Tears, Ticks & Tocks

Bertie, glassy eyed, gazed into the warm eyes of his pseudo-sister. He didn't need to open his mouth, the word wouldn't have come out anyway, sadness was encasing every part of his body. Gathering up the strength he slowly shaked his head from side to side: No.

His eyes drifted back to Zane's feet, his words in ruins. It may have been a random attack on him, possibly someone wanted to get back to Vivianna... yet it hurt. It hurt Bertie. The fact it didn't make sense for a personal attack struck him the most, the only way he could figure out a way to make any sense of the situation was to write it in a song, in a story, a poem... Write it. That was just it. He couldn't. Everything that made Bertie Bertie was gone. Now a fragmented fossil.

'Henri Finch.' He hadn't expected it. What possessed him he had no idea. Why Finch would do it was beyond him, he had no proof no evidence and didn't know if Finch would have a motive or vindetta against him. It could have been a sense or a wild guess. Bertie didn't know yet he didn't take it back, he continued to gaze at the work by Zane's shoes.

(OOC: Sorry for slow reply was waiting for Zane but I guess he hasn't seen our responses haha)

(OOC: Ah! I missed them. >.< Sorry. On it.)

Zane followed Bertie's gaze to his feet where several tattered papers lay. Anger bubbled within him, though they issue wasn't really his own. Anyone who ruined someone else's personal work or livelihood had no right to anything, let alone a chance to get away with what they'd done.

Zane looked over at Vivianna to see what her reaction was to Bertie's declaration. He had heard of Finch's exploits through Adrienne and a few others, but hadn't expected this. "Why would she do it?" He questioned, partly to himself. "What kind of personal grudge could they have against you?" Zane frowned darkly and looked again at Vivianna. Maybe she had some idea what was going on. Bertie wasn't meeting his gaze, so he could tell nothing. Without any backstory he was fairly lost.

Bertie lifted himself off and walked over to the glass clock face, staring out over the turrets and battlements of Hogwarts. An orange shimmer edged the surrounding mountains and the ancient hand served as a shadow over his eyes, shielding him from the light. Across the castle an owl was tapping gently on the Ravenclaw common room window, inside he could make out a group of giggling girls.

'I don't know. I... I don't know why I mentioned her well.' He paused, now the idea as to why he had suspected Henri was rather comical. 'She swallowed love potion and fell in love with a gargoyle. It was freakishly frightening actually, plus she may have heard Erika and I laughing about it in the common room I don't know. I. I feel bad for her now if that is why she's done- IF she did it.' That had been something that Bertie had forgotten to tell Vivianna, for some reason it had slipped his mind, sure Erika and him giggled about it by a bookshelf in Ravenclaw tower later but after that it was simply a memory.

"It's highly possible," the Slytherin muttered, gaze glued to the stone wall directly in front of her. "Henri would do absolutely anything to hurt Erika. If that means she ends up hurting someone completely innocent or uninvolved, then so be it. I doubt she heard you laughing, if she did you would know," Vivianna announced, voice strangely monotone, as if reciting from a textbook.

"Now what I want to know, is if Henri was aware what you mean to me," the emotion was slowly draining back into her voice, and with a slight squeeze the witch removed her hand from Bertie. Starting to pace, the girl continued with her thought, "Henri and I have an understanding of sorts. We're both aware how dangerous we could be to the other, and how much could be accomplished from working together. Henrietta may be cruel, but she's also brilliant. Henri had to have known of our closeness, she makes it her business to know such things. So either she was too blinded with emotions to care, only wishing to spite Erika, or she wanted to send me a message about associating with those she hates. Either way, the two of us will certainly be having a little talk." Vivianna's eyes gleamed, and her left fist was clenched tightly.

Stopping her pacing before her little brother, the redhead returned to her knees. "I am so sorry you get dragged into this," the Slytherin admitted with glistening eyes, reaching forwards to pull Bertie into a hug.

Zane hadn't met this Henri Finch, but she sounded like a right problem. She seemed to have problems with just about everyone, including Vivianna. Granted, Viv could be a might scary when she wanted to. Zane just found it odd that, were that the case, that he hadn't run into the girl yet.

Zane watched as Viv went over to Bertie and they stood in front of the clock face. Sighing, he shook his head and walked over. While he was okay with punishment where it was due, he was certain it wouldn't help in this case. Rather than let anyone start plotting, he knew he had to jump in.

"Even if she did this," Zane started, knowing full well they may not going along with his idea, "We probably shouldn't do or say anything." He braced himself for some kind of retort, though he hoped they'd get it and agree.

"I mean," He continued, "If you act like you don't care, they'll get tired of it, yeah?"

Bertie simply stared out of the window, admiring the mountains, the herbology greenhouses, the courtyard down below. Across the otherside of the castle was the bell tower, a tower he had never actually been too, he wasn't sure if students were even allowed there, then again were they allowed in the clock tower? The sound of Zane and Vivianna discussing Henri Finch returned his state of mind to the situation.

Just as Bertie was about to turn around and say that he was probably wrong about Henri, that it wouldn't be any good bringing it up with her as she could become volatile he felt the red head hold him firmly in a tight hug. A smile escaped his cheeks. He had his friends and that was what mattered.

'I.. Thanks.' He replied, turning to return the hug, resting his head under the Slytherin's chin, his brown hairs tickling her neck. 'Thanks too Zane.' He added, not wanting to seem like the sixteen year old wasn't appreciated.

He stood, embracing the love radiating from Vivianna for a few minutes before releasing himself from his grasp and moving over to collect his vandalized writing.

Within the pieces of parchment his eyes caught a photograph. The ends were charred and curled, leaving the moving figures of a familiar red head and brown eyed boy playfully fighting for the safe spot in the middle. The photo had been taken last summer by the lake by one a Slytherin in Viv's dorm. Smiling he folded the remains of the photo and pocketed it.

'All of this is gone.' The ink had run where it had been the victim of purposely poured potions, the ends of sentences were sizzled away and multiple lacerations from where someones wand had punctured and torn the parchment mean't the writing couldn't even be read coherently.

Vivianna could do nothing but watch as Bertie commented on the demise of his work. As much as the witch adored magic, she also hated it too sometimes. Why could magic heal some things, but not others? Why could magic kill in a heartbeat, but rarely save someone on the brink of death? Why could magic fix a book torn to a thousand shreds, but not one destroyed with potions? It wasn't fair. Of course, that was life, the girl supposed.

The Slytherin felt a pang go through her heart at the thought. Not because it was an upsetting realization, she'd known how much the world sucked for years. No, she was upset because Bertie was learning that lesson. Her innocent, perfect little Bertie. Vivianna just watched quietly as Bertie started to grow up before her very eyes.

Kneeling down, the witch scooped up the remains of the journal, and deposited them inside a paper bag from her backpack. The bag had been for the ingredient collecting she'd been planning upon doing the night previous, before she'd gotten distracted by a new brewing theory.

Silently folding over the top of the sack, she handed it to Bertie. He could do what he wished with it, Vivianna thought to herself as she stood. After all, she had a Ravenclaw to track down.

Thanking Vivianna Bertie popped the ruined treasures into his school bag and slung it across the shoulder. Looking at what the time showed through the clock he managed to make out that dessert would be being served in the Great Hall and a rumble in his stomach sounded along with the steady tick.

Walking to the wooden door he turned the iron handle and forced the heavy door open onto a spiral staircase. 'I'm going for some ice cream if you want to?' He asked smiling and wiping his eyes to make it looks like he hadn't been crying his heart and soul out before working his way down the staircase.

"Sure," the Slytherin responded with an uncharacteristically gentle smile. Glancing back at Zane, the two elder students exchanged understanding nods. Zane would keep an eye on Bertie in the Ravenclaw tower tonight, as Vivianna herself wouldn't be able to.

With a quick half-smile sent in Zane's general direction, the witch followed Bertie down the stone steps. She would go to the Great Hall, and pretend to eat some pudding whilst keeping an eye on Bertie. Her other eye, would be carefully scanning the Ravenclaw table. One didn't mess with the family of a Varnes. One simply didn't.