Thats gonna leave a mark!

[augury_corner]

Who: Michael Corner and Megan Jones.
What: Michael and Megan reflect on the friendship between them over the past month.
When: Tuesday December 16th, 1997. Before dinner.
Where: The Room of Requirement.
Status: Complete

Michael almost crowed at the display, but he held it in. Instead he just smiled brightly. "Good!" Michael chirped up

Comments

[augury_corner]

Michael plopped down next to Megan, resting his elbows on his knees. "Yeah..." He agreed neutrally to Megan's response. Inwardly he felt a little... annoyed... that Megan's seemingly only excuse was that she was tired. He'd taken a stinging hex and an interrogation that day, and he made it. No, you're being unfair. She's doing what she can. Now stop. Michael thought as he looked at Megan and nodded. "Anthony and I got them off fine. No issues. Well..." Michael shrugged, "Except that one. With Owen." Michael touched his forehead and rubbed it with two fingers. He squinted as if he had a headache and sighed.

"Huh?" He looked to Megan, and had to decipher what she said by the tail end of her sentence. "Oh umm.... probably in the Dungeon. I have temporary familiar-seeker charms on some of the mice down there. They seem to be holding 'detentions' in those rooms." Michael shrugged and sighed hard, "It doesn't make sense. I've been going over this in my head all night and day. Owen can't have apparated back. He had no idea where we were. That makes apparation dangerous even for a seasoned user, let alone an underage apparator."

[augury_megan]

"Why on earth would the boy try to apparate back...back to this place? Especially since you had already succeeded in getting out." Megan conteplated this for a moment. "Wait, you and Anthony? I thought Ernie was supposed to go too. Knowing what I do about Owen, he was probably a bit nervous being carted off by two Ravenclaws. Suspicious little thing, he is. Can't say I blame he though. I mean, neither you or Goldstein appear to be...trustworthy from an outsiders perspective."

[augury_corner]

Michael tried to hide a briefly miserable grimace. "I... sort of... punched the wall near Ernie and the next thing I know, he was saying he'd send Hannah in. I don't think I've ever seen him umm... leave so fast." Michael looked entirely grief-stricken, rubbing his face in both hands. "We were on the row again. Because I hexed him in class. Well... no matter how much I apologized he was intent to make me feel bad." Michael smirked, "Which worked, unfortunately. Then when it came time, I pulled out the polyjuice. Well... next thing I know, he's throwing Vaisey's hair over his shoulder and accused me of..." Michael sighed, "Well, basically accused me of coming between he and Vaisey."

Michael stood up and shrugged, showing Megan his black and blue knuckles, "Next thing I know, I'm slamming my fist into the wall. I'm not sure who it scared more. Me or him. I thought I was past this... anger issue... thing."

Michael scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Its the hair, isn't it. I'm the sinister anti-social weirdo, with his nose in a book." Michael smirked, "Thats only half of it. I teach pigs to dance and horses to fly. Next I'll be accused of keeping the light of the moon hidden under the folds of my robes."

[augury_megan]

"Well, I suppose I'd leave in a hurry to if you punched a wall because. Seriously, mate, that sort of temper is a scary thing. And that has to mean something, coming from someone like me." Megan reached out her hand and placed it on Michael's shoulder. "However, I really wish he wasn't so worked up about the hexing thing. You were keeping him out of trouble, which you and I both know his bound to do. But I can honestly say I don't get the part about Vaisey and the polyjuice. Does Ernie really think that Vaisey wouldn't pretend to be one of us - if he was in a situation where it would benefit him. Ernie has to learn to be more careful. More cautious."

Megan leaned back and listen to Michael talk about his anger issues and the way others viewed him. "Well, now's as good a time as any to be angry, Michael. Everyone's reacting in different ways. Though, punching a wall...probably not the best way to deal."

[augury_corner]

Megan's answer was fair, but it only made Michael feel worse. He was very aware of his personality flaws of late, and was trying so hard to fix them. Or at least mitigate the damage they could inflict. "I know... I would too probably." Michael rolled his eyes in acquiescence. "I mean its Ernie for cry's sake." Michael chuckled, gesturing out with his hand, "I can't... I'd never hit Ernie. Or most anyone." Sighing, Michael dropped his eyes, "The only person I've hit in my whole life is Podmore." Then Michael looked at Megan, "And he ruddy well deserved it."

Michael shrugged impassively, "I don't trust that kid as far as I can throw him. Ernie knows that. But it wasn't my motivation for picking his hair. Of course he would." Michael looked at Megan seriously, his grey gaze shrewd, "He'd use us and lose us and use us again if it meant he got the smallest thing." Michael shrugged again, "And Ernie'll probably let it happen too."

Michael rested his chin on his folded hands, "No, I was wrong. I don't want to be that angry person. I'm tired of feeling dead and numb. I was pushing away most everyone I cared for, and all for what? One bloody selfish bloke who has delusions of revenge on his mind. So he's making a deal with the Devil." Michael blinked, "But damn he had the nicest arse..."

[augury_megan]

"Oh, I could definately hit Ernie," Megan commented, staring out at the wall across the room. "That day when I found out he was responsible for almost getting Zach killed, it took everything I had not to smack him across the face." She turned her attention back to Michael. "But when I saw the way he looked and realized how guilty he felt for what he'd done, I simply couldn't."

Megan tightened the lid back on the jar and slid it into her bookbag. "Sounds like you like Podmore just as much as I like Carrow. I'd love the chance to give her a piece of her own medicine," she sighed. "As for Vaisey," Megan paused. She did not want to admit to Michael, that she herself had met up with Linus on a number of occasions. Michael would assume that she was the same fool that Ernie was. "Well, let's just say they put people in Slytherin for a reason."

As Michael described with the cause of his anger and frustration, Megan sat up a little straighter. "Hold on. Who's this about?"

[augury_corner]

Michael chuckled and looked to his friend with a warmth in his greys. "Well Bless, Megan. Its good to know someone can knock him inline." At her reasons, Michael felt he should nod and hope to understand. "I can understand. If someone hurt Anthony, or Terry, or hell even you and Ernie... I'd be sorely tempted." Michael audibly scoffed, "Damned you Hufflepuffs. You're rubbing off on me."

"Aye," Michael agreed. "You'll get your time." Michael said, cupping her neck and giving it a kind squeeze. "We'll all have our day. Carrow. Podmore. Snape. They'll regret what they've done."

Michael again chortled, "Yes they do. You know I was almost a Slytherin myself. I think the major reason I wasn't was I believe in knowledge for knowledge sake- not knowledge for power. Even though it appears otherwise these days. That, and I believed I was Muggleborn at the time. So did everyone else."

Michael paused, and furrowed his brow. I haven't told her... oh well, Merlin. "S-sorry, there Megan. I thought it was common knowledge now. I've had a thing for Theodore Nott for about seven years. We met at Diagon Alley first year." Michael snerked and drooped his head with a nostalgic look barely hiding the faintest traces of bitter. "We ended up snogging at twelve.... shagged at fifteen. After after Yule Ball during the Tri-Wizard."

[augury_megan]

"Common knowlege, perhaps, that you're on that side of the fence, perhaps. But I think I'd remember something like you shagging Theodore Nott." Megan imagined it for a moment and the shook her head, wishing she hadn't. "We've seriously got to stop sharing like this. I'm starting to think I don't even know this sort of details about Hannah...not that she has these sort of details..."

Megan dug leisurely in her bag and pulled up a package of crisps. She raised her eyes suggestively to Michael as if tempting him to have one. "I'd offer you a peanutbutter beetle, but that last bag I purchased seemed to have mysteriously disappeared," she said with a smile. Settling herself back into her seat, Megan prepared herself for more conversation. "Ok. So. You and Theodore. And now, he's like...what? A crazy Death Eater or something?" It was purely a guess, based on what Michael had just said.

[augury_corner]

Michael shrugged, "Its not much of a leap when you think about it. I mean have you ever seen Theodore with anyone remotely female?" He smirked and looked at her incredulously. He shrugged in a difference to Megan's words, intending not to bring it up again.

Michael raised his hand, "No thanks. I'm not very hungry. Then, Megan turned the conversation back to Theodore, but on a more political level. "More or less." Michael shrugged, containing bitter traces again. "Its his life and his choices. I just hope I don't see him on the other side of some battlefield. His goal is revenge for the death of his Mum. He doesn't believe so much in Pureblood ideologies. But he and Podmore are a couple, and well... Theodore's obsessed with him. He'll do what Podmore says. That makes him dangerous."

[augury_megan]

"Well, no. The leap isn't whether Nott would like someone like you...it's more that you'd like someone like Nott. Don't get me wrong - I like the boy's snark. But I don't know. I mean. He is what he is."

Megan opened the package and fished out a crisp before popping it into her mouth, closing her eyes to savor it. Even when everything else had lost its flavor, a salt and vinegar crisp could bring Megan back to her senses. And yet, her eyes fluttered open at the later part of Michael's statement. "A couple of what? Like a..." Megan turned back to Michael. "Oh. Well, that's pretty fucked up."

[augury_corner]

Michael's mouth slowly turned into a smile. He wasn't sure if or why Megan was backpeddling about Theodore and he. But it was a rare sight to see. "I don't know. But I was. I think maybe we're all attracted to the badboys at some point. Somebody with power and finesse... who's a little dark and brooding?" Michael shrugged, "You've never felt that before, with anyone?"

"Yeah, that kind of couple." Smirked the Ravenclaw. "It makes my skin crawl to even look at the man. How Theodore can let the man inside him... well... I think I'd rather have glass shards hammered under my nails." Michael shrugged, "So.... are you and Ern back on speaking terms? I didn't realize until I was dodging more curses that I left you and him outside together in the hall. Sorry about that..."

[augury_megan]

Megan was caught off guard by Michael's question. "Physically attracted by someone like that? Perhaps. But emotionally? Let's be serious." She quickly brushed off his comments. "Face it. Bad boys are bad news." It was almost as if she had crawled into a whole and then preceded to shovel dirt on top of herself. Megan immediately sought for a breath of air in the conversation.

"Ugh, Podmore though? He's old. And scary. I mean...kill you in your sleep sort of scary. Maybe Nott's under a spell or something. A creepy, pedophile type spell." Megan wrinkled her nose in disgust. She reached into the bag and popped another crisp in her mouth.

"Ernie? Umm...well. We were never not speaking. At least I wasn't not speaking with him. I'm sure he was avoiding me, but I suppose that was justified. He took it really hard."

[augury_corner]

"Well," Michael shrugged, "Then you're smarter than me." He sighed and Michael finally stood up. he flicked his wand experimentally a few times. "Thats the appeal. They're bad news. I think I'll go for someone safe and stable next time though. Maybe towards the romantic, selfless type. The bad boy need is out of my system."

Michael turned his head, wondering why Megan sounded tense. He couldn't fathom why though. Any attempt to discern why was gone once Megan continued, "I suspect Theodore has a bad boy of his own- and his badboy is going to help him get his revenge. But I gave up on trying to figure out anything deeper. I'd like to stay sane, thanks." He smirked and shook his head.

I probably shouldn't have brought him up, Michael decided as Megan talked of Ernie. "Well... eventually at least I hope eventually you two will be back to friends."

[augury_megan]

"Ah, so it's a bit of a forbidden fruit?" Megan asked, with a smirk on her face. Standing up, she followed Michael, removing her own wand from her pocket. "I suppose it's something we all have to try. At least once. Just to know that we can."

Megan twirled her wand a bit before pointing it at Michael. "I wouldn't worry about Ernie and me. We'll be fine." Suddenly she felt rather embarassed. Like she wanted to defend her actions. Or tell Michael that she did care about Ernie, even if it wasn't quite the way he wanted it to be. In the end, however, she just shook her head.

"Shall we dance?"

[augury_corner]

"Basically yeah." Michael nodded, then squinted in disbelief, "You've seriously never felt anything major for a bloke like that?" He 'pshhed' and shook his head, "Must be a Hufflepuff thing. Or maybe rather its all a Ravenclaw thing. Too curious about it all. Needing to know." He shrugged, mirroring Megan's wand twirl with his own.

"Good," Michael said quietly with a nod. "All we have is each other these days. There might even come a point that you'll want to call on him as a mate again." He shrugged, "Never know. He's a brilliant listener. And he'll tell you to your face when you're being an arse... or talking out of it." He grinned. "I quite like that about him."

Michael readied his wand and nodded. His sinister smile bent into place as he studied the center of Megan's chest- not because he was looking at her breasts, but because as he taught her, it was the easiest place to see an attack coming. The chest moved before the arms, after all. "Begin..."

A moment later, and Michael's own chest was shifting, throwing his arm out and sort of whipping in an arc in and up. He ended in a side stance with Megan, but his fluidic style demanded he not stay that way. "Everte Statum!"

[augury_megan]

"Do all Ravenclaws ask so many prying questions or does that trait belong just to you?" Megan asked as she established her stance across from Michael. "In all honesty, the last thing I need right now is feelings about anyone. It would contradict exactly what I told Ernie when we broke up in the first place."

She lifted her eyes to meet Michael's, but he was analyzing her core - attempting to decipher her next move. "Right now I need to worry about me."

Just seconds later, Michael made his move - casting a spell that was ended to send Megan flying backwards. She knew she had to counter quickly and flicked her wand. "Immobulus!"