Maledictus

Ch. 11 - Ritual

"Maybe but I am older"

Alice took the bowl from Eric carefully, she wasnt really in the mood. The soup was the colour of Professor Sprouts autumnal vegetable garden in the Hogwarts greenhouses - deepest green.

In it was the peas and broccoli. Yet the hue was softened just a bit with the addition of cream and cheese; as Mrs. Weasley always said, "Everything tastes better with cheese." It was a motto she cooked by, and no one ever complained.

"Oh I almost forgot" exclaimed Alice, rooting through the robe pockets. "This came for you this morning, your owl dropped it into my bedroom, he was way off his course. I gave him some food and water in the owlery and Madam Pomfrey said she'd take a look at it's sight" she handed Eric a letter.

"Thanks" he said, taking it gently from her hands. "Blimey your hands are cold!"

"It is a bit chilly out, I must get Henry to send me my gloves, although he hasn't been answering my calls"

Eric turned to look at her. "Henry? Call? Elaborate"

"Henry is my asshole of a brother and we can talk telepathically. He must've cut off the connection again, seems he's not over a disagreement"

"You mean in your mind?"

"In more dumbed down terms, yes" she nodded. "We can communicate through our minds"

"How does that even work?" he asked interested. "I mean, I've heard of it happening but only in very rare cases. Most do it unwillingly. Some don't even know they have the ability and drive themselves into madness, some even hang themselves just to get rid of the voices"

Alice placed down her spoon in slight disgust. "What a beautiful image you've created"

"Sorry" he mumbled. "So how does it work?"

"Well" she turned to him. "I'm not sure really. To understand telepathy, you have to understand our human makeup on a deeper level. You have to understand the person you're communicating with like no other. As humans, we all have consciousness-the ability to be aware and to feel. It is everything you experience. Once you've done this, you need close your mind, make your mind completely blank, and imagine the person you want to contact. You picture them so vividly you can almost feel them and then you speak. Speak loud and clear and hope that the other person heard"

"Woah, that is amazing"

"Handy talent to possess really"

He smiled. "Come on, eat"

Alice nodded, taking a spoonful, raising it to her lips but once Eric was occupied with his sandwich, she poured it right back into the bowl.

This is better than you vomiting in front of him.

He looked back up again.
Alice knew he was only fussing about her because something wasn't right with her friend.

Alice warmed her hands on the bowl. "Are you sure everything's alright?" she asked. "You're still not opening it. You really avoided the question last time"

"You're the one not eating your soup, you hardly had any breakfast, or a meal at all this week"

"You avoided it again"

"You avoided yours"

"Sod off Eric"

Truth was, with the curse worsening, she was keeping it hard to keep down food. In order to eliminate the uncomfortable feeling of vomiting, she skipped meals which was hardly healthy and someone was bound to notice.