Shrieking Shack

Shrieking Shack
adeorange

The Shrieking Shack is an abandoned house in Adeorange that is believed to be haunted. Few dare to enter the house, even the ghosts of Adeothorne, for fear of the terrible creature that is rumored to live inside. Upon entry, one would see a decrepit home with peeling wallpaper and rotting wood.

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

Fionn walks up the hill, walking slightly behind Demi. He insisted on carrying all the food that they took from the feast at the Great Hall (the ghosts that raised him would be disappointed if he did not – he must be a *gentleman* at all times). It's not a bother anyway; it's not like there's very much and it isn't heavy at all. "Do you come here frequently?" he asks, curious, as they begin to approach the shack. It is very peaceful, which means already that he is a big fan of the place. Breakfast is Fionn's favorite meal of the day just because he can get up early and not have to deal with the masses of students; with dinner, it is less avoidable. At least now he can spend it with Demi somewhere quiet. "I like it. It is very you." He realizes soon enough that comparing a person to a dilapidated shack on a hill could be considered an insult, and quickly follows up with, "Very peaceful and calming."

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Demetra smiles to herself, tilting her face down and away from him. It's a small smile, but she is embarrassed nonetheless. Even when she faces him, turning her head around to do so, she seems oddly pleased with herself. "Once before, but not frequently," she tells him quietly. Conscious of the fact that he is trailing slightly behind her, she stops for a moment so they can be even with each other. She is usually slow, but is walking with some more determination tonight and is aware that she has long legs that tend to want to leave people in the dust. It is a common complaint among people named Aven. "I had thought of you too. I thought it would be thrilling to come here together." Her voice does not reflect much enthusiasm, but she cannot imagine coming here with anyone else. Who better to visit a mysterious building up on a hill than your best friend? It occurs to her that they might not be each other's best friends, but she does not care much if she is not his. Demi is not sure she can expect that from anyone. "What about this spot?" Stopping, she gestures at the surrounding area. It's a spot close to the Shrieking Shack, but far enough that her slow reflexes will still be able to spur into action and get her to safety if someone jumps out of it though she does doubt that will happen.

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

Fionn had been walking behind her to make sure he can support her should she trip or lose her balance, so when she slows down, he slows down the same amount to make sure that he is still a step behind. When he realizes she is trying to get them to walk beside one another, he decides that perhaps they are already done with their uphill journey anyway and joins her at her side. His reflexes are fast enough, anyway, that he should be able to catch her if she falls or something happens like that. Fionn sets down the food and blanket on the ground where Demi specifies then contemplates where he should sit. On one hand, if he sits closer to the shack, any attacker will be able to get him first instead of Demi. On the other, if he sits farther away from it, he is across her and will be able to see immediately if anything jumps out and can warn her to get away while he fends it off. He decides the latter seems more practical, and sits on the ground. "This is a good spot." he agrees, "I do think it is very thrilling being here with you." Fionn's voice does not sound very enthusiastic, it never does, but he is sincere. "I much prefer it to the Great Hall."

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Watching him get situated, she stares at him in curiosity though she appears unfazed. She wonders what is on his mind; it's a common thought of hers when things are silent. Silence does not bother her, but it does give more room for her to sit and mull over everything whether that is a good thing or not. When he sits, she sits opposite him, folding her legs underneath herself before deciding it would be more comfortable to extend her legs out and off to the side. A smile creeps onto her face when he agrees with her, believing it wholeheartedly because she does not see the point in lying. "I do too. Spending time together alone is far nicer," she comments thoughtfully, remembering all of the trouble they have trying to sit together in the dining hall. Everyone seems to shove them around, ignoring their obvious desire to be together. It usually upsets her more than it seems to bother him, but maybe she is clingy. "Eating here was a good idea. Thank you for- for bringing everything." It worries her that Fionn might find her to be a bit of a sloth, but he didn't complain- though she is learning he does not seem to complain about a lot of things he ought to complain more about. "Perhaps I can carry something on the trip to the castle."

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

"My aunt and uncle would have my head if they knew that I let a *lady* carry something I was perfectly capable of carrying myself." he says. He realizes he has never really explained his familial situation to Demetra before, but does not think there is any need to expound on it. He would, though, if she asked, because he is not ashamed of his upbringing. "But if you insist, they do not need to know." he adds, a small smile creeping onto his face. "I agree that spending time together is nicer. We tend to get separated during dinners at the Great Hall. At least now we do not need to worry about other people sliding in." He tells her this mostly because he wants to communicate that it *does* bother him as well, but he hasn't had the chance to bring it up naturally before. "This is much better. It is less suffocating."

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Demetra huffs quietly, appearing a bit saddened. For someone who often worries she burdens other people or at the very least relies too heavily upon them, she is concerned for a moment that he might not give into her. A good part of her does fancy his gentlemanly behavior, but she knows to at least put up a fuss. When he does, she smiles at him too. It's a small and seems forced as most of her smiles tend to though it is fairly genuine. "I do insist. It will be lighter too," she notes though it's something she regrets saying aloud. She cringes at herself as her gaze falls for the food, grabbing a roll to start picking apart in her fingers. "Generally, being in your company is un-suffocating. The world is less intense." Demi is honest and forward, not giving it much thought as she pushes a piece of bread into her mouth. After swallowing, she glances up at him again. "So, you live with your aunt and uncle then?" Questions can be difficult for her, but she does want to know more about his family. It wouldn't change their relationship though, so she doesn't care to press for it by actually questioning much.

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

"Not anymore." he says, not really knowing how to get into the topic. Every time he is asked, he feels it is better just explaining the whole tale, but because it is such a story, he always feels as if he is oversharing when he is just stating simple facts. He clears his throat. "I grew up with my great-great-great aunt and her husband. They're, er, ghosts and they raised me with the help of some house elves. It is a bit complicated. It is definitely unconventional, I will admit." He begins fiddling with his fingers because he feels awkward trying to explain, but he has never felt that Demetra would judge him for anything. "The Ministry gave my *living* uncle custody sometime after I turned eleven." It feels like a bit much explaining that the ghosts at the Manor apparently had full intentions to keep his Hogwarts letter from him and hide him away forever. Even Fionn himself forgets from time to time that it was a whole issue. "I still visit the house where I grew up from time to time, though. It's... nice. You should visit. Perhaps during the summer. I think you would like it there." The manor is very gloomy and dark, but he feels like Demetra would treat its residents kindly. "It's quiet there, too."

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Listening quietly, she stares at his hands for a good portion of his tale. Eye contact can be so crippling even when it's Fionn. He is full of this odd, soft intensity that really attaches itself to her heart when she stares for too long. "So, you were raised by ghosts," she states simply, eyes switching towards his again. Demetra seems unfazed though inside she is running through the logistics. It sounds wonderful in theory to be so alone, but when she processes it further, she has a well of sympathy in her chest. "Hm, I would be interested in visiting sometime. It would be nice seeing where you grew up- and meeting them." They must be such characters, having been trapped in this form for such a long time. They are clearly old-fashioned though and that seems exhausting. She puts another piece of bread in her mouth to give reason for her unresponsiveness, mulling over what she could offer him in exchange. "I doubt you would want to visit my house, but you are welcome over the summer at anytime... My mother has never minded my siblings' visitors." Demetra has never brought a friend over to her family's home before. It has always felt far more invasive than what her friendship with anyone really allowed, but she supposes her and Fionn are past that maybe. "I think it would be nicer to visit your old house though," she adds after a moment, smiling slightly.

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

"We can always visit both." he says, before feeling presumptuous that he had assumed that she would want to see him multiple times this summer. He is sure he would like to see her multiple times this summer, but that is because he finds Demetra very calming. He is not exactly sure if she feels the same way. Fionn knows it can be stressful interacting with him. "If that would be amenable to you." he adds quickly, "And if it would be okay with your family. I am not very confident that I will get along with your siblings." It is not meant as an insult at all – he has seen Aven in some classes and she is positively radiant. He is not sure how he would be able to keep up with that energy, though. "But I can try my best. *My* family would be thrilled to have you. My aunt, in particular, is always looking for a new person to listen to all her stories."

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Demetra does not mind that plan though her only concern is brought up by Fionn very soon after she begins to accept that he is interested. "We will have to then," she tells him, meaning it rather seriously. If for some reason they do not, it would disturb her beyond reason. Her relationship with her father was ruined off of what felt to be false promises and while Fionn is not promising anything to her, she is serious about what few plans she chooses to commit herself to. "I am worried you will find them overwhelming, but they are good people and they mean no harm." Though she loves her brother, she fears he is not necessarily a good person. However, all is fine for she is sure she is not far off from wherever he falls just off of her lack of action alone. "Still, perhaps you should visit when they are fewer of them around to bother us..." Her sisters will certainly go off on some adventure together, which would normally be time for her and her brother to sit in silence after a short period of catch-up. This would be an ideal time for Fionn to visit as long as it did not bother her brother that they were disturbing routine. Her thoughts don't let her dwell for very long again, forced into the pressure of- "Thrilled? Oh." For as unexpressive as she is, she seems delighted. "I am a good listener, or try to be. It can be difficult because of- though I am sure her stories are interesting."

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

"They are when you are not hearing them for the hundredth time." Fionn has been subject to the same stories for as long as he can remember. He is pretty sure he can recite them all just from memory, complete with voices, but of course he would never do such a thing lest he make a fool of himself. It will be nice hearing them again, though, if it means Demetra will be there, for he will be able to focus on her reactions instead. "I am sure I will manage to interact with your siblings regardless of how many there are. I am also a good listener and I would be happy to just sit and listen to Aven talk. She is very... bubbly. Her energy is very warm." He thinks that both Demetra and Aven are very warm in different ways. Being around Aven feels like standing under the sun, he thinks, while spending time with Demetra is more akin to being near a fireplace on a cold night. "Are your other siblings like her, too?"

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

A small, amused smile tugs at the corner of her lips, but she's forcing it down. Demi is easily one of the listeners in her family, often caught lounging around the wrong place at the wrong time and getting caught up in a whirlwind of some sibling squabble. Her time with them is often spent being spoken to, so yes, it often circles around to the same stories. She understands, and finds it quite amusing. She cannot imagine Fionn's predicament. "She *is* great," she says, seeming surprisingly confident in her statement. Aven is wonderful and easily one of the brightest people she has ever met. It is unfortunate that that is who she will be compared to until she dies because she isn't sure how she is meant to compare. For once, however, someone mentions her sister and she doesn't question if they would rather be with her though it does bring this unconscious anxiety to her stomach. "No, they are not. Mel is warm too, but she is maybe more outspoken. She would not have taken kindly to your notion that you should be the one to carry a woman's things." Her sister is half of the reason why she thought to say something at all. She admires her younger sister plenty. She is such a firecracker. "Kian is less so, but he is quieter and he can mind his own if he wishes to. I find him to be the most reasonable- and rather intelligent." Whether he is the most reasonable depends on the person, but Demetra finds him to be. She generally understands where her brother is coming from versus her sisters' perspectives tend to be rather disconnected from hers.

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

"To my knowledge, I haven't met interacted with either Kian or Mel but I am sure I will find them pleasant." Unless people are unreasonably loud or obnoxious or cruel for no particular reason, Fionn tends to think highly of most. He is not sure if that is just because it is the decent thing to do, but also after years of being tormented by his yearmates, the bar is pretty low to become friends with him. It mostly just takes basic human decency. Teenagers can be so horrible at times, he thinks, as if he is some sort of grumpy old man. Honestly, Fionn acts as if he is an old person trapped in a sixteen-year-old's body anyway. "It must be nice having siblings. My childhood was rather lonely." He did not get to interact with much children. There were no ghosts his age, though thank Merlin for that. It would be pretty depressing if there were. "I wasn't allowed to go out much." At all, really, but he does not want to paint such a grim picture of his younger years.

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

It is important to her that her siblings are found to be quite pleasant (as she finds them to be). Her siblings are incredibly important to her, and she can be quite protective especially considering she was the biggest until her brother chose to sprout up last summer. She is a poor protector, but she finds it within herself from time to time. Fionn is not of concern in that regard though. "I would still describe my childhood as rather lonely too." A small twinge of guilt hits her, and for a brief moment before she is able to collect herself, she appears to be a bit saddened. At least, more so than usual considering her lips are usually turned down into a small frown and she is often constantly on the verge of drowsy little tears. "I suppose I chose that," she adds, knowing she should be happier with how things turned out. Her family is wealthy, and she gets to travel during holidays. She has a family who loves her even if she drowns in their shadows. She is very privileged. Demetra falls silent as she considers this.

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

He wonders if he has struck a nerve and frowns. "You were a child. Whatever it is that led you to choose to distance yourself, I am sure it was valid. You cannot fault yourself for having felt lonely growing up. Many people do." he says, then thinks to himself quietly as if to give her control over whether or not she would like to further discuss this with him. Aven and Demi seem to be on good terms *now*, though, not that he thinks they were ever on terrible terms, so he decides to continue cautiously with, "But you are closer with your siblings now, yes?" It is very evident in the way that Demetra talks about them that she is fond of all three.

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Demetra frowns more when he does, staring at him for a moment before switching towards their food. Her hands pull at the sleeves of her sweater until her hands are concealed and the ends of her sleeves are twisted so it appears that they end in little nubs. "It is no better or worse than before," she claims though it has been noticeably worse since they all hit puberty. It had enabled her to draw in more among the harassment she started to face at the Academy. "I don't really dwell on it. There isn't a point to doing so, so," she stops, glancing over his shoulder as if to ensure no one is coming. Her head is starting to hurt, but that's presumably just anxiety. "It isn't a poor environment- I suppose it is a tad competitive for space. That is all. After all, that is what happens when you have four children so close in age to one another." Her voice is quiet as she speaks. Said situation has certainly scarred her from having children even with the magic involved. Isn't it true that twins are more likely to have twin children? When she decides it is time to turn the conversation to him, she opens her mouth and stops as it occurs to her she has said too much at once. She must sit there through his response, worrying and contemplating how she will accomplish this task when he is done.

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

Fionn had never really considered before what the downside would be to having siblings. He has longed for them all his life, though hearing Demetra talk like this about having siblings, when he knows she loves her siblings very much, is definitely shedding some light on the situation. "I see." he says, not really knowing what else to say. "I obviously have no experience having siblings, so I do not know if any of my input would be very valuable." he begins, "But I am sure things will get better with your siblings. I have read and heard a lot of stories about siblings that only really begin to appreciate one another and bond as they grew into adulthood. And even aside from that, Aven adores you. It is very obvious just seeing you two interact. I cannot speak for the other two, but I am sure they feel the same. The bonds between members of the same family are very strong." Fionn takes a bite from his dinner then looks back at the castle, admiring the view. He turns towards Demetra again before hesitantly saying, "I am sorry if the topic made you uncomfortable. That was not my intention."

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Demetra doesn't doubt whether or not her siblings love her, but she understands how her insecurities might come across that way. Not wanting to dwell on the topic, she doesn't correct him and figures he will come to understand it more over the course of their friendship. For a moment, she wonders how long their friendship will last, but her head starts to hurt as if she's straining for a vision and she stops. Demi wants to avoid prophecies about her own future. She prefers to get disconnected visions about random strangers she has never met. It is less serious then, and she worries far less. "It- It didn't," she stutters, but only because she suddenly remembered she had to say something. She nods at Fionn, but doesn't smile. Her face seems content though. "There isn't much to apologize for." Hopefully he believes her. Demi gets nervous when people try to apologize to her. Sounding rather uninterested as she usually does, she begins her attempt at a redirection though it does come from genuine interest. "Would you mind telling me more about your upbringing? A story, perhaps. I do not need...overtly personal details," she says as an attempt at being comforting. She finds people prying scary and the last thing she wants is to give him those same nerves. "And of course you do not need to should you not want to."

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

Fionn is silent for a couple seconds as he goes through his childhood rather quickly in his head. "For my tenth birthday, one of my uncles – " More like great-great-great-great uncle, but he is sure that Demetra understands. " – told me it was time to learn how to be a man." Fionn scrunches up his face just thinking about it. "A true man, apparently, does not need a wand to best his opponent. So, he had Blinky, one of our house elves, fetch the two swords that adorned the wall on top of the fireplace in our library." Fionn lets out a soft chuckle. "I was barely taller than it. It was so heavy." he says. Fionn is still a bit short until now – many of the boys who bully him tend to tower over him and that's what makes it so easy for them to pick on him. "I told him I couldn't do it, and he kept insisting that I needed to learn how to defend our home from pirates." Ghosts can really be so ridiculous at times. "He kept challenging me to a duel, but all I could do was lug the sword around. Could barely even lift it. It was fine though, because every time he tried to slash at me, it would just pass through." Fionn cringes, but his expression is fond. "He looked so defeated, I felt so bad." There is a bit more to this story, but he looks over to Demetra again to gauge her reaction... Or maybe just check if she is still awake.

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Shifting, she brings her knees up closer to her chest as she listens. Her head rests down in her hands and she stares at him intently. Her eyes drift across his face to capture his expression as he talks. Fionn is such a beautiful boy, she thinks. "Sword fighting for your tenth birthday?" A bit of impressed flair hits the tone of her voice and her eyebrows just barely raise above their normal state, expressing wonder. Demetra doesn't believe he's pulling her leg, but oh, how ridiculously odd that is. She supposes Fionn is quite ridiculously odd, but so is she and it allows for a rather harmonious friendship. She smiles slightly, but the moment teeth begin to show, she bites down on her lip. "I am sure you were a...*αξιολάτρευτος*- eh, adorable child." A flood of embarrassment washes over her, but the tide withdraws soon after. He has never judged her when her vocabulary becomes jumbled, so for once she does not feel the need to stammer through explaining. "Hm, sword fighting," she mumbles, obviously to herself as she tries to picture the scene more in her head.

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

"Yes, sword fighting." Fionn confirms. Hearing the Greek slip from her mouth makes the corner of Fionn's lips quirk up in a smile. The only language aside from English he knows is Latin, but even he knows that it is useless and unnecessarily pretentious knowing a dead language. Perhaps it will be a solid foundation for learning more languages in the future, though, but Fionn does not believe he will ever be in a situation that will require him to leave the country or require such skill. "Last summer, I returned for my sixteenth birthday. I typically spend my birthdays at the Manor, anyway." he continues. The uncle he lives with now does not really do much for him aside from order his favorite cake, which is amazing and makes him feel loved, but it pales in comparison to the elaborate celebrations that the ghosts at Blackwood Manor put together. Fionn himself is not a fan of such grand festivities but he would feel bad letting all their effort go to waste. Besides, it gives them a less morbid reason to celebrate. "And I saw this uncle of mine again and he asked me if Hogwarts had been providing me with an avenue to practice my swordsmanship." Fionn scoffs just thinking about it, but he is amused. "I lied and said yes so he would not be so heartbroken. We dueled again and this time I managed to swing around the sword a bit and actually pretend like they were clanging into each other. It took a lot of effort, but he seemed happy." Fionn sighs contentedly. "I let him win. He said that it was the most exciting afternoon of his afterlife. I fear the next time I return he will expect another duel, but I suppose I shall manage the situation when I get there."

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Demetra's ears absorb every word with fascination. Her lips pull up into a smile when he sighs happily and she glances down at their food while he finishes. "How wonderful that you were able to give him such a good time. The next time will not disappoint," she tells him earnestly. He will figure it out. He did last time, and also Fionn seems rather adept at figuring out ghosts and how to appeal to them. Presumably, this is easier done with family too. Demi wonders if his uncle would be upset with losing, but her mind gets bogged down trying to figure out how to phrase the question appropriately and she remains silent on it instead. "Since you let him win, perhaps this means you can defend your home from pirates," she comments, amused with herself. "Or, at the very least, us and our dinner." For a brief moment, an odd smile appears on her face as if she is about to laugh at herself, but the energy goes nowhere as if her soul is preventing it from bubbling up past the surface. Her eyes immediately start to feel heavy and appear glossy. "Your next birthday is when?"

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

"July 7th. During the summer." he answers. He sees no reason why Demetra will be unable to celebrate with him, which he realizes is rather presumptuous, but also Fionn tends to get ahead of himself when he is excited about things. Perhaps that is why it was easy for people to pretend to be his friend when he was younger, and though he has become more suspicious of others and their intentions since growing older, there is still no denying that he is lonely and it would be nice to spend his birthday with someone living, breathing, and his age. He will ask her if she is free and able to spend the day with him once the day is closer. It would just depress him if something were to happen to their friendship, then he would have to wallow about all of these plans that did not push through. "I apologize again for not knowing it was your birthday the other week. You should have told me."

Demetra Eliades

gryffindor, seventh year
ateleia

Demetra nods in acknowledgement, knowing she will not forget what has now become a very important day to her. She too wonders if he would want to spend some time with her then because she would be rather excited to do so, but she doesn't offer since that would be indescribably odd to invite herself. "There was never a time in which it was important," she answers quietly. Her lips turn down into the smallest of frowns as she stares at him. Demi has never celebrated her birthday to truly make herself happy, nor has she ever found it to be very special. "I appreciated what we were able to do. It was all I had wanted." It was peaceful and relaxing, leaving her wanting to melt into the ground they sat on. She had felt warm in that moment- in his presence. Fionn is an excellent friend. Having him around was all she could have wished for. If they are still friends when she turns eighteen, which she certainly hopes will be the case, she supposes he could go to the dinner with her siblings. "It didn't disappoint by any means," she finishes before she begins rubbing her face and her legs slip from their previous position up against her chest. When she pulls her fingers away, her vision is blurry and her eyes are watery. Her heart starts to race anxiously, but she can't spur herself into action against the inevitable.

Fionn Blackwood

begonia, seventh year
paintedred

As if on instinct, Fionn immediately begins setting aside a space for Demi to rest, taking off his sweater and rolling it up so she can use it as a pillow. She has fallen asleep enough times in class for him to recognize the signs. "I am glad to hear that our time together did not disappoint." he says. He does not make any remark on what is happening, but fishes a book out of the bag he brought with him so that he may do something while waiting for her to wake up. He does not particularly mind staying here with her – just being around Demetra is calming, whether or not she is awake. As she begins to drift off, he decides to maybe read the first chapter out loud so that she will at least have the Great Gatsby to fall asleep to. "In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had..."