"I hope you had a successful trip" Stella greeted me in my office as I handed her my brief case.
"It was long and tiring, let's hope the success part add on too" I gave her a small smile.
"It will be, you worked hard" Stella complimented me "We" I corrected her. Her eyes Twinkled.
"Anything else to do Miss? You look beat. Aren't you taking off?" Stella asked.
I was on a trip to Amsterdam where we had a detailed analysis of foreign policies, just like its name it was boring and lazy. But I had to endure it. Tho the perks were great of sightseeing.
"I am. For two days!" I happily Announced.
"Very well Miss, things to do in your off time?" She asked for some more work, I gave her a sad look.
"Actually, since it's my off, you are entitled for two days leave too" I said.
"But Miss, I wish to work" Stella complaint.
"Work on your sleeping habits. I shall not see you here before Thursday" I warned her. She pulled a face but like an obedient assistant she agreed.
"Good. See you on Thursday" I opened my office door and asked her to leave immediately she walked broodinly and muttered a "Good bye"
"Have a nice time" I pushed her out of my office and sighed. Collecting my belongings I left my office.
Reaching home I took a long bubble bath and happily wasted two hours in it, I even napped in my bath tub. It felt incredibly great, after pampering myself much I wore a two times loose plain white jumper and track made myself a pizza, yes. I can cook without burning down my flat now.
Taking a long abandoned novel into my small balcony I sat in my swing chair pulling my Mum made wollen shawl over me. I took a deep breath and started reading.
After a few pages, I drop the book down, for the love of life I couldn't remember the story and started inspecting my plants. They need a serious trimming, getting up I bought the tools and started shaping my plants to it's real beauty.
A loud rattle of iron gate made me jump, I looked up and saw a tall figure standing out side, I squinted my eyes to have a clear look, who could be standing out at this late hours, a shinny object reflected. Getting up I leaned over the railing and my eyes widened seeing the person behind the gate.
"Are you just gonna stand there, or would you open it?" Harry shouted.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him puzzled.
"I was just passing by, seems to find the correct address" Harry replied casually.
I kept quiet, he is joking right? My inner thoughts were busy questioning his sudden visit "Do you plan to open it or need I stay out?" Harry said.
"Coming" I took my jacket and ran downstairs, taking quick steps I reached the gate and opened the closed door by a charm.
The gate clicked open "safety precautions" I said and opened the gate further for him to enter.
"It's a fine charm, almost took me minute to figure it out" Harry said and entered inside. The gate firmly closed behind him locking back.
"Hello Harry, fancy seeing you" I said amused.
"Hi" He replied me with a small smile. We walked inside and I started climbing the stairs, turning around I saw him standing at the first step, "come inside, it's cold" I encouraged him.
"Actually, can we sit here, it's looks better here out" Harry suggested, I furrowed my eyebrows he was wearing a thick coat and also hand gloves, seeing him prepared. I shook my head and headed down, I took a seat on the lower step and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Sure" Harry sat next to me and I realised the stairs weren't broad enough for two people to sit beside, I tried to shift and give him more space.
"Happy birthday, even tho I am two days late" I wished Harry, who seems to be lost in a moment.
"Thank you, I did receive your box of chocolates" Harry replied mildly, I smiled, I almost forgot that, it was two days back and at the back of my head it was ringing non-stop so out of wits I took a box of chocolates wrote a note, 'happy birthday Harry' and send him through Pigwidgeon.
"Hey I didn't signed my note, how did you guessed it was mine?" I asked him suddenly.
"I am familiar with your handwriting" Harry replied. I clicked my tongue and grinned.
"So, how was it? Did you celebrate it?" I asked him more, this topic seems easy.
"I just had my late birthday dinner at burrow, Mrs Weasley won't stop until she threw me a dinner party, she made this amazing cake and wonderful dinner, all my favorites" Harry said happily and I awed over his special treatment.
"No kidding" I laughed. "Later Fred and George dragged me to all the bars in town and yeah, they were pretty wasted even tho it's not there birthday." Harry continued his birthday adventures.
I snorted at my dimwit brothers. "How was the cake?" I asked him smiling, suddenly I missed Mum more than ever and I felt home sick again.
"The best I have ever had" Harry truthfully replied and I was glad listing all his short stories.
"How is Mum and dad? And rest of the team?" I turned towards him, Harry sat straight resting his hands on his thighs joining his palm, "She is good, they all are fine, she miss you a lot. Couldn't stop talking about her daughter and her achievements and also her exotic tours around the world" Harry said, his lips twitching at the corners as he tried his best to cover his smirk.
"Oh Mum!" I covered my face with my hands embarrassed.
"She is the one, who actually gave me your address" He said shortly.
"You asked her my address directly?" I raised my one eyebrow.
"It was better than asking your dad, or worse your brothers" He tilted his head left thinking deeply. I see his point "Smart choice"
"It's so great for you, you can teleport where ever you wish without any boundries or regulations, it's not quiet fair you know" I complaint hugging my waist and resting my head on my legs, speaking my inner thoughts.
"It is actually, a greater advantage" He said making me more jealous.
I turned my face to my right so that I don't get carried Way and curse on his face, "But, soon the law is gonna lift up, it's an confidential news" Harry whispered and I turned my head so quickly I thought my neck would snap.
Sitting straight I searched his face for an trace of joke " Are you serious?" I asked him astonished.
"Yeah, after a long ongoing debate, the ministry have finally approved to weaver the petition for ACRTT. That means anyone above age limit can teleport anywhere." Harry said honestly and I couldn't stop my smile.
"But that would make a mess for your department, it can get risky" I thought about his job and the amount of risk they always endure.
"Yea, its going to get difficult than before, but we have plans, we take precautions, and most above we look for the security of commoners more seriously, it's our job" Harry said drly as if it meant no issues and his safety meant nothing, I had much points to point out but I wisely kept my mouth shut, opening it only gets me in unwanted trouble.
A cold wind passed and I internally shook, brining my jacket closer I took its heat "Do you wanna come in, now? My home is just straight up stairs" I invited him again. He kept his silence and I was getting edgy now. What is the matter.
"Do you remember, when you gave me a tour, we visited quiet few places" Harry said out of no where. I jogged my memory back and yeah I played his guide rule back in University days.
"Yeah, anything particular about it?" I asked him apprehension growing on me.
"We missed a place, you said you never visited it before, did you now?" He asked me a random question again.
"Are you talking about the Museum?" I answered him dubiously.
"Precisely." He closed the doubt window on that. I wondered when did I mentioned. But true to the word. I never had time till this date to actually visit it.
"Not that I can remember" I replied him.
"Do you still wish to see it?" He asked me. I stared at him, where is he going with this acting his way I replied "someday may be"
"Not day, I meant now! Do you wish to see it now, because I wish to" Harry said his spontaneous Nature made me Little worried. And I laughed at his joke.
"It's closed Harry, do you know what time it is. It's past twelve" I teased him.
"Time is no such issues for me, matter of fact, is that. Do you wanna accompany me?" Harry raised his eyebrow, it felt like an challenge, and I can't back out of it.
On pure instincts I said "Yes, I still wanna go."
"Excellent, go change, put something warmer, it's freezing outside" Harry said and stood giving me his hand, I looked at his hand and said "Oh! What the hell" taking his hand I stood and ran upstairs.
I quickly changed into a jeans and a warmer jumper of my size, pulling a scarf around my neck and folding my hair in a messy bun I took my coat and ran down, feeling giddy. It felt like an secret mission.
Harry was waiting were I left him, he looked up at my approaching footsteps and gave me a small smile.
"How are we going it's quite far from here" I raised another question.
"Magic" He replied and gave me his hand again. He is going to teleport with me. I gulped this made me sick but ofcourse I couldn't show him that. I put a brave smile on and took his hand timidly.
"Close your eyes, it will be over in a minute" Harry said and I obyed his instructions.
My head spin so fast I felt like throwing up, with all my force I clutched Harry's poor arm, my whole body was floating in air and I can't feel the land beneath, panic settled in and an involuntary scream escaped my lips.
We hit the land and Harry's feet landed firmly where as I wobbled any minute to face land, Harry quickly caught my off balance body " Are you alright?" He asked concerned.
I turned in his arm and break the contact stepping two steps back "I am, of course, what a ride" I pretended to be cheerful, but all I wanted was to puke.
Harry gave me a skeptical look and turned his face towards The Museum, it was truly magnificent. The security must be on a different level here, how are we even gonna break in.
"Easy, I go in and defuse the system, I have seen there security circuit, it's a basic. They should change it for real" Harry answered my inner thoughts. Or did I said them aloud unconsciously again.
"How do you know there security circuit?" I focused on important question.
"I had a detour before I came to see you" Harry winked and my mouth shaped an perfect 'o'
"Stand here, I will be back in few minutes" Harry announced before disappearing.
I stood there as instructed wondering about our actions, the night was dark and beautiful, there were no stars or moon but the sky looked clear. I am doing things without thinking, on an alarming note, it got me excited rather than being worried, what was even a bigger surprise is seeing Harry in sheer enthusiasm.
"All done, let's go" Harry called from inside the gate and slowly opened it a bit, giving me enough space to slip inside.
"Alright" I walked inside and the gate closed again. Harry walked ahead and I followed his lead.
"What did you mean you took a detour before? Does that mean you have visited already?" I asked him curiously.
Harry looked at me and his lips twitched, he is finding me funny again, did I cracked a joke? I am a little confused tonight.
"I told you, I took a detour for the alarm circuit and for security reasons" Harry answered me.
I poked my check with my tongue, it's still doesn't make sense, before I could ask him again, we were standing in the lobby and it was humungous. My thoughts wrapped in a bottle and thrown out of the window.
The lights illuminated the large vacant lobby and it was a wonder to watch, the museum was divided into my floors and sections there was a huge map locating it's directions on the right side and we moved to study it closely.
"It will take all night just to see a quarter of it" I whistled slowly my voice bouncing in the air.
"Then, not wasting any more time, let's begin" Harry have an easy solution.
"What are we gonna see first?" I asked him excitedly.
"Let's take these stairs and find out" Harry moved to the left of the lobby and I bit my lip I was more on the centre where a huge dragon skeleton was hanging from the celling, you know the mediocre symbol of all Museums, even muggles have them.
"Okay" without any complaints I followed him and it took us where I could never imagine, there was a small iron door with a name plate on it "stay alert" we both looked at each other and smiled till moon.
Luckily the door was not locked and we went inside, a strong grass smell hit my senses and I furrowed my eyebrows, there were trees in view, we stepped deeper and the trees grew dense with us, they started growing tall and wide, I looked up and sky was visible but a thin layer was coated around, a magic spell perhaps.
Here the moon was visible and radiant, in it's full glory, shining brighter illuminating the whole area with its light, hundreds of stars were spread on the black sheet, and I was awed by its beauty.
Because of the much natural light we walked easily, I heard a lot of buzz in the woods and for a second my heart beat fast, the more deeper we went something began to changed the trees were shining.
"Are they actually glowing? Or is it only me?" I asked Harry.
"They are glowing, indeed.' Harry replied, his eyes were scanning the details of the wild habitant, it was a small forest.
The trees had pale yellow light emitting through it and few other changed it colours too as if just one light wasn't enough, "I see what these are, I had heard about them a while ago" Harry said standing next to me.
"You know this?" I asked him excitedly.
"These are fanute's, it's extremely rare and hard to find. There symbol is in there name, they modify themselves and change the colour of it according to there change of weather or surrounding. They often change there vibe when touched" Harry explained in detail and I was much more tempted to touch them.
"You mean it's perfectly fine to touch them?" I asked him eagerly.
"They are soft in nature, but highly sensitive to human's touch, you better be quick about it" Harry said smiling.
That was all I needed to ask, I steadily moved towards one yellow pale tree and my fingers touched it's bark. The tree immediately transformed into pink and I went crazy with joy.
"Did you see that Harry?" I asked him gleefully.
The tree changed it colour to blue and I got confused "why did it changed again?" I wondered aloud.
"It sensed me" Harry said slowly, he moved closer to me and we both were in the tree's raider.
"Wow!" I moved my fingers and it changed back to yellow. "It's amazing isn't it?"
"Yeah it is" Harry replied, giving him a glance I know he meant it, beacuse he was busy staring at the changing wonders of creation, I sat on the floor, making my mind not to move an inch further.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked looking down at me.
"Staying" I answered him.
"It's just a start, come on, we have lot to see" Harry said, his eyebrows married, he looked confused.
"I wish to stay here and absorb much of this beauty" I replied.
Harry gave me a hard stare and closed his eyes. " I am saying you, it's a lot to see, let's keep moving"
"But it's so beautiful, how could you walk away?" I cried stupidly.
"With my legs" Harry mocked my reason, I rolled my eyes, still sitting on the floor.
Harry took his watch out and exclaimed "we wasted an hour here, that's it I am leaving" He grumpily walked back no longer asking me to come with him, I sat for few seconds on ground. Suddenly all of its beauty started to shape in annoying creepy shades.
I won't run. I'm strong, the night cricket sound grew louder and a small hoot of an distanced animal was enough to break it " Alright, alright I am coming" I shouted behind him and ran towards the exit/enterance.
Harry patiently waited for me near the door " Hmm, dint took you a minute" He smirked at me and I kindly ignored him.
"Should we go next floor?" I asked him and he shrugged, I scrunched my nose. Not with this. Again.
"Next floor it is" I commanded and we went for the stairs.
Next two floors were filled with anicent collection of sculptures, paintings, carvings, manuscripts, ceramics, metallic artefacts, carpets, clocks, and furniture collected through centuries in period.
Harry explained a lot of things to me, he was well informed and had a great knowledge for most of the stuff, his eyes sparked when he came across a thing he knew. I happily attended his boring lecture.
"I am not going to climb any more stairs, I am tired" I protested.
"I miss Hogwarts, atleast it moved on its own" I sighed sitting on the step.
"Come on, it's a last one. And I have feeling it will be better" Harry motivated me. I chewed my lip, If things weren't awkward enough I would have asked for a piggy ride. I snorted on my imagination. He is right, it's the last one and I will be done with this God for saken. Museum.