Chapter 13 – Out of the Darkness:

"Bloody hell, Lily! You still have that bloody thing?"

"It helped me defeat Voldemort," said Lily with a shrug. "I guess I just don't feel safe without it." She looks down at it with furrowed eyebrows for a moment before stuffing it back down her blouse. Eddie notices the look.

"What's wrong?"

"Sometimes…sometimes I wonder whether I've actually earned all of my accomplishments in life," said Lily thoughtfully, though still frowning. "If I became the great Auror that I am…if I became Mistress of Magic…because of who I am and what I can do…or because of this bloody stone."

"Lily, you can't possibly think-"

"Well why not?" she snapped, suddenly sounding angry. "It's the only reason I defeated Voldemort isn't it?"

"Not necessarily…" said Eddie, suddenly thinking about the real reason why Lily defeated Voldemort and blushing severely. He knew it because his face had suddenly become extremely hot and small, little beads of sweat had formed underneath his fiery hairline and down his neck. Thankfully, if Lily noticed or not, she did not acknowledge it and Eddie was relieved because it would have just put a pink elephant in the room. He decides to change the subject.

"Why do they want the Stone of Merlin?" he asked, suddenly confused. "I mean, what's the point? Unless they're the Heir of Merlin, then isn't it useless?"

"Yeah, only the Heirs of the Hogwarts Founders can use the Stone successfully," said Lily, now staring off into space.

"Then why do they want it?"

Lily could merely shrug. "I have no idea. All I know is that this is what the kidnap is all about," said Lily, sounding certain. "They used Jane to get to you…used you to get to me…to get their hands on the Stone of Merlin.

"Why the grand scenario though?" asked Eddie curiously. "Why do all of this just to get to you? Why not just…get you?"

"The way Voldemort used to?" asked Lily, raising a teasing eyebrow. Eddie lets out a weak chuckle. "That obviously didn't work, did it? Plus, I'm a bit harder to get to these days, being Mistress of Magic and all. The only way to get at me was from the inside…"

"…using me…"

"Exactly," said Lily. "Though I'm glad you've gotten much more clever since your days at Hogwarts." Eddie looks at Lily completely astonished, but pleased.

"Lily Potter, are you actually joking with me?" he asked, almost in a flirtatious manner.

Lily laughed and said, "Maybe." She rolled over and snuggled into the mattress. "Get some sleep, Weasley. We've got a lot to figure out tomorrow."

"Right you are, Potter," said Eddie, smirking and feeling lighter than he had felt in…well…years. Unable to wipe the smile off of his face, he climbed up the ladder on to the top bunk as Lily kicked off her shoes and pulled the blankets over her shoulder, settling her head into the soft pillow, sighing contently.

Eddie settled into his own bed, placing his hands behind his head as he learned back into the pillow, staring at the ceiling. Despite the incredible danger that they were in and in the horrible circumstances that they seemed to be under, Eddie could not stop smiling…and all because Lily willingly and purposefully joked with him. It was the first time she had not been hostile towards him since their so-called reunion.

After that seemed like hours, Eddie still had not heard Lily's steady breathing. He knew that she was still awake; he also knew that she had been exhausted due to today's events and discoveries so the only reason for her still being awake was that something was plaguing her mind.

"Can't sleep?"

"Bloody hell, Ed, you scared me!" she gasps. "I thought you were asleep."

"No, not a chance" he said with a chuckle. "Too much to take in?"

"I suppose…" There was a long, awkward pause.

"Lily? Are you okay?" Eddie's voice was filled with such concern and genuine affection that Lily could not help but answer truthfully.

"I'm scared, Ed."

Whatever answer Eddie had been expecting, it had not been that. All he wanted to do was to crawl down that ladder, crawl into that bed beside her, gather her in his arms, and comfort her…to take her fear away. And he tried to do exactly that. Without even thinking about the consequences, including if Lily would punch or hex him, he climbed back down the ladder and sat down at the edge of Lily's bed. Thankfully, she did not curse, hex, or punch him. She actually turned over so that she could face him.

"I'm scared," she repeated. Eddie reached out and placed his hand on top of hers. "I can't figure this out and it frightens the bloody hell out of me. What do they want from me? Why do they want the Stone? There has to be more to it and I can't figure it out."

"You're scared because you can't figure it out?"

"No…I'm scared because I don't know what's going to happen to me," she whispered honestly. "I think these people want more than the Stone…I…I think they want to hurt me…and you. That scares me."

"We've always had each other's backs in the past," said Eddie, a cold lump forming in his chest. "We've always taken care of each other. It won't be any different now."

"It's been pretty different the last couple of years," said Lily. "We haven't exactly been there for each other, have we?"

"It's more like I haven't been there for you, Lily," whispered Eddie, squeezing her hand tightly. "I'm the disloyal friend…no…idiot…fool…who turned his back on the best friend he ever had." There was a long silence as they continued sitting and lying there, just hold on to one another's hand.

"I've missed you," Lily finally whispered, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. Eddie turned to look at her and beamed.

"I've missed you too," he whispered affectionately. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. "I've missed you so much."

"We've got a lot talking to do, don't we?"

"Oh yeah," he said good-naturedly. "Lily?

"Hm?"

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"There's no change of heart," she said honestly. "I've always missed you. I…you frighten me. You hurt me so bad and I thought it would be easier to keep you at arms length than to let you back in. But, you're too damn stubborn to stay out." Eddie laughed.

"I've been a fool the past several years," he answered honestly. "I'm just trying to make up for it, I suppose."

"It's going to take a lot more than stubbornness to win my trust back, Ed," said Lily answered honestly, some bitterness underlying her voice. "But, I'd say tonight is a good step in the right direction."

"I'd say so too…" said Eddie, his eyes never straying away from her face. Lily yawned loudly, causing him to chuckle. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."

"Thanks," she sighed as she turned back over, letting go of his hand and finally drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

True to his word, Eddie stayed by her side until she fell asleep. In fact, he even gathered up sheets, blankets, and pillows from the other beds in the hostel and laid them down on the floor at the foot of her bed. Eddie lay down on those blankets, sleeping on the floor; to guard her from anything she might fear in the night.

As he too fell asleep, he realized that with all of the riddles that they had solved today about Jane's kidnap and the Stone, and with their new friendship taking a positive step in the right direction, Eddie knew that he and Lily were finally coming out of the darkness and into a new light.

Another chapter! Please enjoy!