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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 12, 2008 23:55:26 GMT
Why, why why in all the world did you think it would be a good idea to come here? I demand of myself, walking nervously down the street with my arms crossed tightly – partly out of cold and partly self-protection. I don’t think I’ve been here in years, bit it’s just about as creepy as I remember it. And it’s one of the last places I should ever want to go – especially with the oh-so-cheerful news I just received from Riley, that apparently the war is about to start up again.
I really just don’t understand myself sometimes. When I’ve barely gotten back, and haven’t even really talked to anybody other than Riley and Lilith, but instead of stopping by to see my brother or perhaps another friend, I go wandering around Knockturn Alley late in the evening… well, that would be one of those times. Sometimes I almost feel as if I’ve got one of those extra personalities like Ian and Shell do, except mine doesn’t really like to talk to me.
Or maybe it’s just poor impulse control… as if every stray thought has to be acted on.
Yes, that’s probably more true. But still not very reassuring. I sigh very softly, trying to stay focused merely on the fact I’m here… and forget about the extra little detail that I’m totally, utterly lost.
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 13, 2008 16:03:02 GMT
Annie watched the man she had been talking to walk away from her, and she felt her heart breaking again. One person can not possibly take this much, she thought to herself, knowing that she was going to have to take so much more. She turned around as the man rounded a corner and left her sight, jumping as she saw someone else walking behind her.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 14, 2008 2:36:37 GMT
Hm… any chance of a friendly face? No? Didn’t think so.
I sigh again softly, finishing the thought before I’ve even really started looking around. Maybe this is why the Universe decides it would be funny to prove me wrong, and causes the appearance of another person just ahead of me and slightly to the right. Tweo people, really, but one walks away and then the other turns around – and I jump in surprise, looking wildly around because although it’s bad enough to be in Knockturn Alley alone, it’s still a little worse to have someone see you.
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 14, 2008 21:53:14 GMT
Annie narrowed her eyes as she took in the slightly familiar face. Probably someone I knew from school... she thought, then looked the girl over. She didn't look overly comfortable being there.
"You know, Knocturn Alley's really a bad place to be walking alone. Makes people think the worst of you." She said nervously, knowing that's probably what the girl was thinking about her.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 14, 2008 22:39:00 GMT
"Mm... that or it makes them think... thoughts I'd rather not think about," I say musingly, not sure if she can hear me or not and staying a few cautious feet back. "What's your excuse?" I ask, eyes darting around the street.
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 17, 2008 21:11:20 GMT
Annie smiled slightly. "Had to talk to someone I hadn't seen in a while," she explained, shrugging her shoulders lightly, then crossing her arms, unconciously moving into a defensive stance.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 17, 2008 21:21:51 GMT
Vague, but understandably so. I nod politely, looking up and down the street again, and hesitate slightly before trusting her with the next words. By rights I really shouldn't, obviously, but somehow she's familiar and so stupidly I do. "Myself, I'm just lost."
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 17, 2008 21:36:57 GMT
Annie's smile grew a bit stronger. That would mean she's not here entirely on purpose...thank god this isn't where I recognize her from.
"I can help you get back to Diagon Alley, if that's where you want to go. I was heading that way myself." She told the other woman.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 17, 2008 21:44:01 GMT
"Thanks," I smile slightly back, though I intend to keep my guard up and not just naively assume that she's being honest. It would serve me right, I suppose, when I know exactly how stupid I'm being.
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 20, 2008 18:53:21 GMT
Annie nodded and motioned in the direction they would have to go if they wanted to get to Diagon Alley, then slowly took a few steps in that direction, not wanting to have some stranger she found in Knocturn Alley to be behind her.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 21, 2008 1:58:24 GMT
I hesitate slightly anyway before I start to follow her, and then curse myself again for a different sort of stupidity. As far as I can tell she belongs here as much as I do... and therefore has a right to be awfully nervous if I'm behind her. I speed up immediately to fall into step beside her but still not too close, staying wary, and I wonder if I should say something or not.
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 22, 2008 1:12:32 GMT
She looked over at Arden and laughed nervously. "God, is this awkward or what?" Annie asked, trying to break the silence.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 22, 2008 1:45:34 GMT
I laugh very slightly in return, detecting nervous in her amusement as well as my own.
"Just a bit. As far as I see it, neither of us is dangerous, but neither of us is willing to completely believe that either."
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 22, 2008 16:55:25 GMT
Annie grinned and nodded. "Absolutely right. Promise I won't kill you if you don't kill me!"
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 23, 2008 1:53:36 GMT
"Accepted," I nod. "Though I do have to point out that as a ghostly murder is unlikely, whichever of us broke the pact first probably wouldn't have much to fear."
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 24, 2008 17:19:20 GMT
Annie laughed. "Hey man, you never know. You could come back as a ghost and scare someone else into doing it!"
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 25, 2008 3:23:43 GMT
"That's a very good point, which I'll be sure to keep in mind if you kill me," I say, smiling wryly. "Besides which, I'm secretly a goddess... so you'd never get away with it."
I don't know why the hell I say something so childish. Giddiness brought on by paranoia? The fact that coming here at all is such a stupid, juvenile thing to do so it's reminding me of things I used to say long ago to random people but now only say to my nieces and nephew?
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 28, 2008 17:20:12 GMT
Annie started laughing. "No way! Me too! I've been a goddess since seventh year at Hogwarts. I think I was down by the lake, and I was having a conversation about squirrels...."
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 29, 2008 2:16:08 GMT
I slow down at these words, frowning slightly. "You know... I don't remember squirrels, but that's too much of a coincidence and I swear you look familiar anyway. Um, I'm Arden Patricks."
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 30, 2008 0:05:15 GMT
Annie stopped and looked at her for a second, saying, "I'm Annie Mitogi, well, sort of. Used to be Annie Pettigrew. Arden..." Annie's face lit up. "Arden!"
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 30, 2008 2:22:02 GMT
"Annie Pettigrew...." I mouth to myself, then shake my head and grin. "Didn't we meet... somewhere, and I was in a pretty bad mood but you were... happy and pregnant?" I ask. Weird description, but it is what I remember.
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Oct 31, 2008 19:35:41 GMT
Annie laughed. "I think so, yeah! Way back when, before graduation."
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Post by Arden Patricks on Nov 1, 2008 1:35:42 GMT
"Yeah, way back then," I agree, nodding, and then shake my head in amazement. "How've you been?"
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Nov 1, 2008 3:06:18 GMT
"Mostly good, how about you?" I asked, my expression mimicking hers.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Nov 1, 2008 15:35:42 GMT
"Same, I guess," I shrug after a moment of thought. "Bit hard to categorize a whole ten years or so, but that works."
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Nov 2, 2008 3:05:35 GMT
Annie chuckled. "Hey, it's good enough, right?"
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Post by Arden Patricks on Nov 2, 2008 14:55:18 GMT
"Yes, it is," I nod, laughing slightly for I don't even know what reason. "So... you've been a mum then, I guess." So then what are you doing down here? Even more ridiculous in your case.
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Nov 4, 2008 0:20:34 GMT
Annie nodded. "Yessum. Count's up to three now, the son I was preggers with when we first met, and two little girls."
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Post by Arden Patricks on Nov 4, 2008 14:32:52 GMT
"Sounds nice." I smile slightly. "But poor boy. I automatically have sympathy for any poor surrounded by females, though I do hope it's misplaced."
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Post by Annie Pettigrew on Nov 11, 2008 23:09:22 GMT
Annie laughed slightly. "No, not anymore! He's just started at Hogwart's this fall, so now he's surrounded by males all the time!"
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