Sunlight streamed through the window, lighting the white sheets beside him. He rolled over and reached for Kalli, only to find himself on the edge of the bed. Kalli wasn't beside him. He sat bolt upright in bed and scanned the whole room. Her bathrobe still hung on the chair, her slippers beside it. The skirt she wore to Grimmauld Place that night was on the floor beside the bathroom door, which was closed.
"Kalli?" he called.
He heard the water shut off in the bathroom, and she opened the door. She was in a towel, her ebony hair wrapped in another towel. "Yes?" she asked.
"I was worried," Harry replied sheepishly. Kalli smiled at him, and walked across the room. He watched her long, slender, cream colored legs come across the room to fold up on the bed. "I worry too much, don't I?"
"Of course," Kalli replied. "But I expect it. If you didn't do it, then I would have to. I'd rather you did it."
"Does it bother you?" he asked, pulling her into his arms, and holding her close.
Kalli reached down and tugged the towel up over her thighs, it slipped back down. "Harry, I'm wearing a towel here," she replied.
His dark eyebrows arched over those liquid emerald eyes, and said, "Yes, my dear, I know." She smiled at him as he spun her around, and pulled her legs around his waist. He unwrapped the towel from her body and looked down at her.
She felt the heat of his gaze travel up her legs to her stomach, and her breasts, and linger there before sweeping up into her eyes. "What do you see, Harry?" Kalli whispered, her voice thick.
"I see infinite beauty in skin the color and texture of white silk, eyes the color of ice, but the warmth of a noonday sun," he responded. Kalli was watching him, not moving, not breathing. "I see you."
"What do you see, Harry?" Kalli asked again, holding his gaze.
Harry hesitated as he looked at her, the curves of her hips, the rise and fall of her breasts, the curl of her fingers, and whispered in return, "My future." She nodded, a smile coming over her features. "Come here," Harry whispered, pulling her up, and into his arms. She curled up with him. "I'm not sure if I want you at Hogwarts. Maybe you should go back to Remus' for awhile."
"No," Kalli whispered adamantly into his chest. "I'm not comfortable with you going to Hogwarts either. But if you go without me, I'll hex you," she continued.
Harry smiled into her shoulder. "Ok. Fine. You win. Let's get ready to go."
Kalli bounced up, grabbing her towel and letting down her hair. Harry got up as well, and strolled past her into the bathroom. He stripped off his pajamas, left them in a pool on the floor. He turned on the shower, and stepped in, leaving the door wide open.
Moments later, Kalli came in to blow dry her hair, and fix her make-up. She glanced toward the see-though, steam covered glass partition, and watched Harry as he lathered up his hair. At seventeen, Harry's slim form had become sinewy and muscled and utterly beautiful. Kalli watched the muscles straining as he ran water through the shampoo in his hair.
"Harry," she asked, holding her hair dryer. He turned toward her, as he poured shower gel into his hand and began to lather up his body. "When you said 'my future', what did you mean?"
He looked up at her, blind without his glasses. All he saw was a blur of white with ebony hair. "We all know where this is headed, Kalli. It's just that none of us want to say it," Harry replied. Because he was blind he didn't see her smile, but he did see her turn. The familiar click and whirl of the dryer kicking in.
Downstairs, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the breakfast table, amidst a group of chattering adults, all talking about Diagon Alley. Kalli and Harry breezed in, Kalli looking as if she knew the secret of life, Harry grinning like a fool. Hermione glanced between the two them, and then caught Kalli's eye. The girl shrugged and then hid her face behind a cascade of black hair.
"We were thinking, Harry," Ron said, obvious to the inaudible conversation going on between Hermione and Kalli. "Perhaps it would be easiest if we took the Express to Hogwarts."
"We could fly a car, preferably Ford," Kalli giggled. Harry shot her a look, crossing his eyes and sticking out his tongue. She stuck hers out as well, and tugged on her cheeks, then they both started laughing. "Really, Ron, the Express sounds like such a hassle. We'd have to get to the station."
"Well, I hate Floo Powder," Harry replied, grimacing. "I'd rather hang upside-down from a broomstick while getting bashed to death by Bludgers."
"Hopefully it won't come to that, Harry," Hermione replied, smiling. "We could take broomsticks."
"That's an awful long time on a broomstick. Your arse would hurt after a few miles," Ron replied.
"Beats walking," Harry replied.
"Apparation?" Kalli asked, her eyebrows arching. "I mean, I know we can't get to Hogwarts, but we can get to Hogsmeade, and then walk to Hogwarts."
"Let's just take the Hogsmeade Train," Harry replied. "We can go over to the train station here, and just get off at Hogsmeade."
"Does this station have a train that stops at Hogsmeade? I thought it was Muggle."
"I've got it," Harry shouted, grinning broadly. "Don't eat too much more of that breakfast, Ron, Hermione. We'll eat when we get there." Kalli eyed him suspiciously, but put the toast down. "Get your stuff, group. We leave immediately." He strolled over to kiss Kalli lightly on the lips. "I'll go grab our stuff, finish your pumpkin juice and meet me out front. Muggle attire only!" Ron and Hermione vanished up the stairs as Kalli glance down at her skirt, boots, t-shirt and trench coat.
Outside, Kalli came and stood beside Harry, who waited patiently for the other two. He slid his arm around Kalli's waist and held her close. They rested forehead on forehead and stood there for a long minute before Ron and Hermione appeared out of the nothingness that was Headquarters. Harry pulled away from Kalli, then stuck out his wand and lit it.
On cue, a deep purple double-decker bus appeared with a bang. The doors slammed open and revealed a skinny redhead with deep lavender eyes. "Where's Stanley?" Harry asked, his voice clipped and business-like.
"Stan's visitin' his folks in Hampshire. I'm his cousin, Franklin," the kid said. "Golly, you're Harry Potter!" Harry nodded, and grabbed his and Kalli's trunks. Ron followed with his and Hermione's. "Make yourselves at home. Where you going to?"
"Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft," Ron said, nervously.
"We know it," Franklin said, "You just sit back and relax. We'll do all the drivin'."
Harry plunked down on one of the beds, and leaned against the headboard. Kalli curled up next to him, and he wrapped his arms around her. Ron and Hermione took a similar stance across the way. With a bang, the Knight Bus was back under way.
Kalli gripped Harry's arms, holding tight. She turned three shades of green, then went back to pale as death. Hermione gulped a couple of times, then stood up and shakily bolted for the bathroom in the back. Ron groaned with nausea, but closed his eyes and fought it. Harry closed his eyes and welcomed the pitching and yawning of the bus. Here, it felt out of control, and that was all he needed to have control of. Here he couldn't fight back. He handed it all over, and just fell into the high speeds and recklessness of it all.
"Did you hear about The Cauldron," Franklin was saying to Ron. Harry half-listened as Kalli's fingernails bit into his arms. "It vanished in the night. Just like Diagon Alley. Everyone says it's the work of You-Know-Who. They say he's grabbin' things left and right. Trying to get back at Albus Dumbledore for sending him back to whence he came."
Harry eyes popped open. "The Cauldron vanished?" he said, Kalli looked up at him. She knew what he was thinking. "Were there survivors?"
"Two," Franklin replied. "A man and a woman."
Ron perked up. "Who was it?"
"A witch by the name of Pansy Parkinson, and none other then Draco Malfoy."
The Knight Bus slammed to a stop outside the door to the Three Broomsticks. "This good enough for you guys?" Franklin asked, getting up. Ron looked out the window, and nodded. Kalli sat up as well, still quite green and shaking. Harry reached out to steady her. She leaned against him.
The four of them clambered out of the bus, dropping their luggage on the ground. Kalli turned as Franklin called a farewell, and the Knight Bus vanished with a bang. Before them sat the Three Broomsticks with the familiar sign above the door. Ron picked up his and Hermione's trucks and dragged them across the dirt road to the front door. Hermione held it open as Ron and Harry trudged in. Kalli collapsed in a chair, scarcely holding her head up.
"I feel sick," she whispered. Harry motioned for Rosmerta.
"Rosie," Harry said as she made her way over. "I need water. Now." Rosmerta moved back over to the bar, and return in moments with a glass of water. Harry took it and handed it to Kalli. She took a long sip, but still remained an off green color. "Rosie, do you have orange juice?"
"Orange juice? Pumpkin juice is orange," Rosmerta replied, her brows furrowed.
"No," Hermione said. "The fruit, orange… juice…"
Rosie looked around, and then she frowned. "I don't think so," Rosmerta replied.
"I'll get some, Harry," Hermione said, and dashed outside.
Kalli leaned against the table, barely supporting herself. Harry knelt down and held her up, his hands strong against her ribcage. "What's wrong with me, Harry?" Kalli asked.
"You have never been in a moving vehicle. You have motion sickness. We just need to get some sugar in you, you'll be fine," Harry replied.
Hermione came dashing back in, an orange in her hands. "The glass," Hermione said, whipping out her wand. Harry handed it to her. She set the orange on top of the glass and waved her wand. Slowly, far too slowly for Harry, the juice drained out of it. "It's got pulp, but it's orange juice."
Harry scooped it up and handed it to Kalli. She took a sip, and made a face. "This is awful," she whispered, choking. Harry shook his head, and tipped the glass back up. She finished it.
"Do you guys want to eat before we head over to the school?" Ron asked.
Rosmerta looked confused. "Didn't you graduate last year, kids?" she asked.
"Yes," Kalli replied, the color returning to her cheeks. "Professor Dumbledore wants us to watch the school while he's in Bulgaria."
"Whatever would Albus go to Bulgaria for?" Rosmerta asked.
Harry shrugged. "I'm not hungry," he said. "And we have no idea why Professor Dumbledore is in Bulgaria, Rosie. But we should get going." Ron nodded, and reached down for his and Hermione's trunks. Kalli rose to her feet, and fell into step with Harry, Hermione and Ron. "Thanks for the orange juice, Rosmerta. We'll come by and see you soon." The quartet left the Three Broomsticks.