Silent Year

Yeah...sorry it took so long. ^^; But here's chapter thirteen! I wanted to upload this on Friday...but things didn't work out that way. So, anyway,we'll get the wonderful questions done and then start the chapter! ^_^.

Question #1: Dumbledore had to have bribed Karkaroff right? There's no way Karkaroff would stand up for Quiari on his own, right?
Actually, in a moment of clarity, Karkaroff did stand up for Quiari. ^_^.

Question #2: Why was Quiari still punished even though Karkaroff got permission to send her to Hogwarts?
Because the white robed figures suck! Who's with me?! ...well, yes, anyway. The reason for that is explained in the chapter below.

Question #4: And commoners can't mingle with princes?
Yes, I know, a very medieval idea. But that goes to show exactly how far back these people's mindsets are.

Okay! End questions! Here is the lovely chapter thirteen!
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Chapter Thirteen: Little, Tragic, Fairies

It was at dinner that Quiari returned; she stepped quietly into the Great Hall without hesitance. She walked through the rows of the tables briskly; she was in a red sweater vest and her long black skirt. Her high heels were back on, and they clacked on the stone. The doors had been fixed, as well as the tables and benches, and the people from Durmstrang were gone except for Hazelton, he remained. Dumbledore stood up and Quiari stood quietly in front of the staff table.

She bowed and turned to go.

“Now just a minute!” exclaimed Madame Pomfrey, jumping to her feet, and Quiari stopped. Her face was carefully blank, with no emotion even in the eyes. “Where do you think you’re going?” Pomfrey was pissed. Quiari said nothing. “There’s no way I’m letting you go back to that school.” Pomfrey hissed the word ‘school’ out as if it were a disease. Quiari took a step forward. “Don’t you walk away from me! Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?!” Quiari stopped dead, her eyes wide, and she brought her right arm up to grasp her left, her knuckles turning white.

Dumbledore spoke now, and his voice was stern. “Madame, that is enough.” He said, but Pomfrey didn’t seem to hear him. Quiari grabbed both arms and ran out of the Great Hall. Tears fell after her and crystallized into ice, shattering on the floor. The doors slammed shut after her, and Dumbledore let out a held breath. “May I speak with you in private?” Dumbledore’s voice was pleasant enough, and he led Madame Pomfrey to his office. He shut the door with a snap behind him. “That girl’s parents, are dead.” Said Dumbledore matter-of-factly. Madame Pomfrey’s mouth formed an ‘O’ of astonishment and her eyes went wide. Dumbledore continued.

“Seven years ago, to be exact. And they died with tainted souls, after murdering half of their village.” Madame Pomfrey made her way shakily to a seat. “To make matters worse, they’d done it on behalf of their half-breed daughter, or Quiari. As consequence, they were tortured and disgraced and then they were executed slowly, piece by piece. Quiari watched the entire process. How do I know? I was there with her.” Dumbledore kept his voice calm and even, and he answered the question forming in Pomfrey’s mind. “In Quiari’s society, dying with honor is everything, and if you die with a tainted heart, the responsibility falls onto the children. That’s why Quiari can’t speak, and that’s why she’s going back to Durmstrang. Now, as Quiari’s godfather, I cannot allow such behavior towards her.” Madame Pomfrey spoke softly.

“I…I am sorry…” her voice was weak, and she looked as if she’d been knocked senseless. “Then I would suggest finding Quiari and apologizing to her. Mention nothing of this to anyone, including Quiari.” Madame Pomfrey stood up and walked numbly out of Dumbledore’s office. The door shut softly behind her and she made her way down the stairs. She went up to the Hospital Wing quietly, no longer with an appetite, and she went into her office and collapsed into a chair.

As for Quiari, she ran out into the night, just running wherever her feet took her. The snow didn’t seem to bother her, neither did the deathly chill that wanted to wrap its icy fingers around her throat and choke her. Se ran through the Forbidden Forest, tears still streaming out behind her, and she just ran, holding her arms. She stopped after a while, not exhausted, but trying to get a grip on herself, and she wiped her eyes. She stood still, letting out a long breath, and she put her hand to her head, leaning back against a tree. She slid down the bark of the tree and curled into a ball, the moonlight illuminated the forest, casting a shining light down on Quiari where she sat curled, and she hid her face in her arms on top of her knees. The little dragon peered out of her shirt and then crawled up onto her arms. It tilted its head and chirped, Quiari looked up. “I’m sorry, little one…I just…”

Quiari looked away before sighing.

“I...I think I miss them, is all.” The dragon squeaked and then sniffed, sending out a bit of ice. Quiari closed her eyes and then lifted her hand. A small dome rose out of the snow, a small snow cave, and she crawled into the small space quietly. The dragon curled up beside her. “We will return in the morning…” she said quietly, and then she pulled her knees to her chest and closed her eyes. The realm of sleep was waiting for her, and she slipped into the void easily, as if she had known how to sleep for her entire life.

She exhaled, a puff of silvery smoke, and her eyes fluttered open. The little dragon was grumbling slightly…wait, the ground was moving. She sat up quickly, nearly falling off of the broad back that held her, and the centaur stopped. “You took your time waking up, little fairy. I was just about to drop you.” His voice was deep and soft. A quiver of arrows sat proudly on his back, and the bow was clutched in a slender hand. Quiari blinked her eyes a few times and then shook her head, looking at the loose black ponytail and the black fur. “It’s no use running, little fairy, you could never escape me. I’m Ben Arald; my hooves are the swiftest in the forest.” The centaur’s voice was cold and quiet; he hissed his words out, full of spite. Quiari stayed quiet, but shook her head. The centaur didn’t turn his head.

She merely switched positions so she was no longer curled on his back. She sat straddled across his back and the centaur continued walking with a nod. “I thought you were dead, little fairy. Unfortunately I was wrong. You were still breathing, which surprised me.” Growled the centaur, and Quiari stiffened. The centaur kept walking, as if oblivious. Quiari kept her eyes focused on the back of his head. “Don’t worry, little fairy, I’m not going to eat you…yet.” Said the centaur; Quiari stared at him, and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. The centaur took a few more steps and stepped into a sunlit glade.

Here the snow had melted, and it seemed that magic had made grass grow. Quiari’s eyes widened in wonder at the small waterfall that fell into a shimmering pool. The centaur dumper her unceremoniously on the ground, and Quiari rubbed her tailbone. The little dragon hissed at the centaur’s turned back and flew over to wrap around Quiari’s neck, indulging in the sunlight. The centaur turned away. “You smell horrid, little fairy.” Said the centaur, disappearing into the trees, and Quiari waited a few moments to make sure he was indeed gone before stripping out of her sweaty clothes. She’d been worrying so much, and she’d seemed too hot in the little snow cave she had made.

The water was icy, but she just slipped into the deep pool without hesitation. She pulled the ribbon from her hair, her feet barely touching the bottom of the pool, and she pulled her hair from the braid. It drifted on the surface of the water behind her, and she lowered herself slightly so that her mouth was below the surface of the water. She let out a sigh and then let her head slip beneath the surface. She washed her hair out as best she could with her fingers, and she emerged with silver hair instead of white. The little dragon was swimming around in the icy water, enjoying it immensely. She ran her fingers through her hair, not encountering any tangles, and then she braided it quickly over her shoulder. She tied it with the black ribbon and then the sounds of the centaur approaching sounded out.

“Little fairy, I have the food. Of course, it’s probably not as good as what you’re used to.” He called and his voice was hostile. Quiari nearly leapt out of the water and made a fresh set of clothes appear. She made the dirty ones disappear. The centaur came into the area after a few minutes of silence, bearing two bowls filled with greens, and Quiari looked at his face. There were five scars going across the left side of the centaur’s face. While one eye was a dark blue, the one with the scars going over it was almost white. The centaur looked away, hiding behind his long black bangs. “What’re you lookin’ at?” He walked forward, shoving one of the bowls into Quiari’s hands. He turned away directly afterward and walked back over to the trees. He kept his face turned away and ate the grass in the bowl quietly. “You’re pretty weak, for a little fairy.”

Quiari looked away and then sat down on the ground. She picked up a berry from the bowl and popped it into her mouth. She offered another berry to the dragon and the little one took the berry into her mouth. She stood up and held her arm down to the dragon. The dragon swirled up her arm and into her sweater vest, popping her head out of Quiari’s cleavage. She blushed slightly before bowing to the centaur. She turned to go. “Leaving already, little fairy?” he asked, and she stopped. “I suppose you fairies have more important things to do…” Ben’s voice was filled with forced calm, and he’d bowed his head so that he faced the ground. “After all, it’s to be expected. Go ahead and leave.” Quiari stood silent for a few moments more before she turned and walked back to the centaur. She stood in front of him, he didn’t look up. Of course, that didn’t matter, he towered over Quiari about a foot. She leaned forward, looking up, and she caught the centaur’s eyes.

She smiled slightly.

“I am no fairy.” She said quietly, and then turned away from him. She walked towards the trees and stepped lightly onto the snow. She walked quietly and lightly atop the snow. Ben was not as quiet in his following. His hooves crunched the snow beneath him as his weight brought him down through the snow. Quiari kept her back to him and kept walking, always keeping a good twenty feet between them. She came to the edge of the forest easily, stopping and looking at Hogwarts before taking in a deep breath and taking a step forward out of the forest. “Hey, Quiari!”

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And there you have chapter thirteen! I apologize again for it being late. ^^; Anyway, please leave a review or questions, they are greatly appreciated. ^_^. ~Nezumi-kun~