meaghan mccormack is a wrecking ball of love. (secretheart) wrote in blurred_lines, @ 2008-07-28 00:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | ! [1979-07] july, caradoc dearborn, meaghan dearborn (née mccormack) |
who Meaghan and Caradoc, NPC Kirley
when BACKDATED to the 26th, before the Order meeting
where Alice's doorstep
rating PG
status Complete
synopsis Meaghan and Kirley run into Caradoc on the way to the meeting and they discuss what has been going on.
Meaghan had been running a few minutes behind Moody, and so he was already inside the Longbottom's home when she arrive, Apparating near the front door with Kirley clinging to her leg. Collecting herself, she bent down to ensure that he had made the trip alright (the last thing the poor boy needed was a splinching on top of everything else) and gave him a smile for obeying her instructions so well. Gripping his hand tightly, she looked around the area before advancing toward the door, one hand on her wand tucked into her pocket, just in case. Glowing embers lit up Caradoc's face as he, loitering on the Longbottoms' porch, beheld the spectacle between Meaghan and Kirley. Even as the smoke rolled from his lips, deigning to float upward in lacy curls, he felt his heart fall into his chest for the young woman upon whom motherhood (and so much else) had been thrust. Stubbing out the cigarette (it was a nasty habit, anyway, only used in times of great distress and even then he preferred cigars), he threw it into the yard where it vanished with a quick crackle. "Pleased to see you," he said softly, letting the usually controlled accent lilt in the tone of his voice. "And this is Kirley, isn't it?" It took her a moment to recognize the man who she had only ever caught glimpses of before, but when she put a name to a face she visibly relaxed, though only just so. At the attention directed his way, Kirley buried his face into Meaghan's leg, causing a frown to marr her already drawn features. He had never been a shy child before, and now every time anyone other than Meg or Moody spoke to him, he clung to her. "Mr. Dearborn, isn't it?" She asked, forcing a smile. "Kirley, say hello to the nice man." "Caradoc's more like," he replied, even taking one knee to gaze at Kirley's frightened little face. "Hi, Kirley. You're a good man to be taking care of your sister." She nodded, acknowledging the allowed familiarity. "Meaghan." She assured him, watching with a tender heart at the way he spoke to her brother. Kirley peeked around her body at the big man who had come down to his level, managing a small smile before hiding away again. "Yes, he's taking very good care of his sister, aren't you love?" With a final smile for the little boy, he returned to his feet and crossed his arms over his chest. It was to intercede so these moments did not have to occur that Caradoc chose to join the Order and it seemed they were still failing. Miserably. "I'm sorry," was a statement pitched for Meaghan's ears only. "So sorry." She bit her lip at that, one hand dropping instinctively to her brother's head as she visibly fought to control her emotions for a moment. Her eyes were shadowed from lack of sleep and red from crying, her skin drained of blood and her entire carriage showing utter defeat. After a moment, after she staved off the tears that would be inevitable later, she nodded. "Thank you." He was not an entirely heartless man and Meghan's attempts to control her emotions were rather easily observed. Leaning forward, he placed his hand firmly upon her shoulder and drew her chin straight to his gaze. "We're going to take care of this." Everything he would have expected to see was there, swimming in her eyes: pain, denial, rage, infinite sadness, murderous revenge, exhaustion, love. She had never been good at hiding her emotions and this had only amplified it, weakened any defenses she had built around herself so that the only thing that kept her going, the only motivating force stopping her from simply lying down and giving up, was the tiny person clinging to her body like a life-line. She was all he had left in the world and she could never bring herself to abandon him. "We have a lot to do before we are able to take care of this." "And we're going to make the first step," he said firmly, exuding a strength in his convictions that Voldemort's Death Eaters would be brought to justice. And even more quietly. "I'm going to say, tonight, that I think the strategy isn't doing us any good." She nodded. The overwhelming protectiveness he exuded gave her an odd comfort, made her feel, for the first time in days outside of her home without Moody at her side, that she could be safe. That her family, her meager little family, might make it through this alive. "Thank you. I'm glad I was obliged to bring him, so he can serve as a reminder of what these policies have wrought so far." "I'd reccomend sitting him right in front of Alice Longbottom but I'm not entirely cold hearted -- I'd worry for him," he stated matter of factly, making no bones about how he felt with his tone and an arch of his brow. It was high time that they start fighting Death Eaters and gathering information offensively. Her eyebrows drew together angrily at the mention of Alice's name, a woman she had had so much faith in who had so spectacularly, so repeatedly failed her recently. She had ignored her suggestions, treated her like a child, and now, despite the number of days that had gone by, not done anything to ensure that Meaghan had received any information or assistance from the Ministry or the Aurors working her case. A dismissive sound, then, at the mention of Alice's name. "I doubt it would make much of a dent, considering that she thinks of my generation of Order members as Kirley's intellectual equals." With a thoughtful pose meant simply for the time to compose a statement not too damning of the woman upon whose stoop he stood, he pursed his lips and gave a single nod. "I will tell you that we older folk do not all feel the same way, Meaghan. Joining this organisation was a trial by fire and as far as I'm concerned, you're just as adult as we are." Pause. "But running off half-cocked to die only fuels her fire. All this energy needs to be directed." If it hadn't required her to take her hand off her brother, she would have rubbed her temples at that. "I don't understand why we must all be painted with the same brush because of Agnes' rashness. When Marlene was attacked, I went to Emmeline's for the night. When..." she paused there, unable to say "my family." It was too soon. "When I found out, I went to retrieve my brother because the Ministry couldn't be arsed to and went home. I have yet to gallivant around looking for trouble, and yet I keep getting lumped in with them simply because I am younger." At twenty-one she had been legally an adult for four years. It was time someone treated her as such. "I've got no quarrel with you, Meaghan. As far as I'm concerned, you've been an adult since the day you turned seventeen and you were admitted to the Order because you were a moral, capable witch of many talents." She set her shoulders back, clearly feeling contrite for having sniped at him without cause. "You'll have to forgive me, Caradoc. My nerves are a bit...raw." She ran a hand through her hair, sighing. "Well, the moral bit is debatable." She said with a small smirk, trying to lighten the mood. He shook his head in two firm swipes. "Absolutely not necessary, Meaghan. You're deserving of blowing some steam." And a small grin prickled at the corners of his mouth. "Now, I don't know what kind of morality you're talking about ..." Another grin. God, it felt good to grin. "The kind that can't be discussed within earshot of innocents." Miming zipping over his lips, he gave her a wink and motioned toward the glowing doorway behind which hushed voices murmured at one another. "Into the lion's den with you." She slumped, feigning a childish reluctance, the kind that might come from a child being forced to go to classes early in the morning. "Must I?" He tsked a few times and grasped her elbow, leading her through the door and into the foyer. "For better or worse," he replied. "For better or worse." She nodded, putting on a brave face, gripping Kirley's hand tightly. "Let's hope." |