My Half-Blood Prince

I sat in class and looked around. The teacher had passed out after handing out the test. Since I had already finished that and turned it in, I had nothing to do for the rest of the hour. I pulled out the picture. I couldn’t have told you the name of the boy in the picture, but I knew him. That probably doesn’t make sense, but it’s true. I had had the picture for as long as I could remember. I didn’t know how I had come by it. All I knew was that it was mine and I had come to think of the boy in it as mine too. Sometimes I thought I saw him move, but I knew that couldn’t be possible, but it was something nice that could get me to sleep when I was having a hard day.

The boy in the picture was wearing something like the old style university robes. A dark bound book sat in long, thin, pale fingers. He was looking up through black hair as if he had just realized he was being watched and had decided to watch back. Sometimes it felt like he was watching me. I suppose that that would creep most people out, but to me, it just feels right. I sighed as I looked at the picture trying to imagine who he was and how I had come across this photograph in the first place.

The bell rang and I jumped. I folded the picture and put it in my pocket. Classes were done for the day thankfully. I stood up and tossed my bag over the shoulder and moved into the overcrowded hallway with all the other students. It was just another day in my very ordinary life. Nothing exciting ever happened. I didn’t really expect it to. The only special thing I had was the picture.

I stepped out of the school and into the warm rays of the spring sun. It was a nice day outside. The perfect day for walking. Or in my case, for riding a bike. I hummed softly under my breath as I walked over towards where my bike was locked up with one or two others. Someone was already there leaning next to the bike rack, probably waiting for a friend. I didn’t think twice about it until I got closer and saw him.

I knew him the moment I saw him. I didn’t know his name, but I knew him. He was the boy. He was the one in my photograph. He was wearing dark jeans and a black coat, but it was him. Of that I was absolutely certain. His hair fell over his face in just the same way and his hands were still long and delicate. My breath caught in my throat as I stood dumbstruck watching him.

I had never thought that this day would come.

His head turned towards me and our eyes locked. It was the exact same expression that he had had in the photograph. His eyes sparked with recognition as he pushed away from the wall and started moving slowly towards me. He seemed nervous as his eyes darted towards the main entrance that now seemed so far away.

“I know you,” I whispered.

I knew he heard. His eyes widened and he stepped back shocked. “Th-that’s not possible,” he insisted. His accent was British. I had always loved British accents. They made me go a little weak at the knees. “You can’t know me.”

“But I do,” I insisted. “I dug in my pocket and pulled out the picture, handing it to him.

I almost see the gears and thoughts flying in his mind as she scanned the picture and then looked up at me. “Bloody hell,” he muttered. He looked around uncertain of what to do. Then he reached out and grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but those thing delicate fingers were strong and his grip tightened.

I looked up at him shocked. “Hey!”

He looked at me. “Trust me,” he pleaded. I opened my mouth and then closed it sharply. I could do this right? I could trust him. I had dream about him and dreams can’t hurt you can they? I nodded instead not trusting myself to speak. Long, thin arms wrapped around me. I thought for a moment to try and pull away again, but I found myself resting my cheek on his chest instead. “Close your eyes,” he whispered.

I shut them tight and my arms tightened around him at the same time. If it bothered him, he didn’t say anything. I felt and heard wind pick up and start buffeting us. It felt like the ground slipped away as I held tighter to the boy. I wanted to scream, but if I did, no sound came out or made it over the rushing wind. Then my feet hit the ground and the only thing that kept me upright was his arms around me.

One clap. Then another sharp clap came from behind me. “Well done Severus, I’m impressed.” I turned slowly in his, Severus’s, arms and saw a tall dark haired man standing there. He was the most terrifying soul I had never seen in my life. And the odd thing was that…he should have looked safe compared to Severus.

“The girl as ordered,” Severus said unwrapping his arms and pushing me towards the other man.

Cold fingers dug into my shoulders as my hands tried to push away from the chest that I collided with. “You may leave us now Severus. Your task is done.”

I looked back towards Severus with pleading eyes. It seemed as if he was trying to tell me something with his eyes before he bowed. “Of course Lord voldermort,” was what came out instead as he bowed and left. I had been betrayed.