The Yule Ball

Sonia sighed. She did not know him well, but she guessed she would be safe with him. "If you don't mind."

Maik's brother smiled and walked her to a somewhat upscale apartment complex and stopped by a door with a large gold 16 on it. Reaching in his pocket he opened the door and motioned her inside. " This isn't my apartment, in case you're wondering. Don't move things too much, ok?" He showed her where the bedroom was and then left, closing the door behind him and leaving her to look around. One wall of the front room was covered by a massive bookshelf with books on almost every subject imaginable. A massive winged armchair sat beside the fireplace with a small side table next to it. There was a framed picture on it, but before she could go see what it was she was startled by a large meow by her feet. It was Aslan.

Sonia looked at the cat somewhat startled. She didn't know if she should pet it. Looking around, she tried to spot the cat's food ball.

Aslan yeowled loudly and trotted over to the kitchen and sat in front of his food bowl, looking at her expectantly. Sonia had to wonder though, why Aslan was in the apartment. unless......

he is human? Sonia shrugged and started searching the cabinets for food. After finally finding some she poured it into Aslan's bowl. "Eat up, my friend."

Aslan meowed happily and began slurping down his food, leaving Sonia to explore the rest of the apartment. She wandered back to the front room and looked at the various books on the shelves. Gradually she moved over to the massive chair and the picture resting on the side table. Switching on a light, she picked it up and looked at it. For a moment she just looked at it in shock. It was Maik. With some young man she had never seen. But it couldn't be her. The Maik in the picture was SMILING. Maik could SMILE??

Sonia's head was cocked to the side as she stared at the man. He was a stranger to her, but obviously not to Maik. Who was he? what was his past with Maik? Sonia wanted to know everything about this mysterious stranger. Most important was WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?. Sonia felt even more intrigued to know who this guy was that made Maik happy.

Sonia wanted answers to her questions, but where was she to get them? She obviously couldn't ask Maik. She didn't seem the sort of person to discuss her past or anything else for that matter. That left Maik's brother. Sonia decided to ask him in the morning when he came back, if that is, he was any differant from his sister where communication was concerned. She had a feeling he was.

Sonia walked over to the bed. She knew what the man was talking about and no matter how hard her foster parents would try. she would end up facing voldemort face-to-face. Laying on the ed on her ack, sonia wondered if she'd ever find a place where she'd feel accepted.

As she lay there, Aslan jumped onto her stomach and made himself comfortable, purring like a motorboat. He at least accepted her. She wondered however, if it wasn't simply because she had filled his food dish for him.

Sonia sighed. "Night, friend. sleep well." she said scratching Aslan behind the ears. "One of us needs too."

Sonia woke the next morning to someone pounding on the front door. She was amazed that she had gotten any sleep at all. Groggily she climbed out of bed and went to answer the door.

Sonia had her wand in hand. Catuously she oponed the door ready to take on anything if it attacked her.

Maik's brother looked rather surprised when she opened the door and pointed a wand in his face. "Uh, good morning?"

Sonia sighed in relief. She stuck her wand in her pocket. "sorry, Mr..."she then realized she didn't know Maik's brother's name. She stood to tthe side and let him in. "I'm still a little jumpy."

" I understand that." Maik's brother replied, stepping in and closing the door. " My name's Elrohir by the way. How did you sleep?"

sonia sighed. "well for someone in my situation. May I ask you a question?" she ventured.

(elrohir...like elrond's son)

(exactly! i'm glad you knew that!)
" Certainly." Elrohir replied, smiling pleasantly.

Sonia went over to the table and picked up the picture. She shyly ventured forward and showed it to Elrohir. "Who is the man Maik is with?"

(Thanks)

Elrohir carefully took the picture and looked at it for a long time. " That," he said slowly " Was my best friend, Alex. He and Maik were going out when they took this."