Runaway (Theo)

[CALLIA LYS ROSELLE]

Callia had not known where else to go, though she barely hand enough money to stay there. Callia had fled in the middle of the night from the home of her aunt and uncle in France. Normally she stayed at Beauxbatons for the holidays, but since they were not there she had gone home. She was not sure what she was expecting, maybe that they had come around, especially her uncle. She had been wrong, dead wrong. Dead wrong could have been the word for it if she had not run. He had been in a rage like she had never seen before that night. She had grown a bit of a thicker skin to deal with his abuse, but she was not prepared for that.

So there she was at the front desk of the leaky cauldron. She had gotten a room for the night, but she was not sure how many nights she could afford. She did need a drink though, so she sat at a small table near the corner and ordered a butter beer. She didn’t need a mirror to know her blackened eye and busted lip. She felt a bit warmer after she sipped at it a little.

[SPENCER THEO PRESCOTT]

Theo had just been relaxing in his room that he had rented for the duration of the winter break. But then for some reason he was thirsting for some Butterbeer so he headed down to the bar area. Since he had been staying there for the past week and a half or so... He had greeted the barman by his first name and ordered a butterbeer.

When he had gotten it, he gave the barman an extra tip and then looked around during his first sip of his drink. Then a sight came into view which made him arch an eyebrow. It was his friend Callia with a black eye and busted lip. It pained him to see her hurt like that. He went over to her and said,"Callia.... who did this to you?" in a low worried tone. part of him wanted to harm the person who hurt her.

[CALLIA LYS ROSELLE]

Callia did not expect anyone to be at the leaky cauldron at this time of year. She expected them to be home with their families, as she had tried to do. That was part of the point in coming here, so no one would see her. She was looking forward to that one little bit, but that was it. It was going to be a very lonely holiday all in all. Soon enough she would have to take refuge in her animal form in some alley no doubt, so she was at least going to be comfortable for the next few days. She took another sip, but was broken from her drink by a voice. She looked up surprised, no shocked, to see her friend Theo standing there.

Immediately she tried to dodge his question. ”Theo what are you doing here?” She was honestly wondering about that one. She dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. ”Shouldn’t you be with your family for the holidays?” The radio started to play a few faint Christmas songs in the background.

[SPENCER THEO PRESCOTT]

Theo pulled up a seat and sat on it backwards. "Oh i just didn't really feel up to traveling back to Bulgaria. and since there isn't any good swells in Australia this week according to the forecast, i decided to stay here in London. " He took a sip of his drink. "what about you? Why are you here and why did you dodge my first question... " He frowned lightly. He rested his head on his arms. and his arms were on the back of the chair.He gave her a worried look.

[CALLIA LYS ROSELLE]

Callia smiled when he sat down with her at the table, even if the chair was backwards. She took another sip of her drink and nodded. That was reasonable. Bulgaria was a long way away. She knew that France was far too, at least the part she was from. Still it had been worth the trip to get away. She did know she needed to answer his questions. Theo was a good person, she could trust him. ”I went home for a little while to see my family, though it really didn’t work out that well…” Then she paused for a moment, not wanted to answer that one question. She bit her lip and then winced, forgetting that it was split. I… um… my uncle did…”

[SPENCER THEO PRESCOTT]

Theo sipped his drink quietly as he listened to what Callia had said in response of his questions. At least she finally answered his first question. But he didn't like the answer. He believed her, that was for sure. but he didn't like it one bit. What sort of family would harm someone like that. a bad one. Theo was lucky in the sense that his family wasn't like that. It was just that they were busy all the time and called upon him only when he was needed. Hence his reluctance to come home.

He frowned and said, "i can see what you mean about it not ending so well... especially if you end up looking the way you do. It pains me to see you hurt like that Callia." in a low tone. He was just saying that as a friend he wished that he could help prevent her from getting more hurt. "i am quite glad though, to see that you made it out alive." He was glad to see her even though not broken like that.

[CALLIA LYS ROSELLE]

Callia sipped a little more at the drink, just for something to do really. She wasn't actually that thirsty, though she should probably try to find something to eat. She knew that much without having to say it. All the same she felt a need to give more of an explanation. "It's nothing that I can't fix later, I just havent had a chance to break out the dittany." Then at what he said she let out a sort of nervous or uncomfortable laugh along with a half shrug.

"I don't think I'll be here for long. I'll wait a couple days and then go home again once he has calmed down. I must have made him angry, I'll just apologize." That was how it worked with her uncle if she was lucky. Usually he didn't beat her very badly, but he did like to terrify her. He was a miserable man in a miserable situation, and he took it out on whoever he could. She raised her hand and tentatively touched the skin under her eye.

[SPENCER THEO PRESCOTT]

Theo listened and said"if you are sure." to her when she said it was nothing that she couldn't fix later. Then when she was saying that she was only going to stick around for a few days and go back, he gave her a worried look. Oh how he wished that he would be able to stop her from going. but he just said, "if you simply have to go back... just be careful? please? because i don't want to hear in the Prophet that you had been beaten to death... because i would hate to have one of my good friends die." He might of been over dramatic... but then again he had to worry about his friend's safety.

[CALLIA LYS ROSELLE]

Callia was not sure what to say. Did she really want to go back home? No. Was it really home at all? Not one bit. Still it was more appropriate for her to be there than in alleys as a cat trying to get by. Either way it was going to be rough no mater which way she went with it. She just wanted to rest for a few days and heal her face. Her shoulder was also a bit sore but at least that wasn't visible. She was nearly too tired to haul herself up the stairs. Still what he said once again threw her off guard. She looked slightly horrified when he said he didn't want her to die. She knew is was that serious, but she didn't like to admit it. "I ahve to go home, I can't afford to stay here for more than a few days."

[SPENCER THEO PRESCOTT]

Theo sighed gently and said,"i am just worried about your safety. you are one of my good friends... so damn straight i am gonna be worried about you.I care about you" There was just a trace of a smile after he had said that. He had said it in response to her horrified look. Then he heard what she said about not being able to afford more than a few days here."what if i paid for you to stay here? so you wouldn't have to go back. or at least let me help in someway. i mean that what friends should do? protect each other or something like that. "

[CALLIA LYS ROSELLE]

She didn't want to admit to Theo that her uncle very well might kill her eventually. That was going to be hard enough for her to avoid given how angry he had been. And she had to go back there, she had no where else that she could go. She half smiled at hi, it was nice ofhim to be concerned but really he should not have to worry about her like that. She knew that and she thought that he did. She shook her head at his later sugggestion, offer rather. "No, I can't let you pay for me to stay here, that isn't fair to you. Plus if I'm really desperate not to go back I'll just... I dunno. I'll use my animagus form and let some muggle family adopt me for the rest of the holidays and then run away once break ends." She had used that trick before to escape for a while, but it could only last for so long.

[SPENCER THEO PRESCOTT]

Theo smiled softly and said, "Life's not fair or so i heard. So why would that be any different? But my point is... i just want to help in any way that you would let me. It would be my way of just saying thanks for being someone that i feel comfortable chatting with and thanks for being a great friend."he laughed at her idea of letting a muggle family adopt her. "aww and break the hearts of some poor unsuspecting Muggle family?I would feel sorry for them... especially because your animagus form is adorable"

[CALLIA LYS ROSELLE]

Callia half shrugged. At this point she just wanted to get some dittany and fix her lip up at the least, and her eye if it would work that way. She half smiled at him, only enough so that shecould smile and it didn't hurt or make her lip bleed or crack. "Well then I'd have to do the same for you and how can I ever do that? I mean I do get my trust fnd when I turn seventeen but other than that I have little enough money. You don't need to do that for me." She reached over and put a hand on his wrist. "Well I don't really have another option beside go home and get beaten to death or something, he's handy with the crucio curse." She yawned then, her lip cracking and bleeding again.

[SPENCER THEO PRESCOTT]

Theo laughed lightly and said, "no... you won't need to do anything to pay me back... all i wanted to do was to make sure that you were ok. " It was simple as just wanting to make sure she was safe. and besides, if she was around, he wouldn't be bored with none of his friends to talk to. Ok, well not really bored but he would be lonely without a friend. And Theo hated the idea of not having anyone to talk to. It made him wish that he had gone back home, but then again he would be lonely there too.

"hmm... if you put it that way... you breaking muggle families hearts is better than you going back home and getting cursed or killed. "said Theo with a chuckle. then he said in a honest tone, "but if you stick around, i would be happier. just knowing that you are safe and so i would have someone that i feel comfortable around, to chat with."

[CALLIA LYS ROSELLE]

Callia was not sure what to say to him with all of this going on. It was true that it would be best for her to stay here but she was not sure if she could stand all the people standing at her until that bruise faded. She had just remembered that dittany only healed open wounds. She would honestly probably be more comfortable in cat form in all honesty. She could tell him that at least. She braced herself for some sense of honesty. ”I’m afraid to go back. If I go back…. It would just be that easy for him to do something terrible. I mean if he’s still angry…”

She pursed her lips again and then winced and dabbed once more. She was trying to make this all work out. She didn’t want him to spend money on her like that, rooms were expensive after a while. ”I’ll stay in cat form, you won’t have to get another room for me. I can sleep under the form and in that form people won’t see my bruised eye. I promise I’ll be really quiet.” She was hoping he would say she could.