Forbidden Moments (Open)

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

Leigh leant against a tree, holding his hand out, palm facing upwards as he focused on slowly letting his wand rotate around it. He was deep in thought, his life had changed ever since he had come back to life and now that he was alive again, he had hoped he would cope a little more easily. He had more than once silently slipped past the entrance to the Hufflepuff Common Room, more than once stolen necessary supplies from the teachers and students of the school, and had more than once followed several Ministry officials.

However, he often found himself in the forest at night, the only place where he truly felt safe, despite the dangers that lurked deep within the forest where is partner, Shiela, stayed. Tonight was not a night for them to be together, as Leigh heard several voices of men or just older students walking through the forest like they owned the place.

The silence that surrounded him was taken away from him by the intrusion, Ministry or student he couldn't tell. He wondered on who would dare make suck a racket to invoke the wrath of the forest, whomever it was would pay.

He opened his eyes and slowly slipped his wand away, before taking flight to follow the students, becoming his Animagus form, a tiger. Prowling the students in this form would be easy, his padded feet silently moving through the forest. He had to smile at the absolute ignorance that surrounded the people before him, but he soon realised that they weren't who he had expected.

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

Leigh had to laugh, if he could. He reverted back to to his human form and lit his wand, lighting the way before him as he stepped out from the vegetation, his eyes showing no intent on harming the student. He placed one hand on a tree as he appeared into sight and frowned at the girl.

'Hmph, just another student coming into the forest at night and probably thinking they know what they're doing, and a Gryffindor no less, more courage than brains at times.' He scoffed, before leaping down in front of the girl, his wand canceling the light as he flicked his fingers and several torches ignited around the place, illuminating the forest and trees.

'Neat trick, if I do say so myself...' He said walking over to one and admiring the place where he had hidden it. He had placed this specific one in between two branches, the fire spitting not causing any harm to the surrounding areas. 'Now, what brings a Gryffindor girl into the forest at night and all alone?'

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

'Ah... Punishment... Now that's a thing I miss greatly, punishing unruly students...' Leigh said, sighing as he remembered the good times. With a slight laugh, he crossed his arms and shook his head. 'If I was still a Professor, a weeks worth of detention would've been punishment enough, as well as meeting a fierce werewolf face to face used to work as well.'

'By the way, this isn't a trap, just a meeting place for me if I want to attract a person of standing, usually the Ministry officials are my targets to confuse and baffle them, but they are tediously chasing after a monster squirral apparition I set off inside of the school earlier.' A bemused smirk crossed his face as he spoke. 'Which reminds me, has there being any rumours of a dead professor coming back to life, other[/b] than that of Mandrake Black?'

[Ashlee Van Dort]

<sup>Ashlee was standing a few trees away, wondering if she had been noticed. When no one gave a notice to her, she came out, not caring if she made a noise or not and walked up behind the Gryffindor, "For your information, he did die, and I suffered more than a few saddened months waiting for him," Ashlee said, "Everyone around me had a different version of a made-up tale they continued to tell me," she gave a somewhat amused laugh then sighed.

Ashlee took a few steps forward, studying Leigh with a genuine smile, "I thought I'd find you here," she simply said before finding a tree stump and taking a seat, looking at them both with amusment.</sup>

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

Leigh was about to reply to the Gryffindor girl before he saw Ashlee appear, his mouth hanging open and his eyes widening when he saw her. His hands clenched as he suddenly became nervous and sighed, looking away slightly.

'Ashlee, why are you here?' He said, his tone sounding demanding but he tried not to make it so. 'This isn't the time nor the place for students to be out, the forest is lurking with dangers far more worse than grizzly creatures... The darkness is swelling again, and I cannot keep coming here night after night and preventing students and others from going in too deep... The darkness will consume them all too quickly...'

He stepped away slightly, before punching the nearby tree. 'No one can understand what it's like to be where nothing is, nothing at all, all by yourself...' He said, feeling a single tear fall down his cheek. 'I don't want anyone to feel what I did, to be where I was... No one at all.'

[Ashlee Van Dort]

<sup>Ashlee stood up, "Dammit Leigh! I'm not a child anymore, stop treating me like I still am! You have NO idea what I had to go through, you wouldn't even be able to imagine it. Besides, I'm not actually a student anymore, remember?"

Ashlee walked over to him, anger filling her, "You think you're the only one that knows what nothing feels like?!?" she screamed, "To feel alone?" she continued.

Tears streamed down her face, "Try actually having to LIVE while the one you love is dead. Try wanting to die but not having the courage to take your own life. Leigh, you think you have it bad, I'm the one that can't speak a word about you. I'm the one that has to go on as if nothing happened," she paused and looked at him with saddness, lowering her voice to a whisper "Do you know how much that kills me Leigh? How hurt I am that I have to sneek away to even think about you?"

Ashlee began to stumble as she tried to make her way back to the tree stump. Her breathing was quickening and her sight became blurry. She took one last glance at Leigh before the color in her face drained and she fell to the ground.</sup>

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

Leigh rushed forward and put his arms around Ashlee to stop her from falling down, he held her in an embrace that showed his affection for her, the way he held her and placing his head against her.

'I do know what it's like... You left me without a word and a trace and only returned just before my death...' Leigh said, holding her firmer. He turned his head slightly towards the Gryffindor girl. 'I'll come back soon enough and then those that are my enemies will pay dearly.'

He looked down at Ashlee in his arms and tenderly kissed her head, holding back a flood of tears that swelled in his eyes. He had finally made up his mind to return to the world of the living and make his presence known and felt.