Episode Forty Six

            Gwen waited patiently for her owl and when it did not arrive within the next week she became anxious. She hoped that Graves knew his way around the forest as well as she did. His return had caused a fluctuation of confused emotions for her.

            He came out of nowhere, making her heart ache again with the sweet confusion she'd felt when he was still a student. Removed, he was no threat to Harry. In person, he was very close to winning her over again.

            Harry was no fool. He knew that once again Gwen was riding a tidal wave of feelings she couldn't explain. He sometimes thought to himself that she might be bipolar, but that thought seemed a bit melodramatic. It was just that Gwen had one of those lives that was more like a soap opera than anything else.

            He had not lied to her when he said he would be patient. He was the shining example of composure, waiting on her temperamental behavior, forgiving her when she was snippy, cheering her when she was down. He was the perfect boyfriend. He never demanded more than she could give, always gave more than she needed. He was her hero.

            She was thinking just that as a tiny grey owl swooped down to her, dropping a note in her lap.

            "Gwen,

            I arrived safely. Please keep a watchful eye over your shoulder. There is a whisper about an attack, but when or where has not yet been disclosed. I cannot say more than that.

In light and dark,

Corwin Graves"

            Harry was reading over her shoulder, and though she was mildly annoyed at the intrusion she didn't say so. She folded up the letter, pushed it into her Arithmancy book and did not think on it again until that evening in the privacy of her curtained four poster bed. She read the letter again by the light of her candle, careful not to drip wax on the deliberately penned words.

            "Oh Graves." She whispered in disquiet.