speaking ill of the dead

Curled up in a large armchair somewhere far back in the library, Savannah hummed softly, flipping through a large book. The content itself hardly mattered to her, though she did find herself rather enjoying the Muggle fairy tale. It was cute, just the sort of thing to take her mind off of all the things going through it.

That almost hurts, you know. And I thought we liked this little agreement.

"Shut up," she snapped, pulling the book into her lap, balancing her feet against the table in front of her, literally sticking her nose into the book. If she just focused on something else, then she'd be alright.

Rubbing her brown head of hair, Savannah turned her attention back to the book, but this time finding other voices distracting her. Frowning, she glanced over in their direction, her ears pricked.

"I don't get it. They're vampires, you thick prat. All they want to do is suck you bone dry, and leave you there to die."

The Gryffindor stood up suddenly, the book falling with a loud bang. But she hardly noticed, her hands balling into fists as she began to breathe heavily, her head spinning. Were people so stupid that they didn't realize how much their comments could hurt?

An animalistic smirk marring her pretty face, she strode silently towards the voices. Leaning against a bookshelf, she took a moment to gauge the two students. They were older, but she was certain; she could take them.

She composed herself for a moment, and then she leaped, landing on top of the table. Meeting the boy's startled brown gaze, she grinned maliciously before toppling his chair over, landing on top of him and beginning to smash the Ravenclaw's face with her fist.

Abigail hated homework with a passion. She was pretty sure that if she could, Abi would go on a rampage getting rid of homework. Yes, Abi was in Ravenclaw but it didn't mean she enjoyed school. The Ravenclaw was just smart and was able to use her brains unlike everybody else in this school.

Going through some books, looking for a book on Charms, her ears picked up a particular conversation. "I don't get it. They're vampires, you thick prat. All they want to do is suck you bone dry, and leave you there to die," She heard, and forgot about her search. Goddammit, Abi was just starting to heal once again over her sister's real death.

Abi didn't even hesitate when she saw the one talking ill about vampires being held down by a girl in her year. Abi shoved the girl off and began punching him too while yelling in rapid french. Without thinking, the Ravenclaw switched to english and yelled, "MY SISTER WAS A VAMPIRE AND SHE DIDN'T KILL ANYONE YOU BASTARD!" Then switched over to french again, not realizing the boy was unconscious now.

The other student had ran off a while ago.

The rush, the excitement running through her veins as if she'd just drunk her weight in sugar had to be the best feeling in the world. Though her fist was beginning to ache, she hardly cared, her other hand a vice grip on the older student's throat.

And then, out of nowhere, she was pushed off, some other girl taking her place. Rubbing at the back of her head, Savannah scowled. Why was this girl taking all her fun?

Sitting up, she crossed her legs, glaring down at the boy. "I hope you rot in hell," she murmured, anger darkening her face.

The anger dimmed slowly, and Abigail came back to her senses. She noticed the black and blue face below her, and felt a strange sense of pride. Abi was a violent person, but never acted on the feelings. Her violent side was released by a punching bag. Taking deep breaths, Abi got up and wiped her forehead.

"Why were you punching him?" She asked quietly, not looking at the girl. The Ravenclaw didn't feel guilty about pushing her, but she didn't want to act like a rude person either.

Savannah leaned against a bookshelf, opening and closing her dominant hand, a wince crossing her face every few moments. Now that the adrenaline had begun to wear off, she was finding herself left with a dull ache in her hand. And to top it off, it was beginning to cramp, and so she had to move it and cause herself more pain.

Raising an eyebrow at the girl as she left the boy alone, a frown marred her face. Why stop? He clearly deserved more pain. He should know; what he was saying would get him killed.

"Why?" Savannah repeated, shrugging. "Because he deserved it."

"Hand hurts? Mine does too," Abi commented, as she shook out hers too. The boy was thick headed alright. She pulled out her wand and started making insults appear on the boys body, not fully satisfied. With 'Dickhead' written on his forehead in bright red letters, she walked away from the boy and sat on a table.

"He does," The Ravenclaw mumbled, and hid her face in her hands, fighting off tears. Pazy, Her mind whispered. Don't be mad at me for punching him. I know you can't stand violence, but he insulted you. "I don't like vampires very much. I only like one, a-and... she's.... d-dead. My sister."

"It's not that bad," she shrugged a shoulder. This was nothing. She'd felt much worse before. A little pain was nothing compared to the anguish this boy here had caused. Fixing him with another glare, a little laugh, too high and amused for this situation, burst from her throat at the words scrawled across his forehead. "The git deserves that."

Sitting beside her partner in crime, she tilted her head, her nose wrinkling slightly. Was she going to cry? Who beat people up and then cried over it?

"I only really knew one vampire. There's a half vampire around here, Karma. She's alright," Savannah shrugged a shoulder. Compared to Rosie, Karma really wasn't that great, even if she was all by herself. "My mentor, Rosie, she was amazing." She sighed, holding her head in her hands.

"Bastard vampire hunters beheaded her," she snarled, anger flaring in her eyes. And then it was gone, and she was nudging the girl softly. "I'm sorry about your sister."

Abigail brought up her head sharply, and stared at the girl. A memory played in her head, when Abi received the letter of her sisters death. ...Passion Rose had adopted a student in Hogwarts, so she inherits the belongings of the deceased. Any questions about certain belongings will have to be taken to her. If you wish to contact the student, reply to this owl. Abigail refused to admit that was one of the reasons why she transferred to Hogwarts. She wasn't going to admit that she was jealous.

"Was your mentor's name, Passion Rose?" Abigail questioned, in a cold tone. She stood up straight, and walked over to her. The Ravenclaw pulled out her locket, and opened it up, showing a picture of the Rose Family when Abi was seven. "Did she look like this?" Abi pointed to the picture of Passion, and narrowed her eyes.

She blinked up at the girl, for a moment a little unnerved by the stare. But she didn't look away, continued to meet her gaze. It was like a challenge, and Savannah wasn't one to back down from a challenge.

"Rosie," she breathed, nodding at the full name given to her. "Yes. Yes. That was her full name. Passion Rose. But she always wanted me to call her Rosie, and it sort of stuck." She grinned at the memory, though it quickly fell when she remembered that the woman was gone forever.

Peering at the little photograph, she nodded affirmatively. "That's her. Wait, why do you have - she's your sister?" The Gryffindor frowned, her eyebrows pulling together. "She never mentioned you."

"Well, at least she didn't insist on you calling her Pazy," Abigail murmured, feeling like she was about to cry after hearing Savannah speak. Pazy never mentioned her. Her only sister, the one that saw her get attacked by the rogue vampires. Abi wrapped her arms around herself, and walked away from Savannah a bit.

"Yeah, she was my sister. I thought she was dead, since I was nine. I-I thought that... I would never see her again. At least I was right about that part, I didn't know that she survived the attack until I got an owl in October, that she was dead. The ministry didn't even know that we didn't know that she was alive!" Abi's eyes went crazy, and she threw her hands up in the air. "That she adopted a student from Hogwarts!" Punching the bookshelf, the third year felt her eyes sting. "She didn't even mention me." The last sentence was whispered, in a tone that told everyone that Abi was distraught.

"You had her. You lived with her, you spoke with her." The Ravenclaw turned to the Gryffindor, angrily. "Why did you get to, and not me!"

"Why's that?" Savannah tilted her head, curious about this girl. Though she'd never heard of her before, wasn't she sort of family now? Since she'd been adopted by Rosie, didn't it make this girl her adopted aunt?

"Oh," was all she said, blinking over at the girl. What did she even say to that? A sorry didn't seem like it was enough. But she could try, couldn't she? She stretched towards her, about to pat her, but she flinched back, hissing softly at the sound of the impact with the bookshelf.

Her eyes were suddenly wide as the girl faced her again. Savannah's hands slowly raising up to her head, her mouth opened and closed uselessly for a moment before sense overcame her.

"Will you calm down?" she glared, blue eyes cold chips of ice. "It isn't my fault that Rosie liked me better than you. Maybe if you'd gotten your attitude adjusted, it might have been a different story. But instead, you act like this. No wonder she totally left you."

"Because that is my nickname for her, dimwit," Abi snapped, pacing back and forth. The Ravenclaw focused her attention on going back and forth, in even steps. Don't think about the- the... niece... of hers. Merlin Pazy, Abigail thought bitterly. You made me an aunt and I am thirteen. The girl did not want to treat this person like a family member. She was not even related by blood.

"Calm down!?" Her eyes wide, and Abi resisted to wrap her hands around that throat of the devil speaker. "You tell me that, and you tell me to calm down bitch?" Abi raised and finger and prodded Savannah on the chest. "I am her sister in blood. I am the one that Passion sacrificed herself too. Pazy and I..." Abi trailed off, choking back tears of grief and anger. "we were close. Like two peas in a pod. Were you guys ever like that? I doubt it."

"And I was supposed to know that? If she never mentioned you, then why, for Merlin's bloody beard, do you expect me to know your nickname for her?" Was this girl daft? Savannah huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, much resembling a child about to have a tantrum.

Hmm, maybe telling the girl to calm down hadn't been the best idea in the world. She only seemed to be getting angrier. But Savannah stood her ground, not batting an eyelash, though her fingers did curl around her wand, a warning flashing in her eyes.

"It's what I said, right? So, obviously." Rolling her eyes, the fourteen year old shook her head. Raising an eyebrow at the prod, she reached over, prodding the brunette back. "Maybe we were, maybe we weren't." She shrugged a shoulder, all the world seeming indifferent. But for a moment, Savannah wished she had someone like that in her family. Her father had been like that, but he was long dead. "But the point is, once she became a vampire, you were the one forgotten about. How close could you possibly have been if that happened?"

"Have you heard anybody else call her Pazy? I keep calling her that. Put two and two together," Abi snarled, hands clenching tighter. The image that this girl was giving her wasn't pleasant- she reminded her of a little toddler having a tantrum. This, did not impress her at all.

"What if she wanted to protect her family!" She shrieked, throwing her hands up. "A new vampire can't have the greatest control over bloodlust! Have you ever thought of that?" It was just Abi's hope that was why Passion never mentioned her. A bond like that couldn't be forgotten.

"You know how she got her tattoo?" Abi whispered after a moment, eyes glistening. "The one of the side of her finger- Found in love?"

"Just because someone doesn't call someone something doesn't mean no one does." Savannah frowned, waving her arms about. "I don't know every person Rosie knew. You obviously don't. So please, I can't put two and two together when the answer's five." This girl was being completely ridiculous. What was she, five?

"She still never came back." She shrugged her shoulders, knowing full well that her words had to hurt. But she didn't care enough to stop. "I knew her for three years. That entire time, she was perfectly non-dangerous. If she'd wanted to, she would've come back."

Savannah blinked, opening her mouth and then shutting it again. She knew of the tattoo, she'd seen it often. But how Rosie had gotten it? She was clueless. "No," she said slowly, "But I feel like you'll tell me."

"Common sense. Don't you have any? I would be surprised if you did." Abi rolled her eyes, now trying to hide her anger. This girl is ignorant, doesn't use her mind correctly. She sat on the table, and concentrated on swinging her legs. Ignore her. Ignore her so called niece.

"She cared for family so much, that she wasn't willing to take a risk!" Abi countered. "Maybe she didn't want to lead the vampires back to her family! Maybe she was scared of our opinion of her!" Abi brushed the hurt away. Her words meant nothing. She didn't know Pazy like Abi did.

"She was dared too, in her seventh year. Passion was a hufflepuff, the goody two shoes, the cool one. She was popular, kind to everyone. When she was hanging around some friends, they got drunk in the common room." Abigail let out a small laugh, and shook her head. "Passion was feeling a bit prideful at the moment, so when somebody dared her to get a tattoo, she couldn't say no."

"When she asked me in a owl, what to get a tattoo of, I replied with something very kiddish. I was only, like seven then after all. I told her that since she was so lovable and cuddly, it should deal with something about love. Pazy replied that she got a tattoo saying 'found in love' on her finger, easily hide-able." Throughout all of this, Abi didn't look at the niece of hers.

"Even Passion had her moments. But she always turned them around for the good."

"You're being ridiculous," she huffed. "I mean, my best friend has a nickname for me that no one else uses. To someone who's never eavesdropped on our conversations, no one calls me that." She shook her head, embarressed to be around someone so idiotic.

Savannah raised an eyebrow and gestured around them. "You do realize she taught here, right? Surrounded by hundreds of students. Isn't that a risk? Or is it only a risk when it involves you?" She'd raised her voice without noticing. Interesting. She liked yelling. She should do it more.

She stayed silent throughout the story, smiling sadly. That was so like tbe Rosie she'd known. Hugging herself, a sigh floated from her mouth. "I miss her," she admitted, the first time she'd shown anything other than anger to the girl.

"I miss her so much."

"Look I am tired of this. You were the one who started this saying that 'Rosie liked me better than you'. Your just a angry little girl who has no other way to get rid of your anger. Go beat up some more boys or get a hold of a few punching bags." Abigail didn't like arguing, but she enjoyed shoving the truth in people's faces. Very amusing to watch their reaction.

"She placed family above all," Came her angry reply. "And also, Passion was afraid of people being scared of her- having people hated her. So she was probably afraid of our reactions." Abigail shook her head. She wished that Passion had been brave enough to visit them. "Or she thought that the rogue vampires could have came back."

Abigail observed the change in her tone and posture, and silently agreed with the words. Abigail missed her too. Too much to fully describe. The first time felt like a knife wound. The second time was an surgery being done, without any painkillers. Everyday her mind whispered, Passion. Every.Day.

"I... miss her too." Abi gave her a sad, small smile. "What... what was she like around you? What did she eat? What did she do a lot? Did she keep any photographs?"

She bit on her tongue, insults ready to pour from her lips. But she had enough self control not to utter any of them. She simply crossed her arms and nodded stiffly, her gaze drawn down to the boy's still unconscious body by their feet.

"You can keep saying that, but it won't make it true." Savannah shrugged a shoulder, taking a handful of her hair and tossing it over her other shoulder.

The Gryffindor raised her hands, amusement shining in her blue eyes. But there was more than that too. There was a sadness in there as well. One that she didn't think would ever manage to truly fade away. "One question at a time." A small smile tugged at her lips. "She used to live off of blood pops. I never saw her eat anything else. She cooked all the time." Her smile widened slightly. "She made amazing cookies.

"She had photos of me." Savannah said with a shrug, her gaze falling down to her feet. "I'm not sure if she had any of you."

Abigail nearly melted at the memory of her cookies. Everybody in their family wanted them. Whenever there was a gathering, Passion was required to make dozens of batches of those cookies. In the end, there was never any left overs. "Blood Pops? I guess that is convenient because she owned a store with blood pops for sale." She shrugged, and sighed. Hesitating, Abigail shyly looked at her. "Can... Can I help with the store? I know we don't like each other very much, but I... I would like to work in a environment that Passion did."

She messed with the hem of her shirt, nervously. Maybe she should have waited for their angry blood to calm down. Two people who treasured Passion dearly, didn't get along. Abi knew that would have made Passion cry.
(Sorry for the long awaited post)

She grinned at the other girl's reaction, giving her head a tiny amused shake. But she could hardly blame her. If Rosie's cooking and cookie making skills were something she'd possessed even when she was human, Savannah knew exactly how she felt.

"Yeah." The Gryffindor nodded in agreement, murmuring her words as she frowned down at her feet. Honeydukes. Merlin, she'd loved that store. But now, it hurt every time she walked in there. Blinking over at Rosie's sister, her expression was blank for a moment before slowly, relief flooded in. "You - You'd really help? I - I mean, I'm not doing it all by myself, Merlin no. But help? Yeah, I'd like that. I - I really would."

She nodded her head, beaming at her. Holding out her hand, she introduced, "I'm Savannah, by the way. Savannah Lerran."

Abigail sighed with relief, but had noticed her reaction to Honeydukes. "Does it hurt for you to walk in?" She questioned, curious. It made sense- after all, Savannah knew Passion when the vampire owned the store. And now Savannah owned the store, only because of her death. "And thank you, for letting me help."

She stared at the hand before accepting it. "Abigail Rose, third year Ravenclaw."

"Yes," she murmured, looking away from the girl. Her gaze focused on a bookshelf in front of them, but her mind was far, far away. "Every single time I walk in, or even go home, I expect to see her there. I expect her to be there happy to see me, with a huge smile on her face. And then she's not there." She wrapped her arms around herself, tears welling up in her eyes.

"She's not there, and I'm reminded all over again that she's dead and gone and it hurts so much."

Savannah glanced back at the girl, almost as if she'd forgotten, so lost in her grief, that she was even there. "You're welcome," she said simply.

She shook her hand firmly before promptly letting go. "We're in the same year," she commented, a tiny frown etching her across her face. It only deepened as she observed her classmate carefully. "You're new, right? I've never seen you around before."