Peace of Mind (Theo)

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Serenity nodded. "My teacher had it. She went away for a while, and when she came back she was thin and had scars from when she had to go to the hospital, but she seems better now," she explained, probably the most she had ever said to someone about subjects not directly related to school or homework. It was terrifying and exhilarating and she didn't quite know how she felt about it all.

What Serenity didn't explain was that she Saw what happened -- and the scars hadn't been from a hospital visit. But she was 10, and she knew they lied to protect, and so she said nothing, nodding and repeating the lies she had been fed.

Listening intently, a strange emotion stirred in Serenity. It took her a few long moments to place it as jealousy; she was, simply put, jealous of Theo. If having a mother meant all that, Serenity would have willingly given up everything she ever had for just an hour of it. Aunt Sally loved her, yes, but Aunt Sally would always be a Ministry worker first and a guardian second; she was never a 'mum', didn't know how to be. Serenity appreciated her efforts and having a house and someone to love her, yes, but it just wasn't the same.

"That sounds nice," she said, the words almost bitter in her mouth. It sounds impossible, she added. But it wasn't something she'd say aloud -- ever.

While Theo didn't actually finish asking and Serenity knew she could ignore it if she chose, she decided that the boy deserved to know. After all, he told her some private things about his life. "My parents dropped me on the Ministry doorstep with a note when I was small. I don't remember them. One of the Ministry workers adopted me," she said, summarising as best she could and leaving out the bits about being a Seer.

There was no emotional hitch to her tone; she was stating facts so ingrained into her that they no longer meant anything. After all, she had a home, so who was she to complain?

"You could say that," she agreed. "What about you? You went to school?"

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The idea of having scars made Theo wince a little, looking away from the witch because he didn't much like the idea of that. "My mum doesn't have scars." The Hufflepuff whispered, not trying to get a one over on the girl in any way in that moment, just telling it how it was. He figured that the girl's teacher must have had a lot stronger sickness than his own mum, and that can't have been nice at all.

Theo nodded at the idea of it being nice, with his mum. He knew his life wasn't normal, it never could be, but he had his mum, and dad, and he couldn't really ask for much more than that.

The knowledge that the witch's parents had abandoned her brought Theo's eyes back to the witch. He was twelve, he lacked tact, and the surprise, the disbelief, could be seen quite clearly in his features as he looked at Serenity. "That's..." The boy didn't know what to say. It was... horrible. "I... kind of know... My real dad walked out on me when I was quite young. It's not the same, I know, but... I know it hurts. I'm sorry that you didn't get to know them. But, at least you have someone to look after you!" The Hufflepuff explained, his naivety showing through very clearly in that moment.

"Yep! I went to play school. And I went to primary school too. Well, except when mum was too ill to take me. Then we stayed home and watched movies. Uncl- Dad used to get a little mad about that, because he said I had to go to school. But... yeah. I preferred staying home, the kids in school used to tease me every month when I-" Theo cut off, shaking his head. He wasn't supposed to talk about his condition. "I got tired. It's weird." The boy explained, believing he'd covered that up well.

"So what you doing out by the lake?" Theo asked, moving the conversation along from his almost slip up.

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His words only brought forth a nod. Not everyone had scars, because not everyone needed to have needles in their arm or to have a Healer do things to their body to make them better. She knew all the terminology, having had it explained to her once, but it wasn't something she particularly wanted to repeat. Besides, she wasn't sure if the male in front of her would understand, considering she herself barely did. The general concept, yes, but not all the different techniques and names and stuff that the healers did.

"It's good she doesn't," Serenity replied, meaning it completely. Scars weren't bad, necessarily. Sometimes they meant you fought a monster and won -- sometimes, she had been told, that monster was yourself, but she didn't really understand what that meant -- and sometimes they meant that you got hurt and then got better, like when you fell down and cut yourself. Those were good kinds of scars, because they mean that you were better than whatever hurt you.

But if some things had good parts, then the same thing could have bad parts. For now, she couldn't figure out any bad scars, which was why she didn't dare to speak on this topic. No, she would never talk about things she didn't quite know the answer to.

She smiled at his answer. It wasn't all right, but she knew he was just trying to be nice. "It didn't hurt," she told him, honestly. She saw no need to hide that about her; she hid enough as it was. "I was too young to remember. Sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to have... to have a family, but what does wishing get you?" She shrugged lightly. "So I don't wonder a lot -- but yes. Aunt Sally takes care of me, and that's a good thing. I like her. She's nice."

Again, she could only nod at what Theo said, not fully understanding what it was like but sort of getting liking it when he didn't have to study. Whenever she got sick or felt ill, she was allowed to stay in a room and sleep or read, instead of attending classes, and those were her favourite days. His last sentence made her give him a pitying smile.

"I get that," she told him. "I get tired once a month, too, and I bleed and my stomach hurts. Aunt Sally called it cramps, and only females get it -- I don't think that's fair, but males deal with different problems, she says. It's troublesome. I don't like it."

Why he got tired, though, she didn't know. Perhaps it was some of these 'problems' that Aunt Sally told her about but never named. It had something to do with a body part they had that females didn't (and females had body parts males didn't, so that was fair), but Aunt Sally said to wait until she was older before asking again.

The question made her pause. She couldn't say that she was tired of Seeing things and needed a break, but as always, she didn't want to lie. So, as simply as she could, she said, "I don't like crowds, and there were a lot of people today in class, so I came here to get away." She stopped here, then, realising how this might sound, hastily added, "You're okay, because you're just one person."

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"It is." Theo agreed with a small smile. He didn't know what he'd do if he found his mum with scars... the thought of it made him give a little shudder and a shake of his head, because he didn't want to have to think about that. It wasn't nice.

"Well... I don't think wishing is pointless..." Theo said, not meaning to contradict the witch. But he continued, so that he could try to explain where he was coming from. "I used to wish, on my birthdays when I had my candles, that my mum would be better... happier, one day." The Hufflepuff explained, giving a small shrug of his shoulders. "I think it worked... a little? But whether that was my wishes, I don't know." He explained.

"I'm glad you have your Aunt Sally, though. Everybody needs somebody!" Theo concluded, giving the witch a warm smile.

When the witch said she understood his tiredness, though, Theo worried (for a moment) that he'd been caught out. But then Serenity was talking about cramps. Theo had no idea what that was about, but pretended to. She felt tired, and bled... and her tummy hurt. Every month? Theo was going to have to write to his mum about that one - seeing as Serenity also said it was a girl thing. No use asking his dad. "That... sounds horrible." Theo told her, not realising what she was on about at all. "Mum always gives me extra chocolate, though, that helps - have you tried chocolate, at those times?"

"Ohhhh, you're not good around people? I get that. Well, I don't get the need to get away from people, but I understand that you do. Sorry, for invading your time..." Theo added, feeling a little awkward, but she had said he could stay...

Turning to his bag, Theo pulled out his fruit flavoured, they were a Muggle brand, but they were so, so good. Holding them out towards the witch, Theo gave her a hopeful look. "Would a Rhubard and Custard sweet make up for it? Or, I can offer you some hard boiled fruit sweets?" He offered, because it definitely seemed like they could both do with a pick me up.

Guest

It wasn't the wishes, she thought. If it were, there wouldn't have been need for waiting; it would have happened at once. No, this was what adults called 'coincidences', like when she wanted a holiday and then something happened and the Seers were too busy for her. At first she said it was because she made a wish on a falling star the night before, but the adults had kindly explained that, while magic was real, there wasn't any type strong enough to make mere wishes come true.

And if those beautiful falling stars didn't mean a wish came true, candles certainly didn't. She knew now that wishes were nothing but a waste of time and energy; if you wanted something, you worked for and towards it. But she also knew that sometimes hope was all one had, and sometimes hope came in the form of stupid practises and superstitions. So all she did was raise a shoulder.

"I suppose," she told him, secretly pleased with herself for keeping the hope of the male alive. Perhaps when he's older, and more mature, he would understand that it hadn't been the blowing of the candles or any wishes on his part, but the strength of his mother.

The comment about Aunt Sally made her smile just a little. While the older witch did take care of her, she was often so busy that Serenity was by herself (with Tammie) most of the time. Still, on weekends or on holidays, Aunt Sally did her best to be there for her, and while the only thing Aunt Sally could make was pancakes and omelette (they had take-out a lot), it was still nice.

Again, Serenity shrugged. "It's not pleasant, but it's not exactly horrible. I mean we get used to it, Aunt Sally says. She has it too." At the option of chocolate, she smiled. "Yes. Chocolate helps," she told him, then frowned, trying to recall something. "End-dolphins," she pronounced carefully. "I think that's what someone told me. It's a thing in your body that makes you happy, and chocolate helps your body make this thing more."

"It also has this thing in it that helps pain. Magnum? No, that's ice cream..." She frowned. "Magnolia? No, that's a flower... Mag-something. It helps with cramps, but I don't remember what it's called."

She offered him a smile at the apology. She was honestly enjoying his company, although she was apprehensive as to when -- not if -- she would get a flash of him. Still, she said nothing in reply; there was nothing to say. A few moments passed, then, softly, she said, "You're okay," to confirm that she was alright with him there.

At the offer of sweets, she blinked, staring at them with a curious expression. "I've... I've never really eaten those. Are they nice?" she asked, wanting to try but also afraid of new things.

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Theo merely nodded as Serenity explained. He wondered why her Aunt Sally got them too... Why wouldn't you go to a Healer if more than one of you got it? Theo didn't understand, and his confusion was only heightened when the witch started talking about end-dolphins. What in Merlin's name were end-dolphins? Theo settled on simply nodding and agreeing to the idea of chocolate helping the dolphins.

"So long as it helps, then you have the excuse at the ready!" Theo replied with a warm smile. He didn't know what else he could say when he wasn't following a word that Serenity was saying to him.

"Just... let me know if you would like me to go, yeah? At any point. I don't want you to put up with me just because I'm here. I can leave you alone." Theo insisted, because he didn't want her to feel obligated to his presence.

Holding out the sweets to the witch, Theo frowned a little as she said she'd not had them before. He knew they were Muggle sweets, but if his dad knew about them, surely most magical people did? After all, his dad was a Pureblood. But, deciding not to judge the witch on her lack of confectionery knowledge, Theo simply nodded eagerly at her question. "They're so good! They are very sweet, though. They taste like rhubarb and custard, obviously. Oh - you don't have a hyperactivity problem do you? Because my mum said I shouldn't give them to kids who do. Because the sugar makes some kids really bouncy. I mean... I'm not allowed lots, because sugar makes me a little hyper...

"I don't think one will hurt, though." Theo added, because he didn't wish to scare the witch out of trying. "Of... what's your favourite fruit? I'll find you a fruit one that will be good?" He offered, because rhubarb and custard sweets might not be the place to start.

Guest

She nodded at his words but said nothing more, still trying to figure out the name of the thing that made pain go away. Mag... There'd been a body part in it. Elbow? Toe? Mageye? Mag...knee! "Mag-knee-some!" she said, slightly more excited than she meant. "That's the thing in the chocolate that helps the pain. Mag-knee-some. Aunt Sally told me the name ages ago but I can't remember it often because it's such a complicated name." It was probably the most animated she'd been the entire conversation, but when Serenity was excited, it was obvious -- not that it happened often.

Excitement, she knew, was for kids who couldn't control emotions, and so she always held back any of those feelings; it wasn't right for a Seer to display such a lack of control. Besides, they didn't have control in so many other areas, and having it wherever possible was necessary.

So, biting back any further elation at having remembered the difficult word, she straigtened her expression to a simple, small smile. "That's why chocolate helps, though. End-dolphins and mag-knee-some'."

His statement brought a nod as she kept that information away. If and when she was tired, she would no doubt use that; after all, he offered, so it would be rude to not accept it. "Thank you." It was all that needed to be said.

She took in the information he gave her. Hyperactivity? She'd never really heard of that before, but from the word itself she could fathom a guess -- that was what happened when kids got excited and didn't stop being excited, right? Did sweets really make them more excited? She would have to ask Aunt Sally or look it up in some books later on. Outwardly, she shook her head. No, as far as she knew she could control herself.

She'd had rhubarb and custard pie before, once, if she could remember correctly. Aunt Sally had brought her to a fancy shop and Serenity had taken a bite of the pie Aunt Sally had. It hadn't been her favourite but she hadn't exactly hated it. Still, to think they put that in a sweet was beyond her. To say she was a little relieved at the notion of starting with fruit (although she still couldn't comprehend why you'd put fruit into a sweet) she spent a few seconds thinking over it.

"Grapes," she said, after yet a few more seconds. "I like grapes -- the purple ones, not the green ones. I also like apples."

Guest

Seeing Serenity so animated brought a smile to Theo's lips. Animated people were infectious, and the Hufflepuff was definitely enjoying her company. "Mag... OH! Magnesium?" Theo asked, not meaning to correct her, but it sounded like a word he'd heard around, even if it wasn't necessarily the same thing. Working together to get to the right answer was a good way of making friends, Theo was sure of that much.

"Grapes..." Theo replied, holding up a finger in the universal sign of 'wait a moment' before turning to his bag and rifling through it. Soon enough, he turned back to Serenity with a purple sweet, and a green sweet. Holding them out to the witch, the Hufflepuff couldn't help but smile warmly.

"The purple one is the grape flavour, and the green one is apple." He added in explanation, before pausing for a moment, closing his hand around them so she couldn't take them. "Just so you know, you need to such them, don't try to chew them, that'll hurt your teeth. They're a sweet for patient people, my mum says." Theo explained, opening his hand again so that Serenity could take one.

Theo took another sweet from his bag for himself, and popped it in his mouth, sucking on it for a few moments in thought as he watched the lake, before turning back to Serenity with a question. "Are you not allowed sweets at home?" He asked, because he really didn't understand how someone didn't know what Rhubarb and Custard sweets were.

Guest

"Yes!" she exclaimed at his correction. It was so nice to be talking to someone who understood her, even when she was going off on rants about vague things. "I never pronounce it correct..." She smiled at him brightly. "Magnesium. I think I can get it from now on. How do you know about... about magnesium?"

Eyeing the sweets somewhat tentatively, she was about to reach out before he closed his hand; she waited for him, wondering what was happening. Why would he offer it only to refuse her? But then he started explaining, and she nodded. That made sense. She was patient, she supposed; waiting was something she was used to, after all.

When he opened it, she looked at them carefully. Was she supposed to take one? Take both? She wasn't sure what he meant by offering two, and she decided that one would be enough. After all, she didn't want to seem greedy, and she wasn't even sure if she was allowed to have one. Aunt Sally hardly bought things for her, and what little goodies she did have were usually dark chocolate from Aunt Sally's stash. These she didn't quite mind, although the bitterness had taken some getting used to; she wouldn't say they were her favourite, though.

Deciding on grape, she took the purple sweet and unwrapped it slowly. It was slightly sticky to the touch and she put it in her mouth tentatively. The flavour was weird. It wasn't quite grapes like she ate them, but tasted almost ... fake, like someone had tried and failed to replicate what grapes tasted like. It wasn't all too bad, although she wouldn't classify it as grape -- more like a flavour of its own.

Slowly, she sucked on it, trying to adjust to the weirdness of it all. His next question made her shrug. "I'm not sure if I'm allowed or not. Aunt Sally just never buys any. She has dark chocolate for herself, and sometimes she gives me a little, but it's bitter so I can't eat a lot."

Guest

Theo grinned when she told him that he'd gotten it right. Though, her question of how he knew that made Theo pause for a moment, thinking about how he did know that. Before long, though, Theo gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "I don't know... I just... know the word?" He offered, though he knew that wasn't really an answer. It just was... he didn't know how else to answer that.

Watching the witch take a sweet and give it a try, Theo noted how she hadn't said thank you. His mum would have gone mental if she'd have seen the moment, but Theo was a lot more laid back than his mum. A thank you would have been nice, but he decided not to bring that up.

Instead, he waited for her verdict, but it never came. An answer to his other question did come, though, and Theo raised an eyebrow at it. What kind of Aunt didn't shower you with sweets, and gifts, and things like that? Theo didn't understand the concept - not that he was spoilt, but because that was a norm for him. "Oh, yeah, dark chocolate's not that nice. I like white chocolate the most, to be honest." Theo said, almost as if letting her in on a secret as he told her a little bit more about himself.

Well, the safe stuff, anyway.

"How do you like the sweet?" Theo asked belatedly, hoping she had liked it, and that he hadn't just put her off of sweets forever.

» Potions: Lesson One - Draught of Peace (Years 5-7)
» She's Endless [[Theo]]
» Theodore "Theo" Jameson
» Simplicity (Naomira, Daniel, + Theo)
» Sweet Tooth (Taela & Theo)