``sealed lips[nik&tob]hide secrets

[October Hemingway]

December had never seemed so cold before. Maybe it was caused by the dramatic change in temperture, but perhaps the fact that October's heart had frozen over. Nothing seemed to make her feel warm and happy anymore; those days of a bouncy, summer feeling were long-gone and forgotten. Her eyes had taken on a forever shade of foreboding gray, a hidden storm brewing behind the irises. No one was aware of the battle raging inside of her; not even Aiden, who she spent so much time with now ever since...

No.

She didn't even want to think about that.

The only problem was that the day that her boyfriend Avery died was the day when all these changes had started to take place within her. Fault lines that were already set in her heart from past experiences had deepened, creating long, permanent cracks. Any day now every part of her was threatening to crumble and fall apart. Part of her mind wanted to put her out of her misery before such an event happened, and the other was anticipating the day when everything would either fall into place or fall to pieces.

The sky was cloudy, the sun's rays barely penetrating the thickness of the sky. Everything seemed a little darker; a little more somber. A gush of frigid winter air caused Tobie to hug her charcoal-colored peacoat around her and to try and bury her nose into her burgundy-colored scarf. When she approached the Three Broomsticks, she exhaled before pushing the door open, getting angry glares from those sitting at tables around the threshold. The temperture was only disturbed for a few moments until the crackling fire began to hear everything up again. She walked over to a booth that was in the back, sliding onto the seat, wishing the beanie that was sitting on the back patr of her head would warm her ears faster. She waited quietly for Nikita to arrive, deciding not to order a butterbeer until she got there.

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[Nikita Snape]

The sound of crunching leaves underneath Nikita's feet was menacing. She walked slowly, her eyes lingering on the ground in front of her. It would be best if the passing people didn't notice her because if they did, they would probably run up to a professor saying that she was planning something, or doing some sort of 'bad shit'. She was sporting a sweat shirt, that covered her pale arms. She had the black hood up, covering her head decently. Both of her hands, rested in the pocket of the pull over, her fingers fiddling with her wand, absentmindedly. The sound of icy wind whirled past her, sending up several autumn leaves into the air to swirl around Miss. Nikita Freya Snape.

Slowly, Nikita turned into the shop where she was told to meet Tobie. Ah, something must have been terribly wrong for her to want to talk that soon, and quick. Her mind swirled from different thoughts of various things that might have been wrong with her dearest friend. Her mind instantly found the answer, saying the name under her breath as she walked. "Avery" The name was filled with sorrow, and loss. He shouldn't be dead at that moment. It just wasn't right. He had been a great guy. Always caring... and Corliss' first true love. She shook her head, her hoody falling off of her head neatly. She left it there, not caring to put it back on.

Nikita's eyes darted around the small shop quickly, pain stricken, and emotionally built in, pale eyes. She walked by several Gryffindors, though she didn't care to harm them, or mutter nasty words about them under her breath. She decided that she didn't have time for any of that nonsense today. Her friend needed her gosh Damn it! So, she walked on, her eyes resting gently on Tobie who was sitting in a booth alone. She strutted over to the comfortable seat, scooting in front of Tobie, on the opposite side. She looked at her, her eyes filled with compassion and melancholy all for Miss. Hemingway. "You said you needed to talk..."

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[October Hemingway]

Tobie felt mildly relieved as she watched Nikita enter the pub. A gush of crisp air followed her, a handful of guests glaring at her for disrupting their comfortable warmth. Tobie began to wring her hands in her lap nervously, knowing that what she spoke to Niki about would either make or break their friendship. Swallowing hard as Nikita took a seat, she offered her a pleasent smile. "Yes...It's important, I assure you, otherwise I'd never drag you out in the cold." she said with a smirk.

After sighing, she prepared to slruge on everything. "Well, Niki...you've got to promise to keep this quiet. And not to rip my head off, alright?" she asked with a small smile, still trying to keep the mood light. "Well...over the past few weeks I've been wondering what it would be like to be in a different House. Like...what if I were sorted as a Gryffie? Or a Huffler, even?" she began, trying to keep her voice steady. "My mother always told me that she saw me as a Ravenclaw; clever and intelligent, not afraid to speak her mind..." she trailed off, looking down at her lap. "And ever since Avery and Albus's deaths...I haven't been the same. I feel like something within me's changed...something I can't explain. Anyways," she paused, avoiding Nikita's gaze for fear it would be the last thing she saw before the Snape girl uttered an Unforgivable. "I spoke with the Headmistresss...and she allowed me to be re-sorted. Now normally, the Sorting Hat wuoldn't change it's decision, but for reasons I stated earlier...It's changed it's mind. I'm a Ravenclaw, now; this is my last night staying in the Slytherin dorms." she finished, so glad that as she finished a barista approached the table, asking if either of the two girls wanted something to drink.

"Two Butterbeers please," she said, pulling out her purse and paying for the two beverages. She figured paying for Nik's drink was the least she could do after springing all this on her.

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[Nikita Snape]

Face solemn, and eyes filled with curiosity and wonder, Nikita chuckled slightly at Tobie's first statement. "Drag me out in the cold? Please. I live and die for the cold. Coldness and darkness are my best friends, deary... well besides you, Corliss, and Kia, but still." She smirked, smiling at Tobie, before the smile completely vanished from her expression. Her heart thudded deep in her chest, and her eyes grew big with something that wasn't a familiar expression in her cold, soulless, pale eyes. Her heart began to ache for Tobie, but she didn't feel anger, or frustration towards her friend. She just felt some-what back-stabbed.

Placing her elbows hard on the table, she placed her head in her hands. "I--I wont tell anyone... but... Tobie? Really? I don't... I don't want you to-- never mind... Just--Just tell me... WHY? Why Tobie? Why would hurt me and Corliss like this?" Looking back up at Tobie, her eyebrows furrowed. She looked into Tobie's eyes and she immediately knew that wasn't all that Tobie had to say. Nikita's voice was shrill and broken as she spoke, her eyes stabbing into her friends. "No... that's not all is it? Tell me what else you are doing. I need to know."

Nikita pushed a shaky hand through her hair, as she realized what else Tobie must be doing. She watched as the Waitress walked their way handing them two Butterbeers. She smirked at it, pushing it off the table to where it fell to the ground scattering in millions of shards mixed with the hurt that Niki felt at that moment. "I don't want the damn Butterbeer Tobie. I mean thanks, but I want answer! Not a damn sweet drink!" She said, her voice rising into a yell slightly. Niki looked at her, pulling her up out of her seat, and walking behind the counter with Tobie trailing along.

Strutting back into the kitchen where the wizard chefs prepared small food items, and the drinks, Nikita turned to a small witch. Nikita looked down at her, flipping her hair over her shoulder like she owned the place. "Excuse me... would you tell me where your workers bathroom is? The private one?" She tried to ask this in a nice tone of voice, but it didn't work very well. "No--You can't use it--" The small witch began to say before Nikita cut her off, "Yeah, we can. Now tell me where it's at!" She yelled, her eyes striking with frustration toward the lady. Finally, with a sharp finger, she pointed the direction in which the bathroom was.

Walking at a speedy pace, Nikita entered the bathroom, slamming the door after Tobie had entered. She began to pace in the small private bathroom, and she ran a hand through her hair as she battled herself inwardly about whether she should tell Tobie everything or not. The answer seemed to come to her quickly though, and she shuddered at the thought of telling her. "Tobie... I--I have to tell you something too. It's... important, and confusing. But, it doesn't mean I've changed. Not at all. I'm still my usual bitchy, 'get outta my way you slut', imma murder yoooooh, Nikita Snape. I am. That me hasn't changed. Neither has me being in Slytherin, and the DE. That will never change. But, I'm involved with someone I shouldn't be involved with... you need to know this, Tobie."

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[October Hemingway]

Tobie sighed as she watched the mug drop and shatter when it hit the floor. The waitress's face seemed tired and dismayed as she turned to get the broom that was resting against the wall to sweep up the glass shards. Tobie offered Nikita a disapproving look before uttering a spell to make the cup piece together and the Butterbeer pour itself back into it. It floated and landed on the waitress's tray, which she had left on the table, and when the young girl turned around with the broom she seemed relieved and thanked Tobie quietly before leaving the table. "You know, that was pretty rude, Nikita dear." she said sharply. At home, she had been raised by many nannies, all of whom taught her etiquette and how to be lady-like. The fact that Nikita had complete disrespected the waitress didn't shock her, but just left her feel a slight sense of discomfort.

She followed Niki obidiently, not wanting to get on her bad side at the moment. She offered the staff appologetic looks as her friend stormed into the kitchen, demanding to be given the location of the staff restrooms, ready to knock anyone who objected off their feet. One they were safely located inside the restroom she turned and locked the door with a simple charm and turned the give Nikita her attention. "Quite frankly, that was a bit obnoxious!" she scolded, blue eyes glaring at her friend with distaste. She was about to continue before Niki, as usual, cut her off. She listened intently, completely stone-faced.

"Involved...how?" she asked. "Involved romantically?" she asked, then shaking her head, remembering Xavier. "Uhm...is it a friendship? Or are you connected by a spell?" she asked, eyeing Nikita with an arched brow.

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[Nikita Snape]

Nikita kept pacing, whilst her mind kept whirling. She listened to Tobie intently, feeling as if she could just go crazy, and go on a 'killing spree'. She felt frustrated, stressed, and anything else you could possibly imagine, except for anything related to happy, or go-lucky. She turned to face Tobie, her eyes showing melancholy, and she pulled her friend into her, hugging her tightly. Surprisingly, that's all Miss. Snape needed to feel loads better.

"I know! I know! I'm sorry, okay? I just... kinda... ugh! Go crazy I guess when I have to say something important, and I this time when I went 'crazy'," She paused to do the little air quotation marks, "I went a little overboard with my words, and rudeness, and incapability to use manners. I never learned manners okay? So cut me some slack on that part, kay?" Her words were short, and she tried to control their tone, and insuppressible volume.

Nikita's eyes grew wide, and she began to crack up, her eyes shining brightly. Eventuall catching her breath, she spoke quickly, her tone filled with humor. "Ohhh, man! That's funny. Noooo!! I'm not involved romantically with Zane Lestrange. Trust me on that... although we did have one scene together... but I was just trying to save his life... and weirdly enough... mine..." Her words were slow, but she quickly shook her head, laughing once more. "That's besides the point though... and yes, I'm involved with him by a spell. It's a friendship, and I know what you're thinking, so don't say it. It's crazy. Yes, I know. But... I don'teven know how to explain it."

[October Hemingway]

It took Tobie a moment to absorb Nikita's words; appearantly she and Zane were bound by a spell, which wasn't exactly the best foundation for a friendship. She had gotten to know Zane well due to her joining the New Order and that whole idea didn't sound like something he'd do...unless it was by force or some other means that would help someone other than himself. It was probably a sacrifice situation.

Clearing her throat quietly, Tobie spoke. "It's ok...you don't need to explain anything, Niki." she said. She knew that Nikita would never tell her the full story and so she decided to discontinue the discussion before Nikita threw her defensives up; there was no use in trying to beat answers from a birck wall. She just had to be a good friend to Nikita...after all, that's just what the girl needed. She suffered from a severe superiority complex and sometimes just a stable friend to splurge all your secrets to was something you needed to keep you grounded.

"Are you ok with it?" she asked. "I mean, being connected to someone like that must be sort of frightening, but sort of fun at the same time." she said. She had recieved the full extent of the connection from Rowen in the Hospital Wing a few days ago. Lately, do to several health-related problems he seemed to stay there more often then he should. Ugly burns had destroyed his hands and he had to had a poltice applied to them daily to prevent further infection. Appearantly the Fiendfyre burns were much more severe then your average I-burnt-my-hand-on-the-stove burns.

"Rowen is still recovering from the fight." she said finally. She had hidden her knowledge of the duel for too long and she was ready to talk about it. "It pains me to see him in so much pain...but I suppose I'm just too weak." she paused. "Like my filthy mother." she finished, unable to meet Nikita's gaze. When she found out all the horrible things her friend had said to her brother, she was heartbroken.

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[Nikita Snape]

Nikita cocked her head to the side, slightly confused at Tobie's statement, "I don't need to explain anything? Yes I do! Tobie, do you realize how hard it's been for me to keep this whole shitty thing a secret?! It's been like hell!" She yelled, her voice shaky as she spoke. She slowly continued though, in a softer tone of voice, "Wait... are you switching sides, Tobie? Like leaving the DE, and going over to the NO?" her voice was sharp, her eyes pleading and filled with anguish.

"No... I mean, yes... I mean... I was. I don't know! It's not frightening, Tobie. But, it's not fun either. I mean yeah, it can be when I get to mess with people's minds. People simply can't kill me without killing Zane too. That's the beauty of it." She smirked, smiling cruelly. Everything had seemed to work out perfectly, but it's not like Nikita was planning to die on purpose just to kill Zane too.

Then a shock ran through Nikita, and her head snapped up as she listened to October speak. Her eyes went cold, and she looked back into Tobie's eyes, catching her gaze and holding it. She wouldn't deny any of it, considering it was all true. "Yes, I said that your mother was filthy. Because in my eyes, everyone's mothers are filthy right now. Mine is. She's a shitty veela, who thinks she can control me."

Nikita snapped the words, her eyes looking deeply into Tobie's. "Listen, I'm sorry that that hurt you, but it was meant for Rowen. Not you. I was pissed off too. Maybe that's why I said it. I can't take back what I said though, because I had meant it at the time. That's just how I am though. Forgive me, Tobie, for I have sinned." She smirked slightly, remembering what her mother use to say to God all the time before Nikita went to bed when she was just a little girl.