Chapter 9: Amelia's Secret
"Really important meetings are planned by the souls long before the bodies see each other. Generally speaking, these meetings occur when we reach a limit, when we need to die and be reborn emotionally. These meetings are waiting for us, but more often than not, we avoid them happening. If we are desperate, though, if we have nothing to lose, or if we are full of enthusiasm for life, then the unknown reveals itself, and our universe changes direction."
– Paulo Coelho, Eleven Minutes
It took longer than everyone expected, and yet, there they were—eight young women, each in a different dress, cramped into the spare bedroom of the London flat of Nicolas Tennant. Amelia had gotten dressed the fastest and was therefore the official helper. She'd only been there two hours, and Madeline was already thankful for her—she had been flitting around choosing shoes, applying eyeliner, picking out lipstick colors, zipping up dresses, and shutting down petty squabbles. Claire compared her to a Muggle female superhero, and for the first time, Amelia looked genuinely embarrassed. She was, in truth, amazing.
And she didn't stop with the fashion. Back in the living area, where the coffee table was large enough, she set out a map of the world and placed on it two dozen or so silver figurines of notable monuments or buildings, so that it looked as though they were to play a game.
"Alright, ladies, gather 'round. We've got to begin the exciting business," she said while Margaret was busy pouring second glasses of wine for everyone.
"Business?" asked Penelope.
"Yes. We've got to plan our route. There are eight of us, and twenty-four locations to choose from. We will each choose one, and that will be how we decide our plan for the evening. 8 cities, 8 parties, 8 exciting adventures. Elaine will choose first. Elaine?"
"Oh my," said Elaine, as she stared wide-eyed at the map of Earth.
The ladies gathered around the coffee table and carefully handled their wine glasses as they moved about. They were all dressed and ready to go. A few of them were anxiously playing with the hem of the dress or smoothing out wrinkles or touching their hair. Madeline's ankle was twitching side-to-side, and it wasn't until Claire silently and gently placed a hand on her leg that she realised what she had been doing.
"I choose this place," said Elaine, pointing at an island off the coast of Australia. It was probably the location furthest from them.
"You're sure?" said Amelia. When Elaine nodded, Amelia took out her wand, pointed at a large lake surrounded by impressive mountains, and they transformed from silver into glimmering white and blue. It had, in fact, gone from a silver figurine to a realistic miniature. The girls ooooed and grinned. "Elaine has chosen Queenstown, New Zealand. We will likely visit during the day so that you can properly see the mountains."
Kendra took it upon herself to go next and pointed excitedly at the Eiffel Tower.
"I choose Paris!"
"Saw that one coming," said Amelia with a smile as she changed the Eiffel Tower from silver to something like bronze. Then the ladies looked around at each other, and no one openly volunteered to choose next. Amelia looked to Elaine, caught her eye, and nodded at her. Elaine got the hint.
"Temperance, d'you know where you'd like to go?" she asked politely.
Temperance shook her head and said nothing.
"Penelope?"
"Mmmm, I think I'd like to see New Orleans," said Penelope after a moment. "I've heard it's a fun place."
The New Orleans Mardi Gras mask transformed from silver to a gorgeous emerald, royal purple, and gold, complete with intricate beading and lace fringes.
"Indeed," said Amelia. "We will have plenty of activities to choose from in every city."
Claire went next, and she immediately chose Mykonos, Greece.
"Noooooo," said Madeline, pouting at Claire, who laughed. "Now I have to pick somewhere else."
"Well while you're making up your mind, I'll throw my lot in for Rio," said Margaret.
"Oooooo," said Kendra, who was impressed. "Feeling Brazilian, are we? Isn't it going to be winter there?"
"Late spring, actually. I just want to take this opportunity to see something outside of the northern hemisphere," said Margaret with an air of superior thinking.
"Where is this?" asked Madeline. She pointed at a series of islands where the figurine was an ancient-looking temple.
"That would be Bali, Indonesia. It has some great secluded beaches and local cuisine. A good friend of mine lives there."
"Well, that sounds fun. Let's go there," said Madeline happily. "Will we need swim suits for some of these places?"
"Yes—I'm glad you reminded me. I will pack those in my bag."
"Tempy?" asked Elaine tentatively.
"I'm having a hard time deciding," she said with a frown. "Munich or Tokyo? Ibiza or Copenhagen? Prague or Belgrade? Istanbul or Miami? Monaco or Casablanca? Quebec City or Tel Aviv? Manchester or Beijing?"
"If you pick Manchester, I'll pick again for you," snapped Margaret.
"How about I narrow it down one more?" asked Amelia. "I'll choose Tokyo. I'm also happy to make suggestions."
Temperance took a few more minutes to think over her decision. The wine had made her more thoughtful rather than impulsive.
"I think… I'll choose Prague."
"Good choice," said Amelia happily. A small bridge changed from silver to grey, and then blue water glimmered beneath it. "Alright then, let's go over some important information before the men get here. First and foremost, you must always be with at least one member of the group. If six of us trot away to some nightclub, the remaining two must stick together like superglue."
"Superglue?" asked Kendra, who looked at Amelia as though she'd lost her mind. While all but Claire was distracted by the Muggle word, Amelia conjured eight dainty silver bracelets.
"These bracelets will glow red and vibrate if one of us is in danger. Mine will also do this if one of the bracelets is removed or strays too far. Place them on your left wrist and we will demonstrate."
Once the bracelets were all fastened, Amelia asked Elaine to take hers off. After she had unclasped hers, everyone's bracelet glowed red and vibrated on the wrist until it was slightly painful.
"As you see, it's pretty annoying. I had originally made them just glow, but I found that the vibrations were easier to detect in clubs while dancing and such. So. What else. I'll gather all your swimsuits… ah! Yes. ID's."
Amelia spent a few minutes rummaging through her purse, and while doing so extricated seven identification cards like the ones Muggles use. Madeline saw her name and picked it up.
"Madeline Palmer, 21, Inverness—I don't live anywhere near Inverness."
"You do for the next twenty-four hours," said Amelia. "And you're all 21 or 22, too. Otherwise you won't drink in New Orleans. These are ID cards that won't rouse suspicion from Muggles but will also pass international Wizarding inspections. They're incredibly realistic, so don't lose them. I spent all day yesterday making these damn things."
Madeline looked again. There was a photograph of her that she couldn't place, mostly because it wasn't moving at all. She stared at the portrait of herself and couldn't believe it—how many times had she looked at herself in a mirror—but she hardly recognised her own face. It was as though someone had drained all the energy and life out of her and placed a photograph of it on the card.
"I look horrendous!" she cried. The other ladies took up their own cards and had similar sentiments.
"Elaine sent me photographs of each of you, and I did the best I could to make them look like true identification photographs. Your dates of birth and addresses are purposefully incorrect, and your photographs will not move because Muggle photos do not move. If you would like, tomorrow I can update your card so that it reflects proper information and realistic images. We'll discuss that tomorrow, though."
The women said nothing. They each took their card and tried not to be horrified by what they saw. Claire's hair was long and beautiful, Madeline's face was rounder, Penelope's face was thinner, Kendra's hair was frizzy, and Margaret looked like she was 15.
"There will be a few locations where we will not these ID cards. We will go to a few strictly wizarding areas. But for the most part, you must pretend that you are a Muggle. That is why I am here."
The men arrived at the correct time, just as Amelia had instructed. While the ladies finished their second glass, she tidied up and proceeded with more instructions.
"Come out one at a time so that I can look at each of you individually. This is nothing to fear—just a last-minute look-ever. Elaine will be last, but the rest of the order you can decide among yourselves."
"Who's out there?" asked Kendra.
"The three men from earlier," she said. "I will be out there too, of course. Please give each woman about three minutes before the next enters."
As Amelia exited the room, they looked around at each other, stunned by how pretty they all were. Madeline was the first to speak.
"I'm nervous. Might I go first?"
No one opposed, so Madeline stepped up to the door, and after waiting for a few long moments, she stepped out. It was obvious that the men were deep in conversation, probably about Quidditch, for none of them looked up when she quietly entered the room. Amelia, however, smiled and nodded.
"I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd choose to go first, Madeline," said Amelia.
Her name caught their attention, and Oliver, Nicolas, and Charlie looked up at her. She was swaying slightly, feeling uncomfortable in her heels, and anxious about being in clothing so delicate and beautiful—she was wearing a shimmery forest-green dress that fit tight from her waist up and flowed delicately from the waist down. It suited Madeline's athletic frame better than the other dress options, as it emphasized her smaller waist and torso. But it covered everything securely (her main concern had been the dress slipping off while she was intoxicated) and modestly, so she wasn't as self-conscious as she could have been. Her high-heels were silver and gave her another three or four inches of height, and her wild hair was braided and pulled into a well-styled up-do. It would stay out of her way and off her mind the whole evening, and she was thankful. Oliver stood and approached her, his gaze tender but still revealing surprise.
"Maddie?" he asked, smiling. "Look at you."
"Just wait til you see her in the bridesmaid dress, mate," said Nicolas.
Oliver and Madeline moved to stand out of the way. Another moment and the door opened. Temperance stepped out to join them looking nearly as nervous as Madeline felt. Her long black hair was curled and pulled half-back so that you could properly see her impressive dress—it was black with silver roses (complete with thorns) creeping up the dress towards her chest. Her heels were silver as well. Madeline had a feeling that she would be fighting men away from her friends all evening.
Next was Kendra, wearing a blazing crimson A-line dress with a noticeable V-neck. Her lips were just as red and her shoes were of a black, satin material. She stood next to Temperance and swayed with a glowing, excited grin. Her brown hair was curled and left to fall where it wanted.
Penelope entered slowly after Kendra, wearing a simple black sleeveless dress and black shoes. Kendra squealed and jumped and clapped happily, and she and Penelope lamented over their not having invited Percy and Peter to their mini fashion show.
Madeline was curious to see who would exit the bedroom next—whether it would be Margaret or Claire. She turned to look at Oliver, who smiled happily at her and leaned over to kiss her cheek, and then glanced at Nicolas and Charlie. They both seemed to be eagerly awaiting their respective girlfriend.
Claire was next, entering the room with her head down, looking at her shoes. Rather than looking at her friend, Madeline looked to Charlie—his mouth was hanging open slightly and he gazed at her as though he was seeing a newborn dragon. Claire's dress was lavender, tight-fitted, and had a halter top and low back. The material was satin-y and gorgeous, and Madeline wasn't surprised at Charlie's reaction. The color accentuated Claire's blonde hair, and the halter suited her short haircut well—her greenish grey eyes looked brighter than usual, too.
Madeline's gaze drifted from Amelia (who looked pleased) to Nicolas, whose expression had become heavily guarded, so that Madeline could only assume that he had been hoping to see Margaret next. When Claire sat next to Charlie, he whispered something in her ear, making her expression soften, and they both smiled with something like embarrassment.
Margaret was next, of course, and entered without reservation—she was wearing a lovely champagne-coloured dress which had a V-neck, low back, and satiny sheen. Nicolas' expression, Madeline noticed, had brightened considerably. Her dark complexion glowed against it, and she gave them all an annoyed-but-willing twirl.
"There, I've given a twirl. Can Elaine come out now?"
"Yes, sure," said Amelia, looking amused.
Nicolas stood to meet Margaret as she approached him, and he gave her an impressive bow.
"How charming," she cooed. "Ever the gentleman, aren't you?"
"Ever," he said, taking her hand and kissing it.
They sat, and Elaine entered hesitantly. Everyone murmured their surprise and approval when she was fully visible. She was wearing the most beautiful little white dress Madeline had ever seen, and her white shoes and silver jewelry completed the ensemble perfectly.
"Don't have too much fun, ladies," he said with his crooked grin. Madeline smiled and remembered a time when that grin made her knees wobbly.
"We'll have a running tally of how many foreign men we can each snog. Don't worry," said Margaret, looking around at the stunned faces. "Snog only."
"There won't be a contest," said Claire, who approached Charlie and gave him a last-minute kiss. All Nicolas got from Margaret was a flirty wink and wave.
Oliver gently placed both of his rough, calluses hands on her face and his thumbs stroked her cheeks. His warm whisky eyes told her what she needed to hear.
"I love you," they said. "You are my everything. Please, please be careful."
They kissed, and Madeline was in a daze until they were touching the portkey.
Amelia explained that it would not be prudent to follow the order in which they decided, as it was not yet evening in the US, it was around midday. Their adventure therefore began in Tokyo, where it was late at night. They would then travel to Bali and next to Greece. New Zealand would be last.
They arrived first in a small hotel room.
"Alright, ladies," said Margaret snappily while they walked down through the hotel. "My goal for the night is to have you all snog at least one random lad. It's tradition, and it's not going to hurt anyone, alright?"
Her gaze was quite serious and Madeline huffed. The idea of kissing a random man did not appeal to her. She needed attachment—sincere and organic chemistry—rough hands—communicative eyes—Oliver. All she needed was Oliver.
"Fat chance," said Madeline stubbornly.
"Yeah," said Claire laughingly. "Good luck finding a lad willing to break through Madeline's defensive shell."
"When we're out of Muggle territory, I will redouble my efforts," said Margaret.
"I'm not kissing anyone," said Elaine sheepishly. "So good luck."
"Oh, dear, sweet Elaine… it will happen. Just wait."
Margaret's sense of purpose was a little foreboding and intimidating, and the women grew quiet.
"Oh, you lot need to loosen up," said Margaret with a huff. "Your boyfriends and fiancé will still love you if you kiss another human. It doesn't have to be a man!"
"You will see plenty of attractive men and women tonight," said Amelia. "But I advise caution. Treat everyone like Muggles until you know better."
"The key is to not grow attached to these people. You're exploring and it's fun. It's the last chance you have," said Margaret, looking directly at Elaine, "before you're married. That's what tonight is about. So everyone needs to loosen up."
Elaine froze and stared at Margaret with surprise.
"You're right," said Elaine with horror. "I need a drink. Or two."
Tokyo's nightlife was wrapping up when they arrived, but they managed to find a club that was still energetically encouraging people to dance and party. They began the night by drinking and dancing together, and it didn't take long for Claire, Kendra, and Margaret to have partners. They each were inherently comfortable with their bodies and it showed in their movements. Madeline would need another drink before she loosened up enough to let random men grind all over her.
They were only in Tokyo for about an hour and a half when Amelia rounded them up, let them have another shot of liquor, and had them all touching their next portkey.
Two blinks later and they were at their second location, Bali. It was deep into the early hours of the morning, and the breeze on the beach was thick with humidity but a touch chilly. From the beach where they landed, the ladies could see the endless blackness that was the sea and the star-spotted inky sky. To their left was a house with a large, wide veranda that wrapped around the white wooden building. It was surrounded by lush green plants and looked as though it opened straight to a wild jungle. The juxtaposition of the greenery, the house, and the sea was quite disorientating.
"This is one of my favorite places in the world," said Amelia softly. "It's a wizarding hotel with a restaurant on the ground floor. People stay here from all over the world. I know the owner and his sons. They will likely dine with us."
"We're in Bali?" asked Claire.
"Yes. We have about an hour until the sun comes up."
"What are we going to do for two hours?" asked Margaret.
"Whatever you want. Drink. Rest. Party. Sleep. Eat. Whatever. They have a great venue for musicians in the back, and they may have someone playing."
Amelia led them to the house, which was cozy and warm. While the others were ordering food and drinks from an attractive, dark-complexioned bartender with an impressive set of biceps, Madeline walked out on the empty, quiet veranda and stared at the ocean.
The breeze picked up while her thoughts lingered on the lights of the city she had just seen, and she heard one of the French doors to the veranda open. Assuming it was either Claire, Amelia, or Margaret, Madeline slumped onto the rail of the veranda and relaxed her body completely. Her feet were already sore from the heels. She thought about taking her wand and relieving them, but Amelia had all their wands in her purse.
"I'm not hungry," she said, still looking at the waves foaming against the beach. The darkness of the sky wasn't too different from that of the ocean, and Madeline felt her mind swirl a bit. She'd already had enough to drink to feel the effects.
"That's a shame," said a man's voice. She didn't recognise it and immediately straightened and looked behind. "We have an excellent menu."
"Oh," said Madeline stupidly. It was the only sound she could make.
The man standing before her was incredibly attractive, but he was also more than attractive, somehow. It went beyond physical and sexual attraction. His eyes were the color of lush, dark green plants reaching around the sides of the veranda; they spoke of patience, courage, and immediate, palpable love—a love for all living things. The man's hair was darker than the sky, and though it was long, he had it pulled back into a bun. His smile, as it broke out slowly over his dark-complexioned face, was warm and welcoming. It was made all the brighter being surrounded by a short black beard.
"Amelia asked me to check on you," he said next, his smile crumbling into a concerned frown—Madeline only stared in awe, her eyes wide and mouth open like a caught fish.
"Are you alright?"
"I—yes," she said, shaking her head and regaining as much control over her mind as she could. "A little out of it, I suppose."
"I'm Seti," he said, stepping closer and extending his hand. "An old friend of Amelia's."
"Madeline."
"Madeline," he repeated, smiling. She reached out her hand but immediately wish that she hadn't. His hand was warm and made her spine tingle.
"I like Amelia a lot," said Madeline stupidly as she retracted her hand.
"As do I," he replied.
"I suppose you see a lot of Amelia's groups," said Madeline as her gaze shifted to the ocean, making her more comfortable. She wouldn't look at him. "Lots of pretty young women."
"Yes, we do. We see a lot of magical guests from around the world. Amelia gets special treatment because we adore her," said Seti. He joined her in leaning on the railing.
Madeline was drawn to his voice. It was like a warm blanket on a day when the sky couldn't decide between rain or snow. She wanted to curl up inside his voice, drink some tea, and read a book.
"Is she—dear to you?" Madeline asked, watching his gaze for a reaction.
"Amelia's heart resides in St Andrews, and I was never given a moment's doubt about her feelings for the man who lives there," said Seti.
"St Andrews?" Madeline asked, taken aback completely. "That's where I live, kind of. I'm studying to be a Healer at the infirmary. Amelia has a boyfriend there?"
"Yes," said Seti. He gazed at Madeline for a few moments and then smiled at the ocean. "You're—well—I can tell that you are the sort of person who can keep a secret, so I will have the pleasure of divulging some to you. Amelia has been dating a Muggle man for several years. They were already together when I met her. But they have grown distant since he moved north, and she isn't sure if he could handle knowing about magic."
"She doesn't trust him?" Madeline asked, frowning. "That's the basis of all relationships."
"It's possible. Years sometimes weakens bonds rather than strengthening them," he said, frowning as well.
"The young woman with the short blonde hair? Her name is Claire. She learned that lesson this spring," said Madeline.
"She looks radiant," said Seti, who had looked until he'd seen her. "She's happy now?"
"I think so," said Madeline. "She certainly is better than she was a month ago."
They were quiet for a few moments, and Madeline closed her eyes to listen to the waves. She thought about Amelia—how was it that such a beautiful and intelligent witch had fallen in love with a Muggle? And what was he doing in St Andrews?
It was then that it hit her. She gasped. It had been several weeks, but she remembered the business card.
"Seti," said Madeline, her voice urgent and her hand grasping his forearm. He looked at her with alarm, and her mind swirled in an amalgamation of intoxication and revelation. "His name. Amelia's boyfriend's name. What was it?"
Seti's eyes expressed his pleasure at hearing her say his name and of touching her hand, and he blinked away his distracted feelings, but it took a moment, which is of course when Margaret walked out onto the veranda with a drink in each hand. Madeline yanked her hands back and felt her cheeks redden. She had never seen Margaret look so victorious.
"Maddie, I brought you a drink," she said, sidling up to Madeline and handing her the fruity-looking cocktail. "We're ordering food. Are you hungry for... anything?"
"I should probably eat something," said Madeline. She looked to Seti. "D'you have any recommendations?"
"Of course. May I join you inside?"
"I'd rather stay out here. Margo, would you tell Amelia that I want to listen to the waves while we eat?"
Margaret, ever the surprise, didn't grin or anything. Madeline was sure she would make things more awkward, but she only nodded happily and went back inside.
"That's Margaret," said Madeline gently once they were alone. "She's on a mission to make sure we all cheat on our boyfriends this evening, even if it's just a kiss. I think she's hoping you'll be able to crack my shell."
"I'm not sure if that was an invitation, a challenge, or a dare," said Seti. He tried to repress a bashful grin and failed miserably.
"Just information," said Madeline calmly, though her heart was racing. "Temperance is the only one of us who is single."
"I see," he said, looking back at the beach. His eyebrows crinkled and then returned to their normal place. "You're warning me not to get attached."
Madeline's face felt like it was burning.
"I almost forgot—tell me quickly—what was Amelia's boyfriend's name?"
"Patrick," said Seti immediately. Madeline gasped, her hands covering her mouth. "Only—don't say anything to Amelia until you've finished your evening together. She'll have a come-apart."
"Really?" asked Madeline, who was surprised. "But she's so collected—"
"Please, say nothing. I don't even dare to ask her about him. It's been so long since—"
"What are you two talking about?" asked Amelia, who entered the veranda along with the other ladies. "You look like two schoolgirls gossiping about nonsense."
"I wouldn't call it nonsense," said Madeline quickly. "But we'll keep our gossip to ourselves, thank you."
Seti winked at Madeline as the ladies passed them to sit at one of the best tables, and Madeline felt heat spread from her neck to her cheeks again. Claire managed to meet her eyes and was astonished to see her friend blushing in the soft light.
Madeline was painfully aware of Seti sitting next to her throughout their meal. And it seemed, at least to her, that he was aware of her discomfort. He offered recommendations for her meal, took every opportunity to meet her gaze or accidentally touch her hand, and seemed to find pleasure in every word she managed to coherently string together. The group made well-mannered and quiet small talk, mostly consisting of trivialities and trivia. Claire and Margaret were curious about the man who so easily made their friend blush, so they both asked him several questions. Rather than feeling their interrogation anxiously, he smiled and graciously answered, assured as he was that Madeline was also listening.
Seti was Amelia's age, had been raised in Bali, but had studied at Beauxbatons as his mother and her family had. He knew of Andrew, Elaine's fiancé, but only very little. After France, Seti had travelled to London, where he had met Amelia and had worked at the same library for which Claire currently worked. He and Claire talked about the people and business there for quite some time before the conversation somehow transitioned back to Hogwarts.
The four Hogwarts Houses and their respective qualities interested Seti greatly, and he was not bashful in having his curiosity satisfied. Elaine spent a great deal of time describing their Hogwarts Houses, with Temperance filling in the gaps.
"I think your preference is more important," Temperance was saying. "But no one understands that at 11 years old. They don't know if they prefer loyalty as a trait over intelligence, or ambition over courage. I was good at being timid enough or sad enough to manipulate my parents, and I understood ambitiousness in others. The Sorting Hat saw that in me and made me a Slytherin. I don't regret it, though, because I spent seven years truly discovering who I am in spite of the negative labels placed on me at such a young age."
Madeline stared at her friend in amazement, as she desperately wished she could have recorded Temperance's speech so she could hear it or read it later. It surprised Madeline to hear her speaking so candidly about anything, especially her House.
"I wished I'd had the courage to befriend you sooner," said Claire sadly. "I feel like we missed a lot of opportunities for study parties."
"I would've been branded as even more of an outcast," said Temperance with a shrug. "We're here together now, as friends, and I'm thankful for all of you."
There was a great deal of cooing and hugging, followed by a brief, pleasant silence.
"I'll never forget what the Sorting Hat said to me," said Madeline, her chin resting in the palm of her hand. "The day we were all Sorted. When it told me that I was a Hufflepuff, I thought the world had ended. I'd never been separated from Oliver by anything or anyone until that day. My parents were both Gryffindors, so we all assumed that I would be too."
"I remember how much we used to fight over you," said Claire with a laugh. "Nicolas and Oliver always insisted, no matter what, that you were a Gryffindor, and Richard and I always insisted that you were a Ravenclaw."
"What did the Sorting Hat tell you, Maddie?" asked Elaine, who was not to be distracted.
"That I was a true Hufflepuff, the truest it had seen in years, whatever that means."
"So the rest of us were all codfish? I see how it is," said Elaine, but she grinned and winked, and Madeline knew she wasn't upset. "I can see it. You've always been too loyal to your friends and too honest with everyone."
"I'm honest only because I care," she replied, smiling.
After eating, the ladies retreated inside to flirt with the bartender and look around the hotel. There was a local musician strumming a guitar in an acoustically-sound side room off the restaurant, so a few of the ladies went to watch. Madeline found her bathing suit—the one that inadvertently matched her dress, the one Elaine had helped her choose—in Amelia's bag and found a nice linen pajama set sitting on the bed of their room. She changed and walked out onto the veranda.
After searching for a few minutes, Madeline found a short wooden staircase that led to the beach. The sand beneath her was cool and soft like the bottom of a pond during a Scottish summer. She left her shoes by the stairs, as she noticed others had done, and began making her way to the ocean. She watched her path carefully as she walked, as there were shells, small twigs, and other random items mixed in with the soft sand. It wasn't until he was a few feet away that she noticed that she wasn't alone on the beach. He turned to greet her as she approached.
"Hello," he said.
"Hi."
"You aren't interested in my cousin or our musician?" he asked, his voice warm—so warm it flooded her chest and made the breeze less chilly.
"No. I'd rather watch the sunrise," said Madeline.
"I would too. I was going to check on your group, but—"
Seti stepped closer, bringing his dark green eyes into sharper view. It was clear to Madeline that her eyes had a similar mystifying effect on him, for he was silent for a few moments too. They simply gazed at each other like idiots in a trance. Seti was the first to gather his wits and break his gaze.
"What were you saying?" she asked once his eyes were elsewhere.
"I'd rather sit on the beach with you," he said. "There isn't anything I'd rather do."
"Seti," said Madeline, her face softening. His eyes came alive and captivated her, and she lost her train of thought again.
"Your eyes," she said, cursing Margaret for encouraging Madeline to drink again during dinner.
"They startle you?"
"Unsettle, perhaps. They speak. Constantly. I've never seen eyes as alive as yours. So many people… their eyes all seem so dull now. You must have seen and done so much."
"Seeing and doing is part of the equation, not the heart of it. Were you going to the water?"
"I am, yes, unless you think I should return to my group," said Madeline, looking back down at her feet. Her toes were dancing in the sand.
"You may be tempted, but how often do you watch the sun rise over an ocean on other side of the world?"
Madeline stared at Seti again. The lights from the house were illuminating him, and when he smiled, she bolted towards the water. Seti followed her easily.
At the line where the water had last receded, Madeline stopped, and Seti laughed. He lit his wand nonverbally and they stared out at the vast expanse of salt water.
"Are you afraid?"
"No," said Madeline quickly, though she had to admit that she'd never been swimming in an ocean before. She'd never been swimming at night before, either. Were there sharks? Were there worse things than sharks? She had seen pictures of massive sharks, and she knew that most Muggles feared them.
Madeline's heart was pounding. She realised that she had not lived very much. Settling for a position at St Mungo's and being a Healer for forty years was suddenly unappealing—she'd seen the toll it had taken on her own mum. Was she really willing to follow in those footsteps?
The answer was no. Simply no. She wanted to be an Auror. And the letter still hadn't come. She was beginning to think it wouldn't ever come when she felt pressure on her hand.
"Madeline?" asked Seti, his voice pulling her out of her own mind. He had squeezed her hand gently.
"Let's go," she said, letting go of his hand and pulling off the linen pajamas.
The water was warmer than Madeline had ever felt for a body of water, but it felt amazing on her sore feet and ankles, so she kept going.
"We should not go too far," said Seti. Madeline halted, standing with the water at waist height. Once Seti had caught up to her, he placed a hand on her shoulder. He seemed as though he was about to speak, but she took a deep breath, clamped her nostrils shut with two fingers, and fully submerged herself. With her eyes closed, she released control of her body and felt it tug and pull with the ocean. After a few moments, she felt Seti pulling her back above the water.
"Please be careful," he said, his voice low and thick with concern. The fear in his voice rattled Madeline's chest, and she felt impelled to hug him. The waves were gently sloshing against them, but Seti held her as still as he could. Madeline's brain felt cloudy and stupidly slow.
"I wouldn't willingly frighten you," she said. "But I want to swim."
"Let us swim, then."
But as he spoke, neither moved. She stood against him, and he held her close. He was warm and felt strong.
"I want to kiss you," said Madeline, her voice expressing the confusion she was feeling. It was a statement, but a highly uncertain and surprised one.
"You are not in your right mind—I should not be tempting you," he said, finally resolving to let Madeline go. They stood less than arm's length across in the darkness.
"Oliver was supposed to be the only one who made me feel this way," she said, still expressing her confusion. Seti took a step back.
"Physical desire is temporary," he said, calm and sad. "Time destroys it, mostly."
"As if your heart hasn't seen past that already," said Madeline sharply. "I know you feel the beat of my heart as if it were your own."
Her inebriated baiting paid off. Seti pulled Madeline close, leaned down, and stopped short of her lips.
"There is never only one love. You have several paths, several lives, you could live. You are at a crossroads."
"I am," said Madeline. Her brain was slowly absorbing his words. How many versions of her life were there?
"You will love many people in your lifetime, but you already have someone who is willing to die for you, yes?"
Madeline nodded, tears springing to her eyes. Oliver. Oliver.
"Yes," Madeline cried. Seti shook her gently.
"Your friend wanted you to feel this. She wanted you to test the waters with other men. It helps you solidify your feelings. You love him, don't you?"
Madeline nodded, tears still flowing down her face.
"Of course you do," he said, letting go of her. "I'm—I'm no one to you."
Madeline wanted to argue, but she said nothing. Who was he, really? Was she really half in love with a man she'd met only an hour ago? She shook her head, trying to make sense of senseless behavior.
"Let's swim," he said.
It took less than half an hour of playfully swimming under and over waves for Madeline to feel as though she had exerted all her energy. She had not gone very far from shore—perhaps only 10 metres—but she could no longer touch the ocean floor, so she began swimming back with the last of her energy and let the waves help her return. Seti was about five metres away when Madeline paused for a moment, treading water, and felt something touch her ankle.
She cried out in surprise, and Seti immediately swam towards her. Like a bolt of icy lightning to her chest, she realised that she didn't have her wand with her. She began swimming faster, but she didn't make it to Seti—whatever it was found and took hold of her ankle and pulled her deeper into the water.
It was like something out of a ridiculous Muggle horror film, or like a story that Professor Trelawney would predict in a crystal ball. It was, Madeline realised at some point during her struggle, probably a massive squid, just like the one in the lake at Hogwarts... except this one wanted to eat her.
Madeline kicked and doubled up to use her hands to fight for release, but neither tactic worked. When she tore at the tentacle that had her ankle, the monster stopped and made a horrible shrieking noise—and this allowed Seti, who had been swimming towards them as fast as he could, to target and cast a spell at the sea beast. Another bout of shrieking ensued, and then it began thrashing. After another hit, the monster released Madeline, and the last thing she could remember was feeling like she was floating in complete darkness.
Chapter 10: Hurricanes
"I want to talk to Claire," he said.
"She's not ready for that," said Madeline.
"What's that supposed to mean? I love her!" he shouted, looking right at Claire. She stared back at him with a wide-eyed, horrified gaze. Madeline watched as Margaret led Claire toward the exit.
"No—no—I want to talk to her!"
