Chapter 24: The Beginning Of It All
"Meet me tonight." She heard him whisper into her ear.
"What?" She turned from her spot at the Gryffindor table. Her eyes scanning the crowd to see if anyone had heard him. Luckily everyone's heads were buried in their books or pieces of parchment.
"Tonight in the common room." Harry spoke softly again as he sat down next to her, placing his books on the wooden table. "After everyone goes to bed." His eyes never looked at her. He simply ruffled through his books as if beginning to work on some assignment.
Emily looked up at Hermione. For a second she wondered if she had heard their conversation at all. It wasn't until she saw the corners of her mouth turn upward, and caught her wink that she knew for a fact that Hermione had heard everything.
"We can't." Emily spoke under her breath as she tried to scribble down some thoughts about her Transfiguration essay.
For a few moments she was left to her work until she felt Harry grab her hand underneath the table. It sent a jolt of warmth through her entire body almost to a point of making her gasp out loud. Emily took a deep steady breath before she slowly looked over at him. Emily couldn't help but smile for the boyish grin on Harry's face was too much. He looked so satisfied with himself and the obvious torture he was causing for her. She tried to pull her hand away but he was too strong. It was no use. She was at his mercy.
"Harry, please." She tried to play on his kindness yet it seemed to only make it worse.
His fingers traveled over hers as if it were a map. She took another deep breath. She had totally forgotten what her essay even needed to be about. Yet as quick as his touch was there it was gone. With a deep sigh, he grabbed his books and stood. Yet before he left he leaned in once more.
"Tonight." He smiled down at her and with that he was gone, up the aisle of the Great Hall and out its doors.
"So how's the essay coming?" Hermione asked as she glanced up from her work with an all to knowing smile.
"Just fine." Emily replied with a deathly stare. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle before she too set back to work. Emily tried to continue as well, but her mind kept focusing on the lasting warmth in her hand.
"Harry?" Emily whispered into the dark.
The candles were all put out, the only light visible were the slow dying embers from the fire and the moonlight filtering in from the windows.
"I knew you would come." She heard him speak through the darkness.
"Harry?" She called once more. "Where are you?"
She took a couple of steps deeper into the common room her eyes glancing through the expanse in hopes of seeing him. As she did so her heart beat harder, a warmth flooding over her. She could feel him. Emily couldn't help but smile at the sensation. How was this possible? She closed her eyes as if doing so would somehow make heighten what she was feeling. She took a deep breath and let it all fill her. As she opened her eyes she couldn't help but smile. She took three more steps and turned to the right, near the table where Ginny and her friends usually gathered. Slowly she reached out her hand.
"I'm right here." Harry's sudden appearance startled her.
His body had appeared only inches from where her hand had been reaching, a few more and it would have been resting on his chest.
"How did you do that?" She exclaimed.
"My dad's invisibility cloak." Harry replied with a smirk.
"Incredible." Emily touched the velvet and silk cloak, running her hand over its embroidery. "It's beautiful."
"Never mind the cloak…how did you…what did you just do?" Harry took a step further placing his hand upon her arm. "That was extraordinary. Could you see me?"
"No, not all." Emily bit her lip. "At first I thought you weren't here, but then I…I just felt you." She laughed to herself, she could feel her cheeks begin to flush. "Wow, it must be really late and I am really tired so just forget what I—"
"It's the same with me too, Em." Harry moved a strand of hair from her face. "When you walk into a room, I don't even have to look to know it's you." Even in the dark Harry could see her tremble at what he had just spoken. He took a deep breath and tried to stay in control of himself.
"So is that why you wanted me to meet you down here at this time of night?" Emily joked. "A little magical experiment."
"Not hardly" he whispered. "I wanted to spend time with you."
"We spend every day together." She smiled up at him.
"Not like this." He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her lower back, pulling her to him. He felt her stiffen and then melt under his touch. Her hands finding their way over his shoulder until her forehead rested on his. "Just the two of us."
Harry didn't want to move from that spot. If he had the strength he would have stood there with her all night. He did however, have a couple of things he wanted to do before sunrise.
"Come on." He pulled her arms from around his neck and led her towards the common room door.
"Harry! We can't!" She exclaimed as quietly as she could. "There are night watchers on each hall."
"Which is why we have the cloak and this." He pulled out a folded piece of beat-up parchment. "It's a map of Hogwarts. Fred and George gave it to me third year, it was actually our dad's. They created it when they were at school. It's enchanted to locate everyone's whereabouts."
"Harry, that map is dangerous. If it were to fall into the wrong hands—"
"They would have to know the phrase to use it, trust me I went through this third year, besides only a handful of people know about it, now including you." Harry stood a step from the door.
"I don't know about this Harry." Emily looked up at him a sudden apprehension crossing her face.
"So let me get this straight. You escape the Dark Lord single handedly, trance across the country by yourself for two weeks, and you are telling me you are afraid to walk invisible in the corridors of a school at night?" Emily gave him a hard shove and a death stare. "Just thought I would point it out." He turned back towards her and took her hand. "Trust me."
Upon seeing her smile and sudden nod he threw the cloak over the two of them and opened the door as quietly as he could.
"So where are we going on this night escapade?"
"That would spoil the surprise. Just follow my lead." Harry whispered over her, the boyish grin returning once more. "Lumos." The tip of Harry's wand sparked a brilliant sapphire blue light.
Harry held the cloak over them as they made their way through the winding corridors past the many sleeping and snoring portraits. Emily held onto Harry's shoulder for support as they made their way. When he stopped, she stopped, when he moved she moved, when he turned right, she turned right. For nearly ten minutes they did so until Harry forcibly turned off the light from his wand and backed up against the corridor wall. He placed his hand upon his lips as if to tell her to remain silent.
For several moments they stood there together, silent and still. The only audible sound was of there slow steady breathing. Emily was about to ask what was wrong when she heard it, footsteps along the corridor. Slowly a light grew until it shined bright lighting up the whole hallway. The portraits awoke suddenly covering their eyes.
It was an Auror, or as the students referred to them as night watchers, on duty. The night watcher turned around and back again as if trying to detect them. Yet after several minutes of standing he walked right past them and down the next corridor. Harry just smiled and with a steady hand led her on.
Emily had never been to this part of the castle before. She reckoned it hadn't been used in years. The classrooms they passed were mostly empty with only old desks or odds and ends.
They continued on past classroom after classroom until they came to the end of the corridor and stopped in front of a large portrait of four witches and wizards. All clad in elegant colorful robes, they each looked down at them in alarm yet a quiet resolution as well. It was if they recognized them. Emily's eyes caught sight of one of the wizards. His dark grey hair fell about his shoulders, his beard trimmed and styled to a point. He seemed to hold an authoritative presence, his green eyes glancing down at her in the darkness as if studying her more closely. It was only then that he nodded his head as if in greeting.
"Place your hand on the S." Harry whispered. He couldn't help but smile upon seeing her confused face. "Trust me."
Upon hearing his words Emily glanced along the golden frame where etched into it were large letters. She slipped her hand out from underneath the cloak and placed it onto the letter, within moments the portrait moved, creating a loud reverberating creak throughout the hallway. Moving away they stood as it opened.
"It's a staircase." Emily mumbled under her breath.
"After you." Harry motioned. As Emily took a step forward he took off the cloak.
"But—"
"We don't need it anymore."
"What is this place?" Emily asked as she climbed higher and higher up the winding stone stairs.
"I actually don't know. It's been on the map for years, I just never got around to exploring it yet. I think it's a secret tower."
"A tower?" Emily turned back towards him. "I think I concluded that with all the stairs."
With a laugh she continued on until they reached the top. The stairway opened up into a comfortable room, not almost like their common room. Cobwebs hung from the tall rafters, the cushions looked beyond repair. Half-burnt candles filled the mantle and tables. Emily scanned her finger across one of the black desks as she moved toward the back of the room.
"I think the house elves missed a room." Emily spoke as she brushed off the dust on her finger. "Then again they only have thousands to take care of."
"Only certain people can open the passageway, I think." Harry moved towards the mantle. "Incendio." Within moments each candle was lit, creating a halo of light throughout the room.
"Certain people?"
"Heirs." Harry turned back towards her. "I believe this is the Founder's private tower."
"Founder's? Like as in the school?" Harry only nodded and smiled upon hearing her voice.
"Right, the S. As an heir of Slytherin I am allowed to entire."
"I figured as much."
"Lucky I was here." Emily smiled back at him.
"Indeed, the portrait that covered the passageway was of the four founders together. Nearly every portrait I have seen of them has been separate. I assumed that any heir could gain admittance, your just the first one I have found." Harry smiled brightly as he made his way towards her. With a heavy shove, he opened up the stain-glased door at the back of the room. "You first."
Emily took a shaky step out into the unknown. Her foot hit stone for she felt it secure underneath her. The door revealed an observatory tower. It's high arches creating the illusion that there was nothing but the open sky. Emily made her way to the very edge as she examined the expanse around her. The mountains and the black lake were only visible due to the white snow reflecting in the moonlight.
"This is the most eastern tower." Harry said. "Look at how the night sky is beginning to fade."
He pointed straight in front of them and Emily could see what he was referring to. Behind the mountains and the forest the skyline was beginning to lighten, the gray turning slightly purple.
"The sun will be rising soon." Resting her hands against the edge she let the crisp winter wind fill her lungs. The fresh air felt amazing as it tickled her nose. "It's freezing!" Emily muttered as she felt the breeze blow across the castle.
"Blancara." Harry muttered under his breath. At once a blanket appeared in his hand. He placed it around her shoulders, and at once she felt warmer.
"Thanks for bringing me here, Harry." Emily eye's found his in the dim light. "It's beautiful."
"It is." Harry agreed as he leaned against the balcony. "Can I ask you something, something that I know is hard for you to talk about?"
Emily didn't speak, she just buried her face deeper into the blanket as if seeking its warmth and comfort. Her eyes glanced back at him, nodding her head in answer to his question.
"What happened to Elizabeth, I mean your mum?"
Emily looked up at him, a certain blank expression crossing her face, an eerie silence hanging over them.
"Forget it, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"
"Why do you want to know so badly?" She asked seeking the reason for his sudden curiosity.
"I haven't been...I haven't been sleeping." He spoke into the night air.
"More nightmares? Like this summer?" She turned towards him, her eyes seeking his.
"Worse." He mumbled quietly. "You're in them...you and Voldemort. It's like my dream about your parents, but this time it's us."
"They are just dreams, Harry." She spoke gently as if comforting him.
"What if they arn't?" He revealed his fear. "What if they are—"
"You do not have to fear your dreams, Harry." She spoke again her eyes never leaving him. "What does this have to do with you wanted to know about my mum?" She whispered.
"You talk about something. In my dream you say that at six she was brought before you." Harry felt Emily's body stiffen beside him.
"She was…she was murdered." Emily sighed turning away from him as she spoke. Her heart felt as if it was burning. For so long she had kept the memories at bay, locked deep within her, yet she couldn't hide them from Harry. She didn't want to. "Your dream was right, it was my sixth birthday. My grandfather released her and had her placed before us. By the end of the night, she was killed before my eyes, taking what was left of my childhood, if you could even call it that, with her."
Emily could tell that Harry's body went rigid upon hearing her words. His knuckles clenched hard against the edge of the balcony, white from the amount of pressure he was exerting.
"I've never spoken of it till now." She muttered under her breath as her eyes gazed out over the grounds.
"I was there that night my parents were killed, but I was just a baby. I don't remember anything of that night, just like I don't remember anything about them. I can't…I can't imagine what it must be like, Em. I am so sorry."
He placed his hand over hers, watching her expression change before his eyes, each time her resolve crumbling less and less. He couldn't help but frown as she tried to remove her hand from his.
"You don't like me touching you do you?"
Upon hearing him she just laughed out loud a sound that reverberated into the early hours of the morning.
"What? It's true. I've noticed the way you always pull away from me."
"That's because you usually try to make a move when we are surrounded by hundreds of prying eyes. Today in the Great Hall being a prime example." Emily spoke honestly. "Harry, you know more than I how important it is that we—"
"Keep this from him." Harry sighed. "I know. I understand, Em. Yet what about now? No one is here but you and me and yet you still pull away?"
"It's not because I don't like you touching me Harry." Emily placed her hand onto his face, his emerald eyes darkening as she did so. "It's because when you do, I can't think of anything else."
"That scares you." Harry's boyish grin returned.
"Honestly, yes, it terrifies me." She removed her hand and turned to glance out across the grounds once more. "I have never been able to be this close to anyone before. Letting myself be with you just like we are right now goes against everything I have been told, everything I have been taught, Harry."
"You don't have any reason to fear him or me, Em."
"On the contrary Harry, I have all the reasons in the world to be afraid for you, to be afraid of this."
"Em—" Harry turned towards her to argue yet she simply stared up at him a deep longing yet it was the deep sadness that made him hold his tongue.
"Harry, I love you, as unexpected and unplanned as it was, as it still is, I do. I believe what we said that night in the common room, now and always. Yet, neither of us can predict the future and how all of this will work itself out."
Harry placed his arms around her pulling her close to him, the growing warmth sending a shiver through them both. She gave in and melted under his touch, and he only held her closer. He found her gaze just as the first golden lights of the morning sun were expanding over the grounds.
"And I am just as certain that it all will work itself out, Em. As unexpected and irrational as this might be, this is just the beginning for us."
Neither one of them spoke another word as they watched the stars and the moon fade overhead as the horizon swirled in colors of purple and blue, orange and red. Each content in the perfection of the moment, and the knowledge that this was just the beginning of it all.