Everything had been settled when it came to Harry and the day passed. Everyone was gathered for the end of year feast, with the Great Hall decorated in Blue to celebrate Ravenclaws winning of the House cup again, and Slytherin being a close second. My housemates we're celebrating in a lively manner, but here came Dumbledore to rain on their parades. And yup, just enough points for Gryffindor to swoop in from third place and win it all. This caused my house to become half depressed and half angry at Harry and his friends, Slytherin became even more unhappy since they not only lost, but now the cup went to their rival house, and Hufflepuff was just siting looking a bit out of it, but nothing had changed for them so they didn't really care. With only one house really celebrating the end of the year, the feast ended and students went to the Hogwarts Express once again.
As my friends and I walked to the train, people noticed and decided to make a path for us. I was walking at the head of the group, standing nearly six feet tall at 14, with clear muscle shown through my casual black t-shirt and jeans, shinning silver hair and flame-like eyes, appearing very attractive to most female students. Victoria walking at my side, she wore a green blouse to match her eyes, letting her black hair cascade over her shoulders, with a pair of nice black pants, and an aura living up to her nickname of The Queen. Christian was wearing jeans and an unbuttoned red-black flannel shirt, showing his own growing muscles which could be glimpsed through his white t-shirt, with jeans and hiking boots, walking in a completely relaxed manner as he looked at the sky. And James was greeting politely those he recognized as we walked, with him wearing a loose white shirt and beige pants, coupled with his gentle aura, it really made him feel like a saint.
We made our way to an empty cabin under everyone's gaze and it wasn't until we had entered the train did the students snap out of the trance which made them part before us.
As the train ride back to Kings Cross was underway, we chatted about the year, our summer plans, upcoming OWL's next year and just having a nice time together before going out separate ways for the summer.
Before we got off the train, I gave Victoria a new supply kit, to make sure she could protect herself from her father without him being the wiser and made sure she knew she would be welcomed to my house anytime. But I had also prepared a little something extra.
"Tory, I also want you to take this." I say seriously as I hand her a small box.
She takes it in her hands with curiosity, looking at me with me almost emerald green eyes, suddenly making me a bit embarrassed as I remembered the mirrors images. She opens it with a gasp and closes it quickly before staring at me in shock, looking for an answer.
"It's made to protect you. I asked a favor from some friends of mine, then I made the enchantments and put the runes on it myself." I explain, trying to stop myself from getting nervous.
She then opens the box again and slowly takes out a beautiful silver necklace, with finely interwoven chain almost looking as if they were a semi-fluid piece of silver, a twin pair of snakes with little diamonds for eyes were attached to it, coiling themselves around a beautifully polished piece of emerald, protected by said snakes as their small heads rested on the two poles of the stone.
James' eyes widened in shock at the necklaces and Christian stood up abruptly at the sight of it.
"That's goblin made jewelry! That thing looks like it costs thousands!" He shouted without thinking, making Victoria look at me with a torn expression.
"Tory. I want you to have it. I asked a friend to make it and he was happy to do so. I imbued it with the protective Magic's I knew: Occlumency defenses, physical protection, intent detection, emergency shield and lastly it's a portkey set to come to my ring." I say to her gently. "If you are ever in trouble, it can bring you to me and nothing will stop it. And no one will be able to take it from you, until you decide to reject it." I say gently to the now very emotional girl.
"Merlin's balls mate." Quietly said Christian, completely blown away.
"Aedan, wouldn't this burden Victoria's conscience?" Asked James as he was thinking about her pride and stubbornness.
"This was my own decision. I care about you and want to do everything I can to stop you from coming into harms way. If you believe it is too much you just need to give it back, but I will give you the other emergency portkey linked to my house, that I'm not arguing about. It's always good to have back up plans." I say to reassure the girl. "I've actually made three of them, one for each of you, just in case."
"I...I..." she was trying to say her decision but was stuck. It was an incredibly beautiful necklace and an amazingly thoughtful gesture, but this was so foreign to her that she froze.
"Tory." I say gently, making her look at me with a jump as I said her nickname.
"I decided to do this on my own. All that is left to decide is if you accept my will to protect and help you stand against the world itself if need be, or wish to do so on your own, proving your will and strength to them all. There is no shame or rejection of anyone, not even yourself, in choosing either. Take a breath and hopefully you can find the answer You want." I say with soothing voice and warm expression.
-Going to be in Victoria's head for a bit.
I takes a breath a silently contemplated his actions, words and intent. I looked between my three close friends, the people who pulled me away from that lonely and painful place, and I see them waiting for my choice. My pride wanted me to reject such a gift, but I just couldn't turn it away. I can now see just how much he wishes to help and protect me. This is something I haven't been able feel since mother was struck by that curse so long ago now, for someone who would help me simply because they were by my side. Not for anything, but because of who I am to them.
I am not insulted by the gesture, not in the slightest. I know him. I know he would never stifle my growth, nor chain me down. Everything he ever does his try to help those he cares for, to make it possible for them to soar far above others.
But i also know it's unusual for him to go this far. Like he said, he made the portkeys in other forms, so why did he do so much just for me?
I don't know what to do. I know I care for Aedan. Ever since I first saw him, his long silver hair, the cute face he had in first year, those blazing red-gold eyes, the air of confidence and safety he gives off. And even now, as he continues to grow, his face has slowly changed from cute to handsome, his height continues to climb above others, his muscles are clearly visible to onlookers and his voice is just so comfortable to listen to. He is so brilliant I felt despair when I tried to chase him down and prove myself better than him. I acted rudely and tried to show how much better I was, but when my housemates started to blame and bully me for not surpassing him, for not taking him down by any means, laughing at my fathers actions and insulting my mother, he was the one who stood in front of them and lifted me up. He showed me what is was like to feel others caring for me again, to feel what a family is. He gave me knowledge no one else in the world ever had before. He introduced me to his friends, soon enough letting me be one of them as well. He took his time and effort to heal me and try to protect me from the one you should be doing the protecting. He just keeps on giving and giving, and I just want to be able to do something back for him sometimes.
So with a lot of emotions running through me, I managed to ask with a stressed voice. "Why?"
I saw him hesitate, I see the nervousness in him. It's very unusual for him to be nervous. He is always there, standing like an immovable pillar of support. Always calm, cool and collected in the face of others. He becomes excited when he makes a breakthrough or makes something new, almost acting like a child. He can be strict and courageous when he defends something he believes in. But being nervous only happened once before, when he told me about all the horrible things he'd experienced in his childhood. When I heard that, I wanted to give the boy a hug, but we only knew each other for so long and I couldn't keep my pride down long enough to show such emotions in front of him. But he could finally speak.
"I did some soul searching this year. Do you guys know the Mirror of Erised?" He asked to begin his explanation. He always does this around others, trying to help them know more and share knowledge around. But after seeing all of us shaking our heads, he continues.
"It's a mirror which has been housed in Hogwarts for some time at least, and I happened to find it during one of my excursions through the castle. It is designed to show ones deepest desires, even those one didn't know or those one feared in themselves." He explained to our surprise that such an object can exist. To see ones greatest desire take form in front of you would truly test one spirit. But then we all looked at him to wonder what this had to do with the situation.
"The mirror is a very dangerous tool. I can understand why in my research of it I found a warning, that it offers no wisdom or ideas about how to reach that desire manifested, and that many have wasted their lives away in front of it, unable to pull themselves out of the fantasy they see. But to me it was an enlightenment and a relief. You see, I disagree that it doesn't offer anything, I believe it teaches about the self. And the reason this is important is simple: it taught me I had another desire within. Something which could match my dreams to push the magical world further. And that was to see it happen with another." He explains seriously, but near the end he was using the gentlest voice I've ever heard from him as he looked into my eyes.
Looking at me with those striking eyes that seem to look at my very soul. It took me a few seconds to register exactly what he just meant and when I did, my face immediately started burning up. I felt so many emotions racing through again, but this time it just felt so good. The happiness, relief, excitement, a bit of worry, and somewhere in my logical part ,I was trying to hold everything back, but that couldn't help for more than a second before tears of joy leaked out.
The guys started panicking, even James, since they have no clue how to handle a crying girl. Aedan was trying to apologize, Christian was trying to tell a stupid joke and James was trying to comfort me.
"I'm not sad you idiots. I'm happy." I said as I the tears away, with a smile at how foolish the respect members of our group just acted.
"But you cried!" Responded Christian, totally oblivious.
"That's enough Christian. I think we should leave these two alone to talk for a bit." Declared James as he dragged the wild boy away. Closing the door behind them and letting me and Aedan be alone.
He was fidgeting a bit, but it was cute seeing the ever brilliant and imposing Aedan Bones, acting like a nervous kid his age in front of me. I couldn't help but giggle a bit, making his ears turn red.
"So I wanted to give you this to protect you until then." He said shyly. "And, um, the main reason I wanted to make it perfect was because it comes with a bit of a condition."
"What condition?" I asked carefully, my happiness immediately dropping a few notches and my own nervousness rising as my heart thumped madly.
"I don't want people to know until graduation. Until i can live on my own and hopefully be able to have you there." He answered with some hesitation and fear over my response. He kept looking at me, trying to gauge my response.
"Why? Are you ashamed of me as I am?" I tried to hold back, but it hurt hearing the guy I liked didn't want others to know if we were in a relationship.
"No, I'm am and always have been very proud of you. This is because my plan involves making my name resound in every corner of the magical world. To help push it forward in the right direction without violence, this is a necessity. The problem with that is the fact that the attention and criticism I will receive will be massive, and I don't want to pull your life down with mine because of it. I want you to be able to stand proudly and never doubt the fact that you are the one I want and the world will never question it due to your own abilities." He explained seriously. It helped a lot and made me happy. He knew how I was. I will vehemently reject those trying to help me for impure reasons and my pride will not let me be someone only known for being associated with someone else. I will never accept being given everything, it must come from me.
"Thank you Aedan, for caring so much." I say, my voice closer to a whisper, but it relieves him.
"I'll take that deal. You will be mine and I will be yours. And when we graduate, the world will have no choice to accept it and see two people, not just you." I finally answer with my own feelings and determination.
"But I have my own condition." I then state seriously.
"Name it." He responded, sounding ready to fight even a dragon at the moment.
"You put it on me." I then say gently as I turned around to hide my red face and lift my hair up to show my neck.
I could hear him gulp in nervousness has he saw my actions. He fumbled with the necklace a bit and I suddenly felt him right behind me. I could feel his breath on my bare neck. His impressive heat from his presence on my back. I felt his arms go around me as he lay the necklace on my chest and wrapped it around my neck. Then I felt him successfully attach it and letting it rest on me, sealing the promise as he did.
I let my hair down and touch the beautiful emerald with my fingers, a smile spreading on my face.
We felt the train come to a stop and we both jolt out of it and see the station outside our cabin window.
We then look at each other and I decide I should at least do something for him, doing so much and taking this step for me.
Without giving myself time to think properly, I quickly lean forward and give him a kiss on the lips. It only lasted for a second, but when I realized what I had done, my face felt like it was the hottest it's ever been.
So I immediately stood up and grabbed my things before turning around and looking at the completely stunned Aedan.
"That's to seal the deal. You can't take it back now, even if you wanted to." I say quickly and rushed out due to embrassement, leaving Aedan as he slowly reached up to touch his lips.
-Back to Aedan.
'They were so soft and sweet.' Was the only thought that went through is completely paralyzed thought process.
And then James and Christian showed up to grab their stuff, only to see me unresponsive.
"Well, from the goofy smile on your face, I can see you captured the Queen. Or more likely she captured you." Joked Christian with a good laugh.
"Congratulation Aedan, I hope you make her and yourself happy. The two of you fit well together." Was James supportive comment.
"Ah! Yeah, thanks." I finally responded as I snapped out of it and grabbing my own stuff.
I couldn't find Victoria anywhere on the platform but, with the thought of the necklace and the kiss, I was still smiling as happiness spread through me.
'I'm glad I came to this world.'