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Joey slowly raised the jerky to his mouth and took a bite. It had been awhile since he had meat, and this made his body shudder. After a moment of tough chewing he looked up at her,"You shouldn't be so rude, you know. That's how this whole blood fest began."
Astoria scoffed and threw another stick into the fire. "Rudeness was hardly the cause." She said, staring into the fire. "Anyway, I don't want to talk about it." She ran a hand through her hair. "What's your name?" She asked as politely as she could muster.
"Joseph, but everyone calls me Joey, or muggle,"he teased lightly, taking another bite from the jerky, his stomach beginning to ache from the new feeling. He looked up at her,"And you?"
Astoria, glanced up at him, studying him, but not in a creepy way. "Astoria." She finally answered, averting her eyes to gaze into the fire once more.
He nodded slowly,"It's a very pretty name..."It became quiet for a moment as the fire cracked warmly into the air and he glanced up at her,"How long have you been on the run? Or have you? I don't quite understand how it works for you guys..."
"I left my home and everyone that I care for, today." Astoria answered quietly, glancing up as well, her eyes meeting his. "How about you?" She asked.
"Two years,"Joey said honestly, gazing at her for a moment, curiously,"Why did you leave?"
(I must rest my dear! I will talk to you tomorrow!!)
(Goodnight!)
Astoria looked away and sighed. "You wouldn't understand." She said softly. "I got tired of it all. Tired of killing and torturing Muggles for fun. For fun. It wasn't very fun."
Joey started at the fire, grinding his teeth together and sighing. Torturing his people... for fun? Theyvwrrebso defenseless, survival was hard, almost impossible when all their resources were gone and now hiding from wizards? He nodded,"It doesn't sound like it."
Astoria didn't dare look at him. She didn't want to see the hate or anger in his eyes. She ran her fingers through her hair before picking up the stick and poking at the fire. "You know.. The muggles aren't completely innocent either."
"I know, we are horrible to one another now,too. Humanity is dying, in smugglers and wizards alike. We are at a disadvantage, though. We're dying... We can't conjure food, or shelter, or anything else for that matter,"Joey said as his eyes moved from the flames, up the stick, and to her face.
Astoria closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. "I suppose." She whispered, glancing up at his handsome face. She took out her wand and pointed it at the fire, muttering a spell to keep the flames from burning out.
Joey has seen magic before, but never for something so simple and easy,"It truly is that simple, huh?"
Astoria tucked her wand away and sat back. "If you're a good witch or wizard. Magic isn't that easy. It takes a lot of learning." She said, meeting his eyes. A mere Muggle wouldn't understand.
He nodded,"Like actually surviving the world. It doesn't work for everyone,"he started at her for a moment, their eyes holding a gentle gaze of understanding. Maybe they werent so different.
Astoria nodded and took another bite of jerky. There was a sort of an awkward silence. She wasn't used to speaking to a Muggle. She's used to fighting and killing them with a simple flick of her wand.
"Are you going to stick around here?" Joey asked as he stepped closer to the fire. He was a bit more comfortable.
"Until I have a reason not to." Astoria replied. She breathed warm air into her hands again.
"Here,"Joey reached into his backpack.and pulled out a pair of old gloves, holding them out to her.
Astoria looked up, a little shocked, and shook her head quickly. "Oh, no. I'm fine. Really." She answered.
"Take them, you haven't stopped blowing on your hands since I got here,"he said with a smile, stepping closer so she could reach,"I don't mind, really. They make it too hard to grip things when I'm running."
Astoria looked up into his eyes and felt her chest clench. She slowly reached out and took them. "Thank you." She said softly, and she even managed to return his smile.
Joey's smile grew,"You're pretty when you smile, you know. No so witchy."
Astoria looked offended, but she couldn't help the heat that rose to her cheeks. "I-Well.. Thanks, I guess." She stumbled, looking down to slip the gloves on.
Joey shook his head and looked at the fire again, taking a Bute of the jerky once more. Flirting with a witch? This was unheard of.
Her hands felt considerably warmer, and she glanced up at him, watching him watch the fire.
Joey looked up in time to meet her eyes. She was absolutely enchanting, no pun intended. He looked over her shoulder and the sun was beginning to move,"I should go... The fighting and hunting begins at day break..."
Astoria looked away and slowly stood up. "Yes, of course." She sighed and held a hand out to him to shake. "I don't expect that we'll see each other again. So.. Good luck."
"Good luck to you, I hope the gloves serve you well... Can I just walk through the invisosheild thing?"Joey asked, unsure.
"No. I'll take it down." Astoria said, grabbing her wand. She took down the protection charms and turned back to Joey. "Now, you can go through."
"Well, it was great to meet you, miss,"he nodded his head before running into the forest once again.
Astoria watched him leave, then she put the protection charms back up. She extinguished the fire and used magic to put fire in a jar so she could stay warm. She went inside of her tent, laid in the cot with the jar close, and slowly fell asleep.
When Joey got back most of the kids were asleep. They usually slept during the day. He laid down as well and closed his eyes. No one would believe him even if he told them.
The next morning, Astoria woke up, freezing. She slowly got up and started a fire outside. She took out some pumpkin juice and bread and ate a little bit, her blanket wrapped around her shoulders. It was even starting to snow.
The screaming. The screaming was always the worst, especially when it was coming into the basement. Frostbite was always a problem and the purple fingerless and toes terrified kids. Joey wrapped them up and held them close. There was no cure.
After her breakfast, Astoria went inside of the went and grabbed a bucket then filled it with water. She used her wand to boil it. She took it outsode with her and took off most of her clothes, keeping close to the fire with warmth. She then began to wash what she could with the hot water.
The day was long, like it usually was. Joey could remember a time when people were afraid of the dark. Now they yearned for it. He couldn't stop thinking about that girl...
As it started to get dark, Astoria started to feel antsy. She felt like she was waiting for something. But what? She felt lonely and impatient. She wasn't used to being on her own, in these conditions.
Joey set off again, hoping that he could find Astoria. He set off into the forest,"Astoria!"
Astoria was about to doze off when she heard a voice. She stood up and listened. It sounded like Joey's. She grabbed her wand and put down the enchantments. Just then.. "A witch!" She heard someone gasp and she turned and saw a man with a knife running at her. She gasped in surprise but was too slow to react. She was knocked to the side, her wand flying out of her hand and landing a few feet away from her. She reached out, desperately, gritting her teeth. She saw the knife flash before her eyes and she rolled over, the blade cutting through her sleeve and grazing her shoulder. She kicked him in the gut and finally seized her wand. Without hesitation, she pointed it at him. "Avada Kedavra!" She gasped and a flash of green light hit the man in the chest and he fell over, dead.