I Need A Heart Beat;;

[prongs]

The screech owl, perched by the windowsil of the condensated Hogs Head, blinked once, its shining, yellow eyes hiding from the world if only for a moment.
Lucifer stared intently at one particular couple, knowing that they were like bait for an observation, even if they were unknowing of it.
He stared at the brunette, who was so fondly staring at the reluctant looking boy.
Alina's sister.
His owl heart gave a beat out of tune as he thought fondly of his fiance, but he flicked his ear tufts once and hissed.
This was not the time to think of Alina.
What was her name...
He stared at the Ravenclaw, trying to remember the name to the kin that his fiance so hated.
Bethany.
If his Alina were here, she would be scowling. He imagined the image in his head, and a screechlike hiss came from his beak.
His yellow, blank eyes moved to the boy.
This must be Wakefield, then.
Alina had also told him about Bethany's boyfriend, the one who was attatched to Xanthe Murder (and probably was still, by the reluctant and seclusive look he could see through the dimmed window), the one who was responsible for another murder in the Jacobs family...
It's him we're after.
Xanthe was a fool if she ever thought she could trust him; they were opposing forces, they stood for different beliefs.
It was almost like a forbidden romance, like Romeo and Juliet.
The owl chuckled.
And we all know how that one ends...

"Come on."
Bethany stared up at her boyfriend that she loved so, her choclate eyes pleading, biting her lip in a seductive way.
Dylan was not to be moved by her plea. "I can't."
"Will you just think about it?"
Bethany wrapped her fingers around Dylan's right, whole hand.
Dylan sighed. "You're asking me to stay in Britain with you in the flat you inherited for the summer. What am I supposed to say to my caretaker?"
Bethany looked at him again. "Well, you wouldn't have to make that travel back to Transylvania again. You said it was uncomfortable yourself."
Dylan closed his black, almost soulless eyes. "I know I said that-"
Bethany grinned a little, trying not to show it to Dylan. "It would be fun. I'm sure your caretaker wouldn't mind. I mean, we could go with my cousin Evelyn in France, or just stay on the flat-"
Dylan looked at her. "We've only been dating a few months, and you're asking me to move in to your flat over the summer. It's a bit sudden."
Bethany looked crestfallen. "Well, it's better than living in that horrible orphanage you tell me about."
Dylan looked as if he was thinking it over. After a minutes silence, he sighed. "I give in."
Bethany squealed a little, hugging Dylan. "This is going to be great."
Dylan looked a little better, but he was always the hollow, empty, depressed cask of a person. "Alright."
Bethany pursued her lips; he knew that Xanthe and Dylan's breakup was hard, but he shouldn't still be moping about it now, should he? It was in the past.
Bethany kissed her boyfriend on the cheek, wrapping her arms around him, her pink lips close to his ear.
"There's only one bedroom, you know..."[/size]

[Miss Murder]

Xanthe and Alcatraz
I walk with shadows.

[/color][/size][/center]

Slam.
Two hooded figures appeared at the door of the Hog’s Head, one much shorter when compared with the other. Both wore nearly identical black cloaks, and the only visible aspects of their faces was their nose and lips, while their eyes were shadowed by the expensive fabric on their heads.
“Couldn’t have chosen more of a dump could you, Murder?” the taller one spoke, his deep voice sending a rumble into Xanthe’s chest. He found this place very revolting. It was dirty, dusty, and many things about the place were in need of renovations, such as broken windows. There was no possible way he’d be able to enjoy himself here.
Xanthe blinked up to him, meeting his hazel eyes. “I never asked you to follow me.”
Alcatraz glared at her though his fringe. He only hung around Xanthe because she was practically the only “friend” he had. Plus, he kind of liked her company. Sometimes. You know, when she wasn’t being annoying and rude, and instead acted like a proper lady like a pureblood should. At least he could carry on a conversation with her.
With nothing being said, the third year Slytherin moved past him, leading the way towards a table. She had seen Bethany and Darien, well, Dylan leave the castle and decided to “tag along” with them.
They have become a nice little couple, though Bethany seemed much more happy about it than Darien did. He was probably still heartbroken over the way they broke up.
Damn Charlie Tripp. How she hated him.
Yet, she liked him. A lot, kind of.
After seconds of walking, Xanthe settled herself at a four-seated table not too far from where Bethany and Darien were. She sat with her back to them, not wishing to be seen.
Alcatraz scoffed and took a seat in front of her.
“What is the point of this?” he asked, sounding a bit bored. “Spying on your ex?”
Xanthe tipped her head slightly to the side and wavered it back and forth as if she couldn’t make a decision. “Yes.”
“What for? You two are done with and what I’ve heard of you,” he sat up straighter, taking off his hood, “it’s better off this way. He’s an Order member, you’re… not, and both of you could get killed.”
The redheaded girl looked away from him, resting a fist on her cheek as he continued to speak.
“Relationships aren’t worth it. You just get all these emotions you don’t want to deal with, and the other person gets hurt too. That’s why I just get it over with-”
“You hit it and quit it. Don’t you think that hurts the girls’ feelings?”
Alcatraz scoffed again. “I make myself clear beforehand.”
“I’m sure you do.”
Xanthe twisted herself around to hear a little squeal from Bethany. Her green eyes narrowed as the Jacobs sister wrapped her arms around Darien, hugging him.
She growled.
Alcatraz gave a little chuckle, crossing his arms.
“You’re just jealous.”

[/blockquote]

[prongs]

Dylan stared at Bethany, his black eyes wide.
"Uh...yeah." he murmured. "About that."
Bethany didn't seem to pay much attention to her boyfriends discomfort; she was caught in the present moment of having her boyfriend stay the summer with her.
Dylan furrowed his eyebrows; in all frankness, he wasn't at all ready for that step in their relationship, but what else could he do? Stay on the streets?
He had nowhere to go, unless he revealed himself and went to stay at his cousins house in Texas, which wasn't going to happen.
Right now, all I need is a roof over my head.
He wrapped his hands around Bethany in an embrace, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw the most familiar shade of red...
Dylan blinked away, trying not to pay attention as Xanthe Murder came into the pub with yet another boyfriend of hers.
That blue haired twit must have annoyed her a bit after coming out about their affair.
Darien, in the alias of being Dylan Barker, eyed his ex-girlfriend's current date.
He was an interesting looking fellow, with black hair and a tall stance. Xanthe seemed to fancy tall guys nowadays.
Darien grabbed his drink, a Butterbeer - he knew that they were more of drinks that were drunk in the wintertime, but he needed warmth nowadays. A pick-me-up.
Darien looked at Xanthe, trying to pick up on her mood, thankful once more that he didn't have mood changing hair in this alias.
Bethany stared up at her boyfriend, her brown eyes concerned, but a scowl on her face; she could obviously tell that the red headed Slytherin had caught his attention. "Dylan, baby, what's wrong?"
Dylan blinked, turning his attention from Xanthe to Bethany.
"Nothing...nothing." he grunted noncommited, taking another swig of his Butterbeer.

The bell on the door rang once more, Liam Smith walking into the restraunt. He looked less than content nowadays, despite his cheerful demeanor. He wore one neon green sock that radiated light on his left foot, and a red sock with a blueberry pattern on the right.
He sighed as he sat down in his seat, knowing Penny would be coming soon, if she had succeeded in following him.
He needed to break this off once and for all.[/size]

[Miss Murder]

Xanthe and Alcatraz
I walk with shadows.

[/color][/size][/center]
Xanthe turned around instantly and sharply as her eyes met with those of Dylan Barker. It was only a second but it was enough to turn her stomach into knots, just the right dosage to make her heart drop to her feet.
Alcatraz lifted an eyebrow. “Your face is red.”
The girl gave a stifled sigh and hung her head low.
“You know, Xanthe,” he said, his voice more quiet than usual, “just go talk to him. You still have unresolved problems, right?”
Xanthe's gaze was on the fifth year, her eyes beginning to water. It was obvious she hadn’t even spoken to her ex boyfriend since the terrible fall out they had. The whole thing was a big misunderstanding and Charlie lied… sort of. Yes, a kiss was definitely cheating, but Xanthe wasn’t the one who had initiated it. She wanted to explain this so badly… yet he’d never believe her if he hasn’t already, would he?
Her lips finally parted. “I can’t talk to him with Bethany around.”
Alcatraz did a little lean to look past Xanthe, hazel eyes landing upon Bethany Jacobs. Eh, she was clearly not his type at all, but he might be able to get something to happen. Just something that would be able to get the damn scene-looking-kid alone so his friend could talk to the overly sensitive brute.
Just then, the bell at the door rang. A clean cut boy stepped inside wearing the most atrocious socks Alcatraz had ever seen in his life. Plus, they were mismatched, something he could not stand for.
I’ve got my idea.
The Slytherin stands up, putting on the nastiest face he could possibly imagine, and began walking toward the boy he had seen come in. He’s seen this guy before in Gryffindor (doesn’t remember his name) with this Penny chick, and he didn’t look like a guy he’d make friends with. Oh well. Making a scene would be kind of fun anyway, even if he had to use some distasteful language. The kids were into that these days.
“What the fuck, man?!” he snapped, glaring at Liam through his raven hair. “What are you messing with my woman for? Don’t you have any morals?”
Xanthe sunk a little in her chair, trying to pry her eyes off the faked provocation.
Alcatraz held his arms out at his sides much like a rooster getting ready to fight. “Here I am. I thought you had a girl. What the hell are you going to tell her? How many hearts are you trying to break?!”
He gathered up all the anger he could muster and flipped the table over with one arm movement, and grabbed onto Liam’s shirt.
He didn’t even know this guy…
“If you want to start something, I’m right here. Stop talking shit and fucking have a swing at me if you’re feeling tough.”

[/blockquote]

[prongs]

Liam blinked, his choclate eyes wide with anger.
Messing...with Xanthe?
"Who the hell are you, man?!" he said, taking a step backward from his accuser. "I'm not messing with Xanthe!"
As the table swung over, Liams ears turned red with anger.
Who did this guy think he is?
"I don't go cheating on girls, man!" he said, pushing the taller boy.
His fist balled up. "You better back the fuck off."

Bethany leaned in to Dylan, pursuing her lips, half closing her eyes. Dylan looked noncommited, as always when he was around Bethany.
Bethany kissed his cheek for a few good seconds, then she breathed her hot breath sweetened by the Butterbeers she had into his ear in a whisper.
"Should we leave if she's bothering you?"
Bethany made the whisper audible, almost at talking level, on purpose, just so Xanthe could hear it. She glowered at the redhead, fuming.
Dylan didn't seem to pay attention, but he blinked.
"What, us?"
He looked at Xanthe again, then at Bethany. "No, we're fine."
Bethany made a dramatic pout, and she snuggled up against the Hufflepuff, despite the hot weather. "I don't exactly want to be here with her around." she complained in a high pitched, whiney voice.
A small smile came to her lips, and she leaned in to Dylan, still scowling at Xanthe. "We could go somewhere more private..."
It wasn't a whisper like before, and it wasn't intended to be; she was purposely being suggestive to annoy the redheaded Slytherin.
Dylan blinked, his face flushing to a shade of scarlet quickly.
"Uh...what?"
Luckily for Darien/Dylan, the scene with Liam and Alcatraz made Bethany fume with anger.
She stormed over to the Slytherin, pulling her wand out.
"You back the hell off of Liam!" she snarled, jabbing her wand at Alcatraz's chest. "You filthy mongrel."

Darien blinked, grateful to be alone for one moment in the relationship.
Bethany's suffocating me, honestly...
He took a sharp breath inward, his focus on the redhead at the alone table once more.
She's so beautiful...
Darien balled his right, whole hand in a fist underneath the table.
Damnitt, why do I still want her?
His legs found new strength.
Maybe I can just talk to her, just as friends, even...
Darien stood to his feet, walking to the open table.
His heart was pounding a million beats a minute, his ears red with nervousness, thankful for the umpteenth time he didn't have mood changing hair anymore.
He pulled the empty chair, sitting there for a few seconds.
Taking a breath, he looked up at Xanthe, his eyes turning their natural hazel.
"Hi..."[/size]

[Miss Murder]

Xanthe and Alcatraz
I walk with shadows.

[/color][/size][/center]

Alcatraz watched Liam’s reaction, trying to hide his oncoming smile. It was so hilarious to watch this little Gryffindor’s reaction, from the way his eyes widened to how the blood surged to his face. He was totally buying this.
Suddenly a wand jabbed into his chest, and he glanced slightly down at the brown haired girl he knew to be Bethany Jacobs, by Xanthe’s stories. He knew her as an alcoholic (something he didn‘t appreciate), as having a bipolar disorder, and as the girl that was head over heels with this Dylan dude.
Though, Xanthe never told Alcatraz anything about Darien’s other identity, Dylan, so this was how he was always addressed in his presence.
“Mongrel? Do you know who I am?” he snarled, reaching into his cloak sleeve and pulling out his own wand. He used it to move Bethany’s aside, away from his body. “From what I understand the Jacobs popped out of nowhere with their pureblood rubbish. Not once have I ever heard of their descending lines.”
His eyes darted to his side to see Dylan inching closer toward Xanthe just like he planned, but his gaze quickly moved back to Liam.
“Liam, huh?” Alcatraz jeered taking a step toward him. “Sounds like you’re a real stud, aren’t you? Well, I didn’t appreciate you trying things with my woman. Seriously, she doesn’t want you, she wants me.” He laughed and leaned into the other male, right into his face. “Doesn’t that piss you off?”
Xanthe continued to slide into her seat bit by bit as if attempting to disappear and blend into the room. It wasn’t working; the sound of footsteps nearing her from behind.
“Hi…”
She cautiously turned around, dreading meeting the face of Dylan Barker. He looked so trapped, so soulless in that artificial frame. Despite no mood changing hair, his emotions showed on the surface. He seemed utterly miserable.
Lost for words, Xanthe didn’t speak to him right away. “Uh, hi. It… It’s been awhile, huh?” she asked, her face filling up with warm scarlet. “Since we talked….”
The air around them was awkward. It felt suffocating like a closed, stale cellar room, but fuzzy as if someone had spun the room around fifty times or so while time stood still.
The Slytherin stood up from the table and took off her hood, exposing her messy brown-red hair. She looked over at Alcatraz and faintly smiled at the calming aura that came over her.
He cares.
She blinked back to Dylan, a vacant expression succumbing her face once more.
“He’s not exactly my boyfriend you know,” she mumbled, glancing away to a shattered window. “If that’s what you were thinking…”

[/blockquote]

[prongs]

Liam snarled.
"I'm only dating one girl, mate!" he shouted, his face turning red with anger. "I'd never be romantically involved with...HER!"
He pointed straight at Xanthe.
Liams face blanched, and he looked at Xanthe in horror.
"Well, no offense or anything, you're pretty and all, but a bit younger than be and...uh...more of a friend..."
Bethany glowered at Alcatraz.
"I don't give a flying fuck about the lines of blood, you piece of filth." she snarled, her eyes smouldering. "I for one am not concerned with such, judging lives on the status of birth."
She looked up at him. "I know Mr. Liam Smith very well, and he is not one to cheat on-"
The loud, monotonous speech of Bethany Jacobs was interrupted by the punch of Liam Smith, straight to Alcatraz's gut.
Bethany looked at the Gryffindor, her mouth falling in horror. "Liam!"
Liam was enraged, his face a prune shade as he blew another punch to Alcatraz. He pushed a chair out of the way, making it clatter to the ground.

Darien blinked in suprise.
"Uh...he's saying you are." he said, not in a tone of disbelief, but confusion.
He looked at Liam, his eyebrows furrowing in some amusement and concern.
Darien looked back at Xanthe, his face turning a light scarlet.
"You...you're not with anyone?"
He didn't mean to say it, but it already came out; Darien clamped his mouth shut, thankful yet again for not having mood changing hair.
Twiddling his fingers together, he looked up at her, his hazel meeting her hazel eyes, almost making him flinch with the intensity.
"I..."
Darien pursued his lips, not finding it easy to find words to say.
What in the hell are we supposed to talk about?
Darien smiled a little, looking back up at Xanthe.
"I..."
He closed his eyes; better to be honest.
"I hope your well."
So much emotion was behind that simple sentance. He did wish her well, but he wanted to be the one she was well with...
He wanted her back...
Darien sighed. "I don't like this awkwardness and avoiding, you know. And Bethany...well...she's a little suffocating. I'm not too swell, in case you couldn't tell."[/size]

[Miss Murder]

Xanthe and Alcatraz
Here‘s to the friends that were alibis.

[/color][/size][/center]

Xanthe looked down to avoid Darien’s gaze. She didn’t know really what to say back.
“I wish you the best, whatever you can make of it,” she said, her voice quivering slightly from being nervous. “And Alcatraz is just… never mind, just forget about him. It’s just good to speak with you again. I think we need to talk things over-”
She stopped speaking as she noticed Liam pointing a finger at her. Instantly her eyes narrowed like a lion preparing to pounce on its prey. Didn’t his mother ever teach him not to point?
The younger twin brought her attention to Dylan again, ignoring the rude gesture. “We need closure. Meet me-”
Bethany let out a ear-splitting scream, covering up any other noise that could’ve been heard from the fury of Liam Smith’s punch. Alcatraz hunched over in pain, gasping once for air, and Xanthe abandoned Dylan. She was extremely pissed now.
As she approached, Alcatraz looked up at Liam, still slightly bent over as a result of a sharp pain pulsing through his middle and lower body. His arms were wrapped around his body as if he were trying to trap the discomfort all in one place.
“I never said it was Xanthe, you dimwit,” he rasped, breathing deeply a few times to recollect his lungs. “I don’t fool around with her. She wouldn‘t let me even if I really wanted to.”
Xanthe put her hands on Alcatraz’s back in a comforting way as she reached him, and glared at Bethany, then Liam. Of course, she could give looks to kill.
She stepped away from her friend and took out her wand, though she wasn’t really planning on using it. By this time Alcatraz was able to regain himself and stand to face the shorter boy, so he pushed Xanthe slightly to the side on the opposite side of Liam. She remained close.
“Look… Liam,” he said, gesturing with his hands, “It’s nothing to get upset about.” His voice had a humorous and easy tone to it, but was underlined with dismissal. “I mean, I am gorgeous in a way.”
He scoffed after giving Liam a final scowl, turning away from the two Hogwarts students that clearly weren’t on his side and started to walk toward Dylan. Alcatraz’s steps had a bit of strut in them, though he walked leaning forward. Maybe it was from Liam’s punch. No one really saw him walk anywhere.
Once he reached the Hufflepuff, and lay a hand on one of his shoulders, patting it before finally resting it there. He grinned slightly and chuckled.
“About your girlfriend… let me just say she tried to give me a hand job once in the second floor boy‘s bathroom.” The last four words were put on emphasis that was hardly noticeable, but hopefully this Dylan kid was smarter than he thought him to be. He might get the message.
Alcatraz’s gaze was exchanged with Xanthe, who nodded lightly in approval.
Again he’s saved her day.


[/blockquote]