Peace comes from within not without. [TAG: Evaine}

Miranda strode away from Eli, pensively. The kittens would be fine for a couple of hours, but she couldn't help feeling unwanted throughout the conversation. It was better to leave him to his own thoughts than try and force a conversation. The colorful birds swooped down low to flutter around her and a couple of squirrels ran up to dance around her legs. It was amazing how animals could just sense when you were lonely. Smiling, she kicked off her shoes and let her bare feet slip through the grass as she glided around the lake. She smiled happily into the sunlight. Ah well, if she wasn't great with people, at least she would also have a magical creature or two around. She had learned a long time ago to make her own peace and not let anyone else mess with it.

Evaine walked from the castle towards the lake, if things aren't bad enough for her to begin with she had Leroy to deal with at the Library. Gently placing her hand over her heart it was still beating fast, she knew it was from fear mixed with her feelings for the Malfoy Twin. Yet mostly fear for almost being raped by Leroy, what was his deal with her, why can't he just leave her alone so she could have somewhat of a life at school. She knows once Summer hits again she'll be back home with her mother having to deal with her slapping her daughter around "daddy..' she mumbled. Glancing around she placed her hand back down watching the water on the lake, birds flying and Miss. Melgrove? "Hey." she said walking up towards forcing a smile on her face.

Miranda's smile widened. "Why hello Miss Moonblood! How are you today?"
She noticed a strained expression on the girl's face. Best not to push too soon. One of the birds fluttered off of Miranda's shoulder to land on Evaine's left.
It eyed her curiously then rubbed it's cheek against hers.
Miranda chuckled. "Maddie seems to like you!"

Evaine bit her lip when she asked how she was, should she tell her? Miss. Belle was good at lessening to her love life problem maybe Miranda will give her some kind of advice?
"Not so.. Great." she said as one of the birds fluttered of Miranda's shoulder and landed on Evaine's left, rubbing against her cheek. Evaine giggled then rubbed the bird called Maddie's head gently "she's a pretty bird."

Miranda immediately stopped moving and looked down at Evaine concernedly.
"What's going on, hon?" She knew she shouldn't use such a friendly term with a student, but from the look on Evaine's face, she needed it.
She waved her arm through the air.
"Shoo!" she hissed at the birds, in an attempt at privacy. With annoyed calls, they shot off toward the forest.

"well Um.." she saw down once the bird threw away "I'm having some boy trouble.. an ex of mine keeps treating me like i'm some slave.." Eva took a deep breath and exhaled out slowly
"At glass he tried hurting me.. later he broke my wrist and Jim took me to get it fixed.. about an hour ago i was alone reading a book then he came. I told him to leave me alone but he kissed me, I spit in his face and he.." Eva paused for a moment cupping her hands over her face to not cry "He tried to rape me.."

A red hot rage surged through the normally passive professor. Her hands balled into fists.
"He did what..." she said in a voice of forced calm. Her eyes flashed dangerously.
Miranda tried to force her hands to relax. Evaine didn't need an out of the control care of magical creatures teacher right now. She was scared and needed reassurance.
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the girl in a warm embrace.
"Hey, it's going to be okay honey. He's not going to hurt you, ok?"

A few tears ran from her cheeks, she tried her best not to cry but thinking about him pushing her up against the wall telling her if she would have been a good girl, she wouldn't get pushed.
The scared Ravenclaw felt Miss. Melgrove hugged her telling the girl that everything is going to be okay and that Leroy's not going to hurt her. Between sobs she spoke "I can't go anywhere with out him coming after me and hurting me in anyway.. He won't stop until he breaks me."

Miranda stroked Evaine's dark hair as she sobbed into her robes. "You are a strong young woman, Evaine. He isn't capable of breaking you."
She knelt in front of the girl and cupped her head in her hands.
"Evaine, evaine look at me."
Slowly the girl looked up at her. Miranda's eyes burned with an intensity few ever saw. "He isn't going to hurt you. I'm not going to let that happen."
She waited a moment in silence, wiping the the tears from her cheeks.
"Do you feel up to telling me about him, who he is?"

Evaine hated when she started crying, it makes her feel weak as her mother would put it when she cried for her dad.
"Evaine, evaine look at me." Miranda said in a smoothing tone, Evaine slowly looked up at the teacher.
Nodding at her comment, she felt her whipping her tears away. Evaine's eyes where getting red from crying, but it was better crying to a teacher than Jim seeing her cry.
Miranda asked the scared girl if she feel up to telling her about him "L.. Leroy Eliton."

Leroy Eliton
Miranda filed the name away for future reference. As a teacher, she couldn't threaten the boy or make him.....incapable of rape. But she definitely needed to mention the situation to the headmaster or at least Aliss.
She remembered Mr. Eliton from the past couple years. A nasty boy, he was only interested in the most vicious of creatures.
"Evaine, it's okay to be scared right now. It's okay to cry. It doesn't mean you're foolish or weak, it means you're human and it means you still have a heart."

"Don't tell Jim.." she said quietly "I don't want him knowing, I'm scared he might try going after Leroy and get hurt in the end." she whipped her face, tears still streaming down her face
"He keeps saying he's use to being bullied and everything ells but.. if he got hurt badly I wouldn't forgive myself.." Mel sighed, knowing it wouldn't matter cause once she steps into the common room and if he's there, Jim will most likely ask why her eyes are red or still thinks she's mad at him.
Evaine looked back at the teacher saying it's okay to cry and feel scared it means she's human and still has a heart "My mother tells me crying is weakness and reminds me about that everyday."

"I won't tell him." she reassured Evaine.
She sat on the grass, pulling Evaine gently with her. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, she squeezed gently.
"Now, mothers....mothers often say strange things." Not that Miranda would know seeing as HER mother had taken off when she was little. But she also knew it wasn't appropriate to openly criticize a student's mother.
"Crying, I've found, can actually make us stronger. When we keep things locked inside, it boils and swells until we're shaking with weakness, drained from our attempts to contain it. But when we cry, we find our bravery. It takes courage to face the pain inside of us. And strength to look at it, acknowledge it and begin to heal and move on." her voice grew softer and softer as she talked. The words came almost unbidden, leaking out from her years of experience.
Raising her voice again, she said, "Sometimes, Evaine we can't listen to the voices around us, even closest to us and make our own peace. It'll be hard and it's a long road. But you can do it. IT's quite possible."

Evaine sat on next to Miranda as she wrapped her arm around the ravenclaw's shoulder as she tilt her head resting her head on the teachers shoulder,
Talking about how Mother's often say strange things, Eva smiled to herself, Her mother beats her up on a daily chore? if you like to call it that, least it felt like to towards Evaine.
"Yeah Mothers are.. weird sometimes..' she spoke. Now the teacher was walking about how crying makes us stronger and that keeping things locked inside isn't good for anyone.
Evaine keep in mind to maybe she should cry, it might take her feel better at the end. Her friend Brie crying in front of her friends so why can't Eva?
"Sometimes, Evaine we can't listen to the voices around us, even closest to us and make our own peace. It'll be hard and it's a long road. But you can do it. IT's quite possible."
"A- Alright Miss. Melgrove I'll keep that in mind.."

Miranda rubbed the girl's arm comfortingly. She had to find a way to deal with Leroy. Maybe she would talk with Sitka, or Belle about it. For now, though, her main concern was the emotional girl in her arms.
Determined to at least get her mind off of it, she asked, "So, how are your classes starting off?"

Evaine started crying some more, she didn't know if this will ever leave her mind. That was just more scary than dealing with a wolf to her. she cupped her hands over her face rubbing her eyes then looked back up at the teacher. "My classes are starting off good so far long as Leroy isn't in there.." she said

"Evaine, hon. I'm not going to let Leroy hurt you and I'm sure Mr. Hawkins feels the same way. You told me the last time we met that you have more friends this year, right?" She squeezing the girl's shoulders. "The best thing you can do at this point is be aware but also try and go about your life. There's nothing worse than living your life in fear."
She watched the girl continue to sob into her sleeve. Miranda cast her thoughts for something to make the girl feel safer.
"Here," she said, before loosing a series of melodious whistles. She satred off in the direction of the forest for a few moments before her sharp eyes noticed a small figure flying towards them. As it came closer, it was recognizable as a brown and black sparrow

"Y yeah." Eva said whipping her tears away, even throw she made friends in her heart she felt completely alone, like she always does. They tell her she's not alone, they are always there for her. They help protect her from Leroy, yet she feels like her heart is missing something and can't seem to fill the void. Talking to Miss. Belle and Miss. Miranda made her feel better in some says, Belle was being like a mother figure to Evaine since her mother is no good at all and Miranda was an amazing woman to look up to when she's feeling down.
Evaine exhaled out slowly as the teacher whistles, turning her head she saw a brown and black sparrow "How beautiful."

Miranda extended a hand, which the sparrow promptly landed on.
"This is Angel. She's been with me since I started here." She placed her hand on Evaine's shoulder and Angel hopped onto it. She's small enough that you can take her with you just about anywhere. But don't let her small size fool you. If need be she can do enough damage with her beak and talons to at least buy some time. AND if you ARE ever in danger, just give a sharp whistle and she'll find me right away."
Miranda paused and looked at the bird thoughtfully. "She's also a fantastic listener. She's loyal. She won't leave you unless you tell her to."
She looked at Evaine thoughtfully . "I'm much too busy to give Angel the attention she needs. What do you think?"

Evaine slightly blinked "So your saying i can have her? or something like that?" she said then gently rubbed Angel's head "I'll give her the best care and attention Miss. Melgrove." she kindly gave her a smile

(( sorry that's it's short ))

Miranda smiled warmly.
"Yes, I'd like you to take care of her for me. She's a great companion. And definitely protective when she needs to be. I only hope she'll be some comfort for you as you go through your day. I don't want this to consume you. Fear, grief, they can dominate our minds to a point where you can't function. And you can miss out on so much if you let them rule your life."
She gazed out over the water as she spoke.

"But you'll be alright, honey."

"i promise to take great care of her.' Eva said smiling at her before standing up "I'll keep that in mind not to let that kind of stuff to consume me.." she spoke looking down then glanced back up at her "See you when class starts, i might be going now." Eva smiled at her before taking off back towards the castle