herself properly. “How dare you decide what is best of me?! I think I’m the only one who can decide that.” This set her off. Julian had already decided that she couldn't go back to Hogwarts. What else did he want to take away from her? A very heated argument ensued. She was surprised that the neighbors weren’t knocking on the walls trying to get them to quiet down. Before she knew it, she made her way back to their bedroom. She continued to yell at Julian as she changed into her muggle street clothes. She packed a small bag as she called Pyro. “Pyro, I’m coming home.” How dare he? How could he possibly think that she was putting their daughter at risk? Julian was standing at the bedroom door when she opened it. She bumped his shoulder as she flew past him. They continued to yell at each other as she made her way to the front door.
Cass slammed the door as she left the flat. Her mind was made up. She wanted to get away from her embroiled marriage. What in the world was she thinking? How did she ever think, or even believe, that their relationship could work? Her boots slushed through the snow as she made her way to the back alley she always apparated. It was hidden by a very tall brick wall that made it the perfect spot to perform a small bit of magic. She didn’t want to leave Julian right before Christmas, but she needed to clear her head! He was smothering her. She was already frightened enough without him pointing out the obvious to her every few moments. Of course it was dangerous for her to play quidditch! She knew that the moment she picked up her broom at the beginning of the season. He treated her as if she were a child, and she was far from that. Cass had been through more in the past three years than most people saw in their entire lives. She stopped for a moment and rubbed the unfamiliar pooch that now stuck out from her stomach. Yes, she had been through a lot.
The alley was dark, dank, and cold like always. Many of her neighbors only made quick trips down here to deposit their garbage in the dumpster. There had been many awkward moments down here when she had met her neighbors in this area. Most of them only gave Cass a quizzical look trying to figure out why she never had trash bags in her hands. Tonight, she had no onlookers. The alley was only filled with the familiar scent of garbage. Standing in her same old spot, Cass secured her bag so she wouldn’t drop anything during her trip. There was nothing more infuriating than getting to your destination and realizing your purse was still on the other side of town. She still had to mentally prepare herself before apparating since she was so afraid of splinching herself. Truthfully, she took this time hoping that Julian would tear around the corner begging her to stay. She looked towards the opening. He wasn’t there, and she didn’t even hear the sound of shoes slapping pavement. No, there were only small, moving shadows against the walls. Snow started to fall in thick sheets. She sighed. Julian wasn’t coming, and there was no reason to get her hair wet. Her right foot began to slide to the right in a twirl when something swiped under her feet. Her head hit the ground hard as she screamed.
Feet scuttled against the ground all around her. There was two, no three people crowding around her. She could only see stars though. The fall had made her vision rather blurry. She felt small, scaly hands grab at her from all around. “Stop it!” She reached for her wand that was secured to her hip under her long coat. Even as her hand wrapped around the wooden shaft, she felt it being kicked from her hand. Cass could only watch helplessly as it rolled away from her behind some garbage cans. As a last ditch effort, she swung her arms wide in a flailing motion trying to bat her attackers away. She couldn’t, and it wasn’t long before she felt what might be a body bind curse take over. Frozen, she could only look up into a grizzled set of blue eyes that were set into a wrinkled face. “That’s enough, Mrs. Fallon,” she heard the high pitched wizened voice say. A tiny finger pressed to her temple. Cass felt a small bit of pressure, and then her world went black.
It was two days before Christmas, but there was no joy in the Fallon household.
“Cassandra! Cassandra! You will listen to reason!” Julian’s angry voice called after his wife as she tore through their London flat. The look on her face was frightening, but powerful at the same time. She ignored him. He kept following her through the house in a panic. She could tell he was infuriated with her, and truthfully it scared her a bit. She had never seen Julian so angry. She deserved his wrath. Cass was four, almost five months pregnant now. The baby bulge was noticeable, and she was starting to get all those annoying little questions. ‘Oh, dear. How far along are you?’ and ‘Is it a boy or a girl?’ Hell, she had only been to the doctor for the first time three weeks before. The healer had admonished her for a good two hours then. Julian had sat at the head of the bed and agreed whole heartedly with the woman. The woman had confirmed Cass’ assertion that it was a girl. Julian beamed with pride and almost shouted it to the rooftops as they left St. Mungos’. Cass could only murmur a sour “Why aren’t you passing out the pink cigars yet?” as the two walked to the nearby Leaky Cauldron for lunch. The woman had also imparted upon the couple how dangerous it would be for Cass to perform magic. Even the simplest spells could become deadly when performed by a woman with child. Apparently, it had something to do with her body being all out of sorts at the moment. She could only groan. It would explain all of the fouled up spells she had performed while she was at Hogwarts. She spent the last two weeks of school performing some of the worst spell work she had ever conjured. Poor Professor Flitwick’s hair would probably never be the same.
Julian’s voice was like nails scraping against the chalk board all through lunch. He hadn’t done anything wrong, but his mere presence was bothering her. He was happy, and she was glad for it. His smile made her smile. He just couldn’t wait for their little family to be complete. Still, Cass felt like she was falling into the pureblood mold that she had spent so many years fighting against. Isn’t this what good pureblood girls were supposed to do? Marry a respectable man of proper house and station, get pregnant, and have a gorgeous baby? Yes, it was, and it was never what she wanted for herself.
The day went from bad to worse. After a short shopping trip in Diagon Alley, they had gone home. The weather was getting bad, and Julian didn’t want them to be out in it. Cass slid on a pair of slouchy red flannel pajama bottoms and a black tank top. Her swollen, white belly peaked out from underneath the shirt. It wasn’t too large, but it was definitely noticeable now. It almost sickened her to look at it. To think, her little Cynthia had caused all of these problems. She had made herself a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Grabbing a book off the shelf, she went to her living room and plopped herself onto her overstuffed blue couch. The blue and white lights from the Christmas tree provided her enough light to read the printed page. It was a fantasy book. Cass loved fantasy stories.
She had begun reading a particularly good chapter when Julian came into the room. Sitting at the end of the sofa, he placed her feet in his lap so he could rub them. They sat in silence like that for about fifteen minutes. They were just enjoying each other’s company. These moments were always her favorite. Neither had to say a single word to express the love they had for each other. It was just understood.
“Cassandra,” Julian had resolutely said. It pierced the silence like a knife. Why did he have to interrupt their perfect moment? She knew trouble was brewing when he said her name. “I think we need to talk about the baby.” It all went downhill from there. Julian professed that he thought Cass wasn’t taking care of herself properly. “How dare you decide what is best of me?! I think I’m the only one who can decide that.” This set her off. Julian had already decided that she couldn't go back to Hogwarts. What else did he want to take away from her? A very heated argument ensued. She was surprised that the neighbors weren’t knocking on the walls trying to get them to quiet down. Before she knew it, she made her way back to their bedroom. She continued to yell at Julian as she changed into her muggle street clothes. She packed a small bag as she called Pyro. “Pyro, I’m coming home.” How dare he? How could he possibly think that she was putting their daughter at risk? Julian was standing at the bedroom door when she opened it. She bumped his shoulder as she flew past him. They continued to yell at each other as she made her way to the front door.
Cass slammed the door as she left the flat. Her mind was made up. She wanted to get away from her embroiled marriage. What in the world was she thinking? How did she ever think, or even believe, that their relationship could work? Her boots slushed through the snow as she made her way to the back alley she always apparated. It was hidden by a very tall brick wall that made it the perfect spot to perform a small bit of magic. She didn’t want to leave Julian right before Christmas, but she needed to clear her head! He was smothering her. She was already frightened enough without him pointing out the obvious to her every few moments. Of course it was dangerous for her to play quidditch! She knew that the moment she picked up her broom at the beginning of the season. He treated her as if she were a child, and she was far from that. Cass had been through more in the past three years than most people saw in their entire lives. She stopped for a moment and rubbed the unfamiliar pooch that now stuck out from her stomach. Yes, she had been through a lot.
The alley was dark, dank, and cold like always. Many of her neighbors only made quick trips down here to deposit their garbage in the dumpster. There had been many awkward moments down here when she had met her neighbors in this area. Most of them only gave Cass a quizzical look trying to figure out why she never had trash bags in her hands. Tonight, she had no onlookers. The alley was only filled with the familiar scent of garbage. Standing in her same old spot, Cass secured her bag so she wouldn’t drop anything during her trip. There was nothing more infuriating than getting to your destination and realizing your purse was still on the other side of town. She still had to mentally prepare herself before apparating since she was so afraid of splinching herself. Truthfully, she took this time hoping that Julian would tear around the corner begging her to stay. She looked towards the opening. He wasn’t there, and she didn’t even hear the sound of shoes slapping pavement. No, there were only small, moving shadows against the walls. Snow started to fall in thick sheets. She sighed. Julian wasn’t coming, and there was no reason to get her hair wet. Her right foot began to slide to the right in a twirl when something swiped under her feet. Her head hit the ground hard as she screamed.
Feet scuttled against the ground all around her. There was two, no three people crowding around her. She could only see stars though. The fall had made her vision rather blurry. She felt small, scaly hands grab at her from all around. “Stop it!” She reached for her wand that was secured to her hip under her long coat. Even as her hand wrapped around the wooden shaft, she felt it being kicked from her hand. Cass could only watch helplessly as it rolled away from her behind some garbage cans. As a last ditch effort, she swung her arms wide in a flailing motion trying to bat her attackers away. She couldn’t, and it wasn’t long before she felt what might be a body bind curse take over. Frozen, she could only look up into a grizzled set of blue eyes that were set into a wrinkled face. “That’s enough, Mrs. Fallon,” she heard the high pitched wizened voice say. A tiny finger pressed to her temple. Cass felt a small bit of pressure, and then her world went black.
