accio xxi. message

[inheritedtales]

[After the D.A. meeting, Hermione had once more been droned. It seemed a habit lately, really, but it was only this morning she returned to her normal self and after some investigating... Well, there were tears abroad, needless to say. Immediately returning home, she didn't think to go to work and it was only when she calmed herself slightly she

Comments

[action]

[no_indoor_voice]

[Here, have a scarred-up DA member you've probably only ever seen looking either shellshocked or scary as hell standing there looking awkward instead.]

...Miss Granger.

[action]

[inheritedtales]

[Glancing up at the man, Hermione frowns slightly. Brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes she pauses a moment before speaking.]

Yes? ...Can I help you?

Re: [action]

[no_indoor_voice]

...you seem upset.

Re: [action]

[inheritedtales]

Do I? I suppose it's to be expected.

[Action]

[repeatsalvation]

[There's a thin, stoic looking man in the park who takes a moment to observe Hermione as she conjures.

He isn't blind to her emotions, either. Emotions are, in part, his business and who he is. But for the moment, considering he's a stranger, he'll keep himself from commenting on them.]

Quite impressive, miss.

[Action]

[inheritedtales]

[Laying her wand in her lap, Hermione chanced a look at the man. Gripping the wood, she looked up at the canaries she recently conjured as they fluttered in circles.]

I was only practicing. It's been a while since I last tried... I thought I might have forgotten.

[Action]

[repeatsalvation]

Time does many things. But one will find that the thing time does least is make one forget. Whether they're things we would like to forget, or not.

[He nods towards the other side of the bench, slowly.]

Would it be intrusive, miss, if I took a seat?

[Action]

[inheritedtales]

Time's rather fickle here, though. I've been... gone a bit, I suppose you would say, you never know when the town decides to take away something you once had.

[At his question, she glanced over before shaking her head.]

No, of course not. [She tried to manage a halfhearted sort of smile.] It isn't as I own of it.

[commentboxtroll]

[Man, the rest of the universe has already gotten here to bug her, so he may as well do the same. This time it's Caesar who has taken a seat on the bench with her, only he doesn't really say anything. He just lounges there, watching the canaries, for once not opening a conversation with a tactless remark or some joking or sarcastic comment. See, he's not really... any good at comforting people, okay?

But he can at least manage a companionable silence.]

[inheritedtales]

[When he approached, Hermione had frowned at first, expecting some sort of banter. Banter that, really, she wasn't in the mood for today. If anything she wanted to be left alone. Oddly enough, she'd always sought refuge outside but today was one of those days it hardly was.]

[From the one person she expected to hear speak, there wasn't. Wand in hand, she bit her lip. The silence really wasn't doing her any good, all things considered.]

[She paused a moment, glancing at the canaries before speaking in an undsteady voice.]

Well, are you going to say something? [Her voice caught.] I'm surprised you're not tearing the mickey out of my magic again...

[commentboxtroll]

[Caesar watches the canaries awhile longer, seeming to give the question some thought... before shrugging.]

There isn't anything I could say that would do any good, is there? [He looks over at her. Tear... the what.] ...I'm going to assume that means to insult.

no one saw that

[inheritedtales]

[Caught off guard by his question, she tightened her grip on her wand.] There must be something even a fraction better than silence.

[There was a familiar snip to her tone as she tried reasoning with herself before raising a brow.] To insult, to poke fun at. Yes.

[Quieting, she lifted her wand and, wordlessly, had the canaries pop out of existence. The vine wood in her hand felt like the only familiar friend from home. Which was odd, seeing as the last wand she remembered using... A harsh laugh escaped her lips, flashes of the war running through. It wasn't easy pretending she didn't know what happened.] Some war hero I am, really.

[Abruptly standing up she glanced down at Caesar.]

Are you going to join me?

Action

[pants_yourmove]

[[He heard the call, he barely knew the two but... droning was never good. No one took it well.

Aaron spotted her there. He was about to approach, then he realized her mood and hesitated.

Shaking his head, he walked over.]]

I'm still never going to get used to seeing stuff like that.

Action

[inheritedtales]

[Hermione looked up as Aaron approached, a small frown marring her features as she glanced up.]

You might, eventually. I still often feel amazed at what magic can do.

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[pants_yourmove]

That might be a good thing, I can adapt to having it around without changing and still being surprised by it.

[[He shrugs. That last part's not entirely true but he thinks others can.]]

How are you holding up?

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[inheritedtales]

[Hermione furrowed a brow.] I wouldn't say without changing, I must admit magic's changed my life more than I care to admit.

[The formed frown deepened as she stared at her hands, thinking about his question before speaking.] As well as can be expected, given the state of things.

[action]

[wasthemaster]

[Originally, he had heard the message via phone, but the Granger he knew wouldn't be waiting by it. He knew better. He didn't bother picking it up, and for a few hours he didn't bother moving to seek her out, either.

Actually, it was a bit of a coincidence that he found her in the park when he did. He was going to try and walk past her, but he couldn't. Not after something like that. If what Granger said was really true...that meant...

Hell.]

So what happens to those that are droned?

[action]

[inheritedtales]

[Damn. Draco was the last person she wanted to see, but it was nice to see a familiar undroned face. As much as she hated it. Brown eyes watched him skeptically as she held the wand in hand.

Biting down on her lip she considered telling him. Even if she didn't have a reason to like or trust him, droning was serious business and... His father had left recently. Setting her look an looking away, she considered a moment longer before speaking.]

We don't know. Before we assumed those who are permanently drone returned home, but after certain events in April... We can't deny the possibility that those who becomes drones are being used to power the town.

[action]

[wasthemaster]

[Hey, he's not much happier either. Still, he isn't exactly eager to walk off, though his eyes are trained on her wand. Have to remember, she, unfortunately, had the advantage here.]

How can a drone power the town though? They're...they're useless, aren't they? Going through the motions, not actually having life of their own?

What happened in April?

[action]

[inheritedtales]

[Hermione frowned. Shaking her head.] I wouldn't say useless, they're still living, after all. What I mean is... during the incidents of April, those who went inside the dairy found something-- a vat that powered the town. [Her brow furrowing she thought about the absurdity of it.] The energy that powered it were souls of those that became droned.

Too much happened in April, really. The highway out appeared almost at the same time as noise started coming from the Dairy. It was the first time I know of where we were assigned to kill each other... After a battle between two of the well known drones we were able to obtain all of our things again, just momentarily, of course... And an attack was launched on the town. When we thought it had ended and we could actually go home, well, they went and said it was all a practical joke. [She scowled, not wanting to release quite all the details of hat happened.] So with everything we learnedand how the town manipulates, we really can't be sure of anything anymore.