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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 9, 2016 10:20:11 GMT -5
It hadn't taken much for Julian to hunt her down. Sam used to say that "money talked and a lot of money sang and danced," a few galleons lighter Julian found himself at her door with a bouquet of her favorite flowers in hand.
Lightly, but loud enough to be heard, he rapped his fingers against the door.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 10, 2016 0:25:47 GMT -5
Lyra had taken a break from searching the Daily Prophet's classified section to tidy up her kitchen. She had rarely practiced cleaning spells before moving out on her own, and she still wasn't great at them. But she was getting better. She only had to cast scourgify twice to clean the dishes today (a huge improvement from when she first started and shattered three glasses and a bowl). She looked around the kitchen, thinking it was the cleanest she'd seen it since her parents first purchased the flat for her. Lyra was feeling pretty good about herself when she heard a knocking on the front door.
Lyra had been dodging bill collectors' owls for weeks now, and she was certain that whomever was here now was looking to be paid for something. This instantly soured her mood. She was prepared to give them a piece of her mind as she opened the door quickly. "As soon as I have anything to give you I'll..." she quieted suddenly when she realized that the person standing on her doorstep was not, in fact, a bill collector. "Julian!" she said excitedly.
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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 10, 2016 0:36:54 GMT -5
"Happy to see me pet?" he asked the grin slowly taking over his handsome features, "You're a hard woman to get a hold of." he said in a tsking manner.
He seemed to scan her from head to toe, initially to check that she was all in one piece, and then turned sensual as male gazes often did.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 10, 2016 1:10:56 GMT -5
She flung her arms around him and embraced him. "Of course I am." Lyra had felt terrible about the way they had left things before. She thought about it often and wished she had done things differently. Julian had been nothing but wonderful to her and she had acted like a spoiled child who couldn't have her toy.
She stood smiling at him for a short while and then realized he was still standing in the doorway. "Come in," she said, attempting to compose herself after her outburst. "Are those for me?" she said, looking at the flowers he held.
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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 10, 2016 1:25:27 GMT -5
On instinct his arms came around her tiny waist as she embraced him, but he let his hold on her linger until she pulled back.
He had no regrets about their time together, well perhaps one, no matter what he had done he hadn't been able to help her move on. Looking at her now though he realized it was a journey she had to take for herself, and she had - at least she didn't seem to be mourning her ex-lover.
He stepped inside the flat taking a brief glance around, it wasn't what he would have expected from her. No expensive furnishings, comparatively it was Spartan, but he didn't let his observation show. Instead he lifted the flowers and pulled one out of the bouquet.
"These are a housewarming gift." he announced, handing her the bouquet. It wasn't the only gift he had brought, but he enjoyed surprising her so he would keep the rest secret for now.
Taking the singular flower he held it out to her, "This is for you."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 10, 2016 2:06:02 GMT -5
She smiled at Julian. "You shouldn't have," she said as she took the bouquet from him and inhaled the sweet aroma of the flowers. "Actually, I quite deserve them," she said playfully. She reached for the single flower he offered her and let her hand rest on his for a moment longer than necessary before bringing the flower to her nose. He had remembered her favorite flower; orchids. The bouquet was elegantly designed with violet, purple, and white orchids tied with a deep purple ribbon. "They're lovely, thank you." She gave Julian a kiss on the cheek.
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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 10, 2016 2:16:45 GMT -5
His lips twitched in amusement as she said she deserved the flowers. He did miss her. Lyra was refreshing and delightful.
It would have been very easy to fall for her, but Julian kept his heart well guarded against such things. Still in a way she had pierced his armor. He had been sent to save her reputation and he played the white knight all too often. Just as often it wasn't long before the damsel in distress began casting their attentions toward him, which often meant it was time to go. Lyra never had. Maybe he was a little disappointed.
When she kissed him on the cheek he smiled, "You're welcome." he replied.
Before he could dwell on it he changed the subject,"So, are you enjoying your new apartment?"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 10, 2016 23:39:00 GMT -5
Lyra turned and looked at her flat as she spoke to him. "Well, it's certainly better than sharing a dormitory with four other girls back at Hogwarts." That was true. She had the ability to be alone here, which she sometimes found to be a blessing. Other times it felt like a curse. She smiled and looked back at Julian. "Although, I should have nicked a house elf before I left," she said with a laugh. She wasn't a generally messy person, but the room clearly needed some tidying up. The end tables next to the sofa held piles of random items; books, papers, empty potion bottles. And the dining table was an absolute nightmare. There was a large stack of bills that she was attempting to ignore, next to a pile of Daily Prophets from the past week. Lyra couldn't afford a subscription herself, but the elderly wizard down the hall gave her his after he finished reading it each morning, so long as she batted her eyes and thanked him with a breathy, seductive voice. If she didn't need to read through the help wanted adverts, she would have slapped the old man for his initial comments when she asked if she could have the paper since he was throwing it out ("I got sumpthin' else ya could have, love").
"Let me put these in water, then you can tell me all about what you've been up to. And how you found out where I live." She was considerably surprised to see him, since she hadn't even given Sam her address. When asked, Lyra had made a habit of redirecting the question and praying the subject didn't come up again.
She pulled her wand from a deep pocket in her dress and pointed it at her dining table. She muttered an incantation to conjure a vase for her flowers, but misjudged her wand flourish and the vase appeared several feet above the table and then came crashing onto the table. The vase shattered and the force of the drop was enough to blow over the piles of bills and newspapers with local job ads circled in red ink. "F*ck!"
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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 10, 2016 23:51:38 GMT -5
Julian hid a large smile when she mentioned nabbing a house elf.
He didn't have much time to think about his other surprise for her when the vase shattered and brought him to attention.
He was quicker at getting to the vase than she was and began to pick up the pieces, then the newspapers caught his eyes, particularly the want ads with jobs circled.
Pausing he looked over the mess slowly a dawning realization hitting him as he looked back up at her, "Lyra..."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 11, 2016 0:22:36 GMT -5
"No, just leave it-" she started, but Julian, ever the helpful knight in shining armor, had already swept past her and began picking up shards of glass. Whether figuratively or literally, Julian always seemed to be cleaning up the messes she made. Normally she wouldn't have minded, but when his eyes fell to the circled help wanted adverts in the paper her heart nearly stopped.
Lyra had managed to hide her financial troubles from everyone she knew for the past several months. No one had been to her flat because she was embarrassed by the size of it, and the minimal furnishings it held. It was comfortable enough, but nothing like what she was used to. And far below what anyone would have expected from her. In her mind, it was only a speed bump on the way to the rest of her life with her rich husband who doted on her and kept her in a luxurious lifestyle her parents had made her accustomed to. But to find that husband she would need to present a more polished version of herself, and that required money which she did not have. And finding a job proved more difficult than she had initially suspected. She had already been laughed out of 6 job interviews. It turns out that good looks and excellent dueling skills only get you so far in the real world, and that distance did not include high paying careers. She had changed tactics and was now looking for jobs so simple even a squib could do them.
This was easily the most embarrassing moment of Lyra's young life. She stared in horror as Julian looked up at her. Not knowing what to say, she managed to stammer "I - I..." and nothing more. She felt a pounding in her chest, like her heart was going to explode.
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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 11, 2016 0:33:04 GMT -5
He looked at her face, trying to read her emotions, trying to find the truth.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked wounded. He cursed then. This wasn't about him, it was about her. He felt betrayed that she wouldn't trust him with it, but knowing who she was he understood how she had felt, her pride was in the way.
The sparse furniture made sense now, so did everything else.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 11, 2016 0:46:38 GMT -5
Her mind was a flurry with excuses, most of them childish. Those aren't mine. I'm keeping them for a friend. I don't know how those got there. Lyra's head was spinning. She had worked so hard to keep this a secret. If anyone found out, she'd be ruined. No respectable wizard would marry a pauper!
Her knees were weak and she felt herself falling to the floor beside him. She landed among the broken pieces of vase, but didn't notice that a shard of glass had pierced her leg and small droplets of blood began to appear. "Julian...please. Please don't tell anyone!" She fought to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. She couldn't be poor and crying.
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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 11, 2016 0:54:10 GMT -5
Something broke in Julian in that moment. He was so stunned he wasn't quick enough to catch her, but he was quick after that, he used his wand to clear the glass (something he should have done in the first place).
"Lyra!"
His hands were shaking as he hovered over her leg where the blood had begun to drip down her leg. He ripped a piece of cloth from his very expensive tailored shirt and wrapped it around her leg.
His beautiful, proud, and incredibly strong friend was terrified. She showed more emotion about what she was going through now than when she had been broken-hearted by Rystain.
"Don't tell anyone? I..." he couldn't even think properly.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 11, 2016 1:12:19 GMT -5
She looked at him, confused. She couldn't figure out why he was tearing his shirt or fussing with her leg. She hadn't felt anything when she dropped to the floor. She watched him tend to her leg and realized that she was bleeding. She suddenly felt the sting from the cut, but it wouldn't distract her.
"Please, Julian. You can't tell anyone." She let go of the flower she had been holding and reached out to touch him. Placing a hand on his chest, she said softly "no one can know. Please." She stared intensely into his dark brown eyes, pleading with him to keep her secret.
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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 11, 2016 1:28:18 GMT -5
He lifted her to his chest when she touched him and took her to the couch. He placed her on one end then sat under her legs on the other. Conjuring a medikit he began to tend to her leg in a more professional manner. He was still a bit stunned, and then he was angry. This was not the life Lyra was supposed to have. He never would have left her to this.
Not that working was some kind of fate worse than death, but she was his friend, he would have helped her. To go from pampered and petted to the "real world" was not an easy journey, as Julian himself had learned long ago.
Now she was prattling on about not telling anyone, and he had to reign in the urge to shake her. Just where did her pride end exactly? Some of the bills he had seen were back dated for months, she could be homeless and without food, but according to Nicolas who looked over the accounts now and again Sam had spent an obscene amount at the club the other day and Lyra had been with her.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked again softly.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 11, 2016 2:24:57 GMT -5
His body was warm and the sensation calmed her slightly as he carried her to the sofa. Watching him care for the cut on her leg had a similar affect. She stared at his hands as he wiped away the blood and wrapped a bandage over the exposed flesh. It was almost hypnotizing, Lyra took a moment to realize that he was speaking to her again.
She blinked at him. "Tell you?" she asked incredulously. "How could I possibly tell you?" The tears were threatening again, but she held them off. "How could I admit what my life has become? My parents cut me off, my father won't even speak to me. If I tell you, if I tell anyone, then it's real." Lyra knew that if she acknowledged her situation, if anyone found out, she wouldn't be able to hide it from her future husband. He, whomever he would turn out to be, would not knowingly marry a pathetic, wretched witch from the streets. This had to be a small blip that would never be acknowledged.
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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 11, 2016 2:37:31 GMT -5
"You could have trusted me." he admonished lightly, but again he was making it about himself. Finally his hands stilled as her wound was dressed, he caught her eyes.
"It is real Lyra, I could have helped. I would have been here for you from the beginning." he told her.
It really wasn't the end of the world, but he hated that she was hurting and he hadn't even known about it.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 11, 2016 3:24:46 GMT -5
That was her breaking point. She couldn't hold back the tears as he admitted, rightfully so, that she didn't trust him. Not enough anyway to believe that he would not abandon her in a true time of need. She had been certain all of her friends would laugh at her and never speak with her again now that she had lost all her money. Her parents had raised her to believe that society shunned the poor - they certainly had. When she was younger and her father lost his job, it was of the utmost importance that no one spoke of any troubles, not even among the family. Her father found a new job a month later and told all of his friends that he had been planning to leave his former company for several months. No one questioned his story. But Lyra's troubles were long outliving her father's single month of unemployment. The bills that came demanding to be paid were no longer written on regular parchment. They came in bright red envelopes and yelled at her when she opened them. It was even worse when she didn't open them. The brilliant red paper would burst into flames on her dining table and scream in a voice that haunted her dreams. Despite her great efforts, she was unable to find any job that she was qualified for. Her final year at Hogwarts had not yielded the best results in preparing her for being an adult.
Lyra sobbed uncontrollably. She couldn't comprehend his response, she wasn't prepared for it at all. Julian was by far the kindest man she had ever met and his words now were so unfathomable to her that she couldn't contain herself. She pulled him into an embrace, her head buried into his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said between sobs. "I do trust you! Honestly, I do!"
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Post by Julian Faust on Sept 11, 2016 3:34:19 GMT -5
He pulled her into his arms as she sobbed, knowing that she probably hadn't cried this entire time. He didn't even want to think of how long she had been on her own, some of those bills were months behind, but he'd take care of that.
What she thought about society could be true, it was certainly true with many of the elite, and the richer the family the worse it tended to be. There were a few exceptions. The Montgomeries didn't give two figs for money for all their vast riches, so they could afford to be peculiar.
"Shhh. Don't cry sweet. It will be alright. I promise."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Sept 11, 2016 4:10:15 GMT -5
She was silent for a while, allowing all of the stress she'd been under pour out of her. She had only cried that first night after her parents had cut her off and kicked her out. She had lain in bed, crying so long that she gave herself a headache and her eyes became puffy. Since then she had regularly flip flopped between confidently determined to make it and frantically worrying about starving. But she hadn't cried.
She wiped her face with the back of her hand. She had finally calmed enough to speak clearly. "It's just so hard," she confessed. "I really am trying, but no one thinks I'm a 'good fit'. I have another interview tomorrow at a tea shop in Hogsmeade, but I'm so scared someone will see me. What if I'm working during one of the school's Hogsmeade trips? I'll be a laughing stock. Sam won't speak to me. No one will respect me." It would be hard for Lyra to change her view of the world after her parents had beat her into believing their superiority mindset was the only way of thinking. But if Julian could still care for her, then maybe her other friends would too. If only Lyra could see things that way, she'd be in a much better place.
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