Talk with the Dead (Open)

Aquila walked in among the old tombstones glancing at each name as he passed, calling out a soft greating and nodding to each one as if they could hear him.

Who knew, maybe they could.

The sun, just begining to rise above the earth, beat down on his back as he went along, making his shadow dance long and low in front of him. To some, wandering through a Grabeyard may seem like an odd way to spend a summer day but Aquila enjoyed it.

He liked to think about the names he passed, wondering what they had been like as people.

After a few moments he stopped in front of a more simple grave, and smiled down at it. It was a usual haunt for him.

Bartholmew Evermore

"Hello Barty," the boy laughed in greating, "How did the year treat you?"

Lalia smiled, it was just another day when she came to visit her mothers grave and she wondered just how many times she had come to do it, to clean it and remove all of the weeds from its base. Not like it mattered to her, she liked to do it, it made her think that she was still part of her life.

On the way back from the grave she spotted a young man talking to a stone that she had often passed but never really looked at, she wondered if they knew each other...but should she really pry.

"Um hey there, are you alright?"

She asked, wondering if he might be upset a little.

Aquila looked up from the stone as a woman passed and spoke to him.

He looked between the stone, the woman and then back again before smiling.

"Yepp, never better," he said with a smile, "Just catching up with an old friend - I've neglected him too long."

He looked down at the stone and smile, "I hope you can forgive me Bart, school and all."

"But thanks for asking," he turned back to the woman.

Lalia felt a little bad for coming over and interrupting his time together with his friend, she just wanted to know if he was alright or not and she wondered if she should leave now that she had her answer but part of her was ever compelled to stay and talk with him.

"I see, sorry to disturb you."

Biting her lip she held out her hand to him and smiled softly, trying to look friendly.

"You're welcome, I'm Lalia by the way."

"Don't worry about it; you didn't disturb me at all," Aquila responded with a wave and an easy smile; the boy liked people on a general level, and as long as they seemed pleasant enough he never chased them away, "You could even stick around if you'd like, I'm sure the old guy wouldn't mind, would you Barty?"

He preteneded to listen for a long time as he stared at the tombstone, and then finally nodded, "In case you aren't as skilled at interpreting the unsaid word of the dead as I am, Bart says it's alright."

The boy laughed again.

"Hello Lalia," the boy smiled and shook her hand, "That is a very pretty name, rolls off the tounge. I got stuck with Aquila, bit of a mouthful if you ask me - I'm glad I rarely have to say it."

The way that he seemed to speak to the grave like the person there was still alive both saddened and slightly amused Lalia, but age kept her Tongue and just smiled gratefully back at him for allowing her to stay.

"Thank you, I think that I should stay, it's not wise to be out alone in these times, no matter what your age."

Smiling happily Lalia stood back while Aquila continued his visit to the grave, as he turned back to her she laughed lightly and she stepped forward with her head bowed to look at the grave.

"I don't know, I like your name, it's quite unique, Aquila...reminds me of water."

"The buddy system, eh?" he nodded, quirking an eyebrow and laughing, "An oldie but a goodie."

He smiled, "Water? Hmm, that's a first. I've gone twelve years with out thinking of it that way."

Aquila started to tap his hands on his legs.

"It's actually a constellation; apparently my parents decided that it was a good idea to name their children after groups of stars," he shook his head ruefully, "I've heard it actually has something to do with eagles in some language or another."

Lalia smiled widely and nodded her head, the buddy system was indeed a good one to use, it made sure that everyone in the group was safe but it wasn't big enough to attract any unwanted attention.

"Pretty much! I always think they should stick to this idea in horror movies, it just makes me cringe when they don't."

With that Lalia nodded: "Yeah because of the 'Aqu' like 'Aqua'"

Listening to the actual origins of his name Lalia found herself being quite interested by it, she never knew why her name was picked, shed never thought to ask, but maybe she should do next time she was home.

"Well eagles are lovely birds, noble and free, maybe that's meant to reflect you."

"But if they did that, then we wouldn't have a show now would we?" Aquila laughed good naturedly.

The boy puffed up his chest, "Nobel and Free, that is definitely me."

He laughed, and then turned slightly serious.

"I don't know if my parents had any plan past the stars," he said and shrugged, "but it always makes a good table story."

He paused for a moment, "So Lalia, do you have any good table stories?"

Lalia nodded her head and she grinned, indeed it would seem that without the stupid mistakes that the characters made there would be no show for them to watch at all, and that wouldn't be good.

"True facts, true facts."

Tilting her head to one side Lalia made a definate note not to talk about parents any more and she smiled warmly.

"Uhm...table stories...uhm...."

Lalia thought for a minute but then she grinned, taking her thumb she pulled it back to her wrist.

"I've got no stories but I can do that."

Aquila watched as Lalia bent her thumb back to her wrist. He made an impressed sound in the back of his throat.

"That will definitely take the place of table stories," he laughed, "Parlor tricks totally trump long winded tales."

He turned back to the tombstone for a moment, "Don't they Barty?"

The boy paused for a moment, taking in the silence of the place before he got bored of it.

"If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here?"

Letting her finger go back to the normal place Lalia smiled softly, she was able to do this because she broke her finger a few years back and it hadn't set right, but it was a pretty cool trick none the less.

"Well gee thanks! I'm glad that someone likes it, it freaks a lot of people out."

Lalia listened to the silence that flowed around them and jumped a little bit when it was broken, she gestured to the way that she had just come with a small sad smile.

"I came to see my mum."

Aquila waved his hand, "Please, that is far from freaky... then again I spend free time in graveyards so I'm possibly not the best judge of that."

He laughed.

He smiled fondly at her comment, "That's nice that you do that."

He bit his lip as he though, would he do the same for his mother?

Aquila honestly didn't know.

Lalia smiled softly at Aquila and thought what would make her really freaky, after all, there must be something that she could do that was more interesting than that, but she came to a conclusion, that no, she couldn't.

"Spending time in a graveyard isn't too weird as long as you have a reason to come here, not if you come here for no reason."

Grinning at Aquila Lalia tried to stop herself from becoming too sad when the conversation turned to her mother.

"Yeah...but anyway, I'm sure that she's glad of the company, get the weeds away etc."

"Sorry," Aquila apologized as he realized that his question had made her sad, "I am sure she is glad for the company, where ever she is."

He paused for a moment and then continued, "I think all the dead want a little bit of company... even if they are gone - but maybe I'm just a little crazy."

He laugh merrily, never one to be too self-conscious.

Lalia waved her hand as Aquila said that he was sorry, there was nothing to be sorry for after all they were in a graveyard, someone here must have died for them both to be here in the first place.

"Think nothing of it Aquila."

Smiling softly as he spoke Lalia nodded she too believed that: "Thats very true...very true."

Trying to change the subject she looked at the grass before back up at the sky with a small smile on her face, thinking about what she was going to have to eat when she got back.

"What's your favourite food? Wow...." Lalia frowned "I just had an attack of the random..."

Aquila smiled, "I like random... it keeps things interesting."

He paused to think through the question.

"Do chocolate frogs count as food?" he asked with an impish grin.

Lalia grinned softly and she ruffled the back of her hair, she was always pretty random when things got quiet, she just said what was on her mind.

"Well thank you. I am quite random."

Nodding, and giggling softly at Aquila's grin Lalia chuckled:

"Yes they do, if you eat them they count as food."

Aquila smirked, "Well then you are always interesting."

He nodded, "Well then chocolate frogs are definitely my answer then.. Oh wait no! Maybe its Bertie Bots every flavoured beans. I like the adventure of every bite."

He laughed then.

"How about you? Is your favourite food nice and nutritous, or are you joining me on the suggery band wagon?"

Lalia couldn't help but giggle at the enthusiastic tone that Aquila has when talking about the sweets, she did love sweets but there was nothing cool about Bertie Botts...

"Ah I got a vomit flavour one once and it put me off them for life."

With that Lalia thought for a moment, what was her favourite food? There was just so many to choose from.

"I'll join you on the sugary band wagon I think, I like Eton mess."

"Well as the Sugary Bandwagon's welcome committee, I welcome you," he smiled easily, "We take all kinds of Candy lovers here."

His smile grew, "That's what most people say, but that's the adventure of the beans. You never know what you're going to get - a risk in every bit."

God, did Aquila love risk. He smiled to himself as he thought about some of his... adventures.

"So, Lalia, what to do you do for entertainment?"

Lalia smiled and she grinned moving towards Aquila with her hand extended out towards him as he welcomed her to the fold, it was just so random yet it made complete sense.

"Thank you for accepting me to your group."

With that Lalia shook her head and blanched even at the thought of the horrible jellybeans.

"Well then! I am quite a boring person I like to read and I like to swim, a lot, what about you?"

"You are very welcome," Aquila nodded with a serious look on his face, "We really were in desperate need of members. You might have just saved us from extincion."

Using up all the serious for the moment, Quil proceeded to laugh.

"That's not that boring - its smart; I can say I ever took to reading, but swimming is fun," the boy said with a nod, "I can't say my hobbies are all that smart."

Miles got up from his brothers tombstone, he began walking around the graveyard looking at the other graves, he let his mind wonder off with thoughts of his brother remembering his smile and how he always use to have this funny little giggle.

How could dad do it.... Miles thought to himself, he then noticed a girl and boy sitting near a grave laughing and sharing candy, Miles's stomach grumbled the thought of food sounded really nice right now, he had't eaten all day, he slowly began walking closer towards the two, he soon realised that the boy was in Ravenclaw, Miles had seen him in the common room before

Miles wanted so desperately to walk up to them and ask for some candy, No I cant just do that, they'll think im weird Miles thought to himself, but his stomach let out another loud rumble, the girl and boy turned around alerted by the sound they both looked at him, Miles went bright red in the face "Oh.. hello" Miles said nervously

Lalia giggled and she decided that they might as well complete the club and she tapped her palm, two badges appearing out of nowhere with a chocolate muffin on them, holding one out to Aquila Lalia then affixed one to her tshirt.

"There, now we have awesome badges for our club."

Tilting her head to one side Lalia wondered just what Aquila's hobbies were, and found herself worried about him, hopefully it wouldn't lead him to be hurt or something.

"Why, what do you do? Hopefully nothing dangerous like bull fighting or something."

As she heard someone from behind them Lalia turned and fixed the boy with a large smile, it seemed as though he was shy, and a little nervous, but she didn't have the heart to be mean to him so she looked at Aquila to see if it was okay before speaking to him and inviting him over.

"Hello there! Are you okay?"