The Death of Hope (May 3, 1998)

[Noah Vickers]

The last twenty-four hours had been the worst of Noah's life. His home abs his school had been torn apart by the fighting which had consumed Hogwarts, and the last thing he had seen as he and his best friend Judas Strong were thrown onto the back of a hippogriff by their fathers was a jet if green light striking his father, and the man spiraling lifelessly to the ground.

Noah did not know what had become of the burning wartorn Castle, but he did know one thing - he, Noah Vickers, had already lost. He had not spoken a word in the last twenty-four hours, but remained curled up in a ball in the corner if their little clearing and cried until he had no tears left.

[Judas Strong]

Judas was devastated, it had only been his second year in school. He had always thought of Hogwarts as the best place on earth, but it truly wasn't. It was a terrible place, at least this past year, it had been. And now, his best friends father was dead, and he was not sure if his father was still alive.

He wasn't crying, but he was fidgeting. He was dirty, and all he had was his wand, and he had managed to set up a fire for himself and Noah to sit by so they could keep warm, but otherwise. They both had not eaten. He was curled up in front of the fire, staring at it. He wasn't even hungry in truth.

"...It's okay.. Noah.." He tried, even though he knew it wasn't okay. It just wasn't. "...It's okay.." He whispered this time, knowing he was speaking a lie.

[Noah Vickers]

Nosh did not even bother telling Judas how wrong he was, the Ravenckaw knew, he could hear it in his voice. He just leaned into his friend and sobbed into his shoulder, unable to bring himself to do or say anything else. How could this have happened?

[Judas Strong]

Jude figured that his friend would eventually run out of tears to cry, but he wasn't about to say that, he just stayed quiet and held his friend in his arms. He sighed, he was being stronger for some reason. He didn't know why, he had no reason to be stronger, he didn't know if his father was still alive.

"...Can we just rewind?" He asked Noah quietly.

[Noah Vickers]

For the first time Noah was able to croak out words, so confused at Judas' remark that he could not help but speak in response. "re...rewind?" he asked, looking at Judas through bloodshot eyes. "what do you mean?"

[Judas Strong]

"You know... Like, go back in time... Maybe go back when were ten... That was a good year.." Jude mumbled quietly, he thought that this was the best he could do to try and comfort his friend at this moment in time.

"Remember, swimming in the lake in Hogsmeade and me showing you the Hippogriffs..."

[Noah Vickers]

"That was a good year." Noah agreed quietly, still leaning against Judas, the tears still flowing. The pause was over almost immediately however, as the twelve tear old's eyes darkened as he said "But we can't go back."

[Judas Strong]

"I know.. But at least for now we can think about it..." Jude mentioned, that was the best they could do was think about it. There wasn't much left for them other then that. He didn't even know if his father could hope to find him, in this forest. Hidden very far away, with no Hippogriff in sight.

[Noah Vickers]

"Doesn't change things." Noah grumbled back, not sure whether he even wanted to feel better. Part of him felt that if he stopped being as depressed as he was then he was not properly mourning his father - not that it mattered, Noah could not have cheered up if he tried.

[Judas Strong]

"Yeah.. You're right.." He sighed, and proceeded to stand up. He walked around to gather some extra wood to throw and kindle the fire quietly. There was only so much magic they both could use for survival, a sigh left him as he kindled it quietly. "You know.... I don't understand why men like .... That evil exist..." Jude mumbled.

[Noah Vickers]

"Me either..." Noah replied miserably, his tears beginning to form a small puddle in the dirt in front of him. He had not thought at his body could hold this many tears, but somehow they just kept coming.

[Judas Strong]

Jude sighed and watched the fire a little longer before shaking his head. "Lets just... go.." He grumbled quietly. "Lets start walking again, we need to get to a safer place..." He uttered quietly, getting up slowly.

[Noah Vickers]

"Okay." Noah replied dully, dragging himself to his feet and following after Judas. Noah didn't care what they did anymore - he was just following after Judas' lead. Beyond that, he really wasn't into doing much of anything right now.

[Judas Strong]

Jude proceeded to walk, and made sure Noah was following along. He knew the boy was devastated. He had just seen his father die in front of his face, Jude stared at the ground as they walked. He didn't know where they were going, he took his wand out, "Point me..." He mumbled quietly, just to get it to work as a compass, but he knew he still didn't know where they were otherwise.

[Noah Vickers]

Noah didn't glance up when Judas cast his spell, he knew that Judas would start walking once he had figured out which direction the two of them should head in - until then he didn't really care all that much what happened. There was little left for him to show interest in anymore.

[Benjamin Strong]

It had been a long battle, but ultimately they had lost. The ones who were fighting for the better good, had lost. Benjamin had seen a good friend and colleague drop dead, just as he had tried to saddle his son and his friends son away on a Hippogriff. Then not much later, the woman he had come to love dropped dead in front of him after a green flash. His eyes were stained with red, and he could barely maintain his sobs. He had then dragged his war torn body and her body and simply held her. He sobbed, and held her. He didn't know what to do with himself. Until finally the battle had been lost, and no hope had been left.

Benjamin had been torn away from her body by death eaters, he was brought to a kneeling position. Everyone was to be killed, anyone who put a resistance, and it was clear by the blood running down his face from his forehead and the torn clothes he wore, he had put up quite a bit of resistance. He stared though, not fearing what was to come. He was not being held down by anyone, only that he was brought down to his knees. He stared and after a moment, he disapparated.

He fell somewhere in a forest, something he had quickly imagined. And for that time, he simply laid there resting with his eyes closed. He needed his rest, from there he would look for his son, and Noah... Noah who he had to protect from now on, just as his own.

His two sons.

After night fall came, nobody had found him and so he had made himself a bit of a fire and just remained quiet in the forest as he camped out. The very next day, he fixed up his wounds the best he could and stood up from his rest. He began to move through the forest, and after a little while he came across some fire. He smiled, though his face was worn from lack of sleep as well as the tears that had streamed down his face all of yesterday.

This was a sign of life, a fire.. Just only recently put out. Someone was nearby, he didn't know who... But then- He noticed Hippogriff tracks and his smile widened. It must have been the two boys, and upon noticing the trial of dragging tiny feet, he followed the tracks slowly. Not wanting to miss a beat.

[Judas Strong]

Judas motioned for Noah to followed, and proceeded to walk into a random direction. Trying to be confident, he knew that he didn't know where he was going, but he tried to do that whole entire being confident thing just to make Noah feel better, though he knew Noah could not feel better due to his father's death.

Jude sighed, and then heard footsteps and a rustling behind them. His eyes widened and he grabbed onto Noah's lower arm and wrist and proceeded to drag him until there were some bushes into which he forced himself and Noah into. He didn't want to risk it, whether wild animal or death eater!

[Noah Vickers]

"What was that?" Noah asked, frightened out of his deadened stupor and looking around in terror. Noah might have seemingly given up on life in all capacity, but he still didn't exactly want to go out and get himself killed. No matter how bad things had gotten he had not so completely given up hope just yet.

[Benjamin Strong]

Benjamin followed the tracks slowly, before they suddenly stopped and became quickened drag marks. Benjamin looked confused for a moment until the tracks he realized led to the bushes. He walked over to them, and looked in to find Noah and Jude hiding there. His eyes widened, and he almost immediately scooped up the boys from within there, and fell to his knees. He held them close. Both of them, hugging them as if this were to be the last them he ever saw them.

He kissed Jude's forehead, and then Noah's. His heart was pounding, and tears had begun to stream down his face. "Oh.. My boys.." He whispered, as if not wanting to be heard.

[Judas Strong]

Jude shrugged, but he stayed silent. He didn't want something bad to happen to them, especially not his friend. The only person he was sure was left for him in this world. He held his breath, and closed his eyes as he heard the footsteps move closer, and he let out an almost shout when he was suddenly scooped from the bushes. But then he recognized the hands holding him, and the warmth.. His dad.

"D-D..D..." He was stuttering, he had thought the man to be dead, suddenly he was also in tears, and hugging his father back, tightly. The blood his father had running down his cheek and forehead had smeared itself across Jude's cheek as well. He was ready to pass out now.

[Noah Vickers]

Noah didn't know what to do when the noise approached them, and he was completely shell-shocked as it came out of the forest towards them. And yet amazingly it was not an attacker which came out of the forest toward them, but was in fact Judas' father. The man, it seemed, had escaped the destruction of the Battle of Hogwarts, but now was acting very strangely indeed. "Mr...Mr. Strong?" Noah asked, looking at Judas in confusion.

[Benjamin Strong]

Benjamin held the boys close, and after a moment he pulled away and stared at them both quietly for a moment, before smiling and speaking. "I'm so happy to see you both, you aren't too hungry.. Right..?" He asked, they needed to get away. Run away, another country.. Yes! Greece maybe, that was the only place Benjamin could think of to truly apparate to for now.

"I will feed you..." He nodded.

[Judas Strong]

Jude was still shocked his father was alive. He had to back away to make sure it was his father, for a moment. And when he was satisfied he smiled and looked to Noah. "Ok...Okay.. Feed us then.." He agreed, he was a bit hungry, and the idea of food was rather pleasing.

[Noah Vickers]

"F....food?" Noah asked, looking up quietly, now realizing for the first time just how hungry he was. He was at the point where he was almost about to drop. Of course, he had been far too busy being miserable to notice at first, but now he was starting to realize just how hungry he was.

[Benjamin Strong]

"Yes, food... Come on.. Take my hands.." He grabbed Noah's hand and then Jude's and just held it tight and in a moment they apparated. Right to where they needed too, fortunately. Benjamin's farm, he took a deep breath of the air, but it was no longer fresh. It was incredibly heavy, Benjamin let go of the boys hands and rushed inside of the home.

He soon realized that it was one hundred percent empty, and upon further checking the actual barn where the Hippogriffs were kept, that was empty too. Benjamin had been, left alone... By his parents..? What happened? He licked over his dried lips, and then wandered back to the home, rummaging through the cupboards, and pantries, looking for food.

There wasn't anything but some cans of green beans. He stared, and looked for silverware, it was good too... He growled and took his wand out and opened up the green beans to hand it over to the two starving boys. He looked panicked, things were quiet..

Too quiet.