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AmbiguouslyMe · 12-13-2009, 05:00 AM

Little Boy, Lost
by Jeremie
Sa 13+

Hello everyone!

I'm Jeremie, and maybe you know me already, and maybe you don't. Either way, WELCOME! This is my first fic here, as you're most likely to find me on the RPG boards, though I also have a thread in The Snitchseeker 100 challenge: 100 Bits of Hogwarts History.

This story is Tibi's. Tiberius Pryce is currently a student at Hogwarts, though this story begins long before that. I'd wanted to really dig into his past, get under his skin, and see what was there. So, I hope you enjoy! Also, much admiration, respect and credit to JK Rowling for just about anything and everything you recognize. It's her world. I just play in it.

A note about the title: It is a nod to William Blake's "The Little Boy Lost," a poem which I think, in some ways, speaks to my character's experience.

Chapter Guide:

Chapter One: Arrival (this post)
Chapter Two: Family
Chapter Three: Promises

Chapter One: Arrival

This was not at all going to plan. Nearly two months early and despite being practically stranded in the middle of nowhere, the baby was coming, and fast. Tirion was suddenly immensely grateful that Susan had taught him to drive as he settled her into the sea-foam green and wood-paneled station wagon they had... borrowed... for their trip.

It was a warm August night, and as Tirion raced round the car to the driver's side door, he was aware of how clear the stars glittered in the sky when there were no city lights to outshine them. But as he climbed in the car and slammed the door, he realized that it also meant that help was a ways off. A long ways off. Fumbling with the keys, Tirion felt Susan put a clammy hand on his neck.

In a faint whisper that betrayed how weak she felt, she attempted to reassure him. “Breathe, love. Drive slowly and carefully.” Looking down at her belly, not yet as big as it should have been, she caressed it as only a mother can. “He'll wait.” And then, dropping her voice to a whisper for only her unborn son, she put both hands on her stomach and closed her eyes. “Do this for your mummy. Just wait a little longer.”

Tirion turned to look at her, as he jabbed the old key into the ignition, having finally found it, and listened as the engine attempted to turn over. Nothing. Eyes still trailed on Susan's face, he turned the key again. Her skin was ghastly pale, nearly as white as the summer dressing gown that clung to her sweaty skin. But the engine still did not turn. It simply sputtered and fell into silence. Unholstering his wand, Tirion resolved to break his promise not to use magic on this trip – this was an emergency – when, eyes still closed, Susan wrapped her hand around his and lowered the wand. With short, shallow breaths, she pried his fingers apart to force him to release it, the wood clattering against the stick-shift. Not here. With a gasp, she dragged his hand back to the key, her eyes opening wide at a sudden, sharp pain, and wrenched his wrist along with the key, the engine roaring to life.

***

The discolored clinic walls betrayed the neglect that the building had suffered. Staffed nearing midnight by only three people, the Pryces' arrival had caused quite a stir. After nearly an hour in the car, Tirion had rushed in, feet still slippered, carrying Susan, whose long brown hair was matted to her forehead. He looked at the three in the waiting room, unable to speak. Muggles, every one of them. Not that he should have been surprised; they'd been out here specifically because there weren't any wizarding communities.

“Please, I think my wife is in labor,” he pleaded, the three women still gaping at their appearance. “She's not due for another two months.” At the word 'labor,' the women had sprung into action, beckoning the man into the back room – the only delivery room in a hundred miles – and helped get Susan onto the bed. It quickly became apparent to Tirion that the women were one doctor and two nurses and they thought (and Tirion hoped) that they had everything under control.

The lights were hot, and perspiration ran down Tirion's neck as he clasped Susan's hand in his own, and brushed the hair away from her forehead with the other. She smiled meekly at him, her eyes heavy, as she squeezed his hand. “You're going to be a father,” she whispered before another wave of pain washed across her face.

“Almost there, dearie,” one of the nurses cooed. “Just give us a little more.”

“I love you,” Tirion whispered, before bending down to lightly kiss her forehead.

“I... AHHHHHHH,” Susan replied, squeezing Tirion's hand, his fingers going white as she cut off his circulation.

“It's a boy, loves,” the other nurse said, as the first nurse and the doctor spirited the child away. There had been no cry. Neither Tirion nor Susan had seen him. Susan's grip remained iron tight as she sat up, eyes darting around the room in concern. Tirion, for his part, stood, watching the door through which the women had exited. Where was his son?

Their questions and fears hung wordlessly in the air, blanketing the room in uncertainty. He was early. Was he alright? Where had they taken him? Could they see him? Tirion's heart thumped erratically in his chest, his head swimming. This was all wrong. All wrong. It wasn't time. Their son wasn't ready. They weren't ready.

But then, the door swung open, and the nurse returned, arms wrapped around a wriggling, gurgling bundle of cloth. “You can hold him for a little while, but then we need to take him back,” the nurse said softly as she approached the bedside, waiting for Tirion to come forward. “Come on, dad. Come meet your son.”

Susan released Tirion's hand, allowing him to take a few steps forward. As the nurse rested the bundle in his arms, Tirion couldn't help but marvel that the boy was almost too small to rest in the crook of his arm.

“You've got a fighter, there.” The nurse said as Tirion cautiously stepped back to the bedside and sat on the edge next to an exhausted Susan. “But, he's tiny and he's going to need some help. We can do that.” She smiled at the new family. “But he'll also need a whole lot of love.”

“We can do that,” Tirion said softly, never taking his eyes off his son. He wanted to memorize every bit of this moment. Looking up at his wife, his eyes glistened. “We didn't pick a name.”

Susan smiled as she raised a hand to run a finger along her son's soft skin. “Tiberius.”

Nodding, Tirion looked back down at his son, heart bursting. “Hello, Tiberius. I'm your daddy.”

12-13-2009, 05:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
AmbiguouslyMe SA & DMLE Mooncalf Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 6,674 Hogwarts RPG Name: Hazel Martin-Pryce First Year Diagon Alley Proprietor: Scout MacIntyre Daily Prophet Reporter x4	Little Boy, Lost - Sa13+ Granddaddy Ravenclaw \| \| Jermione Granger Little Boy, Lost by Jeremie Sa 13+ Hello everyone! I'm Jeremie, and maybe you know me already, and maybe you don't. Either way, WELCOME! This is my first fic here, as you're most likely to find me on the RPG boards, though I also have a thread in The Snitchseeker 100 challenge: 100 Bits of Hogwarts History. This story is Tibi's. Tiberius Pryce is currently a student at Hogwarts, though this story begins long before that. I'd wanted to really dig into his past, get under his skin, and see what was there. So, I hope you enjoy! Also, much admiration, respect and credit to JK Rowling for just about anything and everything you recognize. It's her world. I just play in it. A note about the title: It is a nod to William Blake's "The Little Boy Lost," a poem which I think, in some ways, speaks to my character's experience. Chapter Guide: Chapter One: Arrival (this post) Chapter Two: Family Chapter Three: Promises Chapter One: Arrival This was not at all going to plan. Nearly two months early and despite being practically stranded in the middle of nowhere, the baby was coming, and fast. Tirion was suddenly immensely grateful that Susan had taught him to drive as he settled her into the sea-foam green and wood-paneled station wagon they had... borrowed... for their trip. It was a warm August night, and as Tirion raced round the car to the driver's side door, he was aware of how clear the stars glittered in the sky when there were no city lights to outshine them. But as he climbed in the car and slammed the door, he realized that it also meant that help was a ways off. A long ways off. Fumbling with the keys, Tirion felt Susan put a clammy hand on his neck. In a faint whisper that betrayed how weak she felt, she attempted to reassure him. “Breathe, love. Drive slowly and carefully.” Looking down at her belly, not yet as big as it should have been, she caressed it as only a mother can. “He'll wait.” And then, dropping her voice to a whisper for only her unborn son, she put both hands on her stomach and closed her eyes. “Do this for your mummy. Just wait a little longer.” Tirion turned to look at her, as he jabbed the old key into the ignition, having finally found it, and listened as the engine attempted to turn over. Nothing. Eyes still trailed on Susan's face, he turned the key again. Her skin was ghastly pale, nearly as white as the summer dressing gown that clung to her sweaty skin. But the engine still did not turn. It simply sputtered and fell into silence. Unholstering his wand, Tirion resolved to break his promise not to use magic on this trip – this was an emergency – when, eyes still closed, Susan wrapped her hand around his and lowered the wand. With short, shallow breaths, she pried his fingers apart to force him to release it, the wood clattering against the stick-shift. Not here. With a gasp, she dragged his hand back to the key, her eyes opening wide at a sudden, sharp pain, and wrenched his wrist along with the key, the engine roaring to life. * The discolored clinic walls betrayed the neglect that the building had suffered. Staffed nearing midnight by only three people, the Pryces' arrival had caused quite a stir. After nearly an hour in the car, Tirion had rushed in, feet still slippered, carrying Susan, whose long brown hair was matted to her forehead. He looked at the three in the waiting room, unable to speak. Muggles, every one of them. Not that he should have been surprised; they'd been out here specifically because there weren't any wizarding communities. “Please, I think my wife is in labor,” he pleaded, the three women still gaping at their appearance. “She's not due for another two months.” At the word 'labor,' the women had sprung into action, beckoning the man into the back room – the only delivery room in a hundred miles – and helped get Susan onto the bed. It quickly became apparent to Tirion that the women were one doctor and two nurses and they thought (and Tirion hoped) that they had everything under control. The lights were hot, and perspiration ran down Tirion's neck as he clasped Susan's hand in his own, and brushed the hair away from her forehead with the other. She smiled meekly at him, her eyes heavy, as she squeezed his hand. “You're going to be a father,” she whispered before another wave of pain washed across her face. “Almost there, dearie,” one of the nurses cooed. “Just give us a little more.” “I love you,” Tirion whispered, before bending down to lightly kiss her forehead. “I... AHHHHHHH,” Susan replied, squeezing Tirion's hand, his fingers going white as she cut off his circulation. “It's a boy, loves,” the other nurse said, as the first nurse and the doctor spirited the child away. There had been no cry. Neither Tirion nor Susan had seen him. Susan's grip remained iron tight as she sat up, eyes darting around the room in concern. Tirion, for his part, stood, watching the door through which the women had exited. Where was his son? Their questions and fears hung wordlessly in the air, blanketing the room in uncertainty. He was early. Was he alright? Where had they taken him? Could they see him? Tirion's heart thumped erratically in his chest, his head swimming. This was all wrong. All wrong. It wasn't time. Their son wasn't ready. They weren't ready. But then, the door swung open, and the nurse returned, arms wrapped around a wriggling, gurgling bundle of cloth. “You can hold him for a little while, but then we need to take him back,” the nurse said softly as she approached the bedside, waiting for Tirion to come forward. “Come on, dad. Come meet your son.” Susan released Tirion's hand, allowing him to take a few steps forward. As the nurse rested the bundle in his arms, Tirion couldn't help but marvel that the boy was almost too small to rest in the crook of his arm. “You've got a fighter, there.” The nurse said as Tirion cautiously stepped back to the bedside and sat on the edge next to an exhausted Susan. “But, he's tiny and he's going to need some help. We can do that.” She smiled at the new family. “But he'll also need a whole lot of love.” “We can do that,” Tirion said softly, never taking his eyes off his son. He wanted to memorize every bit of this moment. Looking up at his wife, his eyes glistened. “We didn't pick a name.” Susan smiled as she raised a hand to run a finger along her son's soft skin. “Tiberius.” Nodding, Tirion looked back down at his son, heart bursting. “Hello, Tiberius. I'm your daddy.” __________________ Has anyone ever sung you a lullaby*? You can fly* above the rain clouds Close your eyes Let the melody carry you Leave all your fears behind You can float across a rainbow sky to once upon a time Last edited by AmbiguouslyMe; 06-15-2015 at 04:18 AM.