that green g e n t l e m a n (open)

[erikoliver]

Erik had come back to Hogwarts. He wasn't sure of his motives for doing so. It had been a spontaneous thing, yes, but he'd managed to get himself out of his flat and to the school in record time that morning. He'd started by visiting Persephone, asking about some Order things. The Order wasn't too active nowadays, but, because of some rumors of Death Eaters forming, they'd begun meeting again. Erik was fairly proud of being a member. Even for being nineteen and a Muggleborn, he had been asked personally to join, and he was proud. Erik was ready to start making a difference in the world, and becoming an Order member had been the first of many steps.

Erik had asked Persephone if he could stay and visit some old teachers, and she'd happily allowed him to. Erik had visited a few already, but he'd found himself outside the greenhouses within an hour. Erik had never been a huge fan of Herbology, but he'd been fairly good at it. Plus, Nat's fascination with it had driven him there. He was going rather fond of the child, for whatever reason. Nat was like him, enjoyed much of the same things... they had a very strange connection, and Erik was beginning to feel protective over her. Erik wandered around the greenhouses, stopping near one to peer inside, not hearing the footsteps from behind him...

[natalia]

Nat tucked her latest Herbology book under her arm. Medicinal Herbology. It had fascinated her more than she could have thought. Thinking back to the bruise Raug had to have healed with magic, she found a rather simple remedy she would have preferred to use in the spells place. However, very few of the herbs grew in the garden, and these long walks to the Greenhouses were becoming maddening.

However, whenever she entered the emerald glass houses, the aroma reaching her, the earth beneath her feet, it was well worth it. Nat had almost become addicted to sensing Magic all around her, and the most potent was that with the gifts of Mother Nature herself. These Greenhouses gave her the most beautiful and magical creations she had never seen, plants that did not exist outside of the wizarding world. It was fascinating.

Nat approached the Greenhouses, recognizing the form immediately. She smiled, picking up her pace.

"Erik!" She was ecstatic to see him. He always brightened her day. He knew how to make her smile, and pushed those dark clouds of her past from her mind. He had proven what a real family should feel like, giving Nat the tiny bit of hope she needed.

[erikoliver]

Erik turned at the sound of his name and beamed at Nat. "Hi, Nat," he replied, grinning ear to ear. Stepping forward, he opened his arms and gave the little girl a rather large bear hug, holding her close. Nat was just like a little sister to him, and he wanted to do everything in his power to protect her. It didn't seem like she needed much protection, though perhaps she was scarred from the emotional abuse her brother had constantly inflicted on her. Erik knew that he had hated Giovanni, but he hadn't realized just how deep hate could run. "How are you?"

[natalia]

Nat squeezed him, day looking a lot brighter. She stepped back, smiling so wide she thought her face might split. His friendly smile was contagious for Nat.

"I'm great," she replied truthfully. Giovanni had begun to keep his distance, and the angry outbursts of his meanspirited temper were growin more seldom. Often times she had lied to such an answer, but there was no need with someone who was practically her brother around. A real brother, she admitted to herself. Giovanni couldnt even be pinpointed on the spectrum of kinship. When he asked the question, it was an honest concern. "And yourself?" She asked curiously. It had just struck her she had never seen Erik at Hogwarts before. It was uncommon to stumble across alumni meandering through the castle.

[erikoliver]

Erik's grin turned a bit wider as he saw the elation on Nat's face, threatening to burst her skin at the seams. At her response, his eyes sparkled. It was good, that she was in a good mood. It made him that much happier. "I'm well. Better now, I didn't think I'd run into you today," he replied gently, wrapping a protective arm around Nat's shoulders and walking with her towards the greenhouse. It was a lovely day, not too hot and not too cold, but he was dressing up, a little. He wore black skinnies, black Converse, a white button-up shirt rolled up just past his elbows. A black bowtie was wrapped around his neck and he wore a black vest.

Pushing his black phonies up the bridge of his nose with his free hand, he looked down at Nat. "What are you doing out here?" he asked curiously. She had her Herbology book in her hand, so it wasn't too hard to guess. But she was a first year, so it was odd that she was so fascinated. Still, every seemed to have a passion for something. For some it was Charms, for Erik it was music, and for Nat it was Herbology. Erik pondered walking into Nat's very own apothecary shop one day and couldn't help but grin at the idea.

((OOC: Thinking this thread should be when Erik first notices bruises or scrapes, but doesn't say anything? Or maybe Nat lies to him?))

[natalia]

"I didn't expect to run into you either," she laughed, setting her books upon a table. She quickly flipped to the page where she had found the salve to heal the recently attained brusises. No matter how hard she tried, the healing spell Raug had shown her wouldn't work for her. Weather it was her technique, or her ability, she didn't know. This salve though, it was guaranteed to work. She didn't need any body else seeing her shame as she struggled to hide the black and blue brusises.

"Oh," she was never good at lying. It was Nat's weak spot. You had to change too much of your manner to pull it off. "Just trying out something I read," she faked a smile. It was odd. She had never faked a smile, she had simply never bothered with smiling, before she was given reasons to smile. She quickly pulled her sweatshirt down further over her arms as she reached for Knotgrass distractedly.

((OOC: How about Nat lies to him, and later he puts two and two together? Or realizes it on the spot? ))

[erikoliver]

Erik watched Nat very carefully, curious as to what she was doing. Erik was a very observant person, especially when it came to reading people he cared about. Nat was hiding something. Erik casually examined the page of the Herbology book, trying to read it upside down. It took him a bit, but he was able to make out the word "solvent" and the phrase "heals virtually any ailment." Erik's mind was reeling, and he was busy adding facts in his head. Suddenly, everything made sense, the long sweatshirts in the heat, the secrecy...

Erik reached forward and wrapped his hand around one of Nat's wrists, gently. He stared at her features, examining her face before reaching over with his other hand to push her sleeve up her arm. Blue and purple bruises cross-crossed her arm, the skin puffing up and turning green in multiple places. Erik stepped back, sick to his stomach at the truth. "I swear to God, I will kill that evil bastard," Erik hissed. He went to a nearby table, gripping it tihtly, hanging his head and closing his eyes, back to Nat. "What else has he done to you?"

(OOC: Make up stuff, emotion, physical, sexual, whatever you deem fit.)

[natalia]

It had all happened too fast. Nat hadn't been able to prevent it. Her stomach sunk as she pulled her sleeve down her arm, but it was too late. She bit her lip, watching him, feeling slight fear at the anger pulsing through him. She swallowed the burning lump in her throat, unsure if she could manage words. But she must. She couldn't hold it in too long.

"Not much," she didn't want it to sound too bad. She knew others worse off. She was in no position to create a sob story. "This is the norm," she admitted, voice barely audible. She continued to gather the ingredients, debating how much she could reveal to Erik. Mashing the ingredients she attempted a tone of nonchalance. "He tried to drown me, right after I got my letter," her darkest secret hung in the air.

She had never spoken the words aloud. No one understood her absolute fear of water. The burning lung and spinning head sensation that came in her night terrors. She couldn't bring her gaze up from the solvent as she continued to mash, despite the fact it was long since prepared.

((OOC: Emotional and physical work? ))

[erikoliver]

Erik's fists tightened on the table, knuckles turning white as pure fury coarsed through his veins. However, when Nat said that he'd tried to drown her, he lost control, something he rarely did. Omitting a roar of fury, Erik's hand shot out, shattering an empty vase. The clay fell in sharp chunks around his feet, and blood began to pour from the wound in his hand. Erik felt no pain, only blind rage. He should have counted himself lucky that there was no sexual abuse, but it didn't matter at that point in time.

2rik grabbed his wand from his back pocket and cast a charm that produced bandages that wrapped around his hand, then turned to face Nat. "Come here," he said quietly, drawing the small girl into his arms. He held her in silence for a while, comforting her. His non-wounded hand smoothed down her satiny raven locks soothingly, protectively. "I swear, I will make all of this right. I will take you in as my adopted child if I have to. But, as long as I'm alive, I will fight to keep yo away from evil men like Giovanni. I promise," Erik vowed quietly.

[natalia]

Nat covered her face as Erik erupted. She hated lying, let alone to someone she cared for. She watched as blood leaked from his hand. In the next moment she was hugging him, almost afraid to let go. She had never felt such a deep appreciation for anyone. She didn't want to let go.

"Thank-you," she whispered, voice coursed as her throat went sticky with the tears building up. A few hot tears splashed down her cheeks as she angrily bit her lip against the onslaught of emotions. It seemed as if only now the reality of everything which had really happened was setting in. The words spoken aloud gave the gravity of the situation a tangible feeling.

"Is your hand alright?" She asked, glancing at the bandages. She had no idea how to react. Someone wanted her. Someone wanted her. They weren't humiliated, ashamed, or infuriated to know her. She hugged him again, allowing all of her tears to flow freely, words incapable of describing the strange emotions swelling within.

[erikoliver]

Erik held Nat tightly, stroking her hair gently. He felt a few tears splash onto his shirt and he knelt down in front of her, placing one hand on her shoulder and the other wiping the tears from her cheek. "My hand'll be fine, it's suffered worse. Nat, if I'm going to help you, I need your permission. You have to ask me what you want me to do, or I can't legally do anything for you," Erik explained gently. "Ask me," he encouraged, looking into Nat's eyes.

[natalia]

Nat bit her lip. She tasted blood as she fought back the tears. She knew the words should have been easy. But she couldn't push away the tendrils of terror seeming to slide over her. She clenched her eyes shut, taking a deep breath. Her shoulders shuddered as she opened her eyes.

"Please help me," she whispered. "Please take me in," the words hung before her, not as dark and dreaded as she had thought. There was a glimmer of hope. "Help me," she repeated, voice hoarse. It was almost too good to be true. She mopped at her tears angrily, ashamed of letting herself cry. Tears had never made sense. She had never truly understood any benefits that came with tears, or with the emotions she couldn't even begin to fathom.

[erikoliver]

Erik felt a few tears push their way out of his tear ducts as he heard jusst how pitiful and desperate she sounded. Fury coarsed through him again as he realized just how terrified Nat was of Giovanni. No brother should ever be able to inflict such pain on his sister, and no pair of parents should sit by and let it happen. Erik was already planning what he'd need to do to be able to welcome Nat into his life. He'd have to find a job, hopefully he'd still have time to play his music... he'd have to gain proof... "Nat," he said suddenly. "The next time Giovanni lays a hand on you, come to me. We'll go the the courts for proof."

[natalia]

The tears only flowed heavier as Nat felt his burning tears splash against her hair. She couldn't summon any words. She couldn't believe it. The first admittance and it was as if the reality had just smashed against her, as if she had been thrown into a wall of bricks. Her head spun as she barely understood the words he was saying.

Tell someone? It had already been terrifying enough to tell someone she trusted with all her heart. To give her deepest secret to a cold, angry stranger? She already feared what would befall her if Giovanni or her parents found out she had even spoken a word of this. Or worse, what might befall Erik. What if this stranger did not believe her? She was merely a small girl, going against an honored family. She couldn't put Erik through that.

And yet, tied in within all the problems, was a small glimmer of hope. One that Nat hadn't seen or felt for as long as she could remember.

"Okay," that one word was the hardest yet she had to speak. "I will," she replied shakily.

"Thank-you," she whispered. Those two words couldn't even begin to skim the surface of the deep feeling of gratitude she had. She would make it up to Erik.

[erikoliver]

Erik bit his lip, hugging her gently. It was probably going to have to be during the summertime, and it could either be a very slow process or a relatively open and shut case. What Erik needed, along with proof, was a confession. Erik smiled softly to himself, knowing just how he'd get the proof he needed. Erik wasn't going to tell Nat his plan, he'd rather have her be surprised and in the dark. That way, if a question ever arose in court if she was aware of the goings on, she could truthfully say no.