After the Ceremony

[Frank Longbottom]

Frank looked up with his eyes red and his cheeks were tear stained. The girl who broke his heart stood there. He didn't know what to say to her, but his lips started moving before he had time to think of a coherent thought.

"It's not what it looked like," he managed to get out. "Alice, I heard you and saw you! You kissed his cheek, you hugged him, you told him that he makes you happy. I know what I saw!" More tears started to flow and he didn't bothered to stop them. For the first time in Frank's life, he was crying. "Is that what you do? Lead people on only to bring them down?"

[Alice Prewett]

How dare he! How dare he think that she would something like that! She'd been his best friend and companion for over six years and if thought she would do something like that, regardless of her Black family roots... he didn't know her at all.

"If you think I would stoop so low as that, then you don't know me at all Frank. You didn't even wait to ask what was going on. Yes I did kiss him. Yes I did hug him. And yes, he did make me happy. But do you ever care to ask why? No. Because you obviously think I'm capable of loving you and throwing that aside for some one else, just to hurt you and stop my own heart into the mud?! You Frank Longbottom are a GIT, you know that? A bloody stupid insensitive GIT! "

Her voice was heated with anger and hurt, it was dangerously low, even her Black blood often shined through when she was angry and she was indeed angry. And hot tears spilled openly down her cheeks now like liquid heat. How dare he think she was even remotely like that Rabastan guy... if he could think that of her, even for an instant... then he didn't know her at all.

Alice turned on her heal sharply and strode away not bothering to look back.

[Frank Longbottom]

Frank honestly did not mean to say what he did. It just came out without him thinking. His brain wasn't working like it should have. He had to just screw it up even more. Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut? Why did it have to move? He should have given Alice a chance to explain, but he didn't. His heart shattered at what he heard. His head was fuzzy and he just wanted everything to go away. He wished he could turn back time and fix this, but there was no way he could.

When she said something about loving him, that made him even more sad. What had he done? If he could go jump off a cliff right now, he would. However, how could she love him if someone else made her happy? He didn't understand it.

"Alice," he choked out. She wasn't turning around. He ruined everything. Everything he worked for. His world had defintly ended. Frank's tears started to fall even more. He had to get away from here. He had to find a place he could be on his own. Frank punched the wall again. "Damn it," he cursed loudly, making it echo through the halls. He slowly made his way to his dorm.

[Alice Prewett]

As soon as Alice was out of sight she ran, hurt and angry, tears streaming down her cheeks.. she ran. As far as she could get, she ran. He ran straight through Sir Nicholas and didn't even notice the ghost's half offended look. She didn't care, she couldn't think any longer, she just needed to get out.. and she ran in the dark of evening she ran all the way to the lake.. to her little hideaway under a willow tree's branches where the world could spiral out of control and she would feel the embrace of its canopy falling around her, weeping silently with her.

And she laid there... she didn't even bother to go back to her dorms that night as she cried herself to sleep under the willow tree, hidden from the world.

[Seth Inophen]

Sept 21, 2008 2:31:42 GMT -5 Samantha Montgomery said:

It had been him watching her all this time, Merlin. She was okay though, yes she was fine she knew how to deal with Rafe. She nodded at him, " Now let me go Rafe..." she said trying to weasel her way out of his arms.

She needed to think she needed someone else there she didn't want to be alone with him. " I came here because I needed some space."

Seth was still waiting for Maxi when he saw Sam. He began to walk toward her to talk to her when he stopped. She was talking with the strange boy who was sitting at the Hufflepuff table and watching Sam earlier. Seeing that they were in an embrace, Seth figured they knew each other and were friends until he saw her squirming and the boy not letting go.

"Everything alright over here?" Seth asked, walking up to the two. He held out his hand to the other boy. "Seth Inophen," Seth introduced himself. He didn't like this boy, Seth had a bad feeling about him.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam smiled towards Seth she never thought him the Knight in shining armor type, but she wasn't exactly the damsel, the only difficult part was Rafe himself and being the Psychotic stalker. She couldn't get Seth involved if Rafe took a disliking to the man then...good Godric help her if anything happened to Seth.

"Yes of course Seth." she smiled brightly, " Seth this is Mr. Colby. Rafe. " she nodded, " We're old...friends."

[Rafe Colby]

Rafe was instantly annoyed at this interloper, ruining his time alone with Sam. He'd been enjoying the scent of her, he always thought she smelled vaguely like lilacs. Before he'd even had a chance to respond to her need for "space", this foolish boy had dared to stroll up and act like he knew his Sam.

But his expression showed none of this. Rafe could put on a good face when needed, and he immediately broke into a wide, open smile. "Yes, we're old friends," he said. "From back at Beauxbatons. Sam was quite the popular girl back there, and such a coincidence that we'd both transfer here." Shaking hands with Seth, he said, "It's nice to meet you, Seth. I'm glad to see Sam's met some nice people here. I can't wait to get to know all of you."

[Samantha Montgomery]

Coincidence her ass. She clenched her teeth together but didn't say anything, Rafe was somewhat difficult when provoked. But Merlin, she had almost forgotten how suave he could be, how utterly charming...until of course he got extremely creepy. Sam tried to subtly weasle her way out of his arms now that Seth was there.

"Rafe and I were discussing the possibility that he might get sent back to Beauxbatons..." she tried subtly.

[Rafe Colby]

Rafe gave a good-natured laugh. "Don't be silly, Sam," he said, gripping her shoulder tightly. It looked to an observer that he was just giving her a friendly squeeze, but there was definite pressure there. "I just got here. Why would I be sent home already? Why, I haven't even been sorted yet. I'm supposed to go to Professor Dumbledore's office later for sorting. Hey, maybe I'll even end up in the same house as you!"

[Samantha Montgomery]

There would be a bruise curse her delicate skin but she didn't care, " That would be wonderful, of course there are many advantages to a school like Hogwarts, plenty of people for you to meet I would hope you don't let our previous friendship deterr you from making new friends here." she said wincing at the pressure of his grip.

[Seth Inophen]

Sept 21, 2008 16:28:43 GMT -5 Rafe Colby said:

Shaking hands with Seth, he said, "It's nice to meet you, Seth. I'm glad to see Sam's met some nice people here. I can't wait to get to know all of you."

"Nor us, you," Seth said. He watched the interaction between the two. Friends my arce. He thought. Sam was still weasling her way out of Rafe's embrace, and Seth raised an eyebrow. He checked his watch.

"You know," Seth said. "Dumbledore is probably in his office by now. You could probably go and get sorted if you'd like." Seth smiled, but it was a strained smile. He learned it from his father who used to have to smile at people he didn't like at the minisrty. "I'm sure we all are eager to see which house you'll be sorted into."

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam agreed instantly, " That's true Rafe, you wouldn't want to miss your sorting." she said earnestly, "I'll see you later of course." not if she could help it of course. She loved Seth in that moment and begged that his helping her wouldn't end up hurting him in the long run.

[Rafe Colby]

Rafe waved his free hand dismissively. "Oh, no, there'll be plenty of time for that later," he said, sounding casual. "I want to get caught up with Samantha here. I was hoping she could give me a little tour of the place. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore is tired after that little ceremony... I wouldn't want to bother him with something as trivial as sorting me. What do you say, Sam?" He clapped her hard on the shoulder. "Won't you show me around a bit?"

[Samantha Montgomery]

"You know I'd love to." she said clenching her jaw and wincing at his harsh clap, "But I didn't see my brother in there. You know my brother don't you Rafe?" she asked sweetly hoping that Rafe didn't know her brother was here, hoping at least that made him a little more cautious in his treatment of her, even though she knew it wouldn't drive him away completely, " Anyway he's likely to be upset when he hears that I was chosen for the tournament and I'd rather be there in person to tell him. Besides I'm fairly new here myself although Dumbledore I'm sure will have someone available to escort you around so you can learn where to go." straight to hell if she had anything to say about it.

[Seth Inophen]

"Trival?" Seth said. "Oh no Rafe, sorting is the most important part of Hagwarts! You cant even begin to settle in here before you're sorted into whichever house." Personally, Seth hoped the Sorting hat would just eat Rafe's head. "I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will be waiting for you. Sam can bring you to his office." He nodded at Sam. "I'll even come to, it'll be fun!" Seth glanced back to the Antechamber before turning to Sam and Rafe again. Maxi could wait. Seth was going to make it clear that tonight, he wasn't leaving Sam alone with Rafe.

"Once we drop you off with the Headmaster, Sam, you can go see your brother."

[Samantha Montgomery]

Oh how she would not like to do that, let her count the ways. She had gotten this far without telling her brother and now she knew her time was coming to a close. Still if it came to being with her brother or being with Rafe, there was no contest, " That's a brilliant idea Seth, thank you."

[Rafe Colby]

Rafe glared at the little twit. Could he be anymore annoying? His noble attempts to rip Sam away from him were ever-so-obvious. He wondered if this kid had a thing for Sam. If he caught the guy touching her, he swore he'd murder him in his bed.

But he kept that charming smile fixed on his face. "Oh, well, that's a very generous offer, Sean," he said, purposely flubbing the kid's name. "We wouldn't want to keep dear Sam from her brother, now would we? Why don't you two just take me to the Headmaster's office, then?"

He hated to let go of her now, but he couldn't afford to make a scene.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam caught the look in Rafe's eyes, there was madness there she knew it, but she was accustomed to Madness, afterall no one trumped the queen psycho of them all: Her Mother. Still she didn't want any of this to backlash on Seth. She'd take Rafe to Dumbledore's office and then tell Seth to keep an eye out. Later she'd talk to Rafe personally.

"Yes let's go." she said quietly.

[Seth Inophen]

Seth had the sudden feeling that he'd have to keep an eye open when he went to sleep. But he kept his composure still. "Yes, shall we?" Seth smiled, brushing off the "flub" of his name. He pointed toward the door. "After you,"Seth said to Rafe.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam kept herself between Seth and Rafe. She had a smile for her "protector" but other than that she didn't let her eyes stray from Rafe, he wasn't the type to take your eyes off of, even for a moment. She was wary yes, and for good reason. So he had followed her had he? Well she would just have to deal with him, and this time she wouldn't run away like her father asked her to. No, her Mother had gotten her into this mess and now she would get herself out of it.

She plastered a smile to her face.