Spring Leaves trickle down the face of evil. We stand together.

~

"Levioso!"

Emmaline raises her opponent, Sebastian, into the air with her spell before rapid firing at him. Sebastian shouts good-natured gibberish as he spins in the air.

He lands with a loud thud, causing the class to moan with sympathy.

"Get up Sallow!" Someone yells.

"Protego!" Emma blocks Sebastian's cast following his poor feint, allowing him to get to his feet before she blasts him off of the dueling platform. It's a bit more than she wanted to put into it; she has a feeling that relates to the wand not really being hers.

After the excitement settles and the next battle is chosen, Sebastian finds her lingering off to the side.

"Not bad for a beginner," he says slowly, eyeing her with the mischievous and curious look that had welcomed her that day in the common room. "You give as good as you get." He looks her up and down so quickly one could miss it, "Hm."

Emmaline watches him go past her, right in the eyes. She won't be pushed into shyness.

Intrigued, she turns to follow him, hating that it's likely what he wanted.

"I enjoyed that," she muses, stalking his steps with her hands behind her back.

"Well, that duel was quite something," he admits, stopping and turning to her at the back of the classroom. "Everyone will be talking about it."

Emma shrugs with a knowing grin, "It was certainly good practice."

"Practice?" He scoffs, "Felt more like I was dueling an expert! Didn't expect a new student to be so deft with a wand."

And it's not even my wand.

"Then again, perhaps this wasn't your first duel?"

She keeps her cool, "I've dueled enough. Consider yourself lucky I held back."

"Ha. Fair enough," there is a glint of intrigue in his eye, "You owe me an honest duel when you aren't."

"Deal," Emma smiles.

Sebastian's eyes suddenly dart around the room, as if looking to see if anyone is listening. He steps a bit closer to her. Emmaline notes he is shorter than Ominis.

The blonde Slytherin had been on her mind often since their meeting.

"You know," Sebastian begins, looking down at her with a dashing smile that reads trouble , "you might be a perfect fit for a certain exclusive unsanctioned dueling organization."

Ever on the hunt for curiosities of all types, Emma jumps.

"Exclusive and unsanctioned? Count me in."

~

There is a theme amongst the muggles in the village her family lives in. They always go on about how no place feels better than your homeland. Emmaline didn't really understand. Her muggle aunt tried to explain one day by saying that when she lived in London, she yearned for green fields and the very feel of the air in Ireland, where she was born and grew up along with Emma's mother and other aunts.

She had still not understood.

Running through the grounds of Hogwarts, wind in her hair, birds flocking overhead, butterflies fluttering amongst rich green shrubbery and air fragrant with the forest and grass, Emma feels she may actually see what they mean.

She feels at home at Hogwarts already. And it feels better in every way. The food, the weather, the company, the classes, the very air.

Sebastian leads her by the forest, giving delightful commentary along the way on how not to die, why he has had detention and where to collect lacewing flies. They watch hippogriffs launch from the forest and listen to their fellow students gossip.

As they pass a wonky LAKE sign, Sebastian draws Emmaline's attention.

"I've always thought Thestrals pulling a carriage a bit grim, though I suppose most people don't see them at all."

His tone is different from its usual know-it-all mischief.

"But, you can see them?" Emma asks softly.

"Unfortunately," he responds. "But you've seen quite a bit firsthand too. Most notably that dragon attack."

Emmaline gulps at the memory,

"Hopefully the rest of your year isn't as eventful."

She can't help but laugh out loud, causing Sebastian to give her a concerned, weirded-out glance.

Hogsemede was all she could have dreamed of and more. She could happily live out her days there if it meant being able to continue exploring the vast magic surrounds after school, forever indulging in the magic of the world.

'We all flock to it like moths to a flame' Sebastian had said, and Emma could understand why. Especially for the muggleborn students.

Though a hole burned in her purse at the end of her shopping trip, nothing felt like a greater possession than the wand beside it. Ash, 12 and a half inches, unyielding, dragon heart string. She could cry.

The town circle is towered by a large tree. Emma spots Sebastian standing near it and prances over to him.

"I officially have all of my supplies," she states proudly.

"Excellent!"

"Did you get what you needed for your sister?"

"I did," he responds, "so I suppose the world is our oyster now?" He raises his eyebrows. "Let's see what else we can get up to?"

Emma has always been a glutton for trouble. Harmless, victimless trouble, of course. Unless the victim happens to deserve it. So that mischievous smile promising all sorts of wickedness beckons her in like a trap.

"I'm sure you're full of terrible ideas," she smirks, stepping closer to him.

The sun bares down on them both, reflecting off the Spring Leaves floating to the pavement, even though its Autumn.

They smile at each other coyly.

Suddenly, the ground shakes, shattering the moment of innocence. Emma almost loses her balance as screams erupt around them.

A troll barrages its way through the circle.

It comes tearing towards Emmaline and Sebastian with a thunderous gait. For a moment in Emma's panicked mind, the troll is a dragon, a glowing guardian, an evil goblin. Her wand is drawn.

"Bombarda!" The spell comes from somewhere behind the troll, then the same voice shouts orders to lead it away.

Without leaving a moment to think a second troll bursts through a nearby building.

Emmaline dodges the oncoming attack, relying on pure instinct, sinking into battle mode.

She shares a tense look with Sebastian and they nod to one another. They were about to share a whole lot more than that.

~

Trauma.

But there was no time for themselves to talk about it. Not that day. They were relegated to Gladrags, then had to hide from Ranrok and Rookwood, rushed to the Three Broomsticks and were involved in a standoff.

She saw him the next day where they continued their schemes, once she was honest with him, It was easy. He understood the weight of her words quickly.

That's how she found herself sneaking through the library with him, into the restricted section.

"So..." She begins curiously, "What is it you've been looking for?"

He turns from the bookshelves to look her seriously in the eye.

"I'm looking for a cure to help my twin sister, Anne, so she can return to Hogwarts."

How noble, Emma thinks.

"It must be especially hard to watch your own twin suffer this way," she tells him warmly.

Sebastian doesn't take to it, frowning off into space, "Because Merlin knows everyone else has given up."

Emma ponders whether not not to question him. It might be a bad time.

"What do you mean?" She asks casually, then adds, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I can tell this is very...upsetting," she bravely says the last word teasingly.

Sebastian halts their search, closing his eyes for a second as if preparing himself.

"I didn't mean to get moody," he says with a nervous smile, "Let's just say, some...family think I should just give up on her. But I know there's a cure to this."

Emma nods agreeably, "There's an answer to every question."

A fascinated light shines in Sebastian's eye, "I knew you would get it."

Emma tilits her head, distracted by inspecting a model on the table of a mermaid. She was yet to see one except for those in the stone fountain of Central Hall.

She feels Sebastian's gaze on her, so she looks at him. They share a bashful smile.

"If you need help finding the cure, I'm there," Emma says earnestly.

She holds Sebastian's stare as she moves behind him, forcing the boy to whip his head around to catch her gaze again, but Emma was already on her way to the next room.

Growing up the way she did, Emmaline didn't have many people to stand up for her, so she stood up for herself, as well as others.

So when they are caught doing what they are doing and Sebastian takes the fall, she isn't sure how to feel. Her heart is touched, that's for sure, but she's ashamed of her reaction. She should not have let him take the fall, but something wouldn't let her step out from behind the bookshelf. Perhaps it was the determined tone in his voice, or the fear of losing time exploring to detention.

It's longer than she'd like before she hears from him again, separated in class by her constant workload and outside by her new found... extracurriculars. If fighting spiders, trolls, goblins, poachers and Ashwinders in her spare time can be called that.

His owl is simple and shows no sign of upset. He asks to meet in the Defence Against the Dark Arts Tower. After class that day she had completed a job that involved defeating quite a lot of spiders, so she was feeling particularly proud of herself when Ominis Gaunt passed her on the staircase.

"Heard you're defending Hogsmeade against trolls," he greets, amused. "You know there is such a thing as trying too hard."

"Well, you know what they say. On your first day take down the biggest bully you can find so everyone knows not to make trouble with you."

Ominis laughs, "Well, you've certainly convinced me. Though I think that philosophy suits Azkaban more than Hogwarts."

Emma tilts her head, "Azkaban?"

"Yes, the prison?"

"I haven't learnt about that yet," Emma states with wonder.

"I'm not surprised, no one likes to talk about it I suppose. But I'm happy to answer any of your queries," Ominis smiles. Emma feels that irregular heartbeat again.

"Perhaps you could tell me about... Azkaban sometime, then?"

Before he can answer, his wand glows red and his face drops to seriousness.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," he says, turning abruptly and walking off. Emma frowns after him.

"Emmaline!" A familiar voice calls from behind. She spots its owner approaching the sitting area nearby.

"Sebastian," she smiles, closing in carefully, "Its...been a while."

"It has," he says pleasantly, relieving her anxiety, "I'm glad you received my owl. I have something to show you-"

Emma holds her hand up and interrupts, anxiety spilling over, "First, let me thank you for what you did in the library."

"Of course," he smiles, "Scribner tried to give me detention, but I have ways out of these things."

Emmaline nods, impressed, "Well, you took the fall for me."

Once again they share one of those tender coy smiles. Emma gets so caught up in it she forgets herself, until some Gryffindors sitting on the sofa nearby snigger loudly at their proximity and faces.

He brings her to the Undercroft so they can speak further, explaining it proudly, as he does all things. She wonders if he might have been a decent Gryffindor.

In the hidden room he speaks of his sister, gobstones, and Ominis, watching his strange new friend inspect everything with great curiosity, casting Revelio as if playing hide and seek.

Though she tries not to show it, her interests are particularly piqued by talk of Ominis.

"I should tell you, I swore to Ominis I would safeguard this place. So please, keep this between us, he never confides in anyone."

Emma is overcome with a familiar feeling she has been able to recognise her whole life; the smell of a challenge, the taste of conquest, though it had never been directed at such a thing.

"He's trusted me since the day we met. I wouldn't want to jeopardize that."

It feels a bit redundant saying that to someone who is standing in the middle of their shared secret, though she is grateful for the added secret space.

His words bring her sadness once she mulls them over.

"I've never had a friend like that," she admits, making the choice carefully. Sebastian looks surprised.

"Why is that?"

Emma shrugs, "My family moved a lot. It was hard to make friends." A half truth.

Sebastian doesn't press, "We used to sneak in here almost daily. We've never been caught."

She decides to press instead, about Ominis.

"I know Ominis, met him in our common room. I've noticed he uses his wand to navigate the castle."

"He does," Sebastian nods, obviously impressed with his best friend, "No idea how though. Ominis was born blind, and no spell could reverse it. His wand seems almost sentient." Emmaline feels the weight of her own wand pressing in her robes. "Not surprising, I suppose. Ollivander always says the wand chooses the wizard."

"Is that how he found this place?" She asks, hoping she doesn't sound too eager to learn about him.

"No. Someone in his family knew about it. The Gaunts are full of secrets. I've never heard anyone else speak of it and I've certainly never seen anyone else here."

The name Gaunt does send chills down her spine. It seems so unlikely someone like Ominis, who disregards the supposed superiority of pure blood, was born to such a clan.

"My Grandfather was muggle born. He married my Grandmother, Levaine Glass, a pure blood. Her family cast her out. She loved him, but it destroyed her to be disowned, up until she died..." Emma trails off, deciding not to continue. "I can understand where he's coming from."

Sebastian nods, "Again, mention this to no one. Especially Ominis. He has no love lost for his family, or their secrets, but this place is special to him."

"Of course," Emmaline agrees, "Ominis spoke to me about his family when we first met. To say he has no love lost for them is an understatement." And maybe he won't be disgusted by the muggle in her blood.

Sebastian's eyebrows raise slightly, but he only says, "Glad you understand."

They can only grow closer as he does the best thing that he can for her- teach her a most valuable spell no professor was going to provide.

"It may take a while to get the feel for it," he says, pacing around her awkwardly before coming to stand behind her. He carefully takes hold of her wrist, "The incantation is Confringo," he says, lips not far from her ear.

The hairs on the back of Emma's neck stand up as he carefully traces out the Z pattern.

She is entranced for a moment, but remembers herself when she feels his breath on her neck and a hand nearing her waist. She steps out and turns, performing the spell and sending the shot far above his head into the lamp across the Undercroft.

"Merlin!" Sebastian exclaims.

"Professor Hecat didn't need to hold my hand to teach me Levioso," she teases.

Sebastian raises his arms guiltily, "Alright, I'll give you that."

Perhaps it's her gratefulness for his many tips since she had met him, or perhaps it was relief at finally being able to talk about it with someone, but she decides to tell him the truth that night in the undercroft.

It felt safe in there, safe with him, alarmingly fast. She reasoned with it by assuming that the constant genuine magic in the air romanticized everything.

"Remember, keep this place between us."