Intent [Wattys 2017]

Prologue

This campus was truly something out of Harry Potter. I wasn't only living out my academic dream but certainly living my childhood dream of going to Hogwarts. You have no idea how heartbroken I was when my letter didn't come in the mail on my 11th birthday, just another heartbreak for my growing list. I was so distraught and angry that I think that might have been one of the reasons the big incident happened.

I shudder at the memory of that night but it's over so why let it linger, I have a campus to explore. There were so many first years, just like myself, walking around excited about the next few years of their lives. They all seemed happy to be sharing this moment with their parents and siblings and here I was alone but perfectly content. Nothing could hold me back and while I do miss my family I didn't need them or really want them here, this was mine, all mine.

"Emma!!" I hear a screech from behind and long arms wrap around my body squeezing tightly. "We're actually here" Lina squeals. I laugh at how emotional she is and even more so how I was bestfriends with her. We were completely different at showing our emotions, she believed in love and longing looks and I couldn't care less. Love isn't everything, I mean look at my parents. Their supposed love ended with my dad being carted away by police, my mother sobbing in the kitchen with broken glass everywhere, and me laying on a stretcher with months of healing and physical therapy ahead of me. Love isn't everything, if it even exists in that earth shattering kind of way.

"Ok, ok," I chuckle at Lina, turning around to face her "I know we are finally here and it is super exciting" I say with the slightest tone of sarcasm "but please don't break me before it starts" I say to the tall thin giddy brunette in front of me.

"Oh hush Emma" giving me a slight nudge before linking her arm with mine "we are finally here. And we both know that you've been through a lot worse so just take my hug and deal with it".

Lina always had this way to lighten the mood and with a friend like me and my cynical view of the world she balanced me out. She came from a good family, sent to boarding school from the age of 11. It was kind of a fluke that we were friends. When I arrived at boarding school with only three years left in the whole process she made it her mission to make me comfortable and having just fallen out with her best friend at the time, we were destine to be besties, or so she's told me.

After saying goodbye to her adoring parents and two protective older brothers we made our way over to the orientation hall. The room was full of new students, some very attractive ones as she kept pointing out.

"You should go out with him" she said a little too loudly pointing over to a tall brown haired boy with visible tattoos on his arm "he's super hot". I wasn't  really bothered with finding a boyfriend. Honestly, boys were good for one vital thing when it came to it and that was sex, lifting heavy objects, and opening pickle jars, but of course I would never admit that to Lina. Love was too important to her so I kept my promiscuous antics away from her watchful eye and I had every intention of continuing here. Anyway it's not that she didn't know that I found a new boy every few weeks, we were roommates at school and now flatmates here at university so she really knew me but she still held out hope that I, and if not I she, would find someone to tame my wild ways in the end.

"Sure he is Lina" I say not really taking notice of him "why don't you go out with him?" Stepping forward in the sign in line.

"I couldn't go out with him, silly. I like light hair or even gingers. Plus those tattoos aren't really my thing" scrunching up her face in mild disgust at the thought of being with a tattooed man.

"Oh so you push your rejects onto me then? Charming" looking over at her. I constantly teased her, not maliciously of course, she just made it so easy.

"You know what I mean" she responds slightly defeated, walking a little ahead of me in the line.

"Oh come on, Lina, you kind of let yourself open for that one." I tried to suppress my giggles but I just couldn't, the grin beat me out. Giving her my best puppy dog eyes behind my fit of giggles she finally gave in with a roll of her eyes before linking our arms together again.

___

You wouldn't believe the detail they put into our welcome packets. Pages of clubs, classes, transportation, local hot spots, really anything a first year would need. I hadn't really planned on joining in on the whole club business much, but Lina on the other hand, the social butterfly that she is, couldn't get enough.

"I'm just gonna go ask that guy about a few of the clubs" she says turning away from me looking in that attractive gingers direction.

"Oh you mean you're gonna talk to the really attractive guy behind the desk? Subtle." I said leaning in knowing that her motives weren't all innocent.

Not paying much attention to me she walked over to him. Lina was always at ease with guys. She knew what she wanted but more importantly she knew what she deserved. It was like she could read a guy within the first few minutes of knowing them. Of course this lead to her not dating much after ending her long term relationship in our final year at school but she still had talent. She seemed to really like this one, already going in for the arm touch half way through their conversation. I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up with dinner plans, I really wouldn't.

"Emma?" Someone said tapping me on the shoulder and derailing my train of thought.

Weird, how did he know my name, I hadn't even talked to anyone yet, I barely spoke to the women giving out the welcome portfolios. Who on Gods green planet could know me here? It couldn't be Lina, she was most definitely still flirting with the boy at the desk and at any rate it was a man standing behind me.

Turning around and taking my first look at him there was something familiar about him. It was the boy Lina had hand picked for me to date just a few moments before. Maybe it was meant to be I internally laughed at myself, fat chance. But there was something else about the tall boy with soft brown curls shaping his face, defined cheekbones, and piercing green eyes staring down at me. He had to be more than a random boy from across the room but what was it?

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Those eyes had haunted me for years. Green globes that I hadn't seen in what, nine years? It couldn't be could it? Was it really him.

"Harry?"

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A/N: Yay, my very first chapter and I'm excited to write more. I highly doubt anyone ifsgonna read this, at least not anytime soon but if you do and manage to read all the way to the end go ahead and vote/comment... no pressure : )

I have found so much joy and inspiration reading stories here on Wattpad and I hope that people get the same feeling from this story. It's my first story so bear with me, this is a work in progress, I'm just excited to get started finally.

Somethings to look forward too? Well lots of drama and romance. There will be mature scenes without warning to beware, lol.

Anyway, thats all from me for know! Happy Spring!