Use Somebody

Laughter in the Wiltshire countryside.

Not something that is heard very often anymore. Well, not sane laughter, anyway.

Narcissa covers her mouth, but can't stop laughing at the tingle in her toes. Now, Cissy, the Grey Lady admonishes her, you mustn't eat those berries, they are for the potion! The raven drops three more leaves into the small cauldron and smells the aroma of a potion reaching the peak of its first stage. I am sorry, Lady, Narcissa thinks, wiping her mouth, but I like them, I've never eaten them before. Narcissa's mentor nods and she drops the rest of the berries into the cauldron....

Perdurabo explains that when the entrance to the chamber was finally found and breached, Escellion was long-dead, but the Master Stone and the Stone of Amon Sûl were hidden safely in her bones. "So much time had passed," he says, "and the stones had been a part of her for so long, that they had absorbed some--well, a great deal, actually--of her magic and added it to their own. But what was truly astounding was that they upheld her vow." The Elder wizard tells them that a great altar was made in the very center of the chamber, and upon it was placed the Master Stone. At that time it became...

"Until we were ready..." Therion echoes, then stretches and rubs his neck. "This is a lot to have to be ready for. And there's something I don't understand." He looks around at the gathered Silhouettes. "You've said that you came here a thousand years ago, but--" there is soft laughter and guilty glances around the study, and the answer comes from behind them. "That is because we still count the passage of time in our years. In yours," Bea chuckles softly as she takes Malfoy into her arms in a loving embrace, and Therion shakes his head. "I don't think I want to know what the conversion is...I...

Thirty years?" Layne and Therion ask, almost in unison. Perdurabo nods, his grin far less disturbing now, and sighs. "It...I think of the stone as he, for certainly the stone possesses a sense of identity, you can't exit as long as he has without developing a kind of awareness, and even the One Ring--" the elder wizard realizes he's rambling and stops. Elsbet giggles and kisses his forehead, and he laughs at himself. "Sorry, it's just that...so few understand. He was alone for so long. He knows this place, Perethil. This city was founded by Elves and Half-Elves, and was already thriving when...

Laughing almost like small children caught sneaking cookies, Snape and his family go up the stairs quickly. The birds play a game with each other as they follow them back up, squawking and cawing loudly as they go, with no clear winner decided once they're up. "They've got the sillies," one of the younger Silhouettes says as she picks up Anubis and gives him a gentle snuggle. Thelonius, Capadocius' first mate, asks them where 'The Rook' has gone off to and Layne opens his jacket. The crow has managed to settle himself into the breast pocket of the shirt quite comfortably, and he peers up at...

The Heir of Aragorn.

All eyes are on Snape, and Tonks moves closer to her husband. "Then..." she begins to speak but can't finish, and Elsbet, bright eyes filled with tears of joy, smiles at him radiantly. "I told you that you are King." He takes her into his arms, his own eyes filling with tears, and he holds her tightly to him. He shakes his head once, and the Chronicler smiles softly. "Good sir," he says in a gentle tone, "the living, indesputable proof is there, warm in your embrace." Malfoy lays his hand gently on the Dark wizard's shoulder as Layne and Therion usher the birds over to the...

Snape steels himself as the Chronicler pulls down a fresh parchment, and silently he glances at his loved ones. These people have come to mean everything to him; now, it is clear to him that they truly are meant to be together, and he wonders how much darker his life would have been if he had never met Elsbet, or if he had turned away from her...

There is strength in unity, he knows. He feels stronger now than he has ever felt before in his life. How much stronger will he become?

He steps up to the parchment and takes a deep breath; Malfoy comes to his side and takes his hand, pricks it gently,...

Layne holds Johnny Rook closely to him, and the crow tugs at the lapel of his jacket. Me knew wen me saw you, he thinks as Layne tucks him inside that jacket, you be my Da. Therion puts his arm around Layne's waist as the fair wizard asks the crow, "when you first saw me, how did you see me? I mean, how did I look to you?" Johnny Rook pulls the jacket closed and snuggles close to Layne's heart. You furry. Layne looks down at the lump on his chest. "I looked furry to you?" There's a muffled caw from inside Layne's jacket, and Johnny Rook thinks, you furry wen me first see! Me know you long time!...