| News | Logout
Hi bd_oliver! - you have 4 new replies
Friends: bd_harry
Your Journal
Update Journal
Recent
Calendar
Friends ...
User Info ...
Memories
Edit Entries
Messages
Your Settings
Personal Info
Your Friends
Testimonials
Your Pictures
Modify Journal
Edit Style
Customize
Your Images
Tags
Find People
Random
By Region
By Interest
Directory
Schools
Help & Support
FAQ
Have a question?
Site Map
Communities
My Invites
Create
Manage
GJ
Quizzes
Download
Colors
RSS
 

 

 

Jeffrey Edward Savage ([info]bd_jeffrey) wrote in [info]beyonddark_rpg,
@ 2007-09-16 20:30:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Edit Entry  Edit Tags  Next Entry
Entry tags:* september 2005, - complete, adrian pucey, jeffrey savage

RP: Setting things straight
Date: 16th September, 2005
Characters: Adrian Pucey, Jeffrey Savage
Location: 8, Dippett Drive
Private/Public: Private
Rating: PG
Warnings:
Summary: Adrian's not late for his appointment.
Completion: Complete


Typically, it was a cold, stormy night when it happened and Jeff never stopped to wonder when horror stories had started to come true.

He hadn't expected the owl despite knowing that he should have... He'd always known that one day, Adrian Pucey was going to turn up on his doorstep once more. He hadn't seen the boy in years, not since he'd dropped out of the Aurory with nary a word to half of his co-workers, but Jeff had always known exactly what Adrian was up to. He knew the Puceys, not well, but he'd met Frederick at various functions before he'd ran from home, the man uncaring and a coward who liked to make others feel bad. It killed him that Adrian had grown up living with that and it hadn't taken Jeff more than an hour to figure out that he'd been affected more than a lifetime of security could fix.

"I thought you'd run off to wear a mask and follow orders," he said, leaning against the door jamb, fingers gripping his wand loosely in his pocket.


(Post a new comment)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:31 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
To his credit, Adrian didn't flinch. He shrugged gracelessly instead and whistled to Ophelia, the dog woofing at the familiar sound and scent and jumping up out of her basket in the kitchen, trotting past Jeff and jumping up at Adrian. He grinned when her paws landed on his chest, his hands moving to scritch Ophelia on the head.

He wanted to pause and not answer for as long as possible but he knew it was inevitable. Jeff knew him; Jeff knew that there was no way he'd turn up on his door step unless he needed something. Luckily, Adrian also knew that Jeff wouldn't make him beg for his help.

"What can I say, it's not working out," he replied dryly, looking up at Jeff. "I finally got it into my head that the job's not exactly conducive to my well-being or anybody else's. Only took me six years to figure out so I must be getting smarter."

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:31 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
Jeff sighed, shaking his head. Adrian still looked and sounded the same but he knew it was mostly an act, more so than it had been all those years ago. "Stop bullshitting, Adrian. Why are you here?"

The question was harsh but he knew that Adrian needed something to shock him into answering. Jeff suspected he'd been dealing with Slytherins for years and had gotten used to the lazy insinuations and fluid blackmail of their arguments. He wasn't like that; he'd never been like that, and he wasn't about to change for anybody, let alone Adrian.

"Well? A question is usually followed by an answer, you know?" he asked when Adrian seemed hesitant to reply.

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:33 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
Adrian was surprised at the question; he'd expected more interrogation off of the man before getting to the point. Then again this was Jeff and his ridiculously Gryffindor principles meant that he couldn't avoid the topic at hand.

"Why do you think?" he asked, wondering if the man was that dense. Merlin, he knew he wasn't but he was doing a bloody good job at pretending otherwise.

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:33 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"You know, where I come from, it's rude to answer a question with a question," Jeff replied, raising his eyebrows.

He sighed, realising he was back to square one with his old recruit. Adrian had taken a long time to break down and even then he'd never let Jeff know everything, had only done what was necessary. Jeff blamed Adrian's father, he always had done, but blame wasn't going to help the situation.

"Adrian, will you just answer the question? We can play this game all night but you look tired to death and it's obvious that you wouldn't be here if you didn't need my help."

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:34 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
Adrian was insolent, lazy smirk on his face as he pushed at Ophelia to go down, not caring when she leaned against him for attention, happy to give it. "Where I come from, it's normal."

He frowned at Jeff's explanation, anger rising slowly as always. He wasn't mad at him, more mad at the entire fucked-up situation. "I don't need help," he retorted, glaring at Jeff. "Fuck, I don't even know why I'm here. I thought you'd be my safest bet out of all of the Aurors but-"

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:34 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
Jeff nodded, understanding and interrupting before Adrian could humble himself. "I am your safest bet now get your arse in the house and on a kitchen chair. I'll make us coffee so strong that even your teeth itch."

He ignored Adrian's reply of 'only because your coffee's fucking disgusting' and reached out to cuff him around the head, unsurprised when he ducked easily. His reflexes always had been good; Jeff still thought Quidditch should be compulsory for Aurors.

He was pleased to see that Adrian hadn't gone soft, automatically checking for exits and ways out of the house. He pushed him towards the kitchen table and watched him sit whilst he summoned the coffee and two mugs, using magic to boil the water. Ophelia curled up next to Adrian's chair, her head on his thigh. "Now again, why are you here? I hate to say 'I told you so' but I've been waiting six years to say it."

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:35 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
Adrian paused before answering, scritching Ophelia's head and ignoring the question until he could think of a decent answer. He didn't want to explain Stephen, hoped Jeff knew of him from the school, but it was probably too much to ask.

"I... Things didn't go the way I planned, Jeff. I got involved," He rested his elbow on the table, chin resting on top of his fist. "I didn't mean to but it happened and now it's not only my arse on the line. If it was, I wouldn't care bu-"

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:35 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"You're still carrying on with that nonsense. Adrian, your life isn't worthless," Jeff said, carrying the coffee over and sitting down at the table with him. "You're intelligent, I know you can think, and you had the makings of a good Auror. Don't give me that shit."

No matter that he'd interrupted Adrian's self-depreciating crap, he'd heard the first part and truthfully, he'd expected as much. He'd heard about Adrian and Stephen in conversation around the Aurory and although he'd hoped to hell it wasn't true, he'd been pretty sure that it was.

Still, Adrian didn't have to know that quite yet. He wouldn't know of Jeff's involvement with the Cornfoots if Jeff could keep his secrets to himself.

He took a sip of his coffee and looked at Adrian, watching his expression closely. "Now what do you mean you got involved? I thought you didn't do relationships. I can't quite understand how 'involvement' follows from that."

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:36 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
Adrian's eyes flashed with defiance for a second before he looked away, not looking back at Jeff until he was calm. "Whatever you want to think," he agreed reluctantly.

He scowled when Jeff mentioned his choices, remembering how he'd harped on and on about how he wouldn't settle down and get married or do any of that crap.

"Me neither," he admitted with a soft shrug. He looked down into the coffee, eyeing it suspiciously. Adrian didn't think it even looked like coffee. More like crude oil. "It's... It's not a woman either. He- God, I don't know, Jeff. One minute we're fighting, the next we're fu- You know," he amended hastily.

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:36 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"Don't look at me as if I've just insulted you by giving you praise either," Jeff chided, taking a sip of his coffee. It really was fucking disgusting; he'd never been the one to make coffee before the acc- He wasn't going there. Not today.

"He?" He raised his eyebrows, pretending to be amused even though he'd already known. Nothing like giving the boy a bit of embarrassment. "Who?" he asked. "Getting involved isn't a bad thing, Adrian. That's your own personal opinion on the matter, not the rest of the world's."

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:38 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"Well, I'm so sorry if I'm a little freaked out right now. We're just sitting here as if there isn't the proverbial pink elephant standing in the middle of the room," Adrian replied, his tone acerbic. "Aren't you pissed off with what I've done? Even Cormac wasn't... I don't-"

He clamped his jaw shut, lips a tight line and his nostrils flaring as he struggled to keep himself under control. All of his father's lessons about keeping himself emotionally detached flooded through his head and he wanted to scream.

"Stephen Cornfoot," he replied after a moment. "And if you even think to mention what he's done and how he's gotten in trouble with the Aurors, I will punch you."

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:38 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"You went to see Cormac?" Jeff asked. He wasn't surprised; Adrian and Cormac had always been friends, better than most. It only made sense that he'd go to see his old partner before trying higher up. "What did he say?"

He watched Adrian closely, seeing him close in on himself. He wondered why it was; was it because Jeff reminded him of times when his father had been alive? Or because he felt threatened? Jeff didn't even pretend to know the answer to that question.

"I wasn't planning on it," he said mildly, remembering seeing Stephen get pulled into the Aurory a few times only to be let go when they couldn't charge him for anything. It had made his blood boil that Charles Cornfoot had been pig-headed enough to let his own son walk without a word; he'd wondered if they'd let Evelyn do the same thing. "I hear he's the new Runes teacher at the school? Young for a teacher, isn't he?"

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:39 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"Problem with that?" Adrian snapped. His skin felt too tight and he felt itchy sitting in Jeff's kitchen like nothing had happened, he wanted to shout or run or do anything to disturb the peace. He wanted Jeff to get angry, to hit or hex him, to tell him he'd been stupid. This act, this fucking bullshit martyr act- Adrian didn't like it.

"He's brilliant," he said frankly, not sure how else to describe Stephen's way with Ancient Runes. "I've sat in on a class, once, with a Disillusionment charm on. He- The kids love him and he interacts. Far better than Hornby ever was and christ, I can't get him away from the books even when he's not teaching."

He shut up, realising he'd said too much, and then coughed. "Like I said, he's brilliant. Age has nothing to do with it."

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:39 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"No problem," Jeff replied, amused by Adrian's antics. He bided his time before speaking again, knowing that Adrian was too wound up to avoid the subject for long. "So what did you talk about? Anything interesting or do you want me to guess?"

He nodded when Adrian spoke about Stephen, able to see that he cared a great deal about him from the way he almost-smiled, only catching himself at the last moment. "I'm sure he is," He didn't miss that Adrian had mentioned sitting in on a class and wondered if they were living in the castle. He couldn't see Adrian sneaking in to listen in otherwise unless he had nothing better to do. "Does he know you're here?"

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:40 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"He spoke about me coming back to the Aurors," Adrian replied after a moment's pause, knowing he could trust Jeffrey despite his initial instinct not to. "Mentioned that numbers were low and that you've only got two applicants this year, one of whom will probably not make it."

He looked up at Jeff. "He's going to talk to Ogden, see if there's any hope of me coming back. I know I'm going to have to see Weasley but I really don't like the snotty bastard."

Adrian shook his head, knowing he was being a twat for saying nothing for Stephen but he'd already told him the basics. "No. He doesn't like Aurors... I haven't really explained much to him."

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:40 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"I've always said you'd make a good Auror. After bollocking you and Cormac on your first day, I said that," he replied, smiling slightly at the memory of a younger, more defiant Adrian who had secrets to keep and no walls to pull up.

It'd be more difficult now as he'd had time to perfect his defense mechanisms, to make himself less vulnerable, but Jeff still knew how he could hurt Adrian, how he could pull him down to size. Whether he did or not was Adrian's call though.

"You need to talk to Weasley. He works for Ogden but he does a fuck load more than everybody else. Even Kingsley has to report back to him; all of us do," he added. "He's not- Well, he isn't my cup of tea but he's got a shrewd mind."

He sighed. "What have you explained?"

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:41 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"Yeah but now? After-" He shook his head, chuckling and reaching down to pet Ophelia on the head. "Ogden and Weasley won't have it. They'll think I'm spying or want Pensieve memories or Truth Charms and... I don't want that."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't want to talk to Weasley full stop. Man hasn't got a clue about being out on a battlefield. It's all well and good to draw up plans but if you know bugger all, they're useless," He paused, collecting himself. "I'll talk to him though. If Ogden comes through."

Adrian looked across at him, torn whether to say anything or not. He wanted to but then he really didn't want Jeff knowing much or anything about him and Stephen. "I explained I had friends there, that I was happy. Not much else he needs to know, is there?"

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:42 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"You'll do it if they ask. I don't know if they will or not; the Death Eaters wouldn't send somebody as obvious as you, not if Rodolphus was in charge of it," he said, mind running through all potential candidates as it did every day. "They'd ask you to give names, information. They wouldn't trust you but that's nothing new... Since when did they ever fully trust Pureblood Slytherins with dark allegiances?"

He nodded, knowing Adrian wouldn't go back on his word. Not if he wanted to live life after the war peacefully. "Good. Let me know if you want me there too," he added.

"Not much else? Does he even know how you left? I assume he knows the reason why but honestly, how much have you told him about your past?" When Adrian's body language shifted slightly, he sighed in irritation. "How much does he know about your family?"

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:44 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"You have a point," Adrian conceded, shaking his head as he thought about the hassle it would be. "I'd do it but only if they promised not to ask anything of Stephen. He doesn't know anything."

He raised an eyebrow. "You in Weasley's office? You've changed, actually volunteering to go and talk paperwork."

Adrian tensed again, unhappy with the shift in conversation. Stephen knew everything, or rather, everything he needed to know but his family was one place Adrian didn't want to visit. "Bits and pieces, more than he should. My mother and father decided to fill in the blanks," he said bitterly. "About how I left... What is there to tell? One day I was still training, the next day I quit."

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:45 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
Jeff chuckled. "I don't think they're interested in Stephen, Adrian. He's not the one begging for his job back," he reminded him.

He took a sip of his barely lukewarm coffee, making a face at the taste. Ophelia shifted her head on Adrian's knee and he waited a few moments before talking. "I should have realised at the time, you know? Christ, I'd known you for two years and it never even crossed my mind to check for an Imperius."

He half-smirked at Adrian's startled realisation, shaking his head. "Give me some credit, Adrian. I've had a while to figure it out."

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:46 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"I'm not begging," Adrian retorted, his protests soon fading when he listened to Jeff's next words. He stopped stirring his coffee, looking at him nervously.

It was true, all of it was, but he hadn't changed his mind afterwards or tried to explain. Pride stopped him from doing that... Pride and wanting to make his parents proud despite knowing what a fucking stupid thing it was.

"I- I need to go," he said, standing up abruptly, mind wheeling. Jeff knew and he'd never said anything, never tried to help. He started towards the door, stopping at the feel of Jeff's hand around his elbow, almost bruisingly tight as he pulled Adrian around to face him. "When did you find out? How?"

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_jeffrey
2007-09-16 11:47 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
Jeff reacted quickly, grabbing Adrian's arm before he could disappear into the night and wheeling him around to face him. Adrian looked terrified and betrayed at the same time, too much emotion coursing through him for him to even think of putting on a mask of nonchalance.

"How? Because I put the memory in a Pensieve and watched it over and over until I figured it out. You were too perfect, you knew just what to say," He shook his head. "Your father was a nasty bastard but I never thought he'd do that to you. You signed papers and everything- I can't believe I'd never thought of that possibility."

He stepped back and let go of his arm, knowing Adrian wouldn't bolt now the first jolt of shock had passed. "Go home, Adrian. If you want to continue this then speak to Cormac and let me know what's going on. I'll help as much as I can and I'll try to keep your Stephen out of it."

(Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)


[info]bd_adrian
2007-09-16 11:48 (link) DeleteFreezeScreen
"I- What did you expect? That I say no and he'd just accept it with a smile?" Adrian asked defensively. "I didn't want- I hated leaving, I wanted to tell you afterwards but there didn't seem any point in it," he admitted, sighing heavily. "And then- It's in the past, it doesn't matter anymore."

He cleared his throat when Jeff stepped back, gaze flitting up to Jeff's before sliding down to the floor again. He couldn't talk about this now, he needed time to process what Jeff had said, that Jeff had known for a long time. He was glad when Jeff said to go home, wanting nothing more than to shower and sleep for a hundred years.

"Thanks," he said, looking up again. "I'll send you an owl in the week and I'll find out what Cormac's been doing."

Patting Ophelia on the head once more and saying goodbye to Jeff, Adrian pulled the hood of his cloak up and mounted his broomstick as soon as Jeff had shut the front door, flying back to Hogwarts.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

(Post a new comment)

Mass action on selected comments:

 

Terms of Service | Privacy | COPPA | DMCA
2003 - 2006 GreatestJournalTM and GJPix

gj202