BY WINTER SOWN

Sif Winter / Halfblood / café owner 'cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs Setting fire to our insides for fun

[sifwinter]

* .  ∙ •✧ * JOHNATHAN COMPTON —

⎯   ✴︎ John knew what that look was for and what she was doing. She was pretending to not hear him or pay attention. She’d used it before on him and she’d used it around him. An amused smile spread across his lips before he shrugged a bit. “You’re still the one that started it, I was minding my own business.” He nose laughed a little. “It’s merely fact. Should this be brought to court the charges would be dropped instantly.” He crossed his arms and gave a sharp nod, but still had the smile on his face.

          He let it fall though in fake seriousness and he set down the towel on the table. He rounded it in even steps and approached her until he was a little less than two feet in front of her. He then eye-d the crumbs on a nearby table before he reached out to them.

          His eyes turned back up to look at her before he lightly tossed the crumbs in his hand at her. “Is that finished enough for you? Or will you need to return fire?”

▵ — Sif crossed her arms as he spoke, letting her smile fall and feigning complete and total seriousness. She stared right back at him, straight through his sharp nod and lingering smile, her eyebrows raised in accusation. “ Court? You’re making a joke about a lawsuit? That’s not funny, John. You know how I feel about courtrooms. ” She kept her voice stern and her smile turned downwards. “ You are an awful, terrible person, Johnathan Compton, and I cannot believe that you would ever say such a thing to me. ”

      Sif watched from the corner of her eye as he walked until he stood only two feet away from her, scooped up what was left of the crumbs that hadn’t made their way to the floor yet, and almost smiled when he lobbed them at her. She kept her arms crossed and stayed facing away from him, staying silent for a moment longer. Finally, she shrugged. “ I suppose so, ” she said, making her voice sound light and grudging.

[sifwinter]

johnathancompton

⎯   ✴︎ A wide grin crossed John’s face at the answer to his question about the threats. “Well, if I’m never to forget that I helped you clean more than asked of me, I could hardly feel sorry for it,” he said with a light nod before he went back to wiping tables. He glanced at her as she danced with the broom. His grin turned to just a smile in the peacefulness of the action. He thought to join her, tapping the broom out and dancing with her. “You actually did say you were too tired to fight with me over helping you clean or not. Unless that was really just a way to get me distracted for your crumb attack.”

          John half-smirked before his face relaxed and he shrugged non-chalantly. “It wasn’t me who started anything. You threw them first.” He went back to wiping the second to last table. “It was merely a defensive counterattack.”

▵ — Sif crossed her arms as John spoke, raising a skeptical eyebrow as he did, looking as though she were hardly paying attention. It was an old tactic, and one that John was probably used to. But she used it anyway, partially because it was what she did, and partially because he would see right through it. “ Just because you’re also dancing doesn’t mean I’m not going to see through that facade of yours, ” she said slowly, teasingly. “ I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to make me turn this into a full out battle, aren’t you? ”

       She put down her broom and lifted her arms at her side, presenting herself as an open target. “ Well, you’re not going to win that easy. I’m not going to give in to this charade. Finish the battle, Johnathan Compton. Show me what you can do, heathen. ”

[sifwinter]

shesrottentothecore

— “ they’re the worst. i hate it. they should be sent back to guarding azkaban. ”

“ it’s okay, i don’t mind. yes, that sounds great. ”

▵ — Sif walked behind the counter, taking out two of the freshly cleaned mugs from underneath and placing them on the counter. She waved her wand at the kettle to heat up the water quickly. “ Any idea why they’re not? ”  Sif asked carefully, looking casually towards Narcissa as she waited for the kettle to whistle.

[sifwinter]

ananott

⎯  ✴︎ Sif truly didn’t have any reason to trust Ana. If she was smart, as Ana assumed she was, she shouldn’t trust her. But here they both were, she was invited in and Sif was on the verge of honesty, probably something cause by the things outside. They were affecting Ana too. Maybe her better judgement. What if this came back against her later? Who knew what anyone would see? She bit her lips with her thoughts, but kept her eyes on Sif.

         She took a seat at the table she was lead to and still kept her eyes on her as she continued to speak until she stopped. Nodding a bit, though she wasn’t sure why, she looked away and towards the front windows. “This really isn’t anything aside from you allowing me because you’re kind,” she said finally before she shook her head. “And you really don’t have to be honest if you don’t want to be.”

▵ — Sif was surprised at the woman’s behavior, and half wondered if it was the same as her own - if it was because of the weirdness of the atmosphere. Truthfully, there were very few people that she wouldn’t have let in at a time like this - maybe Goyle or that Apollo Abbey creep. She thought she recognized the woman in front of her, but the only image she could conjure up related to the woman besides the symbol of the New Order was Hogwarts. That and Atlas, but she’d been seeing him all day, in extraordinarily horrific detail.

      “ Sorry. I don’t mean to sound like such a noodge. I promise I’m normally much more polite, ” she said truthfully, busying herself with tidying things that didn’t need tidying. She picked up a blanket and began folding it, then unfolded it again and laid it on the back of the couch and fiddled with a small tear that was in the corner. “ I’ve got tea, ” she said suddenly, looking up at the Death Eater. “ Would you like some? ”

[sifwinter]

ananott

⎯  ✴︎Ana paused when Sif had become aware of who she was. Honestly, she’d forgotten herself for a moment. She glanced behind herself before she looked back at her. “ Don’t be sorry for a true feeling. It’s refreshing to see someone be honest once in a while. ”

▵ — “ Honest? ” Sif almost laughed without meaning to, entirely because of her nerves, as she lead Ana to a table. Normally she was quite good at keeping herself pulled together when around Death Eaters, but this time was different. This time, there were Dementors right outside, and whenever they got near enough she could hear it - she could hear Atlas - and she felt like she could hardly keep her head on straight at all. 

      Inviting anyone inside, let alone a Death Eater, was not her smartest move. Not when she was in a state like this. “ No reason not to be honest. Unless you’re - unless it’s some kind of - ” She struggled to find whatever word could have possibly saved any dignity that might be left on her end of the conversation, but quickly gave up, letting out a frustrated breath and collapsing into the seat across from Ana. “ So much for honesty. I hate this. I feel like I’m losing my mind. ”

[alieun]

[sifwinter]

johnathancompton

⎯   ✴︎ John sometimes wondered what he’d do without Sif next door. He certainly would’ve become some sort of recluse. He knew that was a lie. John Compton could never become a recluse, but he had to admit he wouldn’t be himself. The smiles would be fake and obviously so at that. Everything he said would be half-committed. He’d probably not still be John. He’d be a shadow of him. But Sif was there and she’d been there for when it mattered. She was there to remind him that if he didn’t keep himself, they’d win. Oh how he didn’t want them to win. They could do what they’d done to him, claim they’d won the war, but they’d still haven’t won.

         “I’m glad you admitted that because that’s why I didn’t protest the tips,” he teased back with a shrug. “We know each other too well for our own good.” He then laughed at her warning as he went to pick up a towel before going to the first table. “Now why should I not dare? You must have some threat.” He laughed again before he started wiping one of the tables down. When she asked about the music, he hummed a “yes” and moved onto the next table. He let a smiled cross his face in understanding as he heard her struggles with the music.

         Once the music started, an easy smile stayed on his face and he tapped his foot a little when he wasn’t moving between tables. The smile disappeared when he heard her tone. He knew that tone well and knew what she was doing. He hadn’t meant to bring back the memories with what he said. It had been a terrible day for anyone involved and to him emphasized what the New Order was all about. They would destroy anything that didn’t fit their perfect. It was starting with the muggleborns, he was sure it would continue to those with just a muggle parent next. Books really should be the last of anyone’s worries in the end even with the symbolism. “I know. I’ll have to remember to visit in the middle of the day when I need someone to speak at.”

        When she called out to him though, he looked up and turned, confused until he was suddenly pelted with some crumbs.

       He laughed, brushing the crumbs from the front of his shirt. “Oh? I thought you were too tired to fight.” He set down the towel before he quickly swept up the crumbs into his hand that were left on the table before throwing them at her.

▵ — Sif didn’t have to wonder where she’d be without John Compton - she knew. She’d be in the ground next to her brother, long forgotten, helping nobody. Or she’d still be at that podium, struggling through the words she’d written through tears and no sleep, speech shaking in her hands, knees weak, dizzy. She’d felt strongly about John since she was young - what teenager didn’t have a crush on her older brother’s best friend? - but she never loved him more than she did in that moment. 

      She thought about that now, as she watched him weave his way through her café tables, still by her side. Always by her side. Sif smiled at him as she mindlessly swept the floor. “ My threat is simple. I’ll never let you forget it. You know how grudging I am. ”  She made the mistake of letting her guard down after throwing the crumbs at his front, using the broom as a sort of dancing partner as she swayed to the music, a mischievous smile on her lips. “ Too tired to fight, who said anything about too tired to fight? I thought I said I was too tired to clean. But a chance to fight with you, now that I simply can’t miss. ”

      Sif laughed and turned her back for half a moment, spinning mindlessly with the music, but when she was facing him once more, she flinched at the sudden movement and laughed in surprise. “ So this is what you want to do now? You want to start a full blown crumb war? Think long and hard before you answer. ”

[sifwinter]

shesrottentothecore

— “ oh, um, yeah, right… anything’s better than being out there with those, honestly. “ 

▵ — “ They’re relentless. Every time they come near every single thing I’ve ever dreaded, every single thing that’s ever - it all just comes back like it happened just moments ago and it’s sickening. ” 

“ Ah - anyway, sorry, you didn’t come in here for all that. D’you want a cuppa? On the house. ”

[sifwinter]

ananott

⎯  ✴︎ “ That would be… thank you. They’re so dreadful honestly. I’m not sure how anyone can tolerate them enough to think this all was a good idea. ”

▵ — “ I really don’t know. I feel like, no matter who you are or who you support, or how badly you want to win something, this seems... extreme, and... ” she realized what she was saying, and to whom, and stopped. “ Sorry. That was a little inappropriate. ”

[sifwinter]

▵ — “ Why don’t you come inside? It’s better than staying out there with those... things. ” 

[thronescastdaily]

“One of the cool perks of my job is that sometimes now I get recognized and I can skip queues at restaurants ”

[sifwinter]

i just want to catch you if i can, i just want to be there  when the morning light explodes on your face it radiates

[ aesthetics. ]

[sifwinter]

          i want adventure in the great wide ( somewhere )

                        i want it more than i can tell

[sifwinter]

johnathancompton

⎯   ✴︎ John watched Sif and the last customer part ways. He couldn’t help a soft laugh from coming out. He was certain, while Sif had been trying to be nice, she didn’t want a long winded story from the man. He was sure there was no one who had the patience to want that. Maybe the patience to fake wanting to listen, but not truly listen. He didn’t mind listening to other’s problems, but he did have a bit of trouble doing so when it was long and over something that happened over six years ago. He didn’t want to downplay the man’s troubles, but there were far worse things to be thinking about at the time.

        He smiled back at her understandingly when she turned to face him. “If that final customer was anything to say for it, certainly,” he said before he laughed a little. He felt bad for her. Really, she was only being nice and seemed to be punished for it. Truthfully that was how everything worked these days. Some of the most severe acts of kindness were met with torture and death. “I’m done over here.” He motioned behind himself. “So, I’ll help.” He didn’t offer or say something passive like he could. He made certain that she knew he fully intended to help. He took the coins she offered because he knew there was no refusing it. The both were stubbornly nice with each other. “They asked for the best cup of tea and I told them where to find it.”

        He laughed at her reference before he shook his head. “Fortunately for me, unless they hear anything further, I’m sure none of them will even be caught in front of my shop.” He sometimes worried what it would do for Sif’s business, being next to him. “So the day went relatively well. Quiet. Not a lot of people are eager to discuss books these days.”

▵ — Sif knew how lucky she was to have John next door - luckier still that his shop adjoined her coffee shop. It wasn’t often that you become sort-of business partners with someone who also happened to be an excellent friend. One of the best. He was kinder than most, and smart - and didn’t deserve any of the cruelty that this world threw at him. The fire had been unbearable. Johns helplessness had been worse. There weren’t a lot of reasons to smile nowadays, but John always managed to be one for her, so she always made sure to do the same for him. She loved when he smiled - really smiled. It was like you could see every single happy thought he’s ever had, and that was something not many people had.

      “I hope you know that the only reason I’m not telling you to stop from cleaning is because I’m too tired to start a fight," Sif teased, walking around the counter and tossing him a towel. “For now just push all the crumbs to the floor and I’ll sweep it up, and don’t you dare try to do any other work,” she instructed with a smirk, weaving back around the counter with a broom in hand. She glanced over her shoulder and waved her wand, and the dishes neatly floated to the backroom, where they would wash themselves in the sink. “How do you feel about some off the cob music?” she asked, and waved her wand again towards the radio in the corner. Nothing. “Oh, wanker,” she mumbled, tapping her wand against her leg as if that would change anything. She waved it again, and the radio reluctantly started up.

      Sif grinned towards John, laughing. “Now that’s more like it.” She twirled the broomstick in her hands as if it were a toy before actually putting it to use, humming with the music as John spoke. Not a lot of people are eager to discuss books these days. Her smile faltered when he said this and she looked down, remembering the smell of the flames and the feeling of dread that had built up in her chest that day. The sadness. “Well, you know I’ll always love discussing books. Nothing better,” she said slowly, putting on her everything-is-fine-and-I’m-perfectly-wonderful voice. As she did so, she paused beside one of the tables, where someone had broken up a tea cake into a hundred pieces and simply let it there. Barbarians, she thought, but the minute the negativity came to her mind, it was replaced with a much better idea.

      “Hey, John?” Sif called, quickly scooping the crumbs into her hand. “Think fast.”

[cfmusings-blog]

            death doesn’t let you say goodbye.              it just carves holes in your life. in your future. in your heart.

[sorryikilledart]

Visit Original Link

[starbrag]

sorryikilledart:

Come away little lamb  Come away to the water To the arms that are waiting only for you Come away little lamb come away to the slaughter To the one appointed to see this through 

[sifwinter]

Sybil: That's for if things get really hardcore. Or if you wanna blow up Hogsmeade Village.

Sif: No one's blowing up villages.

Sybil: You just wanna suck the joy out of everything.