"Not true Shannon. I should have been with Bridgit when it happened' his voice started shaking as he spoke. "I am glad to see you, I truely am... But I will never see her again." Darius sat down in a chair.

ooc: Oh! Merlin. that reminds me, I got a kitten at the start of summer. He's all grey and fluffy...We named him Merlin.

Shannon looked over Darius, and said quietly, "Don't blame yourself for anything, Darius, please don't... what's happened has happened and there's nothing you can do to change the past." She hoped that this would help somehow, even though she doubted that it would because she knew there was no way any words could help the pain he was feeling from the loss of Bridgit.

Wow. You know what is REALLY weird? I got a kitten at the beginning of summer. He's white and black and fluffy.

"I...There is no reason for me to act this way. I'm sorry." he straitened his back and tried to rid his mind of memories.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Shannon said, then got up to take thetea off the stove, bringing three cups with her. She handed one to Darius, another to Na'Sile, and tooke one for herself. She poured them all some tea, put the teapot back on the stove, and returned to her seat.

Na’Sile watched the two of them. It seemed, as if they had quite a bit of catching up to do and the way the conversation was going she really wasn’t involved. She took a sip of her tea and stayed quiet.

"Thank you for the tea." Darius stared into his cup. "...I really do have alot to be sorry for now that I think of it. I've led a rather poor life." He laughed bitterly as he looked over his life. If he had been what his father wanted, he would be the Minister of Magic and have a wife and son. No such luck.

Shannon felt as if she could give Darius another hug, however, didn't, but abruptly changed the subject, "So, were you thiking of living here?"

"I suppose I could. As you can see, I didn't bring any bags or the lot. I was planning on simply visiting. The truth of the matter is, I'm not sure I'm going to remain an active member." He looked up from his tea and to Shannon.

Shannon looked at him, "Why?" She asked, thinking she might know what his answer was going to be.

"Well, as I see it I have two posibilaties. I can continue working three demandind jobs- Deatheater, Spy, and Governer- Oh, yes, and my house elf had a heart attack so I'm also a housekeeper until I get a new one. OR I go into hiding from the Deatheaters, in which case I forfit my jobs and live here... I'd have to take my dog with me.. I've been under alot of stress sense my Holiday ended but I don't want to loose my job. I hate to go from a great help to a burdon in the order..."

"You wouldn't be a burden, you can count on that..." Shannon said. She was still in disbelief that Darius was actually sitting right there in front of her, and she could not help smiling, even though she knew it didn't seem appropriate for the moment.

"I don't want to be useless, Shannon" his voice trailed off. He didn't know why but when Shannon smiled at him he cheered up. He even managed to smile back, without hiding how he felt. It was as if everything was going to be alright.

Darius's smile was reassuring. "You wouldn't be useless..." She said, still smiling.

"What would I do?" he stood up and walked around the room. "Ask for people to walk my dog? Clean the house?" He let out a laugh, but this was a real laugh. He sounded jovial. "No, I'd rather have to much work than none at all." he walked over to Shannon. "I don't belong here, anyway. God rest my friends... and even Flintchy the house elf. I have moved on."

"Why can't you work and belong to the Order again?" Shannon asked, "Or is it more of not wanting to?"

Darius looked into her eyes again. "Yes, I could do that. It would be alot of work but I could do that. I've been doing it for a long time now. I could keep it up. The only problem...Well, that doesn't trouble me anymore."

"What exactly doesn't trouble you anymore?" Shannon asked, then looked around at the other people who were in the room, "Would you rather go somewhere else and talk?"

"Oh, its only that its hard to find a good house elf these days, but I think I can clean my own house..." Nervous laugh. "Maybe we SHOULD talk in another room... I surely hope I don't come off the wrong way if I ask we go to your room. That is, if you have one yet."

"Yes, I have a room..." She told him, "It's upstairs," She led him upstairs into the white-walled, empty room that was to be hers. "Sorry about there being no furniture... I haven't moved it in yet, I hope you don't mind sitting on the floor..." She looked a little unsure. "The only place in the house where there is furniture, so far, is in the kitchen..."

Darius looked at the floor. He didn't often sit on floors, but it wouldn't hurt. "the floor is fine. " he said as he sat down. "There is no single problem, Shannon. I've been rambling. Its a collection of problems."

Shannon sat across from him on the floor and listened to him, then said, "Well, you can tell me, you know... I mean... I obviously know at least one of your problems, but I would have no trouble listening to any others."

Darius didn't say anything. He simply stared at Shannon, thinking. I must be going insane. HE couldn't understand why, in a time of moarning, he would feel so eager to hold Shannon's hand...Well, if I really am going mad it doesn't matter what I say. Just name a song. "I wanna hold your hand." Sadly, over his Holiday he spent time with muggles and listened to the Beatles... The famous liverpodlians had read his mind.

ooc: You just made my day with that post. I have a certain liking for the Beatles, if it wasn't obvious...

"Sorry?" Shannon said, "What was that?"