Secrets to Keep [Eden]

[Rowena Jones]

Rowena rubbed her eyes trying to get them to remain open, but it was no use. Sitting inside wasn’t helping. She set the book she’d been reading aside. It was a Muggle medical tome, full of information on Alzheimer’s, the disease her mother suffered from… and the one she was starting to suspect she might also be developing. Her symptoms fit. The only issue was she was too young, even for Early Onset. But nevertheless, the worry was there and the timing couldn’t be worse.

War was looming over the Wizarding World. It felt like she was standing on the edge of a storm, being in the warmth of the sun but faced with the sheets of cold rain racing towards her, unable to do anything to protect herself from the danger coming. It was her weekly day off and Max was working as usual. With no new Potions Apprentice in sight, her boyfriend was at the Hospital more often than not. She’d considered just going in too. She’d be more use there than sitting here, but she’d been plagued by forgotten moments, clumsiness and exhaustion, more than she’d even admitted to Max. She’d decided she needed to take the short amount of free time she had to look into it.

There was a small twinge of guilt at keeping this worry of hers secret from Max. He’d opened up to her just a few days ago, but this was unrelated. It would be silly to bother him, at least until she could be sure what was happening to her. And if it was Alzheimers, well she was the expert anyway.

But as another yawn reminded her, she was just going to fall asleep if she stayed here. She needed to get out, and even get away from London just for the rest of the day. Plus she’d run out of chocolate. She grabbed a handful of Floo Powder from the pot by her fireplace and left her home.

As it always did, being in Hogsmeade sent a mixture of emotions through her. Her memories of Hogwarts were varied but ultimately, she'd never enjoyed her trips to the village. It had always been full of groups of friends laughing, which had only highlighted her own solitude. She didn't hesitate as she emerged from the HogsHead, heading straight to Honeydukes to make the necessary purchases.

Emerging several minutes later laden down with enough chocolate to open her own store, she strolled towards the one place she had liked. The Shrieking Shack was a companion to her loneliness, the perfect place to reflect on the past few weeks. She didn't expect to see a familiar head of blonde hair.

"Eden?"

[Eden Fletcher]

It had been a rough few weeks on Eden Fletcher. She was coming to terms with the fact that her "gift" was back and war was coming. It was starting again. The nagging feeling of dread she couldn't shake. She had felt like this leading up to the first demon attack. Images of what she'd seen when she was twelve haunted her. Eden was scared of what she would see this time. Would it be Max's face she saw? Or Evies, or Violets? Too many people to worry about.

Eden had escaped her apartment and came to Hogsmeade but she didn't go to her studio. That was a happy place and she wasn't feeling happy. So she went to the shrieking shack and slumped down on the crumbling porch, leaning her heavy head against the wall. Eden sat there staring off into the distance as she let go of the mental blocks that sometimes kept the visions at bay.

Eden hadn't heard Rowena approach. Hadn't heard the dismay in her voice at finding her enemy in her quiet place. Eden stared blankly forward, her eyes unfocused and very dark. Her hand moved of it's own accord filling the page of her sketchbook with the same rune over and over. Eden didn't feel the blood that trickled down her chin to drip onto the page.

Then suddenly Eden's eyes lightened and she dropped her quill, her hand cramping. Eden stared at the page trying to understand it's meaning. The vision that time was of runes she had never seen before. Eden flinched, startled by the sudden presence of Rowena.

"How long were you watching?" Eden asked her voice tired.

[Rowena Jones]

Rowena knew they didn't like each other but Eden was completely blanking her. Then again, why was it surprising that she would be so rude? Disgusted at having her plans ruined so thoroughly, Rowena turned to leave. She supposed she could just eat the chocolate at home. But as she gave one last glance in Eden's direction she noted the dark stare so unlike the usual bright blue. Something was up and Rowena was instantly tense. Too many fucked up things were happening lately and the constant nightmares were making her paranoid.

She held her wand tightly as she approached the other witch, heart thudding when all of a sudden Eden snapped out of whatever she had been doing.

"How long were you watching?" Eden asked her voice tired.

"Long enough," Rowena replied warily, slowly finishing her approach and also sitting on the porch.

"Merlin, you look like shit," Rowena said, unable to stop herself. To be honest, underneath the makeup she had so painstakingly applied that morning, Rowena wasn't sure she looked much better. Bruised looking eyes and grey skin to go along with the exhaustion and forgetfulness were her new thing it seemed. But hey, at least she wasn't having nose bleeds...

She looked critically at Eden, Healer's mind noting and categorising the visible symptoms. "Hold still," she said pointing her wand at the other woman. "You're bleeding," A quick Episkey later and the blood stopped running, though it was still smeared on Eden's face and on the paper she had been drawing on.

Curious, Rowena peered at the paper and felt the blood drain from her face. "Why are you drawing that?"

[Eden Fletcher]

It was just Eden’s luck that Rowena Covington had come across her when she was having a fit. Eden did not want to deal with the annoying prat. Not when her head was throbbing and she was distracted by the parade of emotions and images that had assaulted her. Eden wanted to groan when Rowena took a seat next to her but it took too much energy.
"How long were you watching?" Eden asked her voice tired.

"Long enough," Rowena replied warily, slowly finishing her approach and also sitting on the porch.

"Merlin, you look like shit,"

“Hello to you too,” Eden said dryly, closing her eyes as her headache increased. Why was the woman torturing her. Why did she have to stay? Couldn’t she just leave Eden to her death.
"Hold still," she said pointing her wand at the other woman. "You're bleeding," A quick Episkey later and the blood stopped running, though it was still smeared on Eden's face and on the paper she had been drawing on.

Eden opened one eye, now their normal light blue, and stared at Rowena. Nose bleed? Bloody hell. That was her third that week. “Thanks,” Eden said gathering the energy needed to open both eyes and used her shirt to wipe away the blood.

Curious, Rowena peered at the paper and felt the blood drain from her face. "Why are you drawing that?"

Eden glanced down at the images of the rune and then back at Rowena. She looked freaked out. Eden had never seen someone so terrified. Not in ages.

“Do you know what this is?” Eden asked, urgency driving away her lethargy. “Have you seen it before?” Eden said pondering what to tell Rowena. If Max was serious about her she’d be around for a very long time. Which meant she would eventually learn the truth about Eden. Either Max would tell her or Rowena would guess.
“I’m a seer. I’ve had visions since I was a little kid. Then they just stopped after the flux and then started again with a vengeance after they all returned.” Eden explained, waiting for Rowena to fight her on this. She expected the witch to scoff at her, call her a lair. Leave in a rage.