The days remaining of the Christmas break were few, objectively speaking.

Nerya and Albus spent the rest of the holidays exclusively in each other's company; they never agreed or even asked each other about it, it felt obvious for both of them that they had to make the most of every last second. And although the time until term restarted was limited in quantity, it was so very dense in information, wonder and elation, that even though the days seemed to pass very quickly, the couple felt like they were in limbo, the alteration of day and night, nothing but an insubstantial illusion.

There was this thing out there called freedom of speech. Nerya had dreamed about meeting a person with whom she would be able to talk about anything that came to her mind, without judgement or reservation. With which she wouldn't need a façade, with which she would be able to truly be herself; and that had been her main reason for initiating the Revelation Morn. For the doors it would open. And now she had stepped out of those doors, which had been torn apart in a most satisfying manner, and she was living the dream; Nerya felt the novelty in her very core. It was wonderfully strange and she hadn't properly realised it yet, she even feared that she might never do. But she was certainly relishing it.

The discovery that a carte-blanche could actually exist in the real world was another, greater novelty that elicited similar reactions. Because Nerya thought she had understood Albus' speech perfectly, and in her mind it technically meant a carte-blanche. The doubting was just something Albus had told himself he would do to appease his cynical side; deep down, where it mattered most, he had already believed her and just the thought of it warmed her insides. Albus had gone out on a limb for her; he had taken a gamble with his confidence over his judgement as the stakes.

From the first, Nerya had drawn the conclusion that Albus was a very private, introvert person, someone who didn't trust or open up easily, even though he behaved amicably and openly; and that had made her respect him very much, because she too knew very well that the world is not a kind place. One must shield their backs, look out for themselves and don't get caught up in daydreamings about how nice it would be if the contrary were true.

Nerya had broken that rule when she jumped into revealing herself; she had acted on impulse, because she knew that Albus would never be a threat to her. She didn't really know what her expectations were when she spilled the beans, she had many years to behave as rashly and impulsively as she had done on their Revelation Morn; not since she was a child probably. Nerya had also gone out on a limb for him. And Albus had managed to be there to meet her, right on the edge of the limb, in spite of his fear and knowledge of the world, in spite his instinct for self-reservation. 'How had he managed that' was a question as easy to answer as the 'how had she managed that' was.

Nevertheless it all gave her so much pure, unadulterated, booming, heart-wrenching happiness. That was another novelty as well.

Like that, she was determined to crush even the not-serious doubting Albus would do, which she considered more than reasonable and totally called for, but nevertheless had to be dealt with, the sooner the better; so she hadn't wasted time, and right after lunch, on the very afternoon of their Revelation Morn, she had cut right to the chase. But she found herself bemused with Albus' hesitation when she mentioned Legillimency.

''Of course I want to, Albus, I thought we had agreed?'' Apart from serving as further proof of her words, she would be finally opening her mind to another person, she who all her life had to hide or justify her thoughts; and Albus had been pretty determined about finding out more about her. What about the not serious doubting? Why was he hesitant now?

Albus, even though he had tried to prepare for this, had nevertheless blushed ferociously; both his promises to himself, to do everything right and to take the leap of faith, like Nerya had done, were kindling and stirring his shame. He told her how he had sincerely regretted his proposal after the first shock had passed, and that he was now revolted by how distrusting and invasive it must have sounded and had wondered why Nerya hadn't consider it as such, when she had heard it.

''But… the things that left my mouth were unbelievable, to say the least!'' she exclaimed, baffled and incredulous.

''Yes, alright, and if it were anyone else saying them, I would have demanded proof and wouldn't have batted an eye about it.'' He said harshly. ''But you are you and I should have known better, I should have acted better!'' he exclaimed forcefully, looking into her eyes unblinkingly, his blush hadn't wholly subsided yet. ''You, Nerya, you trusted me like that, and I asked to see inside your head, for Circe's sake!''

She was about to inquire 'what was wrong with that, pray', but his earlier words caught her attention. You are you. Nerya had opened up because Albus was Albus as well; a smile broke her frown. It was nice getting one more confirmation that they were on the same page. But why was he overreacting like that? Nerya was intrigued.

''You've been concealing this thing since you came here,'' Albus had continued speaking, and then you honoured me like that and I-''

''You are the most discreet and considerate person I've met, Albus.'' Nerya interrupted him quietly, thinking perhaps he needed that reassurance.

Albus scoffed in genuine disbelief.

''I know,'' she widened her eyes suggestively, ''nevertheless, you are.'' Nerya insisted calmly. ''Or if you prefer, you're the only such person I know who I don't find boring or fake and whose company I actually enjoy.'' She deadpanned and they chuckled. ''I know you won't judge me or misunderstand me,'' she shrugged, ''therefore not only I don't feel the need to be defensive or secretive, I also want to share with you. Nevertheless,'' Nerya emphasized, ''I find it completely reasonable, you needing time to doubt. I would never be hurt or insulted by something like that.'' She stated what she considered obvious.

''I know,'' He reassured her with a fond smile of his own, remembering how she was about to berate him only this morning, ''and I will doubt, I'll always doubt what I hear. But creatively;'' he said emphatically, ''not with suspicion and reservation, fearing that someone has taken me for a fool. I will not allow my cynicism get the better of me again, not if there's a chance for something better than that.'' he finished decisively.

Something better than that; a carte-blanche, from Albus of all people. The reality of this was still lost on her. Wonder overflew her again, but the question of his atypical behaviour lingered still. And then it hit her, New Year's Eve, how he had tried to apologize for pressuring her. He hadn't done anything worthy of an apology then, and now he was being equally unreasonable. And Albus was never unreasonable.

''You're always ready for guilt, aren't you?'' She studied him, her head tilted and her eyes glimmering with interest.

''Why-why would you say that?'' He exclaimed hastily, but he was lost in thought. Nerya waited, intrigued, gauging his face.

The sudden quietness of Nerya's tone had taken Albus by surprise, and so had done the fact that she wasn't being judgemental about it. He took a few moments to consider his reply, and then started, in a careful but light tone.

''I am a Gryffindor; and we tend to defend the weak and protect the innocent.'' He smirked upon Nerya's chuckle. ''When you're endeavouring to be a good person and do the right thing, not just for yourself but for everyone else too, you have to be careful. I find that it's a thin line between righteousness and mania. I want to do good, and-'' he smirked cockily, ''I flatter myself that I am a most suitable candidate for the job also,'' Nerya inclined her head in agreement and giggled, ''but how can I be sure-… I mean, I'll always try very hard to make the right choices, but if I ever err, then guilt will be the only thing that will bring me back to the right path. Let alone that the promise of guilt will be one more incentive to not make a mistake. I haven't made any big, terrible mistakes and frankly I can't see a reason why that would change, but if I ever do, feeling guilty would be the least I deserve.'' He finished, obviously proud of his reasoning.

Nerya was smiling. With such a gifted, brilliant mind, razor-sharp and perceptive, but so thoughtful and kind at the same time, the probability of doing many big, huge, irreversible mistakes seemed very slight; and when guilt is caused by some minor failures of judgement, it usually is more educational than it is tormenting.

''It's as good a machination as any, since you'll probably never need to fall back on it.'' She said.

Albus smiled momentarily, pink tinting his cheeks, but then his brows creased. ''I did fuck things up with you, a bit.''

Nerya didn't know what to say, as she sighed forcefully. ''You're quite the puzzle.'' She exclaimed in a whisper and Albus' baffled gaze came to search her face for an explanation. ''Because in my books,'' she started, curiosity making her gaze heavy and glimmering, ''not only you didn't fuck up, you actually surpassed yourself. You amazed and surprised me beyond words, how you managed to take care of your suspicion and disbelief, how you didn't rush things only for my sake.''

''I made you uncomfortable though, didn't I?'' Albus interrupted, grimacing.

Nerya sighed impatiently. ''Yes of course, I was properly scared for a while!'' she conceded. ''But that had nothing to do with you; if I wanted to avoid the risk of being scared, then I should have managed the entire situation quite differently! I would never blame you for being careful, most especially under those circumstances'' she continued emphatically, ''only Earendil knows how I would have behaved in your place! But somehow you managed to find a way to deal with the huge avalanche I threw in your face without warning, while being kind to me and true to yourself.''

''I left you boil in your anxiousness for five entire floors.'' Albus interrupted again.

''And I bombarded you, left you speechless!'' Nerya exclaimed.

''I like being left speechless!'' Nerya laughed, Albus chuckled too, reconsidering. ''Well, I like being lost in wonder and discovery, that is.''

Nerya gave a last laugh, then shook her head to return to her point. ''You may think you weren't nice to me, but it doesn't matter because in the end you were kind.'' Nerya exclaimed passionately. ''And I'm sure you know this, so I must assume that all this guilt has nothing to do with your behaviour towards me. You feel you've let yourself down, somehow.'' She searched him, as if she would find the reason written on his forehead.

Albus was lost in wonder and amazement; how could she read him so easily? Why hadn't he just told her of his promises, instead of acting up like that? Why hadn't she simply asked? Did either of them know how such simple procedures worked?

Albus took a deep breath. ''I have spent my life being a very guarded person.'' he started explaining. ''I started learning Occlumency the summer I turned eleven.'' he intoned. ''You're like that too, I think.''

Nerya huffed. ''I started shielding my mind at an even earlier age than you.'' She conceded silently, but then widened her eyes as realisation hit her. ''And yet I opened up to what most people would call a stranger…!'' She exclaimed in a whisper, starting to understand.

Albus nodded, breathless by wonder. ''Even before today I felt like I could tell you anything and you wouldn't even blink. You even like my Slytherin side, for Merlin's sake, and you're not snobbing my Gryffindor aspirations either! You like me for what I am and I don't feel the need to protect myself from you. I'm as carefree as a child with you… And then you did that and-'' he slowly shook his head, struggling for the words, ''you pose a challenge, Nerya. It's like you're my second chance for a childhood I never had the chance of experiencing. And I'm determined not to fuck it up.''

Nerya was looking him with her mouth open, awe-struck and elated. ''When did you realise this?'' she asked in a whisper, but then she jumped as another realisation dawned. ''Is that what your eureka-look was for, today?''

Albus nodded, cheeks flushed, smiling sheepishly.

''I want you inside me.'' She breathed, eyes wide from elation and joy. When she realised how that had sounded (Albus coughing and turning as red as the Gryffindor banner tipped her off), her hand went to her mouth and she started exclaiming jumpily, panicking. ''Not what I meant,'' she shouted hysterically, ''that was not what I meant, I meant my mind, I-I-I want you to see my memories, that inside, not- not- not the other one.''

Albus' head had fallen back in booming laughter upon seeing her face and splattering manner and Nerya soon followed, her panic gradually dissolving into laughter as well.

''Nerya?''

''Yeah?''

''I want to be inside you too.'' Albus said slyly, laughing a bit still.

Nerya gave a last giggle, then assumed a salacious expression. ''Now you're talking.'' She wiggled her brows, grinning widely.

Albus gave a last chuckle, as comfortable silence descended for a moment, both their cheeks were flushed still, and the remaining mirth had them grinning foolishly, painfully widely.

''We could also do this the other way around as well, you know.'' Albus broke the silence. ''If that would be something you'd-'' He continued, shrugging a bit as he looked in the cocoa cup he held in his lap.

''You would really allow me to do that?'' Nerya's voice was a bit more breathless than usual.

Albus looked up in surprise. ''No, I would want you to do that, if you'd like it!'' he exclaimed, but Nerya didn't seem to be able to say anything at the moment, so he gasped, glancing at the ceiling, slightly incredulous. ''If I have to say this explicitly, I will:'' he took a deep breath as he turned to her and tilted his head. ''I trust you, dear Nerya. That's how I managed to persuade the pragmatist inside me to believe everything you told us, too.''

Nerya had regained her composure enough to chuckle a bit then. ''Yes, I had guessed that, but… trusting in what someone you know well is saying and trusting someone enough to allow them gallivant around inside your mind are two completely different things!'' she reasoned, while looking at him as if seeing him for the first time, as she properly understood the extent of his trust. Until she blinked. ''I'm repeating myself, ain't I?'' She furrowed her nose as if in disgust.

''I was about to ask since when did you become so slow in the head.'' He agreed, his lips twitching, but blushing still.

Nerya blushed and she gawped air for a moment, searching for a retort. ''Since when are you apologizing for being careful?'' She attacked back eventually, victorious.

They just locked eyes and snorted, laughter, fondness and wonder vibrating in the room.

So, after a bit of teasing mirth, they both showed the other a few images from their childhoods and homes, introducing their family members. Nerya sat down first, giving Albus a mental tour of her family and home, focusing especially on the most exquisite beauties of Aman, the most un-Earth-like the better. Afterwards Nerya requested if his offer still stood, and it was Albus' turn. He was a bit disappointed when Nerya didn't ask more about his father, he would have liked getting that out into the open as well; not that it was anything interesting, frankly a boring stupid affair, why should it interest Nerya at all? It couldn't compare with all the wonders she had to say.

''Why is everything so bloody beautiful and bright?'' Albus almost squeaked in astonishment, the moment he climbed out of her mind.

''It is so breath-takingly beautiful, isn't it?'' Nerya smiled dreamily, looking away, still enjoying the aftermath of her memory of home.

''You wanted to leave that to come here? Miserable, pitiable, awfully dark here?'' his tone was gentle but incredulous, as he genuinely searched Nerya's eyes for answers. Nerya sobered up and grimaced defensively. Albus stilled as understanding slowly dawned on him. ''Oh.'' He exclaimed softly, frowning, but his expression was gentle and a bit concerned, as his eyes searched her face. ''Are you… ehm,'' he searched for the right word, ''running from something?''

Nerya sighed and screwed up her face bitterly. She didn't want to start this topic, it was too early, it was too difficult, she didn't want to think about it.

Fëaring deep down that she was risking seeming undeserving of his trust, she started. ''Would you mind if I…'' she forced her eyes to meet his, ''if I didn't talk about it for now?'' She wasn't raising a wall to protect herself from Albus, she was repeating internally; this wall was there to shield herself from reality.

Albus just huffed. ''Obviously not! I have vowed never to pressure you into sharing information you are not ready to, ever again.'' he underlined his statement with a decisive hand gesture, like his first obsession was haunting him still, even though Nerya had repeatedly dismissed it. ''Let alone, I don't know whether either of us could live through another Revelation Morn already.''

In Nerya's bitter expression, amusement was modestly creeping back. ''It's not because of you, I promise.''

''Oh stop the nonsense.'' Albus dismissed her uncalled for reassurance.

Nerya smiled broadly and shook her head, but she still felt the need to clarify. ''It's just that- well.'' She sighed as she collected her thoughts, Albus was wearing a frown. ''I want to enjoy this, here… Now. As much as I can. I don't want such boring, inescapable nonsense to mar what would otherwise be days in the sun.'' her conviction was growing with every word, her face beamed with optimism and Albus was mesmerized. ''I will eventually have to go back, to face it all, at least until then I de-…serve my share of fun.''

Her voice trailed off when she noticed that Albus' face had turned into a mask of shock, but she couldn't think of anyth-

'oh, shit.' She panicked, her hand went to cover her mouth. 'Oh, I'm a complete moron. Why did I spring it on him like that? That's why there's no such thing as free speech.' she barely refrained from slapping her brow. Her heart clenched as Albus' shock was already turning into a look of, well, tired, bitter sadness by every passing second.

''You must have questions.' She started, not sure what to say to fix this, but determined all the same.

His eyes shot up to find hers. ''Nerya, please, there is no need.''

''No, you deserve an explanation.'' Nerya took a deep breath, and tried to find a decent way to start explaining her ridiculous situation, without seeming so very ridiculous, but Albus shook his head.

''No, this is about you running away and we agreed not to talk about it for now.'' He stated with conviction, deep down wanting to forget about it as well. Nerya opened her mouth and Albus hurried to find a way to convince her, gawping and raising his palm. ''Ah, ehm, I shouldn't even be surprised;'' he cried out eventually, his voice a bit shrill. ''If wonders lasted long in this grey world, there wouldn't be only one of you, would there?'' His face fell a bit more as he realised that even though he was trying to assuage her, what he said was painfully true as well.

Nerya wished she could beg to differ, but the weight that had landed on her chest didn't let her. Albus sighed, sent the thought away for now, took in the disconcertment that had overtook her. ''I don't know why you have to go back, but I can make some educated guesses.'' he said, in an effort to reassure her. ''Your face, for one,'' his eyes twinkled as they roamed around her expression. ''only seeing your face when you talk about Aman is enough for anyone to understand how much you love your home.'' He widened his eyes uneasily. ''Even if the Great Lady Galadriel proves herself a force of nature sometimes.''

Nerya looked at him misty-eyed and awe-struck for a moment, mouth agape, until she suddenly seized him by the neck.

''Oh, Albus.'' she hugged him tightly, snapping her eyes shut to prevent the tears of wonder and incredulity from escaping. The shiver that overtook him made his eyes flutter close and he was dipped in blissful forgetfulness. Nothing mattered but the hands of Nerya around him, the warmness of her body against his; in an effort to forget the numbness that enfolded his hips, he squeezed her too. Which only made it worse. Thank Morgana they were sitting and not standing.

''Seriously, that memory of her being angry still gives me the creeps.'' he mumbled in an effort to hide his state.

Nerya's chuckle was muffled by his shoulder, and it pulsed through him relentlessly. ''Every night instead of praying, I thank the stars and sun and all the Valar that she isn't some homicidal maniac…'' she deadpanned.

She broke the embrace and slumped back on the couch; her eyes were misty still, and lost far away. ''But. My great grandmother is a ruler, and rulers have to-''

''-make difficult choices.'' Albus finished her thought, crossing his legs and choosing not to think about his latest embarrassment.

They tried to keep away from the few students that had stayed in the castle for Christmas and they were both thankful that most of their year had gone home. They only joined the remaining student body in the Great Hall for meals, something that Nerya could no longer avoid since the sea of students in which she usually hid her absence in was reduced too much to be of service during the holidays.

(''You're not very hungry.'' Albus remarked idly one day, seeing Nerya's nearly empty plate. He doubled back upon noticing the look on her face; knowing, arch, playful eyes lingered on his face and then turned down to her plate, but stealing an occasional side glance at him. She was trying not to smile, judging by how her lips were creased and twitching around the edges as she pressed them shut.

''I've never seen you with a full plate.'' Albus remarked absently, searching her face in awakening realisation. ''Actually I hardly ever saw you in the Great Hall, now that I think about it,'' he absently continued his reasoning, ''until we started going together during the break, but even then, during the first few days, you always found a reason to leave me when it was nearing meal-time.''

Nerya fixed her eyes properly on him when he was done and smirked. ''I'm just not filling my plate to the brim, I'll get a second helping later.'' She gave him the answer she usually gave when someone noticed, but her mischievous expression said otherwise.

''How-you've been concea-I had never noti-'' Albus couldn't finish any of his thoughts as he was still processing it. ''You don't need to-'' Albus started asking but Nerya cut him off by leaning into his ear to explain.

And she did, while Albus was frowning, torn between amusement, wonder and bewilderment, every couple of seconds exclaiming a baffled ''But how-'' , but Nerya interrupted him to answer his unasked question.

''You've been-'' Nerya's hand went to his mouth and she shushed him and Albus continued with a whisper. ''-vanishing most of the food from the inside of your mouth since the beginning of the break?'' Albus deadpanned.

''You try and explain to students and staff why a seemingly normal teenager is not even consuming a full meal a day.'' Nerya deadpanned back.

''What will happen if you eat it? Get fat? Lose your elfishness?'' Albus only partly joked.

She snorted, obviously enjoying herself. ''I don't need to eat it!'' Nerya shrugged. ''Why burden myself with an excess of food I do not actually need? Let alone the shame of throwing away all those delicacies...''

Albus gawped for a moment. ''You don't eat, you don't get tired, you don't get drunk,'' Albus numbered on his fingers in exasperation that wasn't entirely feigned, ''you don't get sick, you don't die! What is it that you do do?''

''I pee…'' Nerya was pretending to be unfazed, as she tried to defend her nature, ''occasionally.'' not very successfully, and it made Albus bury his hands on his palms, smile tugging his lips.)

Albus was especially relieved that Elphias had left too, so he could immerse himself in Nerya without distraction. Therefore, hardly any social obligations arose and there were far less eyes to witness them.

It wasn't like they would be embarrassed to be seen spending so much time together – they didn't really care– but the matters that the Revelation Morn brought on for them required some privacy. Ah, yes. The 'Revelation Morn' was the name they came up with for it, between giggles, one afternoon, and their laughter had echoed through the castle, upon realising the fittingly religious ring it had.

Albus had a ton of questions and each answer Nerya provided, who had found her old calm, witty self, just lead to a ton more. But now, Albus' questions were fuelled by academical interest for this newfound world (literally, world) and curiosity towards Nerya, so they didn't bear the intensity of their Revelation Morn. And even if Albus was still suspicious, no one could make up all these things Nerya was telling him about.

Albus was falling. Falling through – what, really?

He would say it was just air, but the lack of it was so intense, he should have asphyxiated. Only he didn't need to breathe, or it didn't matter.

He would say it was empty, but it was cramped with – something, he couldn't move a finger. Only he didn't have a finger, or it didn't matter.

He would say it was pitch-dark, but it was so blindingly white, he couldn't see a thing. Only there wasn't a thing to see, or there were far too many. It didn't matter.

He would say it was big, and that his descend lasted forever, only it was small and his feet stood on solid ground almost immediately.

And then it dawned on him that he wasn't falling at all in the first place, he was always here, and somehow that did matter. He was made of matter, he was clad in matter and standing on matter. There were stars he could see above, and smell of salt in the air. She could hear water against wood and feel the rocking of a ship. Her ship, that would take her to the shore.

But Albus didn't have any business being on a ship, and it had started to matter, greatly in fact, judging by how dizzy he was feeling right now. But he couldn't understand why suddenly it all mattered so much. Nothing substantial had happened.

''Albus, calm down. Deep breaths now, come on. In, one, two, three, out, one, two, three, in, one, two….''

The voice travelled through the haze, that somehow existed – Albus reminded himself, existed- became one with the slight breeze, mingled with the waves and the rocking, the sensation now seemed far-away and fuzzy on the edges; it was familiar, ringing, even though it sounded faintly. It didn't have matter, but it mattered greatly for some reason, he didn't know yet, or he had known before, or only time would say. Why did this voice matter so much?

''Out, one, two, three. Albus, focus on me, please. Everything is fine, it's over.''

There was urgency laced in the voice, concern, it was. That's what happens when something matters. He tried to see again, but it was dark. Only it didn't feel like before. Was feel even the right word for it? He felt something over something of his, skin it was, flesh, that's right, skin on his skin, was it his? Was it an extension of his? Whose skin was it that was- touch. Someone was touching him. And somehow that touch felt very much like the Before, before he found himself on that ship.

''Oh, no, no, don't you dare. Albus listen to me, relax, deep breaths, don't panic. Open your eyes.''

Why should he? It was so nice, that sensation. That touch, that seemed so much like what the Before felt like, but better, sweeter, fuller. Nothing substantial had happened in? On? At? the Before, and that was fine, really it was, he was feeling dizzy still, but it couldn't be from that, that was nothing. This touch was something.

''Albus, I'm sorry, but you leave me no choice.''

Choice, what does choice mean? In nothing or in something, there was no such thing as choice, Albus didn't get a choice.

Slap-

Suddenly he was overwhelmed as the world came into place, and everything was so loud, but the silence that had counterpoised the noise was gone. Everything was just loud; there were colours and sounds and smells and movement and touch and feelings. Sensations? Yes, but also feelings. Albus could feel. The fabric of the couch of the Gryffindor common room, the warmth of the fire crackling merrily in front of him, he could see again? Why again? Was there a moment he couldn't? He could feel warmth more intently on his face, his cheek, it sort of stung as well. And there it was again, soft hands holding his own. That touch.

''Back on Earth?''

There was the Before again, only done right. It had colour and smell, you could see it, oh dear Merlin, you could touch it. Black it was, yes, but encircled by a strange blue, almost violet. On a bright, radiant background, and there were two of them. Eyes. And around them, lines and curves. Nose, eyebrows, so much colour and texture, why? Why did the Before had none of those? It was so tranquil there, so peaceful, beautiful. If it had those as well, it would be even better! Who was responsible for making the Before? Albus had in mind a couple of suggestions how to better the place.

''Will I have to slap you again?''

There was lilt in the voice now- joking. She was joking. Nerya.

''Slap- why-what?''

''I'm sorry, my dear Albus, I should never have agreed to this…'' Face, smile, gentle one it was, and the eyes, the familiar eyes, looking at him intensely; searching him, there was concern again.

Albus touched his cheek where the stinging sensation lingered. ''You slapped me?''

''You were falling into panic, Albus.'' Nerya said, amused and concerned simultaneously, so many feelings – emotions, they're called, or states of mind?

''Why would I do that?''

Her lips formed a line, she was trying not to laugh. ''Well, you did witness the Void…''

''The Before, you mean? But that was serene, that was beautiful… I panicked?''

''You were about to faint by hyperventilation.'' Her brows creased. ''The Before?''

Albus took a deep breath, felt his chest heave. ''Dear Merlin, why does nothing ever make sense…'' his voice sounded overwhelmed but he could feel the smile on his face. ''Yes, the Before the Boat, I called it. I don't know its name.''

Nerya looked at him, concern overpowering her amusement again. ''Do you remember what we were doing?'' Albus creased his face in thought. ''You asked to see how I got here…'' Nerya continued gently, but then she exclaimed, more to herself, ''Oh, I said it would be intense, I said so! I'm so sorry.'' She squeezed his hands.

''No! What are you talking about, I would never have missed it for the world!'' Why was she apologising? Albus had just had one of the best experiences of his life. He closed his eyes, tried to remember what had come before the Before. ''I-I-I Legilimised you, to see how you crossed from Aman to Earth… So that's what you felt as well…'' Albus fondly searched her face, intrigued.

''Only I'm less breakable than you…''

''Nonsense! I'm fine, am I not? It was weird mind you, but… so beautiful… How could anyone exist there though, it's the Void; I mean, void, empty….?''

Nerya was searching him still, his question snapped her out of it. ''You don't exist there, you just get a glimpse of it. Well – how you translate it to your sense of reality, that is. No one knows what the Void'' she widened her eyes dramatically, her relief that Albus was alright relaxing her face, ''is like… You only get the faintest glimpse as you pass into Eӓ, this universe.'' Nerya hurried to answer the question written all over Albus' face. ''Very complicated and advanced magic.''

They chuckled fondly.

''So, what you felt-'' Albus screwed up his face, trying to find a better term.

''saw…?'' Nerya tried, but she screwed up her face too. ''Sensed?''

''exp-'' Albus begun but Nerya joined him, so they finished the word together. ''perienced,'' they chuckled. ''It was like a dream? I saw the world through your eyes, literally; well, the void, not the world. I saw what nothing means for you!'' He exclaimed, lost in fascination, Nerya was lost as well but lost in his eyes, smiling absently, like a fool. Albus continued, beaming with the mad glee of curiosity in his eye. ''That means that if I were there, I'd feel differently? And then you landed – were- you were on the Boat and it brought you here?''

They lost themselves in theories and descriptions, then.