All I Can Do (Senium and Richard)

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:40 am

Senium had decided, much against her Grandpapa's will that she was going to go out for a walk, he had told her that there was going to be a cold snap and some rain due but she didn't listen, and now looking up at the sky she began to wish that she had, it looked like it was about to rain any second and she had not brought an umbrella, her hood wouldn't last long either without getting wet.

Hiding behind some trees, Senium dropped to the ground, her limbs growing stiff and getting too heavy to move, she had begun to get tired and she knew that this was not a good thing, struggling to stay awake she let her eyes droop shut for a second, to rest them, and then fell into a deep sleep, while her muscles began to repair themselves a little bit, for when she woke up again.

by **Richard Romain** Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:46 am

Richard had decided to go for a walk in the silent wood when he had finished with his self-appointed task of scarying the hell out of a criminal by holding him from the tallest branch of a tree, covered in tin foil, as thunder clouds rolled in. Needless to say the man had given him the information he'd asked for. After portkeying the man away, Richard noticed a faint smell that shouldn't be so strong in the area.

It was the scent of decaying flesh.

Morbidly intriged, Richard followed the scent until he found a young girl in a heap against a tree. Judging by the smell, she was the one decaying. He couldn't help but blink in surprise though when it appeared that she was breathing. Transfiguring one of the leaves into an umbrella he held over her, he coughed loudly to get her attention,

"Sleeping in a rainstorm is a bad idea little miss."

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:52 am

Senium heard someone talking to her, and the wetness began to register as it seeped through her clothes, waking up with a start she cursed herself for actually falling asleep and she knew that this was bad news for her because she was bound to get even more stiff from the rain landing on her, looking up at the man with startled eyes she registered the fact that he was holding an umbrella up over her.

Did that mean that he was going to help her?

"Uhm, yes, I'm sorry I didn't mean to fall asleep, uhm I'll move now if I'm in your way." she said quietly, making to flip over onto her knees so that she could kind of half crawl half drag herself up from her position on the floor, her muscles screaming all the way.

Whimpering slightly she stood up very slowly, before straightening herself up against the tree, her ring that disguised her injuries was intact and the sheild not broken, but she could see the bleeding coming from the bandages behind the glamour charm.

by **Richard Romain** Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:57 am

Richard watched the girl wince as she woke up, obviously aware that she'd been drenched while she'd been sleeping. The rain was becoming rather heavy now but he merely held the umbrella over the girl, making sure that she didn't get any wetter. He smiled a little bit,

"You're not in my way, don't worry." he smiled, "I was just a little bit concerned for your well-being. Rainstorms are bad for the heath after all."

He could tell that the girl was having an inexplicable amount of trouble in getting to her feet and helped her a little bit, holding her hand so that she could use it as leverage to pull herself up to her feet, leaning against the tree. Richard couldn't help but notice that the smell of blood was now seeping into the air,

"Are you hurt miss?" he asked her with a concerned frown, "Are you bleeding in any way?"

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:10 am

Senium was a little bit worried when the man said that she wasn't in his way, why would he have woken her up then, but that thinking had been transferred into her from her Grandpapa and she dismissed it, he had just done this so that he could be nice and see if she was alright, and she was glad that he had woken her up.

Things would have been a lot worse if he hadn't.

"Why thank you sir! Not many people would have woken me up so thank you again, rain is very bad, it gives you colds and all kinds of bad diseases." she added, glad that she knew something on the subject.

Senium didn't notice the man had held out his hand until she was already standing, and she blushed a little bit as she stood up straight, before making a small noise of fright as he asked if she was bleeding in any way, he could see through the charms? Oh no! Calming herself down she shook her head furiously.

"N-no sir, you must be mistaken sir."

by **Richard Romain** Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:15 am

Richard could tell that the little girl didn't seem inclined to believe him when he said that she hadn't been in his way but if he was honest it was hard to be in someone's way if you were asleep against a tree. When she thanked him he merely chuckled a little bit and looked up, the rain splashing against his face,

"The rain is all of those things and for those reasons it's bad." he smiled at her, "But it also makes the crops grow and keeps the grass green. Besides... it can't rain all the time."

He chuckled a little bit when she seemed embarassed that she hadn't used his hand to steady herself but he took quick notice of the way she seemed to panic when he asked if she was bleeding. Richard tapped the side of his nose,

"I'm not mistaken." he replied with a coy smile, "The nose knows."

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:22 am

Senium smiled lightly and nodded her head with a growing happy smile, she didnt mind looking at the rain when she was inside and when she could look at it, in fact, sometimes she enjoyed dancing to the beat of the rain on the roof of her Grandpapa's house, it was relaxing to her and she wished that it didn't cause her so much pain.

"Everything has a good side, even the rain, I do like it, just when I don't fall asleep in it." she giggled slightly,

Blinking lightly, Senium didn't know quite what to do, she didn't want this man to know what was wrong with her, she wanted to keep that a secret from the stranger at least for now, and she tried desperately to change the subject in her mind.

"W-well...I'm Senium, Senium Nex, who are you?" she asks, hoping that he will leave the subject alone.

by **Richard Romain** Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:28 am

Richard nodded in agreement even as he held the umbrella over the girl, not bothering to cover himself from the downpoar of rain. He smiled as the rain plastered his hair to his head,

"I like the rain even if it is a bit cold." he chuckled a little bit before waving his hand, expanding the umbrella so that it covered a larger area over the two of them, "There we go. That's enough rain for one day."

He could tell that there was something the matter with the girl, someone didn't just smell of decay and blood while being completely fine after all. Richard also knew that she hadn't killed someone or been near something decaying. The scent was too strong and too focused on her to be anything other than her decaying and her bleeding. Letting her change the subject, Richard elongated the pole of the umbrella and stuck it into the ground. Drying the ground with a wave of his wand, drying out the girl's clothes too for good messure, Richard sat down on the now dry ground,

"Nice to meet you Miss Senium Nex." he greeted her with a little wave, "I'm Richard Romain."

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:34 am

Senium was about to ask if the man wanted to use the umbrella for himself for a moment instead of letting her have all the protection, when he made it bigger as if it was nothing, beaming with happiness she looked at the man in front of her in awe, could he be a transfiguration expert?

"That's a really awesome skill you have, I love transfiguring things, it's the only form of magic that I can do..." she said quietly, this last part had always shamed her, she wanted to be a proper witch.

Thinking on it, she supposed that it was something lucky to actually have a magical core the way they she was at the moment, she was so weak at the moment, it was almost non-existant.

Seeing the man sit on the floor, she hoped that he wouldn't expect her to sit down too, and she just cocked her head as she looked at the man, now known as Richard, standing up stiffly and hoping that her muscles would relax any time soon so that she could stop being in so much pain.

"It's nice to meet you Richard!" she said cheerfully.

by **Richard Romain** Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:41 am

The way that the girl, Senium, looked at him told Richard that he'd probably just done something very impressive. To be honest, after a long time for doing such things, and seeing amazing things, he'd become a bit jaded. But seeing the awe on her face made him smile and feel proud of his own work even if it wasn't his best,

"I've worked a long time to get to where I am." he admitted. When she told him it was the only magic she could do, Richard actually beamed, "Excellent! That's great to hear! Oh some people might think it's bad to only have one area of magic available to you... but why should it be bad Senium? Why within your school years you could become a transfiguration master!"

Richard noted how she didn't sit down and chalked it up as another odd thing about this little girl that didn't quite add up. Ignoring it for now, Richard took a blade of grass and played with it idly. As he twirled it, the grass changed form. From grass, to glass, from glass to metal, from metal to ice and then back to grass,

"Likewise young miss Nex!" he smiled at her, "How old are you Senium? Old enough for school I imagine."

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:49 am

Senium could listen to someone talking about transfiguration all day long, she loved it, she love watching things being able to chnage so fluidly, it was magical to her, far more impressive than seeing something levitate or anything like that, especially potions, that was just like cooking.

"It...it isn't a bad thing? A-are you sure? Lots of people have told me that it's a bad thing, oh but I could think of nothing greater than to be a master of something that I love so much. There's only one thing that would be greater." she said, in a dreamy far off voice as she thought of what would happen in the future, or what she dreamed would happen.

Opening her mouth like a fish, and gaping as Richard began to change the grass so skillfully, Senium couldn't helop but squeak loudly and watch the man with complete revery

"You're amazing." she whispered, before snapping herself around to answering his question "I'm eleven actually, I start this year, why?"

by **Richard Romain** Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:55 am

Richard could tell that this girl was very much like he was when he was her age. She was enchanted with transfiguration far more than any other form of magic. Sure, making fire was fun but being able to turn anything into anything else, into any shape or combination? That was magical,

"Of course it's not a bad thing! If I'm honest I'm rather jealous... I've wasted time on other areas of magic when I could have been focusing solely on transfiguration." he chuckled a little bit, "Well I can tell you're going to go far in transfiguration, mark my words!"

Richard blinked when he heard what could only be described as a 'fan girl squee'. He chuckled a little bit and had the decency to blush when he realised she was so impressed due to his little exercise, something he'd made a habit to keep his skills sharp,

"Hehe... thanks. I guess I just do it on reflex now." he closing his hand around the blade of grass, he grinned and pulled it out as a delicate-looking rose made out of glass. Richard handed it to her, "Keep it. 11 huh? You going to Hogwarts soon then right?"

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:05 am

Senium smiled widely and couldn't help but beam at Richard she wanted to hug him but she couldn't move her arms, or any part of her to be honest it was like she had rusted still, and she had to do something about that, but couldn't bare to break the spell this man held over her.

"I really do hope that I have the time to be as good as you are Richard, you're amazing, it must have taken such a long time for you to get this good..."

Gasping a little as he pulled out a rose made of glass, she went forwards on reflex to get it from him and gasped again, but this time in pain as her muscles screamed out against the movement that she made towards him, taking the rose anyway she smiled slightly back.

"But I have nothing to give you in return." she pouted lightly "Yes! I have my letter and everything I'm so excited, I hope the transfiguration professor is as good as you."

by **Richard Romain** Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:11 am

He could tell that she seemed to be fighting the instinct to hug him over what he'd said and Richard was a little bit thankful if he was honest. Richard only hugged people he really cared about and although she was growing on him, he'd only just met Senium,

"Well it took me many years to get to where I am now." he scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin, "But with you focusing on transfiguration almost entirely? Yeah you'll catch up a lot faster than anyone else could ever dream of doing."

Richard frowned a little bit when he saw her gasp in pain from a relatively simple movement. He wanted to ask her what it was about but it was obviously a subject that Senium didn't want to talk about,

"Oh don't worry about that. You just do you best in transfiguration and that'll be good enough for me." he told her with a grin, deciding to tease her a little bit, "I'm sure the transfiguration professor knows what he's doing. I know him after all."

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:17 am

Senium was glad that someone had faith in her skills in transfiguration, after all her Grandpapa wanted her to focus on her puppet skills so that she could be a master of that art one day, however she found that she loved another art, that of transfiguration much better, yet hopefully she could learn the two, if her core let her.

"I am so glad that you have so much faith in me, I'll make sure that I do my very best to make you proud...but wont the school be angry at me, because I can't do any other magic?" she asked, a little scared of what the Headmistress might say to her.

When Richard told her that he knew the professor at Hogwarts her eyes lit up, she hoped that he would be able to put a good word in for her, because she wanted so badly to become an apprentice so that she could learn the most she could from the expert.

"OH you know him? Oh please please please tell me what he's like? Would he take me on as an apprentice? Because that would be like a dream come true!"

by **Richard Romain** Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:24 am

Richard could see that her desire to learn transfiguration was great but that it was a conflicting emotion, conflicting with her desire to do something else as well. He wasn't going to pry and ask her what else commanded her commitment but he couldn't help but be curious as to what could match her commitment to transfiguration,

"If you can make yourself proud, Senium, then I will be so twice as proud and twice as happy as you yourself." he smiled, "Oh they'll let you in and it'll be perfectly fine Senium. My wife is the headmistress and she's very fair."

The way her eyes lit up made Richard smile, knowing that she'd probably be very shocked to hear that he was actually the transfiguration professor,

"Oh I know him very well. He's a nice enough guy I guess... bit of a show off. And a bit... well a bit german." he stuck his tongue out, "Does this really weird thing with his nose that's just... ewie! As for an apprentice... well I guess you'd have to ask him. But I'd think he'd love to have you as an apprentice. You want to know how I know that?"

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:29 am

Senium smiled broadly when she was reassured that she would be let in Hogwarts and wouldn't be kicked out because she couldn't do all of the types of magic that were supposed to be learnt while you were there, after all she didn't want to make her Grandpapa ashamed by getting kicked out of school.

Blinking lightly she bit her lip; "You're married to the Headmistress? That must mean...do you work at the school yourself Richard?" Senium asked, a little confused.

If he did work at the school then calling him Richard was being very disrespectful and the very thought of it made her heart tremor with pain at being so informal towards one of her instructors. When Richard described the instructor, Senium only smiled lightly.

"Being German is okay, I am Russian, perhaps we will get along well since we are both away from home." Senium whispered, putting everything together, Senium shook her head and smiled widely "Nope! Because I know! You must be the transfiguration Professor!"

by **Richard Romain** Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:34 am

Richard was sure that there had been people with the same handicap in terms of magic before who had been through both Hogwarts and Durmstrang. He'd been friends with one such person in Durmstrang, a student who could only use charms and no other kind of spells for some reason. The man had become a master duellist easily,

"Yes I am indeed married to the headmistress, the beautiful woman that she is." he replied before grinning, "I do indeed work at the school! I'm the Head of Slytherin House, among other things."

He could tell that she was starting to connect the dots and would soon arrive at the correct conclusion,

"Well I'm glad that you happen to think that because I am german. Although I have many more ties to Britain than to Germany now-a-days." he told her before chuckling, "Bingo! On the nose! Meine name ist Richard Romain. Ich bin ein transfiguration professor! You may call me Richard though."

by **Senium Nex** Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:47 am

Senium was going to look forward to meeting with the Headmistress at the start of the school at the feast, she knew that she would be very beautiful if Richard said so, because he seemed to be a person that would always tell the truth, even if she didn't know him that well at the moment.

"I am sure she is very beautiful, and you must be very clever like Headmistress Romain in order to be the Head of Slytherin house, although, are you supposed to be mean if you're head of that house?" she asked, half niavely and half with some bias knowledge.

With a small hum, Senium nodded her head with a light smile; "Me too, me too, although I will always consider mother Russia as my homeland. It's a wonderful place. At least I think so." she blushed lightly "I knew I was right! I knew it! You were too amazing not to teach there...but...would you really think about giving me an apprenticeship?"

by **Richard Romain** Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:20 am

Richard couldn't help but get a little bit caught up in his own thoughts about Briony's beauty. He was rather biased, based on his absolute love and adoration for her, but to him she was the most beautiful woman in the world. He smiled and nodded,

"She is indeed very beautiful Senium... she is radiant. Clever like Briony? Oh I'm nowhere near that clever. I suppose I'm clever in my own way though." he chuckled a little bit, "Yeah I get that a lot. I guess they assumed I would be... being german and all."

He nodded as he thought about some of the times he'd travelled in Russia,

"Yes Russia does seem to be a lovely place. Much better than Germany at least... in Germany the only thing harsher than the soil is the people." he muttered before grinning widely, "Think about it? No! I've already thought about it! And the answer is... yes! I would love to have you as my apprentice!"

by **Senium Nex** Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:36 am

Senium thought of what her true self looked like and she wished that someone would think of her as radiant, she wanted someone to think of her as beautiful even though she knew that she wasn't someone who would ever be considered as such, with her decaying skin and bleeding bandages.

"I would like to be as beautiful as her in someones eyes..." she said quietly, smiling sadly, and nodding still at the statement that Richard was clever in his own way "Everyone is clever in their own way."

With a slightly larger smile, Senium thought about the home town, she hadn't been there in a while and would like to go back when she was able, if she was ever able to go back again. Giggling slightly at the description of the Germans that Richard gave her, then Senium's eyes lit up.

"Oh my! Really you will allow me such a great honour!?" she asked, unable to believe it, before saluting swiftly, eyes widening slightly in pain as she did so, biting her lip to stifle the squeak of pain she was feeling "I'll do my very best to make you proud."

by **Richard Romain** Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:53 am

Richard decided, as he was pulling himself from thoughts of his wife, that beauty came in many different forms. Just as love was unique, attraction and beauty were things that varied from person to person but everyone had beauty in them,

"Well to someone, somewhere, you are more beautiful than even Briony." he assured her with a smile, "After all... everyone is beautiful in their own way. And everyone is beautiful beyond measure to someone."

He saw the happy smile than Senium was wearing and couldn't help but grin in return. She loved her homeland and she would come to love Britain as well, he just knew it,

"Oh please, the honour is mine! The student honours the teacher is what my master once said to me." he quoted with a grin, even as he noticed the slightly pained way she squeaked, "At ease little on, at ease. I'll be teaching you all of my best techniques!"

by **Senium Nex** Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:05 am

Senium wondered if to her grandpapa she would be as beautiful as Briony, or maybe if her parents were still alive they would still think of her as beautiful...inside she hoped that one day she might reach the age that she would actually manage to have her first kiss with someone, that's all that she really wanted...apart from to finish her project.

"I hope one day that I will be able to find that person, after all, family doesn't really count now do they?" she asked with a small grin.

Seeing Richard so happy, Senium felt her chest swell in pride and despite the cold wet rain that was still falling she felt the warmth still shining through in her accomplishment. When he said that the honour was all of his own, she couldn't hold herself in.

"Oh but you are too kind! I hope that I will be no trouble, and and I wont bother you if you're busy, and you just let me know if you don't want me to come and I'll understand, you're obviously a very busy powerful wizard!" she said with a large happy grin.

by **Richard Romain** Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:21 am

Richard could tell, by the way that Senium seemed to stare off into space in thought, that he'd said something that had given the young girl something to dream about and something to look forward to. Finding that someone who thought you were beautiful even when, or perhaps especially when, you could not see it yourself,

"Everyone has that one person Senium, it's just a matter of looking." he chuckled a little bit, "I think family can count if you want it to. If you really care strongly about their opinions."

He chuckled a little bit before holding up a hand for silence. When she was silence he answered her questions,

"You will be trouble and that's why you'll be fun, promise me that please. If I'm busy... you MUST bother me because it means you'll learn more because I'll be in the zone." he grinned at her and poked her nose, "Those were the words that my Master gave to me. It is your duty as my Apprentice to watch me when I'm busy, get into trouble so we can have fun getting you out of it and my quarters at Hogwarts should be like a second home to you. Understood?"

by **Senium Nex** Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:31 am

Senium gasped lightly and she whipped her head up to look at Richard square in the eyes, she thought that her Grandpapa's opinion was the most important in the world, and if he thought that she was beautiful then that was more than enough for her.

"I care about my family's opinion so very much! It means a lot to me, I am loyal to my family..." or what's left of it she thought to herself, almost bitter sweet thoughts taking over her mind.

When she was told to be silent Senium fell so almost immediately and she looked at Richard in complete awe, she he wanted her to get into trouble? He wanted her to make problems for him while he was working? Richard wanted her to use his rooms?

Blinking lightly, Senium gulped to get rid of the lump that developed in her throat, and her eyes misted up lightly; "T-thank you, y-yes I promise that I will do all of those things. I promise."