bearer of b a d news (angel/eva/james)

[itsaspaz]

Liam sat down in his wife's chair at the desk. The office was tastefully decorated, though he doubted that Cici ever used it. While she was at the school most of her time was spent up in the Divination tower, not here. He looked around at the portraits of the previous headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts, they were all peacefully sleeping, all but one. The portrait of Albus Dumbledore looked down at him through his golden half-moon spectacles, as if already detecting something was up. "What is the matter, Liam?" the portrait asked, his voice soft, gentle. Liam bit his lip and sighed before responded.

"Ginny Potter has been murdered," Liam said. He watched as Dumbledore's kind face changed to a solemn expression, sorrow covering his twinkling blue eyes. "I've just called in her children, I'm afraid I'll have to be the bearer of bad news," said Liam, resting his chin atop his fist on the desk. Dumbledore nodded, but retreated beyond his frame so Liam was no longer able to see him- He assumed that he had gone to his other portrait near the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. He bit his lip, not wanting to be the messenger, but he would rather they were told in person than through an emotionless letter. Liam inhaled sharply as the knob began to turn, it had to be one of the Potter children.

[mrpotter]

James had been in Transfiguration when the note had zoomed to the teacher, telling him to report to the Headmistress' office immediately, but had no other details. Relieved to get out of his least favourite class, though wondering on earth he could have possibly done, James made is way up to the third floor, stood momentarily before the gargoyle, and it immediately swung aside, revealing the spiral staircase. He climbed the stairs, and turned the knob, not bothering to knock, as he did not hear any voices inside. He looked at Liam, biting his lip, wondering what was going on.

[itsaspaz]

Liam nodded toward Albus as he entered the room, though he would not be able to bring himself to repeat the news three times, the young man would have to wait for his sisters. He had also sent for Angel to come, goodness knew that Harry wasn't going to inform his estranged daughter of Ginny's death. Liam did not want for her to find out via the obituary section of the next morning's Daily Prophet. "Have a seat," Liam said quietly, gesturing to one of the three chairs on the opposite side of the desk.

[mrpotter]

James awkwardly sat down in the chair that the Herbology professor had specified. Some quality about the professor's demeanour unnerved the youth, as if something were wrong. Very wrong. James bit his lip, waiting for the silence to be broken, but he wasn't going to speak first. In the meantime he busied himself with looking around at the things on the office. He looked at the portraits of previous headmasters, the strange vibrating, humming knick-knacks on the shelves, the dusty volumes of books... Anything to keep his mind occupied.

[calcetines]

Angel didn't have the slightest idea as to what was going on, only that it was serious, judging by the note that Liam had sent her by owl. She had managed to get Beatrice from Ollivander's to watch the twins, promising her a good sum for her troubles because it was such short notice. She slipped in, to see that her brother was occupying one of the chairs. Her mind immediately began jumping to all sorts of nasty conclusions, but she told herself not to make assumptions, even if Liam looked very grave. "What is it, Liam?" Angel asked, concerned as she removed her cloak and hung it over the back of one of the chairs.

[itsaspaz]

Liam sighed, but recalled the promise he made to himself to only say the horrid news once to the three of the Potter children. He probably wouldn't be able to say it more than once, anyways. He swallowed, then gestured to the chair beside Albus that Angel had placed her cloak on. "We shall have to wait for Evangeline to arrive, but please do sit down." said Liam. His wife still did not know, Liam knew that he would have to tel her as well. He usually stopped by the farm on the weekends, to check up on Cici, and tried to have Sunday dinner with them if possible.

[hungergames]

Evangeline had gotten the note down to Professor O'Malley's office when in Herbology. It had taken her a while to come. She came inside, removing her mittens and earmuffs, when she saw Angel. Her heart dropped into her stomach. Something was wrong. Silently, she leaned against the arm of a nearby chair. She watched her substitute headmaster, dread filling her. What could possibly be wrong, that all three of them were there? Evangeline bit her lip nervously, wanting to cry out, to demand to know immediately what was wrong.

[itsaspaz]

Liam took in and released a deep breath as Evangeline came in. He really hated to be the one to tell the Potter children that their mother was dead, but he didn't want them to learn via a heartless letter from the Ministry, either. Or worse, through the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet. He looked at each of them in turn took a deep breath again, and finally spoke. "Your mother has been murdered by Isabelle," Liam said.

[mrpotter]

The words almost failed to register inside of James' head, his mother had been killed? By Isabelle nonetheless? James sat there for a long time, looking like a dear in the headlights, the weight of those words hitting him in the stomach like a bag of bricks. His eyes looked to Liam, almost pleading him to say that it wasn't so, but the expression on the herbology professor's face told him that he was dead serious. James put his elbows on his knees so he could hold his head in his hands, this wasn't supposed to happen.

[hungergames]

Evangeline's eyes widened. She would have asked him to repeat, but she didn't need to hear it again. Her mother, dead at Isabelle's hand. Evangeline's arm gave way and she fell awkwardly into the armchair. She pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face in her knees. Her blond hair cascaded down her body, shielding her face. Her hands gripped her hair, as if she were going to tear it out, strand by strand, clump by clump. Why? Why her, why now? So many questions, but Evangeline couldn't make her mouth move to answer them.

[calcetines]

Angel's heart skipped a beat at the news, she was entirely unaware that one of her hands had flown to cover her mouth. It didn't take but a few seconds for her eyes to fill with tears. She willed them not to fall, she was the eldest, she had to be strong for her younger siblings. She wasn't quite sure what to do with herself. After reminding herself to breathe, Angel closed her eyes, shoulders shaking as she fought back her building tears.