Admission Of Three

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Cassiopeia waited for the thick accented greeting from Caractacus Burke, but it never came

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Cassiopeia waited for the thick accented greeting from
Caractacus Burke, but it never came. Instead he violently shook his head back and forth, his jawls shaking like a rabid dog. The whites of his eye's consumed his dark pupils, his face panic stricken. She noted his hands at his waist that showed his flat palms motioning her backwards. She obliged, stepping back into the grate and lowering her hood. He closed the thick knitted iron grill and turned away heading for his counter.

What in Merlins Gray beard was that all about?

Her thoughtful question was answered mere seconds later.

"Good day Professor. And whatcha be needing on this fine wintery day?"

Professor? On a school day? In Borgin and Burkes? But which one?

She listened closer, but the voice of the shopper never peaked her ears. Nor did Mr. Burkes for that matter.

Maybe they'd taken their business to the back of the shop?

Cassi waited what seemed like an eternity, when the fireplace started to fill with dust and ash. Someone was either passing through the floo network or coming to a hault.

She pulled the grill open with a creaking squeak and quickly tip toed behind a grand and creepy statue. She couldn't help but stare as she crouched behind it.

-Which mind you- wasn't easy with a pregnant belly, no matter the size.-

It was grotesque yet amazingly beautiful at the same time. A one winged Angel of Death; Carved in speckled marble stone of white and grey, the spritely woman was nude. One amazing arched wing in all it's glory protruded from her back in a magnificent sculpture. Only a nub on her bleeding shoulder blade was proof of what used to be the second wing. Her arms were stretched to grasp that right shoulder, in a manner that predicted she'd plucked every feather from the boney stump that remained. The face of the nameless Angel showed deep remorse and pain- a stone tear fleeing down her cheek.

Though Cassi could only view the back of the masterpiece, she braved a looksie at the front. Foolish maybe, but she was entranced.

A gander at the entirety of the statue only furthered it's gruesome gorgeousness. The fallen Angels ribs were prominent beneath purt little breasts and budding nipples and her tiny frame was perched atop a head stone. Though pretty in her place, what held Cassi's attention rapt was that of a flying skeletal demon hovering above the woman's tilted head. Naught but bone and torso, the creatures mouth sucked on her neck like a vampire suckling his prey. Where it's body should have been, was nothing but an extended spinal cord carved into a mighty tail, like that of a sting ray. It was embedded into the Angel of Death's side. Yet, all of these things that would grab one's attention, what she looked upon next hit home like a hammer.

Carved curls between the dieing Angels legs, supported a wee barren, his cord still attatched. His mouth was sketched open in a cry- probably his first- and his legs held at an angle as though he was kicking.
At the foot of statue was a plaque that read:
Tithonus And Eos-
And Eos bare to Astraeus the strong-hearted winds, brightening Zephyrus, and Boreas, headlong in his course, and Notus, -- a goddess mating in love with a god. And after these Erigenia bare the star Eosphorus (Dawn-bringer), and the gleaming stars with which heaven is crowned.

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