respect (Rue/open)

[human]

Xiu took rapid steps to keep up with her father's long strides. She knew that from their appearances it was painfully obvious that she was not related to her family by blood, but she loved them all the same. Today she had gone with Neville to pay respects to his mother, whom had recently passed away. She had only seen her father's parents twice, they took up permanent residence in the mental ward of St. Mungo's. Neville had told her that his parents had been tortured until they reached insanity by the Death Eaters of Voldemort, but had never allowed a drop of information past their lips. He had even shown her his collection of gum-wrappers that his mother had given to him. Xiu felt proud of the heritage of her adopted family.

Neville wordlessly led the way to the grave of his mother. Beside it there was an empty plot, no doubt for her husband when he passed. Xiu quietly laid the bouquet of flowers atop the freshly covered grave. She had made the arrangement herself, of cheery, springtime flowers; daises, daffodils, and tulips. She looked up at her father, noticing his eyes were wet with tears. Without a word, Xiu wrapped her tiny arms around him the best she could. "She's in a better place now," Xiu whispered. Neville nodded, Xiu understood his quietness, he went silent when he was upset, but she knew that he would have much rather come with her than by himself.

They stood there a long while, until Neville finally spoke up. "My lunch hour's nearly over," said he, his tone quite hoarse, "be home for supper, okay?" She hugged her father again. "Of course," said Xiu. Neville then looked around and disapparated. Xiu got down on her knees in the grass beside the grave of the late Alice Longbottom. She did not feel sad, for she knew that her grandmother would no longer have to suffer from the confines of an insane mind. She would be eternally rewarded for her earthly sufferings. And that was something Xiu felt Alice Longbottom was more than worthy of.

Clothes

[daisies]

Rue had come to the cemetary to examine the various headstones. She tugged at her jeans uncomfortably. She wasn't someone who could go around wearing jeans and a t-shirt, like now. She preferred dresses or, better yet, her wizard-world attire. However, she was out and about, which required her full muggle attire. It sickened her. She twisted a strand of her long, dark hair between her fingertips as she approached Xiu. Examining the name on the headstone, Rue frowned. "Your grandmother Alice?" she asked shyly.

[human]

Xiu gave a light nod of her head, a small smile on her lips. "Yes," said she. Hopefully her apparent semi-pleased attitude would not send the wrong message. Yes, she had mourned right along with her family at Alice's passing, but she saw it a bit more of reason to celebrate, no longer would she have to suffer the ailments of an insane mind. Alice was at peace now. Xiu lightly patted the ground beside her, a gesture for Rue to make herself comfortable.

[daisies]

Rue conjured up a daisy with a small flick of her wand and placed it upon the headstone wordlessly. Smiling shyly, she sat down beside Xiu. The other girl was almost exactly like her, with the exception of being adopted and all. But that just made her more interesting. Rue silently played with her wand, making lazy white sparkles trail from the tip. Drawing circles in the air in front of her, she sighed.

[human]

"What brings you here?" Xiu asked after a period of silence. It had not felt awkward, it was just her curiosity intervening, Rue did not look as though she had come here to mourn a loved one, which was why most came to a place such as this. It was quiet here, even the sounds of the birds chirping sounded a bit muted compared to elsewhere. Perhaps the animals too were paying respect to the final resting place of so many humans.