Twinsensibility Part Twenty One

[dysonrules]

I realize it's no longer Twinsday, nor possibly even Twursday in some places... could be Twiday. *headdesk* I blame my evil computer for conspiring against me yesterday.

The image in the crystal ball was elusive at first, swirling with the mist as Maribeth concentrated. She frowned when the picture went completely dark, wondering if something had gone wrong, but then a pale flash caught her eye and she realized Lorcan was in bed with the curtains drawn.

She peered into the crystal, trying to make out details. As if in response to her desire, the image brightened somewhat, giving her a better view of Lorcan’s beautiful face and bare torso. Her eyes drank in the scene, until she noticed the arm lying across Lorcan’s chest. A spike of pure rage caused the image to blur and then fade completely.

Lorcan was not alone. In his bed.

Maribeth nearly gnashed her teeth in fury. Who dared? It had to be some Ravenclaw girl, someone with easy access to the boys’ dormitory.

She took several calming breaths and tried to steady herself. She focused once more until the scene returned. The interloper was blond, that much was obvious, but her face was turned away—only the curls were visible. As she watched, Lorcan raised a hand and touched the mass of blond hair in a tender gesture that made her heart clench.

Not just a random fuck, then, but someone Lorcan cared about.

Maribeth pulled her hands away from the smooth crystal and mentally flipped through a list of Ravenclaw girls. There were only a handful of blonds. Frankly, she could picture Lorcan with none of them. She sighed and admitted that she could picture him with no one but her.

She put her hands back on the globe and shifted her attention elsewhere, scanning pictures of possible futures, looking for something she could use. It took some time, but she was learning patience.

~~~~~~

Lorcan walked beside Lysander, who chattered away about his latest success in Transfigurations, despite the fact that Lorcan had been in class and witnessed the feat firsthand. Lysander always seemed to believe that even though Lorcan was present he seldom paid attention and, therefore, required frequent recaps.

“And poof! There it was!” Lysander said excitedly and gestured with his hands.

“Really? There was a poof? I don’t remember any poof,” Lorcan said dryly, but with a fond tone that caused Lysander to glance at him sidelong.

“I distinctly recall a poof,” Lysander insisted.

Lorcan snorted. “You’re a poof.”

Lysander poked him in the ribs with a long finger. “Takes one to know one.”

Lorcan stopped walking and reached out, intending to pull Lysander close with an arm around his shoulders, but a sharp yell made him pause.

“Look out!” someone screamed and then an invisible force slammed into Lorcan. He clutched at Lysander and missed, but noticed his brother being similarly pushed. They flew backward and landed together.

A huge stone ploughed into the ground where they had stood moments before. Several accompanying smaller stones thudded to the earth next to it and a cloud of dust rose up, drifting toward them. Lorcan coughed as he scrambled to his feet. He hauled Lysander up by a grip on his biceps.

“Are you all right?” he demanded.

Lysander nodded. “You?” His eyes travelled upward and Lorcan followed his gaze to the stone walkway overhead that had crumbled away and nearly crushed them.

“Are you okay?” someone called and Lorcan stopped considering the broken overhang to note the Slytherin robes worn by the girl hurrying toward them.

“Fine,” Lysander replied with a grin. “Thanks for saving us.”

“Indeed. That was... fortuitous,” Lorcan added and adjusted his sunglasses to peer at her suspiciously. She looked vaguely familiar. Mary... something.

“Thank Merlin!” she said. “I was just there, gathering dandelion root, when I heard your voices. I looked over and saw the bridge crumbling. We should write our parents and demand they do something about this old school!”

Lysander smirked and jabbed Lorcan with an elbow. Lorcan scowled, but said, “Yes. A fine suggestion. Thank you again for your assistance.” He fully planned to take Lysander’s arm and drag him away, but his brother stuck out his hand toward the girl.

“I’m Lysander Scamander,” he said. “And this is my brother, Lorcan.”

“Oh, I know,” she replied and took Lysander’s hand to give it a sturdy shake. “I’m Maribeth Coventry.”

She released Lysander’s hand before Lorcan could take issue and snatched up his, instead. Lorcan frowned when she squeezed and pumped it a few times before wrapping her other hand around his knuckles. He glanced at Lysander, who only grinned at him. If Maribeth had shaken Lysander’s hand so intimately, Lorcan would probably have hexed her senseless.

He wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed or not by Lysander’s lack of jealousy. Was he simply confident in their relationship or did he just not care?

Maribeth finally released his hand, but she still stood far too near. Her eyes travelled over Lorcan’s face and he studied her reluctantly. She had light brown hair cut in a wispy shag that was not at all flattering to her thin face.

Her lips were almost nonexistent, even though she had outlined them with a deep red pencil, and her nostrils seemed far too large for her nose. Each one was a long, dark slash and Lorcan mentally measured them for a moment before considering her eyes, which were her only attractive feature. They were a deep blue colour, almost indigo, framed by thick black lashes. She had drawn attention to them by heavy application of black eyeliner; Lorcan thought she might look better without makeup.

Slytherin girls seemed to find it necessary to go wild with cosmetics, as though trying to hide beneath the powder and rouge.

“...going to tell the Headmistress about this,” she was saying. “Would you like to come along?”

“No,” Lorcan said bluntly, but Lysander elbowed him again.

“Of course, we would,” Lysander said. “After all, we were nearly killed.”

Maribeth fairly beamed and she nodded happily.

“Lead on, lovely Slytherin,” Lysander said dramatically. She giggled and turned toward the school. The boys trailed her and Lysander leaned close to Lorcan.

“I think she has a bit of a crush on you,” he murmured.

“Shut up,” Lorcan said.

Lysander chuckled. “I think it’s cute,” he said and made quiet kissing noises until Lorcan gave him a smack on the shoulder. Maribeth glanced back at them and her steps faltered.

Lysander grinned at her and waved, so she continued moving. Lysander leaned in to whisper in Lorcan’s ear once more. “Just remember you’re mine.”