Author's Note:
Wow... Sorry for the wait, I haven't really realized how long it was since the last update. I decided to write and saw it's been almost a month! Sheesh, time goes by too quick! But, here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy. This is coming to a close and I hope you all will stay reading to find out what will happen! Thanks for waiting, Ii'll be writing the next one after this. :)
I swear I stared at this dead plant for ten minutes. There I was, leaning my palms against the desk and my ears covered with earmuffs in the Herbology room, staring at a pot of a dead mandrake. It looked ghastly; the body was shrivelled and gray and the face was much more horrifying than if it was alive. Though, I kept my gaze.
"Amelia," I heard Severus's voice linger and I blinked my eyes and looked up. He gave me a frown as he slipped off his earmuffs and said, "You aren't focusing." I returned the frown, pulling down the earmuffs and looked down to my cracked necklace and said, "I don't think I can. I'm afraid it'll break for sure."
"The power your possessing is far more what the amulet can handle," he said as he moved towards me closer and leaned his hand into the desk. "That's the problem," I replied, "What if it breaks and I no longer possess what ever I can now? I'll be vulnerable, useless."
Severus grazed my cheek with his fingers, cupping it and pulling my attention to him as he said, "You are not useless." I felt my heart sink and I pulled away from him, hiding what ever tears may come. "Okay..." I breathed with little confidence and slipped down the earmuffs, "Let's do this."
I looked back down to the dead mandrake, concentrating all my might. "Focus, you'll be able to see its core. Reach in and grab it." I heard Severus say and I took a deep breath. The feeling of risking my powers were evident, I felt that I couldn't focus as hard as I needed to. My vision slowly faded into black and white and my eyes began to ink black. My vision was shaking as I saw a small ring of light shifting inside the mandrake. I followed the light, but a stinging pain filled my head.
I groaned as the pain worsened and I shut my eyes and looked away, stepping away from the desk.
"Revival is a great advantage," he said and I shook my head.
"I know that!" I retorted and ripped off the earmuffs and threw them at the mandrake pot. The pot tipped over and fell to the floor, shattering and the mandrake hit the floor.
"Every time," I shouted at him, "My head feels like it'll explode! If my necklace won't break, I will!" The stress was getting to me. The year was coming to a close and my heirloom became more fragile as each day passed. I was afraid if it finally breaks, I'd be the squib I was before. "I can't go back as some helpless squib." I whispered, yanking the chain off my neck and placing the jewel on the table. "Though a squib, you are a remarkable Potions brewer," Severus said, "And over this year, you've grown to be a superior fighter. You cannot give up now."
"Hmph... Before you were telling me to run away," I said as he inched closer to my face, our noses barely touching. "That's when I thought you were just a delicate flower, but you've bloomed into so much more, Amelia..." he whispered back and planted a slow and gentle kiss against my lips. My hands found his chest and I wrapped my fingers around his collar as I breathed out after he lifted his face from mine, "You'll stay with me, then? You won't leave me?"
I looked into his black eyes which were like a never ending abyss, but it seemed his words were broken when he opened his mouth, but nothing came out. I wasn't sure what to feel about that, but of course, he may not be the one that could answer that properly, but the war ahead of us. I looked down in obvious disappointment and grasped my necklace off the table, pocketing it in my robes and turning to the door. I expected Severus to stop me, but this time, he kept his silence.
* * * * *
"Tomorrow's our last day," Charity said through the silence of the Boathouse where we relaxed in a wooden canoe as she enchanted it to move on its own. We decided to have finger turkey sandwiches with a nice Grigio white wine which sat in between us on a quilt and a box of chocolate I personally picked from Honeydukes. "You really know how to throw a picnic, Charity," I said, both of us sporting our sun hats and sunglasses, "A way to end a beautiful day." As the boat slowly reached through the Black Lake, Charity sat back and lit a cigarette, pulling out two thick crystal squared glasses from her basket of goodies and poured each one with the wine and passed one to me. She leaned into the boat and took one long puff.
"I always enjoy a good picnic. With a scenery like this," she gestured to the lake, "You only need to best for such relaxation."
I leaned back also, sipping the wine and said, "I wonder what life will be without children in the castle for a whole summer? Sybill's been egging me to have psychic readings once a week during vacation. I don't really know how I feel about that," I snorted and Charity rolled her eyes. "If you're looking forward for her predicting your death, go right ahead. I was feeling that I'd spend the summer exploring the world with Stefan, he told me his fascination with the muggle world and I can't help, but take him to various places I love about them!"
"Muggles? So, you really have found your true love, haven't you?" I laughed and we both toasted. "I'm in love!" Charity grinned, "And I won't deny that! And, for you... I would think you'd be with Severus, God and I know you two have been inseperable and together, though you try to hide it."
I blushed and said, "No. I'm staying in the castle, I believe Severus would like his privacy after spending most of it with students."
"I think he'd like to spend it more with you." I blushed more, but couldn't help, but smile. The thought of Severus and I spending summer together sounded just right, but I would never ask him of such a thing. Plus, the year is coming to a close and no doubt he'd have to continue being a spy till the war is over. My heart skipped a beat just thinking of when I asked him not to leave me. He didn't want to give me broken promises. We ended up changing the subject, eating finger sandwiches and feeding a lonely grindylow chocolate truffles in the lake. It seemed peaceful, until the sun was setting and the canoe floated back into the boathouse.
"You know," Charity said as we walked back up towards the Viaduct Bridge, "If you don't want to stay in the castle, you could always stay with me. I have my summer lodge. I'll be travelling with Stefan, but on some nights, we'll be apparating back there. There's an extra bedroom and it's right by the Scotland beaches. Plenty of room there."
"That's nice of you to offer," I said as I bit my lip, "But, I wouldn't want to intrude on you and Stefan—"
"Don't be ridiculous!" she laughed.
"And, I'm not quite sure leaving the castle is the safest thing to do right now."
"Very true, but think about it. It's pretty secluded where it is, and not alot of folks know about it."
"I willt hink of it, thank you, Charity."
"No problem, Melly, it's a pleasure staying with a best friend."
* * * * *
Amelia...
Her voice... I could hear her again...
Amelia...
What does she want?
I opened my eyes and saw nothing but a blinding light. I rubbed them and made out tall white trees as red leaves slowly floated down to the white floor. I looked down to see myself in a long white gown hanging over my shoulders and hiding my feet. I was sitting on a white marble bench and looked up as I noticed a woman taking a seat right beside me.
"Cordelia?" I whispered and she looked at me with a small smile. It was her, but she wasn't at all transulent like a ghost, but her long platinum blonde hair flowing down her back and a similar white gown like mine. She had rosey red lips and rosey cheeks.
I felt the make up on my face and noticed we must've looked the same. "Why are you... Why am I here? Where am I?"I asked, my voice almost echoing through the white forest.
"You're almost done," she said in a whisper, "You're almost complete. Once a little song bird, now a flaming pheonix. One more step and you'll be the one after a hundred years of extinction."
I shook my head in utter confusion and said, "I don't know what you mean by that exactly."
"Do not be afraid, Amelia, don't be scared to unleash your true potential."
"Cordelia? What are you trying to say?"
"In time, child... You will see. But, much sooner than you think." Cordelia stood up from her chair, glowing in the blinding light like an angel. She held out her hand and I subconsciously laid mine over hers, standing up as she led me deeper into the woods.
* * * * *
I woke up, springing myself up from my bed. It was almost completely dark in my room, only but the moonlight lighting through my window. I waved my hand to my endtable where the candles erupted small flames. I pushed my messy hair away from my face as I recalled the dream. I wasn't tired at all, either and looked at the time and it read two past eleven. I stood up from bed, pulling on some jeans that were hanging on a nearby chair and the knitted coat, covering my white lingerie I was wearing. I buttoned it up as I slipped on my shoes, walking out the room. It was dark, with torches barely lighting the halls. I decided to go to Severus's quarters and inform him what I dreamed of and wonder if it was real.
I got to the dungeons and knocked on his door. Not too long after that, the door creaked open. Severus stood behind the door, looking drained and tired, but as I noticed, still in his cloak. "Haven't slept yet?" I asked and he raised an eyebrow. "I should be asking you the same thing," he said haute tone. I scoffed and said, "Fair enough. I have to speak with you."
He looked nervous and said, "Will this take long?"
"Er... Not sure, are you expecting someone else?"
"No, of course not," he grumbled under his breath and opened the door, "Come in." Severus walked towards his table, taking a seat and I closed the door behind me. I watched him in confusion as I took a seat next to him, watching him pour, of course, his brandy that always stayed at this table in two glasses and passed me one. I pushed the brandy back and said, "I've had enough for today. Charity and I had a picnic earlier today at the Boathouse."
"Beautiful," he said montonously as he took a sip.
"Something on your mind?" I asked.
"I believe there was something on your mind, Amelia."
"Well... I had a dream, but I'm not sure if it was real or not."
"Dreams usually aren't. You should take this up with Twelawney, she's the psychic."
"Well, knowing that you've been on this journey with me," I said impatiently, "Then you'd have more of an understanding than Twelawney!"
Severus eyed me up and down and said, "I apologize, Amelia. What happened?"
"There I was, in a white gown, sitting in the Red Woods it looked like. And, Cordelia came out of nowhere! She kept telling me that I was almost done and that I was now a pheonix and erm... That I was the one... I don't really get it."
Severus furrowed his eyebrows and said, "Are you sure you don't know what that means? I think you do."
"What? If I did, I wouldn't be asking you."
"It wasn't my dream, Amelia, and I believe you came here for a second opinion. Now, what is it that you really think?"
I kept silent, until I spoke quietly, "Well... I think I was dressed for... A coronation... Like, I was being graduated into something much bigger."
"Because you are the last Supremus."
I shook my head, "Like you said, Severus, I am still a squib. And the heirloom is breaking... She told me in time, that I'd figure it out..." I stopped to think hard and blurted, "Something's going to happen."
"Excuse me?" Severus asked quietly, slowly putting down his glass.
"Something is gonna happen! Cordelia told me soon... And my mother warned me to leave this school..." I gasped and stood up abruptly. "Something's going to happen!"
"Quit saying that," Severus said as he stood up, "You're psyching yourself out!"
"Tomorrow, the students are leaving! Between right now till then, something is going down."
"Amelia—" Severus said, but I walked towards the door, "Where are you going?"
"Telling Dumbledore!" I said, "And the staff! I think Hogwarts is in danger—"
"No!" Severus then grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, having me crash into his chest. "Stay here," he said in a small whisper. I felt flushed as his breath brushed my cheeks. "What?" I breathed out, "Why?"
"Everything will be fine." he whispered, wrapping his arm around my waist, still holding my wrist tightly.
"I don't think I could believe you," I said, "I think you know something bad will happen... Why are you holding me back?"
"Nothing will happen," he said as he leaned his forehead against mine, "Just stay here. With me." I bit my lower lip and moved my face closer to his, pressing our lips together. He let my wrist go, having it fall against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms tighter around my waist. He pulled me roughly against him, licking my lips as we deepened the kiss. As we kissed furiously, he unbuttoned my coat as I to his cloak and pulled them off, leaving him in his under shirt and me in my lingerie. He led me around his room, until he pushed himself onto me, having me land against his bed. He then rubbed his strong hands against my sides, pulling at my jeans. I dug my nails into his shoulder in such need as I started to shake my hips to loosen the jeans.
His tongue led down to my neck as he sucked on the vein. I gasped in pleasure as I pulled his shirt off his back, pulling it over his head. His fingers danced on my breasts, playing the tips of my nipples, having them exposed through the silk. It was madness, the sexual feeling and needs were getting the best and worse of me. It was then when we ended up ripping the clothes off of ourselves until we were bare against each other. The only thing we felt were our hot skins rubbing against each other and the covers of the bed. That's when he dove into me and I swear I never wanted it to end. Each thrust was almost like a climax, teasing me as he pulled out. We were both rhythmic, our bodies sweating as we clapped together. It was then until we both orgasm, he laid against my body in heavy breathing.
I didn't think we'd get this far together, but tonight was sweet bliss and I fell asleep, thankful to be in his arms.