In the World of Magic(Harry Potter Next Generation Fanfic)

Chapter 32 - Letter Read

Amanda's POV

After separating with Scorpius I headed straight for the girls' bathroom. I was feeling determination and bravery. Whatever was in the note wouldn't affect me. I would just read it without emotion. The note wouldn't mean as much since I knew what to expect.

Before opening the note I made sure that there was no one inside. All of the stalls were empty of people, but there weren't just students I had to watch out for. There was sometimes a ghost named Moaning Myrtle who hung around the bathrooms. I had learned that the hard way. It was very embarrassing actually, although I am not going to go into details about that.

As I went into one of the stalls I took the note from the pocket where I had put it earlier. Once more I saw my name written neatly on the front. Even though I had been determined to not let my feelings get to me, I could feel the nervousness creep up on me. I made sure to show them down deep inside of me before I started to open up the envelope.

Little Kitty, Little Kitty

I hope you haven't gotten too comfortable, because you have no idea about how bad things will get. A few messages has got you a little warm, but what happens when things get out of hand? What happens when it isn't just notes? What if I just slip with my wand and accidentally hurt someone you care about? What if I tell my source to kill another student? Wouldn't that be fantastic? I think it would be just delightful. Unless... you listen to me and do what I tell you to do. Then there will not be any unnecessary bloodshed. Then the people you care about will be unharmed.

Let's see what you chose. First assignment: Do not tell your boyfriend about this note, or about further notes that I will send to you. Remember that I will certainly know if you do tell him. The same way that I know that you're trying to figure out who my source is.

Await further letters, M

I thought that I had been prepared. I thought that I had been ready for whatever messed up message I could have gotten. I had been wrong. Nothing had even remotely prepared me for the clearness in the words. The way that the message said, no more games. I had never thought that it would be a real letter. That the messenger would actually tell me something, tell me why the notes were sent. I didn't get a clear reason, but I got something. And it terrified me.

The messenger wanted me to be a little minion, wanted to control me. It was actually a clear threat. If I disobeyed, people would die. There wasn't really a choice to be made. I would never do anything to be responsible for other people's deaths. Not telling James about the note wasn't even that bad. I could lie, if that meant that I would protect people.

Even though things hadn't turned out the same as I had expected, I had been able to do something I had meant to do. I had ignored my feelings. I didn't even think about what they said, I only made decisions and faced reality. I was not even bothering with thinking about the consequents of my actions, I couldn't risk it.

With a deep breath I closed my eyes and dropped the note in the toilet. Then I flushed and watched the note disappear into the toilet. Disappearing, never to be seen again. Just what I wanted. Then I walked out of the stall as if everything was normal. No one was there to see my performance, but it was important that I practiced it. I would have to do it until the messenger stopped sending notes. I knew that things would not end well, but it didn't matter. As long as everything at that moment was well, I had kept people safe for another minute. That mattered.

There were few students in the corridor when I stepped out, which was expected. There was time for dinner and I was a little late. Hurriedly I made my way towards the Great Hall. I was actually hungry and I wanted dinner so bad. As I sneaked inside the Great Hall I saw a few people look my way, but most were fed up with their own things.

"Where have you been? We're almost done", Allison wondered as I sat down next to her. I smiled at her while I started to fill my plate.

"I was just in the bathroom and got held up by Moaning Myrtle", I lied with a shrug of my shoulders as I started to eat the chicken I had put on my plate. Both Christina and Allison seemed to accept my excuse. They shared a look and started to smirk. It was evident that they were thinking of my last run in with Myrtle.

"Don't say a single word!", I sternly told them before sipping water from my glass. They both started to laugh at my behavior, before Allison flung an arm over my shoulder.

"We completely forgot that you were new here. You should really take that as a compliment, since it's because it feels as if we've been friends forever", Allison beamed at me. I rolled my eyes and made a cheeky smile appear on my lips. I then shook my head at the two as they both looked as if they were the best people in the world.

"Good save", I commented her. She laughed and then we slipped into a casual conversation. That was at least until I finished my food and we got up to leave. I could see James approaching out of the corner of my eye and turned to Allison and Christina.

"I'll see you guys later", I told them and pointed towards James behind me. Christina sent me a wink before she told me goodbye. Allison only rolled her eyes and went with Christina. I turned around and went up to James.

"Hi, there", I told him with a calm smile. At first he looked a bit worried but then his look turned into a smile.

"Where were you today? I was worried when you didn't show up to dinner at first", he asked as we walked towards the corridors. I scratched my head sheepishly as I tried to look as if nothing was wrong.

"I hung out with Scorpius in the Astronomy Tower and then I went to bathroom. Moaning Myrtle was there and I got held up", I then admitted, adding the same lie from earlier. A similar smirk to the one that had been on Christina's and Allison's faces showed up on James'.

"You skipped class to hang with Scorpius?", James asked a bit suspiciously. I huffed and rolled my eyes at his words. Even though James was okay with Scorpius I noticed that he wasn't that okay with him.

"I needed a break and he saw that I wasn't fine. He made me feel happier. It was just about my mum and everything around that", I gloomily told him as we stopped him in an empty corridor. James frowned and put his arms around me. I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes for a few seconds.

"Was it just that? It wasn't about... you know?", he wondered with concern. I lifted my head from his chest as I shook my head. I looked straight into James' eyes and breathed in heavily.

"That I've got under control. It was just that what my mum did was a pretty hard hit. Although I feel fine now", I honestly told him. It was the truth. I had the messenger situation under control. It might have not been the best control, but still.

"You sure?", James wondered, his frown softening as he leaned a bit closer. I smiled lovingly at him as I knew what was about to happen.

"I'm completely sure." Then I leaned in a little closer as I got up on my tip toes. Our lips slowly touched and then they moved in the same lazy pace. Every emotion in the kiss was there, possible for me to feel. I sighed into the kiss as my hands made their way across James' chest and to his shoulders.

"I love you", I said as our lips separated. James opened his eyes and went directly to mine. His light brown eyes seemed to break out into a million shades when I stood that close to him. James was smiling at me with clear happiness and love.

"I love you too." I sneaked my arms around his neck as I hugged him. Just feeling him being there, real and mine, was such a rush. I knew in that moment that I would easily be able to lie to him if that meant that he would be safe. I would do whatever the messenger said, as long as James and my other loved ones were safe. It wasn't really such a big price to pay. Since I wasn't magical there wasn't really much I could do. The messenger must have known that. If he didn't it wasn't my problem. I would do what I was able to do. The other things would not matter. All I had to do was take every day as it came. Every message as it came. I would do what I had to, until I was able to figure out how to stop the messenger.