I cringe at the squishing sound each step I take makes as I finally burst in through the doors of the castle. The warm, dry castle. I yank a hand through my soaking wet hair and shiver at the feeling of my cold wet clothes, clinging to my body
I can hear the rain now pounding down on each window I pass. It streams down the glass so heavily that it's nearly impossible to see outside. I furrow my brow. I wonder how such an intense storm just came out of nowhere.
I take long strides, eager to change into dry clothes, and clear my head from what I saw. Vision or not, there was no denying what I had seen. I shiver lightly, shoving my hair out of my face as I round the corner.
I look down the corridor in confusion. It was dark outside now, but nearly all hallways in the castle remain lit when it is dark. This one, however, is pitch black and I can only see a few feet ahead of me. I shake my head, figuring I must've taken a wrong turn. After all, this castle still is quite a maze to me. I whirl around, but my heart sinks to the depths of my stomach when another long stretch of a dark corridor is behind me. That's when I look around and notice I'm completely in the dark.
A blinding flash of lightning illuminates the dark corridor through one of the tall windows, and when the flash strikes, so do the visions. The sounds of a bustling city life as I see a yellow taxi. An American flag waving high in the sky. And the most shocking, a picture sitting on a nightstand of both my real parents, holding me, a newborn baby in their arms.
When I open my eyes, everything is back to normal. I stand in a fully lit hallway, like nothing had ever happened. I stand frozen, unmoving, trying to make sense of everything I had just seen. My hands begin to tremble. My whole body begins to shake. Maybe it's the cold, wet clothes sticking to my skin, but I can't control the trembling sensation as I struggle to catch my breath.
I take a deep breath, afraid to close my eyes, fearing what I might see next. The images made no sense. Why was I seeing this stuff, and why so suddenly? Of course, they were harmless, and random. But something about it all felt so unsettling. I begin walking once more. Why had I seen a photo of my parents and I? The only photo we ever got together.
That's when I stop dead in my tracks and fight the light gasp that leaves my parted lips. What if - by some miracle, these were clues to where my father was? My mother had told me I would find all the answers. When I had asked her how I would find him, at the time her response was frustratingly vague. But maybe, just maybe, she knew I would find small answers along the way. And maybe I was insane. Maybe I was seeing these images, and I was just crazy. But something deep inside me wouldn't let myself believe that.
I furrow my brows, and square my shoulders. I had to see Minerva. Maybe she would have answers. I walk with purpose and determination. I need to see her right away, of course after I change my clothes. But I can't wait much longer. I'm much too confused, and curious to wait around.
I'm almost to the common room, and I take a sharp turn when I nearly run into somebody. I stop myself, quickly moving back and avoiding crashing into them. I look up directly into Malfoy's confused gaze.
We stare at each other, for just a second, neither of us says a word. He looks me up and down, his brow knitting together. "My God, Did you jump into the lake?" He says, a harsh tone to his voice. I roll my eyes. "Doesn't matter," I snap, and try to move around him, eager to get away from him.
His arm reaches out, his large hand encircling my whole wrist as he pulls me back. "What are you up to Ashwood?" He retorts. "Why do you care so suddenly?" I ask, feeling annoyed. "I don't care," he mutters.
"Yeah?" I pause, "Sure looks like it," I say as I nod my head towards his hand on my wrist, keeping me in place. He lets go and takes a few steps back. "Nice of you to show up today," I say, before he can even respond.
"Glad to know you missed my company," He smirks. I shake my head, "I enjoyed not having to see you. If only every day could be like that," I say simply. He rolls his eyes. "Please, I'm the only reason you haven't died here yet, not to mention the reason you're passing your classes,' he scoffs.
"That's quite the bold statement," I say.
"Am I wrong?" He smirks.
"Usually you are."
"You're difficult today," he sighs. "Aren't I always?" I smirk this time. He nods his head, "Yes actually. You're just extra difficult today," he corrects himself. I let out a small sigh. "Well as much as I would love to stay and waste time listening to you talk, I have things to do," I say, patting him on the shoulder and attempting to move around him.
He slides in front of me, his broad shoulders blocking me. "What do you want?" I seethe. He clasps his hands behind his back and leans over me, a dangerous smirk on his face. "You know I don't like when you keep things from me," he says in a low tone.
My face contorts into a look of disgust and I shove him away from me. "Stop acting like you own me," I growl. I take a large step back, but he only closes the space between us. "Then tell me what you're doing," he says in a calm tone.
"Why do you care?" I exclaim, feeling rather frustrated.
"Because you walk into this castle soaking wet, and seem like you're trying to avoid me suddenly," he explains, his expression blank. "Maybe, I got stuck in the rain. And maybe, I am trying to avoid you. Maybe it's just as simple as that," I say, raising my brows, an intense amount of sass embedded into my words. "Now let me go!" I shout and try to bolt past him, but he jumps right in front of me.
I let out a frustrated type of sound as I try to move around him once more, just to be blocked. I peer around his shoulder and smirk widely before turning back to him. "Pansy's coming" I say. He shakes his head. "How stupid do you think I am? I'm not falling for that," he snaps.
"I'm not kidding she-"
"Ashwood, just save your breath."
"No, actually she is-"
"DRAKIE!! THERE YOU ARE!"
He whirls around to come face to face with Pansy Parkinson. His expression is wiped clean and with the proudest smirk on my face, I move past him at the speed of lightning. "Ashwood!" He shouts. I whirl around to face him, a smug smile on my lips.
Pansy looks at me with a look of disgust and Malfoy looks mad. "The hell are you up to, Ashwood?" Pansy sneers.
"Wouldn't you both like to know," I smirk before backing up, turning on my heel and running in the opposite direction toward the common room. A small laugh escapes my lips. The truth was, I wasn't up to anything. But letting Malfoy, and even Parkinson believe that I was, was all part of the fun.
* * * * *
"Emma," My aunt says as she looks down from reading the Daily Prophet. "I wasn't expecting you," she says. "I'm sorry, but I think it happened again. I had a... a vision I think," I tell her. She drops her paper onto her desk, looking surprised.
"Well, come sit," she beckons to the chair in front of her. I do as she says, taking a seat while I tug the sleeves of my now, dry and warm hoodie, over my hands. I adjust in my seat before taking a deep breath.
"I was outside, when the storm came suddenly. It started when the lightning began. The first thing I saw made no sense. It was like I was watching someone's hands, and I was watching them use lightning as a weapon almost. I thought that was strange enough so I headed back inside," I begin.
"This is when things really got weird. I turned this corner and it was like all the lights were out suddenly. When I turned back around, I was completely in the dark. First I heard the sound of cars, and people, and saw a yellow taxi. Then I saw an American flag. And then," I pause. "I saw a picture of me and my parents," I explain to her.
"You're real parents?" She asks.
I nod my head. She raises her brows, looking to her desk, almost deep in thought. "What did it look like? Explain when you saw the photo," she says. "It looked like a nightstand. There was a lamp, a book it looked like, and the photo. Like somebody lived there," I say.
"Do you think it could be-"
"My father?" I cut in. "That's why I came to you," I tell her.
"I'm not sure who else would have a photo of the three of you like that on their nightstand," she says.
"Exactly. But what if this is all just crazy? What if I'm crazy?" I ask. She smiles lightly but shakes her head. "Emma, you are far from crazy. Believe me. You're still getting used to this whole different world. It's only normal to doubt yourself. But you are a seer. These are clues I do believe, and they are pointing you right in the direction of your father," she tells me.
I sit there for a second, taking in everything she has just said.
"So if I'm not crazy, does this mean my father is somewhere in - in America?" I ask.
She nods her head slowly, "I'm thinking the chances of that are very high."
* * * * *
a.n - DON'T FORGET TO VOTE PRETTY PLEASE :) xoxo