James Hook

James Hook | 18 | Halfblood | Slytherin | Year 7 | Chaser lead singer and rhythm guitar for The Curse of Kings

[murder-mordu-blog]

"I can’t believe I’m about to say this… but thank you, Hook… for everything, without your help Urse might have died and I don't know what I would have done if that happened. You may be annoying as hell, but you got guts kid… maybe you’re not so bad."

[crooked-hook-blog]

"Pinch me, I must be dreaming... Did The Great and Terrible Mor'du just put me on his no hit list?" Hook joked... albeit extremely nervously, unsure of how that Mor'du would receive it. He found he was getting dangerously used to skating on thin ice. 

[murder-mordu-blog]

As Mor’du listened he began to panic internally and fragments of it began to show externally in the tears that glazed his eyes as he fought the rage swelling within him. He couldn’t remember the last time he cried and he certainly wasn’t going to do it in front of this oaf. So he choked them back, not a drop fell. 

Finally he nodded, “No, I won’t let that happen… I understand. I need to see her, where is she?”

[crooked-hook-blog]

"She said to tell you to meet her by the lake tonight. She's probably there now."

[murder-mordu-blog]

"O… kay… why?"

[crooked-hook-blog]

"Because her mother did this to her. I'll leave it to her to explain exactly what happened but long story short her mother tortured her for three days until..." He wasn't sure exactly how to say what came next, "Well... I don't know if you knew this, but her birth name was Vanessa... Ursula changed her name on her own. Anyway her mother essentially beat the Ursula out of her. She doesn't have any memory of ever being called Ursula now... she only remembers Vanessa." Hook hung his head, "Mor'du she needs your help... Vanessa isn't who she is, I know it's not my place to... well I... if we- if you let her keep on believing that she is Vanessa... well you have to see how that would destroy her." 

[murder-mordu-blog]

As Hook spoke Mor’du grew more and more concerned and impatient. “Another promise? Alright what is it? Anything. Just cut to the chase.”

[crooked-hook-blog]

"I need you to promise not to do anything rash... actually no just don't do anything at all until you see her." 

[murder-mordu-blog]

"I’m quickly starting to see why Ursula hates you so much…" Mor’du growled, but reluctantly accepted, "Fine I won’t fucking hurt you for what you’re about to tell me… but I’m not taking a bloody unbreakable vow."

[crooked-hook-blog]

"...Yeah." Hook was clearly a little offended by the comment, but he brushed it off, "Fair enough, I had a feeling the unbreakable vow would be a long shot." Hook gathered what he was going to say in his head, took a deep breath, and began, "I was on my way back to my dorm after class when I found Ursula in the hall, struggling to stand. At first I didn't recognize her, she was in really bad shape when I found her, covered from head to toe in blood, scabs, scratches, a broken arm and some of the worst internal bleeding I had ever seen." He could see the worried impatience growing in Mor'du's eyes, "I quickly fixed what her arm as I helped her back to the common room, when we got back I helped heal whatever else I could... using a spell of my own design to stop the internal bleeding." He felt rushed to cut to the chase, "Anyway she's still on the mend, but able to walk now." And here was where the story would get difficult, "Mor'du... There's more to this story, but I need you to make one more promise for Ursula's sake."

[murder-mordu-blog]

Mor’du released his grip on Hook’s shirt, “What do you mean found her?”

[crooked-hook-blog]

"First I need some reassurance you're not going to hurt me for what I'm about to tell you. Preferably an unbreakable vow, but I'll take a regular old promise if that's not an option." 

[murder-mordu-blog]

"You?"

Mor’du stalked toward him stopping just short of stepping on his toes. He took hold of the lean boy’s collar, his eyes burning through Hook’s pupils. “How would you know?”

[crooked-hook-blog]

"I- I was the one who found her..." Hook replied nervously.

[murder-mordu-blog]

Mor’du ran through the halls, stopping everyone he could on his way. Never before had he asked so many people for assistance, but he hadn’t seen Ursula for days and was beginning to worry. He was determined to find someone who could be of any use. He took hold of someone’s arm, “Have you seen Ursula?” she just looked at him in terror, part fear of him and part fear of telling him. “Stop looking at me like that! I’m not going to hurt you, I just want to know where she is!” The girl shook her head wildly, struggling in his grasp. He let her go and she scurried away as fast as she could. He had stopped tens of people in a similar fashion, each gave him similar responses - speechless horror. He looked around frantically, hoping someone would help, but everyone was just too afraid. “Why won’t any of you tell me where she is!” he screamed through the hall. But they all just kept their distance from him. He began to feel more and more desperate, “Please!” he called through the corridors in a defeated tone, ”someone… anyone… if you know anything… please help me find Ursula Current.”

[crooked-hook-blog]

Hook turned into the hallway just in time to catch sight of Mor'du pleading for help from students who were too frightened to help. The hallway began to clear as more and more students tried to avoid the situation. Hook stood there for a moment, gathering his courage, then called out across the hall, "I know where she is." 

[underthedarkea-blog]

This doesn't make us friends || Urse&Hook

[underthedarkea-blog]

"Yeah, you would probably be the better one to break it down to him…It will give my some time go get some strength..and i don’t want to see how mad he gets. I mean i know he won’t hurt me but if your their..well then-" She smirked and brushed the boys shoulder. "Good luck champ, I won’t be praying for you." She barely felt bad for sending him to go to mor’du, she was to selfish about her own well being. She wanted to be a little bit stronger so would be able to face him and not worry if she will collapse. "i love those curse..I also do those contract things, helping you for a price, sorta thing but thats not as common" She shrugged and leaned back on the couch. Rubbing her head she noticed how deep in thought Hook was and figured it was close to what she was thinking as well. Looking away, she tried to think of any positives to Hook being her friend. Helping her not feel so lonely, being someone she could confined in and ask for advice, a shoulder to cry on. She rolled her eyes and started reminding herself that nothing good ever comes out of being Vanessa’s friend. Shaking her head lightly she bounced the thought out her head and recollected herself from the laughing slip.

She looked at him, keeping her face expressionless as he replied to her comment. She tried to not let it bother her. She knew it wouldn’t be the same going back and treating him terribly after what just happened. But, it was how it needed to be. If she wanted to keep him safe she knew he would never be a friend of hers. “Well since that’s settled..” She got herself up and looked down at him. “I really need some well deserved sleep. When you see Mor’du, tell him to by the lake tomorrow night.” She raised a eyebrow and flicked Hooks nose. “Your actually kind of a smart kid.” 

[crooked-hook-blog]

Hook smirked and nodded, “I know you won’t be… but I’ll do it nevertheless and risk a couple of bites and scratches.” Surprisingly Hook wasn’t all too concerned about how Mor’du would react. Ursula didn’t seem to have his same sense of faith, but Hook had an inkling that Mor’du would be too distracted by his concern for Ursula’s well being to bother eating the messenger, in this case, Hook. Hook pursed his lips, the gears of a thought turning in his mind, “Ever been on the other side of the contract before?” He was, of course, only teasing her, he wouldn’t expect any “payment” from her after all this and certainly wouldn’t expect her to agree to such. Yet he knew there would be that insidious shred of sympathy toward him after this, that would be good enough. It would leave him with one less thing to worry about in his life and at Hogwarts not having to worry about being targeted by one, possibly two, of the most dangerous students at the school… well it would be a huge weight off his shoulders. 

As she rose, Hook raised his arms to support her if she should fall. Seeing as she didn’t appear to need or want any further assistance he lowered his arms, eyes downcast, and nodded once more. “I’ll let him know,” Hook agreed, “goodnight Urse…” maybe not the best idea, especially now, “…ula.” He quickly corrected himself from calling her by her nickname, but he refused to call her Vanessa… that would only strip Ursula of all that she deemed important - her strength.

'Ursula' wasn't just a name for her, Hook could see this clearly now. The name 'Ursula' stood at the apex of her power. 'Ursula' was her independence, her freedom. It wasn't just freedom from her weakness either, it was freedom from everything; everything that no longer mattered, everything she wanted to forget and move on from. 'Ursula' liberated her from her past in ways nothing else could. It broke the chains her family, especially her mother, bound her in. It freed her from herself, the self she was forced into from birth, the self that went by the name of Vanessa.

He realised 'Vanessa' was a prison that her mother somehow managed to force her back into. 'Vanessa' was everything Ursula fought so hard to escape. 'Vanessa' wasn't her, it was the enemy at the core of all the others. Her one true nemesis lived within the name that she now, in her tortured haze, believed to be who she really was. That's why Hook could never bring himself to call her that, because he knew if he did then 'Vanessa' would only sink Ursula further and further into the darkness leaving her to shrivel in the toxic venom that 'Vanessa' encompassed… and he couldn't let that happen. 

Looking down at him, Ursula raised an eyebrow and flicked his nose, “You’re actually kind of a smart kid.” She said. He smiled shyly and shrugged, “I need to protect myself one way or another…” 

[underthedarkea-blog]

This doesn't make us friends || Urse&Hook

[underthedarkea-blog]

Vanessa looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “You have to be able to live through the worst of what you do.” She remembered how she would test her strengths at enduring pain and making herself stronger. “When you found me I knew i was going to die. I had that feeling of slipping, i wasn’t sure if i was passing out or if it was the end of the line for me. The only thing that kept me going was finding him..” She shrugged at that, Death wasn’t something she feared. Being weak was her only fear.  ”I don’t know if he would be able to help with that. If my name was Ursula and not Vanessa, and if it wasn’t a known thing that Vanessa was a passed name, he wouldn’t know the name either. I don’t know how he would help with that.” She looked down at her legs, staring at each scar. “You think we are equal?” She glanced at her with a small glimmer of happiness in her eyes. She would always think they were close to equal but he was on a high level then herself. “Well, he does get a little selfish with our kills. He really gets into it.” She smirks and Hook. “Plus wont be 100% for a bit. He would probably want to go after her the minute he finds out. I might let him though.” She paused moved her hair out of her face. “When will i was gone my mom thought it was all me, i clarified that it my sexy bear of a boyfriend and how he gave me the lovely scars on my face.” She rolled her eyes, she wasn’t fond of the scars on her face but she had a thing where she kept every scar to remind herself that she made it through the experience. “Anyway, She thinks he is abusive and whatnot. But i would like to see her opinion change after just seeing him” She let out a laugh wiped away the last of her tears. She paused realizing she just had a genuine laugh with someone she was supposed hate. she shot him a look. “This doesn’t make us friends you know.” She squinted her eyes trying to look mean. Even though a very small part of her started to like him she would never admit it to herself that she would want him as her friend. She didn’t know how Dorian wormed his way into her life, Mor’du she understood but falling in love was not the original plan. She was too dangerous for friends and didn’t want to be attached too another friend. 

[crooked-hook-blog]

"Well... I could... I mean if you want... I could help you explain to him what happened at least with the whole name thing, maybe once he understands he'd be more useful in helping you remember." He smiled awkwardly, the thought of him talking to Mor'du on Ursula's behalf was pretty humorous to him, he could almost hear Mor'du sharpening his knife against his fork as Hook spoke. He nodded at Ursula, that awkward smile still painted on his face, "I think you both have you're own methods of intimidation, you display your strengths in your own ways, making you equal and still different. For example I think people are pretty scared of your curses where they would fear Mor'du's claws and teeth." He listened intently as she spoke about her mother's views of Mor'du, honestly he kind of understood how he would give that sort of impression of being abusive and from the looks of it it seemed like Urse did as well... Hook found himself distracted, wondering if her mother was really the only danger she faced, even worrying that there was a danger much closer to Ursula's heart that neither she nor Mor'du wanted to think about or admit. Then he realized he was worrying about this girl who not too long ago threatened to kill him, he was concerned about her like... like a friend? That was a surreal thought and he hastily tried to brush it off. Then something even more surprising happened, he saw a smile grace her face and... what was this? What sounded like a truly genuine laugh escaped her lips. His mind took a double take before he let a smile crack across his face. He could see she realized what had just happened too as she quickly tried to retract, "This doesn't make us friends you know." She said in a clear attempt to redraw the boundary between them. In response Hook let out a light laugh and bowed his head, looking down at his feet, then raising his eyes back up from them with that casual, understanding smile he had found himself now using so liberally with her.

"Yeah, I know..." he replied, knowing full well that something had, in fact, unavoidably and undeniably changed between them. He knew she would never admit or acknowledge it, having him as a friend would only mean more "weakness" to her. So the words would remain unspoken, hiding between the lines, things would carry on as they had before, and he was fine with that. After all, unexpressed sentiments are yet perceived by those meant to hear them.

[underthedarkea-blog]

This doesn't make us friends || Urse&Hook

[underthedarkea-blog]

"My mom is only like this because i killed my dad when i was young. I am positive this pushed her over the edge.” She wiped her eyes, trying to calm down. “I don’t ever remember being called Ursula though and Vanessa is my actual birth name. she isn’t strong enough to make me forget a part of my life…I’m weak if i can let her of all people break me.” She breathed in and out, closing her eyes as she did so. “I don’t know if i want to tell Mor’du…i know i need to but…I don’t want him to see me like this. beat up, breaking down, and confusing him with the apparent name thing..” She wrapped her arms around him loosely as she cried into his shoulder. “I don’t want him to see me at my weakest point. If you think i am the strongest person your wrong, It’s really Mor’du.” She pulled away from his shoulder to wipe her eyes. “Plus if i told him he would kill her without me.” She tried to smirk at that but it failed. So her face met his shoulder again. 

[crooked-hook-blog]

"I'm sure he deserved it," Hook half joked, "Anyway any normal mom would just try to send you to therapy or something, not fucking torture you." Hook shook his head sympathetically, "To be fair your mom sounds pretty damn abrasive, I still don't think it makes you weak for letting what she did get to you. I mean look at what she did to you, when I found you I thought you were going to die right if front of me. The fact that you lasted to this point is... well if that's not hella strength then I don't fucking know what is." It was true, he had no idea how she was able to survive such an ordeal... then again Hook didn't have the most ironclad of hearts. He shrugged, "I dunno, maybe Mor'du would be just the person to help you with your memory and all. I mean he loves you, I know he'd want to do anything to help you." As she cried into his shoulder he gave her a couple comforting pats and laughed a bit at when she said Mor'du was the strong one, "Well I'm not sure I can argue with that, Mor'du's pretty fucking scary, but I think you guys are pretty equal in that field." He laughed even more at her following comment, "I'm sure he'd want you to have the pleasure of finally ending her. I don't think he would ever take that away from you." He smiled, giving her a kind of playful nudge. Maybe jokes wouldn't help the situation, but it was worth a try, he wasn't entirely sure how he could make her feel better when all his presence usually did was anger her.

[underthedarkea-blog]

This doesn't make us friends || Urse&Hook

[underthedarkea-blog]

"Vanessa is the name i was born with… The only name i have ever had.” When they got to the common room her eyes searched for her protector but to her disappointment he wasn’t their. But her thoughts soon subsided as Hook propped her on the couch. It had been the most comfortable thing she had sat on in three days.  Vanessa glanced up at him and nodded, then closing her eyes when he started the spells. When everything was done she opened her eyes and took the goblet. She looked at the water then glanced at hook. “I know…You most likely hate me but…t-thanks..you didn’t have to.” She began to drink the water so hook wouldn’t make her repeat her thank you. When she finished the water she glanced at her body and sighed. “Well…At least i will have battle scars.” She rolled her eyes. “Since you helped me i guess you deserve to know what happened. But if you tell anyone, including dorian, I will kick you ass.” She glanced at him for a second then continued. “My mom had heard about the killings at the school and automatically assumed it was me. But, it’s not like she was wrong in that department. So she started sending me all these letters and eventually kidnapped me…For i think three days? I have been locked up, refusing to eat,drink,talk…and break. She wanted to break me. Make me remember who i was…or something. she beat me with bats, cut me and shot spells at me, setting me on fire and making the cuts deeper..after she started using the Cruciatus curse my memory got really fuzzy. I know i broke and whatever her plan was..worked.” She dropped the goblet as both of her hands gripped her hair and tears began to form.

"After she threatened to kill mor’du and dorian…I think that’s when i broke. I let her break me and she fucked with me! I can’t even remember what she did." Vanessa starts crying and pulling at the ends of her hair. "I’m weak…weak…"

[crooked-hook-blog]

Hook shook his head at her comment about him hating her, "Nah, I don't hate you, the only negative feelings I harbor towards you are a result of you hating me." He froze when she thanked him, "Was that a..." As she began to drink the water he let out a light laugh and a nod, "well I'll take what I can get..." He held his hands up in the air when she told him not to tell anyone, "My lips are locked as a dead man's treasure chest." As he listened to her story his face began to drop. It was strange because even though her and Mor'du killed frequently it seemed so normal, they were hunters, it seemed so natural. So to hear what her mother did to her as a result of what had come to be understood as her way of life, as disagreeable as it was, well it was shocking. To think a mother could ever do something like that to her own child... Hook knew mothers and daughters often tended to have issues but this was unlike anything he'd ever heard of before, this was... this was some sick Guantanamo Bay shit. As she started to freak out Hook put an arm around her, trying to keep her steady. "Weak? You? Are you kidding me? Ursula, if there's one thing you're not it's weak. You're by far the strongest woman I've ever met, if not the strongest person. But, Ursula, you had to put up with your mother's torture for days to the point where you think you're name's Vanessa now. You're not weak you're mom's just a royal bitch!" Rubbing her back, "But it's going to be okay now... you got away and you know when Mor'du finds out he'll never let this happen again... never."

[underthedarkea-blog]

This doesn't make us friends || Urse&Hook

[underthedarkea-blog]

"I have never…gone by that." Vanessa mumbled as she gazed at the ground. "Have you…seen me? My arm getting…worse is probably…the least of our…problems. You should…see my stomach." She would have made it sound like a joke but her stomach probably was the worst part, minus her face. "I have…always gone by Vanessa…It’s my name" Vanessa took a breath, her eyes getting heavy. "If i don’t make it…I will haunt you forever." She mumbled as her head fell onto his shoulder. Everything was getting dizzy and her vision started blacking out. She needed to at least make it to the common room. She was not about to pass out in the hallway. 

[crooked-hook-blog]

"I've never heard you called anything but that or Urse for short, I've certainly never heard anyone call you Vanessa... Seriously what's gotten into you?" He hadn't even noticed her stomach before she pointed it out but now that he had he knew he had to do something before the internal bleeding got out of hand and killed her, "I hadn't even noticed your stomach... just a second," he said as they reached the door to the Slytherin common room, "Blunderberries," the door opened and he rushed her inside and propped her up on a couch. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at her stomach, "I know this probably won't be a problem, but stay still." He waved his wand and uttered the spell, "Internosto Cruentamquerum..." the swelling and bruising began to subside, "That should help. You're lucky I spend my fair share of time hanging out with the nurses, that's not a very well known spell." He waved his wand a once more over her various other wounds, "Tergeo," the mess of blood surrounding the wounds began to clear. Next he turned a nearby decorative plate into a goblet and pointed his wand into it, "Aguamenti," the goblet filled with water and he handed it to her. "Here, drink this." Despite her harsh feelings toward him, he knew he had to help her right now, who else would? Who else could?

[underthedarkea-blog]

This doesn't make us friends || Urse&Hook

[underthedarkea-blog]

"Stop..calling me that name. It’s not…mine." As soon as she got his support she clung to him. "Take me…to the common room.." Vanessa paused looking at him weakly. "Don’t you da-" before she could finish Hook said the spell. Her teeth met her lips again as she fought a scream. "F-Fuck you…" She mumbled leaning onto him as her vision got worse. Staying awake until she could make it to Mor’du was her mission. She would not let herself pass out again. "L-Let me ask…why do you call me Ursula? I-It’s no where close to…Vanessa…" Talking would keep her awake. She wasn’t this guys biggest fan but he was her only shot at making it to the common room. 

[crooked-hook-blog]

He was so confused why she kept insisting her name wasn't Ursula. "What are you talking about? That is your name... that's the only name I know you by at least." He started leading her toward the Slytherin common room. When he fixed her arm she repressed a scream, he tried to brace her, make her more comfortable, but he knew she was not happy that he was the one to have found her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... It was looking really bad, I didn't want to risk it to get any worse." He noticed she was jarred after he fixed her arm, she looked like she was going to pass out, he tried his hardest to keep her up and alert. "It's gonna be okay," he reassured her, "we're almost there." Once again he was surprised by what she was saying, "Van- Vanessa? Seriously what are you talking about? I have never heard anyone call you Vanessa... not even Mor'du." 

[underthedarkea-blog]

This doesn't make us friends || Urse&Hook

[underthedarkea-blog]

Vanessa flinched away from his hands and looked at him. “Whos Ursula?” She rose a weak eyebrow. “It’s…none of your business hookster…If you will excuse me…” She clung to the wall, trying to make it passed him. Her vision began to blur, causing her to slide down the wall, falling to the floor once again. She sat their for a moment, waiting to see if she would pass out or not. When nothing happened she gripped the wall with her bad arm once again and tried to pull herself up. But this time, her arm hurt way to much for her to weight on it. “…Hookster…help me up..” She mumbled, refusing to look at him. 

[crooked-hook-blog]

Taken aback Hook gave Ursula a sideways look, as he pulled her arm that looked less damaged around his shoulder and helped her up, "Who's Ursula? Is that a serious question?" he asked. She could hardly walk and her wounds seemed to be getting worse. "Look, Ursula, you don't have to tell me what happened, but at least let me get you somewhere where I can help get you cleaned up." He glanced down at Ursula's broken arm, it was swelling, he couldn't let it get any worse, "Hold on, this might pinch a bit..." he said as he pulled out his wand and waved it at her arm, "...episkey." He heard the bones snap back into place and slid his wand back into his pocket. "That should help for now."

[underthedarkea-blog]

This doesn't make us friends || Urse&Hook

Vanessa stayed on the floor for a good while. The blood from her lips formed into a small pile on the floor and her vision started to go hazy. Her hands balled into fists as she flinched at the pain. Get up..I have to get up. Vanessa looked up at the people rushing passed her in fear. I would run from me too. Vanessa would have laughed at her thought but it was way to painful for that now. Leaning on her good arm she used her broken one to reach for the wall. She gripped the wall hard and pulled herself up, wincing and biting her lip again. When she was finally on her feet again she hugged the wall and tried her best to make it around the corner. As she did so it felt like someone had deliberately shoved passed her, causing her to fall on the floor again. This time, she purposely let out a scream so loud that it caused everyone to scatter out of the hallway. As she tried to stand again she let a very weak smirk play on her lips.  

[crooked-hook-blog]

As Hook hobbled awkwardly back to his dorm from his care of magical creatures class he heard a piercing shriek echo through the halls and saw a large slew of students barreling around the corner away from the scream. Curious, he wandered in the direction they had come from. When he turned the corner he saw a girl crumpled in a heap on the floor, bracing herself against the wall. She was in terrible shape; covered in open wounds, bruises, and fractures. Drawing nearer he recognized who he was looking at, "Ursula?" he rushed up to her, trying to meet her eye, paying no mind to the chance that his might soon be met with the swift blow of her fist, "Ursula! Ursula, what happened to you?!" He held out his hands, hesitant to touch her for fear of hurting her further.

[dorianmus-blog]

Raaadical!

[crooked-hook-blog]

You're such a goof.