Lost

Rise was lost, sure she had been lost before, but never THIS lost. She had made it to Diagon Alley, by herself... made it away from the scary people in the house, away from the werewolves, and the hiding. And now she had no idea where she was. Technically she was still being looked for, people were still unaware that she was even alive, which was the main reason she had a hood on, and a long sweeping traveling cloak. Rise looked around, half hoping to see some sort of neon sign that said "You need to go that way" But her hopes were useless, as obviously there wasn't a sign.

Shaking her head, she felt her hood fall down over her hair, and she was quick to pull it back up again. Her eyes searching to see if anyone had seen her mistake. Seeing no one, Rise sped down the alley, and turned, heading into an even darker alley. She hoped she looked menacing, or at least like she knew what she was doing, as she sped along the corridors of dark, stinky mess. Hoping to look like some Death Eater or other, on their way either to a kill, or to a meeting. Biting her lip, she looked around, and came face to face with a man.

"Oh.. excuse me.." She said her voice a lot weaker then she meant it to be. "And where would a poppet like yourself be heading off to this late, and down this alley eh?" The man wheezed, his breath smelling strongly of alcohol, and his fingers were running down the edges of her cloak, pulling her in towards him. "Wouldn't happen to have an opening on your list tonight eh sweetie?" He asked with a grin, his eyes rolling in his head.

Rise tried to push him away, but only succeeded in tripping back and hitting the wall behind her. He came at her, and Rise ducked, feeling fear and something else start to fill her head. Something else, as in that puppy that until that moment had usually kept still, watching, listening, but never reacting. The puppy that was suddenly very angry at the man, the puppy that was about to take control. Good thing it wasn't a full moon.

"Let me go you vile beast." She said wrenching her cloak out of his grip and watching him stumble. "I am not a prostitute! Go back to the hell hole you came from!" She growled, sounding a lot braver then she felt, but the anger of the dog within her was controlling her now, and she was completely at its mercy. The guy had fallen, and he wiped at a bloody lip angrily. "You'll pay for that girlie." He growled and lunged to his feet, his hands outstretched, running straight at her.

Frank had not really done anything yet, as an Auror as a member of the Order. His dad was proud though, glad his son could take his lace while he was patching stuff up at home. Hannah had had sort of a nervous breakdown of sorts and was requiring her husband quit all dangerous activities. She could not, however, ban their overage son from doing anything.

He stayed in between their home- in his parent's basement, how cool of him- and a room in the Leaky Cauldron- no cooler since his mother was the landlady technically. After his shift of playing guitar, he stashed his guitar behind the bar and took off down the street, in search of a purpose. He seemed to be searching for that a lot lately...

He noticed a scene unfolding and stepped aside to watch it play out. He fished his wand out, watching, and suddenly realized the girl needed assistance. He stepped forward and waved his wand, ropes flying out and catching the man around the chest.He flew over into the dust and Frank went over to him, pointing his wand down at the man.

"Terrible sorry, sir, but the lady asked you to leave her alone, and I do not wish to get more Aurors involved." The man's eyes widened, realizing he was dealing with Neville Longbottom's son. His dad might be a dork, but he was a recognized dork. Frank released the man who tottered off, rubbing his arse as he went.

Frank turned to the girl, who looked a lot smaller up close. "Are you okay? He won't come back, I promise."

Rise's hood had slipped from her head again, and she tugged it back up when a boy came over to her and helped get rid of the man. "Thanks.." She whispered, her breath coming in sharp gasps, her hand hovering over her mouth, as she tried to hide her face from him. He mustn't know who she was, she seemed to be an auror. Seemed to know a lot about spells, not that she could remember any.. she had no wand... Fenrir had made sure she hadn't had it when she was taken, and it hadn't been given back yet. Not that she expected it to. "I could have done it.. it was just so sudden.. I.." She said and froze, her eyes landing on the boy, and her heart skipping a couple of beats.

He wasn't much older then she was, but he was looking at her in an odd way. She tugged her hood lower and looked up beneath her eyelashes at the boy, to scared to look him in the face, in case he recognized her. "Terribly sorry to be a problem... thanks for your help.. I'm afraid I got a little lost, didn't see him there.. you know.." she said and stammered again, her head bent, trying to act confident and cowardly at the same time, and it was conflicting harshly. Straightening her back, Rise made sure her eyes were in shadow from the boy, but she tried to look him in the eye anyway.

"Could you.. possibly lead me back to the Entrance of Diagon Alley? I got lost.. and... and... my mother is waiting." She said, thinking up a lie on the spot, and knowing it sounded as fake and feeble as she probably looked right then. She had always been a horrible liar, so now she was trying to lie to not get caught? Well she'd be found out in a minute or two at the most.. but maybe he wouldn't catch the lie! Maybe he would think she had something else to hide, and would just lead her back, and everything would be okay! Okay... okay as in what? What was okay? Nothing was okay! What was she thinking!

Rise pulled her hood a bit farther down over her eyes, and looked at him, unaware that from the angle she had pulled it down, the moonlight caught them just right, and they appeared to glow from beneath her hood, making her look not only eerie, but very strongly not fully human. For they had taken on a wolfish glint, and she looked like she could possibly attack if given the chance, even though she was scared out of her mind.

Frank had two odd scruples about him that were near compulsions- honesty and justice. He was obsessed with finding justice. And honesty was something he could not fake; he was sincerely the most honest person he knew. He could lie; he could be deceived, but when he detected a lie, it almost physically tore into him and his sensitive heart.

It was fine at first. "Understandable. The best of upset caught off guards sometimes, and he was a full grown wizard. No one is blaming you." He nodded reassuringly. "And do not worry about being a problem. I'm glad I can be here to help you. If you're lost, I'll help you out. This is my home away from home."

The mother thing, though... he knew it was a lie and it caused him to flinch, his has and flicking up to his chest, his fingers twitching over his heart. He exhaled slowly, sensing she was in need of something, but pained at the lie. "I can lead you... If you do not want to tell me the truth, though, please just do not tell me a lie." He poked out an arm, offering it to her, and lead her towards the enterance. He looked away, and there was a glint from the girl, but the glint was gone.

"Y'know," he said, a sudden ramble full of truths coming on, as they often did. "I'm a new Auror, so we're supposed to review lists and lists of people... and your face seems familiar. I don't know why, but my gut tells em to let it go... So I will. My dad says your heart knows justice better than any other organization or law can. Oh-" The thought of his father reminded him to introduce himself. "Sorry. I'm Frank Longbottom."

Was she really that bad of a liar? He had sensed the lie, and had even commented on it. Her cheeks burned red, and she ducked her head down, afraid to touch him, but to aware of manners to ignore his arm. So she looped her arm in his, and kept her head ducked down. He started to talk and said something about her face being familiar, and she felt her heart rate speed up. Her breath caught, and her grip tightened in his, her nails digging into her palm so hard, blood was drawn. He knew her.. she was lucky she had been caught by a newer auror, because had it been a seasoned one.. well.. she would have been doomed.

"Oh.. I don't know how you could know me.." She said lightly, the lie falling more easily now. But when he let it go, she felt her whole body relax, her shoulders physically sagged, and she looked completely relieved. She was a horrible actress, a horrible liar, she was horrible at everything.. maybe that's why they had put her in Hufflepuff.. but anyway... he was still looking at her funny. How could she expect to get away with anything if she couldn't even tell a simple lie, so she decided to try another lie, see if it came easier. "I'm..." Rise hesitated, trying to think of a name, and at the same time, trying to look as though she were debating on telling him her name.

"Susan.. Susan Antswell.." She said lightly, her eyes straight ahead. It was another lie.. lie after lie to this boy that could detect lies like a sonar. She felt horrible but knew that this was necessary practice.. for what she wasn't QUITE sure, but she knew that she would need to be a good liar somewhere in the future, and no one time like the present to practice.. well for all she knew, he was leading her straight to a gang of aurors, to tie her up and throw her into Azkaban for being a werewolf, even if he obviously didn't know what she was yet.

Frank stopped in his tracks, closing his eyes and his arm and body going tense. People lying just did not mesh with the innocent, old soul. He felt bad for the girl; he had a bleeding heart and something told him the girl was someone to be pitied and protected. She was scared, alone, and in some sort of trouble, and he wanted to help her... But that wasn't something he could do if she kept lying to him.

"Look," he could not even call her the fake name, because it would be like lying. "I just told you... I don't like lies. If you don't want to tell me what's really going on, or your real name... then don't. Just don't lie. Don't say anything. Tell me what need, what's true. I'll take you to the enterance, but not to meet your mother. All I ask is that you please don't lie to me, okay?" He looked at her, his sad eyes tired.

Damn.. it hadn't worked! She was a horrible person! For trying it out on this boy! For pretending, for lying! She felt so ashamed when she looked him in the eyes, and at that exact moment, a breeze hit her hood and it slipped off her head, flashing her dirty blonde hair out, it went wild in the breeze and flicked around her face, looking oddly like flames with it's red highlights that the moon was shining on it. "I'm sorry.." She whispered, her eyes stuck on his. "I am... I don't normally.. I mean, I never have.." She said and then took a deep breath. "I'm a horrible person... I shouldn't have lied.. I'm sorry... I can't even lie, so why I tried I don't know.. but I thought that maybe I needed practice.. that maybe..." She said and gave a soft shaky laugh.

"If I tell you the truth.. will you please promise not to tell? Please? Merlin.. I just need someone to talk to right now!" She said and looked at him straight in the eyes as she said it. It was the truest thing she had said the entire time she was with him, and she was scared half the death that he would think she was a raving lunatic, let go of her arm and run away. They were standing, staring at each other in the middle of the alley, not a soul for miles, well, not a soul they could see anyway. Though there were plenty mixing with the shadows, watching the pair on the street.

"I trust you..." She whispered, and then closed her eyes and said in an extremely quiet voice. "My name is Rise Lehmberg.. I'm 15 years old.. and formally a student at Hogwarts.. I say formally because I was kidnapped at the beginning of Christmas break..." She was shaking as she tightened her hold on his arm, staring into his eyes, as though afraid he wouldn't believe her now that she was telling the truth. "Kidnapped by Fenrir Greyback.. held captive.. a slave... then he let me go.. and I've been hiding.. everyone is so afraid.. afraid of the werewolves.. I just don't know what to do!" She said shaking, nearly falling against him. Nerves, fear, and the need to talk to someone who wasn't a part of the whole werewolf ordeal made her want to cry, made her shake so badly she was afraid she would fall over, made her want this boy to believe her so much, that she was gripping his arm, her fingers white they were holding it so tightly. "Please believe me."

Frank watched her struggle and then he felt bad for making her feel so terrible. She was young, very young, and she looked terrified and he felt as though he was to blame. She had lied, but she was scared and he was not helping her. She said she needed someone to talk to, however, and he stared at her, slowly deciding to nod, letting her tell her story.

As she started, the file of one of the missing persons who all the Aurors were supposed to brief themselves on popped up in her mind. He believed her- he had read her story and he now recognized her name. He stared at her, gripping his arm painfully, trembling and shaking wildly. Frank winced and drew closer to her, thinking it would relieve the pain.

His mind and heart tore. Lawful justice told him to bring her in as a truant. But social justice, and everything he had ever believed in, told him to try and help her. He slowly wrapped his long left arm around her shoulder, bringing her into a protective embrace that would ebb her shaking."It's okay, I believe you," he said in a quiet voice.

"Look," he began. "Why don't we start off with this? I know the people at the Leaky Cauldron. I'll get you a warm meal for now and a private parlour- if you wish for privacy- and we can discuss your options, what you can do. Would you like that?"

Rise couldn't stop shaking, even after all her words had left her, and he stood there staring at her, the light bulb had gone off somewhere in his head, and she knew that she had been right. Aurors were told who to look out for, and she was one of them. Either as a missing person, or as a fugitive, either way, they were looking for her, and either way she could get in trouble. Especially if they found out about that... but she wouldn't mention that at all. It could get Ariel, and herself into a lot of unwanted trouble.

He wrapped his arm around her tighter and she felt herself moving into his embrace, aware that she was freezing cold, that she was frightened, and all she wanted was to lie down and when she woke up everything was as it was before. But of course that wouldn't happen.. ever again. The blasted scar on her chest was enough to prove that. Rise nodded shakily. "Okay.." She said and she knew she shouldn't. She should run, hide, he would get the authorities, she would never see Ariel again! But somehow she trusted him.

If he told on her.. then it was her mistake, but she trusted that he would do what's best for her. So she nodded and curled up into his embrace, letting him guide her wherever he wanted her to go. Hoping she was in safe hands, for niceness was something she had sorely missed since she had been taken. Ariel had some.. but in a smirking, sarcastic way, that only said "I lay here with you because I feel bad for biting you... that's it.. take your time, I like to look at you." That's all that was there, and that's all there would ever be there, no friendship, no kindness, just that hungry look that said his wolf side loved her, but he didn't.

Rise sniffled and felt a few tears run down her face, before she pulled her hood back up over her face and let him lead the way.

He gave her a few moments to compose herself after she agreed to follow him,and he looked around, feeling awkward for hugging a girl three years younger than him, but there you go. It wasn't professional and it was not protocol, but he had to help her. Maybe he could get some information about Fenrir so he would not get in trouble.

When she seemed ready, he turned her around, helping adjust her hood, and kept an arm around her shoulders as he lead her the rest of the way to the Leaky Cauldron. The man behind the bar, Monte, looked up and raised a hand in greeting. "Frankie, m'boy, what can I do you fer?" Frank walked towards the staircase and left Rise there, whispering, "Give me a second."

He strode over to the bar. "Hello, Monte. Can I have the key to the second parlor? Ministry business. Also, send Muriel up with some hot tea and a platter of sandwiches and some soup."

"Aye, Junior. Here's yer keys and Muriel'll be up in a second." He turned his head and bellowed, "Oi, Muriel. Get out here and shake a leg. Dingus in the kitchen, could you get me-"

Frank left them to yell and slipped an arm around Rise's shoulders again, leading her up the stairs and to the second parlor. the room was quainter, a lot warmer, and more comfortable. He led her to the couch so she could curl up and he pulled out a blanket from a cabinet, handing it to her. Muriel bustled in and set up the hot soup, sandwiches, and tea on a floating tray. Frank conjured a small table that he placed next to the couch and poured a bowl of soup and a mug of tea. He set all the sandwiches, the mug, and the bowl on the tray before grabbing his own mug. He smiled, saying, "There you go. Eat and drink, get warm, and we can talk."