Don't Scare This One Off

Jack strode down Diagon Alley, her long coat fluttering around at her knees. The coat was one that gangsters from the 1920s in America would have worn, and Jack so happened to love this particular coat, even if it gave her a foreboding appearance.

She stopped inside a shop and purchased a soda before returning to the sunshine outside. People glanced at her, giving her strange looks. Not only was it much to warm for a coat, but she also had that sort of swagger accompanied by her scowl that made people ask "what's her problem?" It made no difference to Jack.

She spotted a bench and she veered towards it. She hopped up onto it and walked its length before stopping at the end. She plopped down onto the seat, slurping the soda. Her sharp eyes swiveled onto nearby people like a hawk, trying to find a new victim...er, friend.

It was strange that Jack always wanted to meet new people. It had become increasingly put on her mind. She had always been a person to prefer solitude, but lately she had been approached more and more by strangers, who then on, became friends or interesting enemies. And ever since, she had found a need to meet new people, though her outward expression would not have told anyone nearby that.

Slamming the door behind him, Rafael walked out into the sweltering heat that seemed to engulf his council estate. Vanessa had returned home again for a bed and a bit of food. Mynah had managed to get a cheque and one hundred pounds in cash out of her before Rafael had come home and as soon as he did the arguing had started. He’d done the shopping and ensured that he’d bought enough food in bulk to last them a while but obviously Vanessa wasn’t content with her eldest son returning home and going about what he was doing without a problem. She started an argument and as per usual the two got volatile with each other. Rafael gave her one thing, she had a damn good throw but that meant nothing to him – not when he was getting hit by bits of glass and occasionally the odd knife if she happened to pick one up. Of course he preferred blunt objects but that was just as bad.

Vanessa had managed to clip him on the temple with a bowl that Raina had used for her cereal that morning. It had cut him and there was a little trickle of blood but it soon stopped. That didn’t mean it hurt any less though. Vanessa could never make her mind up. She came back to the house looking for a few paracetemol and a bed to sleep in but as soon as Rafael came in through the door she decided she couldn’t stay in the same house as her eldest son who apparently mooched off of her for “stupid” things like money and food. The woman drove Rafael insane and he was glad that she didn’t come home from her boyfriend’s house that often because if she did then they’d probably run out of anything potentially breakable that she could get her hands on to throw at him.

He needed some air, he needed to calm down. Vanessa would just get drunk again and head back to her lover-boys house. Rafael just needed to take his mind off of everything and calm down for a while. The blood was already drying on his skin thanks to the heat of the sun above London but he didn’t care about that. If he wanted to be spiteful then he could have phoned childline or something akin to the infernal hotline that was designed to ‘help’ children in danger of abuse from parental figures and whatnot. If Rafael was going to be stupid and irrational then he would have gone to the nearest phone box and called the free number. He didn’t want to lose his siblings though. He couldn’t bare it if they were separated just because of his own selfishness. Which was why he walked past all of the phone boxes and headed for Diagon Alley; the one place in London that linked him to the other world he was a part of.

Rafael felt his wand burn in his pocket as he made his way through the charmed archway. He was a tall and imposing figure walking through Diagon Alley and he ignored the women appraising him from a distance. He didn’t want to even think about them and their saucy looks at that moment in time. He needed something – anything – to calm him down. His anger was through the roof. Usually he was calm and serene but Vanessa brought a streak of anger out in him and he hated it. He hated her, so much. Letting a growl escape from his throat, Rafael put his hand into the pocket of his jeans, producing his wallet from inside of it, and dived into one of the sweet shops. He picked up a packet of Bertie Botts Beans and a Liquorish Wand and took them to the counter. The woman behind it didn’t even acknowledge him, she just asked for the money and Rafael handed it to her before storming out of the shop.

One outside Rafael felt guilty. Not only should he have stayed and chucked his mother out of the house but he shouldn’t have risen to her bait. She always wanted to start a fight with him no matter what the occasion. They couldn’t even have Christmas without the tree and the turkey being launched all over the show. Sighing, Rafael sank down onto a bench, oblivious to the presence of the girl on the other end. He put the sweets down beside him and ran his fingers through his hair, tugging at the thick locks that weaved between his fingers. Rafael sighed again and picked up the Liquorish wand. He bit the top off of it and chewed it, trying to get his mind off of the family and onto something else – something light-hearted.

Jack felt the wood beneath her creak slightly and she glanced up, looking down the length of the bench and spotting a boy who had just sat down at the opposite side of it. He seemed like he was in his own little world, distractedly eating some candy, a strange clouded expression on his face.

Jack tilted her head. The boy was troubled. For someone who liked to denounce the use of humanity, Jack was very perceptive when it came to other people. She could see when they were in pain and when they were distracted by other thoughts. And this boy was just that.

What was more, she knew him. By face, not name. He happened to be not only in her house, but in her same year too. They would both be attending their final year of Hogwarts in the fall. Unfortunately, Jack had never taken much interest in her peers of her fellow classmates, because none of them had ever seen the need in attempting to relate to her at all.

However, Jack was soon realizing that the reason was that she could be downright frightening. Even people like Nick who had known her for awhile were still scared of her. If she were ever to relate to her peers and classmates, she would have to be the one that reached out to them.

Trouble was, Jack did not exactly know how to go about this. She had her own way, and she thought it was the only way, but to others it was incredibly inappropriate and obnoxious. However, Jack would be herself and there was no stopping that.

She turned in her seat and pulled out her laser pointer, pointing it at his face and flickering a smile. This was certainly one way to get his attention.

“Why do you do this to yourself?” Rafael mumbled, pressing his fingers to his bloody temple. He’d left Mynah to deal with his mother who was probably chain-smoking around Raina by now and stinking up the house in the process. Only he would say something to her. Jaret would appraise her ballsy attitude and Mynah would keep quiet. Nicolai would be out kicking the football at cars and Raina would be sitting on the curb watching him do it. No one would think to tell him to stop and no one would think to tell the stupid bird on the couch to, basically, f-off. The whole thing was a complete farce and Rafael could only think of one insignificant reason as to why he put up with it – money. Her money was their money and they needed it to live, have heat, electricity and water. It was insane but that was the only thing keeping him quiet – well, to a degree.

He placed his fingers to his temple again and hissed in pain. She had a damn good throw even when she was drunk which was slightly admirable but not much. Rafael wiped the blood onto his jeans and licked his fingers once more before rubbing them on top of the smear just to fade it in. He licked his fingers once more and rubbed the cut. It hurt more but it was something he was willing to deal with if the flow of blood stopped. But then, Rafael felt something odd on his face – his cheek to be precise. He moved his other hand to it and pressed against the odd feeling patch of skin. There was no difference though, it just moved onto his fingers. Rafael looked to his side and saw a redheaded young woman sat on the other end of the bench with what looked like a laser pointer in her hand.

Rafael recognised her. She was in his year but he couldn’t remember her name. It was something beginning with J. Janie, Jessica... something like that. Rafael smiled a little bit and pushed a little bit of hair out of his eyes. He tapped the wood of the bench and decided to speak, “Hi.” The one syllable word came out without a hitch. There was no stutter which was brilliant. Clearly he was feeling as inadequate as usual. He knew her. Not personally of course but he knew who she was. Kind of. “I’m sorry. Did I bother you?” He asked quietly, his voice getting quieter as the speech progressed.

Jack noticed him touch his head and when he brought his hand away, there was red upon his fingers. Blood. Her eyes focused like a hawks zeroing in on its prey as she tried to see where the blood stemmed from and if it were serious. Thee was not too much and she knew (from experience) head injuries bled more than other injuries, so it could not be too to bad...

He turned to her and she froze, a blank expression on her face. He said hi and she said, "Hell," in a casual voice. He asked if he was bothering her or something and her eyebrows twitched together sightly. She did not understand why he would have thought he had bothered her. If he had, she would have called him out.

She shook her head. "No. You just relieved my boredom. And for that, I cordially thank you." She did a little flourish with her right arm, releasing the button on the laser pointer, and folded her left arm behind her back as she did a little bow. She straightened up and grinned cheesily at him.

"You're the same year and house as me, but I don't know you're name," she said, pulling her legs up and folding them beneath her. "Funny, huh?" She chuckled and tucked her laser pointer in her pocket.

Things were always complicated but the problem was no one was really specific when they said ‘things’. It could have been anything from house prices fluctuating to a wardrobe crisis. Things were complicated...it just depended on what things. Rafael’s “things” were more specific than one would think, he just didn’t voice them. That was why he kept quiet, because the complications were defined and they terrified him. They were always being thrown back in his face no matter what the event. His complications were people and situations that he couldn’t get himself out of. His mother was a complication, a woman that just wouldn’t get out of his life and leave him to do his job. His siblings were a complication. They were holding him back but he never really acknowledged that fact. And finally, he was a complication keeping all of that crap bottled up. He felt like he was going to burst. It was amazing what a Winnie-the-Pooh cereal bowl to the temple could do to a guy.

The mischievous redhead didn’t seem bothered at all by his presence. Rafael wasn’t sure whether he was meant to be happy about that or not. He was glad he hadn’t bothered or irritated her but being presented with someone who was being nice to him without thought was a little bit odd. People were characteristically nice, it was their nature but there was the minority that ruled the underworld, revelled in the darkness and loved to wreak havoc for their own gain. Vanessa was part of that darkness but one day she’d be destroyed by hit. Her funeral would definitely be missing the mourners. Rafael knew Mynah and the rest of his motley crew would cry but he’d be a stone’s throw away from throwing a party.

“I’ve relieved your boredom?” Rafael echoed, his eyes widening a little. He was glad he could be of service but he did feel a little put out. Entertainment was not his strong point. He was a wet blanket, an authority figure (he hoped) and he had no idea how he was supposed to have fun. His idea of fun was a little bit distorted but on occasion he could kick back and be a kid again. That was a game of football, one game until the ball went over Mrs. Macready’s fence. Then there was no hope of getting it back. With the amount of footballs Nicolai had, they could have probably bought a new television. That was stretching it a bit but he’d been through at least fifty and he was never happy unless they were expensive or exactly like the ones he saw on the telly. “I’m glad I could be of service then.” He said blandly.

Rafael smiled despite himself and pushed some of his hair out of his eyes. He licked his fingers and wiped them over the cut in his temple to get rid of the excess blood before wiping his hands on his jeans. He looked at the redhead again and a chuckle escaped his throat. He kept to himself so it was no surprise to him that she didn’t know his name. Her name was on the tip of his tongue having heard it before but he just couldn’t remember. It was customary though for two people to exchange names upon meeting so he figured he’d learn hers and vice versa. “I’m Rafael.” He said, grinning impishly at her.

Jack thrust out her hand to him and said in her barking, abrupt voice, "Jack," which was an abrupt name already, making it sound like a sudden, random exclamation. She grinned toothily and shook his hand with her firm, strong handshake, her eyes squinting slightly as she saw something.

Her eyes had caught a flash of something when he had reached up to brush his dark hair out of his eyes. A sparkle of red that sadly she knew knew only two well. She could see the blood against his head through a curtain of his dark hair and she could see a bit of red on his fingertips before he wiped it away.

Her eyes fixed on the spot, she said, "You're bleeding." She shifted her knapsack so that it was on her lap. She was in the habit of carrying a first aid kit just because when you knew that you were going to hurt yourself, might as well be prepared, and Jack was an adventurous, yet occasionally foolish, person, so it had more than proved its worth to her. She rifled through it without taking it out of her bag and pulled out an antiseptic wipe and a bandaid.

"Will this be enough?" she said, not bothering to ask him what had happened, thinking that if he really wanted her to know, he would say so. And if he did not, she would not feel the need to press on unless her curiosity was sparked.

Jack. Rafael said the name over in his mind and finally put the name to the face as she had probably done with him. Although it was probably not her full name, most likely a nickname of some sort, it fit the redhead. Rafael shook her hand, a smile spreading across his lips and making it to his eyes despite the pain in his temple. He did let the smile drop a little when he realised that as his face moved it aggravated the cut. He moved his hand to the cut when Jack released it and he prodded the skin a little to test how close he could get to it before it truly began to sting. He couldn’t get too close which told him two things. One: it was a deep cut and possibly fairly large. Two: Rafael had to make sure to dispose of anything broken that Vanessa could possibly throw at him. He had enough battle scars.

Rafael watched Jack’s hands as she reached inside her bag and produced a First Aid Kit. First of all he couldn’t help but mentally applaud her resourcefulness but after a moment he couldn’t help but wonder why she carried around a First Aid Kit. It was a little bit odd but perhaps he should have taken a page out of her book and started to do the same. He never really got hurt. He didn’t trip or fall and only got into scuffles if he had to defend his brothers after having done something wrong. On occasion he’d fight with Jaret after getting het up because he didn’t return home. But he never really got himself hurt. He only got bruised and battered when his mother came home and their arguments started. He couldn’t say one word to her without getting a round of verbal abuse and when he didn’t give the right response, i.e cower in the corner, she’d start throwing things.

“Yes, thank-you,” Rafael smiled a little but couldn’t help but ask. “Why do you carry a First Aid Kit around with you?” There, he’d voiced his queries and he was a bit shocked by it himself. He never usually asked those sorts of things or asked anything at all so that was definitely a first but he was genuinely interested even if it was in something as random as first aid kit. There was nothing wrong with carrying one around he just wondered why she did. She was probably wondering why he had blood flowing from his temple and he had yet to really explain why that happened. She probably deserved an explanation though, seeing as she was trying to help him.

Jack stowed away the first aid kit and carefully zipped up her knapsack before shoving it roughly off of the bench as though its presence irritated her. "I'm always going on... adventures..." She grinned at this, not able to suppress it as she was reminded of her little escapades.

Advenutres to Jack Dyllan were everything. They could just be her trips to Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade, or maybe aparating from house to house of her uncles. They were also helping her apprentice track down a rogue portkey, fighting off Red Caps. They were getting into terrible situations with dangerous enemies. They were discovering tree forts. They were riding on the back of the Loch Ness monster...

Jack knew she could never pass up an adventure, and adventure usually meant danger, and danger usually meant either one of her companions or herself ending up getting knocked around a bit. She was tired of having to go to St. Mungo's for a sprain, so she carried this. It solved most of her injury-related problems.

"Anyway, they usually do not go according to plan, so I make sure I always have this with me. I'm not a cautious person, per se, but I'm not a stupid one either." She chuckled, kicking her backpack as she swung one of her short legs. She glanced at his head. "That looks kinda bad." She did not ask what it was from, because she did not like prying people. Even though she was usually an investigator herself, she knew some things were just private, end of story. She would allow for him to decide that.