All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!
And! I dunno if you know about soul mate lore according to the book Brida (Paul Coelho). Well... Souls can divide into two, and these two parts of a whole soul are what's known as soul mates.. There is no limit to how many times a soul can divide in each lifetime, so we can end with a number of soul mates or none. They also don't have to be lovers, maybe a parent or a sibling, even a friend can be a soul mate. (This is only book's fiction and not what I personaly believe, nor should it be taken as gospel... All for the sake of the story, right?)
Annnnd! I wanted to update weekly, but seeing the almost overwhelming response to this project, I decided to just update part 2 and forget about it till Christmas~
The Crow
(First Arc: The witch from another world)
(Part 02)
XxxxXxxxX
Lively deep green eyes fluttered open, looking everywhere curiously and perhaps a bit frightened as their owner woke up.
The girl startled after a moment, suddenly aware of the strange predicament she found herself in.
But Clow was right beside her, magic and soul curling protectively around her form until her head lowered, and her eyes half closed in a sedated torpor.
The reaching tendril of magic touched her own, a bond is made that only he could see, and it's so very beautiful.
"Who are you?" She asked the man sitting at her bedside once more, head lolling on her shoulder so she could pin him with her sleepy gaze. A European appearance, with dark mahogany colored hair that curled lovingly around her head and neck.
His smile dimpled the sides of his cheeks as he regarded her fondly. She was there to wreck his future, but he'd make it his. Make her his.
"My name is Clow Reed, precious one; can you tell me your name?" She processed his name for a minute, apparently coming up blank - she's never heard of him, which is strange - he's accumulated quite the fame for his magical prowess and knowledge in his home world and in a couple of universes.
The tentative bond staggered. She's scared and intimidated. She does not belong to anyone but herself – but there is hope, hope for joy beyond measure and peace the likes of which none of them ever felt. The truce is delicate, but he could work with it and build their bond from there.
"... Violet Potter...And I'm not your precious one" She seemed to wait for a reaction, any reaction, none that he gave anyway - making Clow realize that just how he waited to be recognized, so did she – though he ignored her quip with a blink. Violet was there, studying him some more "how - how did I end up here?"
And that disturbing predictable question came sooner rather than later.
He had no idea, though now that he had a name and a face, he'd be able to scry for her when needed – such are the benefits of his powers if they ever worked correctly when the subject was Violet. He's tried for weeks when the dreams started, so Clow wasn't certain it would work now.
'And now the proof of my dreams is right here in my reach' Clow wondered when he's supposed to care about the how his precious gift fell into his arms. His mood fluctuated between contentment and a vast amount of worry regardless of his blasé approach on the situation.
"I'm sorry, that's a question I cannot answer right now... I can tell you where you are though; we are in my state, a couple dozen miles north of London. You fell from a Storm" He revealed with what he knew was a comforting smile.
"Oh..." A breath is gushed through slack, naturally rosy lips, she blinked bewildered, large eyes searing into his own as if willing his mind to open – He'd like to open his mind for her one day, have her entrenched so deeply into him they'd be one.
The bond shifts, becomes needy and possessive. Dangerous. His darker, more powerful hold on his feelings have him hungry. His little treasure recoils in naïve fear. He couldn't have that.
A darkened vein of possession purred in delight. The sorcerer forcibly cleared his head from the haze Violet created and focused deeper on her, taking a shaky, feminine hand in his, thumb drawing small circles at the junction between fingers and palm.
Violet trembled, clutching at his hand for a single second as her defenses crumbled, before drawing her limb from him as if burned. 'Fall into my web, fall into me' The sorcerer prayed silently to the darkest forces of the multiverse.
"What is the last thing you remember?" He finally asked gently, urging trust into Violet. After taking a long, fortifying breath, his gift made a question.
"A-are you a... um..." He kept the encouraging smile for Violet. Green eyes scanned the room he had prepared for her only hours before, taking into consideration the Arts & Crafts decó and the gas lamps. After a couple of minutes absorbing her surroundings with careful observations, she turned to him, to his robes and the staff he never bothers to hide. "...Wizard" Violet finally voiced what's in her mind.
Ah. So she already knew about magic – a weight leaves his shoulders enough that the calming smile on his lips evolve into a grin.
'And not an ounce of fear' Clow notices giddily. 'She doesn't fear magic'
The bond is so beyond her comprehension that she's not aware of it in a conscious state. He'd have to teach her the intricacies of magic and the beauty of the arts, just so he could show her the magnificent power of the bond between them.
"Indeed, Miss Potter, though I am considered more a Sorcerer due to the scale of my powers" Clow told her, almost cheerful but still careful. Although he felt she'd be open minded to the idea of his Art, he didn't want to scare her too soon "Can you say what is it you remember last?"
Violet's whole body shuddered then. Seeing her reaction to his question, the sorcerer risked taking hold of her hand again, keeping it loosely between his fingers.
She leaned into his touch, taking all the comfort she's allowing herself to.
Once more, the darkness tinted magic under his skin pulsed maniacally in rhythm with his longing heart. 'So very beautiful'
The magic under her skin sings for his, sinking hooks into his ether, digging a hole for itself. She's been abused, he notices, her powers after his affection – something he's willing to give freely if she'd let him.
Following their bond to the origin inside of her, he could see it – frayed limbs and reaching hands, desperate tendrils curling helplessly after being so aggressively severed, and the blackened bonds that led to blood family. If he ever met her family, he'd make them pay for crippling his treasure so.
Understanding shined in her eyes, even as they darkened in painful remembrance "I... I was at Hogwarts" She told him. He wondered briefly what kind of place is Hogwarts, never having heard of the name before – Violet read his expression accurately, for she frowned in answer, worry curling visibly around her "You don't know what Hogwarts is? But you clearly have magic!"
A low, fond chuckle leave his throat. Not mocking, but gentle and warm. 'Sassy. She only needs confidence and caring' Color rises to paint a faint pink upon cheeks that were quite pale before. The color looks beautiful on her – he's decided to make his precious gift blush more often. He is proud of Violet's temper. He could see how she used it to take pride in her actions. She's so very special…
But first…
'Pride takes a toll of the Lioness who thought she knew too much'
"And can you say for yourself that you know all there is to know about the world?" He asks moderately. Violet's head lower, she's biting her lips as she thought. His hand already left hers and found a place on a slim shoulder, the tips of his long fingers brushing against her neck enticingly.
'Never too early to start seducing this Lioness'
"We don't even know from where you came from, my dear, finish your tale"
"Right... right" Her mind blanked, thoughts swirling like mist at the forefront of her consciousness.
Clow was not proud of himself as he didn't even pretend not to notice the chance to take a peek... Her mind was sprawled open before him, a few centimeters away.
'What do I remember? I was at Hogwarts, the wards were breached and Death Eaters kept pouring in. Voldemort challenged me threatening my friends and so I went to him and he... killed me once - the Killing Curse, but I didn't stay dead. I was brought before him a second time and we dueled again, our spells met midair and suddenly there is this storm brewing over our heads. I heard thunder, it only took one slip of concentration, his spell overpowered mine and everything went out of control! And then...' At the outside, Violet's expression closed off, the green of her eyes turning a darker shade of sorrow.
His hand already on her shoulders helped him into bringing Violet against his side – she understandably struggled for a moment, but was so emotionally spent at the moment that she didn't fight him, or the tears, for long, choosing to lean against him for comfort.
The bond sings, thickens and grows at an exponential rate. She is so starved for affection, for love, that she falls into his waiting arms. It's sad, and the monster in him rears its' ugly head in a victorious howl that echoes throughout the ether.
Clow's face turned blank as he tried to sooth Violet – the conflict she plundered into is powerful enough to drag him in it. Whatever she's been through is, indeed, scarring and sad "Shh... You're safe with me, shh... don't cry my dear one, nothing will reach you here, you are alive. I will keep you safe"
"Is-is Voldemort gone?" She asked half coherently after a minute or two, forgetting she hasn't actually told him anything.
Regret that he cannot offer an answer spread in Clow. 'Whoever this Voldemort is, if he isn't already dead – Snake like face, ruby red eyes filled with a cold, meticulous fury – I will find a way to make him pay'
Another thing to scry about when he wasn't filled with the need to protect "I don't know, but I can find out" The sorcerer promised darkly, daring to lower his chin to rest atop the crown of her head. "Would you like to rest a little before we talk more?"
She took a moment to compose herself, and to his abundant disappointment, she also straightened boldly against the headboard, steadying her emotions before looking at him from wet, green eyes. He just smiled encouragingly – hiding the true maelstrom his emotions were causing.
It's all she needed.
'Brave, courageous and beautiful Lioness' Light magic curled around Violet. She's calmed down some.
"No… I'm fine. First, what year is it?" Well, isn't this an interesting question?
"The year of our queen 1856" He answers regretfully, monitoring the spike in her precious heart and the way her face falls disappointedly. "I take it you've been temporarily displaced as well?" He tried to say lightly, but a fear took root within his heart.
What if…
"Oh Merlin, more than a hundred years...! What will I do?"
What if she…
"You can stay within my home for as long as you need, we can find a way back to wherever or whenever you came from" He said it lightly enough, hiding the undercurrent of sheer possessiveness that threatened to overcome his senses.
'I cannot be selfish! Focus Clow Reed!'
What if she wants…
"I can't burden you!"
"Don't worry, I have the means to support you - and if you're worried about being a burden, I am a master, Miss Potter, you can stay as my student until we find what can be done about you, yes?"
What if…
"Oh…"
"Sleep a little more, I will have someone prepare a bath for you - and a change of clothes... You can dine with me if you're feeling better, we can resume talking then"
Her relief was despairingly palpable in the air, he smiled again, a hand reaching with a will of its own to touch her, to feel the texture of warm skin underneath his fingertips - to connect their magic and souls once more in that glorious melody he started hearing when she arrived…
"Alright, I think I can do that"
What if… in the end… she wants to leave?
The bond cord pulse, connecting their souls together. Even if she wants to leave, he'd follow. Now he only has to convince her of the same thing.
XxxxXxxxX
It took an embarrassing while for the sorcerer to understand what was going on.
When it finally dawned on him, it took a lot of effort not to let the veritable amount of smugness that wanted to pour out of him, out.
"The bond has taken hold this fast?" He wondered to himself, looking around the strange place he was found at.
"What bond?"
"Our bond, of course… You form bonds with everyone you ever meet, and these bonds will affect your future…. Though some believe that fate is all there is to it"
"I hate fate, I hate prophecies"
"That is a shame little one, for it seems you have accessed exactly that facet of my powers" He told the mental voice of his gift with a gentle, yielding tone "Look around now… The fraction of what you took from me is now coming into effect"
And indeed, as they conversed in the dreamscape, it changed. Before the place was bare, just a vast darkened expanse that extended and sprawled until the edges frayed like old fabric – He knew that this wasn't all there was to his gift's mind, this was only somewhere unconsciously summoned by her that would facilitate the use of his powers.
He thrived in the darkness, after all.
But darkness was slowly seeping away, being filled with crystal orbs that glowed, incandescent and vividly.
Prophecies. A lot of them too.
"How can it be that you seem to be able to see using my powers, when I cannot?"
"Dunno. I think I'm dreaming"
"You definitely are" He muffled a laugh with the sleeve of his robes. "But look what you're dreaming about"
A crystal orb burst, sending images, sounds, colors, smells and sensations to the two who were witnessing the prophecy…
"Oh!" She squeaked adorably "I wonder who that is…"
Before they were taken completely by the dream she pulled forth.
...
TBC!