Just to the right of the room stood two dark figures before us.
I could tell automatically who they were, without having to ask.
It was my dear, and old friend, Newt Scamander, stood tense in the far corner of the room, along with a woman with thick curly, shoulder-length, brown locks.
I couldn't hold back the smile that pulled at my lips, as my eyes met his twinkling blue eyes along with a shy smile.
"Sophie." He greeted shyly, stepping farther into the room along with the woman.
"Art," I replied, smiling at his hesitance.
There was a brief tense pause as we stood in the small foyer.
The tense feeling, however, withdrew as Tom cleared his throat.
"Scamander." He gruffly said, gaining Newt's attention.
"Tom Riddle, last time I heard y-you t-two were separated. H-How'd you find her again?" He asked curiously as his eyes recognized Tom's voice.
Tom turned his head, briefly scanning the room, before looking back at Newt to answer him, "I didn't find her. She found me." He answered truthfully before he looked back at me.
Newt turned his head towards me, raising his brow briefly at me.
Before he nodded in response, turning to back head down the darkened hallway, raising only his hand to motion us to follow him.
He passed three doors before he swiftly turned left into what looked like a sitting room.
He motioned for us to sit on the overstuffed armchair.
I sat down without question wondering what was to happen next.
My stomach churned in anticipation as I noticed Newt walk towards a door to the right side of the room.
Disappearing for a brief moment before he appeared in the room, a dark velvet bag in his fist.
"Is that--?" I asked, my eyes glued to the dark fabric as it practically glimmered in the sheen of the room.
He simply nodded as he sat on a footstool across from me.
I could feel Tom's tension as he watched Newt's hand over the small, black, velvet bag.
I worried briefly whether I should grasp it or not. My hand clenching and clenching into a fist as I thought about it.
"It's alright, Sophia. Nothing bad is going to happen. This is key to help us all. Whether to present a united front against what's coming or to help us all remember why we ever began fighting at all." Newt whispered, offering me the black, velvet bag.
It felt slightly heavier than expected.
My hand shook as I weighed the bag in it.
I looked over at Tom, searchingly. I noticed though his jaw was clenched, his eyes gave me the strength I needed to do what I needed to.
Tipping the bag over, I slowly shook it, feeling as the cool metal met my hand.
Listening as it made a slight, soft clinking noise as the thin chain met the metal of the rings I now wore. With a final shake, I set the small bag in my lap before I pulled the chain up with my fingertips.
The medallion swung slowly in the air, glimmering as it slowly danced back and forth.
I watched it mesmerized, gulping as I gathered the strength to clasp it around my neck.
I heard two pairs of footsteps slowly retrieve from the room as another pair walked closer.
I realized instantly who it was, Tom.
He took the medallion from my shaking grasp, and swiftly clasped it around my neck.
He, then, jerked my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze as the medallion began to glow in a sapphire light, quivering as it landed on my chest.
"Tom," I whispered, breathing heavily.
I could feel the medallion begin to work, the soft quiver turning to a violent one as the soft glow turned into a blinding luminosity.
My heavy breathing turned to a gasp as the emblem settle just above the valley of my breasts.
A searing heat began to pulsate into my chest, just where the cool metal touched my bare skin.
All at once, my mind began to receive information long forgotten. Images of Tom and I as children now struck my mind heavily. One after the other.
I recoiled as if I had been struck.
My head began to pound as my poor mind tried to make sense of what I saw. It throbbed as it tried to reconcile the truth to what I thought I knew.
Finally, after an unknown length of time, I felt heat travel down my nose in the only familiarity I knew. Losing the battle as the familiar darkness pulled me under.
My throat felt parched and painfully raw as I gasped an air full into my burning lungs.
My eyes felt as if I had cried for a long time, throbbing behind my lids.
I forced myself to peel them back, allowing my sore eyes to take in where I was.
The scene before me almost made me wish I had truly fallen asleep. Even though I knew what I was now missing and where it was.
I saw as Tom stretched his arm towards me, offering me two small flasks and a tall glass of water.
I greedily took the flasks, drinking them both without batting an eyelash, then proceeded to gulp down the water in a few gulps.
"Thirsty?" He muttered, smirking in amusement.
"Quite so, actually." I muttered, truthfully.
I could tell he remembered everything I did, just by looking a the sparkle that his eyes held.
"Are you ready to go back?" He asked.
'No, not one bit.' I thought, pouting in response.
"Oh, well, that's too bad isn't it?" He replied, trying not to laugh at my thoughts.
It was at that moment, Newt and Tina walked back into the room, each holding a small suitcase with them.
I almost smirked as I read their thoughts.
Either of them holding quite a fondness towards the other.
"Leaving so soon?" Newt asked.
"Yes, actually. We must. I think we are going to have to travel. Soon." I replied, after swiftly getting to my feet.
"Take care. 'Til we see one another again, my friend." I added, briefly hugging both of them before pulling Tom quickly out of the browstone.
"What's the hurry?" Tom, finally asked, as he pulled us to a stop just a few houses beside the Blacks' residence.
"They're leaving. Separately. Tina is going back to New York, and Newt...well, he's- he's headed to Hogwarts, he wishes to speak to Dumbledore about something." I explained.
Tom stared at me, expressionless a before nodding once in acknowledgement.
He began to pull me back towards the safe house, his hand firmly in mine as he did so.