Matilda, Child of Fire

TSoT/HMV: A Torassieppi Sky

22 TSoT/HMV: A Torassieppi Sky

"You light up the path...you're a sky full of stars/Such a heavenly view/You're such a heavenly view..."

-Coldplay, song "A Sky Full of Stars"

7 pm, One Weekend Later, Snow-Filled Landscape, Coordinates 67.9545° N, 23.9122° E

"As I was saying earlier, I can't figure out why Morgana would choose me—me of all people—to be on a hiring committee for the next magical obstetrician. I'm grossly underqualified. For one, I lack a uterus—" Harry declared, as he and Macy trodded through half a foot of snow in a snowy bank of indeterminate location. It was Macy's turn to plan date night, and he hoped she had written down the coordinates correctly. There wasn't a person in sight. "For another, I'm utterly clueless about the female body—"

Trudging next to him in fur-lined, knee-high Arctic boots, Macy couldn't help but smirk at his last statement. "No, Harry, you're definitely not clueless about the female body," thinking of the backstage rendezvous they'd had at Hotel Christiania. And the time he went down on her in her laboratory she-shed after pipetting hundreds of bovine samples in the claustrophobic space. Not to mention he'd been incredibly attentive as he witnessed the birth of all three of their children. "I'm serious. You understand women—you've lived in a household of the most powerful witches of the past decades. And you stood watch while Morgana performed an enchanted C-section so our twins were safely delivered."

She stepped over a stray tree branch and continued. "There's no better person to interview obstetricians than you. Sure, Morgana's great at the physician expertise, but the magical/personality aspects are all up your alley, plus you're Chair of Women's Studies."

"Former Chair—" began Harry, but Macy cut him off.

"Point being, you're qualified. And we must find someone to help vulnerable witches who are entrusting their lives and their future progeny to someone they've never met before. Remember how awesome of a job you did with me—can you imagine how scared they must feel?"

"It's a big responsibility," replied Harry, as they continued to pad through the pristine, unmarked path of glassy powder. "Not to digress, love—" he stopped abruptly. "But where in blazes are we?"

7:05 pm, Snow-Filled Landscape, Lake Torassieppi, 99300 Muonio, Finland

Rather than answer, Macy clasped Harry's hand and led him around the tree-lined bend to what appeared to be angular, glassy, transparent bubble-like accommodations. "Welcome to Aurora Domes. We're in Finland—" she bit her lip and surveyed his expression.

"Finland? Oh my, Dr. Valensi," mused Harry aloud, as he kissed Macy's forehead, impressed at her ability to surprise him, even after all these years. "Where in Finland, pray tell?"

"Well—Lake Torassieppi to be exact—to watch the Northern Lights up above." She indicated a distant area of the night sky that glimmered a curious sea green color. "I think it's about to start." Macy and Harry grinned at each other as they approached their designated location; ever the planner, Macy had made reservations beforehand.

7:30 pm, Aurora Dome, Lake Torassieppi, 99300 Muonio, Finland

Spotting a pamphlet wedged beneath the doorway, Harry reached over and read it. Torassieppi, apparently, was a quaint town in Finnish Lapland, located near the Torassieppi Reindeer Farm and Winter Village. How very charming, Harry thought to himself, as he looked over at Macy, who removed her jacket, and he did the same, neatly folding his atop the queen-sized bed; he noticed she wore a sultry burgundy-hued Shein dress, with silken sleeves that extended to the elbow, fashionista-style. The belted pleats of her dress accentuated her shapely waist and her ever-entrancing bosom that he wished to squeeze tightly, just one more time...

He turned over the pamphlet; their bubble-like accommodations bordered the lake as well as the surrounding Pallas Ylläs National Park—a snow-capped forest wilderness—and was built atop a homestead dating as far back as 1847. The Aurora Domes themselves were created in 2016 and were considered "the ultimate in Northern Lights glamping." How very Macy indeed. Harry skimmed the rest of the brochure until he found an item describing the "Winter Village" located next to Pallas Ylläs National Park, which had ice sculptures and life-sized snow igloos perfect for exploring. Day two, perhaps.

7:45 pm, Aurora Dome, Lake Torassieppi, 99300 Muonio, Finland

Harry and Macy surveyed the interior surroundings in the flickering amber glow of the wood-burning stove mere feet away. The spherical ceiling and three-quarters of the wall were completely enmeshed in a light-colored canvas-insulated tarp, with an overhead faux chandelier made entirely of reindeer antlers. Two sleek, curved cadet-grey chairs covered in fluffy white fur blankets faced each other next to the geodesic window, between which was a small wood table where Macy was presently unloading the mulled wine and accompanying mugs she had brought with them. Harry noticed that the bed had flat white cotton sheets, plus a tasseled outer sham in a dark blue geometric pattern that reminded him of Native American blankets he had once seen in a general store in Arizona many moons ago.

8 pm, Aurora Dome, Lake Torassieppi, 99300 Muonio, Finland

They found themselves seated in the cadet chairs, their ankles intertwined with the others' as they toasted to having survived the past week of magical obstetrician hiring (having narrowed the prospective list from 100 to 30), scientific analyses (Cyclops genetic sequencing, part 2), nefarious hunts (culminating in Mel boiling a highly-aggressive ice monster), and Matilda's first week at her brand-new job ('nough said). "Cheers," they said in unison, their eyes meeting the other's, as they savored the piping-hot alcoholic beverage. Harry could taste the Cabernet Sauvignon's crisp, dry boldness, plus a hint of blackberry, orange and lemon essences; the allspice, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon undertones blended the accoutrements together in a seasonally festive symphony of flavor.

"Wow, love, you've really outdone yourself," he murmured, placing his mug back on the table between them. "And is that my blackberry cordial I taste?"

Macy laughed and nodded. "I might've snuck in a few drops. Are you annoyed?"

Harry shook his head. "If anything, I'm impressed. You managed to plan an entire date night without my figuring out the location until arrival and mix a holiday beverage fit for a king. There's just one thing missing—"

Macy started in alarm. "Is it cookies? I brought biscuits—or is it the curtains? Is it too cold—" Harry laughed as he stood and reached for her hand, pulling her up so they stood together watching the Aurora Borealis commence, nature's very own light show.

"Actually, I was referring to—well, can I see your phone for a moment?" Curious, Macy handed him her phone and he flipped to a page he bookmarked a couple of days before—a YouTube video of Coldplay's "Sky Full of Stars," which began playing as they gazed at the resplendent glow of ethereal light in full bloom, gracefully dancing across the celestial sky in shimmering arcs of emerald, peridot, diamond, and amethyst hues.

"I love you Harry," Macy whispered in Harry's ear, squeezing his hand tightly as they witnessed the breathtakingly radiant display before them.

"I love you too," he responded, kissing the tawny curls atop her head in the way she loved best.