Bitter Memories=Open=

[sarahulalume]

The morning was quickly approaching, the sky above was turning purple and orange with the rising of the sun and its impressive lighting effects reflected upon the cloudy atmosphere. There was a loud popping noise in the local Hogsmeade Inn as Sarah returned from her night's wanderings with an apparition. She had purposely appeared standing atop the rented room's bed. With a sorrowful gasp, she let herself fall backwards. And she lay upon the bed for some time. Sarah laughed desperately as she recalled the first time she had tried to apparate from the Inn, during her fifth year, she had splinched herself good. The Inn Keeper had been so understanding though. And now the two had worked out a deal.
Sarah didn't like going away from Hogwarts for any reason, but she had to be in the Leaky Cauldron in case some news of her parents was brought there. After that, she'd usually wander the streets of London. Searching for something, but not knowing exactly what it would be. She liked Hogwarts alot, but since her parents and brother disappeared 10 years ago, Sarah felt empty. She had no clues about where to find them. Only her father's body had been found, what happened to the other two was a complete mystery.
Soon, the morning's sunlight was beating across Sarah's face. She had dozed off and hadn't realized it until she suddenly grew warm. Using a mild curse word, Sarah got up off the bed quickly and pulled her maroon cloak around her shoulders as she went through the door, using silent magic to propel it open and close it again. Sarah gave a slight smile to the Bar Keeper and left a few Galleons on the counter for him. The Bar Keeper in turn handed her a glass vial. "Try it. My very own concoction. Will give even the laziest troll enough energy to raid the old castle." Sarah laughed drily at his joke. He meant nothing by it, but seemed incapable of doing much else besides cracking them. She would usually only retort these days now if he proved creative enough to have a new one.
Joking aside, Sarah knocked back the vial and let a fraction of the liquid pour over her lips and down her tongue. She coughed for air as the vile taste gripped her tongue. "Ugh. It's horrible." Sarah wasn't exaggerating. "But thank you." The Bar Keeper laughed at her and nodded. "But it will work. Don't take too much at one time. Off to school with you now. Before my customers see you getting free drinks." Sarah rolled her eyes at the Bar Keeper and began to trudge over to the door. Sore, as always, when she came back to Hogsmeade with no news at all about her family's mysterious disappearances and death. She called back to him with a false cheerfulness, turning her head slightly. "I'll see you tonight."

[morgana]

Morgana had many habits and hobbies. For one, she enjoyed her extensive monetary collection. She was also fond of brewing potions and other forms of liquid. Even though she was by far most skilled at making potions, Morgana's favorite hobby was gossiping. And that is where she was hurrying to on this sombre morning. She had set an appointment with the Inn's keeper to compare and talk about potions, but his bar was untidy and scant. So she had been resolved to dodge the engagement. However, her nose had just detected to some exciting rumours.

Their last talk, the Inn-keeper and Morgana, had covered wide subjects. But she had remembered him babbling something about a Peverell and unmasking their killer. Morgana had thought nothing of it at the time. She had come to see the Peverells as quiet, weak people. Undeserving of much attention. Morgana knew that someone was injured or in a sorry state, for the woman had asked for number of different tonics. So she grew a bit too over curious and read Mrs. Crouch's mind. She used legilimens to find out about a derelict man calling himself Peverell being housed by the Crouch's.

Morgana threw open the door to the tavern. She scowled at Sarah Peverell coldly. "Out of the way, worthless child." Morgana threw out a hand and pushed Sarah away, being unfamiliar with the Peverells, Morgana had no clue who she had just shoved away. Morgana's scowl dissapeared as she approached the Bar keeper. She leaned over the counter and began speaking to him hurriedly. "Gerhard! Not this time, its much too early. Just give me a water." Morgana responded to his offer of a drink. "Now, remember that silly, little Peverish clan you was telling me about last week? I found out that Mrs. Crouch found a lad calling himself Pever- What? Speak up, Gerhard."

The Bar keeper shook his head and spoke, trying not to draw Sarah's attention. "Peverell, Madam." On her urging, he corrected her more loudly however. "Ehem. Sorry. They're the Peverells." He nodded solemnly, more toward Sarah than Morgana and motioned for her to sit at a table with a nod of his head.

Morgana shuddered in a slight panic at having made a mistake. "Egh. Right. Perhaps. Well, a lad calling himself Peverell needed a number of different tonics. Seems he's being chased by persons using terribly dark magic by the tonics she asked for. Apparently, the Crouch's got him holed up there. I tried to get the Missus to take me to see him. So I can apply the tonics myself and check to see if the boy hadn't knocked his head too hard or some other such. She wouldn't let me. Said I already knew too much. What do you make of that?"

[sarahulalume]

Morgana's sudden appearance framed in the grey doorway, frightened Sarah. It wasn't Morgana's features that scared her, the witch was beautiful, it was the look on Morgana's face that made Sarah give a slight tremble in fear. When Morgana pushed her out of the way, Sarah did not fight back. "Hey!" was all she could think to say. Morgana seemed intent to ignore her, so Sarah was about to leave when the rude witch began to mouth off to the Inn Keeper as well. Sarah thought the woman was absolutely mad, but then she heard the bar keeper's silent response. Followed by an apology and a repeat in a louder voice.
Peverell, Sarah was not used to hearing her last name in the magical community. It wasn't a common one at these times. Sarah looked at the bar keeper with an accusing glare. He had been talking about her. Sarah wondered how much the Inn Keeper had divulged. The man seemed to be signalling for her to sit, so Sarah did so. She listened to Morgana's tale, her back now to the two potion makers.
Sarah listened intently to Morgana's words; Peverell on the run, injured by dark spells, hiding at the Crouchs. Although Sarah was growing excited, Morgana brought her back to reality suddenly with the reasoning that as the boy in question was beat up, he could have been delusional or pretending to be someone else. Sarah's shoulders shrank. Even if he was truly a Peverell, it was not likely this man was her brother, Sion. He could be a cousin, and that would mean she would want to stay away from him.
When Morgana had stopped espousing rumours about the mystery Peverell, Sarah got up quickly and made for the exit at a jog. There was too much to consider. She was happy that she had finally received word of relatives, but sad that she could not act on it. Not only did she fear it was a cousin, Sarah was not familiar enough with the Crouch's to randomly approach them to visit someone who was supposed to be their secret.
As she exited, Sarah ran to the border of the Forbidden Forest. There she leaned against a tree, tears were welling up in her eyes as she pondered on what actions should be taken. She had hoped that she had never heard this rumour, to find out it was Sion would make her so dissapointed she didn't know what she'd do. But happy still because now she had something to plot about. First, she might ask around about the Crou-
Sarah thrust herself away from the tree and spun around quickly to see someone approaching close behind her. She stared at the person in bewilderment and even though she was reminded that she was supposed to be at classes in an hour, Sarah still considered it a non-priority. "Hello. Classes start in an hour, don't they?" Sarah tried to hide the shakiness of her voice as she wiped at her tears, trying to be discreet about it.

[colepotter]

Cole emerged from under his hooded cloak with a grin on his face. He had been searching all night for the Head Girl. He was aware that she was in a sad state, but that fact would have to wait. For Cole had had an idea. He approached Sarah quickly and threw an arm around her neck. "Come now, Princess. You know I've no need for classes. Most of our Professors are talentless hacks. The rest only teach me in the afternoons."

Cole began to led Sarah back toward the castle regardless of what he'd just said. He shuddered at the thought of the Forbidden Forest, but knew the caretaker would be patrolling the main gate by now. "Now, there is a dinner coming up. My mother is playing hostess. Surely, you'll be coming with me? Anyway, you'll need a gown. We should go pick one up next weekend." Cole fell silent as they approached on the borders of the forest. He hated coming through here. But for stealth purposes, it was sometimes necessary.

[sarahulalume]

Sarah was shocked into paralysis at Cole's appearance. He always seemed to know where she was, yet she could never develop the same ability to tell where he would be at any moment. She was able to keep some secrets from him; although he did know of her cloak of invisibility he was not aware of where she could go with it. Even though Cole was distant with Sarah about his own habits and preferences, it was obvious that he considered her as sort of a collectable. Sarah knew that it was really only her name and possession of the cloak that drew his attention, but it was alot more attention than anyone else gave her. So it would suffice for now.
Sarah recognized Cole's discomfort with coming into the forest's borders. He led her in, despite his fear. Sarah was hardly concerned, this was a good place as any to die. "Of course I will. Your parents are so kind to me." Sarah smiled, forgetting for now what she had heard in the dirty barroom. Before she had began her nightly missions for clues of her family, Cole was Sarah's only source of stability and solace. "Very well."

[colepotter]

Cole forced himself forward at a quicker pace, dragging Sarah along with him. He could feel the weight of the moisture from the tree leaves as they came under the foliage. There was no denying that Cole would be shaking wildly if it weren't for his rapid pace. "My parents are kind to anyone with a large inheritance. It is the way of us Potters. You are brave and beautiful, what is not to like?" Cole heard a ticking noise and nearly jumped. However, he continued on. Holding Sarah at his side. "I think it is safe enough for that cloak. No one will be here but dumb animals." Cole could tell that his speech and movement had lost its usual charm. He would be glad to be rid of this place.

[sarahulalume]

Sarah had little fear of the Forest. It was a place of beauty or pity more than fear in her opinion. Although Sarah was no mistress of mind manipulation, even she could see her boyfriend's fear. Sarah stayed close to him, their arms locked around one another as they travelled. "Yes. I agree. Hold on." Sarah loosened her grip on Cole and drew the invisibility cloak from under her visible cloak. Swiftly, with a single movement, Sarah unfolded and threw the cloak over both of them. "Ah much better." Sarah pretended to be relieved for Cole's confidence. Truthfully she doubted the cloak would save them if something was really hungry. She figured the cloak would soon lose its powers. It was very old for an invisibility cloak. She sometimes wondered how it had lasted as long is it had. The only conclusion she could reach was that the spell was simply re-applied as it wore.

[colepotter]

Cole pulled the cloak around him as soon as he could. He then crouched slightly so his feet wouldn't be revealed under the cloak. Cole looked over at Sarah. He drew her close to him as they went on. "About the cloak, if you don't mind. Could I use it?" Cole made constant use of Sarah's cloak to get around undetected and get information of people. He didn't know why he liked digging up dirt on people but it was fun nonetheless. "I also have a surprise for you. It is in Hogsmeade. That is also where I went. To help prepare it. You're going to like it!" Cole chuckled.