seeking thestral

[occluminous]

Feral goes back to school. Bella goes to Charlie's house for the rest of the summer. She studies her textbooks and does her summer projects and owls her friends.

She thinks about Dementors.

Comments

[pythbox]

"No big deal," he says, "I can just sleep outside."

[occluminous]

"Well, he might not like you hanging around even if you don't technically sleep here, but that'd probably get you at least a week."

[pythbox]

Feral shrugs. "Okay."

[occluminous]

Snuggle. "He let Tony and Sherlock stay for a long time but they didn't turn into scary-looking critters first."

[pythbox]

"Yeah," says Feral. "Not the best first impression."

[occluminous]

She scritches his hair. "Kinda. I wonder who he's seen die. I knew Renée wouldn't be able to see you but I wasn't sure Charlie would."

[pythbox]

"Maybe he shot somebody," snorts Feral.

[occluminous]

"I don't think so, but it's not impossible."

[pythbox]

Shrug. Snuggle. Together, do they make a shruggle?

[occluminous]

Perhaps they do.

Ultimately Charlie allows that Feral may sleep on the sofa for one night but after that he should be on his way. He does not produce an apology for responding to Doorstep Monstrosity with an aimed but not fired weapon.

[pythbox]

Feral doesn't really expect one.

He sleeps on the sofa. He hangs out with Bella. He hugs her a lot.

[occluminous]

Hugs are nice to have.

[pythbox]

They are. They are very huggy. Feral likes them a lot.

[occluminous]

Charlie doesn't evince an objection when Feral makes his own outdoor sleeping arrangements and hangs around. Bella gets Feral to quiz her on Potions and lets him go through her Muggle book collection. And then he flaps away back to school and she waits out the rest of the summer and busses back.

[nobodyelse]

There is a book waiting for her on her desk in her room.

The Deathly Hallows again - this time with a more comprehensive history, including biographies of the Peverell brothers.

[occluminous]

Oooh.

Bella hugs Sherlock when she first sees him.

[nobodyelse]

Hugs!

"Not that I expect the information to be of much immediate practical use," he says. "Unless Feral has managed to get his hands on the Elder Wand. But I doubt it; rumour suggests it was destroyed."

[occluminous]

"It doesn't have to be practical to be a good book," says Bella.

[nobodyelse]

"True. I'm glad you like it, anyway."

[occluminous]

"Is it an early birthday present?" inquires Bella.

[nobodyelse]

"Only if I can't find another good one by the time it is your birthday."

[occluminous]

"I want to figure out how to destroy Dementors, if there is anything about that around. I haven't checked the school library yet."

[nobodyelse]

He nods.

[occluminous]

"Of course if someone already knows how then I don't see why there would still be any, but maybe there have been options ruled out."

[nobodyelse]

"Or it could take some incredibly nasty bit of Dark magic," Sherlock suggests.