Badger and Snake Christmas [MARYN, OPEN]

[Jaminson Redpaw]

James held a small badger cub in his arms as he gazed at scene before him. The lake was covered in ice and snow while the ground was simply covered in snow.

"Berry, can you please stop hiding from me? I know you're there..." James asked a a white lump in the snow.

Captain Berry, now fully white, popped his head out of the snow and wrapped himself around James' neck. It was late at night but James wasn't asleep due tot he fact that he couldn't. His habit of working during the night until morning usually kicked in around the holidays.

"I wish that old habits could stop." James sighed "Then I would be able to sleep peacefully without nightmares and perhaps I'd feel less lonely."

Suddely, the small cub whined and James shifted his positionto make it more comfortable. James knew that it was actually hungry but he didn't want to put the badger on the snow to get its bottle...

[[Maryn Lovegood]]

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[Jaminson Redpaw]

James flinched when his friend suddenly decided to scare him. He figured Maryn was a bit tipsy from the Christmas eve party. Happily enough James wasn't too fond of alcohol and had some only on special occasions but in return he became a smoker. He hated the fact that he allowed himself to be addicted to tobacco and was trying his hardest to change.

"Hey there Maryn." James smiled "Do you want to hold it? Her name is Redwall."

James handed her the small cub and got out milk in a small baby bottle. He cast a spell so the milk would be a bit warmer and felt the bottle, making sure it was around the right temperature.

"I think I need a smoke right now..." James groaned to himself. He'd been trying to lay off the cigar for as long as possible but he knew his body was at its limit as he started shaking.

"Here. Let me just feed her than you can hold Redwall again." James said shakily but got the cub and started feeding it as gently as he could.

[[Maryn Lovegood]]

[/i] She thought about it then remembered that, in fact, she was. Her smile grew when she thought of her only niece, she always felt happier when she thought of Luna.

A frown crossed her features at James' shaking hands. "You shouldn't smoke." she said, suddenly serious. She was constantly telling Brent to lay back on the booze but at least he didn't drink on days he was working, he at least had some self-control. It didn't look like James had much though. "I'm not in the mood to stop you though." she added with a slight glare. He was lucky Maryn had a little to drink earlier and it was Christmas Eve.[/color][/ul][/font]

[Jaminson Redpaw]

"I'm sorry." James apologized sadly and handed Redwall back to Maryn "It's an old, old habit of mine that I just started trying to quit. I'm not proud that of it. At all."

James quickly grabbed a cigar from his cloak, snipped the top off with a quick flick of his wand and lit it the same way. He couldn't help but sigh in relief as he took a puff of smoke and let it out, careful to not blow smoke near Maryn and Redwall.

"I'm really, really sorry." James quietly said "It's been a few days since I had a cigar. I was starting to shake so I knew my body was reaching its limits. I'm glad I didn't have this addiction when Tania was alive. Things would probably be even much worse. The kids might've been affected..."

His voice was extremely quiet at his last sentence. James would never talk or mention his children to anyone but his pets. But he was too tired and sad to think about what he was saying.

[[Maryn Lovegood]]

[/i]"Kids? You have kids?" she asked.
She knew she didn't have to ask, it was probably true if James had said it but she had to be sure. Her eyes narrowed just the slightest bit and she looked in the opposite direction so that she could no longer see James. There was a dull ache in her chest and she felt sick. You're jealous... a whispering voice taunted her from inside of her head. She remembered Brent shouting and pacing the room and found herself blinking back tears.[/color][/font][/ul]

[Jaminson Redpaw]

"Kids? Yeah, I guess I have kids." James replied, his voice floating like he wanted to forget or ignore the fact "More like had, I suppose but yeah. I had kids...."

James dragged on his cigar and stared into space, remembering the time after his kids had gone. He sighed sadly as he slowly let the smoke pass through his lips into the frosty air.

"You okay?" James asked Maryn worriedly.

(OOC: SHORTNESS!! sorry )

[Alexandria Malfoy]

The day before Christmas, It was the hardest day for Alexandria. The same day her father said to not even show up for Christmas at home. She replied it over and over in her mind. She could feel her heart starting to beat a bit faster as the anger started to pump into her body.

Alexandria had tears in her eyes for a brief moment, but as she wiped them away they turned a bit red from the irritation. Malfoy's were not supposed to cry. She was to good to cry so she forced herself to stop immediately. She was stronger then this, but even during Christmas, Alexandria needed someone. She got on her Jacket, and quickly made her way outside. Maybe going for a walk would help her out.

Though while she was thinking. She knew she had changed her hair for him. She wanted to look more like a Malfoy then she did. She changed everything just to get his love and still nothing. No letter back, no letter apologizing. Then again she knew her 'father' for all intensive purposes never said he was sorry to anyone.

Alexandria immediately started to repair her blood walls, her hatred for others. Though once she looked up she realized where she had walked right straight into. Maryn and Jaminson. (Mr. Redpaw) One of her teachers. She bit down on her lip as she just continued to walk. Obviously she did not want to intrude. She just wanted to be seen.

[[Maryn Lovegood]]

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[Jaminson Redpaw]

"It's fine. Let her join us for now. It's almost Christmas after all so why not wait for it together?" James defended the Slytherin "Come join us Ms. Malfoy! Don't worry you're not intruding! The more the merrier, right?"

James wasn't convinced that Maryn and was very worried but he put on a forced smile anyway. A fake smile was very rare for James.

"What brings you out here so late on Christmas Eve?" James asked Dria while discreetly handing Maryn a handkerchief and got Redwall from her arms "You know what, don't tell me if you don't want to. Oh, do you mind if you hold Redwall? At least until I'm done smoking..."

James carefully badger cub to the fourth year. He felt bad even holding his new pet while smoking. James was extremely worried something bad might happen to the cub if it got exposed to too much of his cigar smoke but cutting the addiction was hard.

[Alexandria Malfoy]

Maryn had touched her, She looked at the women as she saw the tears in her eyes. The very same tears that Dria had tried to hide so many times before. "Do not touch me." The slytherin girl sneered at the Professor. She just was happy being seen, she did not need to have any hands placed on her body.

When James came to her defense, and adding that it was almost Christmas time. She could swear that she was about to cry. She looked at Maryn once more, her icy expression returning once again.

"Nothing." She said as she glared at her professor. Nothing did, nothing would, and her father still did not apologize or write her a stinking owl. It was like her wish. Then all of a sudden, a badger cub was being shoved over to her. "Disgusting creature." She was shocked, but she softened as she looked down at it. It was slightly cute in that it was not a snake way.

She glanced at the cigar. Maybe she should take up the habit, whatever that habit was. "Why the bloody hell do you smoke that thing?" She asked. "What kind of fix does it give you?" She asked. Obviously intrigued and wanting to find out more information.

Alexandria looked at the other professor, her hand resting on the cub. She gently rubbed at its stomach. Alexandria was not the motherly type, but she felt motherly to this small thing. At least a badger could show her love.

[[Maryn Lovegood]]

[/i]

Maryn decided to keep the handkercheif with her, just in case. She still felt like bursting into tears on the spot but she had a lot of self control when it came to composing herself. Well, most of the time. It was little things she had picked up from Minna over the years that helped her out.[/color][/font][/ul]

[Alexandria Malfoy]

Alexandria snapped at the professor. "You should be." She said sharply. Alexandria was in no mood to be messed with by her professor. Heck, she was annoyed that here she was at school. She was spending all her time there, learning how to be a better wizard. So her stupid father would bloody show her the attention she deserved.

She gently rubbed the cub's stomach, all of her hate was slowly leaving as she did this. She was still remaining a bit icey. She glanced at Maryn, she realized her comment might have caused her pain. She did care. She cared that she probably hurt her professor. However no one, 'her father' cared that he hurt her.

She pushed the the thought of her mind. No one was going to make a fool of her. She was not some toy. She was not going to cry, and she for damn-est wasn't going to get soft.