At a Distance (Luke)

[malfoy]

Isaac didn't know what to do with himself anymore. Life was so difficult ever since he had become a vampire. The fact that he could kill a person easier than a bug scared him. He had already murdered twice. Those deaths were weighing on his mind heavily these days. He could barely go to school, the blood around him so appealing, it was driving him insane. For the first time in his life he was considering dropping out of school, spending all his time learning to control the constant thirst/. Isaac kicked at the ground, forgetting his own strength, and made a deep hole. He groaned and began to walk.

The deaths he had caused still remained clearly in his mind. They were fresh and painful as the very night he had done the horrible deeds. Isaac could still see the faces of those who had fallen victim to him as he slashed into their necks, gorging himself on their blood. This had aged him, not physically, but mentally. His eyes no longer held the gleam of mischief, he was matured by this. Perhaps he would run away, leaving Hogwarts behind him forever. Something told him that wasn't the answer... The Whomping Willow swung one of its limbs at him, but Isaac was too far away. He sighed, then seated himself on a patch of grass, watching the tree now swing at migrating birds, head titled to the side.

[notabadguy]

Luke walked outside, instantly spotting Isaac over by the Whomping Willow. He hadn't seen his best friend in days, this was certainly a relief. He had heard rumors that Isaac had been attacked by an animal, but Luke wasn't about to believe this until Isaac confirmed. Unfazed, Luke walked straight up to him. "Hey Isaac," he said casually. "Where have you been?"

[malfoy]

Luke, finally. He had been unsure of where he had gotten to, knowing that he had explaining to do for his best friend. "Hey, Luke." Isaac said with a small smile, not breathing through his nose, knowing he might be tempted by the blood. "I got attacked by something weird, I was at St. Mungo's because the nurse didn't know what to do." he explained, using the white lie everyone at the castle was told, apart from those who knew the truth.

[notabadguy]

Lies, Isaac was telling him lies. Luke could tell, and though he felt bad doing so, Luke read Isaac's mind. Vampire. Well, that was certainly something new for Luke. He had never known a vampire before. "Sure Isaac," Luke said.

[malfoy]

With his superior hearing, Isaac heard a tone of disbelief, or was it sarcasm? Either way, Isaac knew Luke didn't believe him. Of course, his friend was a telepathic, how could he have forgotten? "You won't tell, will you?" Isaac asked, spell starting to wear off his eyes, flecks of burgundy spotting through the steely gray.

[notabadguy]

Luke sat down next to Isaac, his eyes having the look of moving over toward seriousness. "You know I won't Isaac," he replied. "I just wish you would've told me instead of making me search your mind." Luke looked at his friend, he looked very different from the last time Luke had seen him, much older somehow.

[malfoy]

Isaac kneaded his forehead with his knuckles, lightly biting on his tongue. He had gone through a strange experience at breakfast when he had sliced straight through his tongue, he had no desire to repeat the sensation. He frowned, he felt alienated from his long-standing best friend. He was just another person he had the potential to hurt. Like the old man, and the centaur.

[notabadguy]

Isaac's thought blared out at Luke as though they were filled with lights. It was truly odd. Luke paused for a moment before he said anything more. "You know Isaac, I'm still your best friend, sitll the one who you can tell anything to. I'll always be here to help you."

[malfoy]

Isaac gave a smile, a real one. He had not smiled like this for days. Of course, he was being stupid. Luke was his best friend, always had been, and always would be. The friend he got sent to the Headmistress' office with when they got caught. Why should it change? "I have a new idea." Isaac said. "Want to get up to some tomfoolery?" Of course, they were a bit old, but Isaac still had random flashes of immaturity in him.

[notabadguy]

Luke chuckled softly. This was much more like the old Isaac. They had gotten into a lot of trouble in their younger days. "I would be honored to "get up to some tomfoolery," Isaac," Luke replied, smiling at his best friend. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

[malfoy]

"I'm surprised you didn't find out for yourself." Isaac said, now grinning mischievously. "We're going to rig up something so that when you step on a certain floor tile, splat. A bunch of applesauce dumps down on their head." Sure, it was immature, but it would take a good bit of magic to pull off.

[notabadguy]

Luke chuckled. This was a funny one, even by Isaac's standard. "Sounds interesting," Luke replied standing up. He rubbed his hands together to warm them slightly. "And where are we going to have our little contraption?" he asked, almost egging Isaac on.

[malfoy]

"Somewhere high-traffic." Isaac said, the glint of mischief gleaming in his steely gray eyes. Flecks of burgundy began to show through. Of course, he was unable to see this, so he mostly relied on his sister and Gabriella to tell him when the magic was fading. "Charms corridor?" he suggested.

[notabadguy]

Luke nodded, but he quickly noticed Isaac's eyes were changing color, turning burghandy. "Isaac, I think your spell is wearing off," Luke said, looking at him a bit quizzically. He waited for Isaac to fix this, eager to go to the charms corridor and rig up this prank.

[malfoy]

Isaac sighed and drew his wand in a swift, fluid movement. He had the spell on quickly, his eyes looked the steely gray he had become used to. "All right, let's get this ready to go." Isaac said, the spell incapable of hiding the subtle glint of mischief.