Dark Magic

"Goodbye, for now."

The week I stayed at the Weasley Burrow was uneventful, Hermione returning home with her Muggle parents the following morning after hearing news of the events at the World Cup. We tried to regain some sense of normality back, but my mind had allowed itself to open up, once more; many a night Harry's dreams would sneak into my own and cause us both to wake in sweats, unable to drift back off to sleep. Instead, we would gather in the living room with hot chocolate and discuss them; but they were almost always the same, except for a few details. At least, I hoped they were only Harry's dreams projecting into my own mind. To say we shared the same visions, however, wouldn't be too absurd...

Remus apparated to the Burrow the following morning, to make sure we were all safe and unharmed; insisting he came to King's Cross station on September 1st to send us off to school. Sirius had informed him of Harry's nightly terrors, but he kept questions surrounding the matter brief and need-to-know. When we met him on the platform, however, he looked worse for wear than I had ever seen him before; even without Wolfsbane. It had been a full moon the night prior and I was unofficially barred from ever being within his vicinity on such a night again, due to the occurrences that had transpired at Grimmauld Place.

So there I stood, on Platform nine and three-quarters with my Godfather, brother, friends and the Weasley family; waiting to say our goodbye's for the new term was upon us. 'Breathe,' I reminded myself as I smoothed down my cardigan; finding myself involuntarily searching the platform for a trio of platinum blonde hair that would belong only to the Malfoy family. I tried tirelessly to swipe the stray wisps of auburn hair from my face as the Hogwarts Express train veered into the station.

'Everything is going to be alright this year.'

"Emerald?" Remus' voice called from my side, causing my gaze to avert onto the man as he fought back a sea of emotions in his mind. He allowed me to decipher one, however from his thoughts; pride. Failing to subdue the ever-growing grin spreading across my lips, the man pulled me into his arms, allowing me to sigh in his embrace. "Owl me? So that I know you're doing okay."

I nodded, the stinging sensation resurfacing in my eyes as he let me go. "I'll have to use Harry's owl, but I will. I promise." And I meant it. Satisfied with my answer, my Godfather nodded with finality. "I'll get the cottage ready for when you come home next term."

My eyes widened in the sudden disbelief and realisation at what his words meant. "You mean? Dumbledore said yes?" Remus nodded with a smile wider than my own. "You can come and live with me, so long as I make the necessary preparations each full moon and ensure the cottage has enough protections spells surrounding it." I shrieked, my stomach churning with a thousand butterflies as I flung my arms around his shoulder and he lifted me into the air. As much as I missed Hogwarts, the thought of not having to stay there and having a home to go to in the summer elated me, sparks of excitement coursing through my every vein as I suddenly began to wish the minutes away for the end of the year. I couldn't wait to go home with Remus. Home.

My stomach fluttered once more, with the thought. "No more Hogwarts for the holidays. I'll be waiting for you on the platform, Emerald."

"I can't wait."

"Em?" Harry's voice diverted my attention for a moment, as he waited by the door to one of the carriages. "It's 10:58. Let's go!" He reminded, placing his index finger to an invisible watch on his opposite hand. Chuckling, I shook my head towards him in dismissal and turned back to face my Godfather. "Bye, Remus."

"Goodbye, for now, Emerald." He corrected, pointing his index finger towards me knowingly.

And with one final nod, I repeated the words he had spoken and boarded the train, "Goodbye, for now."