Reunion

The cold air that constantly swelled back and forth cut through Talon's face like daggers as he sat on a bench next to the bridge that led to the outer grounds. Life was in monotone for him, the days seemly just flowing by, day to day, night to night, headache to headache. That's all that was left for him at this point, there wasn't a way to figure himself out since all his friends were gone. Caiden suddenly stopped showing up to classes altogether and Damitrius wouldn't speak with him since the train ride back to Hogwarts for the following year. It made sense, although it tore him apart inside, seeing as how Sapphire was dead. He was past mourning Sapphire's death, the time had allowed him to see that death was just a doorway to something else, and that wherever Sapphire and his grandfather was, they would be better off. He didn't really believe it to this day, but it gave him the false illusion of hope. What he was truly worried about was Damitrius herself...he knew she wasn't taking her death as easily as him. Christ, at this point, he wasn't even sure she was still mourning Sapphire, it had been months since they last talked. Just the slightest reminder brought him back to that day in the cabin. He shut his eyes tightly for a moment, closing the artist's book he had brought with him to a close.

He had taken up art since their deaths, a suggestion from the nurse who noticed his depression. Strangely, he had never liked art nor was he good at it, but it felt calming to just sit in thoughts while scribbling a couple of bad pictures of himself, friends, and other things he saw. It was like a journal but more...inventive. The air continued it's assault on Talon who refused to open his eyes at that time, the days seemingly just stopping for him. It felt good to be alone at the moment, yet he knew he would have to get himself out of it. He would need to find a new friend or two, possibly some people he had never associated with before. The thought scared him, yet it was the only chance he had of regaining his sanity. Yet like all other times when he thought of his plan, he only returned back to his drawings, flipping the pages idly as he quickly scanned the looming photos of squiggly lines and otherwise bad shading. He stopped at the first page though, the first serious drawing he had ever drew. It was him, Caiden, and Damitrius, his friends he had stuck with since first year. He smiled naturally to himself, mainly because if they ever saw the picture, they would be insulted. Everything there looked bad, but it got the point across. The date was labeled two months ago, so it was a good start at least.

Flipping back to his latest entry, he looked back down on the template he had started off on. It was a picture of a troll, looking grotesque as ever, wielding a large splintered club with many chippings beginning to peel. It was Talon's best work so far, but mainly it was in the club because there were a ton of details he had decided to add in. If he could've he would've taken a magnyfying glass to make sure every detail was correct, but he didn't want to be like that. Worrying more about his art than what it stood for. The cold air flew by his face again, this time his large tuft of hair flowing along with it, his bangs getting in his eyes. He sighed with annoyance and pushed back the bangs that bothered him. Another gust and the same effect happening once more. He swore out loud, not realizing the strength of his own voice and quickly pocketed his pencil (which he kept out of sights of the teachers) and placed his sketchpad under the crook of his arm, walking away from the direction of the wind towards something more sturdy. He didn't feel like going inside, because there would be people there. And right now, he just felt like being alone in his thoughts and his expressions.

After a slight jog for about two minutes, he came across the outer courtyard, near the main entrance doors, a slight smile spreading on his face. Sure, there were people there who liked to hang out in the cold, but Talon knew Hogwarts would protect him from the wind. Sorta a win-lose situation, but I digress. Using his arm to throw off a large patch of snow off one of the benches, Talon carefully took his seat and continued with his solitary portrait, his mind excluding the rest of the world from his.

[OOC: Oh my god! I'm so sorry this took me forever to reply too!]

The days just went by now. There wasn't anymore happiness, no colors nothing anymore for her. The cheerful sounds of the nature around her, of the other students who were chatting away about something.. she coulsnt hear any of it anymore. She didn't want too. Not anymore.

She had refused to associate with almost everyone now. Even her old friends.. Talon and Caiden, they just weren't as important as before to her. Since Sapphire's death, she had just snapped. She'd lost her best friend and her death was being blamed on her. None of it was fair, but at least now she could see the cruelty of the other students to its highest extent. Even the Gryffindors.. the Hufflepuffs. They were the ones who she least expected turn on her, but even they did.

It wasn't fair at all. But she didn't care anymore. She was through being the goody goody of her family, wanting to fight for the good side, they had all turned on her so what was the point? She might as well do something useful, and at least try to fit in with her family. She might be a Gryffindor, but now.. she was also a Dark Follower. Like the rest of the d'Eaths, and she wasn't ashamed of it.

Damitrius needed to escape from it all for a while though. Normally, she would sit in her dorm, and draw or write some songs, but that wasn't helping anymore. Not with the dirty looks she constantly received from the girls who entered the dorms every five seconds. It might not help if she was outside either, but it was better than staying inside. She grabbed her music notebook and headed outside to the grounds. She wanted to see if she got some inspiration for a good song. Not a depressing one. Of course that might not be possible. She still wasn't able to get over Sapphire's death, and she doubted she ever would. Even if it had been months already.

As she walked outside, Damitrius suddenly froze and her eyes widened slightly. The person she saw sitting there, on one of the benches was.. "Talon..?" She heard herself say loud enough for him to possibly hear her. She put her hand over her mouth quickly, and she stared at him, not knowing what to do.

[No worries, seems like I took my time as well ]

While deep in his own thoughts, Talon was suddenly torn from his beloved world for a moment by the sound of something familiar. He realized who it was, but it seemed he couldn't even believe it himself. Creaking his neck up slowly, he locked eyes with Damitrius who seemed to be passing by, in a state of shock of her own. For what felt like hours, he could only blink as he tried to sort out a plethora of new feelings and worries. It seemed as if she had only mentioned him by accident, but it was enough for him to at least say something and try to get her back as his old friend. A smile formed slowly onto his face, one made out of genuine happiness, his own atmosphere seemingly changed within a second.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" he said suddenly, his tone light and friendly. He hadn't the faintest idea how long it had been since he last spoke to her, but he wasn't afraid to act anymore. His own emotions betrayed him and he smiled widely enough to split his face open. He laughed slightly and blinked a few times, setting down his sketchbook next to him, his fingers feeling frigid from sheer shock.

Now came the tough part: what was he to say? Sorry for not trying to contact you for several months, not really sure how to deal with you? Merlin, he sounded cold, even if he meant it in a joking way. He shelved his own bitter thoughts aside for a moment and only focused on what he should actually say. "So uhh..." he said, trying his best to not avert his gaze "how've you been?" He felt he had gotten a good start so far, yet he wasn't convinced he would get a straight answer. He could only imagine how she felt at that moment, probably shocked and horrified to see him. In a way, it made him sick to his stomach, mainly because he had no idea of what he had done to get that far. He only tried his best to help her...or so he thought.

Realizing he had left his sketchbook on the page of his portrait to his friends, he quickly slid it behind him and stood up, almost on reflex, his body feeling light. At least she wouldn't see his embarrassing attempt to draw, he hoped she would never ask. "Err, well, I've been doing okay so far," he said, not even realizing she hadn't asked "been too cold lately, so I've been completely freezing every day now." Where his anxiety had come from, he wasn't too sure. Yet his nervousness was picking at his chest with a thousand needles, he felt as if he couldn't start a decent conversation to save his life now.