A cloud of dust and a ray of light -- Fall 1997

I had been getting a little closer with Nolan throughout the summer.  He was friends with Iggy and the three of us had hung out together many times, but lately I had been speaking with just Nolan.  He was mysterious, but kind.  I was really starting to like him.  He was older than me and I was sure that Daddy would not approve, but I knew Dad would not approve of any boy I liked.  I saw him looking a little down and out.  He tended to look under the weather often, but this time it seemed a little worse than ever.  "Nolan," I said, walking up to him, "are you feeling alright?"

I was slightly startled by someone walking up to me and speaking to me.  I was having a rough day.  It was the beginning of term and I was having issues with my other side.  When I was at home in England, dad preferred me not to take the potion.  And it was fine, but then when I returned to school, the effects of not drinking the disgusting potion still lingered despite if the last cycle had been a month previous.  I had to take the potion while at school, it was one of the rules for me attending.  "I'm fine," I said, looking to Lyn wiht a smile.  "Just a tad under the weather is all."

I smiled at him.  "Why don't you let me make you some chicken noodle soup?" I offered.  It was my favorite thing for when i was not feeling well.  I knew I would not make it as well as my mom did, but it would still taste good.

I chuckled slightly.  "It's not something that can be fixed by home remedies," I assured her, knowing she knew nothing of my lycanthropy.  "I just wait it out and it goes away like it normally does.  But I do appreciate teh offer."

I smiled at him and shrugged.  "It's what decent people do," I said to him.  It really was no big deal.  "Maybe go see the nurse?  Could she help?"

Decent people... that would be a first compared to what I was used to a lot of the time.  I shook my head.  "Nah, this will pass.  You really don't need to worry about me that much," I assured her, smiling at her.

I hated when Nolan would do this, he always seemed to pull away.  I decided I would move past it and smiled at him.  "Well, how about we enjoy each other's company and go for a walk on the grounds or something?  Fresh air may help, too, you know," I pointed out, winking at him playfully.

I chuckled and offered her my arm.  "Alright, alright," I said, feigning being slightly irritated.  "Since you feel the need to help me... fresh air sounds like a good idea.  Who knows how long this nice of weather will hold out before winter?"

I grinned at him and linked my arm through his.  "Exactly my point," I informed him as we went outside.  "How's your brother holding up?  I know the two of you being gone like this... it's got to be rough."  I dismissed the ruse of just being a concerned classmate and actually got down to being his girlfriend now.

I smiled at Lyn as I looked over at her.  When she brought up Ayden, I just sighed.  "Things are getting harder and harder between the two of us, but I'd like to think we're still close," I answered her honestly.  "We owl a lot... but it's just not the same, you know?"

I knew it was difficult for the two of them to stay as close as they would like to be.  I nodded and rubbed Nolan's arm.  "I understand," I said, though I probably never fully would.  I was an only child for so long and then Xander was born only a little while ago and he lived with us all the time.  I sighed and looked across the grounds, out across the ocean.  "I bet he misses you, though," I told Nolan.

With a sigh, I shook my head slightly.  "I'm not too sure about that anymore," I confided.  Ayden and I had drifted apart a lot over the years.  I had a hard time figuring out exactly what had happened.  I felt like it was due to Dad... but what did he say to Ayden when I was not there?  I knew that they never had a good relationship and despite the lies, I still did.  I was not sure if ayden was jealous of that fact or if he was scared for me that I was so close to someone he considered to be a monster.  To be honest, I understood more of Dad's thinking than Ayden's.  Everyone feared what we were... no matter what we tried to do, people were always afraid.  So why bother with humanity?

I furrowed my brow slightly.  "What on earth makes you say that?" I asked, concerned a little bit for my boyfriend's relationship with his brother.  I felt bad for the entire situation.  Why did Nolan have to come here instead of schooling at Hogwarts like Ayden?  Nolan never really did explain that one to me, but I had a feeling it had to do with his father.  Dad had told me some stories about Fenrir Greyback and I wondered if he was sent here to get away from him as much as possible with what he was.

"Well... we've just grown apart with me not being at Hogwarts and only being home during the summer holiday," I told Madelyn.  I sighed, pushing some of my long blonde hair away from my face.  There really was no other way to explain it to Lyn.  I mean, she did not have any siblings, so it was hard for her to understand.

I sighed.  I could understand that.  "Well... maybe one day it'll get better between the two of you," I said, wanting to be hopeful rather than depressing about their sibling relationship.