Path of Malachai

There was always much to be distracted by in the giant castle that was Hogwarts. Around every corner there waited something new and interesting and absolutely impossible. Throughout the years, Dean had begun to get used to it, but every now and again he found himself completely and utterly distracted by something. This time it was a flating origami swan floating amongst the candls sin the Great Hall. He paused in the doorway, looking up at the small folded creature with a slight smile on his lips.

Origami, that was an interesting thought. Perhaps that would be the new medium he experiemented with this year.

Completely lost in his head, Dean didn’t see the rush of first years until he was already being pulled back out of the way. He watched the small bodies rush by before turning to his savior. He was fairly sure that the first-years would have merely bounced off of his tall figure, but the thought was what mattered. “Don’t worry about it, mate. Thanks for the save.” He told the somewhat familiar Hufflepuff. Looking at the boy, it took him a moment but then he recognized him as a friend of Odette’s, the one that seemed to always be making moon eyes at the girl. “Getting ran down by a herd of first-years was not how I was wanting to start off my seventh year.” 

Safety meant safer for everybody, and having the young ones bowl the older boy over was just as unappealing as having them put on their arses from running into the great tree that was Dean Thomas. He couldn't help the almost-smile that touched his lips at the thought of the scenario. Kai, for his part, recognized the other lad though he wouldn't have called them any great friends. The Gryffindor and the Hufflepuff were similarly sociable, and Kai himself made the habit of speaking to most people that crossed his path, even if they weren't important interactions that would be remembered for any longer than their actual length. He also played the names-and-faces game fairly well. Now, if he could only remember the growing habits and genus names of plants so easily, he might have been the Herbology prodigy that the typical Hufflepuff was assumed to be. 

Plants grew too slowly to be all that interesting, frankly.

"Cheers," he said warmly, nodding. Realizing that he had to cant his head just slightly up to speak to the other young man, he took a moment to observe. Dean was taller than he thought. Or remembered, or whatever. Maybe it had changed. Maybe that just came from a lack of knowing the guy well. People were funny that way, sometimes.

After putting his things away down in the basement, and de-vinegaring not one, but two second-years -- one a Hufflepuff who forgot the rhythm of knocking that allowed someone access to their common room, and another a Gryffindor who just wanted to see some new place in the mysterious old castle -- it was just about time to make way to the Grand Hall for the Sorting. That was its own kind of comforting, for a completely different reason. No matter what went on in the great world beyond, some things remained the same. Floppy talking hats singing jaunty songs before deciding with what group of supposedly like-minded people you, at all of ten years of age, should be associated with for just about the rest of your formative life.

Which, again, was far more comforting than the simplified sum of its daunting parts would lead one to believe. He liked to be there to help herd the new Hufflepuffs in the right direction as well, especially the occasional Muggleborn who more often than not had no idea what to expect.

With the excitement of the Sorting over and the Headmaster’s Don’t-do-anything-stupid-and-we’ll-a-great-year address in light of the current concerns out of the way, the meal commenced, as it always did, and ended the same way, as well. The prefect lingered near the doors, one shoulder propped against the ancient frame while he rolled a knut across his knuckles and watched the trickle of bodies as they left, occasionally nodding or verbally greeting people as they met his eye, or giving the odd unattended youngster directions back to their common room. 

Odette couldn’t help but snicker when her friend decided he like the moniker she had come up with, her shoulders shaking with her mirth.  “Of course you do.  If they let you, I’m sure you’d conjure up a suit of armor with the house crest emblazoned across the chest.”  Honestly, if it were appropriate for anyone that called the basement of Hufflepuff home that deserved to be knighted, it was probably the boy in front of her.  Not only was he unerringly kind and selflessly helpful, but he always stood up for those who could not or would not stand up for themselves.

It seemed that Kai was on a roll today, and if his goal was to take her mind off the Death Eaters that were free to wander about the world, he had vastly succeeded.  “You don’t have the hair.  Frankly, I don’t think it would suit you.”  She beamed up at him, swaying her weight from foot to foot merrily.  “It would hide your cheek bones.  Can’t have that.”  The blonde grimaced at the idea of someone shrinking her friend and stealing away with him to obsess at their leisure, eyes wide at the horror of the thought.  “That would be terrible.  Not just for him, but then I wouldn’t have anyone to sneak about with at night when I can’t sleep.”

It was common knowledge among her good friends and brother that Odette suffered from fairly severe insomnia.  She hid it admirably well, but she was almost always running on varying degrees of sleep deprivation.  Medicinal potions had too many side effects for her liking, and so, she dealt with it the best way she could.  Her mind ran rampant at night, and instead of suffering in bed, staring up at the canopy, she had taken to sneaking about the corridors of Hogwarts at odd hours her third year.  She’d found Justin during one of those adventures, and ever since, he’d been her late night roaming buddy.  Now that she was a prefect, they wouldn’t have to be quite as cautious in their sneaking.

Her head tilted back towards the ceiling of the train as she laughed at her poor friend’s expense before she caught control of herself and shrugged innocently.  “What can I say?  I’m ruthless.  Maybe I should have been sorted into Slytherin.”  Of course, the very idea of the sometimes overly enthusiastic and empathetic blonde in the same house as those like Millicent Bulstrode and Blaise Zabini was purely laughable in itself.  That, and she wasn’t particularly cunning or superbly ambitious.  To say that Odette brightened when Malachai finally gave into her was an understatement.  She went from shining like a desk lamp to beaming like the sun.  “I honestly don’t know why you try to disagree with me.  It never works,” she scolded playfully, before grabbing his hand and hauling him off down the car in search of seats.

Kai would certainly be more than flattered with the way that she thought of him, though as it was, he thought of her more as simply taking the piss. With a momentary bemused glance at the diminuitive blonde, he simply shook his head at her suggestion, a chuckle sneaking through his smirking lips. "Please," he murmured. "Bespoke armor like that sounds a little... chavtastic for everyday wear, to be honest, yeah? I'll stick with a patch on my jacket." The patch that he spoke of was there, present on the shoulder of the right sleeve of the blazer-style jacket that he wore. "Maybe for the yule ball? I'm a good enough dancer than the regular game gets a little boring when it comes to avoiding stepping on toes."

It was true that today's willingness to speak with just about anyone that came across his path was born of a desire to give some small comfort to those who found news of the day somewhat dark and ominous, and that would never, ever change... but Odette's personal relief from that particular looming but hopefully far-off anxiety was in honesty a matter of rare selfishness, something that he wanted for his friend, for his own happiness. A grin spread across his face as she acknowledged his lack of luxurious locks, though all that he gave her at her comment about his cheekbones was a scoff that did little to portray the little swell of joy and something like hope that welled in his chest. The latter of which took its leave, or at least dimmed, with the reminder not only of the restful, peaceful sleep that eluded the girl, but her chosen partner of nightly skulking. He'd come across them once or twice himself, and tended to steer his compatriots in other directions. He didn't want to see either of them get in trouble for just trying to stay sane when they couldn't sleep.

He furrowed his brow at the acuteness of the feeling. Something to examine later, perhaps, he thought. Setting it aside for the moment, he raised a brow at her. "Well, that's the right kind of selfish, innit? Don't happen to have a jar on you?" Again, taking the piss, but the feelings behind such an action didn't strike as completely out of the question. Those kind of things didn't exactly hinge on whether or not the feelings would be reciprocated, did they? People had feelings for people that might not exactly feel the same all the time. He managed not to roll his eyes at himself and let it go. "That's one of those things you could probably just ask for. Or not, considering you know where he tends to be after curfew, yeah?" He shrugged his shoulders, before giving her a nudge. He didn't offer to accompany her himself, not because he wouldn't, but because he didn't have to be a part of everything any of his friends did. Not even Odette. He himself, while hardly ever suffering from its lack, only saw sleep as necessary, not particularly enjoyable. He hated being idle, and there was little greater idleness than sleep.

Odette rolled her eyes, knowing that they both knew that he was full of it.  The younger ‘Puff was notoriously clumsy, often getting tangled on absolutely nothing to end up sprawled on her hands and knees with her books, scrolls, parchments, and quills scattered on the floor or ground around him.  He, and everyone else unfortunate enough to fall into her path, had plenty of opportunities to play hero to the girl that ended up on her arse more often than not.  “How could I say no that face?” she cooed, reaching a hand up to squish his cheeks together.  It was such a change from the square-jawed boy she’d grown to adore that she couldn’t help but chortle.

“I would expect nothing less from a knight of Hufflepuff,” she retorted without missing a beat.  She appreciated his attempt to comfort her, reminding her of the fact that the train was literally overflowing with aurors there for the soul purpose of protecting the students of Hogwarts, no matter how unlikely the chance of an attack was.  Brow furrowing at his statement, Odette took a moment to piece together what it was he was implying.  “I know you’re insulting you and my idiot brother, but are you saying I’m not one of those girls that would get more if they asked, too?  I can’t decide if you’re insulting me, too.”  She doubted it.  Even when they took playful jabs at each other, Kai had never shown a propensity to being particularly insulting.

“You’re not wrong, but our entire house is out making sure all of the younger kids are okay.  I’m pretty sure Finch-Fletchley is doing rounds for that exact same reason, and he’s not even a prefect.”  Justin was a good guy like that.  She was also fairly certain that everyone had made sure the youngest students had seats, and most of the aurors had taken to standing to try and give the kids of Hogwarts as much room as they could manage.  “You know, if you don’t want to hang out with me, all you’ve got to do is say so.”  She accompanied her statement with a pouty expression complete with puckered lips, sagging shoulders, and crossed arms, the very picture of disappointment.

“Besides, it’s not like Em will do anything more than give you the silent treatment.  Even if he decided not to be a lazy bum, you still outweigh him by, what, two stone?”  Not to mention, her brother was not the physical type.  “Please, Kai?  What kind of a gentlemen are you trying to be, making a girl beg?”

Kai sighed inwardly when she reached over and made a mockery of his face. More or less like this, he thought with a genuine chuckle. It was not mean-spirited, mind, but exactly the kind of thing he imagined coming from such a request, and little else.

As she broke down her thoughts on his statement about asking for more, he couldn’t help but laugh quietly at how much thought she seemed to put into it. “First of all, no. I think you could get almost anything you wanted from almost any bloke in that castle. Some number of girls, too, probably. I’m just not sure you know how, or even care to ask.” He had to admit that he wasn’t exactly any more sure what the average girl was looking for in another girl than a handbag, but usually in the arena of women, his tastes and observances of preference seemed to line up. “...Secondly, the more I think about ‘knight of Hufflepuff,’ the more I like it.”

She wasn’t wrong, either, about the whole house doing its part. Hell, he was proud of that. “Right. I mean, it’s my job, not Justin’s, but I don’t have that hair, so... actually, that reminds me, I should probably find him and make him have a sit-down before someone falls in love with him and puts him in a bloody jar to take home or something. I really don’t want to be the one to explain that.” He paused, briefly considering whether or not what he’d just said was a joke or some accidental prescience, before he shook his head and let it go, because also, good luck taking Fletch anywhere he really didn’t want to go.

The way Kai caught her had an amused chuckle falling from her lips, her arms rising to circle his shoulders before he had a chance to correct their positioning.  “My hero,” she teased, affecting a breathlessly dramatic voice.  She wasn’t given a chance much of a chance to linger in the moment before she was upright once more, a bright grin curling her lips as his warmth seeped into her bones.  Kai was good look that, always warm - like her own personal sunshine - despite that being one of the terms of endearment he often bestowed upon her.

His choice of words had a giggle escaping her lips, even though she was fairly certain his word play had been intentional.  “Quite literally.  If you wanted me to wrap my arms around you, all you had to do was ask, Malachai.”  There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she taunted him playfully.  

Odette’s whole demeanor changed when asked about her well-being, shifting from the sunshiney disposition which was sometimes forced to something softer and calmer, sincere.  “I’m…I’m terrified, honestly.  But, you know…also trying to be logical.  No reason for a bunch of murderers to attack a train full of students, right?” she offered with a dismissive shrug and a reassuring smile that didn’t quite reach her dark eyes.  “Besides,” she added.  “I’ve got you and Em to protect me.  What girl could ask for more?”

She stepped closer to Kai, basking in his warmth, which had so much more to do with who he was as a person than his personal temperature.  If she were asked to choose one partner, one person to rely on for a task that must be completed, it was the boy beside her.  While she loved her older brother, he had grown lazy in his discontent and boredom.  Jaded.  That only seemed to change when he was around Malachai, who challenged Emerson enough to entertain him, but it was why Kai had ended up being friends to both siblings.  Odette trusted him, and Emerson came alive around him.

“A few minutes?  My rounds are done until we get to Hogsmeade.  Sorry if you’re not as fortunate,” she snickered.  “But don’t worry, I’ll help you shirk your duties.  Let’s go find a car.  At best, they have two seats open.  At worst, we end up snuggling.  I promise not to tell my big brother on you.”

He found it always difficult not to linger in moments of physical closeness with Odette. He was grateful for the kind of will that still saw him prepared to let her go, and the fun-poking nature of her words which helped remind him of where they were and what exactly his place was, before he made an absolute fool of himself. And so, she was put to rights, grin irrepressibly mirrored in only a few moment’s time.

A giggle at a stupid little joke had him scoffing at her amusement, as the act had the effect of simply being somewhat contagious. “Oh, so you can say no? If that’s all it took, you’d run the risk of never getting anything else done.” A beat of silence passed, while he took her in taking note of the twinkle in her eye, and glad to see that she was enjoying herself.  “Besides, where’s the fun in that? This is way I get to play hero, at least.”

Odette’s change of bearing had been what he was looking for, however, as it indicated that what he was next to receive had a strong likelihood of being honesty, or at the very least, earnest. Not that hearing that she was feeling that fear brought any feeling of gratification. Perhaps it was just the opposite. But her thinking had fallen along the same lines as his. Why would they act now, in this way? To sow discord? Breathing air on the same side of the walls of Azkaban would serve that purpose just fine. Kai preferred not to underestimate the wisdom of terrorists. It was just... better that way. He raised a brow at the less-than-full smile, but simply had to shrug it off when she asked the rhetorical question that an honest spirit couldn’t keep him from answering.

“I’d protect you with my life, Sunshine. You have to know that.” He let out a soft sigh, before he realized what he said, attempting to quickly, but not-too-quickly, add more to the thought. “And so would Em. And, I mean, er, there’s an awful lot of aurors around, so we got that going for us...” He shrugged his shoulders once more, turning a playful smirk on her. “Most girls, I’d imagine,” he stated simply. “Most girls could ask for more. Good few would probably get it, too.”

At least he understood sarcasm, Millicent noticed; an ability that many of his housemates seemed to lack. More often than not, ‘Puffs seemed to either take things way too seriously or not seriously enough. “Forgetting such an important lesson? Outrageous.” As she spoke, she made gestured with her free hand, but didn’t bother to look back where he nodded. “Hmm… They can be useful for other meanings.” She mused. Had she ever tried using one against people? Maybe she should borrow Theo’s badge once in a while.

She followed the trail of the badge across his knuckles, her eyes drawn by the movement and not guided but actual curiosity. It was hardly impressive. In fact, it was a skill anyone could learn and with time also master. “Cute.” She sighed, not fully understanding the purposed of the action. After he apologised, she let out a sigh and was ready to leave, but she had to stop herself from taking the first step as he addressed her cat. “Hello to you. I have been better. Apology accepted. His name is Pepper.” She said in a monotonous voice, as if reading a list. Uncharacteristically, she even told him Pepper’s name. “Now, will you stop pretending you are actually interested in keeping the conversation going, so I can leave?” Millicent just wanted to go back to her comparment, perhaps curl up against Blaise or Theo and get a couple of hours of sleep before arriving at the castle.

Kai had his moments to be sure, but he didn’t often let the minutiae of life become a prison. As for not taking things seriously enough, who could afford that? Hearing her play along with his moment of irreverence, though, brought a genuine smile to his face, and the unveiled mischief in her statement about badge-pins was amusing enough to overlook the menace therein. For now.

More concerning was that phrase she used. ‘I have been better’, all tight and clipped as a phrase, said with all the enthusiasm and passion of a potions partner telling you what you needed from the cabinet. His eyes softened as he canted his head to one side and up, to turn gaze to her face from his stooped position. He wondered, in that instant, what he wondered whenever he spoke to someone new. What their day-to-day was like to bring them to this point, to make them who they were now? How much of that was shared? How much was different? With a gentle sigh, he turned his eyes back down to Pepper.

“I can’t honestly say that I wouldn’t want to keep chatting with Pepper here -- it’s especially nice to make your acquaintance, sir -- but never let it be said that I held a lady where she didn’t want to be. Unless you wanted an ear to let off about what’s on your mind. Strangers are good for that. Easier than your mates sometimes.”

Finding Pepper had been a relief, not only to Millicent but to her friends as well. Blaise was more relaxed now that he didn’t have to be around people he normally wouldn’t look at twice and Theo seemed more at ease once the cat had stopped being the priority. She was simply glad to finally have Pepper back in her arms, secure from the rest of the students. Having a cat with an extravagant personality was nice most of the time, but it eventually led him to get in trouble.

With Theo back from the Prefect meeting and not having to worry about leaving Blaise for a few minutes, she had gone out to find water for Pepper. As she walked back towards the compartment, she could feel herself grow considerably calmer, thanks to the mere presence of her pet. It was one of the reasons she loved animals and a feeling not many people around her understood. Distracted by her cat, she had barely noticed a door opening and almost collided with someone. Not for the first time that day. However, Pepper clearly had a better effect on her mood than she expected, because she felt no anger boil up inside. Instead, she simply let out a exasperated sigh.

A quick look told her that she had run into someone she was somewhat familiar with, a boy she had come across enough times on the Quidditch pitch or at the dueling club to at least recall his name. “Abernathy,” she simply said, almost as a greeting. As her gaze dropped, she noticed the badge in his hand. “Has no one taught you to be careful when holding sharp objects?” Her tone lacked the usual,sharpness and her voice bretraying the exhaustion she was trying to at least conceal.

Well, he’d had that coming, hadn’t he? Kai smiled, only a little sheepish at the comparatively half-hearted admonishment, giving a little nod. For his part, he’d taken note of the lovely young lady before him before, here and there, at least enough to be wary of attracting the seventh year’s ire. 

“Heh. You know, I just knew there was something missing from all those safety meetings. Must’ve been missed with all the...” he trailed off, his gaze and a nod indicating a little further down one direction of the corridor where an auror stood, head ducked into another compartment teeming with students. “You all right, luv? That’s my fault. Pinpricks are a pretty rubbish way of saying hi,” he said a moment later, when his attention returned to her.

With the thought of creating a diversion or turning the interaction into something positive, followed by the mental equivalent of a shrug that would have said ‘sure, what the hell’, he palmed the badge, with a little showman’s flair, only to open his hand a moment later to show where it was. He turned his hand over, palm down, revealing that same bit of metal, making its way across his knuckles once again, before he just pocketed the thing, immediately second-guessing the sleight of hand act. Which was stupid. She was a seventh year, not a seven year old. And if her voice was anything to go from, Kai doubted she would have been amused by much more, or any, of it. 

It was inevitable that Odette would find her brother or Kai sooner or later, but even with the cars nearly bursting at the seams with bodies, she hadn’t expected to find him by his bowling her over.  Odette’s eyes squeezed shut as she lost her balance, a feat common to the blonde who often managed to trip over air, and prepared herself for the pain that would undoubtedly come with the fall.  Maybe she’d get lucky and be trampled to death by a herd of first years.  Is that what a group of them was called?  She knew an older prefect in Ravenclaw referred to any more than three first years traveling together as a ‘murder’.  She was sure that it was a play on their house animal, but the idea of a ‘murder of first years’ was more than a little terrifying.

Regardless of where she found herself after the collision, Odette found herself looking up at her best friend with a sigh.  Of course, she looked up at him even when they were standing, as he towered several inches over her frame, but that was besides the point.  “No, you’re supposed to have a seat.  If not for me, then for you, so I can claim your knee,” she whined.  “I think the only bloody place to park an arse at this point is one of the loos.”  It was rare for the blonde to be caught whining, but to say that she was concerned about the prison break would be an understatement.  Dark wizards, the very concept of them, terrified her.

With a huff, Odette glanced around, dark eyes darting around the various occupants of the car that they currently occupied.  “I don’t suppose Emerson is saving us a seat somewhere, eh?  Is that too much to ask?  I feel like I’ve been up and down this train a dozen times over finding first years seats.  I knew I shouldn’t have worn my heeled boots.  I’m desperate enough for a seat that I might even go ask Millie Bulstrode if she wants company.  Save me from that, Kai.  I don’t want to be punched in the teeth.”

Kai only saw a shock of bright hair before the blonde started to tip over. A part of him wondered if she even tried to catch herself. Another came alive with instant recognition. The grab for her person was faster still, one arm reaching out to turn the fall into an impromptu dip, minus a ballroom and music. Luckily, she wasn’t all that heavy. He would have her righted a breath later, however, hands at either of her sides in case she pitched over once more. Another breath later, he stepped away, pocketing his badge as he let his hands fall away to his sides. 

Which was fine, because recognition had definitely caught up by now, and the first hit of her presence was like a drug, like adrenaline, driving his heart inexorably to a higher tempo. He swallowed that feeling. 

“Hullo, Sunshine,” he said, bringing a little composure to himself. “Fancy running into you here.” Kai licked lips that suddenly felt a little dry, then smiled, thankful for how that helped the attack of nerves. He spread his hands. “I’ve got knees for no one else, luv. Just about the only thing I sit still for. A seat, however...” He let that trail, glancing about. When his eyes returned to hers, there was a little concern there, a question that he gave voice a few seconds later. “...How are you holding up?”

Was that even a real question? Circumstances were bound to at least bring questions of safety to mind, even if one pushed them aside. Dark Wizards in the wind, escaped from the inescapable. He inwardly shook his head, taking note of the movement of her gaze. That lasted long enough for mouth to be off to the races again, causing his brows to lift just slightly. “Haven’t seen Em myself, so it’s always a possibility, right? Hope springs eternal.”

Over and over, dexterous digits rolled the small weight across his knuckles, shining in a shaft of sun, while dark eyes watched the dancing light of the reflection on the opposite wall of the momentarily deserted compartment. It was doubtful that it would remain so for long. The trunks and jackets sitting nearby told the tale of at least one other occupant. His eyes dropped for a moment to his hand. The small weight was his prefect’s badge, larger and differently shaped than the usual sickle or knut that often occupied those spaces between his fingers when he was sitting in relative idleness, it moved at first slowly, awkwardly until the young man had made adjustments to the motions, compensated for the edges and the pin.

Shifting where he sat against the window, Kai turned his gaze to the interior of the train, just in time to watch a pair of aurors, engaged in quiet, if tense, conversation as they passed in the corridor, the taller of the pair glancing in on him as they did so. Diggs and Hawthorne, if he remembered correctly. Diggs was a supporter of the Catapults, and Hawthorne liked the Tornados. He inclined his head as the two men passed, murmuring, “All right, fellas?” softly, only for it to be lost in the din of a few dozen people packed onto a locomotive long past its time, as far as the muggle technology that built it would have said. The aurors neither heard nor heeded him, moving on, the tension they felt evident in their stances and strides. 

“Nah, didn’t think so. Carry on.”

He pushed himself to his feet, as the small room’s inhabitants, a band of six, none any older than second years, hands full of various sweets and snacks. He smiled, stepping toward the smallest, a second year of his own house, a boy with a mousy mop of hair and a precarious grip on a chocolate frog. Kai produced a folded slip of parchment. “You’re Bradley, yeah? Your mum asked me to get this to you. Said to make sure you remember to get to Madam Pomfrey.” Handing it over, he placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “All right, bruv?”