Post by Admin on Aug 14, 2020 21:51:56 GMT
The End of His Suffering (Candance and Bernard Only)
(OOC: Combined threads from the previous site)
Bernard Brackenbury
As he struck the match, Bernard was comforted by the dim light given from the small flame. Carefully raising the match upward, he lit what looked like an antique lantern before blowing out the match and pocketing it. He raised the lantern and turned around in the dark room, paying no attention to the hot, used match in his robe pocket. Eerily enough, no smoke emitted from the pocket, and the robe did not catch fire.
He was in a large, dark bedroom. Everything throughout the manor was silent; every occupant was fast asleep, and the only light in the house, apart from Bernard's lantern, was coming through the windows. Although, with the cloudy night Surrey was currently experiencing, it added little visibility to 246. He looked around at his surroundings and took them all in, but everything was the same as it had been when Andrew Langerton had first taken possession of the house. The young woman who lay fast asleep in the bed had yet to make any personal customizations to make herself feel more at home.
Bernard made his way to the girl, knowing all too well that she wouldn't appreciate his unannounced visit in the dead of night. From past experiences, he got the impression that he somewhat annoyed her. He preferred working in the silent shadows, though; it made him more productive. He pulled an old-looking rocking chair from against the wall to her bedside and set his lantern on the nightstand. He took a seat, as easily as if the house was his property, and waited for his chance. When he could tell that she was coherent enough to hear him, he spoke as if he was speaking to an acquaintance he had known for years. "Hello again," he greeted softly.
Candance Michelle
If one was so inclined as to judge her life, they would say that Candance lived a simple life. They’d be right, on most accounts. After leaving Hogwarts, she’d gone straight to the ministry, eager to start her training so that she could become an Auror. Her old dream of taking off a year to go explore the world she hadn’t had much of a chance to see was tossed to the side, mostly forgotten. Two years since she had graduated from Hogwarts, a school she tried to give very little thought. While most students chose to call the historical school as their ‘second home’, Candance chose to move on completely from it. Looking back wasn’t what she needed to do. Moving forward with her life, helping the ministry deal with whatever was asked of her; that was what she focused on. Dealing with the Seven was no simple matter, nor was dealing with the regular, everyday criminals that occasionally required the work of Aurors. All of her time was spent either doing her job, or helping TOE with anything she could.
Joining The Order of the Eight meant she had to put up with more instances with the Seven, deal with them in ways that completely undermined all her Auror training. With TOE, Candance didn’t have to think about whether the things she was doing was completely legal. All she needed to focus on was completing whatever was asked of her, in whatever way possible. In the end, it would all help overthrow the Seven and that was what she wanted, more than anything in the world. Being asked by Witchard to join this resistance group meant a lot to her and she was determined to do everything she could to help, as well as meaning that she was privy to more information than a lot of the wizarding world knew. Ever the Ravenclaw, having a brief education on the recent goings on of the Seven was more than intriguing, even if knowing what she did was perilous. Despite all of this, however, despite the danger she was often in with both her job and TOE, Candance lived a simple life and she was thankful for that.
Of course, thing in her life couldn’t stay easy and predictable.
It’d been a typical day for Candance. She’d gone to work, attended a hearing for a recently arrested criminal, filled out some minor paperwork before returning to TOE headquarters at Marigold Lane. After asking a few of the other residents whether there had been any updates that she needed to know about, Candance had chosen to turn in early. A few good hours of sleep was all that she was capable of getting, for late in the night, he returned. Just like the last time she had seen him, Candance woke up with a start, not at all sure if it was just a dream or reality that had her seeing the older man sitting in a chair by her bed. For a moment, she just quietly stared at him, pleading with her mind to assure her that he wasn’t there, that it was just a trick of the low light coming from a lamp she certainly hadn’t left on when she went to bed. As she became more and more awake, Candance knew there was no denying the fact anymore - Bernard had come to visit her again. He offered her a soft ‘hello’, a greeting she wasn’t thankful for. If she could have her way, Candance would have been perfectly happy to never see this man again. His last visit had been memorable enough that his coming to see her now was more than unwelcome. Rising up from her position on the bed, Candance slowly gripped her wand from it’s place in under her pillow, sitting up with the covers tumbling off of her pajama-clad self. “What do you want?” She asked, her voice sleepy but still discernibly annoyed.
Bernard
Her tone was as he had expected. Their last encounter, while vastly beneficial for Candance, had left her more than somewhat irritated with Bernard, and he was not surprised in the least to sense her wand arm preparing to strike if such a need arose, whether out of fear or out of agitation. He made it clear, however, when he spoke to her again, that such precautions were futile. "Candance, after our last meeting, I think you know that I'm far beyond the days where a wand could cause me harm. Nevertheless, if you feel more comfortable with it securely in your hand, be my guest." As it was late at night, he kept his voice soft, but he spoke with such confidence, and in a very casual tone. For a brief moment, Bernard reminded himself of one of Candance's former school teachers. And while he had never once tutored her in magic at Hogwarts, he supposed that their relationship was somewhat similar to a relationship between a master and an apprentice. As much as Candance would probably give to get out of such a "relationship", she was stuck with Bernard, and he didn't know how long their mutually-beneficial work would continue.
"I came here because you know, as well as I do, that William Rikard's magic has long since left him. And therapy can only take you so far. In spite of his sessions with Jake Green, he has shown little improvement, and he continues to struggle. I want you to help him."
Candance Michelle
In her line of work, Candance really had no choice but to deal with the Seven more often than most of the wizarding world did. It wasn't exactly fun dealing with a group of people who were much smarter than the ordinary, every-day criminals but it was a job she got a thrill out of. Even if her days could be more or less predictable, the particulars were what left her constantly guessing and that was something she liked. Even so, while Candance had in fact 'signed up' for a job that left her constantly wondering about what the Seven was up to, her dealings with Bernard were something she desperately wanted out of. Last time, she had garnered information about Daniel Marsden which was intriguing and beneficial. That was it's only upside and Candance had hoped that that would be the last time she would ever have to meet Bernard. The old man was entirely too creepy for Candance to comfortably like.
"Candance, after our last meeting, I think you know that I'm far beyond the days where a wand could cause me harm. Nevertheless, if you feel more comfortable with it securely in your hand, be my guest."
Candance huffed with irritation but kept her hand gripped tightly on her wand. Not unexpectedly, he was right - it did make her feel more comfortable. While she knew that there was close to nothing she could do against him, her wand in her hand allowed her to relax a little. Small comforts, Candance thought as she looked at Bernard, her expression uneasy. The traitorous part of her left her curious, wondering what he wanted this time, whether she was about to be dragged across time to explore more details in Marsden's life. It had been scary the first time, an experience she didn't want to relive. After the event, Candance had locked herself up in the library for days, trying to figure out what exactly had happened. With very little details as to how she'd been able to experience what she had, research had been pointless.
"I came here because you know, as well as I do, that William Rikard's magic has long since left him. And therapy can only take you so far. In spite of his sessions with Jake Green, he has shown little improvement, and he continues to struggle. I want you to help him."
The reason for him being here became known and for a moment, all Candance could do was stare blankly at him. It would be pointless to ask Bernard how he knew about the lack of magic that came from Will Rikard; the man gave off the vibe that he knew almost everything. The question she desperately wanted answered, even though she knew that he would likely give her some vague response, was why he knew Will couldn't perform magic anymore. Candance could form her own reasons as to why he knew about Marsden; the leader of the Seven was someone most of the wizarding world wanted to know more about. Will, on the other hand...he wasn't a nobody and his life had already been changed forever by the Seven, but in the 'war' against the Seven and the wizarding world, Will as a person wasn't teeming with importance. "Why?" Candance asked, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Bernard. His response was sure to be unsatisfactory by Candance's standards but at least she was trying. "What's in it for you? Sure, Will being able to do magic again would be wonderful but it doesn't seem crucial. Why do you want him to be able to use magic?"
Bernard Brackenbury
Though he felt stung by her words, he kept his expression even. She had immediately jumped to the conclusion that he had ulterior motives. That he was, in her own words, in it for something. He viewed this as a tad bit rude, and had things been different, he probably would have called her out on her tactless nature. As it was, he chose to ignore it, and allowed Candance her assumptions in favor of a more pleasant encounter. She was, after all, still very young. Naive to the things around her.
"Not for me," said Bernard. "For you, and your people." Bernard wasted no time and got right to the point. "Do all of you who call yourselves The Order of the Eight think you're ready to fight a full-fledged war with Daniel Marsden, a man who's had every whim met and even exceeded for over two decades? There are more Sevens than there are of Eights, Candance. As much as I hate to say this, in spite of Witchard's impressive, albeit surprising progress, all of you are woefully unprepared for what Marsden is capable of. You stood right next to me when we explored Marsden's past. You saw what I saw. Ess made a mistake. And because of that mistake, there's a good chance that you, and everyone you've ever cared about, will die. Will Rikard needs his magic back because you need all the help you can get."
Candance Michelle
"Do all of you who call yourselves The Order of the Eight think you're ready to fight a full-fledged war with Daniel Marsden, a man who's had every whim met and even exceeded for over two decades? There are more Sevens than there are of Eights, Candance. As much as I hate to say this, in spite of Witchard's impressive, albeit surprising progress, all of you are woefully unprepared for what Marsden is capable of. You stood right next to me when we explored Marsden's past. You saw what I saw. Ess made a mistake. And because of that mistake, there's a good chance that you, and everyone you've ever cared about, will die. Will Rikard needs his magic back because you need all the help you can get."
While Candance was glad that Bernard was fairly blunt about what he needed to say, she couldn't stop her eyes from narrowing at the man. "Of course we're not ready. We are trying though; doesn't that count for something? There's only so much that we can do." She paused briefly, willing herself to breathe in deeply to calm herself. It wouldn't be good for anyone if she chose to get riled up over this. "Marsden can choose to attack anywhere he likes. You know as well as I do that there aren't a great many of people that he cares about. The Order of the Eight not only has to protect ourselves, but our families and friends, as well as the random innocents that could get stuck in the crossfire. On top of that, it's not exactly easy to recruit members. No one wants to fight against the Seven. Some feel the need to do something about them, and others just want to act all noble by joining. Finding people who can by loyal, brave, and smart is just really hard."
It had been a brief rant coming from her, but it couldn't be helped. Candance loved her life fiercely and was quite happy with the choices she had made that had allowed her to become both an Auror and a member of TOE. The stress of it all, the frustration of there being so little to do, it had a habit of piling up until she was ready to scream. I guess it can't really be helped, she thought wearily, running a tired hand over her face. "You say helping Will get his magic back like it's going to be easy. He hasn't used magic in years. None of us even really know what's blocking it!" Candance said, bringing the conversation back to it's original topic. "Of course I know Will, but we're not exactly best friends. As long as I've known him, he's been more of a 'loner'. I'm not Jake Green; I haven't studied this at all. I don't have a clue what I can do to help him."
Bernard Brackenbury
Bernard listened to her miniature rant with no expression, but it was a bit satisfying to see such frustration. The witches and wizards of today, especially the younger ones, were so oblivious to everything around them, to what was really important. It was amusing, but also tiresome at times. He had so many things he could tell her right now. In fact, he had half a mind to tell her not to be so quick in assuming people didn't want to help. She would be surprised at how many people were ready for a change, and who were willing to make an effort. But now was not the time. He had been sent here for a much different purpose, not to give her a speech in available allies.
Bernard didn't speak for a moment so as to allow Candance a moment to calm down. When he replied, it was in a calm, soft voice. "Take William to the Unknowns," said Bernard. "They're the only ones who can help him."
Candance Michelle
Candance listened to Bernard half-heartedly, loath as she was to do anything he asked of her. The man was terrifying; entirely too powerful and mysterious for her liking. It made her nervous. At his mention of the Unknowns Candance froze, her mind racing to take her back to the night Bernard had first appeared to her. The Unknowns were just as mysterious as Bernard. They were a group of people that had lived in the forests surrounding Hogwarts for a long time, even before the founders of Hogwarts had started the school. It was also the Unknowns who had helped Daniel Marsden become the man he was today. This reason alone made her skeptical. “Is there any particular reason why you’re asking me to do this?” It was a question she doubted she’d receive a straight answer for (if he even deigned a response at all) and the added stress to her life was giving her a headache.
She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, mussed up from sleep. Her mind quickly ran through the pros and cons of agreeing to do as he asked, regardless of the fact that they both knew he had given her little reason to say no to what he asked of her. The thought annoyed her although she tried not to let that expression show on her face. “Fine,” Candance muttered, shooting him a reproachful look. “If you say they’ll help then I’ll do it for Will.” It was long past time for him to be able to access his ability to do magic and besides, Bernard had a point - the battle against the Seven was turning more violent by the day. They needed all the help they could get. “I’m going to assume that having Will and myself wandering about in the Forbidden Forest isn’t going to do much more than get us attacked by whatever creatures are lurking in there. How are we supposed to find them? What happens when we do?”
Bernard Brackenbury
Bernard raised his eyebrow, considering the question she had brought up. She was quite curious, this girl, and a little impatient in his opinion. He supposed the curiosity came from being a Ravenclaw, but he couldn't pinpoint why she had to know everything and couldn't just do what was asked of her. "Why am I asking you to do this?" he repeated. "I'm asking you to do this because I was asked to ask you to do this. I'm asking you to do this because it's mutually beneficial to both William Rikard and your Order. But more to the point, it's beneficial to William Rikard; he's suffered enough. Parents gone (possibly forever), his God-given abilities stripped from him, his only remaining family considering him little more than a burden. William, like Daniel Marsden, has grown up with virtually nothing in his adolescence years, what should be the best years of his life, and has had to struggle for everything he has in life. I needn't remind you how Marsden turned out," he added, smiling ever so slightly.
Bernard slowly rose from his chair and took hold of the lantern. He walked to the chest of drawers at the foot of the bed, the wooden floor creaking and being the only thing that broke the silence before turning back to Candance and speaking once again. "Take William to where you both were in the forest the night he and Nedea Zobelle were betrayed by Adarian Ackland. You make it to that spot, and the Unknowns won't be far off. As to what happens when you find them, I've been assured by my employer that you'll know what to say when you need to say it.
"In order to get William to go with you, you need to tell him everything. About me, about yours and Cross' night with me, and about what I've told you now. It doesn't matter that he knows; he won't be able to find me anymore than you can. Though he'll question your sanity at first (and I beg you to not take it personally), he'll go along with the plan when he finds out what's in it for him. It is imperative, however, that you disclose this information with no one else but him. The Unknowns don't get visitors very often, and two is going to be pushing it."
Bernard sat the lantern on the chest of drawers before bowing to Candance in respect. "It's been good to see you again. I bid you goodnight now. Until our next encounter, Candance Michelle." He bowed again, and after a moment, the lantern extinguished, casting the room back into the near-complete darkness it had been in before it was lit. About eight seconds went by before the lantern's flame ignited once more. But this time, Bernard was nowhere to be seen. The spot he had been standing in was vacant, and Candance was quite alone in the room.
Candance Michelle
Bernard's response to her first question proved her thoughts right - he really couldn't answer a question without leaving her wondering more. He was asked to ask her to do this? What sort of response was that? The rest of his responses were at least appropriate and did more justice to her question than the first attempt. For that, she was grateful. As much as she wanted to banish the man from ever coming to find her again, Candance couldn't help but feel oddly proud that out of everyone in the world, someone had chosen her to have an experience like this. She was generally annoyed with the whole experience - who could honestly say they appreciated being awoken in the middle of the night for some ominous news and instructions from a man who couldn't answer a question properly? Nevertheless, it was clear to Candance (or it was some sort of sleep-deprived self-entitlement) that someone thought she was the best person for the various things she'd been asked to do. It was strangely gratifying.
"Take William to where you both were in the forest the night he and Nedea Zobelle were betrayed by Adarian Ackland. You make it to that spot, and the Unknowns won't be far off. As to what happens when you find them, I've been assured by my employer that you'll know what to say when you need to say it.
At these words, Candance shot Bernard the most fearsome glare she could muster. She'd forgiven Adarian long ago for his latest mission as a spy for TOE but she preferred not to think about him. Doing so meant wondering what he was doing, wondering if he was safe, if he was able to keep up with the ruse...the stress was something she certainly didn't need. Bernard's blunt way of phrasing things also set her nerves on fire - surely he knew that Adarian hadn't exactly had a choice but to take Nedea and Will to the forest that night, didn't he? For a man who knew just about everything else, he couldn't have not taken notice of that. Candance didn't like going into the forest if she could help it. Most of the unpleasant moments in her Hogwarts life had happened in the dangerous woods.
"In order to get William to go with you, you need to tell him everything. About me, about yours and Cross' night with me, and about what I've told you now. It doesn't matter that he knows; he won't be able to find me anymore than you can. Though he'll question your sanity at first (and I beg you to not take it personally), he'll go along with the plan when he finds out what's in it for him. It is imperative, however, that you disclose this information with no one else but him. The Unknowns don't get visitors very often, and two is going to be pushing it."
He was asking for a lot from her. Like Bernard told her, Will was going to think she was crazy and would likely leave before she even got to tell him that she could find someone to help him regain his powers. They'd bonded once in the gardens at Hogwarts but that short meeting and the few times they saw each other nowadays weren't enough for him to trust her unconditionally. Convincing him was going to be a nightmare.The trick is to think positively. Candance mentally reassured herself, taking a few calming breaths. "I won't tell anyone but him," she repeated, already beginning to plan the best way to approach William Rikard.
"It's been good to see you again. I bid you goodnight now. Until our next encounter, Candance Michelle."
This most recent visit from the man was over, Bernard having vanished in a way very much unlike apparation. It was doubtful that Candance would be able to go back to sleep. Within a few hours, the occupants of the house would start awaking and she'd have to start getting ready for work. A plethora of thoughts were running through Candance's head as she tried to think about her latest encounter with Bernard. There was some unhappiness at the thought that she would have more visits from him, although her previous thoughts still stood - there was a small thrill at him coming to her of all people for various reasons. A soft, mental 'thank you' to him crossed her mind, a thought that was quickly shoved away. With plans of how to tell Will everything passing through her head, Candance fell back against her pillow to await the coming days.
(OOC: Combined threads from the previous site)
Bernard Brackenbury
As he struck the match, Bernard was comforted by the dim light given from the small flame. Carefully raising the match upward, he lit what looked like an antique lantern before blowing out the match and pocketing it. He raised the lantern and turned around in the dark room, paying no attention to the hot, used match in his robe pocket. Eerily enough, no smoke emitted from the pocket, and the robe did not catch fire.
He was in a large, dark bedroom. Everything throughout the manor was silent; every occupant was fast asleep, and the only light in the house, apart from Bernard's lantern, was coming through the windows. Although, with the cloudy night Surrey was currently experiencing, it added little visibility to 246. He looked around at his surroundings and took them all in, but everything was the same as it had been when Andrew Langerton had first taken possession of the house. The young woman who lay fast asleep in the bed had yet to make any personal customizations to make herself feel more at home.
Bernard made his way to the girl, knowing all too well that she wouldn't appreciate his unannounced visit in the dead of night. From past experiences, he got the impression that he somewhat annoyed her. He preferred working in the silent shadows, though; it made him more productive. He pulled an old-looking rocking chair from against the wall to her bedside and set his lantern on the nightstand. He took a seat, as easily as if the house was his property, and waited for his chance. When he could tell that she was coherent enough to hear him, he spoke as if he was speaking to an acquaintance he had known for years. "Hello again," he greeted softly.
Candance Michelle
If one was so inclined as to judge her life, they would say that Candance lived a simple life. They’d be right, on most accounts. After leaving Hogwarts, she’d gone straight to the ministry, eager to start her training so that she could become an Auror. Her old dream of taking off a year to go explore the world she hadn’t had much of a chance to see was tossed to the side, mostly forgotten. Two years since she had graduated from Hogwarts, a school she tried to give very little thought. While most students chose to call the historical school as their ‘second home’, Candance chose to move on completely from it. Looking back wasn’t what she needed to do. Moving forward with her life, helping the ministry deal with whatever was asked of her; that was what she focused on. Dealing with the Seven was no simple matter, nor was dealing with the regular, everyday criminals that occasionally required the work of Aurors. All of her time was spent either doing her job, or helping TOE with anything she could.
Joining The Order of the Eight meant she had to put up with more instances with the Seven, deal with them in ways that completely undermined all her Auror training. With TOE, Candance didn’t have to think about whether the things she was doing was completely legal. All she needed to focus on was completing whatever was asked of her, in whatever way possible. In the end, it would all help overthrow the Seven and that was what she wanted, more than anything in the world. Being asked by Witchard to join this resistance group meant a lot to her and she was determined to do everything she could to help, as well as meaning that she was privy to more information than a lot of the wizarding world knew. Ever the Ravenclaw, having a brief education on the recent goings on of the Seven was more than intriguing, even if knowing what she did was perilous. Despite all of this, however, despite the danger she was often in with both her job and TOE, Candance lived a simple life and she was thankful for that.
Of course, thing in her life couldn’t stay easy and predictable.
It’d been a typical day for Candance. She’d gone to work, attended a hearing for a recently arrested criminal, filled out some minor paperwork before returning to TOE headquarters at Marigold Lane. After asking a few of the other residents whether there had been any updates that she needed to know about, Candance had chosen to turn in early. A few good hours of sleep was all that she was capable of getting, for late in the night, he returned. Just like the last time she had seen him, Candance woke up with a start, not at all sure if it was just a dream or reality that had her seeing the older man sitting in a chair by her bed. For a moment, she just quietly stared at him, pleading with her mind to assure her that he wasn’t there, that it was just a trick of the low light coming from a lamp she certainly hadn’t left on when she went to bed. As she became more and more awake, Candance knew there was no denying the fact anymore - Bernard had come to visit her again. He offered her a soft ‘hello’, a greeting she wasn’t thankful for. If she could have her way, Candance would have been perfectly happy to never see this man again. His last visit had been memorable enough that his coming to see her now was more than unwelcome. Rising up from her position on the bed, Candance slowly gripped her wand from it’s place in under her pillow, sitting up with the covers tumbling off of her pajama-clad self. “What do you want?” She asked, her voice sleepy but still discernibly annoyed.
Bernard
Her tone was as he had expected. Their last encounter, while vastly beneficial for Candance, had left her more than somewhat irritated with Bernard, and he was not surprised in the least to sense her wand arm preparing to strike if such a need arose, whether out of fear or out of agitation. He made it clear, however, when he spoke to her again, that such precautions were futile. "Candance, after our last meeting, I think you know that I'm far beyond the days where a wand could cause me harm. Nevertheless, if you feel more comfortable with it securely in your hand, be my guest." As it was late at night, he kept his voice soft, but he spoke with such confidence, and in a very casual tone. For a brief moment, Bernard reminded himself of one of Candance's former school teachers. And while he had never once tutored her in magic at Hogwarts, he supposed that their relationship was somewhat similar to a relationship between a master and an apprentice. As much as Candance would probably give to get out of such a "relationship", she was stuck with Bernard, and he didn't know how long their mutually-beneficial work would continue.
"I came here because you know, as well as I do, that William Rikard's magic has long since left him. And therapy can only take you so far. In spite of his sessions with Jake Green, he has shown little improvement, and he continues to struggle. I want you to help him."
Candance Michelle
In her line of work, Candance really had no choice but to deal with the Seven more often than most of the wizarding world did. It wasn't exactly fun dealing with a group of people who were much smarter than the ordinary, every-day criminals but it was a job she got a thrill out of. Even if her days could be more or less predictable, the particulars were what left her constantly guessing and that was something she liked. Even so, while Candance had in fact 'signed up' for a job that left her constantly wondering about what the Seven was up to, her dealings with Bernard were something she desperately wanted out of. Last time, she had garnered information about Daniel Marsden which was intriguing and beneficial. That was it's only upside and Candance had hoped that that would be the last time she would ever have to meet Bernard. The old man was entirely too creepy for Candance to comfortably like.
"Candance, after our last meeting, I think you know that I'm far beyond the days where a wand could cause me harm. Nevertheless, if you feel more comfortable with it securely in your hand, be my guest."
Candance huffed with irritation but kept her hand gripped tightly on her wand. Not unexpectedly, he was right - it did make her feel more comfortable. While she knew that there was close to nothing she could do against him, her wand in her hand allowed her to relax a little. Small comforts, Candance thought as she looked at Bernard, her expression uneasy. The traitorous part of her left her curious, wondering what he wanted this time, whether she was about to be dragged across time to explore more details in Marsden's life. It had been scary the first time, an experience she didn't want to relive. After the event, Candance had locked herself up in the library for days, trying to figure out what exactly had happened. With very little details as to how she'd been able to experience what she had, research had been pointless.
"I came here because you know, as well as I do, that William Rikard's magic has long since left him. And therapy can only take you so far. In spite of his sessions with Jake Green, he has shown little improvement, and he continues to struggle. I want you to help him."
The reason for him being here became known and for a moment, all Candance could do was stare blankly at him. It would be pointless to ask Bernard how he knew about the lack of magic that came from Will Rikard; the man gave off the vibe that he knew almost everything. The question she desperately wanted answered, even though she knew that he would likely give her some vague response, was why he knew Will couldn't perform magic anymore. Candance could form her own reasons as to why he knew about Marsden; the leader of the Seven was someone most of the wizarding world wanted to know more about. Will, on the other hand...he wasn't a nobody and his life had already been changed forever by the Seven, but in the 'war' against the Seven and the wizarding world, Will as a person wasn't teeming with importance. "Why?" Candance asked, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Bernard. His response was sure to be unsatisfactory by Candance's standards but at least she was trying. "What's in it for you? Sure, Will being able to do magic again would be wonderful but it doesn't seem crucial. Why do you want him to be able to use magic?"
Bernard Brackenbury
Though he felt stung by her words, he kept his expression even. She had immediately jumped to the conclusion that he had ulterior motives. That he was, in her own words, in it for something. He viewed this as a tad bit rude, and had things been different, he probably would have called her out on her tactless nature. As it was, he chose to ignore it, and allowed Candance her assumptions in favor of a more pleasant encounter. She was, after all, still very young. Naive to the things around her.
"Not for me," said Bernard. "For you, and your people." Bernard wasted no time and got right to the point. "Do all of you who call yourselves The Order of the Eight think you're ready to fight a full-fledged war with Daniel Marsden, a man who's had every whim met and even exceeded for over two decades? There are more Sevens than there are of Eights, Candance. As much as I hate to say this, in spite of Witchard's impressive, albeit surprising progress, all of you are woefully unprepared for what Marsden is capable of. You stood right next to me when we explored Marsden's past. You saw what I saw. Ess made a mistake. And because of that mistake, there's a good chance that you, and everyone you've ever cared about, will die. Will Rikard needs his magic back because you need all the help you can get."
Candance Michelle
"Do all of you who call yourselves The Order of the Eight think you're ready to fight a full-fledged war with Daniel Marsden, a man who's had every whim met and even exceeded for over two decades? There are more Sevens than there are of Eights, Candance. As much as I hate to say this, in spite of Witchard's impressive, albeit surprising progress, all of you are woefully unprepared for what Marsden is capable of. You stood right next to me when we explored Marsden's past. You saw what I saw. Ess made a mistake. And because of that mistake, there's a good chance that you, and everyone you've ever cared about, will die. Will Rikard needs his magic back because you need all the help you can get."
While Candance was glad that Bernard was fairly blunt about what he needed to say, she couldn't stop her eyes from narrowing at the man. "Of course we're not ready. We are trying though; doesn't that count for something? There's only so much that we can do." She paused briefly, willing herself to breathe in deeply to calm herself. It wouldn't be good for anyone if she chose to get riled up over this. "Marsden can choose to attack anywhere he likes. You know as well as I do that there aren't a great many of people that he cares about. The Order of the Eight not only has to protect ourselves, but our families and friends, as well as the random innocents that could get stuck in the crossfire. On top of that, it's not exactly easy to recruit members. No one wants to fight against the Seven. Some feel the need to do something about them, and others just want to act all noble by joining. Finding people who can by loyal, brave, and smart is just really hard."
It had been a brief rant coming from her, but it couldn't be helped. Candance loved her life fiercely and was quite happy with the choices she had made that had allowed her to become both an Auror and a member of TOE. The stress of it all, the frustration of there being so little to do, it had a habit of piling up until she was ready to scream. I guess it can't really be helped, she thought wearily, running a tired hand over her face. "You say helping Will get his magic back like it's going to be easy. He hasn't used magic in years. None of us even really know what's blocking it!" Candance said, bringing the conversation back to it's original topic. "Of course I know Will, but we're not exactly best friends. As long as I've known him, he's been more of a 'loner'. I'm not Jake Green; I haven't studied this at all. I don't have a clue what I can do to help him."
Bernard Brackenbury
Bernard listened to her miniature rant with no expression, but it was a bit satisfying to see such frustration. The witches and wizards of today, especially the younger ones, were so oblivious to everything around them, to what was really important. It was amusing, but also tiresome at times. He had so many things he could tell her right now. In fact, he had half a mind to tell her not to be so quick in assuming people didn't want to help. She would be surprised at how many people were ready for a change, and who were willing to make an effort. But now was not the time. He had been sent here for a much different purpose, not to give her a speech in available allies.
Bernard didn't speak for a moment so as to allow Candance a moment to calm down. When he replied, it was in a calm, soft voice. "Take William to the Unknowns," said Bernard. "They're the only ones who can help him."
Candance Michelle
Candance listened to Bernard half-heartedly, loath as she was to do anything he asked of her. The man was terrifying; entirely too powerful and mysterious for her liking. It made her nervous. At his mention of the Unknowns Candance froze, her mind racing to take her back to the night Bernard had first appeared to her. The Unknowns were just as mysterious as Bernard. They were a group of people that had lived in the forests surrounding Hogwarts for a long time, even before the founders of Hogwarts had started the school. It was also the Unknowns who had helped Daniel Marsden become the man he was today. This reason alone made her skeptical. “Is there any particular reason why you’re asking me to do this?” It was a question she doubted she’d receive a straight answer for (if he even deigned a response at all) and the added stress to her life was giving her a headache.
She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, mussed up from sleep. Her mind quickly ran through the pros and cons of agreeing to do as he asked, regardless of the fact that they both knew he had given her little reason to say no to what he asked of her. The thought annoyed her although she tried not to let that expression show on her face. “Fine,” Candance muttered, shooting him a reproachful look. “If you say they’ll help then I’ll do it for Will.” It was long past time for him to be able to access his ability to do magic and besides, Bernard had a point - the battle against the Seven was turning more violent by the day. They needed all the help they could get. “I’m going to assume that having Will and myself wandering about in the Forbidden Forest isn’t going to do much more than get us attacked by whatever creatures are lurking in there. How are we supposed to find them? What happens when we do?”
Bernard Brackenbury
Bernard raised his eyebrow, considering the question she had brought up. She was quite curious, this girl, and a little impatient in his opinion. He supposed the curiosity came from being a Ravenclaw, but he couldn't pinpoint why she had to know everything and couldn't just do what was asked of her. "Why am I asking you to do this?" he repeated. "I'm asking you to do this because I was asked to ask you to do this. I'm asking you to do this because it's mutually beneficial to both William Rikard and your Order. But more to the point, it's beneficial to William Rikard; he's suffered enough. Parents gone (possibly forever), his God-given abilities stripped from him, his only remaining family considering him little more than a burden. William, like Daniel Marsden, has grown up with virtually nothing in his adolescence years, what should be the best years of his life, and has had to struggle for everything he has in life. I needn't remind you how Marsden turned out," he added, smiling ever so slightly.
Bernard slowly rose from his chair and took hold of the lantern. He walked to the chest of drawers at the foot of the bed, the wooden floor creaking and being the only thing that broke the silence before turning back to Candance and speaking once again. "Take William to where you both were in the forest the night he and Nedea Zobelle were betrayed by Adarian Ackland. You make it to that spot, and the Unknowns won't be far off. As to what happens when you find them, I've been assured by my employer that you'll know what to say when you need to say it.
"In order to get William to go with you, you need to tell him everything. About me, about yours and Cross' night with me, and about what I've told you now. It doesn't matter that he knows; he won't be able to find me anymore than you can. Though he'll question your sanity at first (and I beg you to not take it personally), he'll go along with the plan when he finds out what's in it for him. It is imperative, however, that you disclose this information with no one else but him. The Unknowns don't get visitors very often, and two is going to be pushing it."
Bernard sat the lantern on the chest of drawers before bowing to Candance in respect. "It's been good to see you again. I bid you goodnight now. Until our next encounter, Candance Michelle." He bowed again, and after a moment, the lantern extinguished, casting the room back into the near-complete darkness it had been in before it was lit. About eight seconds went by before the lantern's flame ignited once more. But this time, Bernard was nowhere to be seen. The spot he had been standing in was vacant, and Candance was quite alone in the room.
Candance Michelle
Bernard's response to her first question proved her thoughts right - he really couldn't answer a question without leaving her wondering more. He was asked to ask her to do this? What sort of response was that? The rest of his responses were at least appropriate and did more justice to her question than the first attempt. For that, she was grateful. As much as she wanted to banish the man from ever coming to find her again, Candance couldn't help but feel oddly proud that out of everyone in the world, someone had chosen her to have an experience like this. She was generally annoyed with the whole experience - who could honestly say they appreciated being awoken in the middle of the night for some ominous news and instructions from a man who couldn't answer a question properly? Nevertheless, it was clear to Candance (or it was some sort of sleep-deprived self-entitlement) that someone thought she was the best person for the various things she'd been asked to do. It was strangely gratifying.
"Take William to where you both were in the forest the night he and Nedea Zobelle were betrayed by Adarian Ackland. You make it to that spot, and the Unknowns won't be far off. As to what happens when you find them, I've been assured by my employer that you'll know what to say when you need to say it.
At these words, Candance shot Bernard the most fearsome glare she could muster. She'd forgiven Adarian long ago for his latest mission as a spy for TOE but she preferred not to think about him. Doing so meant wondering what he was doing, wondering if he was safe, if he was able to keep up with the ruse...the stress was something she certainly didn't need. Bernard's blunt way of phrasing things also set her nerves on fire - surely he knew that Adarian hadn't exactly had a choice but to take Nedea and Will to the forest that night, didn't he? For a man who knew just about everything else, he couldn't have not taken notice of that. Candance didn't like going into the forest if she could help it. Most of the unpleasant moments in her Hogwarts life had happened in the dangerous woods.
"In order to get William to go with you, you need to tell him everything. About me, about yours and Cross' night with me, and about what I've told you now. It doesn't matter that he knows; he won't be able to find me anymore than you can. Though he'll question your sanity at first (and I beg you to not take it personally), he'll go along with the plan when he finds out what's in it for him. It is imperative, however, that you disclose this information with no one else but him. The Unknowns don't get visitors very often, and two is going to be pushing it."
He was asking for a lot from her. Like Bernard told her, Will was going to think she was crazy and would likely leave before she even got to tell him that she could find someone to help him regain his powers. They'd bonded once in the gardens at Hogwarts but that short meeting and the few times they saw each other nowadays weren't enough for him to trust her unconditionally. Convincing him was going to be a nightmare.The trick is to think positively. Candance mentally reassured herself, taking a few calming breaths. "I won't tell anyone but him," she repeated, already beginning to plan the best way to approach William Rikard.
"It's been good to see you again. I bid you goodnight now. Until our next encounter, Candance Michelle."
This most recent visit from the man was over, Bernard having vanished in a way very much unlike apparation. It was doubtful that Candance would be able to go back to sleep. Within a few hours, the occupants of the house would start awaking and she'd have to start getting ready for work. A plethora of thoughts were running through Candance's head as she tried to think about her latest encounter with Bernard. There was some unhappiness at the thought that she would have more visits from him, although her previous thoughts still stood - there was a small thrill at him coming to her of all people for various reasons. A soft, mental 'thank you' to him crossed her mind, a thought that was quickly shoved away. With plans of how to tell Will everything passing through her head, Candance fell back against her pillow to await the coming days.