Yes, yes, this be the end. The last chapter. Whew!
I apologize for setting false expectations early in the story and updating every night - I'm afraid I might be confined to weekends now. (a few sympathetic sobs here, please)
This isn't really good-bye, since Tangled Webs is just around the corner, but I'll still say thanks to everybody for their great reviews and all the support. Really, I'm afraid my head's blown up to the size of a balloon from all the nice things you people say. (no, this doesn't mean I want you to stop!)
Anyway, I'll quit my blabbing and get on with the show. (applause - thank you, thank you)
Erin sat slumped behind Severus' desk, her head on her arms. Severus himself stood just behind her, one pale hand resting gently on her shoulder. Draco, Calvin, Blaise, and Sara maintained a respectful distance.
"I can't," said Erin into her arms, so quietly that the others could barely hear. "You have to," said Severus. His gaunt features twitched in compassion, but his voice was firm, almost cold. "It is your duty."
"You don't understand," Erin said in a shuddering voice, still not looking up. "I almost killed him. I can't lose control like that ever again."
"That's what we're here for," drawled Draco, leaning against the right wall. "We'll help you." Blaise glared at him but didn't object.
"Besides," said Calvin, "if you hadn't - don't you realize what he would have done? What," Calvin struggled for a second and said the word quickly, "Voldemort would have done?"
Pleadingly Erin turned her eyes to Severus, begging him to understand. He did, but he couldn't allow it.
"You are the most powerful witch in Slytherin," he said, his voice harsh. "Possibly the entire school. As such, you are bound to lead. You must take command, Erin." His voice softened ever so slightly, and his hand tightened on her shoulder. "If you don't stand up to him, no one can." I trust you, his glittering black eyes said.
Erin bowed her head once more, then lifted it. "All right," she said quietly. Her eyes did not waver. " I will."
Erin's arms were quite tired by the time all of her friends had boarded the Hogwarts Express. She had hugged Hermione, each of the Weasleys, Draco, Blaise, Sara, Calvin, even Neville Longbottom. Ron she'd given two hugs, because she'd asked him to borrow his brother's owl, Hermes, and send a letter to her parents in America.
"Why Hermes?" he'd asked.
"The school owls aren't always the greatest," she'd said, "And I want to make sure it gets there. It explains to my parents everything that happened and why I'm not coming home." She'd pressed the letter into Ron's hands and gave him his second hug. "Please, Ron?" He'd melted like a stick of butter in the microwave and had promised.
Now the only one left was Harry.
She caught his eye and he walked away from the knot of Gryffindors. There was one brief, terrible awkward moment as they stared at each other. Then Harry leaned forward and caught her in a fierce hug.
"You take care of yourself," he said over her shoulder. "I'm going straight to the Weasley's, so you can write to there."
"I will," said Erin. "I might even visit, if I can persuade Severus to look the other way." Harry laughed, his body shaking against hers. Suddenly he pulled away slightly. With one finger he traced the lightning scar next to Erin's eye.
"Good luck," he said quietly, and abruptly he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Before Erin could say anything, he was boarding the train. She stood in a semi-daze as the train pulled out, puffing clouds of white smoke.
"Good-bye, Harry."
Severus watched the departing students, already feeling almost cheerful. He wouldn't have to see any of their faces for quite some time. Excepting one, of course.
Erin finally turned back and walked to Hogwarts, her honey-colored hair catching the sun. She met him in the shadows by the doorway.
"Stuck with me," she said blithely.
"Don't get me started," he told her, putting one arm around her shoulders. "You'd better behave, or I'll get you started skinning shrivelfigs again."
"Yes, sir!" she cried, giving him a mock salute and a grin. Severus shook his head in despair, and they walked together into the Great Hall.
In the distance, next to the Dark Forest, a cloaked figure and a white unicorn watched them go.
I apologize for setting false expectations early in the story and updating every night - I'm afraid I might be confined to weekends now. (a few sympathetic sobs here, please)
This isn't really good-bye, since Tangled Webs is just around the corner, but I'll still say thanks to everybody for their great reviews and all the support. Really, I'm afraid my head's blown up to the size of a balloon from all the nice things you people say. (no, this doesn't mean I want you to stop!)
Anyway, I'll quit my blabbing and get on with the show. (applause - thank you, thank you)
Erin sat slumped behind Severus' desk, her head on her arms. Severus himself stood just behind her, one pale hand resting gently on her shoulder. Draco, Calvin, Blaise, and Sara maintained a respectful distance.
"I can't," said Erin into her arms, so quietly that the others could barely hear. "You have to," said Severus. His gaunt features twitched in compassion, but his voice was firm, almost cold. "It is your duty."
"You don't understand," Erin said in a shuddering voice, still not looking up. "I almost killed him. I can't lose control like that ever again."
"That's what we're here for," drawled Draco, leaning against the right wall. "We'll help you." Blaise glared at him but didn't object.
"Besides," said Calvin, "if you hadn't - don't you realize what he would have done? What," Calvin struggled for a second and said the word quickly, "Voldemort would have done?"
Pleadingly Erin turned her eyes to Severus, begging him to understand. He did, but he couldn't allow it.
"You are the most powerful witch in Slytherin," he said, his voice harsh. "Possibly the entire school. As such, you are bound to lead. You must take command, Erin." His voice softened ever so slightly, and his hand tightened on her shoulder. "If you don't stand up to him, no one can." I trust you, his glittering black eyes said.
Erin bowed her head once more, then lifted it. "All right," she said quietly. Her eyes did not waver. " I will."
Erin's arms were quite tired by the time all of her friends had boarded the Hogwarts Express. She had hugged Hermione, each of the Weasleys, Draco, Blaise, Sara, Calvin, even Neville Longbottom. Ron she'd given two hugs, because she'd asked him to borrow his brother's owl, Hermes, and send a letter to her parents in America.
"Why Hermes?" he'd asked.
"The school owls aren't always the greatest," she'd said, "And I want to make sure it gets there. It explains to my parents everything that happened and why I'm not coming home." She'd pressed the letter into Ron's hands and gave him his second hug. "Please, Ron?" He'd melted like a stick of butter in the microwave and had promised.
Now the only one left was Harry.
She caught his eye and he walked away from the knot of Gryffindors. There was one brief, terrible awkward moment as they stared at each other. Then Harry leaned forward and caught her in a fierce hug.
"You take care of yourself," he said over her shoulder. "I'm going straight to the Weasley's, so you can write to there."
"I will," said Erin. "I might even visit, if I can persuade Severus to look the other way." Harry laughed, his body shaking against hers. Suddenly he pulled away slightly. With one finger he traced the lightning scar next to Erin's eye.
"Good luck," he said quietly, and abruptly he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Before Erin could say anything, he was boarding the train. She stood in a semi-daze as the train pulled out, puffing clouds of white smoke.
"Good-bye, Harry."
Severus watched the departing students, already feeling almost cheerful. He wouldn't have to see any of their faces for quite some time. Excepting one, of course.
Erin finally turned back and walked to Hogwarts, her honey-colored hair catching the sun. She met him in the shadows by the doorway.
"Stuck with me," she said blithely.
"Don't get me started," he told her, putting one arm around her shoulders. "You'd better behave, or I'll get you started skinning shrivelfigs again."
"Yes, sir!" she cried, giving him a mock salute and a grin. Severus shook his head in despair, and they walked together into the Great Hall.
In the distance, next to the Dark Forest, a cloaked figure and a white unicorn watched them go.