Blood is Thicker than Water. (Ursa & Clutch)

[Ursarion]

Tenebris opened her eyes and groaned quietly, squinting against the harsh sunlight streaming in through the open curtains. Usually, they were closed, but apparently one of her dorm mates thought it was far too beautiful a morning to keep the light out. Despite the fact that people were still sleeping, Tenebris could hear chatter close by, and knew immediately that it was Olivia, the dorm chatterbox. She had probably been the one to open the damned curtains as well. Growling as she sat up in bed, Tenebris peered around the room, looking for Olivia, before letting her gaze rest on the carpet. Taking a moment to gather the energy, Tenebris stood and made her way to the window, closing the curtains with a loud "whoosh!".

Grabbing her bathroom bag, Tenebris stomped out of the dorm room and through the common-room, making her way past Olivia, and to the girls' bathroom. Hanging her bag on a nearby hook, Tenebris turned the hot water on in one of the empty showers before stripping. Shivering as the cold air touched her skin, Tenebris walked into the stall and shut the curtain behind her, letting the hot water wash over her naked body, soothing her and warming her at the same time. Olivia would have to be spoken to, for sure, but for the moment, Tenebris would leave her be.

After showering, Tenebris did a quick drying spell on her hair before brushing it and getting dressed in her clean uniform. It was the first day back to classes, and she was looking forward to it. She would be taking at least two classes with Lucian, her brother, this year. Despite being in different years, Tenebris had advanced enough in her schoolwork to be able to take a few classes with the older students. Mainly Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions. She hadn't double checked schedules yet, mainly because they hadn't been given out. But she was confident about taking classes with older students. Besides, Lucian would be there.

Slipping into her sweater, Tenebris grabbed her bag and swung it over her shoulder before making her way out of the common-room and to the dining hall, where breakfast was being served. Taking a seat at the Ravenclaw table, Tenebris began to fill her plate with breakfast foods, waiting on Lucian to arrive.

 

[Clutch]

Seventh year had started uneventfully. After the usual ride on the Hogwarts Express, Lucian had dinner in the Great Hall, watched the sorting ceremony and then headed off to bed. His last year at Hogwarts was bittersweet. On one hand, he would be able to pursue a career outside of the school, perhaps even following in his father's footsteps by working for the Ministry. On the other hand, he knew he was going to have to leave Tenebris behind. He had shadowed his sister since she was a first year, making sure she stayed out of trouble. He felt a connection with her that he didn't feel for anyone else and he probably spent far too much time spying on her than he should have.

Lucian's morning started with the sound of his owl, Shiloh, bringing his post. The scraping of his talons on his window woke him and he groggily walked over to the window to retrieve it before giving Shiloh a pat atop his head before sending him away. It was just a letter from his muggle friend from back home. She'd been enamored with wizard post and found it hard to believe that one of her letters could reach him via owl.

He stowed the letter in his nightstand drawer and then made his way to the shower. He changed into his robes and made his way down to the Great Hall a little later than most of his housemates. When he saw an open seat beside Tenebris, he planted himself there and gave her a smile.

"Good morning, Tenebris," he said, his voice still a little hoarse. He hadn't slept all that well and his hair was a bit disheveled even after having showered, damp from having used a towel rather than a drying spell.

 

[Ursarion]

Tenebris looked up when she heard the familiar tone speaking to her. Grinning happily as she locked eyes with her brother, Tenebris scooted over a little to allow him to sit next to her. "Morning!" She called out happily, taking a bite of her bacon. Seeing Lucian always made her feel better, even if it was only for a second. Luckily they always got to eat breakfast together, something that certainly brightened her mornings. Despite their age difference, Tenebris and Lucian were actually quite close. She had never kept anything from him, and he was her best friend, as lame as it sounded. He'd been her rescuer and her confidant since she could remember, always there for her when she needed someone. Some people had said they were too close, but Tenebris chose to ignore the whispers.

Sipping at her juice, Tenebris scanned the room, wondering how the first years were fairing. She remembered her first year at Hogwarts. It had been wonderful. Exciting and terrifying at the same time. The only reason she'd been slightly less nervous than the current first years was because she had Lucian. Turning to look at her brother fondly, Tenebris jumped slightly when a paper landed in front of her. Schedules.

"Ooh! Let's see if we have any classes together!" She chirped, wiping her hands on a napkin before grabbing the paper and flipping it over. Scanning the classes, she grinned, glad she'd been put in three seventh year classes- the three she'd thought she'd have. Crossing her legs under the table, Tenebris peeked over at Lucian, waiting eagerly to see his own schedule.

 

[Clutch]

Lucian always perked up when Tenebris was around, perhaps most of all because it was in those moments he knew she was truly safe. He'd seen the way some of the boys had been looking at her in the past few years. He knew boys wanted her because not only was she smart and charming, but she was incredibly beautiful. The last thing he wanted was for one of them to woo her away from him and leave Tenebris forgetting about the bond she'd forged with her older brother.

It was unhealthy in many ways, but Lucian had no qualms about spending as much time as possible with his sister. The fact that she was excelling in such a way that she was in some 7th year classes warmed Lucian. She was taking after both her brother and their father and she would undoubtedly be sharing multiple classes with him.

Lucian had been feasting on a large portion of eggs and bacon when the schedules arrived. He turned his over to compare their classes and smiled brightly at the sight of the two classes they'd be sharing. "Looks like you can't get away from me so easily this year, Tenebris," he said, breathing a sigh of relief knowing they'd be even closer this year than they had the last. He placed a hand on top of her own and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"My last year and two classes with my sister. Things are looking up." He withdrew his hand and sipped his butter beer, a rosy glow on his pale cheeks that hadn't been there before he'd sat down.

 

[Ursarion]

Tenebris smiled and rolled her eyes, cheeks slightly flushed from the contact of Lucian's hand on hers. "I've never wanted to get away from you, Lucian. I'm glad we're taking classes together!" She didn't really hide her affection for him. There was no reason to, after all. Grinning as he spoke about the year looking up, Tenebris continued eating her breakfast, eager to get to class. As she glanced at him, she noticed his cheeks were flushed, too.

She wondered for a moment why they were both blushing- it was a regular conversation, wasn't it?

Pushing the thoughts from her mind, Tenebris finished up her breakfast, taking one large gulp of her pumpkin juice, before standing. Brushing crumbs off her skirt and cardigan, she turned to Lucian. "I'll see you for second period, okay?" She had Ancient Runes for first period, and second was Charms. She wouldn't see him until the next hour.

Turning away, Tenebris trotted off towards class, heart hammering in her chest. She was happy to start a new with such a good attitude, knowing that she and Lucian would be in a few classes together.

 

[Clutch]

Lucian's mind wondered as Tenebris spoke to him. He'd often thought about her with other boys, his stomach twisting and turning in response. It was the last thing in the world he wanted to experience and keep his sister close was sure to make it even more of a stretch. He'd decided at the beginning of the year that he was the only man worry of her. She'd matured into a perfect young woman and the jealousy he'd have felt if she did decide to date anyone else terrified him. If he was to ever truly be able to rest easy, he would have to take matters into his own hands. Luckily, he could sense they were on the same page, even though those lingering doubts crept in every now and again.

Lucian polished off a second helping of eggs and then, realizing the time and seeing Tenebris's haste to leave, he wiped his mouth and looked up at her before standing himself. "Right. Yes. Be good," he said, smiling at his sister as she headed off for her first class. He glanced down at his schedule and saw that his first class was Herbology. He hadn't even been keen to notice any of the classes that weren't shared with Tenebris. Off to class he went, cheeks still flush and his mind still wandering.

After an uneventful Herbology class, Lucian was itching to see Tenebris again. The borderline obsession he felt in wanting to keep her protected was reaching a fever pitch and he was tempted to take a walk outside for a moment just to get some fresh air. He'd always felt close to her, but perhaps it was the fact that at this time next year, he'd be gone.

He made his way to Charms and took a seat near the back. A few students had walked in and given him sideways glances before they sat down. No one even threatened to sit beside him. It was undoubtedly because of the perception of the school to their relationship. After all, most siblings were at each other's throats and liked to distance themselves. Some were even members of different houses.

Lucian pulled out his quill and doodled on his parchment as he waited for Tenebris, his eyes glancing back towards the door every now and again in anticipation.[/font][/size]

 

[Ursarion]

Tenebris's Ancient Rune class went by fast- it was a decent class, and Tenebris actually liked it quite a bit. Most others found it boring, though they did enjoy looking at the Centaur who was teaching it. Tenebris didn't see the same thing as everyone else, obviously. He was pretty, but not attractive. After writing down her homework assignment-- Homework on the first day! -- Tenebris exited class, scurrying down the hall towards the Charms classroom. As she approached it, someone placed a hand gently on her shoulder. Turning, expecting it to be Lucian, Tenebris was surprised to see a boy from her year, Thomas Brooks, smiling softly at her.

"Oh! Good morning, Thomas." Tenebris smiled, hands latched on her bag, eager to get to Charms.

Thomas's cheeks reddened when Tenebris spoke to him, and he placed a hand on his neck, looking slightly nervous. "Good morning." He let out a soft chuckle, his blue eyes never straying from her own green ones. "I was wondering if maybe--- maybe you'd like to work on our homework together tonight?" His voice rose as he finished his sentence, and he flushed a darker red, clearing his throat, embarrassment clear in his features. Tenebris thought it was cute. Possibly he liked her- though she wasn't entirely sure.

"Sure! I'll probably be back in the common-room by seven, if you want to meet there." She grinned and nodded happily, as Thomas's own nervous grin turned into an excited one. "Yeah, sounds good! I'll see you at seven, then." He turned and walked the opposite direction, a satisfied smile on his face. Tenebris watched him for a moment before turning away as well, and continuing onto Charms. Entering the classroom, she spotted Lucian, and her face broke into a large grin as she took her seat next to him.

"How was Herbology?"

 

[Clutch]

The anticipation was getting to Lucian. His body ached in response and he found himself gripping his quill even more firmly. Where was she? Class was just about to start and there was no sign of his sister. Had she gotten in trouble? Was someone distracting her? His mind wandered to every possible scenario and just as he was about to lift himself from his desk to leave class and go check on her, he saw Tenebris walked through the doorway and into the classroom.

Her grin distracted him from all of the thoughts he'd had before and when she asked him about Herbology, he cleared his throat and dropped his quill, his body shifting to face her. "It was dreadful. Professor Sprout insisted we learn the merits of Bubotuber pus. It was a slog. I'm surprised the stench isn't still on my robes. Otherwise, it was fine. You were nearly late. Something going on?"

Lucian quickly shifted the attention away from him and back on Tenebris. He wanted to keep her protected and despite their classes together, it was impossible to have an eye on her at all times. Although, he was trying to change that. He knew of Potter's Marauder's Map and wondered if he could borrow it from him just so he'd know where Tenebris was at all times.

 

[Ursarion]

Tenebris wrinkled her nose at the mention of Bubotuber pus. She'd heard it was terrible, and she wasn't looking forward to using it when she got to her last year. Grabbing the things she needed out of her bag, Tenebris set the slightly lighter bag down on the floor next to her. When Lucian asked her why she was late, Tenebris hesitated. She didn't want to tell him the real reason- it was a very strong possibility that he would get angry... But at the same time, she knew she wouldn't be able to hide it from him.

"Oh, nothing important.. I was asked to study with a classmate, that's all." Tenebris purposely kept it vague, determined to avoid telling Lucian it was a male classmate.

As Professor Flitwick began speaking, Tenebris jotted down the notes she would need for their homework and possible future tests. Her mixed classes would be quite a bit harder than her usual courses, so she needed to make sure not to miss anything important. She didn't want to fail the higher classes, since everyone was counting on her to do well in them.

 

[Clutch]

Lucian sensed something in Tenebris's eyes when she told him where she'd been. A classmate? Why hadn't she just said the person's name? Why did she choose to torment Lucian with this nugget of information without giving him an opportunity to delve deeper before Professor Flitwick commenced with his lesson.

Lucian gritted his teeth and started to jot down notes, but his mind was elsewhere. It was those sort of minute happenings that a tendency to eat at his overactive mind. He took a deep breath and looked over in his sister's direction every so often. He was tempted to cut through the silence and address the elephant in the room.

He had a lull in his note-taking as his mind betrayed him towards the end of class and before Flitwick had even finished his lesson, Lucian got up from his seat and walked out of class abruptly, the entire class's eyes on him as he rushed towards the door. He ignored Professor Flitwick's protest and jogged along the corridor, his heart beating in his throat, his breathing labored. He clutched the top of the staircase railing and rested his body against it, feeling as if he might pass out. What was Tenebris doing to him?