04. It's Time
||Edward's P.O.V.||
She's leaving me.
Since receiving the devastating news of my mate's impending return to the wizarding school, it felt as though my heart had been ripped clean out of my chest. In all my twelve decades, I've never experienced pain to that magnitude. The only thing that soothed the agony was her presence. But even then, the pain lingered as an incessant ache, knowing that in less than twenty-four hours, my reason for existing would be flying across the world, leaving me in the dust.
She was currently sleeping on my chest as was custom, her breaths even and shallow as she dreamed her private dreams. This would be the last night that I held her in my arms for an unforeseeable amount of time. Knowing that, I involuntarily tightened my hold around her, relishing the feel of her warm, little body molding against mine made of stone.
I imprinted the feel of her in my mind. The warmth of her skin. The softness of her silk golden waves. The intoxicating scent of her— Vanilla and honey with the faintest hint of lavender. My mouth watered as I inhaled deeply, savoring the flavor, committing it to memory. I've already memorized every square inch of her (that I could without... pushing boundaries), but I took that time as an opportunity to study her delicate features, memorizing them for the thousandth time.
My Elliana was the epitome of beauty. Inside and out. And it's going to kill me to let her go.
***
||At Hogwarts||
"—It was yet again another victory for the Whispering Wisps in the Pro-Dueling tournament. Rowan led the team to victory, alongside America's sweetheart, Willow. Who knew a witch in a cloak would cast a spell on the hearts of a nation?'
The Weasley twins were listening to the enchanted radio with huge smiles on their faces as the grey-eyed Hufflepuff looked back and forth between them.
"What's Pro-Dueling?" He asked his two friends.
"Only the greatest thing to happen to the wizarding world since Quidditch," Fred responded, grinning from ear to ear.
George nodded in agreement, his eyes lighting up as the radio host continued speaking about 'Willow'.
'I'll say,' the second host commented. 'She hasn't just stolen the hearts of those in America. I heard she's a fan favorite across several nations— including her home country, Britain.'
George gasped in delight. "She's from Britain. Oh, I don't think my heart can take it." He clutched at his chest in a dramatic fashion, quite literally 'fangirling'.
'Now, Clay.. That's only a rumor. We have no way of knowing if there's any truth behind it. She could be from the moon, for all we know.'
"I don't care where she's from," George sighed dreamily, batting his lashes and earning a chuckle from his twin. "Willow..."
"Who is this 'Willow'?" Cedric asked them, knitting his brows in confusion.
He had overheard many students talking about 'Pro-Dueling', but he was entirely clueless about the sport and its participants. George hadn't shut up about this Willow character, whoever the hell she is.
Fred laughed as George pulled out an enchanted photograph that he had carefully ripped from a newspaper article, showing 'Willow' in all her glory. She was standing in the middle of the arena with a black cloak pulled over her head, casting a shadow over half of her face and hiding her features.
Aside from a few golden waves peeking out from under the cloak, the only thing visible was the lower half of her face. Cedric was entirely confused as to why the mysterious girl was receiving so much attention, given the fact that most of her face was covered. But when he took note of her figure, it... made sense.
"..Oh," Cedric mumbled, absentmindedly stirring his tea.
Madam Pomfrey had instructed him to drink the magic herbal tea to help with his anxiety. Since his 'return', he's been feeling out of sorts, to say the least. It had been a month since his.. resurrection?, and what a month it's been. Cedric wasn't prepared for all the changes he's had to face thus far.
When Professor Dumbledore had explained the situation to the wide-eyed wizard, Cedric's first instinct was to seek solace in his best friend. But... She wasn't there. And no one's heard from her in months.
His second instinct had been to find refuge in the arms of Cho Chang— His girlfriend. But... Her heart no longer belonged to him. After Cedric's death, she had sought comfort from that of her best friend, Pansy Parkinson. In doing so, the Slytherin had left her mark on the Ravenclaw's fickle heart. Even the miraculous return of her late boyfriend wasn't enough to turn her heart away from Parkinson.
When Cedric discovered that his 'girlfriend' had moved on, his first instinct was, once again, to seek out his own best friend for comfort. Thus, he was reminded, once again, that Elliana had fled the country.
A deep sigh escaped him as he stared at the empty space beside him where the blonde Hufflepuff should be sitting, the herbal tea all but forgotten about as his shoulders slumped forward.
All of a sudden, Natalie ran up to the three of them in the courtyard, out of breath.
"Guys! You will not believe—" She stopped speaking mid-sentence when she took note of the forlorn expression on Cedric's face.
"..What's wrong?" She asked as she took a seat next to Fred, who was quick to drape an arm over her shoulder.
The twins pressed their lips into a thin line as they stared at their visibly depressed friend, turning down the enchanted radio.
Cedric met Natalie's worried gaze and sighed.
"You mean aside from being 'dead' for half a year?" Sarcasm dripped from his voice.
They looked at their friend with worried eyes, waiting for him to continue.
"..Everything's different," he breathed out with a frown. "Everyone is different. Cho..." His voice broke as he shook his head solemnly. "..She moved on. To me, no time has passed. But for everyone else... It didn't stand still."
Natalie's face pulled down in pity. "We can't even begin to imagine what you're going through."
"You still have us," the twins spoke up in sync. Fred offered their melancholy friend a smile as he continued, "We haven't changed." George nodded in agreement, adding, "We'll never change."
Cedric breathed out a dry laugh, albeit forced. "I know.." He returned their smile half-heartedly. "Thanks."
A grin spread across Natalie's face as she quietly spoke, "..You know who else I bet hasn't changed?"
They all looked at her quizzically.
She chuckled lightly before meeting each of their intrigued eyes and saying, "Elle."
At this, Cedric's shoulders slumped forward once more, and he hung his head, appearing defeated. He looked as though he had been punched in the gut. The reminder of his missing friend caused his breath to get knocked out of him. He missed her so much it hurt.
"Not like we'll ever find out," George mumbled bitterly.
"Yeah. She's been dodging our owls for months," Fred commented. His brother was quick to add, "Return to sender."
"I'm sure she's not been deliberately avoiding us," Natalie stated sternly, studying their expressions.
After a moment of silence, Cedric found himself nodding in agreement. "Elliana wouldn't do that," he spoke, clenching his jaw as he spoke her name.
The twins shrugged in response. "All the same, she isn't coming back," Fred muttered, resting his arms on top of the table.
"What makes you say that?" Natalie challenged, raising her brows at the twins.
Fred and George exchanged a curious look before Fred spoke up, "She all but vanished off the face of the earth, Nat."
"Yeah. Elle's gone," George agreed with a frown.
She pressed her lips together tightly, fighting back a smug smile. "...That's not what I heard."
Three sets of eyes lit up at her comment.
Cedric leaned forward, resting his arms on top of the table as he asked, "What exactly did you hear?"
Her eyes grew with excitement before she leaned in and spoke in a hushed tone, "I overheard Professor Snape talking to McGonagall. He said that they are anticipating 'Kingsley's arrival'."
"What?!" The twins practically squealed with delight.
Huge grins spread across each of their faces at the news. Cedric's giddiness could hardly be contained.
However, Natalie's smile faltered, her brows furrowing as she continued, "...He said something else though. He said there was a 'complication'? But I have no idea what he was talking about."
"Complication?" Cedric whispered, his brows knitting together worriedly.
"Could be anything," Fred commented.
George was quick to add, "Flat tire."
Fred nodded. "Heavy traffic."
"Plane crash," the twins said in sync, just speaking in jest.
Cedric and Natalie both narrowed their eyes at the twins, not amused in the slightest.
||Edward's P.O.V.||
When she stepped out of the bathroom wearing that slim-fitting black dress, my breath was stolen. Leave it to Alice to put the idea in my mate's head that she should 'make a grand entrance' when she returns to the wizarding school. And what a grand entrance she'll make...
"Well?" Elliana looked up at me, a shy smile playing on her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes. "..What do you think?" She did a little twirl, allowing me a mouthwatering view of her figure from a 360-degree angle.
Despite the desire that gripped me as I feasted my eyes on her curves, the wave of pure sorrow that coursed through me was so much stronger. I was half-tempted to drop to my knees and beg her to stay. How I was going to make it through without her, I had no idea.
With my heart in my throat, I stepped towards my precious girl and placed my hands on either side of her face, peering into those piercing green eyes of hers as I whispered, "You look... ethereal..." I stroked her cheek with my thumb, my voice breaking as I continued, "Like a goddess stepping down from the heavens.. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and I don't know how I'll ever let you go.."
Tears filled her eyes as she stared up at me, her lower lip trembling. I could no longer resist her, placing my lips against hers, hoping to give her a kiss she won't soon forget. She kissed me back passionately, every brush of our lips an unspoken tribute to our unyielding love for each other. Just as I was preparing to swipe her lips with my tongue and ask for entrance, she pulled away, staring up at me with a forlorn smile.
"..I've got you something," she whispered, turning around and rummaging through a drawer before pulling out a small object and clutching it in her palm.
"What is it?" I asked, reaching out to stroke her jaw with the back of my hand.
I watched as she slowly unfurled her hand, revealing a heart-shaped stone. My stomach fluttered, overcome with emotion. Heart-shaped stones were our 'special thing'. Over the course of several months, she has amassed a great collection, courtesy of myself.
She grabbed my hand and placed the stone in my palm, holding my gaze as she pulled out a second stone and grabbed her wand, her lips silently moving. All of a sudden, I felt the stone in my hand heating up, causing my eyes to widen.
Her green eyes danced as she softly spoke, "..I've enchanted it with the Protean charm. The stones are linked.. Any time I warm my stone, yours will heat up as well.. That'll be my way of telling you that I'm okay.. and that I'm thinking of you.."
A lump formed in my throat as I clutched at the heart-shaped stone in my hand with a desperation that rivaled that of a starving man. The tiny piece of earth would be the only thing connecting me to the love my existence for the foreseeable future, so it immediately became my most valued possession.
"..Thank you," I whispered hoarsely, wrapping her in my arms once more and kissing the top of her head.
***
When we arrived at the airport, I was struggling to hold myself together. This was the hardest thing I was ever going to have to do, and I hadn't the slightest of clue how I was going to get through it.
My family and Elliana's friends would be arriving shortly to say their final goodbyes, so I was going to cherish every last second I had with her before they showed up. Just as I was gathering her luggage from the backseat, I noticed a large man every bit of eight feet tall looming in the distance.
Turning my head, I met his curious gaze, his brown eyes widening when they locked with mine from afar. His thoughts were... strange. I couldn't hear his thoughts, but I could see them— Flickering images without any context.
When he took note of my appearance and resemblance to a certain wizard, an image of Elliana's late friend popped into his mind— Cedric in a courtyard, wearing a panicked expression before collapsing to the ground. Another image— Cedric with frantic eyes, thrashing about in what appeared to be an infirmary of some sorts as a healer pored over him.
Seeing glimpses of her late best friend in such a state via someone's thoughts was unsettling to me, so I forced myself from his mind just as Elliana followed my gaze.
Her eyes lit up. "Hagrid!"
The towering man tore his gaze from me, blinking rapidly before collecting himself enough to return Elliana's smile as she rushed towards him. I watched as he met her halfway, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and giving her a friendly side hug before they made their way towards me.
Hagrid stared at me, getting a proper look at me now that we were face to face. I could see the pieces clicking together in his mind, noting my porcelain skin and 'odd-colored' eyes. He came to the conclusion that I was, indeed, a vampire, but the color of my eyes was throwing him off. Still, I was relieved that he didn't seem frightened— He was simply... intrigued.
When Elliana was by my side, I instinctively wrapped my arm around her waist, wanting to cherish her touch for as long as possible. She melted against me as was custom, looking back and forth between me and Hagrid.
I half expected the large man to call me by Cedric's name like Trevor Lockhart and her parents had done, but Hagrid did no such thing. For some reason, despite noting that the two of us were nearly identical, he didn't seem to believe for one second that I was actually Cedric.
"Hagrid. This is.. This is Edward," Elliana's soft voice pulled me from my thoughts as she introduced us. "...My boyfriend."
Boyfriend. It seemed such a 'weak' word to describe our relationship. Our connection. But it would have to do. For now.
Hagrid's bushy brows flew up his forehead, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. "..Boyfriend, aye?" He glanced around the bustling parking lot before leaning towards us, his smile never wavering as he said, "Well, what a pair the two of yous make.."
I appreciated the fact that he hadn't brought up my uncanny resemblance to Cedric, but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
When it didn't, I extended my hand and proffered him a polite smile, saying, "It's nice to meet you, Hagrid."
He stared down at my outstretched hand for a moment before giving me a handshake, his enormous hand engulfing mine. To my surprise, he didn't so much as flinch at my cold, stone-like flesh.
When the pleasantries were over, he took a step back, saying, "..I'll give ye two some space," before walking towards the airport.
As he disappeared into the crowd and Elliana proceeded to wrap her arms around my neck, that's when it got real. In only a matter of minutes, I'd be saying goodbye to the love of my existence.
||Elliana's P.O.V.||
Edward hovered behind me as I bid farewell to his siblings.
Emmett picked me up into a giant bear hug and said, "Go get 'em, Tiger," before sitting me on my feet and ruffling my hair in an affectionate manner. "We'll be sure Eddy here stays out of trouble in the meantime."
I offered him a watery smile and whispered, "Thank you," before turning my attention to Alice.
She took my hands in hers, a reassuring grin flitting to her lips as our eyes locked. "It's going to be okay, you know. I don't need a vision to know that." She winked, throwing her arms around me in an embrace that I was quick to return. "You look great, by the way. Jaws will drop when you walk into that castle."
I breathed out a quiet laugh, smiling through the tears. "Thanks, Alice.."
She winked once more, pulling back and saying, "Anytime. And please maintain your newly developed fashion sense while you're gone. I can't have you slipping back into those 'frumpy' habits of yours. No future sister-in-law of mine can walk around wearing mismatched patterns and baggy clothes that swallow you whole."
A blush coated my cheeks when she referred to me as her 'future sister-in-law', my heart skipping a beat at the suggestion. The thought of... officially becoming part of their family one day as Edward's wife caused a warm fuzzy feeling to spread through me, giving me the strength to push through the heart-wrenching goodbyes.
"I promise I won't slip into 'old habits'," I assured her, my smile growing by a fraction.
Jasper gave me a pat on the back and wished me 'good luck', sending a wave of calmness over me that was greatly appreciated.
To my surprise, Rosalie gave me a quick hug and mumbled, "Be safe," casting a glance at Edward and rolling her eyes. "Seriously. When we see you again, you better be in one piece or Lord help us all."
Her comment had me breathing out yet another laugh as Edward narrowed his eyes at his well-meaning, sarcastic sister.
Carlisle and Esme both gave me loving hugs, wishing me a safe trip before the Cullens made their leave. Each of them met my tear-filled eyes as they departed, offering final assurances.
Edward wrapped his arm around my waist from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder as he whispered in my ear, "Are you okay?"
My throat burned from fighting back tears as I nodded. In the distance, I could see my wizarding friends weaving their way through the crowd. Each member of the Whispering Wisps was able to make it, as well as Trevor. To my delight and dismay, Trevor had a tearful Amy on his arm, who started sobbing as she ran towards me and threw her arms around my neck.
"Oh, Elle! I'm going to miss you SO much! School's not going to be the same without you! I can't believe you're leaving in the middle of the school year and before prom! This is so, so tragical!"
"I know, Ames.." I whispered, wrapping my arms around her, trying to console my crying friend. "I promise we'll stay in touch, okay? And besides... We still have to go on that double date."
She sniffled, wiping at her face as she pulled away. The light was starting to return in her eyes as she said, "Right. I'm holding you to that. I don't have anyone else to go on a double date with, you know. Aaron and Corbin are both single as pringles."
A faint smile flitted to my lips as I gave her hand a squeeze.
Trevor stepped forward and draped his arm over her shoulder, pulling her against his chest in a gesture of comfort.
"Give Fred and George hell for me, will you? I miss those two goofs," he grinned, giving me a side hug with his free arm. "Take care of yourself, Elle. All jokes side..."
His words were heavy, his grin wavering at the reminder of the threat looming over the UK.
"I will," I assured him with a forced smile, my mouth running dry.
Brice and Angelica each gave me quick hugs before making a hasty retreat, neither one of them being a big fan of crowds.
Lonnie's goodbye was next— He threw his arms around my neck and squeezed me tightly. We had grown closer over the past couple months, quickly becoming close friends.
"I'll see you soon," he whispered, referring to the Pro-Dueling tour in the UK that was just around the corner. "Stay safe, okay?"
Knowing that I'd at least be reunited with my Pro-Dueling team again soon helped ease my nerves by a small fraction, but it did nothing for the ache in my heart.
When Lonnie finally released me, I locked eyes with Jay. I was surprised to see that his eyes were glazed over with unshed tears. The Whispering Wisps' fearless leader was usually not one to show such emotion. I reached out, grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze as I offered him a small smile. He pressed his lips into a thin line, stealing a glance behind me at Edward before crushing me against his chest in a tight embrace.
"..I'll miss you.." He whispered in my ear before pulling away, quickly composing himself, a blank expression falling over his face as he placed his hands in his pockets.
"..I'll miss you too. All of you.." My voice wavered as I looked at each of my friends, my heart clenching in my chest.
They each offered me bittersweet smiles before walking away, leaving me to face my final and hardest goodbye.
I slowly turned around, my heart dropping to my stomach when I saw Edward's features pulled down in sorrow.
"Edward..." I whispered his name, all but collapsing into his awaiting arms.
His arms of steel encircled me, firmly yet gently holding me against his solid chest where I struggled not to full-on sob. I inhaled his signature scent for what may be the last time in Merlin knows how long, imprinting it in my memory for the hundredth time. Petrichor, pine, and honey. Him.
I clutched at his shirt, anchoring myself in the moment as I savored the feel of his cool body seeping through his clothes before he pressed his lips against mine. The electric feel of his cool lips set me on fire, providing a momentary distraction from the heartache that awaits.
His tongue swiped along my lips, causing my breath to hitch as I granted him access, his tongue exploring my mouth with desperation, an urgency that left me breathless. It would have been easy to forget that we were in a busy airport and just melt into a puddle on the floor as I lost myself in the sensations of him, the taste of him.
But, alas, all good things must come to an end. Tears filled my eyes as he broke the kiss, staring down at me with a look of pure heartbreak. The agony in his eyes was undeniable as he lightly caressed my face with the back of his hand.
"..Words cannot describe what you mean to me, Elliana. You are my world. My everything..." His lips brushed against my ear with every word, causing me to shiver. "..I love you with all my heart. I'll be missing you with every breath I take, and I'll be counting down the seconds until I'm with you again." His lips met mine once more for a brief yet tender kiss, whispering against my lips, "Nothing nor no one will keep us apart.. We will be reunited soon..."
A tear slid down my cheek that he was quick to kiss away, his lips erasing the evidence of my sorrows.
I closed my eyes, trying to hold myself together as I nodded. "..Soon.." I spoke firmly, willing myself to believe it as I opened my eyes, placing my hand on the side of his face and staring into his topaz orbs that were lit with emotion. "..I love you so much, Edward... And I'm so sorry that it's come to this.. I just—"
My words lodged in my throat as I fought back a sob. He knitted his brows in worry, caressing my jaw.
"..We'll figure something out.. I can't be away from you for long. It..It's going to hurt too much," I whispered hoarsely, the ache in my chest intensifying at just the thought of being separated from him. Merlin help me when I'm actually a continent away from my fated mate. "Just.. Be strong for me, okay? We'll be together again soon. Like you said.."
"..Soon..." He repeated in a whisper, pressing his forehead against mine before placing a tender kiss there. "I'll find a way. I promise."
The sound of Hagrid's warm yet somber voice came from behind us, my heart shattering as he spoke, "...It's time."
||AUTHOR'S NOTE||
This is it, guys!!! She's going back to Hogwarts!!! 😭💕
The next chapter is already written (I wrote it MONTHS ago), so I just need to go back and edit it. I'll probably update again before the weekend is up. 😊
Is there anything in particular you guys want to see happen at Hogwarts? 🤔
Love you, mean it!! 🥰💕