Chapter 2—The Beginning

Exiting the little craft shop with the crystal viola delicately wrapped in paper and placed in a bag, Harry made his way to meet Ron and Hermione for lunch. His heart was full of the conversation he had just had with the old man who owned the shop:

"Did you know, Mr. Potter, that every crystal carving made here is special and unique?"

"What is so special about them?"

"If you tilt each crystal just a little towards the sun so that it catches the light…ahh, just like that; do you see the little charm dangling inside? Each charm is unique. When a person buys one of my crystals and gives it to someone important to him or her as a gift, the spell inside the charm activates. It is a happiness and contentment charm, so that the giver always feels content and happy when you're around. Think of it as incorporating a little of phoenix magic: that someone who has that charm feels calm and peaceful if he is angry, enabling him to think clearly".

"Wow, that is fantastic!"

"But alas, the charm has a limited use. It only comes into play when someone has truly let their emotions rule them. I have been attempting to see if I can work a protection charm inside my crystals, but I have yet to succeed as of yet".

"Thank you sir, for sharing this with me. I'll see if I can do anything to help you".

"You're very kind, Mr. Potter. Please, call me Joseph".

"And you can call me Harry".

Wrapped up in his thoughts, Harry did not look where he was going and walked past Ron and Hermione who were waiting at the entrance to the new café. Ron ran after him.

"Oi, mate, over there! We were waving like crazy but you walked right past us. What's up with you mate?"

"Oh! Nothing, Ron. I was just daydreaming and didn't see you". Harry smiled sheepishly at his friends and followed them into the café. The café was full of Hogwarts students all busily eating and chatting. Harry spotted a few of his fellow Gryffindors as well as Luna sitting together at a table.

After placing their order, Hermione spotted Harry's little shopping bag and asked: "Harry, what did you get?" Harry handed over the shopping bag to her. She opened it and drew out the wrapped crystal. Tearing a little hole in the paper, she peered in and gasped. "Oh Harry this is beautiful! Look at the detailed carvings." She placed the crystal back in the bag and handed it back, saying: "This is special crystal, Harry. It's a kind of crystal known as Star Crystal, and it symbolizes heartfelt wishes. It's meant only to be given as a gift. Who did you buy it for? Where did you buy it from? Hogsmeade? What's the shop called? I read a book all about its special properties. Magical Crystals states that…"

"Merlin, woman, breathe!" Ron interjected. "And for goodness sake, it's Hogsmeade weekend! No talk of school work or books if you please." "That's just like you Ron; I'm merely trying to tell Harry some information. If you bothered to visit the library once in a while you might know this information as well, seeing as it's a kind of gift that purebloods give to each other". "Now what would I want to visit the library for…." The same old argument washed over Harry, who simply leaned back in his chair, sipped his Butterbear and waited for his burger to arrive.

After paying his share of lunch, Harry walked out of the café putting his change into his moneybag. With his eyes not on the road, he promptly bumped into someone and landed on his arse, coins flying everywhere. With a gasp, he reached for the shopping bag from 'Wishes' which had been dangling from his wrist, and examined the contents frantically to assure himself the crystal had not cracked. Upon ascertaining that the crystal was undamaged, he looked up…and up…to find that the person whom he had bumped into was a Hogswart student, wearing a Slytherin tie.

But this Slytherin boy was unknown to Harry. He examined the features of his victim: dark curly hair, dark eyes, olive skin, and really really tall. It took the sound of a throat clearing to realize that the Slytherin was holding out a hand to him. Slowly, he placed his hand into the Slytherin's and allowed the latter to haul him up.

"Thanks." "Don't mention it". It was only then that Harry realized he was still holding on to the warm hand, and quickly tugged away, a light blush staining his cheeks. He glanced up, meeting the brown eyes with his emerald ones.

"I'm really sorry for bumping into you, wasn't looking where I was going".

"I should think that was obvious. Here, let me help you pick up your coins". The voice of the Slytherin boy was deep and low. Together the two boys picked up the dropped coins. As they reached for one of the coins, their fingers brushed, and Harry could not help the blush that again rose up in his face. He glanced at his companion to see if the latter had noticed, and blushed even harder to realize that the Slytherin was gazing at him with a indescribable look on his face. Quickly Harry bent his head to his task and they soon finished. Harry tied his moneybag closed and placed it in the pocket of his cloak. He looked up at the Slytherin boy who solemnly nodded his head, and with a "See you in class, Potter", vanished into the crowd, leaving Harry standing there, hand tingling slightly and face still pink.

By this time Harry had long forgotten his two best friends somewhere in the crowd.

* * * *

In the shadow of a nearby alley, the same dark figure that had stood outside the craft shop watching Harry earlier saw the whole incident and saw the blush. His fingers twitched. 'It should only be me that Harry blushes for. And yet, what a beautiful blush! I would not have missed this chance to see that blush for all the world. But I wish it had been me'.

Turning away in a flurry of robes, the dark figure strode down the alley, resisting the urge to turn around and steal a last look at his longed-for love. 'If I am to win his love, some things about me have got to change; and I know just where to start'.

Ok, you guys, here's chapter 2! A bit shorter than the first chapter. Don't' forget to review! Chocolate brownies to those who give suggestions as to who should be our Slytherin boy, and who should be our dark mysterious figure!