Big event finally happened! Some of you will be very disappointed, others will be very happy. Life in times of war has a way of making people do crazy things, and Amber is no exception to that rule. I am not going to reveal which boy is endgame, but #TeamRemus and #TeamSean are going to either hate or love this chapter. Y'all are the BEST and I can't wait to finish Book 4 hopefully by next Friday. Thank you to all who favorite, follow and review! Y'all are the BEST!:)

"Do you think she's okay?"

"She looks pretty peaky."

"No, she's just naturally pale. Did you see how fast she hit that shed?"

"I can't believe she didn't stop."

"I tried." I mumbled.

The voices stopped. I opened my eyes and blinked up at a chandelier made of antlers and candles. A gaggle of faces stared down at me, including Lily's.

"Oh, Amber!" She half-sobbed. "Thank God you're alright. I tried to stop you, but I couldn't get to my wand fast enough-"

"Your pole, right?" I said loudly, aware of all of the Muggles around us. There was a medic too, who shined a light in my eyes. I winced.

"Pupil dilation looks normal," he said brusquely, taking my pulse. "You hit your head pretty hard, little lady."

"I hit everything pretty hard," I muttered as he looked at his wristwatch.

"You're lucky nothing's broken." He said seriously. "You know, you really shouldn't be skiing any kinds of runs other than bunny slopes until you've figured out how to stop."

"Thanks, I'm aware of that." I said dryly, as I glared at Lily, who gulped. I felt guilty when I saw her eyes fill with tears.

"Does anything feel painful?" The medic asked as he popped a thermometer in my mouth.

"Uh… everything?" I said around the glass thermometer.

"Try to be more specific." He said.

"My face hurts." I mumbled, touching the left side of my face underneath my eye socket. "And my chest. My forearms, too."

"You tried to stop the impact at the last second," the medic explained. "So your forearms took the brunt of the impact. But they jammed back into your chest, which is why your ribs hurt. They aren't cracked, but you're going to be pretty bruised. And your left eye looks like it got smashed into the shed wall, too. It'll be green with a nice bruise in a few hours. You've got just one cut, which is surprising for such a forceful impact. You're very lucky you didn't break any bones, let alone your neck. Next time, wear a helmet and take it slow, alright?"

I touched the gauze bandage taped to my cheek. "Thanks. Can I try again tomorrow?"

"Are you nuts?" Lily asked shrilly. "You almost just died!"

"It wasn't that much different than being ploughed," I said, thinking of the one time I had accidentally slammed into the ground while practicing on my broomstick. "You're right Lily. It's not much different than Quidditch."

"You're impossible." Lily said in a shaking voice. "You actually like skiing now?"

I shrugged, wincing at the movement. "I'm not afraid anymore, if that's what you mean. I mean, I'm apprehensive, but I want to learn now."

Lily burst into tears. "Oh, you're impossible!" She ran away, bawling.

"Barking mad." I muttered, accepting a mug of tea handed to me from a pair of hands.

"She's just in shock," the medic said. "She thought you were going to die. You're lucky to be alive and just a little banged up. Almost like magic." The medic made a face and shrugged. "Anyway, you'll want to take some muscle relaxant tonight to combat the soreness. Take a hot bath and stretch. Don't push it on the slopes again until you're ready, alright? Take care." He left, the rest of the crowd dissipating now that I was clearly alive and in no danger.

One person remained, the tea-giver. "You can go now, the show's over." I said shortly as I sipped the tea.

"Actually, I'd rather stay with you." The familiar voice said.

I nearly dropped the mug as I stared at the owner of the voice. "Sean!" I gasped.

Sean had grown a scruffy, short beard and was wearing a red hat, which was why I hadn't recognized him at first. His gray eyes were alight with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, and I felt myself blushing hotly at his closeness.

"You missed an owl," Sean said lightly as he sat next to me on the couch I had been laid on. "You told me you'd be here, and I responded to you that me and my flatmate would be here as well. You never wrote back."

"I'm sorry." I said, aghast. "Christmas was so busy… my family came over… I lost track of time and forgot. I'm sorry, Sean."

Sean smiled, and I felt another strong surge of heat. "I'm just glad you're alive. Lily pushed you into this, huh?"

"Yeah," I said darkly, sipping the tea. "I'll get her back eventually, don't you worry."

"The poor thing's been in hysterics since you hit the shed." Sean informed me. "I found you first. I thought I saw some crazy blonde zooming by, and low-and-behold, it was you."

"What can I say? I'm a catastrophe." I said sardonically.

"A beautiful catastrophe." Sean said warmly, tucking a strand of hair behind one of my ears. His gray eyes were full of unspoken thoughts, and I quickly said, "so, how's life been? You know, with Quidditch and everything."

A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Quidditch is Quidditch. I love it, but it's still work. It's been nice to get away."

"Who's your flatmate?" I asked, intent on keeping the conversation flowing.

"Duncan Cowley," he told me. "He plays Beater for the Falcons."

"How old is he?"
"Twenty-four. Why? Are you looking to get his owl, too? You've turned into quite the player, Miss Harkstone."

I covered my face with my hands. "Ugh, no. It's not like that at all. I only write to you and Remus."

Sean's eyes flickered. "You two are still friends?"

"Of course. He's one of my best friends. Second only to Lily."

"I see." Sean said lightly, shifting closer. "I'd like to change that. Get closer to Amber Harkstone. Be her new best friend."

I felt myself going red again. "Sean." I said warningly.

Sean grinned. "What? Afraid I'll bite?"

I laughed, smacking at his arm. "Not at all. I know a few good hexes that'll have you inching across the floor like a worm."

"I like a girl who can fight." Sean said admiringly. "You've always been a warrior. I still can't believe you weren't in Hufflepuff like your Mum and Dad."

"Yeah," I sighed, "I get that a lot."

"So what's stopping you from going out with Lupin?" Sean asked, tugging at my hair. I knew I should have protested, but it felt so relaxing that I let him play with it.

"Oh," I said drolly, "he's got this stupid idea in his head that he's dangerous. Like, just because he turns into a violent, mindless monster once a month we shouldn't date. How ridiculous is that? I turn into a monster every month for a whole week, and that wouldn't stop me."

Sean roared with laughter. "Merlin's beard, I missed your wit. You're a funny girl, Amber. I wish you'd come to my practices."

"Why would I do that?" I asked indignantly. "I got enough of you on the Quidditch pitch when you taught me how to play. I think I'm all set."

"You'd be surprised at how many girls would give their left arm to see me play." Sean said, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Dumb girls with pea-sized brains." I said acidly. "I don't need to see how not to play Quidditch."

Sean laughed again, and I laughed with him. My heart was racing like when I sped on a broomstick with a Quaffle under an arm, intent on scoring a goal. I had that same wild sense of impending victory now. But at the same time, guilt made my stomach twist. What about Remus?

"You look beautiful," Sean said, breaking me away from thinking about Remus. "I still can't believe you're only fourteen."

"I grew up fast, I guess. Dad was just complaining about it."

"Your dad and I get along well." Sean informed me. "In fact, he gave me permission to date you."

My mouth fell open. "Sean. You did not."

"I did. I asked him at your birthday, and he gave me the go-ahead. So, what say you? Are you-"

But before he could finish his question, Lily came back, her tears gone and replaced with glee. "Sean! I knew it was you! I didn't recognize you with that ugly beard!"

Sean laughed as Lily hugged him. "The team's all growing one right now. I'm bound by magical contract. I can't cut it until the season's over."

"Boys are stupid." Lily responded, as if that settled the matter for all time. "Amber, I can't believe Harry can't make it. And you just saw him a few days ago for Christmas!"

"Christmas is always a sordid affair for our family," I remarked, thinking of the mountains of food and the thunderous noise my family produced. "I'll reckon he needs a few days to recover."

Lily pouted. "Well, now I feel all alone and left out. I don't want to be the third wheel."

My cheeks burned. "Lily, you aren't third-wheeling. We aren't a couple."

Lily arched a brow. "Then why are you two holding hands?"

My jaw dropped. Somehow Sean had snuck one of his hands into mine. I jerked it away reflexively, feeling like I'd just swallowed an entire bottle of Pepperup Potion. Lily smirked as Sean cleared his throat.

"I'd like to take you ladies out to dinner tonight," he said. "My treat. How does sushi sound?"

"I don't eat meat." I said automatically. "I'm a vegetarian."

"Why?" Lily asked incredulously. "I love animals too much to be a vegetarian. They're delicious."

I rolled my eyes. "Meat doesn't agree with me for some reason. It never has. So I don't eat it."

"So fish won't count?" Sean asked.

"No." I said unapologetically.

"Well then, how about Thai?" Sean suggested. "There's this amazing place in town called Doc Chey's. They have the best pad thai. You can have tofu."
"I do love curry," Lily said longingly. "But you two don't want to be alone? Like, on a date?"

I reached over and whacked her arm, and my ribs shrieked in protest. I doubled over, holding my chest as the pain subsided. "Ow."

"You hit that shed really hard." Lily told me. "You're going to be sore for awhile."

"You can't whip-up an antidote for me?" I shot at her. "Seeming as you want to be the next Potions master?"

"Hey," Lily said, holding up her hands, "I'm not Slughorn's prodigee yet."

"I'll see you two in an hour?" Sean said brightly. "Give you time to freshen up? You're freezing, Amber."

"I'm not cold." I mumbled, feeling like my face was on fire. I curled the afghan blanket closer, determinedly not looking at him. It was hard enough dealing with his intoxicating scent of aftershave, wind, and snow.

"We'll meet you back here in an hour at six." Lily promised. "See if your flatmate wants to join us."

"Lily!" I protested. "You're dating my cousin!"

"It's not a double date," Lily clarified. "I just don't want to be third-wheeling."

"Fair enough." I allotted grudgingly.

"Excellent." Sean said happily. "I'll see you ladies in one hour." He bent forward and kissed my cheek. Then he Disapparated.

I clapped a hand to my cheek, stunned. Lily looked extremely smug about something. "What?" I asked her crossly.

"Nothing." She said cheerfully. "Remus should have gotten rid of his stupid rule, that's all. Now he's going to lose you to McDreamy. I mean, Sean."

"This is all your fault." I accused.

Lily smiled broadly. "Honestly, though. Doesn't hitting that shed at fifty miles an hour make this all worth it? I was kidding!"

I had just thrown a pillow at her and hit her squarely. "Shut up and help me get ready. I want you to make me look pretty."

"Hair and makeup?" Lily asked eagerly.

"You can even pick my outfit." I told her as she helped me stand.

"If I had known a ski accident would have made you let me do this, I would have done this ages ago!" Lily said triumphantly.

"I'll get you back for this, Evans. Just you wait."

Precisely an hour later, Lily and I made our way back down to the lobby. We were five minutes late because it hurt to move and I was extra slow making my way down the two floors to the couch. Lily didn't complain.

"A lady is never late." She said in a dignified voice. "The others are just early. Besides, a girl should never wait on a guy. He should wait on her."

"Thanks for that advice, Oh-Giver-of-Great-Wisdom," I said sardonically as we neared the lobby. The entire resort seemed to be decorated in unpainted wood, taxidermy, colorful geometric fabric, and gray stone. The mountainside was illuminated by thousands of orange lights on the slopes so that people could ski or snowboard at night. I watched the ant-like shapes zigzag down the white slope and vowed to master the bunny slope before we left on Sunday evening.

Sean and his flatmate Duncan Cowley were waiting, sitting on the couch I had been laying on when I had woken. Even though all four of us were Magical, all of us were dressed like Muggles. Sean wore a thick red-and-black plaid flannel jacket and dark blue jeans. Duncan was slightly shorter than Sean, with chocolate-brown hair that was gelled into a smooth coif. His light brown eyes were warm behind large square glasses. He wore a black jacket and tan-colored khakis. Lily wore a striped turtleneck and tights, along with a poofy white scarf. She had chosen my outfit, which was a simple pale pink v-neck sweater, jeans, and light brown boots. She hadn't given me a jacket.

"You'll see why," she had said slyly.

Sean smiled wider as we approached. I had an unattractive ambling gait since walking was painful, and Sean offered his arm for support. Grumbling, I took it, trying to salvage what was left of my pride.

"Ready?" He asked us.

"I suppose so." Lily said airily, tossing back her hair. "You're tall, Duncan. You play Beater, right?"

I watched in amazement as Lily and Duncan began to talk animatedly about Quidditch. My attention was quickly diverted by Sean, who cleared his throat as we walked outside.

"You forgot your jacket," he said, slipping off his and draping it around my shoulders. It was heavy, warm, and smelled like him. His scent wreathed around me in a cloud of comforting intoxication. I blushed as I slid my arms carefully through the sleeves. Sean was wearing a fitted waffle-knit gray long sleeve and looked warm enough with his muscles straining at the fabric of his shirt.

"Thanks," I managed. "How are we getting there? Taxi?"

"Side-Along Apparition." Sean said. "Ready?"

I braced myself, nodding. A moment later, were sucked through a compressing tunnel of darkness and swirling colors and sound. A second later our feet touched hard ground, a dark alleyway full of snow-covered boxes and rotting food. Sean lead me purposefully into the street-lit walkway and into a crowded Asian-themed restaurant, which was packed to the seams with Muggles.

"Reservation for Locke," Sean told the hostess, who blushed at his easy smile and escorted us to our booth. Sean slid on the inside, while Lily and Duncan appeared, looking chilled.

"It's cold out there." Lily complained as the hostess handed us each a menu.

"It is winter, Lil," I told her sarcastically as I glanced at the menu. "Tofu pad thai, you said?"

"You'll love it." Sean promised.

The waitress materialized out of the crowd, smiling down at Duncan and positively beaming at Sean. "How are you all doing tonight?"

"Very well." Lily replied heartily. "How are you?"

"Busy," the young waitress admitted, laughing easily. "What can I get you all to drink?"

"Four waters, please," Lily said.

"Order whatever you want," Sean insisted. "It's on me, guys."

"Sean." I protested.

"You do realize the fat starting bonus they gave me in addition to the contract I have, right?" Sean teased me.

"Oh." I said stupidly. "Right. In that case, I'll have an iced tea. No sugar, please."

"Gilly water." Lily said.

"I'm sorry, what?" The Muggle waitress looked confused. Lily blushed and said, "Club soda."

"Two lagers for us," Duncan said, nodding to Sean.

"ID?" The waitress asked.

I noticed Sean do a casual flick of his wand underneath the table, and the waitress blinked, a blank look on her face. "Oh. I see. Of course. I'll be right back with your drinks." She left.

"You used a Confundus Charm?" I asked Sean.

"We don't have Muggle ID cards, now do we?" He replied, stowing his wand. "Gilly water, Lily? Merlin's beard."

"Hey, I forgot!" Lily retorted. "This place feels like The Three Broomsticks."

"Which is why we love it." Duncan said happily. The waitress returned surprisingly quickly with our beverages and took our food orders. We all talked about Hogwarts, Duncan and Sean reminiscing fondly and asking us about what we planned to do after we graduated in three years. Lily was set on succeeding Slughorn as Potions teacher. I, however, was oddly torn.

"Well," I said uncertainly as I downed my third glass of iced tea, "I love playing Quidditch, don't get me wrong. But I also really like working with magical creatures. I've been thinking about maybe dragonology or doing what Kettleburn does. I don't know if I'm much of a teacher, but there must be other jobs in the magizoology department."

The table looked startled. "Dragons?" Lily repeated, stunned. "Dragons?"

I shuffled my feet uncomfortably. I didn't like being the focus of attention. "Well, yeah. I like them. There's just something about them, you know? Professor Smith showed me a colony of them once, and I never forgot it. I just like them, like how some people like horses. I don't know."

"Dragons are very dangerous." Sean warned. "Dragon keepers die all the time in their work."

"I'm not worried about death." I told him honestly. "Life is short. We never know how long we have. Who knows… we could be killed by Death Eaters tonight after we leave this restaurant. Or we could live well past one-hundred years old. You don't know. I intend on living my life to the fullest. I don't know when or how I'll die, but you can bet I won't hold myself back for it." I bit my lip, thinking of Virginia and Angelina, of all of the time they'd had that been cut short. Death didn't discriminate based on age. "If I end up dying young, that's how I'll go. But I'm not going to play my life safe. I'm going to live it."

Lily whistled. Duncan cleared his throat awkwardly and downed his entire lager. Sean was watching me with an odd look on his face.

"Amber Harkstone, always the life of the party," Lily said loudly, chuckling. "Always around to add that little dose of impending mortality."

I laughed, unabashed. "Life is short, Lily. I'm not going to waste it. If I want to work with dragons, I'm going to do it. Just like how Duncan and Sean play Quidditch. Besides, Quidditch isn't exactly a safe occupation, either. How many broken bones and concussions have you had, boys?"

That launched Duncan and Sean into a heated discussion about Quidditch and its own dangers until the waitress came back with our food. There was silence for a few minutes, broken only by the slurping of noodles and the gentle clink of chopsticks against porcelain. When the bowls were empty, the waitress came back and offered us desserts.

"I'm full, but thank you." I said, fanning at my face. Sean had had to eat the other half of my noodles. Lily, on the other hand, had helped herself to Duncan's plate when she had finished her bowl of spicy curry.

"I'd love a slice of chocolate cheesecake," Sean said heartily. "Thank you."

"Funny thing, that glass of beer," the waitress said vaguely as she studied Sean's full glass tankard of amber liquid. "I can't remember refilling it, but it's always got more in it when I come back to check on you lot. Almost like magic. Funny, huh?"

The four of us laughed nervously. "Funny," Lily echoed, laughing a little too much. The waitress frowned and then shrugged. "I guess I should get more sleep. I'll be back with your cheesecake and your brownie sundae."

"Anyway," Sean said, as he had been telling a joke about pixies and cats before the waitress had come back, "are you ladies hearing much about what's going on outside of school lately?"

"Oh yes," Lily said seriously, nodding at me. "Amber and I have both taken out subscriptions to the Daily Prophet. We want to stay informed about what's going on with You-Know-Who and his lot."

"That's smart." Duncan said approvingly, lifting his glass, "I tell you what, mates: the world's a lot scarier right now than it was when I first left Hogwarts. Back then, it was all sunshine and daisies. But now we've got these so-called Death Eaters and Lord You-Know-Who."

"You were in Slytherin, right?" Lily asked, without a trace of animosity.

"Yeah. Old Sluggy was still teaching when I was there, too. He and Dumbledore went to school together back in the day, and I wouldn't be surprised if they're both over a hundred now. Anyway, when I first left, there was all of this talk about how good things were going. The Wizarding World was enjoying some really good times. The Harmonic Era just ending, and I'm sure two smart ladies like yourselves know why?"

"Duh." Lily snorted. "Amber and I are top students. We're the only ones aside from Remus who listen to Professor Binns. He told us all about the Harmonic Era last month. Everything was improving really quickly. Art, culture, and society was changing for the better and the economy was doing really well. Not just in Britain, but in lots of countries in the Wizarding World. Kind of like the Roaring Twenties in the States."

"And you know why, right?" asked Duncan, eyeing her over his glass of beer. "There's a reason why we were doing so well."

"Because Grindelwald and Dumbledore had a duel in 1945," I interjected. "Dumbledore won. And Grindelwald was put in his own prison, Nurmengard. It ended the Global Wizarding War."

"Right you are, Amber." Duncan said appreciatively. "And after that, I guess the world thought we were safe from the Dark Arts." His eyes darkened. "But we were wrong."

A hush fell over our table. Sean was staring down at the table, a distant look in his eyes. I thought of Folsom, of the Slytherin boys, of Severus. Lily twirled a lock of her hair absently around one finger.

"I don't know what's coming," Duncan said quietly, pursing his lips. "But I think another war's coming. That's what I reckon, at least."
"He's recruiting, isn't he?" I asked the table at large. "Lord… Vol… Voldemort." There was a collective wince from the others, but I remembered what Professor Smith had told me and refused to take back what I'd said. "The train ride to Hogwarts on the first of September, Avery and his pals tried to convince me to join their side. They said it was to make wizards rule over the Muggles. Come out of hiding, back into our rightful place. But it's all a lie. Professor Smith said that Lord Voldemort wants to control everything. He wants to the Master of everyone." I thought of Regulus and Severus. "He tricks, lies, and blackmails people into following him. I think you're right, Duncan. A war is coming. But there's nothing we can do about it. Not yet, at least."

"But we can." Duncan said robustly, slamming his tankard on the table top and startling Sean, who flinched. "We can spread the word against him and fight. We don't have to sit back and be bystanders. Right, Sean?"

"Right." Sean said in a dull voice. He was looking paler than normal, and there was an odd look on his face. Was it fear? Or nausea?

"Are you feeling alright?" I asked him, concerned. "You don't look so well."

"I'm not feeling that well, to be honest." Sean said quietly. "I think I should go."

"Are you sick?" Lily asked. "Was it something you ate?"

Sean nodded. "I think so. Amber, shall I walk you home?"

I glanced at Lily, who nodded vigorously at me, grinning. Sean couldn't see her since he was looking at me.

"Uh… sure? If you're up for it. I might be the one who should walk you home."

Sean gave a half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Fair enough." He left a stack of money on the table and nodded to Duncan and Lily. "Make sure she gets home safely, alright? And Duncan, she's got a boyfriend. Don't try anything sneaky."

Duncan's eyes twinkled merrily. "With a Gryffindor? Never."

"Oh!" Lily said, laughing. "I just realized! We have a member of each House sitting here. Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw."

I gave her a wry smile. "I'll see you back at the resort, Lily. We won't be out long."

Duncan waved. "We might do some night skiing, if that's alright with you two. See you later, Sean. It was very nice to meet you, Amber." He took my hand and kissed it. "I hope you'll come to one of Seany's games. And try to be more careful on the slopes"

Blushing, I pulled my hand away and put Sean's coat back on. "It was nice meeting you, Duncan. Bye, guys."

"Bye!" Lily bade, waving happily, before returning to debate with Duncan about history. Sean and I slipped through the throng of diners still waiting to be sat. Clearly, Doc Chey's was an extremely popular eatery.

"Are you alright?" I asked Sean as we exited into the cold night air. "You look sick."

A muscle jerked in Sean's cheek as he stared blankly across the street. "Can we talk?"

My stomach plummeted. Palms sweating, I nodded. "Sure. Are we going to walk, or do you want to go sit down somewhere private?"

"It doesn't matter. Maybe walking will help me feel better."

"Aren't you cold?" I asked as we started down the nearly-empty streets. They were lit softly by lanterns and twinkle lights, and I felt warmer than I had in the summer as I studied the profile of Sean's face.

"Not really. I feel really warm. I'll conjure another jacket if I need to." Sean said as we traipsed past lit window of closed shops. Bookstores, cafes, frame shops, jewelry stores…

"This reminds me of home." I said happily as I looked into the windows every few stores. "And Hogsmeade."

"You really like school, then?" Sean asked.

"I love learning. And I love Hogwarts. Most of the time."

"What about the other part of the time?"

I told him about my struggles with anxiety, the workload of the fourth-year level, Quidditch, and finding time for friends. I left out the part about visions and the necklace, remembering Professor Smith and Professor Dumbledore's warning to keep it between only us.

"Anyway," I said after a long monologue, "what did you want to talk to me about?"

Sean let out his breath in a silver cloud. We had arrived at a train platform, which was vacant. A single bright light glowed underneath the roof, providing some shelter from the light snow that fell. "I have to tell you something."

I swallowed hard, sensing something big impending. "What is it?" I said carefully.

Sean jammed his hands in his pockets, not looking at me. His gaze was fixed on the train tracks just outside the realm of light. "I was approached by a man a few months ago, a week after the Hufflepuff Games. A man in the Ministry of Magic. He's a sympathizer with the Dark Lord. He said he knew your dad, worked with him in the Department of Mysteries. He said he knew you and I were close. He told me that if I wanted to protect you, I should join up with him. Help the Dark Lord overthrow the Ministry. Help make sure you'd be safe from danger."

The excitement I'd originally felt at his words had dissolved into a quagmire of horror and fear. "What?" was all I could whisper.

Sean looked green, like he was about to be sick. He dragged a hand through his hair, making it stand on end. "Amber, I was so tempted to join… I was so tempted to join the Dark side. To follow Lord Voldemort. To protect you." He looked at me now, raw pain in his gray eyes. "I almost said yes. I almost gave in."

"Why?" I asked, my throat tight. "How could you almost say yes, Sean? They're evil. Look at what they did to Platform 9 ¾'s last year! Look at the Hufflepuff Games!" Tears spilled over down my cheeks. "Look at what Mulciber made me to to Angelina!"
Sean froze. "What did he make you do?"

I clutched at his jacket, pulling it tighter around myself. "He put me under the Imperius Curse. He made me kill her."

Sean was whiter than the snow falling. He covered his face with his hands, the tumultuous emotions exposed on his face. "Amber…"

"You can't ever say yes to them, Sean!" I half-shouted, my voice strangled. "They'll lie to deceive you! They steal, kill, and destroy! You honestly think that the people Folsom and Mulciber are with will protect me? Will make you keep me safe?" I gave a bitter laugh. "You can't ever listen to them, Sean. They're liars. You'll only find death with them."

Sean looked at me hopelessly, his eyes haunted. "Amber, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…"

"Mean what?" I demanded hotly. "Don't give me that, Sean. You know what that side does and what they support! Who they support! I thought you were smart. I thought you were my friend."

Sean looked tortured. "It's not just me… they came for my cousin, too. Mara. And I don't know if she's with them or acting as spy. She's always been an excellent liar and had the best poker face. She says she's not with them, but I can't tell…"

I shook my head, remembering Professor Smith's words. You'll have your time to fight… it's not your job to solve the world's problems… leave Mara to me… I was once a Death Eater… one of my biggest regrets… I believe I did great damage… I feel like I haven't yet atoned for what I've done…

Sean spread his hands imploringly, and I saw tears in his eyes. "I feel like I'm going crazy, Amber. Ever since I met you, I've been drawn to you. At first, it was just as a friend and mentor. But as you've grown up and become strong and independent, I started seeing you as the young woman you are. I love you, Amber. I want to protect you from the evil out there in the best way I can. Remus can't protect you. He's a danger himself. He's a werewolf."

"Stop saying that!" I yelled. "Remus isn't dangerous! He's my friend!"
"But not your boyfriend." Sean retorted. "Amber, can't you see how much I love you? What I'd do for you? Why do you keep stringing me along? Why do you keep running away from me?"

"Because I love Remus too!" I finally exploded, throwing the jacket off in my confused fury. "Because I don't know what I want!"

"Let me help you find out." Sean begged. "This is the last time I'll ask you, Amber. I won't bother you again with my feelings if you don't want to do this. Will you go out with me? Will you be my girlfriend?"

I stared at him, my heart pounding frantically in my chest. I was torn, so torn, between running into his arms and running away from here and all the way to Remus. But I knew what would happen if I chose the latter; it was a dead-end street. Remus, no matter how things were right now, refused to enter into a relationship with me. He refused to act on his feelings, or mine. He didn't want to be with me. He claimed it was to protect me. And Sean claimed that nearly joining the Death Eaters was to protect me, too.

I was getting awfully tired of boys trying to protect me.

"I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself." I muttered, and Sean blinked in confusion.

"What?" He asked, his vulnerability breaking my heart.

I stared into his familiar face, his open, honest, sincere eyes. He was everything my parents wanted for me. Handsome, smart, driven, ambitious, protective to a fault. Honest. Loyal. Hufflepuff. A Quidditch player.

So why did I still feel so guilty about this? Like I was cheating on Remus?

I'm not with him! I screamed at myself inwardly. He is not my boyfriend. I have to get on with my life. I love Sean, too, but is it wrong to be with him when I still have feelings for Remus?

And the answer came to me, unbidden, from a voice other than my own, but one that had been with me since birth: Live your life. It's short. Don't hold back.

"Amber, I love you." Sean repeated, stepping closer. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

I stared at him, the coldness of my fury ebbing away into a warm, melting heat that spread from my heart to my fingers and toes. A smile twitched on my lips. I let myself picture Remus in my mind one final time, before exhaling him and my dreams for him through my mouth. I'm sorry, Remus. But I have to live my life. Even if that means we won't be together as a couple.

"Yes." I said at last.

Sean's face changed. His expression of mingled fear and hope cleared into an awed, humbled gape. I smiled wider, the anger gone now, replaced by nothing by a stunned comprehension.

Sean is my boyfriend. Sean Locke is my boyfriend!
"You will?" He asked, stunned.

I laughed, a bubbly, nervous giggle. "Yes."

Sean crossed the distance between us, and the next thing I knew, I was wrapped-up in his strong arms, crushed to his broad chest. He spun around a few times, then placed me back on the ground. For the first time, I noticed just how tall he was. He looked down at me with a look of intent that I was not ready for.

"I think I'd like to try skiing again." I told him brightly as I picked up his jacket, putting it back on. My head was light, and I felt like I was walking on stars. Dizzy on the swirling emotions, I grinned stupidly at him. "I'm sorry, I feel like I'm drunk or something."

"Have you ever been drunk?" Sean laughed, slipping his large hand into mine. My heart leaped as his fingers filled the spaces between mine, a perfect fit. For a moment, I saw Remus' hand in it instead, but pushed it away firmly. He had chosen this. Now, it was my turn to choose. And I had.

"No." I told him firmly, as we walked away from the platform and back towards the town. "I'm a good girl. I won't lock you out anymore, Sean. Consider yourself un-Locked."

Sean burst out laughing. "Thanks for not 'locke-ing' me out."

I rolled my eyes. "I can't believe you find my sense of humor appealing."

"That's one of the things I love about you." Sean said warmly. "I'll Apparate us back to the resort, and we can work on your skiing. I'm a good teacher."

"So I've been told." I teased. "Oh, and Sean?"

Sean raised a brow.

"I love you, too."

Sean grinned, and again I had the fleeting impression that he was going to kiss me. But instead, he said, "Good. Because I've wanted to hear you say that for a long time. Ready?"

Again, I thought of Remus. The dreams I had of us doing what Sean and I were doing right now clawed at my heart, peppering me with small darts of grief for what we had lost. But this was life, and it was painfully short. Virginia hadn't even held a boy's hand before she'd died. And Angelina had never heard a boy tell her he loved her. Remus.

I closed my eyes briefly. Remus had been with Angelina. Now, it was my turn to step into the unknown realm of romance. Part of me knew I should have let go of my dreams with Remus right then and there in that snowy platform. Like letting go of balloons, I should have released them into the sky, never to be seen again. But instead, I folded them up like winter clothes as summer arrived, tucking them away in a wardrobe in hopes of taking them out again someday. I couldn't let go of my Remus, but I couldn't waste my life waiting on him, either.

"I'm ready." I told Sean, smiling up at him. A moment later, the blackness enveloped us, as we were sucked away in a vortex of compression, color, and sound.