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Well, there isn't a happier Teddy on the planet right now!

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Title: Crown of Thorns
Word Count: 450
Rating: PG
Warnings: Character Death, Angst

She stood on the broken battlements, and looked out onto a dawn that was washed in the blood of the innocent and damned alike, and wondered what it felt like to be alive on this last, terrible night.

“It is done. He is gone. The Light has prevailed.” The voice behind her was as familiar as her own, as old as time. She could not remember when she didn’t know the Baron; she could not remember her own bloody death. She only remembered that she died in a violent bath of jealousy and thirst for power, and before she could celebrate her freedom from her murderer, he had joined her in this eternity, after taking his own life. The Baron had always been a selfish bugger.

She was at least happy that the Baron had murdered her while she was still young enough to be considered a lovely ghost. She had always pitied the hags and stumpy old men ghosted at ripe old ages, the best of their lives already behind them.

A small frown marred her lovely features. Helena Ravenclaw turned to the Baron. “Did they find Mother’s diadem? They asked me, the Living Ones. I told them where it might be found.”

The Baron glided up close, and she recoiled slightly. If they had been alive, she would have felt his hot breath on her shoulder. “It was destroyed, along with the other trinkets. Along with his empty, soulless carcass.”

Helena had never heard him sound so bitter, even in life.

He raged, “At what cost? My Slytherins, taught to hate in the name of purity! Babes in a Children’s Crusade, fighting a war their mothers and fathers should have finished years ago? Death, greedily charging through the houses of our Founders, searching for the pieces of his soul?”

It didn’t touch her. It shouldn’t touch him. They were, after all, spirits of age and maturity. Living had been a pastime so many years ago she could not remember what it felt like to be hungry, or come panting beneath a man… or die. Why should he?

“You sound angry, Baron,” she murmured serenely.

“I am angry, Helena!” the Baron spat. He gestured. “Look around you! Look at the waste! They have life and love and passion to get, and what do they do? They squander it, fighting meaningless battles for pointless glory! They died for nothing more than a trinket, like your mother’s crown of bloody thorns!”

He wept. “My Slytherins! Why were you lost to the Darkness? Have I taught you nothing?”

Helena looked at the man who had once hoped to be her lover, her husband. “You taught them how to kill, dear Baron.”

Date: 2011-05-31 02:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] justpinkpastel.livejournal.com
Look at you go! You are doing fantastic!!!!

I love how she knows she is better looking than most ghosts. And how we get just a little bit of history. And Helena kind of throws it back at the Bloody Baron when he is angry by telling him that he isn't as innocent as he wants to believe he is.

Date: 2011-05-31 03:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
Well, she is the only girl of the three houses, so she is entitled to be a little vain! lol These have been the toughest challenges, which is why they are doubly sweet to me to win.

Date: 2011-05-31 03:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mimimanderly.livejournal.com
It's even better on second reading! So poignant and insightful. You deserved the win, baby!

Date: 2011-05-31 03:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
Thank you so much!! Have you seen the last challenge? EEEP!

Date: 2011-05-31 03:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mimimanderly.livejournal.com
Well, you have two weeks, and I have the utmost confidence that you can do it! But, yeah... that's why I wasn't too awfully upset when I was eliminated just before the end last time around! YOU, however, are more than up for the challenge.

Date: 2011-05-31 04:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
Thank you Mimi darling. It is very warming to feel the faith of friends. I actually have written the first one already. I'm not sure if it's what I'll end up submitting, but DMuse gave it to me, and I think it will probably play it like it lays.

Date: 2011-05-31 04:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mimimanderly.livejournal.com
ALWAYS trust the D-Muse, yo!

Date: 2011-05-31 06:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
You know I have to - he gives me treats!

Date: 2011-05-31 05:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] reg-flint.livejournal.com
Congrats on your double win. So well deserved. Best of luck in the last challenge(s)-- I know you and Alley are up to the task. Feed D-Muse, dance with D-Muse, hug D-Muse when it is all prickly as a porcupine.
Edited Date: 2011-05-31 05:57 pm (UTC)

Date: 2011-05-31 06:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
It has been very rewarding to win three of the weeks, and I am excited about the last challenge(s). They are tough, but hey, you gotta go out with a bang!

I have to ask one question - are the two drabbles going to be put together by author, or will all four of them stand alone? I'm just curious how it works.

Date: 2011-05-31 06:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] reg-flint.livejournal.com
The four will stand alone. If they are judged separately, the more fair it is to the originality of each piece and less easy to guess who exactly you are voting for.

Lucius isn't that tough except trying to capture it in 275 words, so I gave more words to Gellert, he's a slippery bugger and it's a tough prompt. I want the winner to really know deep down that they WON by sweat blood and tears.

Date: 2011-05-31 06:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
Oh, I think we will. LOL

Thanks for that. Lucius was hard - he's fun to write about. Grindewald is tough indeed.

Date: 2011-06-01 02:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mimimanderly.livejournal.com
Oh, that Lucius! He's ALWAYS hard! ;)

Date: 2011-06-01 02:38 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
But selfish - I think of Severus as being much more generous - it's those kind of men who are very grateful. Lucius is a little too pretty for me. I don't want a man with better looking hair than mine.

Date: 2011-05-31 06:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] droxy.livejournal.com
Go Teddy!

Love ghost fic. =D

Date: 2011-05-31 10:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
Thank you - it is always a pleasure making Droxy happy.

Date: 2011-05-31 08:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darklotus1211.livejournal.com
Congrats, my dear!

Can't wait to read the submissions for the final round!

Best of Luck!

Date: 2011-05-31 10:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
Thank you so much! This last round is a doozy; I'm already thinking, "Ack!"

Well, DMuse has yet to let me down, so I'll just trust him to give me what I need.

Date: 2011-05-31 09:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dickgloucester.livejournal.com
Well done! That last line slays me.

Date: 2011-05-31 10:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
Thank you so much - this was a tough challenge, and I literally handed it in at the last minute. I am already sweating blood over the final - those mods don't pull any punches!
(deleted comment)

Date: 2011-06-01 12:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
Well, it's been awhile since he's been in her knickers, so she is a bit smug...

Date: 2011-05-31 11:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] beffeysue.livejournal.com
Woo hoo! You rock, ya know that? Yeah. You rock!

Date: 2011-06-01 12:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teddyradiator.livejournal.com
Thanks, babe - the final round is a challenge, but DahlraMuse has already given me the bones of both of them, bless him!

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