End of the beginning (EVERYONE)

Democritus Matimarcan entered for breakfast feeling uneasy. He walked across the Great Hall to his usual seat at the professors table and nibbled on a slice of bread, wondering why the air felt so tense.

Jace walked intot he Great Hall and made his way to the Hufflepuff table. He caught sight of Mel and winked his greeting.

He only knew two puffs, so he expected this to be slightly awkward. He noticed Aurelie, and sat across from her. "Hey, Aurie."

Leah walked into the Great Hall and made her way to the professor's table. She sat next to Blaire, and smiled at her. "Hey, Blaire. You wouldn't happen to know why i got up before noon, do you?" she joked.

Letti walked into the great hall, her eyes sleepy. She moved towards the slytherin table when she realized she had nobody to sit with. She noticed a girl, Susannah, she thought her name was, from her astronomy class. She sat across from her, smile tiredly at her. "I'm Letti," she muttered.

Diane entered the Great Hall with huge smile on her face. She had a great feeling about today. Seems like something good was gonna happen.
She walked towards the Gryffindor table and greeted her fellow Gryffindors.

"Hey Ari! Hey, ummm... everyone! "she said, cheerfully. She didn't know some of the Gryffindors yet. She only knew only a single one. Her friend, Ari, well, just for now. The two other Gryffindors seem friendly though.

"Hey Letti," she replied cheerfully. "I'm Susannah... I wonder what's going on. Dem-- I mean Professor Matimarcan looks like he expects the headmaster to do something fascinating... either that or he accidentally forgot to put away the telescopes from outside so it wouldn't get rained on."

Barzini entered the Great Hall and sat down at the bench, and took a drink of Butterbeer, looking around with passing interest.

''I guess I'm fine''. Emily said. ''Do you know what's going on? The headmaster has a really creepy serious look on his face.''

''Oh, Hi Barzini!'' Emily said while waving at her friend.

"Hey. Any idea what's going on? The tension isn't right." Barzini muttered and gripped his wand tightly.

Gene sat down and looked at the Headmaster, feeling that his body language was a bit out of place. He was worrying... but of course, it was none of his business.

Gene sighed and drank a goblet of wine.

Emily got serious and said while gripping her wand tightly too: ''Yeah, i noticed it too. I have no idea what's going on. ''

He glanced at Arsen on his way in, picking up on his thoughts. "Yeah everything is just great all we need now is for the angels to come down and start singing to us." He thought back sarcastically. "Hey Bri how you feeling... sorry that was a stupid question."

Hades glared at the door his eyes narrowed, he did not like how this felt. He glanced over at his students before he placed down his glass and stood. A few eyes spotted him and shut up immediately but others had no idea.

"Silence." He muttered barely louder than a whisper but the power behind his words carried it around the room filling it with the sound of his voice. It was enough to make even a grown man shiver.

"Welcome." He said placing a smile on his face, spreading his arms wide. "We have reached the muggle tradition Easter. Now for all of those who celebrate it as the muggles do, Happy Easter for those that don't then Happy Tuesday." He said pulling down the sleeves of his shirt. "Now as most of you probably know we very recently lost one of our best Professors. It has come as a great lose to us all. Some it has hurt more than others. But he was a great man and he shall be missed. I ask you all now for a moments silence in his honour. Think of all the good memories you have of him and keep those in your mind forever. Then he will never be forgotten he live in all our heart. The silence starts now." He said hanging his head down as if deep in thought.

A sound brought his head back up, his eyes snapping towards the great hall doors. "Who is that?" He shouted. "Show yourself." He couldn't sense him for some reason and that's what bothered him the most.

Emily hung her head and thought of the professor when she heard the headmaster shout. It was truly terrifying how he sounded. Something still wasnt right.

((OOC: Song is - Can't take my eyes off of you by Andy Williams link. All for you Briony Romain ))


Abruptly the suits of armor that normally stood at attention along the walls of the Great Hall snapped their legs together in perfect unison. Each suit took a single step away from the wall before turning on the spot to face the Staff Table. The suits closest to the Staff Table fell to one knee, while the others crowded around the back of them, giving a remarkable resemblence to a barber shop quartet.

The kneeling suits began to click the fingers of their gauntlets, making a strangely human sound for some reason. Behind the kneeling suits, the standing suits began to tap their mailed boots in time with the clicking. Each sound overlapped in perfect unison. Six suits moved over to the doors of the Great Hall and formed two lines, a corridor between them. The doors to the Great Hall banged open loudly to reveal a figure in the doorway, standing side on to the room, resting on a cane while wearing a cloak made from a werewolf pelt. He tiled his head back to the ceiling,

"You're just too good to be true..." he pointed a finger down at Briony, tilting his head to the side to regard her, "I can't take my eyes off of you..."

He threw the cane to the side, near the Hufflepuff table, as he side stepped rhymically into the Great Hall,

"You'd feel like heaven to touch..." he twirled a little, hugging himself with his own arms, "I wanna hold you so much..."

Turning so that he was facing the Staff Table properly for the first time, he slowly made his way between the two lines of suits while the others continued their rhymic clicking and foot-tapping,

"At long last love has arrived..." he slid forwards on the floor, falling gracefully to one knee, where he made the sign of the cross across his body, "And I thank God I'm alive..."

He tilted his head and gestured to Briony with an open hand,

"You're just too good to be true..." he winked from under the shadow of the werewolf's mouth, "Can't take my eyes off of you."

Spinning as he did so, he stood up and flung his arms out wide. The two lines of suits opened their visors and the sounds of brass intruments resounded through the metal to be projected out into the Great Hall. He covered his eyes dramatically with a hand,

"Pardon the way that I stare..." he threw the hand away just as dramatically, "There's nothing else to compare."

Clutching his chest as if weak he took a staggering step forwards,

"The sight of you leaves me weak..." he staggered a little more before falling backwards into the waiting arms of one of the suits of armor, "There are no words left to speak."

The suit pushed him forwards slightly and he fell down onto one knee again, his arms outstretched towards Briony,

"But if you feel like I feel... Please let me know that it's real..." he reached up and pulled the cowl of the werewolf's head away from his face. Richard Romain smiled brightly up at Briony, "You're just too good to be true... Can't take my eyes off of you."

Throwing the werewolf pelt off of himself in a sudden display of energy, he jumped to his feet as the suits playing brass lined up behind him. He jumped up and clicked his heels a little with a delighted laugh. Spinning to the right, he kicked up with his right leg, an action which was mirrored by the suits behind him. Spinning to the left, all the way down the line of suits, he kicked out with his left leg, which was also mirrored by the suits. Spinning back to the centre he faced the Staff Table again, his arms wide open to the ceiling,

"I love you baby!" he called out to Briony while taking steps back and forth with the suits, "And if it's quite alright..."

He took a few running steps towards the Staff Table before sliding forwards on his knees,

"I need you baby!" he hugged himself again, "To warm those lonely nights..."

"I love you baby!" he slowly rose to his feet while backing away slowly. He winked at Briony, "Trust in me when I say..."

Grinning he jumped up onto the nearest House table, which happened to be Slytherin,

"Oh pretty baby, don't bring me down I pray..." he sang as he twirled down the table, artfully dancing over and around the student's meals, "Oh pretty baby, now that I've found you, stay..."

He spun on the spot before doing a running jump off of the table to land, rather painfully, on his knees in front of Briony's place at the Staff Table,

"And let me love you baby..." he tilted his head to the side as he smiled softly up at her, "Let me love you..."

The music faded out and the suits of armor stood upright to start clapping madly. Richard laughed in relief at the end of the musical number, grinning from ear to ear as he looked up at Briony, from on his knees, and stretched his arms out to her,

"How about it Briony?" he smiled a little softer, "Can you let me love you?"



((OOC: Yes I am aware that it's is only most of the song but it's blood hard to write a naturally flowing musical piece like this?))

Emily gaped and a HUGE sweatdrop appeared by her head. ''W-what?'' She managed to stammer.

Briony looked up as she heard the sound of the armour moving she had nearly fallen asleep in Hades speech and this brought her attention right back, the sound of the music made her smile, whatever Hades had organised it was something different that's for sure. Resting her hand her cheek Briony raised her eyebrow at the werewolf pelt wearing figure, this was something odd.

It got even stranger when he pointed to her, was this all set up to make her feel better about Rich dying? It was fun though and the guy wasn't such a bad singer either. As he danced about the Hall Brionys breath caught in her throat, could it be who she thought or could be? No. It couldn't be. Rich was dead. This couldn't be him yet something told her that it was, there was a vibe. Maybe it was because she so desperately wanted it to be him.

Briony choked on her water as he threw the pelt off, it was Rich! It was! But how? She had seen him die herself, she had mourned him the past week and how could this be possible? Briony froze and stared at him while he danced, this was a dream, it had to be. She thought, retreated into herself, this couldn't be a dream it just couldn't!!

When he stopped bent down on one knee Briony paused for a moment. Just a moment. Before she launched herself over the table spilling the pumpkin juice everywhere and the cereal near her crashing to the floor. She wrapped her arms around him and started to cry, laugh and kiss his lips all at the same time.

"Rich! You...I thought...oh God Rich! I love you so much! I missed you, that's an understatement I...I what happened to you?!"

Briony muzzled her head into his neck and whispered into his ear:

"I wouldn't have it any other way..."

Richard laughed happily as he caught Briony, swinging her around him happily as they hugged. He stopped and held her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs,

"Oh Briony..." he kissed her soundly before breaking it off, gasping for breath, a about half a minute later, "You have no idea how much I've missed you!"

He laughed up at the ceiling happily as he hugged her tightly,

"I was!" he laughed a little more before smiling down at her again, "I was dead! Thankfully it was only for a few moments. However... living in a werewolf 'sanctuary' is not exactly a cake walk."

Reaching between them he opened the tattered remains of his shirt to reveal the various claw-shaped scars across his pale skin, all of them barely healed and an unhealth raw-red. He smiled a little as he traced the three bullet wounds down the left side of his torso, which looked like mini-explosions of raw-red skin. He gave Hades a significant look,

"But I came back obviously. I must have crossed over for a few seconds without realising it." he turned back to Briony with a grin, "But I'm back! And I will never leave you. Ever."

Emily was getting a massive headache just from all this information. ''Better get to bed early today'' She thought. But being happy for them anyway.

As Richard picked her up and swirled her around Briony wrapped her legs around his waist and hugged him tightly kissing his neck and every part of him that she could reach. Briony laughed and laughed she was so unimaginably happy that she couldn't do anything but smile, kiss then smile again.

"A werewolf sanctuary?!"

She gasped and as he opened his shirt Briony felt her eyes most up again and she nuzzled her head against his skin gently kissing each wound, each new scar until she had no more to kiss.

"Do you know who did it to you Rich? Honest to God I felt so useless...I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you...I'm so sorry."

"Well would you look at that," whispered Democritus to the professor sitting next to him, both looking slightly bewildered and amused at the same time. "Best Easter ever, eh? Much better than those pink Easter eggs and chocolates."

There was a funny feel to the atmosphere. Sam picked up a sense of someone approaching with great strength, power that seemed familiar. The he picked a smell that made his gag: werewolf pelt.

He suddenly saw the suits of armour move and covered his ears as they stomped rythmatically. Then he heard singing. What kind of entrance was this going to be?

'Wait... oh my god, it couldnt be...' He thought, overwhelmed with hope and anticipation. It was! It was Richard! Sam could barely contain his joy and let out a shout of happiness clapping his hands along with the suits of armour.

He knew it! He knew nothing would kill Richard so easily! At least he could call Wolfie back from the search. He was so happy for Briony and Richard; they were back together again, just how they should be.

He was suprised Richard wasnt filled with rage. Or maybe he was, but the relief of seeing Briony again was just the stronger feeling. Seeing Briony smiling again brought happy tears to Sams eyes. He was so relieved. He would have ran to give Rich a man hug, but the smell of the werewolf pelt was a bit too much.

The hall was full of so much emotion and energy. Sam looked up at the Professors table, more so at Hades. Would anything else happen now...?

Richard's smile faultered a little and he caught Samuel's eye. He had known the man was a werewolf since their first meeting, the wet dog smell gave it away, and he hadn't factored his reaction into his return. Of course he'd needed the pelt in the 'sanctuary' in order to live through the cold nights. He rested his forehead against Briony's,

"Yes... I'll tell you about it later." he promised, stroking a strand of her hair away from her cheek, "When we're back at home."

He stiffened a little and the corners of his mouth twitched up, showing his teeth, as a watery growl escaped him without his consent. He immediately clamped down on it. It wouldn't do to use the same growl he'd used on werewolves on school children. He nodded once,

"I know." his eyes flashed dangerously, "I know who did it. And believe me Bri... they will pay. But first..."

He smiled broadly and picked her up bridal style,

"First we eat!" he laughed, "I tell you... the stuff I've had to eat won't compare to this stuff!"

Hades disappeared in a wave of smoke and reappeared in front of the professors table his wand and cane in hand ready should he need them. His eyes narrowed as he took in the moving suits or armour not entirely sure where to look.

"I demand you show yourself in my castle." He ordered trying to link his mind with their but all he was getting was static. That had never happened before. He glanced at the students and cast protective spells around them just incase, but he had a feeling the intruder wouldn't do anything to harm them. He leant back and sat on the edge of the table waiting for this singing to finish.

He lifted up one eyebrow as Rich looked at him. Was that meant to make him scared, he had no proof of anything. The only witness was hardly going to grass him up was he. He smiled back making it look real. As if he was actually pleased to see him. He clapped his hands together so all eyes turned to him.

"Well i would like to be the first to welcome you back. It is such a relief to everyone to see you standing her alive." He smiled holding out his hand for him to shake.

"You must be hungry, why don't you eat and tell us Professors what happened?" He smiled returning to his seat the normal way, by walking.

Impressive if I do say so myself. Aireon thought as the professor made his way over to the Staff table. He hadn't known the professor, but he rather liked him. He merely chuckled softly and turned back to his food.

He sighed. Why was it he was always the outcast? The one who knows practically nothing and no one?

Richard smiled widely, more in appreciation of Hades' acting skills than any real feeling of warmth towards the man. He set Briony down in her seat, kissed her cheek, before taking Hades' hand and shaking it,

"It's good to be back Hades." he smiled a little more, "And you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you. Did you know that werewolves go on holiday?"

He chuckled as he pulled up a seat and waved for all of the Professors to listen carefully, as if about to tell a child a story,

"It turns out that quite a lot of werewolves don't like living as half-citizens so they've made their own communities, not just the roaming packs that people know about." he smiled a little, "And like every civilisation it's people need down time. So they paid for a 'sanctuary' to be built. With an artificial moon which served to keep them in their wolf form at all times. Of course they get kicked out after a week or whenever their check bounces."

He chuckled a little as he breathed in the smell of the food in front of him,

"I'll say this about the 'resort'..." he paused and shuddered a little, "A place filled with nothing but poisonous plants and predators... you have to be a bigger predator to live."