Up On The Roof

[Guest]

Her Papa had always insisted that Durmstrang wasn't a castle. It was neither pretty nor sparkling. He had always said that the school was a fortress, functional on the inside and strong and unyielding from the outside. Alys hadn't understood the truth of it until she had seen the building for herself. As far as buildings went, it wasn't the tallest and far from the grandest but the solid walls surrounding it and the protective spells in place left no room for doubt in the young girl's mind as to how much an enemy would be welcome within its walls.

But she wasn't on the roof to fawn at the architecture today. She wasn't even here to pursue her favorite hobby, cloud watching. The only reason the witch had risen bright and early on a Sunday morning and made her way to the top of the fortress with a thick book clutched in hand was to practice. She was trying to learn a new charm from her book and it required practice - practice she was too afraid to do in front of others in case they laughed at her dismal attempts.

The blonde wasn't stupid, she knew the winds would be pretty swift up here so she had brought along her coat and was dressed as warmly as she could have been under it. But to her pleasant surprise, when she climbed through the skylight on the fifth floor to the grey roof of the fortress, it was to see a weak sun shining down. True, it was still windy and far from warm but it was enough to make the girl shrug off her coat and lay it on the stone like a picnic blanket. Finding a shady spot near one off the lower hanging balconies, Alys sat down on her coat and opened her book to the first chapter.

[Guest]

Lukas was sat in the balcony looking over the hills where the sun slowly going into hiding leaving him and Rudolf. This was the second time he had come up here in the balcony and it was already becoming his second most favorite place, second only to the hidden ponds of the black forest.

No matter how tired he got he could always play with Rudy and today was so exception. As Lukas played with Rudy leaving behind all his other thoughts and enjoying, which was a rather rare thing ever since he had joined the school.

[Guest]

Fifteen minutes later found the blonde lying on her stomach, flicking through the first few pages of her book to make sure she hadn't missed anything. She had checked the pronunciation of the incantation, practiced the wand movement without the wand and was certain she could swish and flick as well as any first year at that point. The only thing left now was to practice the spell on an object.

Tucking a sliver of golden hair behind her ear, Alys looked around for something to make fly. Her blue gaze soon landed on a bit of harmless rubble on the roof and she pointed her wand at it, muttering the words under her breath.

"Wingerdium Leviosa."

To her delight, the rubble instantly took wind and flew a bit further away. But before the witch could rejoice, another gust of wind blew her shining locks across her face, making her realize that perhaps it wasn't her fancy wandwork after all that had moved the rubble.

Tucking the stray lock behind her ear once again, she now focused on the small flask of pumpkin juice she had brought with her. At least that won't fly on its own.

[Guest]

His thoughts drifted from all the current events to his father. He wondered what he might be doing right now and where he might be? If it was sunset for him as well he most probably be smoking his pipe and writing in his journal. The thought of pipe got him excited, his dad had promised him that if he passed the first year with good grades and minimal troubles he would let him try the pipe.

He didn't realise when his eyes closed and he drifted of to sleep. With a smile on his face and Rudy at his feet Lukas wandered in his dreams happily.

[Guest]

"Wingerdium Leviosa! Wingerdium Leviosa! Wingerdium Leviosa, you stupid thing!" the witch almost cried in frustration but the flask of pumpkin juice she was aiming for didn't so much as budge, let alone take to the air. What was she doing wrong? She had the incantation down, she could do the swish and flick movement. What was the problem then?

Narrowing her eyes at the offending object once again, Alys tried once more to make it fly. It didn't work.

"At least no one is around to see this," she muttered in frustration, sitting up on her knees and flicking through her textbook again. "What am I missing?"

As it turned out, the only parts she was missing were practice and luck. And practice was only a series of failures until luck decided to show up and bail her out. Sighing resolutely, the witch pointed her wand halfheartedly at the flask once again. "Wingardium Leviosa."

The blonde bowed her head, not even bothering to look at the flask this time.

[Guest]

He watched quietly from the shadows of the doorway as Alys tried again and again to get the pumpkin juice to levitate, he wanted so much to go over and help her out, but he didn't want her to think he was trying to show off in front of her either. He waited and waited for the witch to get it, but to no avail. He was just about to go over and tell her to take a break, until...

"Wingardium Leviosa."

The bottle of pumpkin juice hovered in front of Alys, just a foot of the ground, but she had done it. Slowly emerging from the shadows, Tarragon clapped his hands to applaud the witches persistance, and achievement.

[Guest]

The witch watched in stunned disbelief as the small flask hovered a foot in the air, then another and then proceeded to be carried by a mixture of wind and magic to the edge of the roof. Her wand still trained on the object, she smiled brightly. Just as she was about to do a celebratory whoop, applause broke out through the silence of the roof and the witch lost her concentration, making the flask disappear over the edge.

"Tarragon!" she said with a smile. "Did you see that, I made it levitate!" She was so happy, it didn't even occur to her to ask what the blond boy was doing on the roof.

[Guest]

Tarragon saw he had startled Alys slightly when the bottle fell over the edge of the roof. He was thankful that it was nothing of importance that she had been levitating at the time.

"Tarragon!" she said with a smile. "Did you see that, I made it levitate!"

"Of course I saw, silly. That's why I am clapping." He smiled back warmly. "You'll make a great witch, Alys. Practice makes perfect after all."

[Guest]

Waves crashing, lighting striking, winds blasting the storm was getting stronger by the second but still Captain Lukas Caesar was successfully sailing the ship to safety. Such a storm hadn't come since the monsoons of '83 as it was reported to him. After shouting orders and biting a mango Lukas turned to the big bad wolf.

"Rudolf, we're going to make it. We are the be--". Splash. Thump. And the dream was broken. The bottle spilled some liquid and landed right on his head. It was kind of sticky, so it must have been some sort of a juice Lukas deduced. He looked around to see if anybody was around, seeing no one he assumed it must have come from the roof.

He did a quick cleaning and drying spell on himself and the clothes. Rudolf sensed the agitation in his thirteen year old two legged friend as he got up and started circling Lukas.

Lukas waited for a some seconds waiting for whoever did this to show their face and not hide like a bunch of pathetic cowards but nobody showed his or her face which only fueled his irritation. Unable to control himself any longer he shouted, " SHOW YOUR FACE YOU BLOODY LITTLE COWARD. SHOW YOUR FACE AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OR ELSE I WILL COME UP THERE AND HURT YOU [very very badly]". Rudy too had a few things to say as he barked as loudly as he could.

[Guest]

" SHOW YOUR FACE YOU BLOODY LITTLE COWARD. SHOW YOUR FACE AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OR ELSE I WILL COME UP THERE AND HURT YOU [very very badly]".

Tarragon realised in a split second what he had done, and without a second thought, headed to the edge of the roof. Looking down he could make out Lukas, two floors below on a balcony, not looking at all pleased.

"WHO YOU CALLING A COWARD, PEEBRAIN?" Tarragon shouted back down. "A SIMPLE ACCIDENT IS ALL, NO NEED TO GET VIOLENT OVER THE WHOLE THING. IF I HAD MEANT IT TO HIT YOU, BELIEVE ME I'D OF PICKED WORSE THAN A BOTTLE OF PUMPKIN JUICE!"

He could feel the anger oozing off his limbs, how he hated that boy and all of the grief he caused his friends.

[Guest]

The angry yell had startled the blonde so badly, she had dropped her wand. Hurriedly picking it up, she had glanced at Tarragon, unsure of what to do. Why was that boy here? Where was he anyway? And why was he yelling like all hell had broken loose. The boy scared her a the best of times but when his disembodied voice started yelling, the girl shook like a leaf in the cold wind.

But Tarragon wasn't afraid, he marched right over to the edge of the roof and yelled right back, making the girl wonder if it was a boy thing. Tarragon didn't seem scared at all. Nervously, Alys followed him to the edge but one look at the balcony and the angry boy in it later, she stepped back, her face white and blue eyes panicked. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.

[Guest]

If it was an accident then it was blonde boy's fault. As it is his fault he should be apologizing not insulting him. Ego was a common issue which the members of the House of Cunning faced, they obviously didn't have any problem with it the other people did and Lukas was a stubborn boy. Till now he was just irritated but an insult to an egoistic stubborn boy from the house of cunning was not a thing which a sane person would do in their right mind.

Till now blondie had not done anything to upset Lukas. Lukas also admired blondie's flying ability but for no reason at all he had decided to be Lukas's enemy and he was going to pay for it.

"Don't make a move, fancy pants. I'm coming." Lukas vanished inside with Rudolf following him like his angry shadow.

[Guest]

Tarragon looked on helplessly as the other boy dissapeared below him. He turned to Alys.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I was just trying..." But what was he trying to do? He didn't know himself. "Alys, promise to stay behind me. This is my fault, I will sort it." He looked into her eyes in earnest. "Please?"

He knew the Lukas boy was trouble, and he didn't want Alys to be hurt because of him. He pulled Alys behind him, and faced the door in which he had only just entered.

[Guest]

Alys couldn't believe Tarragon was offering to take the blame for the mess SHE had created. And she would be lying to herself if she said the ides of simply staying behind the blond wasn't incredibly appealing. But that would really make her a coward, just like the boy had said.

Stepping out from behind his tall frame, she looked Tarragon in the eye. "We both know it was my fault. I lost concentration and if I have to apologize, well I won't like it but I can do it," she said as firmly as she could. "Even if it is to that jerk," she added a little less certainly.

"Besides, two against one stand a better chance," she said stepping beside him, putting up her wand bravely even though all she cooed really do with it was questionably levitate small flasks.

[Guest]

"I shouldn't have made you jump though. And shouting back at him has made it worse."

He looked at her, knowing full well he wouldn't win an argument if he started one with her, "Fine, you can stand next to me, but I am standing here."

He shuffles forward slightly, just so he has a slight protectiveness over her, even if incredibly minute. He knew she didn't want to look cowardly in front of Lukas, but he also knew that when Alys was scared she lost the capability of reacting in a normal way. He decided a couple of inches in front of her would at leasy allow him to block anything heading her way, if needed.

Tarragon turned his attention back to the door, just in time to see it open.

[Guest]

He knew that both the Muhe students were not going to run away. Like fools they would still be up their waiting for their pain. They should run while they have the chance but they wouldn't, it wasn't in their nature. Poor souls.

Taking his time to climb up the stairs Lukas was formulation his course of action. As he had observed none of the staff members liked Geschick. Somehow they always found the fault with the Geschick students, which meant only one thing. Unless he had a solid reason as to why two Muhe students will be spending the next week in the infirmary he couldn't do anything to them.

Woof. Woof. Woof.

Lukas smiled down at Rudolf. Of course, he should have thought of this before! If one of the Muhe students appeared to have attacked a helpless little snow wolf the owner of the little pet would obviously try to defend the pup in any which way he could... And also according to the law passed in 1757 attacking pets was a crime which was given a harsh punishment, finally some use of reading the whole Student Law Manual. There was very little room left for the Muhe students to be safe now. All he had to do was make them agitated enough and let Rudy loose on the little prince.

Lukas slammed open the door. His face much composed now but his blue eyes screaming blood, walking straight towards them with the wand still in his pocket, he said, "Why did you call me that, my friend. You shouldn't have done that, especially after doing that little accident of yours."

[Guest]

"The same reason you saw fit to call me a coward, I should think, boil face. Must say, you cleaned up nicely after all that. Shame to say that the bottle didn't contain much of the same stuff really, eh? Then we could all have had a laugh at you."

Tarragon knew making a mockery of people was wrong, but Lukas needed to be brought down a few pegs. It aggrevated him that Lukas had come up without his wand drawn, he felt lost in wonder of what his next move would be instead.

"If you are looking for an apology, my friend" He mocked, "You will unfortunately not find one here, so I suggest you toddle off queitly whilst you still can."

His arms flexed with the tension of the situation. He'd never done this before, but he was never going to let that on to Lukas, and definately not to Alys.

[Guest]

Little prince was behaving just like Lukas wanted. Excellent, fancy pants that's the right way to go, he thought!

"Look straight at me boy and pay attention to what I say. We may be in the same year but I'm older to you by a fair amount. I've more experience than you, especially in such matters. Let me give you some friendly advice, it's not a threat just advice, you do NOT want to make a Geschick angry.

Now, you just saw the boils but you haven't felt the pain like I have. You really are a disgrace to your house you know. A Muhe who has never felt pain forget about understand what it means. True, it's a shame the bottle didn't have much of that potion because if it did I would have a good reason to explain why you are in two pieces to the Highmaster.

I have never disrespected you. I have never hurt you, not even unintentionally. I waited for the person to show their face to me after the bottle dropped on me but nobody came so I had to call that person a coward and it worked you showed your face. For that I am sorry had I known it was going to be you I would have said little fairy instead of coward. So I fail to understand why would you not want to apologize to me for your mistake, is it not the right thing to do if it indeed was a mistake?

Above all why would you want to pick a fight with me, you have seen it for yourself even sweeney couldn't do much to me, unless of course you want to impress long legs who's been hiding behind you all this while? ... That's it isn't it, you want her to like you so you are acting all brave and picking a fight with me?", Lukas smirked when he understood Tarragon's intentions and thoughts. What an idiot, he thoight.

As Lukas was saying all this, he walked towards to the wall with his hands in his pockets showing that he was just casually walking but the truth was he was taking calculated steps in order to strike if the need be. He leaned back on the wall, smirking and looking at the two fools.

[Guest]

The confrontation had scared her yes, but Alys found that as the boy kept talking, her fear started turning into something of a cold fury. Especially when she herself was mentioned in such context.

"My name is Alys," she said, taking a step forwards and looking coldly at the older boy. "And I wasn't hiding behind anyone. Just because Tarragon seems to know what manners are doesn't mean I can't take care of myself."

The witch put away her wand as well, imitating his cool stance and gestured for Tarragon to do the same. "He has no reason to apologize to you. I was the one who let the flask slip, he was just trying to be nice, something you wouldn't have heard of," she added, her blue eyes flashing. Still, for all her bravado, she couldn't bring herself to look directly at his face, afraid that she would lose what little courage she had managed to gather.

[Guest]

"Turn your flawless body towards me, long legs and see me in the eye. Congratulations on finally getting a backbone! Now that you have mentioned manners, I think it's my duty to remind you that you have to ask for forgiveness if your actions have upset some other person, so you should apologize.

I have never known any kind of manners where a person lets their own friend take the blame and pick a fight? It's not called being nice it's called being stupid and it's called lying! And you are wrong he has a reason to apologize, he insulted me for no reason whatsoever. But it's good you've told the truth, honesty is something I appreciate.

Ask for forgiveness and I shall let this event be forgotten for good because I doubt Mr. Champion over here can protect himself let alone his girlfriend", came the carefully phrased and calm reply from Lukas. He was banking on Tarragon to do something stupid because he called Alys's body flawless. If Tarragon is a gentleboy he pretends to be then he would never let such a comment be a bygone.

[Guest]

"Turn your flawless body towards me, long legs and see me in the eye."

The girl blanched at the comment, her right arm automatically moving to her left shoulder without her knowledge as memories of the forest flooded her mind. Her face went white as a sheet and her eyes turned haunted as she tried to fight a panic attack at the thought of a wolf out in the forest who had tried to kill her. She had worked hard to try and forget that incident but where she had succeeded in daylight, she had failed in her sleep and visions of the forest, the ponds, the full moon and the wolf slashing away at her skin filled her nightmares almost daily.

All of a sudden, she wanted her Papa here, to make her feel better and cuddle her until she could go back to sleep. He would chase away this boy like he chased all the monsters from her closets.

'I would have apologized," she said softly to the ground, all the energy drained from her. "But now I don't think you deserve it. No wonder you don't have any friends."

[Guest]

"Turn your flawless body towards me, long legs and see me in the eye."

Tarragon's eyes narrowed when the filth that the other boy was spoke to Alys in such a tone. He felt his whole body sieze in anger, his breathing getting faster.

"Don't youdare talk to Alys in that tone, you scumbag. Do you know the first thing in how to talk to a human being, let alone a member of the opposite sex? Where is your respect man!?"

He lunged forward, grabbing Lukas by the collar, his wand pointing at his throat.

"Aplogise. Now." He ordered through gritted teeth.

[Guest]

"Rudy.", said Lukas and instantly Rudolf jumped in front of Alys, barring his teeth at her making it clear that if she made any further movement he will no longer be friendly with her.

The moment Rudolf was in position Lukas's face was serious and his eyes cold. He effortlessly twisted Tarry's left arm and kicked him in the gut which was followed by another kick to the his chest sending Tarry right back at Alys's feet all in a matter of few seconds. He had warned Tarry not to mess with him. What an idiot, if he thought holding a wand at his throat was going to intimidate him he was sillier than Lukas had imagined. Tarry hardly knew any spells forget about ones which could harm Lukas. He was a boy who was brought up with sailors of Germany such things were part of his daily training since he turned ten.

He looked down at Tarragon with a scorn and spat. Moving his eyes to Alys he said, "Remember you're alive because of me."

He started moving towards the door. He took his wand out in a way that nobody would notice as they were facing his back. He whispered the spell made a swish and a flick. As he reached the door he turned towards the Muhe disgrace and spoke, "Come on Rudy, time to go. Oh and I am assuming you two were practicing wingardium leviosa?". Without waiting for any response he sent two snow balls at full speed in their direction. One at Alys's left shoulder and the other aimed straight at Tarry's below the belt area.

Not waiting to see if he hit them or not, as he was pretty sure they couldn't dodge it because they hardly had any reaction time, he left, with Rudy at his heels, the two Muhe studnets to think about their actions.

[Guest]

Alys watched the boys' scuffle, temporarily paralyzed with fear as the wolf cub with monotone eyes growled in her direction. Without moving, the blonde withdrew her wand but befoe she could think of a spell, the fight was over and the jerk was walking out. The witch knelt to her feet by Tarragon, concern etched on her face.

"Remember you're alive because of me."

Big mistake there, she thought as the snowballs came towards them. Without a second thought, the witch cast her own levitation charm and even though it didn't have any special effect, it deterred their course enough to make them land harmlessly a few feet from herself and Tarragon. She watched the horrid boy leave with his horrid wolf and thought good riddance.

"Are you alright," she asked Tarragon worriedly. "You shouldn't have lunged at him, some people just aren't worth listening to."

[Guest]

He groaned as he tried to sit up, but upon the pain in his ribs as he did so he gave up and led back on the tiles. A couple of broken ribs, Tarragon suspected. He hadn't thought Lukas would have used hand combat, otherwise he'd of protected himself much better. As it was he was led on the icy cold tiles, incapable of sitting up.

"Are you alright?"

He flinched as he remembered Alys was still with him. He'd failed her and now looked like an idiot.

"You shouldn't have lunged at him, some people just aren't worth listening to."

She was right, he wasn't worth listening to, but that didn't mean he would let Lukas get away with blue murder.

"I'm sorry, Alys." He said through his teeth, the pain almost unbearable. "I wasn't thinking. He shouldn't have said those things though. But it just led to him getting what he wanted."

Tarragon sighed before wincing once more in pain. Lukas was going to pay for the damage he'd caused. And then it dawned on him what Lukas had said.

"You're alive because of him... What does that mean, Alys?" He asked, his brow furrowed.

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