Emily Potter- Book 4 - Goblet Of Fire

The Iron Trunk

Midday, Astronomy Tower

Emily pulled away from Lucian’s arms, a smile lingering on her lips, “I really, truly have to go now.” She said, forcing every fiber of her being to walk down the stairs and go to her Arithmancy class. Lucian kept her hostage with him in the Astronomy Tower, “forbidding” her to leave, “What’s a little hooky going to do with your grades? Besides,” He says, planting a tender kiss on her forehead, “You’re genius, you don’t need Arithmancy.”

“Yes. I. Do.” She said word by word, kissing him by every syllable, “And I love Arithmancy, and I know you would too if you took a class of it.”

Lucian shrugged, making a gagging sound as if the thought of him going to an Arithmancy class made him sick, “I’d rather not have my brains bashed to a pulp in my skull during my last year in Hogwarts, I’d like it to stay firm and whole thank you very much.”

She laughed at his statement, “You are such a dork.”

He looked at her with a mixed expression of surprise and profound joy, “Says the girl who actually likes Arithmancy!” Lucian stopped laughing to look at her, his eyes admiring Emily in every single way and angle, “I wish I had asked you out sooner.” He said in a genuine tone, “Or even met you sooner.”

“Why are you saying this?” Emily asked, now holding on to him, “We can still go out during the holiday, go here and there. I’m sure Professor McGonagall won’t mind you visit me in London.” She said, putting on a smile.

“That’s the thing, actually,” Lucian said, “I won’t be in London.” He said with a heavy heart, averting his eyes away from Emily and to the horizon, “My family... They want me to go back home.”

“Mullingar?” She said, her voice deflated, “But – you’ve lived in London for years, why all the sudden send you back to Ireland?”

Lucian shrugged, immediately dreading the planned future his parents gave him, “My folks are trying to train me to do the family business, and apparently to do that we have to move back there – “

“A trip from Ireland to London... That roughly gives you 10 hours, even by broom.” Emily said, calculating possible ways to travel/communicate with Lucian after he graduates, “We both can’t travel through the Floo Network, it’s too risky. The usage of Owls is out of the question, unless you want to be pecked to death by your own pet for tiring them every damn day.”

“Emily –“

“There’s got to be some way – “

“There isn’t.” Lucian said, gripping on both her wrists, his tone of voice making his words seem like the final saying of the argument, “I’ve said it before and now I’m saying it again: I fancy you a great deal, Emily. I’m not overly fond of what my family expects of me in Ireland but... They’re my family.” His voice dropping by the mention of his family, a tiredness hovering over his eyes, “I’m not happy about this either but what do you say about spending the little time we have to good use? We could stroll down the streets of Hogsmeade; we could go to that second-hand bookshop you love! So how about we stop moping around here and get on with it?”

Emily sighed, her chest tightening, “That does sound better.” She said, putting on a small grin on her face, “Maybe we could still Owl each other but by the means of Muggle courier.”

“What?” Lucian said, gobsmacked by her suggestion, “How does that work?” Emily laughed at his child-like wonder about Muggle mail, “It’s rather complicated, actually. Erm, you put your letter in a mailbox, or if it’s bigger than a letter you bring it to the post office. Anyways, you put the letter in a metal box and in a couple of days or maybe even weeks, your letter is with the one you sent it out to.”