rebellions are built on hope.

DORCAS MEADOWES | REBEL | HALFBLOOD IN THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE THERE IS QUIET FOR JUST A MOMENT A YELLOW SKY

[watson-emma]

{insp}

[sakura-haruka]

This is a rebellion isn’t it? i rebel.

[rebelmeadowes]

* .  ∙ •✧ * BENJY FENWICK —

♦ — “ This is the first time in months my hair’s actually been clean. Besides, we’re ( sort of ) safe here, right? ” Tired, Benjy leaned against the wall of the base, thinking if they could find it, the new Order could, too.

▵ — “ Now, that’s what I keep telling people, but then they give me this look like I’m mad or something, as if we haven’t been living in some form of squalor or other since all this started! Now the truth is the best I could do were little travel bottles that I pocketed from a shop or petrol station here or there, but when you’ve got hair that tangles as quickly and easily as mine does, it can only work so much. ” 

      Doe smiled a bit at the slightest sound of doubt laced in Benjy’s voice, the way it went up when he said right?, as if weighing the possibilities for everything to go wrong. She smiled because she understood, but it was sad because even moments of happiness could be so tainted. “ Honestly? I don’t think there’s any place safer right now. Don’t forget that Minerva Bloody McGonagall is responsible for this place. I reckon even Dumbledore’s a little afraid of her. ”

[rebelmeadowes]

* .  ∙ •✧ * EMMELINE VANCE —

⎯  ✴︎ “ We were so young here. I don’t even remember this being taken. ”

▵ — “ Oh, stars, look at us! I think... oh, look, it had to be in first year or the summer after, see? I’ve got that dumb choker on that I used to wear. I didn’t even like it at the time, I just thought it made me look edgier. You look as radiant as ever. Things were so nice back then. ”

[rebelmeadowes]

* .  ∙ •✧ *  JAMES POTTER —

⎯  ✴︎ “ Do you really think that fair, though? Wouldn’t he want to be in on it? Wait, you know what, you’re right. We should blame it on him and Sirius. That would cover the work the both of us put into it in case it becomes obvious two people put this together. The Boy Who Tames Dragons? Did Lily tell you I said that. Not that I mind, I’m just wondering if we should be checked for some sort of connection in our brains. ”

▵ — “ Sirius is the only person in the world I can think of who could manage to get himself out of that somehow. Hold on - you’re actually asking? Do you mean to tell me you haven’t realized it? You haven’t realized that we’re literally the same exact person, ‘cept I have boobs and you’ve got a knob? ”

[rebelmeadowes]

* .  ∙ •✧ * REGINALD CATTERMOLE ; GRANT LLOYD ; EMMELINE VANCE —

⎯   ✴︎ It felt like so many people had come and gone over the last few days through camp, but it was really only Georgie and Sirius that went. Hera stayed. Thank Merlin. Emme’s thoughts were always on her friends even if they were in her sights, but the fact the pair left was still weighing heavily on her mind. She wondered if they found a place to set up camp. If they put a million wards up. If they had food. If their socks were dry. It was troubling her mind and she did her best to clear it from her mind, but she knew it would be there like with all the others. She should’ve insisted they stay.

         There were a lot of things she knew she should’ve insisted on since this whole mess started, but she knew it really wouldn’t change much most of the time. So far it really had been better this way, but she felt so out of control. She wasn’t there to help or save anyone if they needed it. And she didn’t know if they needed it. Maybe it was better she didn’t know, but it wouldn’t be better if they didn’t find the help. She blinked away her thoughts as she did her best to push the conversation being had around her into it’s place.

         “I’m with Grant, they’re definitely having a good shag in the woods,” Emme started with a nod. “If not last night, if not now, soon. Though none of you have room to judge since you’ve had at least one shag in the woods.”

         Things were better. Well, if Grant was being less selfish, things were mostly better, but maybe worse. He wanted Hera with him and it was very surreal feeling her hand in his after so long. There was half of him that felt like it was all unbelievable, the other half was not surprised at all like it was inevitable. 

         He caught himself consistently in a state of bliss since she’d joined the group, but then he’d remind himself that it would be better if she was back stateside. She was safer there and wasn’t stuck in all of this bullshit for a second time. But then he’d remind himself that she probably wouldn’t change her involvement, just as he wouldn’t change his. He just had to let himself be happy they were together instead of being apart still.

         He was glancing over at her a lot like he had to remind himself it wasn’t a dream. Holding hands was almost like anchoring each other there in the moment. He’d never classified himself as someone who craved contact, but he was starting to realize how much that was true. He would hold her hand, lightly brush against her when walking by her ( sometimes playfully too ), and take any opportunity to cuddle. He wondered if he was being annoying.

          Looking over at Emme when she spoke, he first smiled at her agreement, but then when she turned it on the others he shrugged before he narrowed his eyes. “You make that sound like it’s a bad thing?” he started before he shook his head. “Not that I’m confirming or denying anything.”

         “Right.” Emme smirked at him before she looked over at Rege. “Does that mean you’ve won the bet?”

         Rege had an easy smile on his face. They were all peacefully sipping at their tea, eating what was left of the crackers in their stash of food, and conversing about love lives. It was mostly speculations on Sirius and Georgie now that they were gone, but Emme did turn it on the rest which was fair. And it was an educated assumption. One he almost felt bad for given she happened to know so easily.

         It wasn’t strange how easily he’d fallen in line with all of them in the group. He supposed he’d known for a while now that they were more of his family than anyone blood related was. And it felt good after the months stuck with barely anyone outside his family to talk to ( thankfully he’d had Edgar from time to time ) to have something like this. And it felt so real. And it felt so comfortable even though they were on the run for their lives.

          “I think it might be Doe, actually?” he answered with his own clarification. He actually couldn’t remember the bet details the best an whether or not this classified as an admittance.

          The wards made a sound before stopping as soon as they began and then there was a sounds of plopping in the distance. He quickly took hold of his wand and got to his feet. He bent down and set his cup of tea on the ground as he heard the others following what he was doing. As a group they stepped over to the edge of the wards, the culprit came into view. “A paper?”

▵ — Hera had never known what it was like to really be a part of something like this. She was an Auror, she was part of MACUSA, all of that was true - but not like this. This felt like a group. Like all of them were in this together, and there was no place she’d rather be. And to make it all better, Grant was at her side. After the Month of Terror, there was something, but none of it made sense. At least not to her, but that wasn’t surprising. Matters of the heart had been a foreign concept to her and apparently to her entire family, so she had done nothing. And that was okay for a while  - at least, as okay as it could be - but then it wasn’t okay, and Grant disappeared right back into the clutches of the same sort of people who had put them through hell.

       She had been so afraid, for so long, that he was dead, and she hadn’t even realized that it was a very real fear until she found out he wasn’t. Hera had somehow convinced herself that it was impossible for Grant Lloyd to die and for her not to know about it, and when it was true, everything flipped on its head and her focus was entirely on getting to him. Telling MACUSA and getting to him, because together, they were capable of anything. She felt sure of that. If they could survive the Month of Terror together, they could make it through this.

      And she was grateful that his hand was almost always in hers. It was constant reassurance that he was there, and she was there, and they weren’t going anywhere. Hera didn’t do a lot of talking, lately, because there was nothing much more that she could say. She said it all when they had come back together, and now she just enjoyed being there, being present. She hadn’t been present in a long time.

      “ Who won the bet depends on what’s on the line, ” Hera said, leaning her head on Grant’s shoulder and smirking. 

      Dorcas had probably had about sixty-one mugs of tea over the last twenty-four hours, and she was sure that wouldn’t be the end of it. Emme had warned her that it would make it hard for her to sleep, and Doe had shrugged it off with a sort of laugh as if to say she’d cross that bridge when she got there, but the truth was, she didn’t really want to sleep. It had been so long since so many of them had been together, and she wanted to enjoy every single second of it while she could. She felt like she could have made a point when Sirius and Georgie had gone off and their disappearance was palpable, but she kept it to herself.

      Instead, Doe sat next to Rege with her legs crossed, her knee almost resting entirely on Rege’s leg. It was a simple gesture, and one that probably didn’t mean much in actuality, but it made her smile for no particular reason at all.

      It had crossed her mind that any normal person would have taken the opportunity to think about what this meant for the future - but Doe couldn’t bring herself to. She was so focused on the present, so focused on the chance that they all might die tomorrow, that she could only think about today. And today, Rege was there, and all those years had accumulated to the two of them, and when she looked at him, she couldn’t help but smile.

      “ Well, you all know how much I like winning, ” Doe teased, holding up her mug of tea in a sort of pseudo-cheer. Truthfully, she didn’t even remember what the bet was - only that it was fun, and ( mostly ) innocent, and it made all of them smile.

      And then the wards went off and Doe was on her feet within seconds, dropping taking her wand out of its holster faster than the wards even managed to stop themselves. The lot of them walked to the edge of the wards, and they stared until Rege finally spoke. “ The Prophet, ” Doe said in skepitcal disbelief, keeping her wand out as she knelt down and slowly and carefully reached for the paper. She snatched it from the ground and brought it back to the inside of their enclosure. She put her wand between her teeth and flipped the paper open, and the headline, for the first time, left her in silence, and she stared.

[rebelmeadowes]

* .  ∙ •✧ * EMMELINE VANCE —

⎯   ✴︎ Emme waited with a bated breath for any sign of apparation, but there wasn’t any. She knew, as Doe did, that the Death Eater had to know they were there. The thought caused her to grip her wand until her knuckles were white. Every time they were in a situation like this, it was the same. She worried every single time it would be their last. She couldn’t let herself think otherwise. The minute your guard was down was the minute things went wrong. She couldn’t let that happen. If something ever happened, it wasn’t going to be because she allowed herself a false sense of security in a situation.

        This time was no different and while it was two to one, she was prepared to fight it out like it was two to seven. When Doe shouted “now,” Emme went out right with her. She threw the first spell and then the Death Eater attacked back before she pushed Emme out of the way of it. When she asked if she was okay, she nodded. She was much better off than if the attack hit her. The three went back and forth causing minor injuries both Doe and Emme had become accustomed to at this point, but still inconvenient.

        “Confrigo!” she shouted and it shot out at the Death Eater. It managed to set the bottom of his cloak on fire and this distraction was enough for the two of them to over-take him. Doe was sitting at him and was patiently watching for any sign of consciousness. She couldn’t help the amused grin that crossed her face as Doe went through his personal belongings. She laughed a little when Doe called him a wanker. She assumed so too, but that wasn’t just because of his identification card. She was sure Doe had assumed the same.

        She caught the pouch when it was tossed at her and quickly looked inside. This was a bonus reward for this evening she hadn’t expected. Normally, she’d be against stealing, but under the circumstances and considering the man had wanted both of them dead, this wasn’t the worst they could do. She looked up from the contents though she she heard the stirring from Abraxas. She was ready to attack the man should he fully get up but Doe handled it in her usual style. She took a moment to appreciate that she was one of the ones she was on the run with. In truth, she couldn’t have imagined it any other way.

        “Proud?” she questioned, jokingly. “Maybe a little.”

        She looked back into the pouch to mentally count all that they had. If there was a way for them to exchange this for muggle money, they’d be set for a long while. She could even imagine maybe doing something enjoyable with some of it. “I wonder if Grant’s been as lucky. We might end up with a point against him by the end of the night.”

▵ — Doe grinned at Emme when she said maybe a little, knowing that in Emme language, that meant actually a lot. She lifted herself off of Abraxas, wanting very badly to punch him in the stomach on her way up, but settled on using his head as a balancer instead. When she propped up her foot on Abraxas’ chest in a stance of victory, feeling oddly proud, in that moment, considering it was quickly becoming a rather common occurrence. “ If Grant is as Grant does, he’s probably off getting his arse kicked somewhere. Twenty galleons says that Sirius is with him, too, ” Doe teased, and then remembered what had happened earlier that night, and what she had yet to explain.

      She cleared her throat, taking her boot off of Abraxas’ chest and looking slightly sheepish as she prepared herself to talk.

      “ You know, speaking of luck... ” she started, trailing off, wondering how she was going to admit to doing something so stupid, even if it did have a good end. “ I may or may not have ended up at this pub. I mean, it was a small thing, honestly, and a muggle one! And, you see, it was after the shit show earlier, and I was freaking out, and all I wanted was some bad wine so I ended up there and - anyway, Georgie found me, and she gave me this. ” She reached inside the pouch she kept strapped to her hip, an undetectable extension charm on the inside that was usually hardly necessary until they started traveling around and she stored their major belongings in it. 

      Doe wrapped her hand around the familiar bag and yanked it out of the opening, handing it over to Emmeline with a cheeky smile. “ Also, she may know someone who’s here to find Grant. A lady someone. ”

[rebelmeadowes]

regecattermole

⎯   ✴︎ Something told Rege that the light joke was a lie and he really didn’t have to be that smart to know that. He didn’t ask more about it because honestly he was sure he really was just going to worry more than he already was worrying. He was also sure she didn’t want to say for that reason and he wasn’t going to pressure her into that. He could just assume it was normal as it probably was and just not have it confirmed or know the details of it. “They sound relaxing,” he said in humor instead as he tried not to think about it too deeply.

         He nose laughed a bit when she teased him and shook his head. “I was under the impression that was only if I carry you,” he said, teasing back. “We could go back to the bar I left from if you really like crisps and peanuts, though.”

         Then when she worried about his injury, he got more serious. “I’m not bleeding, you are.” Yes, he was in pain, but at the current moment he wasn’t dying. Not that he really liked to think of Doe dying at the moment, but she’d lost a lot of blood since he saw her and was worried about her losing even more in the hike to her camp. “Would you feel better if I promised to let you worry once I’m sure you’re fine?”

           He started to slowly walk with her in the direction she’d said the camp was located. “Or we may have enough time to fill the walk with me explaining the injury.”

▵ — Doe couldn’t help but laugh at Rege’s words, grateful for his good humor, appreciative of his support. She didn’t realize how badly she wanted her friends not to hate her for what she is or what she does until Rege so openly accepted her. She squeezed his shoulder and shook her head. “ Mmm, no, I think we’d be better off to just get to the camp and then you can serve me dinner. But don’t try anything before then, y’understand? You’ll make me untidy. ”

      Dorcas didn’t like that he avoided talking about what happened to him, but nodded anyway, walking along with him, wishing she weren’t so bloody stupid. How easy would it have been to avoid a psycho witch with a knife when you’re armed with a wand? Then he wouldn’t be taking care of her doltish arse and she could find out what happened to him - or, more specifically, who hurt him. And so they slowly made their way forward, limping together like an old couple who might fall over at any moment.

      Doe looked up at him, nodding at his suggestion. “ Please do. We’ve got a ways to go, and I’d really rather... ” She slowed her words, looking at him, her eyes searching his face for what she already suspected was there. “ It was them, wasn’t it? ” 

[rebelmeadowes]

georgieweaver

⎯   ✴︎ Georgie smiled when the conversation turned to Gryffindors and what they were light. She couldn’t help but laugh a little lightly before she shook her head. “We’re a bunch of hypocrites,” she said before she shrugged. “But proud of being them.” She looked down when Doe started talking about their eating situation. She wished she knew they were more often so she could get things to them. She knew that it was too dangerous to know constantly for honestly anyone involved. If she was found out, she’d be questioned which meant torture and if anything came out of her, they’d use it to find them. “There’s a good amount in there. It should do for at least a few days so you can re-group. There’s some fruit and vegetables.”

        She looked up and over at the bartender when she said she confunded him. Honestly she didn’t blame her. She sounded like she needed the drink. She reached into her pocket and pulled out some muggle money before she reached under the table and dropped it in the bag. “I want that to be used on something enjoyable.” She knew it was the childish way, but finding something like that was needed just as needed as being responsible sometimes.

        Looking up, she glanced around to make sure they hadn’t drawn any attention and thankfully they hadn’t. She looked back at Doe to answer her “why.” “They’ve sent another one, I’m assuming to find him since there’s only one. I’m assuming Grant knows her… Hera Knox. Just pass it along to him to see if he would know anything about her. I’m not quite sure what MACUSA’s goal is here.”

▵ — Dorcas smiled at Georgie, despite the situation, despite everything, because even though things were far from normal, it was nice to sit here with one of her best friends and trick herself, even if it was just for a half a second at a time, that things were normal. These moments were fleeting at best, but when they happened, she clung to them, letting them fill her mind and erase every single negative thing she’d felt since she just barely escaped the Death Eaters at the Ministry. Of course, Georgie had been there to help with that, too. That’s why Doe was still alive. Friends.

      She watched as Georgie leaned forward and dropped a wad of muggle money into the bag she’d brought for her, and she reached out, putting her hand on her arm, knowing that the attempt would be in vain. “ Georgie, seriously, you don’t have to... you don’t have to do all this. It’s dangerous, you know? ” she said, but of course Georgie knew, and of course she was going to do it anyway. She sighed and smiled, knowing that there was nothing she could say to change Georgie’s mind. So instead she said, “ Thank you, ” and squeezed Georgie’s arm. She leaned back in her seat, listening to Georgie speak.

      Doe leaned forward again when she finished, leaning on the table with her arms cross, looking as though she were actually on the edge of her seat. “ So she’s a her, huh? ” Doe asked, raising her eyebrows. This was one of her moments of normality, and she was going to drag it out as long as she could. “ Interesting. Is she a pretty her? A clever her? The type of her he might write bad poetry about her? ”

[rebelmeadowes]

alicelongbottomrebel

“Well if you have so many things to do and so little time, then enchant your brush. And do you have those homicidal maniacs chasing you right now?” 

“Then don’t braid it. Just put it up and it won’t be knotted.”

▵ — “ I know, and that’s what I mean! I took the most wonderful hot shower and there was this actual conditioner that wasn’t from a bloody petrol station travel bottle. Have a look, see? You can run your fingers through it and everything! I might even be able to get Emme to braid it for me now. ”

[rebelmeadowes]

prewettontherun

— “ oh, yeah, true. nope, wrong twin, try again. there are too many people to actually enforce anything without putting resources towards it, to be honest. ”

▵ — “ Bloody fuck, how do I always fucking manage to fuck that up? At least I don’t fuck up the Bones’, but I’m sure I would if they were identical, too. Sorry. Won’t happen again. You’re the cuter one, but don’t tell Gid that. Anyhow, yes! That’s exactly what I was thinking. Which is also why I feel very guilty, but I don’t actually plan on doing anything really quite terrible. Especially for Minerva’s sake. But would I really be me if I didn’t end up in Poppy’s care at least once a month? ”

[rebelmeadowes]

runningprongs

⎯  ✴︎ “ You’ve thought long and hard about this plan and I’m very impressed and proud. I’m so glad I always have you to come up with things like this. Of course this is also because you want the same thing, but honestly you didn’t have to tell me the plan. So needless to say I’m happy and honored. We’re going to be the reason that the rule book is added to initiation. But no one will know that because I’ll make sure it’s blamed on someone else. The only thing we’ll be infamous for is having a couple dragons. ”

▵ — “ I certainly have thought long and hard about it, and I appreciate your impression. I am curious, though - who are you going to drop the blame on, and might I suggest Grant? He can talk his way out of this much, I’m sure. But, yes! And my-should-have-been-godson will be known as The Boy Who Tames Dragons. ”

[rebelmeadowes]

alicelongbottomrebel

“I’d say it’s more of a moral rule versus a base rule. And you could at least put your hair in a pony-tail if you refuse to brush it.”

▵ — “  It’s not that I refuse to brush my hair, really, it’s that it takes so much time, especially when you’re camping out in a tent and running away from homicidal maniacs all day. But I do like the way you think. I braided it an awful lot to try and keep it together but that only knotted it more when I took it out. I don’t even have curly hair ! ”

[rebelmeadowes]

prewettontherun

— “ i like the way you think. so what not-rule are you breaking ? ”

▵ — “ No idea. If I knew, I’d be doing a pretty shit job of not breaking any rules, yeah ? So, as far as I’m aware, my sweet Gideon, I am not breaking any rules whatsoever. ”

[rebelmeadowes]

ontherunremus

The way Dorcas joked about death made Remus feel like things were back to normal. She’d always been a comic personality, and that was precisely what he’d been missing in his life for a while now. “I’m very interested and concerned in how you got yourself into that predicament eight times.” He laughed. ( He can’t remember the last time he really laughed like this. ) “I think you should only address her by that full title: The Great and Powerful Minnie McGee. She’d probably appreciate it.”

▵ — Dorcas was grateful to hear Remus’ laugh, potently aware of the sound that she’d gotten so familiar with over the last few weeks: a stale laugh, one that hasn’t been touched in Merlin knows how long, one that’s been missed. “ It’s not that interesting or concerning when it’s so bloody easy. All I really had to do was set foot outside our wards. Though, I will say that sneaking into the Ministry shortly after they appointed that bitch - excuse me, witch - of a woman was probably not my brightest idea, but I wouldn’t take it back. ” 

[rebelmeadowes]

mckiinnvns

“A dog that isn’t Sirius? Well, I think Gus has become my new favourite in the whole wide world. Oh, he’s so cute.”

▵ — “ I’d like to tell you that Gus is much less of a flirt but quite frankly that simply wouldn’t be true. He’s way friendlier than me, Merlin knows where he got that from. ”

“ How are you doing, Marly May ? ”

[rebellionscrapbook-blog]

Baby Dorcas Meadowes and the first family dog, Sammy.

“I think she loves that dog more than she loves us.”

Taken by Ian Meadowes, circa 1964