ADRENALINE: Scion always has serious problems.
SCION: Not as serious as Adrenaline is about to have though.
ADRENALINE: *running away* Please revieewwwwwww.........
Across the Expanses of Time
Tres Fatales
Chapter 4: Departure
"Sakura, you're probably dealing with deeper magic than we've ever learned about," Scorpius whispered. They had finally made their way up to the library, and were now sitting at a table in the corner, conversing over a pile of books. "It's too dangerous for you to go alone."
''So I should take you, who has no more idea than me about what's waiting?" Sakura responded, flipping the pages of The Mystery of History: Theories on Time-Travel. "Besides, I won't be alone. I'll have Kagome and her," she paused, "friends."
Scorpius looked at her intently, his grey eyes unreadable. "Her... friends," he repeated. Sakura gazed intently into the book and said nothing. She knew Scorpius was watching her carefully. There was an awkward, silent moment. "Sakura," Scorpius began finally.
"No, Scorpius," Sakura said, quietly but firmly, meeting his eyes again. "You know exactly how important finding my family is to me, and I know exactly how much keeping your family means to you. I know they don't want you hanging out with a Gryffindor, let alone a foreign orphan who might be a mudblood." She saw his eyes flicker at the at the last word and continued before he could interrupt her. "I know you don't think that way, and that you don't care even if it is true. But you have obligations to your family, just like I do to mine." He still didn't look convinced. "It'll be just like any other summer," she said, returning to her book and trying to sound cheerful. "I'll write you and keep you updated. And you'd better write me like normal, only you should probably send them to Kagome's house. I'll warn them about owls."
Scorpius remained silent, resting his chin on his hand and watching Sakura read her book. "So I suppose this means that revising for OWLs is out," he said. She waved a hand at him, saying "I'll do a bit of that, I suppose, but this is more important."Hearing him sigh, she added "That doesn't mean you can't, though. I just want to be as prepared as possible for this summer!"
"Just make sure you're ready for next week, too," Scorpius said evenly, pulling a review sheet from his bag.
As the next week progressed, Sakura was forced to focus less on the prophesy and more on the subjects of her OWL exams. She was fairly confident in her test-taking ability, and had Scorpius not been studying transfiguration, charms, herbology and potions himself, she probably would have just continued her study of time-travel. She was grudgingly glad of his example, and tried not to be resentful of his gentle encouragement. Especially after the transfiguration exam! That was Sakura's worst subject, and she knew she wouldn't have done nearly so well if Scorpius hadn't asked her to quiz him over the preceding days.
Her impatience to leave Hogwarts grew with every passing day, and though the days following end-of-year exams were usually her favorite of all the year since she got to spend time with her friends without the worry of classes or homework, this year they seemed to drag at a snail's pace. She spent most of the time in the library, taking notes on time-travel, prophesies, and anything else that might be useful, to take with her to Japan. Scorpius had at first tried to persuade her to spend less time with her nose in books, but after it became apparent that she would not be budged, he resigned himself to helping her in her research. Having made it clear to him that he couldn't accompany her on her journey, Sakura found she didn't mind hearing his advice so much, and that he had many useful suggestions for spells she ought to learn and things she ought to take note of in the time beyond the well. They often discussed how Sakura could prove if this miko was her sister, but came up with nothing better than hoping one of the wands Sakura had been given would choose her for its master.
Finally the day of departure arrived. Sakura and Scorpius sat together in a compartment of the Hogwarts Express, and for once Sakura was impatient for the ride to be over. They talked of OWLs, of the school year, of the things Scorpius' family had planned for the summer, but every topic seemed to lead back to Sakura's quest. They spoke softly together, as Sakura didn't really want the other students in the compartment to hear or ask questions. Preoccupied as she was, Sakura couldn't help noticing that Scorpius seemed to become more and more agitated as the hours went by. When at last the train pulled into the station and students began piling out onto the platform, Scorpius turned to Sakura in the now-empty compartment. She smiled up at him, and moved forward to give him a quick hug goodbye, but when she would have let go, he clung to her, holding her close. She could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest as he pressed her against him, his face in her hair. She didn't know how long they stood there, but it was almost a shock when he let her go and looked into her eyes. His eyes, so rarely unguarded, were now eloquent with an emotion she had never seen there before, and she couldn't look away. Scorpius said nothing, but took a small box out of his pocket and pressed it into her hand. Then he turned and walked out of the compartment, pulling his trunk behind him. Sakura stood very still, looking at the door for several minutes before slowly following.
After she had found her seat in the connecting train that would take her to the airport, Sakura opened the package Scorpius had given her. Her mind was reeling from the flood of emotion Scorpius' embrace had caused. She felt like crying and laughing and possibly even punching someone all at the same time. She lifted the protective gauze from the box and pulled out a gleaming pocket watch. Opening it, she saw her name on the inside of the cover, carved in ornate, embellished kanji. It brought a lump to her throat, and she realized for the first time how much she would miss her best friend.
