Stalkers, lipstick and bodyguards (Kellyn)

[Gabriel Graas S4]

Gabriel finished the last of his strong black coffee and sighed with dissatisfaction. He had already downed two mugs and he felt as if he would need more. Reason kept him from buying more though. Sure, he had had a couple of harsh days – which idiot decided to throw an official ball to present a sodding poster? – and portkey travelling cross-country. His organism was tired to not be artificially pushed up even more into action. Two cups would have be enough for now. No matter how much he craved for more. And of course the attention, which he usually enjoyed, from girls had been rising to nightmare levels last couple of days. He had even had to give an autographs to his waitress, before he was left in peace to eat and drink. Folding the newspaper he had been reading about his porter coming out, as it had gotten shockingly much media coverage, Gabriel smirked ironically. All he had to do was stand around, sneer at the photographers and be a snob…and the media and the greater public loved it. Not that Gabriel minded. He made money off of it. Who had paid a Slytherin to be a Slytherin before?

Grabbing his jacket from the chair next to him, Gabriel threw it over his shoulders and made his way out of the café. His stomach was full, his business in Hogsmeade was now over – thankfully – and he’d write to Gringotts tomorrow. His own owl was out of the country now anyway so he’d have to borrow one though. Rister’s probably. Damon’s was always busy with something or an other. Stepping into the street Damon took a languid deep breath before sauntering out of Hogsmeade, on purpose avoiding the main street with all the more popular places. He had had enough of admiring for today. And he could use a nice walk to soothe his nerves and body. He hadn’t gotten any proper exercise in ages anyway. His agent would probably be having nervous breakdowns if he knew Gabriel had been indulging in chocolate cakes and champagne for a week with no training. Which is why Gabriel wasn’t planning on telling him.

Reaching the Shrieking Shack, thankfully with no interruptions, Gabriel leaned on the gate and closing his eyes let his head fall backwards. It wasn’t a sunny day to be honest. But there was just enough sun to warm his body – clad in black as his contract demanded – and his face. Even as his face was suddenly warmed on two pairs of warm lips on his cheeks. Only pure self-control kept Gabriel from jumping in shock. Opening his eyes Gabriel eyed with some caution the two blonde Ravenclaw twins he had gone out with the other day. “We just wanted to let you know…” “…that we truly enjoyed our date.” “Owl us,” they finished in a chorus and Gabriel flinched as the girls pinched his behind before giving two identical kisses on his cheeks. The girls sauntered away towards Hogsmeade hand-in-hand without even waiting for a response. “I think my poor bum will prefer me to pass, thanks anyway,” Gabriel muttered, even as he eyed absent-mindedly two pairs of long legs in identical jean skirts. Touching his cheek Gabriel grimaced at the red lipstick traces on them. Rummaging in his pockets Gabriel had to end up admitting that he truly didn’t carry a handkerchief along as he picked up his wand instead. Turning towards the trees Gabriel got an other startled surprise, even as he narrowly avoided jumping this time, at seeing yet an other pair of eyes staring at him.

A younger girl. Possibly going to Hogwarts. Not a Slytherin, Gabriel’s brain fed him information. Not in tears, not running after the twins. He just might be safe. Even if it was nearly impossible to get some privacy anywhere. Tilting his head in slight greeting Gabriel plucked a leaf from a tree and with a quick swish and flick of his wand turned it a handkerchief. Wiping his cheeks carefully Gabriel turned towards the younger girl with slightly ironic smile: “Care to let me know if I got rid of all the lipstick, sweetheart?”

[Kellyn Ellison H3]

“You have to make a decision,” Allison informed her daughter gently, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Kellyn shrugged the arm away, not at all mollified by her mother’s gesture. “I’m thirteen,” she hissed quietly, ever wary of eavesdroppers. “I shouldn’t be pressured into making such a decision when I’m only thirteen.” Her mother opened her mouth again but Kellyn just shook her head, suddenly weary of the conversation. “I know it’s not your choice; I know you’d let me have as long as I wanted if your agent wasn’t pushing you to get an answer. But I can’t deal with all of the attention, all the people trying to be my friend just because I’m famous.” Kellyn smiled bitterly, gesturing towards her disguised mother. “You can’t even come out in public because we don’t want the students to know we’re related. I hate it. And it’s going to be so much harder to get through to Ashlyn if she recognises me as Kellyn the model rather than Kellyn, the cousin.”

“It’s not always like this,” Allison pleaded with her daughter. “You enjoy the attention – don’t try to lie to me, Kellyn Ellison! You love it; you love having people play with your hair and do your make-up and take photos of you. If it’s just the idea of people recognising you that bothers you then...then we’ll give you a stage name.” That wasn’t a bad idea, actually. Kellyn mused thoughtfully. She could do all of her photo shoots during the summer and weekends and her agent could release them slowly throughout the year. It would be a lot of work, and she’d have to change her appearance somewhat, but her mother had a very good point when she said that Kellyn loved the attention. “Fine.” Kellyn nodded firmly, her smile disappearing when her mother hugged her quickly before apparating away in a whirl of perfume and hairspray. “Yeah,” she muttered bad-temperedly, “I love you too.”

It had taken a mug of hot chocolate, a new pair of boots and a new bracelet before Kellyn regained her previous good mood. As retail therapy went, that had been a reasonably cheap time, in her experience. Her mother had needed to return to her job, Kellyn understood that. But they had only had twenty minutes together and most of that had been spent arguing. Maybe if she had just agreed to join her mother as a model at the very start of the conversation the visit might have been more fun. Because really, since the fame element had been removed from the equation, the idea of modelling wasn’t at all a bad one. She had grown up amongst models and other famous people so she knew exactly what she was getting herself into. A few times during her younger years, she had even modelled before if one of the other children had been ill or throwing a temper tantrum. All she needed was a stage name and then she’d be famous. No, Kellyn corrected herself. Kellyn Ellison wouldn’t be famous. The model she would make herself into would be famous. Kellyn Ellison would remain the ordinary, unknown girl she already was.

She wasn’t quite sure why she had ended up at the Shack; perhaps because some part of her wanted to be left alone. But the sight of Gabriel Graas instantly soured her mood slightly. A famous model. Wonderful. Just who she needed to wander across while she was wondering if she had made the right decision. Life obviously hated her. Then again, maybe it wasn’t too fond of Gabriel either. Kellyn hid a smile just before he turned to her. “It’s mostly gone,” she assured him cheerfully, not bothering to hide her amusement. “But there’s still a smear of lipstick on your right cheek.”

[Gabriel Graas S4]

The date with the twins had been pleasant. Both were pretty girls and sufficiently smart to keep Gabriel from grinding his teeth into mere dust. Even if it had been a bit awkward – for him, not the twins – to be out with two girls at once. But having them find him like this was something he didn’t like. Sure, girls had looked him up before as well. This time it somehow left a bad taste in his mouth. Oh well. It wasn’t that much of a problem. He had had to get rid of girls before. Ignoring the girls usually was dependable on enough. Or at worst case a well-placed hex or two. He wasn’t going to tell his brothers and sister about this incident though. He would be teased mercilessly until the end of his days – which were hopefully still far-far away – about it. Really, he liked girls, but not enough to be tied down to just one yet.

Gabriel threw a glance at the younger girl as she directed her about the whereabouts of the lipstick. Rubbing vigorously on his right cheek Gabriel measured the younger year. He didn’t know her, which in a way did tell a lot. She wasn’t a too shabby looking girl, but right this moment Gabriel was a bit too tired to consider options for and against possibly dating her. She seemed to be younger than he anyway. Perhaps not in the age to be interested in guys just yet. And she had helped her… responding with a growl wouldn’t perhaps be the best thing. Even if the girl was evidently amused by the situation he had found himself in. “Girls. You’d think they’d have enough decency not to make me prance around with lipstick on my face,” Gabriel told the girl with a lazy smile as he took one last swipe on both of his cheeks with the handkerchief, “Is it better now?” Gabriel turned his head sideways so that the girl could see both of his cheeks before throwing the leaf-transferred-into-handkerchief into ear and getting rid of it with a quick Incernio, stepping once on the ashes that fell to the ground. Rister – and probably his father and Leandra too – would most certainly wring his neck if he started a fire, even if by accident.

“Doubt the colour went that well with my complexion anyway,” Gabriel said with a lazy smirk curving his lips into the smile that had brought in so much money for him. And had won over quite a number of female hearts, even if Gabriel consciously didn’t every time even realize he was smiling when he used it. He earned money from being a arrogant guy he was, instead of pretending to be someone else. Which truly was a good thing, because he was too arrogant to want to bother with pretending. Not that he could stay a model for the rest of his life… not that he’d want that either. But he earned enough to comfortably start his own company once upon a time. Deciding that the girl wasn’t going to attack him – nor ask for his autographs for a change – Gabriel turned back to the Shrieking Shack. Shrugging his leather jacket off his shoulders, he threw it carelessly on the fence next to him. It was perhaps a bit chilly to be out in a sleeveless top and tight jeans, but he was used to that. Besides it felt good to feel the sun on his arm, as he leaned his elbows on the fence, leaned forward slightly to be comfortable and gazed at the Shrieking Shack.

[Kellyn Ellison H3]

See, that was almost the exact sort of situation Kellyn might find herself in if she used her real name and appearance when modelling. Okay, so she wouldn’t end up with lipstick on her cheeks unless she found a particularly strange boy but such details were irrelevant. Kellyn knew she wasn’t ugly; she actually tended to spend a fair amount of time on her appearance although people wouldn’t guess it from her friendly, unassuming personality. The fact that her mother’s agent had pressured her for years about becoming a model for her company also told her a lot about how other people viewed her. Pretty, fairly smart, a nice girl; Kellyn had a decent lot in life. But was she really ready to add ‘famous’ to the list? Not that it mattered since she had already given in her answer and her conditions. She was just going around in circles, trying to convince herself that she had made the right choice.

“Hmm?” Kellyn looked up carelessly before dragging herself back to reality. “No, you still have a bit...” Giving him up as a lost cause, she pulled out her own handkerchief and used a quiet spell to drip water onto a small part of it. “Hold still,” Kellyn ordered him firmly before stepping closer and wiping at his cheek gently. She pulled back after a few moments and, satisfied that he didn’t look like a child experimenting with his mother’s make-up, retreated back to her previous spot. “It wasn’t really your colour,” Kellyn admitted with a grin, examining him for a few seconds before announcing her verdict. “It was too bright for you. Next time try a lighter shade,” she suggested laughingly. After growing up in the world of fame and photography, it didn’t strike her as odd that she would laugh and joke with him as if he wasn’t famous. But still, she was a truthful girl and she wouldn’t deny that his smile affected her. Then again, neither was she one of the girls who thought looks were the only things that counted.

Gabriel looked thoughtful as he stared at the Shack which made Kellyn reluctant to bother him but she had questions and, at the moment, he was the best person to answer them. “How do you deal with people like them?” Kellyn asked shyly, her head tilting curiously as she awaited his answer. “I mean, doesn’t it get boring or annoying to have people recognise you and want you just because you’re famous?” She should keep a name similar to her own, Kellyn mused, drifting off onto a different thought topic but keeping alert so she didn’t miss his answer. After all, some people knew that Allison had a daughter and while none of them actually knew her name it would be easier to remember to respond to a somewhat similar name. Maybe Kaitlin. She had once been told that her parents had almost named her Kaitlin so it was suiting.

[Gabriel Graas S4]

Gabriel watched with some amusement how the girl fished out her own handkerchief and stepped forward. At least she had used a charm to wet a corner of it, so Gabriel bit his lip and let her clean his cheek without, whether it was clean or not. At first glance it seemed acceptable. And the girl was helping him, so Gabriel lowered his head so that she could reach better. “I’ll be sure to tell it to the next girls. I’ll demand a sample of their lipstick, to make sure it goes with my complexion and eyes, as I always wear black anyway, before they’re allowed to kiss me,” Gabriel drawled in an amused tone. His agent would perhaps like the idea of creating an ‘fallen angel’ brand, but to stick with the style it would probably consist of too much black for Gabriel’s taste. He didn’t mind wearing black clothes himself, especially as it was very practically, simple, and suited every occasion, but he hated when girls wore black make-up. With the exception of that something, they put on the eye-lashes. And he also did prefer having his girls wear lighter and merrier tones. Now that he thought about it – most of his dates were girls who looked better in bright tones as opposed to pale earthly colours.

It was notable though, how freely and relaxed the girl seemed to feel around him. Most people dreaded the fame, some the Slytherin badge. Or perhaps he had been right in his guess that she wasn’t ready to be that interested in guys just yet. Smart for her. There was time. Even he himself enjoy the company of the opposite sex. Gabriel turned his head and looked the girl over from his shoulder thoughtfully. A smarter question than most. “I just wipe away the lipstick and go on,” Gabriel offered with a grin before dedicating a moment to think it over, “I don’t deal with them. For most of the time I’m happy enough with the attention, the gifts, the flattery, the whole shebang. I like watching store-keepers loose their minds as they think of the advertising prospects when I buy something, I’ve never had any trouble buying something, having it ordered for me, getting tickets for the theatre, finding a table at a busy restaurant without a warning. I’ve been Gabriel, the Fallen Angel figure, since I was 6. It’s part of who I am and what I do and it suits me.”

His parents had left him free choice of whether to deal with modeling or not when he was the child. But he liked the work, the tension of getting just the right picture, the buzz of the cameras. His parents and whole family had made sure he doesn’t forget himself in the over-hyped glorification of himself though. “It has it’s moments, it has it’s downsides. I like the attention, but not so much that I have to visit 5 different countries within two days like this weekend nor that I’m tired because I haven’t gotten a wink of sleep in the last 36 hours, because I’ve been dancing the night away, giving interviews, autographs and smiling dazzlingly and having a test tomorrow. I have my family, I have people I can talk and laugh with in my small circle of friends that I’ve acquired over years from Hogwarts, some form other models I’ve worked with. I don’t need anyone else. It can be hard and tiring, but the rewards for me are worth it,” Gabriel concluded, talking as much for himself as for the girl. And he really was tired as he let his head drop back, wondering why he told this much to a stranger. “So who did I just tell the gist of the last weekend of modeling work, that hopefully won’t be quoted in tomorrow’s Daily Prophet?” he questioned lazily, not bothering to open his eyes and look at the girl.

[Kellyn Ellison H3]

Boys were evidently hopeless when cleaning off make-up, Kellyn thought disapprovingly as she cleaned her handkerchief with a quick spell before tucking the cloth back into her pocket. Heh. A small giggle escaped. That was certainly one thought she never thought she’d have. At least he had been obliging enough to lower his head because, while Kellyn wasn’t short for her age, she wasn’t exactly tall either. “That’s exactly what you should do.” Kellyn nodded her head seriously, the laughter in her eyes the only clue that she was joking. “If girls want to date you, they should wear make-up that suits your complexion or they’re simply not allowed to kiss you. Of course, that would be punishing you as well so I’m pretty sure you’re just going to continue wiping off unsuitable lipstick colours from your cheeks and wherever else you tend to find lipstick marks.”

Gabriel was equally as handsome in person as he was in the posters Kellyn had seen her friends gleefully buying and yet she still didn’t find herself truly attracted to him. She did note his good-looks, but only in a similar way to how she had eyed the pair of boots in the bag at her feet before buying them. It was almost worrying really. Perhaps the two Hufflepuff boyfriend’s she’d had in the past year really had been so boring that dating held no attraction for her. His description of the life he lived earned a thoughtful nod, her mind adding that information to the mental file she already had pertaining to her decision. He presented an interesting view, one more reliable in her mind than the facts her mother had put forward to her. Yes, she had made the right decision for herself. She would have everything she had dreamed of as a young girl but separate to the life she lived in Hogwarts. Maybe after Hogwarts she would reveal her identity and shock all the people who thought of her as boring and uninteresting, Kellyn thought wickedly. That would teach them to judge her without getting to know her.

“I’m Kellyn, and I can honestly promise that you won’t be quoted in tomorrow’s Prophet. Maybe next week.” she answered after a few seconds delay, silently hoping he wouldn’t ask for her surname. Generally, she didn’t deem it unwise to give her last name when introducing herself but generally she wasn’t introducing herself to the only famous person she knew who wasn’t aware of her connection to her mother. Both her mother and Gabriel were models, but exactly how likely was it that he had heard of her mother? Kellyn just wasn’t sure. Oh, this silent argument was just becoming tiresome. If he requested a surname then she’d tell him it truthfully and hope for the best. As she had often reassured herself before, Ellison was not such an unusual surname. It wasn’t like there was a way to not give a surname if he specifically asked for one; that would be rude and impolite. Of the many things Kellyn had ever been described as, rude or impolite wasn’t among the list nor would it ever be, she hoped.

[Gabriel Graas S4]

Gabriel smirked back at the nearly laughing girl: “Only dating girls who wear make-up my agent has approved of. Got it. I’ll be sure to have it added to my calling card. Take it as inside info you’ll do well to know for whichever case in the future. Even though I do prefer strong and clear jewel-tones really. Perhaps I should just hire someone to remove lip-stick from my face? Seems like less of an hassle, because, as you pointed out, I do like kisses.” Which was also true. If he didn’t like kisses and the company of females, he wouldn’t date so much. Not that his agent wasn’t charmed. Gabriel had a sinking suspicion that he even encouraged him dating as many girls in possible for some theatrical story of how he’s looking for that one girl who would be his redemption. So sappy, so easily sell-able, so certainly not true and so certainly not going to be any more true than it was now in his agent’s hopeful hints.

An ironic smirk appearing on his face Damon raised his head and peered lazily at the girl. And aspiring and hopeful journalist one day? Possibly. “Next week? Do you have a more precise date perhaps so I might know when I’m to be visible and charming to hand out even more autographs. A tip for you – make sure your autograph is short and simple. If you plan on becoming famous – either as a journalist or someone else – you’ll be giving it often enough and won’t have time to calligraphically draw each one out.” His own autographs originated from when he was just six and then it had been a mere scrawl. A fact he was now thankful over, as it was easy and quick to throw on pictures and posters and – occasionally – on hands with one movement of the wrist.

“Kellyn who?” Gabriel questioned absent-mindedly, not that he was planning on remembering it for too long when he was told. But that didn’t mean he didn’t notice the last name not being mentioned. Usually people ran to assure both names after all. He usually introduced himself by both names as well. Not that he often even needed to introduce himself, other than for pure formality. The things one did or didn’t do while famous. It was harsh at times. But Gabriel most certainly also felt glad that he had tried out modeling, cause it truly, utterly suited him.

[Kellyn Ellison H3]

“Or you could just start carrying a mirror around so you can wipe the lipstick off yourself, therefore saving money that could be better spent on...well, anything else but such a useless job, really. You could use it to buy a gift for your girlfriends, I suppose.” Not that Kellyn really suspected he was the type of guy who would buy his girlfriends presents. Very few models were, in her experience. They were so used to receiving gifts that the thought of giving them to the people they dated never really crossed their minds. It made relationships rather one-sided but people should be smart enough to know what they were getting themselves into if they wanted to date someone famous. The more fame, the bigger the ego.

“Perhaps next Tuesday? That would be a good day. Students have suffered through the horrors of Monday but your dashing charm will be the needed boost to get them through the rest of the week. Um, me, famous?” Kellyn laughed nervously, sticking as close to the truth as possible as she resisted the urge to play with her hair uncomfortably. “I’m not quite sure I’d enjoy that really. All the people recognising me and wanting to be my friend just because I’m famous doesn’t sound appealing. Maybe if no one knew who I was, it would be enjoyable.”

“Ellison.” Kellyn surrendered her surname reluctantly. “It’s such a common surname that people get me mixed up with other families so I don’t usually bother to mention my last name.” She lied smoothly, fighting the urge to indulge in nervous habits that would give her away. “No relation to the Ellison’s in Slytherin, as far as I know, but they could be cousins since I haven’t met quite a lot of my family.” It was hard, Kellyn thought wryly, to meet a family residing mainly in Britain when she had travelled all over the world since she was six. But she wasn’t going to tell Gabriel that when she was already worried about him making the connection between her and her mother.

[Gabriel Graas S4]

“Mirrors take up space,” Gabriel countered with a shrug as he patted his jeans to show that they fit like second skin, “And I don’t have that much of that in my pockets.” And of course wearing jeans that fit him perfectly – and were hand-made for that matter – was all part of being him and a model. “And I’m sure I can manage with the money for a few days. But thank you for caring over my financial possibilities. And my dates, I don’t have girlfriends, are able to buy their own gifts. I just pay the bill later,” Gabriel smiled cockily at the girl. He rarely bothered to buy a present for any of the girls he took out himself. He hand-chose them to his family, or occasionally grabbed along something he passed and that caught his eye while heading towards a photo-shoot, on the way. Even though not all of his dates had good taste. But Gabriel wasn’t up to designing the girls outfit knowing he might have forgotten her by the following day.

“Explain to me, kid, why do so many people dislike Mondays? They come after a pleasant, usually relaxed weekend when you’ve had fun, met with friends, done something you like? You should be refreshed and ready to try it all again instead of sulking and thereby making the day worse. If you like New Years or mornings, you should also like Mondays,” Gabriel mused absent-mindedly letting his mind wonder without him as he pulled himself onto the fence surrounding the Shrieking Shack and settled to sit comfortably. Shrugging his shoulders Gabriel threw a glance towards Kellyn, his gaze holding only neutral professional interest. Not a bad bone-structure, a bit short perhaps. With some toning and pruning form professionals the hair could be fluffed up to resemble that of a mink, not too tiny or watery eyes, defined cheek-bones. Overall in an acceptable shape, he supposed. “If you want to be famous for just yourself, buy a gaudy boa and twirl before your mirror. That’s not how the business works. And you’d probably look acceptable enough after some work and a more defined style.” Someone else might have considered the girl a beauty. But someone else wouldn’t have been working with the prettiest of the world for ages either. Gabriel saw possible potential, but he wasn’t going to name it beauty until he would see in what direction it would finally develop to.

“Ellison,” Gabriel muttered, curving one lip-corner upwards as the girl commented on the Slytherin Ellisons just as he thought of them. He didn’t know the Slytherin Ellison twins personally. At least he thought he didn’t. Who knew about the girl, he’d have to see her to know for sure and currently he couldn’t recall her face. But admittedly it wasn’t a too familiar name. Something else sparked in the back of his mind though as Gabriel’s half-hearted grin turned into an amused smirk. “There’s some Ellison in the modeling business as well. I know my agent was complaining over his or hers agent. Apparently he wanted some of his youngsters to pose with me in a couple of months, and my agent was under too much stress to appreciate the offer,” Gabriel absent-mindedly shared from behind half-lidded eyes the recollection of his agents muttering, before dropping the topic entirely. Tilting his head and opening his eyes Gabriel smirked at the girl. “Ellison. Thanks to association I’ll probably even remember the name. You’ll excuse me for not bowing or kissing your hand according to the traditions of the high society. I’m far too comfortable here to bother.”

[Kellyn Ellison H3]

Models. Kellyn grinned to herself lightly. They tended to be arrogant, self-centred and vain. Merlin, she missed being surrounded by them every day. But summer was nearly here and then not only would she be surrounded by them, she would be one of them again. She wouldn’t stay as a model forever, obviously. Models were only popular for as long as their looks remained intact and popular with the public. That was fine; that was okay. She had been trained for this since she had left her father and her step-mother. Her mother was nearly ready to step back from the spotlight and, at only 29 years old, she had been a great model for nearly all of those years. When she stepped back herself, Kellyn rather liked the idea of becoming a journalist or photographer. Interesting work, and linked with the world she had moved in for the majority of her life.

“Ah, you see, Mondays are considered evil precisely because they come after the weekend. Which is ridiculous. Weekends are enjoyable and so you should be fully prepared to face the week ahead. Personally, I despise Fridays. Why do people love Fridays? It’s the day before the weekend, the last day left in class. That day seems to go slower than any other simply because you’re looking forward to the weekend. And yet it’s revered.” Kellyn shrugged elegantly. “People are strange.” He was honest, a trait which Kellyn appreciated. She had good genes and she was pretty, bordering on beautiful when not compared to the elegant, sophisticated models she was almost ready to join. But Gabriel had been one of those beautiful, elegant models since he was a child so, yes, she was merely acceptable. “Acceptable?” Kellyn questioned playfully, the corner of her mouth quirking into a smile. “I’m not sure whether to be insulted or simply relieved that I’m apparently not your type of girl.” Relieved, without a doubt. Gabriel was handsome but Kellyn had known too many models to date one. Anyway, she had seen the twins he had just been on a date with. Plain, ordinary little Kellyn couldn’t compare even if she wanted to.

Maybe she was related to the Ellison twins, Kellyn mused absent-mindedly. After all, she had one cousin who didn’t know she existed – really, what was she going to do about Ashlyn anyway? A promise was a promise and Kellyn had promised to help her mother to keep the promise that she had made to her brother in law, James – so why not more? It was possible. “You should help out with people new to the modelling business,” Kellyn admonished him gently. “It must be intimidating for them and it would be a kind gesture to make them feel more at ease.” Then the realisation came and Kellyn bit back a violent curse. The youngster was most likely her and if Gabriel took her advice then she’d most likely be working with him at least once. Ah well. It wasn’t like they actually know each other so he wasn’t likely to recognise her. And working with an already established model, especially one as adored as him, would give her career a kick-start.

[Gabriel Graas S4]

Gabriel enjoyed the sun warming his bare arms and face, as well as gathering on his black clothing, as he balanced himself with ease. He had sat and glided on enough railings and rode horses and sat on similar fences at home, the he felt peace start pooling somewhere deep inside him as he thought of home. Even his features softened a little bit, even if he angles and sharp features stayed the same. But it was amazing what a smile – the one that a 6 year old child had shyly given to the camera as he raised his shackled hands as an escaped angel with black wings for the first time – could do to a face. He enjoyed the whirl of things and colours and the sparkle that came with everything. But there was something utterly charming about home as well. Being who he was, where people bickered with him not caring about his fame at all, being at peace, or even rolling around hey and mud during a thunder-storm with his brothers or going through a wild neck-breaking gallop through the woods, or skinny dipping in a light summer night in a freezing mountain lake. Home. Even the word itself had charm.

“Personally? I don’t mind any way. Life is just as fun, fast, and interesting as you make it to be. I don’t mind chatting to other people, playing some board-game in History of Magic. All of it can be tolerable enough. As Cervantes said. “Too much sanity may be madness. And maddest of all, to see life and not as it should be”.” Gabriel quoted easily. He was a pureblood and his parents appreciated education. Education that went beyond the dry knowledge school offered. Not that he was allowed to run freely in school too. Gabriel knew that he could continue his modeling career while in Hogwarts, only as long as his grades stayed up. He usually was happy enough to get by on his Exceeds Expectations. Though he did have an Outstanding in Charms – they were related to his work after all – and as a counter force an Acceptable in Artihmancy. “Why shouldn’t people be strange, or seem strange? Or maybe you’re the only strange one, who can’t understand their normality?”

Gabriel met Kellyn’s eyes squarely as he nodded to her: “Acceptable.” He didn’t let his eyes wonder to make sure his first decision had been right. He knew it had and he didn’t need to look again. But she had taken it neatly so he graced himself with replying. “You could be beautiful with a stylist doing your hair, appropriate outfit and setting picked for you, all the work done needed to dazzle someone. But as you stand now? There’s no refined nor shaped style of any sort to set you apart from any other mediocre teenager running around the globe. Do you even know your body enough to be comfortable and graceful in it already? You can’t turn heads without working, you won’t make someone shudder at a glance at you. As you’re standing there? Too pretty to be called ugly. Too plain and ordinary to be called gorgeous. What sets you apart for someone who doesn’t know you? Acceptable.”

Gabriel laughed with amusement evident in his voice. “Help out? And what makes you think me not posing with some newbie isn’t more helpful?” Gabriel tilted his head, observing Kellyn with a sly grin that brought to show the dimple in his left cheek. “If we take out all the vanity and arrogance, you’re bound to accuse me of. I look good and I’m popular. If I wasn’t – I wouldn’t make the money I make and I hadn’t became as famous. Accepted as a fact. Let’s say I pose with a newcomer and give him a minute of fame. The poster will be bought. But for me, not for some unknown face. Will the success go to the newbies head and make him or her act moronically to get the sales as high again? Will he end up in drugs, mental wards, death bed, as the glow blinds him as it has happened so many times? Sure, it would be a soaring start. But could any newbie, who doesn’t know the long hours, the heat of cameras in search of that picture, who doesn’t know what to do, what to avoid, how to care for oneself, how to be ready to shine at 5 in the morning for a photoshoot at dawn at a different country, immediately fly in the top on his own? Could such fame be shaken? Or would he or she stay a less than mediocre model, whose star-hour was having posed with me, as I have already established my fame, because that reputation they could never shake from themselves? If I want to help I won’t even offer advice. What worked for me, worked only for me cause it was new and shocking. The newbie would have to find their own thing that only he could make work, or they would look like a lame wanna-be.”

Gabriel looked into Kellyn, wondering if she saw his point. Did it even matter? “In that sense… maybe not helping would be the best thing I could do? What anyone but his agent and photographer should do. Let's say you and your best friends became models together? You'd wear similar clothes, act int he same way, posed like one. It wouldn't work. It wouldn't sell, because neither of you would be showing themself. Both of you would ahve to find something special and new to bring to the table. Either way it’s not my problem. My agent is handling that part of the business. If I pose with a newbie, I'll pose with a newbie. It's business and it has happened before."

[Kellyn Ellison H3]

“Oh, I am strange. There has never been any doubt about that.” Kellyn assured him with an odd smile. She was odd in every way, never quite belonging to any of the groups she had interacted with in her life. Her father and stepmother hadn’t wanted her after Layla was born but neither had they really wanted to let her go because the only other person to send her to was her mother and her unstable lifestyle. She didn’t really belong with her friends and classmates because while they were chasing after boys and giggling about their crushes, Kellyn viewed them with eyes that had seen more handsome, more refined and more charming people than the boys who seemed most interested in her. But neither had she belonged with the models that made up her chosen family. She had been more like their pet, a little sister who was almost part of their world but not quite. But things were changing and she would finally belong with them. She would get the warm welcome that so many had not, simply because she was loved by the people she would mainly be working with. Perhaps it wasn’t fair, but was life ever fair?

“You’re honest,” Kellyn noted without surprise, a smile flickering at the corners of her mouth. Perhaps she should have feigned offence, like her friends would have undoubtedly truly felt. Perhaps a few hurt looks would have been a more natural reaction from a thirteen year old girl who had been deemed merely acceptable by a model who was adored by most of the females in Hogwarts and around the world. But that wasn’t her and Kellyn had never been one to lie and pretend to be someone or something that she wasn’t. She might give herself a false name and separate parts of her life into different compartments but that was just to simplify things for herself. Complications due to fame weren’t needed.

Kellyn fought the urge to flinch away at his words; words that struck too close to her memories for her to feel entirely comfortable hearing them. Eight years old was far too young to see a girl be ruined by the life that Kellyn had chosen for her own. The girl – Celeste, Kellyn recalled with a sad smile – had soared to the top with her vibrant red hair and devilish smile but that had been ruined by one badly-chosen boyfriend who had fooled both Celeste and Kellyn herself. He had been Celeste’s Prince Charming and had treated Kellyn like his own little sister, bringing her sweets and charming her with muggle magic tricks, but she hadn’t been able to ignore that, when he stepped into Celeste’s life, the older girl’s career had started to die quickly because of the drugs he had hooked her on. Being late for photoshoots and swearing violently at photographers would only cause one thing – being dropped from the industry. “If people want to be famous – whether through modelling, singing or some other industry – then they should be prepared to fight for what they want and not ruin their career by being foolish enough to turn to drugs. Fame is hard to handle for those who aren’t cut out for that lifestyle but it’s their own choice.”

“Okay,” Kellyn agreed without hesitation. Hesitation wasn’t needed when she had seen the point to his words and had previous experiences to emphasise Gabriel’s point. “So you don’t pose with the new models, don’t try to give them tips because they have to choose their own style and hope that it’s something people will like. That’s understandable. But they’re scared, apprehensive, probably don’t know what to expect. Do you at least offer them a kind word because you were once in the same position and probably felt a similar way?”

[Gabriel Graas S4]

A smile flickered fleetingly over Gabriel’s face as he closed his eyes again. Strange? Not many people admitted that. This girl was refreshing. In her attitude. It was almost enchanting to see a girl, more or less his age, who wasn’t ready to jump up and ravish him at a beckon of his little finger. Odd and unexpected – yes. But pleasantly odd, that much had to be admitted. There were so many lies and illusions and glitter around him, which is why he had long ago learned the policy of being honest to a fault. At least to himself. He also knew the value of sometimes leaving things untold.

“Is there a reason to lie? Or have you done something to make you deserve anything but the truth? I can lie to you, if you wish,” Gabriel drawled out absent-mindedly in response to Kellyn’s words. She was refreshing. Most other girls would be in tears over his words. Or asking him to prove them and take them to the stylists and the modeling world. Either option wouldn’t have passed over very well with him. “You’ve got to love what you do, in order to be successful in anything,” Gabriel specified Kellyn’s words, as he thought about them, “And it’s hard to say no to temptation for some. Not everyone has the character to send the world to hell and do what they want. Being an arrogant bastard does have its perks at times.” Gabriel had been offered drugs as well. He had had enough reason to say no though. It would have never passed by his family. And he enjoyed the feeling of taking a long warm showers and then slipping between white fresh laundry in your own bed and letting your tiredness carry you away. He had always turned it down easily. Though he himself was also famous enough to often set the photoshoot times as he desired and he knew what the public expected him to look like.

“80 per cent luck, 15 per cent skill, and 5 per cent connections. Wasn’t that how it was defined sometime?” Gabriel mused, recalling an interview a famous model had once given. Had been right too. It took a lot of luck – especially for a model. You needed luck to be born with a good bone structure and being photogenic. You needed just a tiny bit of skill to know which way to turn, how to smile, how to act, how to make the camera love you and how to make sure you remember it was just a work, not something that defined you. And connections – well, those helped with everything everywhere.

The girl didn’t seem to doubt his words. Smart of her. Gabriel had been honest to a fault. “I didn’t say I never pose with new models. I’ve done it before, will probably do it again. But there are risks for a new model posing with an old-timer that most people don’t consider,” Gabriel interjected. He had seen soaring beginnings that crashed helplessly. In drugs, in debts, in diseases, in loss of sanity, in suicide. Some left the industry, married unhappily or became spinsters, living in ‘might haves’. “Two of the newbies are still even modeling I think. One moved to America, the other is the screen-face of Marino’s jewelry. She was a quick learner though. Pragmatic enough to know it wouldn’t last forever. And modeling is work. A demanding, hard, tiring work. But just work. When I’m at a shoot, I’m a professional. I let the stylists do their jobs, follow photographers as they see things from distance I don’t notice on spot. I get the job done. If I pose with someone? I cooperate. If they look bad, I don’t look good either. I suggest pose ideas, prompt them, irk them until they react, resulting in a photo. I do what’s needed to reach the aim. If they learn to take it professionally – good for them. To not to trust anyone or any of the illusions is the sensible thing for a beginner.”

[Kellyn Ellison H3]

“There’s always a reason to lie. But sometimes you don’t see the reason or don’t judge it important enough to lie to someone for such a reason. But no, for now I’m content to hear the truth.” Even if Kellyn was to be tempted by the idea of drugs, she knew herself well enough to find the strength to turn down the temptation of forgetting everything in a chemical haze. Or rather, she thought she did. She wouldn’t know for sure until she was offered them. And even turning them down once or twice or three times didn’t mean that she wouldn’t say yes at some point. The key to resisting that temptation, Kellyn decided now, was to stay strong, remember the people she had seen lose their reputations and their careers to drugs and ask herself if she really wanted to give up control of herself like that.

“75 percent luck, 17 percent skill and 8 percent connections,” Kellyn corrected after a moment’s thought. Her mother loved that definition of modelling, saying that the model had been entirely correct because the one thing models had to be, above everything else, was lucky. Lucky enough to be born with the good looks to be a model, lucky enough to find a good agent and lucky enough to have something that people would love you for. Kellyn had that luck and she had the connections. All she needed now was to find out if she had the skill.

She would be grateful to work with him during her first few months as a model, Kellyn realised suddenly. He had been honest and patient with her as Kellyn, answering her question truthfully and even taking her through the world of modelling even though he didn’t know her. And now she knew vaguely how he would treat her as a model. She liked him, Kellyn decided simply. Not as a boyfriend; no way. Kellyn had too much experience with models to even consider dating one, and she wasn’t too keen on the idea of a boyfriend anyway. It was too much commitment and she’d have to lie about where she was disappearing to when she had a photo shoot or a publicity appearance. The idea of dating with no strings attached, no commitment, was far more appealing. “I think you would be a good person for a new model to work with,” Kellyn mused, more speaking her thoughts out loud to make more sense of them than actually addressing them to Gabriel. “You’re not the cruellest model but you’re not the nicest either. A good start for someone who feels lost and unsure.”

[Gabriel Graas S4]

“Alright then. I’m too lazy to bother lying, I’ve learned to be honest to a fault as it’s easier and I don’t find your not the situation important enough to lie,” Gabriel stated with a tilt of his chin, giving a relatively patronizing glance at Kellyn. She was nice enough girl and it was refreshing to not have to flirt for the moment or to fend off signs of affection. But he was tired, she probably was a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor seeing that Gabriel didn’t recall seeing her before and so he doubted there would be much to come from this meeting on a later date.

Hiding a yawn behind his hand Gabriel didn’t pay much attention to the words, Kellyn shared. “Not the most cruel, not the most nice. And I’m sure you know how the crueler or nicer models behave? It’s an arrogant bunch, always keeping in mind what benefits them. A sweet innocent kid would be eaten for a snack without pause,” Gabriel told Kellyn quite calmly, a pointed glance form his eyes letting her know that he did mean Kellyn as the young nice child. It wasn’t as if he was that much older than her. Probably only a year. But Gabriel had been a model since he was 6 and that had introduced him to the uglier side of life too. He had grown up quickly. Some could argue that seeing the way he treated girls, he was just an immature jerk. And true, he wasn’t ready to commit himself to anyone. Besides who wouldn’t take advantage of having girls throw themselves at him at every opportunity? But below all of it as a cynical adult, suspicious of the world and wary of it’s darker side.

Feeling one more yawn taking hold of him Gabriel glanced at his watch only to discover that by now he had been up for 38 hours straight. “Well, however pleasant the meeting and appreciated the make-up help, I believe it’s time for a bit of beauty-sleep,” Gabriel said as he wearily slid himself off the fence, and threw his jacket simply over his shoulders, not bothering with pushing his arms into the sleeves. Nodding slightly at the girl in good bye, Gabriel ignored the groan from his tired feet as he started heading towards the Hogwarts castle at a slow but steady pace, wonderng if his tiredness showed on his face, now that he didn’t keep on the mask he had used at the poster-parties. No matter. He’d get to Hogwarts and then enjoy sleeping until tomorrow morning. That should get him in shape again.