Helena Lovecraft Fri Aug 12, 2011 7:11 pm
Helena waited 30 seconds to see if Erywin expression would change. She continued to look straight ahead with a friendly smile on her face, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Helena knew better, and was about to show the class....
"Erywin." She looked up as soon as Helena spoke. "How do you feel?"
Erywin shrugged. "I feel fine."
Helena nodded. "Good, good." She moved closer to the wand cabinet. "Erywin, bring your pretty little butt over here, now." In a moment, Erywin was up out of her chair and standing before Helena, as if what she'd asked was normal.
"Let me see a smile on your face," Helena asked, and Erywin's face lit up even more than before. "No, love: I want you to be happy. Just like back when we were in Slythern." Erywin's smile was now beaming, and her eyes took on a far-away look, as if she were seeing the things the way they'd been back at school at Hogwarts.
"Do you remember your favorite song?" Helena asked. "The one you used to sing to me?"
Erywin closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, yes, I do, Hel."
Helena touched Erywin's right cheek. "I want you to sing it for the class, Erywin--and for me. I so want to hear it again." She patted her cheek so gently. "Sing and give us a little dance, too, please."
Erywin adjusted her hair, getting is affixed upon her head, then began sashaying back and forth as she sang in a remarkably lovely voice. "Each morning I get up I die a little, Can barely stand on my feet. Take a look in the mirror and cry--"
Helena stepped away from her and looked to the class. "Professor Sladen knows exactly what she's doing. At the moment she's enjoying herself--" Helena allowed her to sing as she did a slow twirl, "Somebody, somebody; Somebody, somebody. Can anybody find me somebody to love?..."
"At a time like this," Helena said, "when you are freely giving yourself over to the potion, it can fill you with something akin to ecstasy--" And Erywin was happy; Helena had to say this was probably the happiest she'd seen Erywin in a very long time. Erywin was belting out, "But everybody wants to put me down; they say I'm goin' crazy--" when Helena shouted, "Stop! No more singing and dancing!"
Erywin stopped in her tracks, looking just a little puzzled. "Do you know what you were doing?" Helena asked.
Looking a bit embarrassed, Erywin said, "Yeah. You got me to singing again."
Helena took Erywin's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "And you still have a lovely voice." She held Erywin's hand close to her face. "I need to do one other thing, and know this will hurt."
Erywin giggled. "Oh, Helena, what are you going to do?" She turned to the students. "Probably going to make me go down on all fours and start doing dog tricks." Some of the students laughed, though it was a nervous laugh.
Helena nodded. "Oh, that would be nice. However..." She released Erywin's hand, allowing to drop to her side. "But that would be too easy, because I know you, Erywin..." Helena felt but a moment's hesitation, then pushed right on through. "And that means I need to do something you're not going to like."
"And what would that be?" Erywin asked.
"Do you feel comfortable?" Helena asked instead, ignoring her question. When Erywin nodded in agreement, Helena said, "I want you to turn and face the class." Erywin did exactly as told, the playful smile still upon her face.
Helena took a small, quick breath and said, "I order you to do the following, Erywin:
"Tell everyone in this room you don't love me... and mean it."