Chapter 3/./ A Shadow, A Storm, A Darkening Sky

An advertisement for traveling from Dover to Paris by ferry.

I spent the night in a run-down muggle hotel near the ruins of the Leaky Cauldron. I puzzled for hours over what could possibly be waiting for me in Paris. Was Draco there?

I had the feeling that the guessing games were just beginning.

I woke early the next morning, and headed down to a local bookstore, true to form. I found every single book I could about Paris and skimmed them quickly. Hours had passed before me, and I had no idea. I did not stop my reading until I opened one particularly dusty book about legends of Paris and a small piece of paper fell out.

Take the train to Dover.

The streets of muggle London teemed full with people as I hurried through the masses, pulling my dark sunglasses over my eyes. I had let the time get away from me, and it was well beyond midday. I watched the people pass by me as I hurried towards the train station. The sky was growing darker, the sun eerily less bright. The rolling fog remained throughout the city, but I instinctively knew it had nothing to do with the weather. The muggles seemed to have the same uneasy feeling I did. They scurried along, hurrying to their destinations with worry in their eyes. I wondered, not for the first time, just how bad this was going to get.

I found myself at the station arriving just in time for the last train out of London going to Dover.

"I need a one-way ticket to Dover, please." The teenager behind the desk, obviously bored, looked up from her nails at me and smacked her chewing gum.

"How many bags do you have?"

"Oh. Well, just one carry-on." She gave me a strange look.

"Alright… Here's your ticket. You'd better hurry- they're boarding the last train right now." I solemnly thanked her and hurried towards the train.

I had no luggage. I had nowhere to stay once I got to Paris. I began to realize that I was abandoning my previous rational self for an impulsive impostor. All will be well, I thought to myself. Just get to Paris and then you will know.

I was beginning to hate traveling by train. A girl with a large green mohawk sat beside me on the way to Dover. She seemed loaded with an arsenal of ridiculously smelly foods and sodas. She turned up her music way too loud, and I sighed, shutting the book I was trying to read. I was continuously jabbed in the stomach as I was trying to watch the English countryside go by. When I turned, I realized that it was only her spiky jewelry and, despite her terribly loud music, she had fallen asleep.

It was definitely a relief to get off that train.

I had never traveled by ferry before, despite countless family vacations to France. I thought that, had circumstances been different, I would have acted like a kid in a candy shop, much like the children on the boat. The line to get on the boat was terribly long, but I imagined that muggle schools had only recently been let out for spring vacations.

After the ferry had set off, I went up to the upper deck, looking out over the dark waters. The air had taken on a distinct chill and the sky was black with the impending storm. I had heard the captain remark to his crew, "I just want to get us to Calais before this thing hits."

This… thing… But fear had no purpose for me. I learned a long time ago that fear will only impede progress. Standing atop the ferry, with the wind blowing my hair all about, I was not afraid. When I looked to the right and saw a figure in shadow, watching me.. No, I wasn't afraid then either.

I wasn't afraid until the shadowed figure had disappeared upon a second look.

I had now perched myself in a seat in a relatively empty section of the train to Paris, opening the book I had bought.

"Um… Excuse me, m'am, but is this seat taken?" said a black-haired girl standing before me. She smiled and I couldn't help but smile back.

"No, not at all. Feel free to sit here."

"Oh, that's swell," she remarked gaily as she sat down and placed her bag under the chair. "I was terrified you were going to be French, and I was going to have to butcher that beautiful language again." I laughed.

"No, just another traveler to the beautiful city." She grinned at me, and I felt strangely at ease.

"What takes you there?"

I stopped, for a second, looking out the window at the French countryside passing us by. Now that was some question.

"I'm looking for something I lost."

"Aha." She seemed to realize I was being vague. "Well, I'm going to go to an opera!"

"Oh, that sounds like a wonderful thing. It was always my dream as a young girl to see the opera."

"Why don't you come with me? The man who sold me my ticket gave me two, on accident. And then the strangest thing happened!" Her voice had taken on a dramatic, theatrical tone. She looked around, and then whispered solemnly, "He disappeared."

"Did he?" I cocked an eyebrow, giving her a disbelieving look. I knew, though, that the likelihood of such an occurrence was not slim.

"Oh, yeah. I never saw him again. So, do you want to go?"

"Well, sure. If you're sure you want to give me that ticket."

"It's yours!" She grinned and suddenly, for no apparent reason, a chill went down my spine.

She dug the ticket out of her purse and handed one to me. Upon examination, the front was absolutely normal. The back, however…

Go to the Opera.

Do not leave.


A/N: Remastered. I'm back! I am so terribly sorry for the incredibly long wait- sometimes life happens. It was a struggle to get back into the rhythm of this story, but hopefully you guys won't mind too much. The next chapter is basically seeping out of my pores at the moment- it will be a lot more eventful, promise! I had intended to abandon this story, because although I simply adore it, I had run out of steam for it. However, the sheer amount of reviews, and alerts, and favorite story/author emails I'm getting, even after the story hasn't been updated in a year...

I love you guys. :D

Chapter 4 preview:
I don't know if anyone noticed besides me, but there were shadows on stage. Wait, no...
There were shadows everywhere. When I suddenly found myself alone with them, I cursed.
I
knew I should've brought my flashlight.