Spreading the News (All Ferreras)

[Cara Ferrera]

(We'll take our time here since Sheena/Ama is in Europe for a couple weeks)

Cara hadn't said a word to anyone since Riley left. It was just as well since Mathieu didn't seem to be talking to her, either, but it was so hard to believe.

She wanted to hate Riley. Really, she did, but the more she thought about it, the harder it was to blame the girl. Even Angelique said there was nothing that could have been done. And Riley was in pain, too.

Everyone was in pain, and Hayden was bringing all the kids home today. Sheena, Liam, and of course Jamie and Amandine. She even relented and had him owl Cyrus.

Their ball was just last night, and they were probably all happy and... well, being kids. She hated that they had to deliver this kind of news to them.

Hayden, during all of this, was being a life saver for her. One day, she'd let him know how thankful she was.

She was sitting alone at the table in the dining room, her hands clasped around a mug of tea, just listening to the ticking of the clock and waiting for the children to come home.

[Mathieu Ferrera]

Mathieu hadn't spoken a word since hearing the news. He'd been shut up in his study since Judah and Suri and Hayden left. Not one for heavy drinking, he did occasionally enjoy a nip or two of firewhiskey once in a while, so he kept a bottle of it in his study. He remembered one time when he'd caught a 16 year old Roland sneaking a taste of it, and the memory burned at his mind. He was now drowning himself in that bottle, trying to erase those memories from his mind.

But he didn't really want to forget. He just wanted it to stop hurting. The thought that his strong, confident, even occasionally arrogant oldest son was not coming home was like a hole in his heart. He couldn't breathe, couldn't sleep, couldn't think... and he couldn't even cry. His tears felt blocked up inside of him, like the water flowing underneath a frozen river.

How could Roland be gone? It was just impossible to comprehend.

[Cyrus Ferrera]

Cyrus was a complete mess. After Hayden told him and Lina of the news, he broke down. There was going to be no one he could really go talk about how things were going between him and Lina. There was no one he could argue with over something stupid. Cyrus guessed he could talk to Hayden, but it wouldn't really be the same. Who was going to be finally proud of him that he and Lina were going to get married? Who was going to be his best man?

There were so many questions and every time he thought about them, it made it worse. He did have Lina, however. She was being strong for him and he couldn't think her enough. She was the one person that was really holding him together.

Jensen agreed to watch Mara again while they went over to his parents'. He cleared his mind and apparated him and Lina to his parents' front door. Cyrus was clinging to Lina's hand as he turned to look at her. His eyes were a little red, but he knew he should try and hold it together in front of his parents. Cyrus reached up and knocked on the door.

[Hayden Ferrera]

Hayden knew that there was no way in the world that he was going to tell Liam, Sheena, Jamie, or Ama that Roland was dead while they were at school. He couldn't imagine how badly they would take it, and frankly he thought it would be better that they found out after they reached Aunt Cara's.

The only way that he was able to keep it together was the continuous numb feeling he had been having. In addition to that, Hayden knew that he needed to be the one that tried to keep everything and everyone together. As of late, he had been doing anything and everything he could to help.

Sighing, Hayden waited patiently for his siblings and cousins as he leaned against the wall casually. He knew that he had to keep a calm appearance because he didn't want to raise any more alarm than getting them out of school already.

[Liam Ferrera]

Liam had just been waking up, having slept in from the dance the night before, and was on his way to the great hall for breakfast hen he saw his brother leaning against the wall in the hallway outside the Ravenclaw common room.

Well, that was weird. Why was he at school? He took a moment to really look over his brother. He looked tired, and troubled, but Liam couldn't tell just why.

"Hayden... what's going on?" Leave it to the quiet, observant one to ask. At least the other three weren't there yet.

[Hayden Ferrera]

Putting a smile on his face, Hayden tried to make sure it wasn't forced. He wasn't going to cause any huge worry for the younger ones. "Hey little brother," he said ruffling Liam's hair after pushing himself from leaning on the wall. Act like everything was alright for the time being was his plan.

"We're having a family gathering," Hayden said with a shrug. "I thought that I would come get you, Sheena, Jamie, and Ama since I don't really see you that much." Well, that was truthful, just not the real reason he came to pick them up.

[Sheena Ferrera]

Sheena woke up just as Liam left the common room. She got dressed, ready for the new year and wondering what it will bring, and wondered if she should wait for Ama. "Definatly not," Sheena said to herself. Ama would probably sleep in till noon and Sheena was hungry.

She left the common room and was about to walk down to breakfast when she saw her brothers outside in the hallway. "Hayden!" Sheena said, surprised to see her oldest brother. She ran over and gave each of them a hug. "Happy new year," she said. Then Sheena got a closer look at Hayden. Something wasn't right, she could see it in his eyes an in his face. Her brother seemed tired and concerned. She looked at Liam, but his face didn't show the same worry that Hayden's did. "What's wrong?" Sheena asked after looking between her two brothers.

[Hayden Ferrera]

"Sheena," Hayden with another smile. "Happy New Year to you too. I trust that both of you had a good time at the dance?" He picked up Sheena for a moment as he hugged her then sat her back down on the ground.

"I'm just a little tired," he said. "I think I shouldn't sleep on my couch so much." That was true too. Hayden wasn't going to very well tell them what was really wrong. So far, he was doing alright at masking anything seriously being wrong. "Like I told Liam, we're having a family gathering and I thought that I would come pick you two and Ama and Jamie up since I don't really get to see the four of you that often."

[Sheena Ferrera]

"Well Ama and Jamie were up late, they'll probably sleep till noon," Sheena laughed. "I can get them if you want," but she wasn't sure if she wanted to right yet. She would rather not share her time with her brothers just yet.

[Hayden Ferrera]

"And you weren't up late?" Hayden looked to his sister teasingly. "I'm guessing that either you were running from boys, or Liam chased them all away." At the mention of going to get Ama and Jamie, he nodded. "Yeah, you might as well go get them up. We don't want Aunt Cara wondering what is taking so long."

He didn't want Cara to be worrying or anything about what was taking so long. Hayden was trying to the best he could and step up for everybody and this was just the start.

[Sheena Ferrera]

Sheena shrugged. "I stayed out till I got tired," she said. She looked toward the entrance to the common room and then back to Hayden. "Okay, I'll get them, wish me luck." Both of her cousins were not going to be happy about being woken up.

She climbed the stairs to the 4th year girl's room and went straight to Amandine's bed. "Ama," Sheena shook her cousin from sleep. "Ama wake up..."

[Amandine Ferrera]

Ama wasn't sure what time it was when she got backi from the ball, but she had planned on spending the first day of the new year asleep in bed. That was, until Sheena started to push her out of sleep.

"Go away..." She groaned into her pillow, swatting Sheena away lazily.

[Liam Ferrera]

Liam watched his sister go, then looked back to Hayden. Why would Aunt Cara worry? She should know they were all up late at the ball... except for Jamie, who never showed. Merlin only knew what he had been doing. But that meant that something was wrong.

"Ama will take an hour to wake up," He said at length. "I'll go get Jamie."

With that, he turned and went back into the dorms and up to Jamie's. "Come on, Jamie. Time to get up."

[Jamie Ferrera]

Jamie stretched out against his bed, and shot the human alarum clock an annoyed look. Jamie was looking forward to sleeping in after a long night, something he was not usually allowed to do for some reason or another. After getting accustomed to the lighting, Jamie realized that his cousin Liam was standing there. Jamie didn't expect Liam, they rarely spoke at school. He rubbed his temples and sat up groggily. "Yes, Liam?"

[Sheena Ferrera]

Sheena rolled her eyes. "God, Ama you're stubborn," Sheena said. "Hayden's waiting, we're going to your house..." there was still no movement from her cousin, who seemed to have gone back to sleep.

"Fine, be that way," Sheena said and stepped back. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at Ama. "Augmenti," and a stream of water came out of her want and splashed on Amandine.

[Liam Ferrera]

Liam crossed his arms, but just for want of something to do with them. "We have to go," Liam said, in his ever quiet way of his. Liam never really spoke much. He expressed the important parts, and the rest was quiet in his mind. He paid far more attention to observing, much like Hayden... except that he was definitely quieter.

He stepped back, giving Jamie room to get up.

[Jamie Ferrera]

Liam wouldn't have been in his room unless something important had happened. Jamie didn't even know where they were going, but that didn't seem essentially important right now. He pulled on some clothes and ran his fingers messily through his hair to try and make it look somewhat presentable as he finished getting ready in less then forty seconds. He shot his cousin a confused look, waiting to be directed further.

[Amandine Ferrera]

When the horribly cold water splashed on Ama, she sat up straight and yelled. "SHEENA!" Ama yelled. She was dripping wet. "What the hell!"

Whatever Sheena and Hayden wanted, it better be worth it. "Why are we going to my house?" she asked.

[Liam Ferrera]

It was one of the reasons Liam liked Jamie, as rarely as they spoke... Jamie didn't ask questions. He took things for what they were, and didn't need lengthy explainations.

He dropped his arms from his chest and nodded towards the door, leading Jamie out and knowing his cousin would follow.

It was still odd. Aunt Cara and Uncle Mathieu were assigned to the school. Liam knew this, and had seen them once or twice. So why was Hayden here?

He glanced up at his brother when he and Jamie came into the hallway.

[Sheena Ferrera]

"Dunno, Hayden says we're having a family meeting," Sheena shrugged. She felt a little bad for getting Ama soaked, she didn't know the drying charm. "He said to hurry so your mum doesn't worry." She then sat on the end of Ama's bed and waited for her to change.