The New Generation

Her hair, bright as a new days dawn, swirled around her face, the cold air tinting her cheeks with a dusting of faint pink. Her nose was stuck in a book, eyes glued to the page. She gasped, her blue eyes widening as the climax drew nearer. The petite girl's legs dangled off the tree branch she was sitting on, her back propped against the trunk as the black Hogwarts robes she wore danced in the wind. As the sky rumbled ominously the girl leaped from her branch and landed, clumsily, on the frozen ground. She rushed into the entrance hall and hurried up the marble staircase.

"Hey Quinn!" said her best friend's voice as she approached the base of the spiral staircase that lead up to Ravenclaw tower.

"Hey Christin" responded Quinn, dazed. Christin smiled exasperatedly.

"Sooo? What adventure has Mary Higgins Clark sucked you into now?"

"Well today she..." Quinn trailed off midsentence "Umm how did you know I'd been reading?"

"You always have the same expression once you've just pulled your head out of a book" said Christin laughing. Quinn smiled lightly.

"Well you ought to get back to your dormitories, you don't want to be out past curfew." Quinn smiled.

"Yeah I guess your right!" said Christin waving merrily. Quinn smiled as she knocked lightly on her common room door.

"What am I?" Asked a musical voice, answering her summons.

"Are you a question?" asked Quinn.

"Well-reasoned." The door replied.

The door swung open revealing the circular room with the familiar statue of Rowena Ravenclaw standing regally in her nook. Quinn rushed up the dormitory stairs, the aged wood creaking beneath her feet, then proceeded to flop on her bed, swing her hangings closed, click on a small lamp, then crack open her book and begin reading again, the scent of knowledge and power emanating from the crisp pages clutched by her white fingertips. It was one thirty and Quinn sat in her bed rocking back and forth, her book open on the floor as though it had been flung across the room. Her head was spinning as questions popped into her mind. Will he marry her? How will the they make it out of this situation? Quinn had to find out, now.

His footsteps echoed as he made his usual path around the castle. First down near the kitchens, up to the library, and then back to bed. He ran his fingers through his black hair, making it even more untidy. He sighed, making his way to the library doors. Suddenly the echo of running footsteps reverberated around the corridor and Albus Severus dove behind a suit of armor, thinking of Filch. He watched the silhouette of a short figure rush into the darkness of the deserted library. Albus made his way from behind the armor, scampering toward his common room but curiosity nagged at him. He turned and began walking cautiously through the near pitch black corridor towards the library doors, squinting as he tried to make out shapes in the blackness. Unexpectedly the thunder of footsteps filled the air, with surprising force, a minute figure ran headlong into his chest and tumbled backwards. His hands flew out and caught the girl before she hit the ground. Thunder rumbled ominously as lightning flashed, illuminating the girl in his arms. Her face was coated in shadow but her hair glowed in the light, full and silky with the appearance of sunlight radiating from it.

Quinn scurried towards the library entrance lighting her wand as she entered, the beam of light revealing the book titles nearest to her. Spotting the book, she removed it from the shelf and rushed out the library doors. She had almost reached the end of the corridor when she ran into something very solid, she began falling backwards when hands reached out and caught her. A sudden flash of lightning followed a loud clap of thunder. The boy holding her was suddenly illuminated. A tall boy with dark hair stood before her, his features distorting oddly in the sudden flash of light. His hands were warm, one near her shoulders the other on her lower back. However, she wasn't looking at the boy; she was staring into the lamp-like eyes of Mrs. Norris, who soon darted down the hallway, no doubt to meet her master. Reflexes kicked in. Quinn stood up, grabbed the boy's hand, flung him unceremoniously into an empty classroom, and eased the door closed. Quinn slowly backed into the darkness of the classroom. Her back hit the boy's chest and she whipped around, staring into his muddy green eyes. He reached out and grasped her elbow, pulling her closer. Quinn's hands immediately shot up, preparing to force the boy away. However, he merely swung a cloak over them. Quinn relaxed, resting her hands near the boy's collarbone. The shuffling of Filch's footsteps were heard outside the door, which creaked open. Quinn tensed pulling the boy closer as she prepared herself to face the malicious joy of Filch, who would soon discover her and the boy whose hands, she was very aware, were resting near her waist. She closed her eyes tightly preparing to hear his unholy cackle; but it never came, Filch glanced right at them and then backed out, snapping the door shut. Quinn let out a sigh of relief, and looked up into the boy's face, the smell of his cologne filling her nostrils.

Her eyes were ocean blue with the spark of intelligence that could not be ignored. His breaths were shaky, butterflies flapping wildly at the place where her cold fingertips met his chest. He leaned in closer, now staring at her lips which were the beautiful dull berry color of winter blossoms. However, as he approached her she began to pull away. She stepped out from under the cloak but hesitated at the door, turning she stared into his eyes "I hope I run into you again. Perhaps less literally next time." She said before stepping out of the classroom and walking away.