All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!
The Crow
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)
(Part 09)
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Clow Reed was sitting comfortably on a chair in the immense and rich library belonging to Reed manor. He wore the usual robes while in his house – in contrast, Violet chose to wear one of the more comfortable dresses the sorcerer had purchased for her in Cambridge.
…
"I will pay you back later…" She grounded out between clenched teeth, not used to receiving charity that didn't come with a very heavy price tag attached.
"Don't worry about it, Miss Potter, I have more than I could spend in a lifetime" He said this with a mysterious glint in his eyes as his lips stretched into a smile.
…
They were found in amicable silence, each with a book on their lap as they passed time reading – though Violet sorely missed flying on a broom – something she usually did on lazy afternoons along with Ron and Ginny, leaving the library as Hermione's territory and only visiting it when she had to - essays didn't write themselves, as Ron found out the hard way at least once per year.
'Definitely a change… Clow is such a bookworm' He'd have gotten on well with Hermione, with his mature and seemingly easy nature and passion for knowledge.
Unaware of what she was doing, Violet started to watch Clow inconspicuously from behind her book's cover 'I wonder what house he'd belong to… Ravenclaw maybe?'
The copper haired witch tried to hide her stare when Clow suddenly stretched languidly, wiry frame unfurling before her eyes as a low, drawn out groan left his lips.
She then committed the heinous mistake of meeting his eyes. Watching her with a seemingly distracted hunger, an indescribable abyss of emotions she couldn't even begin to understand hidden in the depths of his eyes.
A shiver of attraction rolled down her back despite her best efforts to control her body.
'And those bloody dreams are. Not. Helping!' The witch didn't even try to deny said dreams! They made her wake up raw, wet and above all mortified. 'I know I majorly like him, but come on! Not even Remus made me-' She paused the mental rant to sigh silently 'Forget it, not going there'
The object of her feminine frustrations just smiled congenially, adjusting on his chair until he was comfortable once more. He was feigning obliviousness so obviously Violet felt it would be even more embarrassing to call him out for it.
"I have some business in Asia, would you like to accompany me, apprentice?" He asked after allowing Violet some silence.
"Asia?"
Clow's lips twitched up. He easily distributed his smiles, making Violet wonder inwardly, again, how many of them were real "Yes, China to be more specific. There is an interesting festival going on next week, and I find myself interested in some wares"
"I've never been outside of the British Isle before" the witch confessed with a waving hand, then she interestedly cast her eyes upwards to meet his "How will we be going?"
"Since there is not much time left for the beginning of the festival, teleportation circle – we can return by ship though" The sorcerer added for Violet's benefit, clearly noticing her interest
"Teleportation is fine" The green eyed witch grinned faintly, and after a moment of thought, her head tilted to the side "Do you have Apparition here?" escaped her lips in a genuinely curious flurry "It's a way to instantly travel over distances… I never learned how to do it, and it seemed really unstable…"
The sorcerer chuckled.
That deep sensuous sound that reverberated through her bones.
"I can do something similar if I am by myself, but since we're going together, it is more practical to use a circle. There is a connecting array in my house in Beijing" Clow let her know, smiling secretly.
And they spent the afternoon making plans. Conversation with such a powerful and intelligent man should have been impossible by Violet's experience… usually men like those fell into two different categories: Old and grandfatherly or condescending bastards. Sometimes both… But Clow Reed doesn't treat Violet like a girl.
He talks to her as he was, a man, and she a woman.
…
"You have grown so much" Remus said, as they talked in a familiar setting in 12 Grimmald place – the members of the order were around, but the Black Library was a nice refuge from the bustle as long as they stayed away from the more dangerous books.
"Oh…?" Violet asked, anticipating the answer. Her smile soon turned upside down when Remus' eyes found her face and he softened in fond remembrance.
"I remember when you were but a tiny babe your mother held tightly to her chest. James fawning over you, too afraid to touch you, though when Lily finally convinced him to hold you, there was no one who could make him put you down… well, he had to put you down when it was time to change nappies"
Face rouged in embarrassment, Violet winced slightly.
"Ooh, you telling Vi's baby stories?" Tonks came bouncing into the room with all vivacity she was known for, and Remus' eyes lit up upon seeing her.
Violet gave up then and there.
…
That was painful. And just proof that Violet would be nothing but a child in men's eyes. She had no distinctive curves and was so ridiculously thin her ribs showed... She wishes sometimes to have Hermione's body, or even Ginny's plumpier bumps. Wishes that her Aunt hadn't been such a horrible, jealous harpy.
Though her bony body didn't seem to matter to the sorcerer who took her under his wings.
Insecurities aside...
'How can I be so at ease with Clow?' Violet wondered bemusedly.
Oh, don't get her wrong… she still wants to go home, but her current companion made the absence of Hogwarts infinitely easier – plus she was getting to learn magic! New practices and spells, crafts as they called them, and Clow has been amazing –
'Oh… maybe I did, indeed, fall into the deep end'
Because she's also realized she is in love. And that can't be. Not now.
Not ever.
'A couple of weeks in and I already lost… how will I be able to go back to my… world?'
A bond she couldn't see was vibrating, ecstatic and euphoric. Yet a deep sense of lost was lingering somewhere, darkening the bright light into sad shades of grey.
…
Early the next day found Violet walking around the fountain outside – it wasn't cold enough to warrant heavier clothing yet, but the months have dragged into late spring so a few colder winds were common.
The morning sun was also lazy in its warmth, half covered by mist rising from the sprawling forest around the Reed's land. Being used to frantic movement in the castle so she could reach classes on time made Violet crave a little exercise in the mornings. 'Plus, it is quite a pleasant morning'
And she felt like having a moment to herself after the devastating epiphany last evening. Who could blame her? Being the focus of the undivided attention of a man such as Clow would shake even the stoutest woman's heart.
'But I have to put these feelings away. Teddy needs me… everyone's waiting for me to go back' Or at least she had to believe it so. 'I have to be ready to these feelings up when I go home'
'Come on Violet, think of at least four impossible things before breakfast' She shook her head, making a complete circle around the fountain and getting ready to brave the garden's paths.
Only Violet wasn't as alone loitering around the fountain as she thought.
"So you're traveling with Teacher to China?" Charlotte Dubois, the blonde energetic young woman interrupted the witch's brooding time with a high pitched, hyperactive voice.
Violet managed to hide her wince and turned to Charlotte with a grimace/smile. "I suppose so" She said while vaguely wondering 'How did she learn I'd be traveling with Clow?'
…
"Is it alright for us to be going by ourselves?" Violet questioned, worrying her lips with a bite as she stared at the sorcerer with doubt written all over her face. If in her time people would raise eyebrows knowing she'd be traveling with a man not related to her, imagine now.
"You mean no chaperone?" He asked amusedly, chirping lances of the feeling traversing behind his eyes "My dear Violet, as I am known as your master in the crafts, it would be expected that you accompany me, innocuous enough at least… unless you harbor feelings for your teacher" He asked teasingly. Violet's cheeks decided to blush, completely against her will.
"N-no, of course not!" Her denial sounded hysterical at best and elicited a chuckle from said "teacher".
…
"I'm so jealous! I wish Teacher would take me as apprentice too! You know there is no stated rule that says a master can't take more than one apprentice at a time…" The blonde ritualist whined to Violet, not knowing of the strange feeling her words evoked in her.
'Jealousy. I don't want Clow to take another apprentice… even if he only took me in as a way to help me in this time!'
Violet was spared from having to give a very awkward answer when someone else took it upon themselves to barge in.
"Who are you to dictate what Teacher does or doesn't?" The Chinese girl, Xiao Ling Li snapped from the manor's entranceway – Xiao Ling, the one who couldn't decide what she really wanted from Clow.
The witch's eyebrow twitched, hand grasping for a wand that wasn't there as she prepared to defend herself at the other's sudden presence.
'Frustrated people with Malfoy's personality, curse, quite literally, their problems away' Violet thought with irritation, crossing her arms defensively – comparing the Li woman with Malfoy might be unfair, at least Xiao Ling hasn't called her names yet.
'And Miss Li isn't alone…' For shadowing the Li clan heir steps was the one Violet least wanted to see. 'Why can't Clow give me a wand soon?'
"Shut up Li! You're jealous too!" Charlotte growled back, hackles rising in antipathy. Violet has noticed how the blonde and the brunette didn't get along, though she did not know to what extended the dislike went.
"Tsc…" Eduardo Parole was sneering at both Violet and Charlotte.
'And there is the predictable sneer' The witch observed contemptuously.
The females were glaring at each other, but if there's one thing they all agreed on, it was Eduardo Parole's addiction to their standoff was completely unwanted.
"And you! Don't start. Teacher is cross with you as is" It was Xiao Ling who turned to berate the Spaniard.
"What is your problem with Apprentice Potter anyway? It's not like Teacher taking her in is taboo" Charlotte asked, raising a finger to point dramatically at Eduardo's direction.
"She's a simpleton and a peasant. Teacher is a high ranked magician and a Lord. I don't understand why he's chosen that" He leered at Violet, making shivers of dander crawl down her spine.
The green eyes witch had enough. She sneered right back. "That is standing right here and that is not above giving you a matching tail to go with the ears"
Li snarled when the tension between Violet and Eduardo reached a crescendo. Magic started to crackle between the witch's fingers and the air above the tanned man was distorting under heat – not taking her eyes off of her opponent, Violet had no way to know what Xiao Ling would do next.
'She's not attacking me. She wants Clow's approval too much to target me in such a blatant way' That was obvious enough to the green eyed witch at least.
"Calm down Mr. Parole! Miss Potter!" Xiao Ling ordered harshly. Before you make another scene! Went unsaid "You don't want Teacher to find you fighting again"
Eduardo froze, his entire being stiffening until the only thing moving were his eyelids as he blinked. It took a second or two for him to regain enough wits to glare blazingly at the trio of females
"Indeed… I won't lower myself to stand in this rabble presence more than necessary" He drawled, piercing Violet with his violent eyes and once more making her wish for a wand.
Next moment saw the fiery young man back inside the manor. 'Why does he hate me so much?' She could understand prejudice, but what she saw on the other's eyes was beyond dislike.
"Good riddance!" Li huffed when he was gone. Charlotte and Violet traded bewildered looks. The blonde broke under pressure and laughed breathlessly.
"Violet! May I call you Violet?" She asked, still giggling "Call me Charlotte too. Just ignore Li and Parole, they're a bunch of sour lemons"
"Who are you calling a lemon?!" The Chinese woman's hands found their way to her waist as she stood there, giving the ritualist a nasty look.
The object of Li's look just cackled again. 'Charlotte is also strange. She is after something…' She could barely remember the first time they were introduced, but she did record that Charlotte didn't incite any warm feelings. Least of all acceptance...
"Jealous green really looks ugly on you" The blonde retorted childishly. Xiao Ling took offense and immediately went in a tirade.
"I am his cousin! I am closer to him than any of you can hope to be! My grandfather has already drafted a nuptial letter, it's only a matter of time before Teacher returns to the Li clan" She almost yelled at Charlotte's face.
'Well… I didn't know that' The witch thought crankily. 'I knew they were related, but an engagement? She must be blowing things out of proportions' Violet decided to not put weight in Xiao Ling's words, they were born of frustration and anger, and if experience taught her something, is that you can't believe gossip about someone.
'I'm just going to ask Clow and be done with it' But could she just ask Clow?
"Well, do you want Teacher or his magic?" Charlotte provoked, breaking Violet out of her musings"Because I really can't see him interested in a shrew like you"
"Swallow your words Dubois!" Xiao Ling snapped "And you, Potter! You may think you have Teacher right now, but you don't understand him at all! He will grow tired of playing around with you sooner or later, and then you will regret ever coming here!"
At this, Violet drew a line "Sod off! You don't know anything!"
'He can't do that! He's helping me go back home! If anything, the one who will leave him behind is me' Guilt swirled in her stomach. If anyone was using someone, that was Violet using Clow.
"Someone like Li lets her temper get away sometimes…" The blonde tried to sooth Violet, but kept an eye on Li's fuming form. The brunette sighed angrily, sending one last indecipherable look in Violet's direction before walking off in the direction of the cherry trees.
"Yeah, clearly. I've met worse, though" Violet mumbled under her breath.
"I bet! Hey Violet, want to come with me to the gardens? I was planning on doing a minor fertility ritual but the warded room is already in use, so I thought Teacher wouldn't mind if I made a couple of flowers bloom" The mood change was so sudden that Violet had to take a moment to brace herself.
The witch thought for a couple of seconds, she had nothing better to do, and was only exercising her legs a bit…"Sure"
…
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TBC~
