Quinque Valens

Chapter 1 The Journey Ahead

"With the defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, a new era dawned on the wizarding world. The oppressive and horrifying times were over, and the magical society began to rejoice. Foreign relations between nations were fortified, educational institutions were improved, and many advances in magic were made. However, according to societal laws, the relative peace had to be disturbed sometime, and that began in the late 1960's.

"European witches had traditionally been trained to stay at home and raise the little witches and wizards of the future. In 1965, for example, only one out of twelve witches held a paying job outside of the home. Those who did have a non-homemaking career only worked in educational positions, or in the field of magical nursing. This was all changed in 1968 by a British witch named Susan A. Bethany.

"Inspired by the mass Muggle women's liberation front in North America, Bethany rallied hundreds of witches together to demand a change in their societal status. At first, many wizards scoffed at the idea of a witches' liberation, but as more of those same wizards disappeared and the newt population of Great Britain increased almost tenfold, the majority of the magical community began to listen..."

Disa Volyn smiled to herself and shut the book she was reading. A History of Magic, by Bathilda Bagshott, had proved to be one of the most interesting books that she had bought earlier that week. She had never had a great love of times gone by, but Disa found that the past was sometimes much more exciting than the present.

Not at the moment, however. Florean Fortescue had just brought out an enormous blackberry and coconut sundae and set it down before her. Disa was immensely thankful; the bright summer sun had been beating down on Diagon Alley for the past few hours without mercy. She picked up her spoon and was about to dig in when Florean asked, "How is your studying going?"

"Beautifully," Disa said. She put down the spoon on the table and reached into the bag she had next to her chair. She pulled out a long, thin box and extracted a wand from it. Florean looked at it curiously, for he had never seen one quite like it. It was made out of a hard, white material, and it looked as though it had been through a lot, judging by the numerous marks and gouges in it. Despite its appearance, Disa loved her wand and showed Florean exactly what it could do.

"Just watch," she said, and moved her wand over the spoon. The top of the spoon began to shimmer, and abruptly, it split in two. The two new sections again split in half, and condensed. The shimmering stopped, and the spoon had disappeared from the table. A fork was now in its place.

"Bravo!" Florean said, clapping his hands. "I would give you a free sundae, but it appears you already have one!" He got up from the table and waved good-bye to Disa, and walked back into his shop.

Disa quickly transfigured her fork back into a spoon and began to eat her sundae. Soon, her attention wandered from what she was eating to the people who surrounded her.

Two elderly wizards were sitting a few tables away from Disa. They were playing chess, but, as Disa observed, it was not ordinary chess. When one player's pieces defeated his opponent's, a miniature, and rather gruesome, battle broke out on the chessboard, the winner harshly throwing the loser to the side. Disa watched the two wizards play for a few minutes, but she was distracted by a young girl's squeals of glee.

"Mummy! Please, may we keep him?"

Disa turned and her jaw dropped. The young girl, who could not have been more than five or six years old, was toting a bunny rabbit of gargantuan size over to her mother by the floppy ear. The rabbit was the size of a large dog and its fur was bright purple with large pink spots dispersed randomly. It wriggled its nose as the girl hugged it tightly, but despite its friendly, nonetheless, large, appearance, the girl's mother looked horrified. "Cynthia, where did you...?"

"His name is Harvey and I told him he could sleep in my room!" the girl shrieked excitedly as her mother looked around and muttered, "Where is your father?"

Smiling, Disa was about to eat more of her sundae when the two elderly wizards near her began to shout at each other.

"That was an illegal move, Barthemus!" the wizard in yellow robes bellowed. "Take that back!"

"It was not illegal, Archibald, and you know it!" the other wizard yelled. "You're just mad that I said your new hat looked like a rotten banana."

"Well, you made that move just in spite because I pointed out that at least I don't smell like a rotten banana," Archibald retorted.

Barthemus sputtered for a moment, then said, "We'll just see about that!" and took out his wand.

Eyebrows raised, Disa watched as Archibald and Barthemus disappeared in multicolored clouds of smoke, which appeared when they simultaneously hexed each other. When the smoke cleared, Archibald had carrots growing out of his ears and Barthemus' previously short white hair had gone long and curly in a particularly ugly shade of puce.

"Why you little..." Archibald began, drawing back his wand for another round of hexing. Florean Fortescue ran out of his shop at the two wizards yelling, "Gentlemen! Please! Remember what happened last year?"

Disa's gaze was pulled away from the spectacle by the sound of laughter. A group of teenage wizards and witches were doubling over with giggles due to the scene before them. Disa heard one of them remark, "This happens every year! Archibald and Barthemus are cousins and they meet at the ice cream parlor for a small family reunion each summer. They always end up playing chess and both leave with something new growing out of their ears!" More laughter met this comment.

Disa looked at this group almost longingly, wishing that she, too, was laughing with them in their midst. It was not as though Disa missed her friends; in fact, such friends did not exist. Disa knew she was unpopular, knew she was different. Most students that she knew lived in nice houses with their parents, siblings and pets. Disa lived in a run down hut on the outskirts of Barrow-In-Furness with her elderly grandmother. The girls in her previous school always had freshly pressed skirts, bleached white knee socks and shiny new shoes. Disa's uniform always seemed limp, her homespun woolen socks were the off-white color of her neighbor's sheep, and Disa had been wearing the same pair of school shoes for the past three years, their shine dulled by scuffmarks. Disa did not really mind being unpopular, but this was mostly due to the fact that she had never been anything else.

Life with Nana, Disa's spry, lively grandmother, was everything Disa could ever hope for. To be quite honest, Disa did not know the exact age of her grandmother, but that little missing fact did not get in the way of anything. Nana showed Disa things that she would never have learned in school but, in Nana's opinion, were vitally important. Disa learned about the properties of wormwood so she could care for herself and others in times of fever; she read poetry and legends of old in Latin; she spent hours in the forest observing how everything was interconnected. Her grandmother was with her every step of the way, coaxing her to learn, to understand what was important. Until one day in late April, Disa came home from school to find her grandmother shivering under the blankets of her bed, despite the roaring fire that was feet away from her.

Disa tried desperately to heal her Nana. She ran from the herb garden to the woods to the ocean, grabbing any plant that could help her grandmother. When all of Disa's knowledge of medicinal herbs ran out, she tried to get the doctor that lived five miles down the road. Before she could grab her coat and start running, Disa was stopped by her Nana's surprising strong arm.

"No doctors for me, dearie," she said kindly, but firmly. "There's no help from them that I can take."

At this, Disa began to weep. Her grandmother was all that she had in this world. Her own parents had died, or perhaps disappeared, some time after Disa was born. Her Nana was everything: mother, father, teacher, best friend. And all of it was slipping through Disa's fingers.

"Wipe those tears, dear, and look at me now," Nana said quietly, stroking Disa's wet face. "I've lived my life and its time for you to live yours. I've been given many years on this here earth, and I don't want you to waste any of yours grieving over me. I've done my job. I know you have a bigger one to do." Disa stopped crying and wiped her eyes. "That's better. Fetch me my trunk in the back room. There are a few things that you need to have."

The great, old, musty trunk was dragged out and opened before Nana. Dusty black robes, mildewed books, a green cloak with gold piping, and a long thin box saw the light of day for the first time in over fifty years.

"Hand me that box, will you my Disa?" asked her grandmother. Her hands shook as she took off the top and extracted a long piece of what appeared to be ivory. Harsh lines and gouges had been etched into it. It was beautiful and ugly, and it was neither at the same time. "I believe this belongs to you," Nana said, handing it over to Disa.

The thing was cool as a block of ice. Disa inspected it as she asked, "What is this?"

"A family heirloom," Nana said, a wry grin on her face. "It's yours to use now. I know you can use it."

"But for what?" Disa asked, confused.

"For what you are. For what you are to discover," Nana said. "All will be revealed in time as all things ultimately are. My precious Disa," she whispered.

"Nana," Disa wept again.

"Shh," Nana said. "Go to sleep."

And she did, with her head resting on her grandmother's lap. When she woke, her Nana had a secretive smile on her face. Disa knew that she was gone.

After the funeral, Disa stayed with a neighbor that her grandmother was a particular friend with. Aradia Watson was wrinkled, wayward and a witch. Or so the rumor was. Disa was teased because she was living under the same roof as the crazy old woman who supposedly turned bad children into warty toads. Aradia did not seem like a wicked witch out of stories. She simply knew about healing herbs, as Disa's grandmother had, and she dressed a little funny at times. She was a great help to Disa the weeks after her grandmother's death. She was also a great help for years to come, in very different areas.

Her assistance in one such area was revealed on Disa's fifteenth birthday. The early May sun beat down on their backs as they shelled peas for dinner.

"I've never told you this, Disa, but I remember the day you were born. It was a beautiful day like this, right in between spring and summer," Aradia began.

"You do?" asked Disa excitedly. "You remember my parents then?"

"Of course. Your beautiful mother and you handsome father. They were so happy that day," she smiled. "You do resemble them a bit. You have a coloring that reminds me so much of winter, despite the fact that you were born in May."

Aradia had a point. With Disa's pale skin and black hair, she echoed the black tree trunks of a forest on a backdrop of pure white snow. Her bright blue eyes were the cold winter heavens that held a promise of clear summer skies to come.

"So," Aradia said with a smile on her face, "do you feel any different now that you are fifteen?"

"Actually, I do," Disa said. "Usually I don't feel any different on my birthday, but for some reason, I do this time. I feel like I just woke up after a long nap," she giggled.

Aradia observed Disa. She did have a different air about her. She had grown from the insecure child she had once known into a young woman who was comfortable with whom she was. Unfortunately, thought Aradia, she will have a whole other set of problems to deal with before long.

"I've been thinking about what to do with you, my Disa," Aradia announced. "You know you can always stay here for as long as you want. But I've wondered whether you would be interested in going away to school instead of being stuck here forever."

"Oh, I don't know," Disa began. "Where would I go? I couldn't afford a private school."

"I do know of a school in Scotland that is very well spoken of," said Aradia. She pulled a heavy envelope from beneath the basket of peas. "You've been accepted. It would be no trouble to send you there."

"Accepted?" queried Disa, taking the envelope and opening it. "But I haven't even applied..." she trailed off into silence.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The finest school of magic in the United Kingdom. I'm on pretty good terms with the headmaster," Aradia winked.

"Magic?" Disa whispered. "But how...I don't understand." She looked at the witch Aradia, who she realized was truly a witch. "I can't do magic!"

"That's why you go there. To learn how to use magic. To learn what you are destined to learn," Aradia said. "You actually descend from a fairly prominent line of witches and wizards. Your mother, especially, was a highly skilled witch herself."

Disa just stared in wonderment at the letter she held in her hands. The words seemed to dance around the page. Magic. Enchantments. Her head spun with all of the opportunities that had been laid out before her. She could get away from this place where she had lived for the past thirteen years. She could make a name for herself, start all over at a new school, leave everyone she ever knew in Barrow-In-Furness...

Disa looked up teary-eyed at Aradia. "How can I leave you after you have done so much for me? You've always taken care of me. How can I just pack up and leave?"

Aradia stroked Disa's cheek. "It's time for you to take care of yourself from now on. That is, if you take this opportunity. I can arrange somewhere for you to stay in London at the end of the summer so you can take the train to Hogwarts. I'll make sure that you are caught up on things you have missed in the past years so you will be able to be in classes with young witches and wizards of your own age. But it's up to you to decide whether or not to undertake this." Aradia looked at Disa in a strange way. Disa felt as though the old witch's eyes were looking into her very soul.

"Do you know what your name means, Disa my dear?" Disa shook her head. "It means double, two different ways. You have two choices: to stay here and attend the same school that you have been going to, or leave and start a whole new adventure." Aradia smiled in such a mysterious way. "Winter into summer. Night into day. To stay or to go. Disa, what do you choose?"

"Now, gentlemen, this is indeed uncalled for!" a voice cried, breaking Disa out of her reverie. Florean Fortescue tumbled out of a cloud of smoke with his ears turned into two very large, very fuchsia whelks. Disa could see Barthemus and Archibald doubled over with laughter and shaking each other's hands in victory. Evidently, their little family spat was over. For this year, at least.

"It never ends, does it?" Florean said, exasperated, as he passed Disa. "I'll have to find a mirror so I can fix these damned ears."

"Here, allow me to help," Disa said, picking up her wand. This wand was very special to Disa, not only because her grandmother left it to her, but also because of a little visit to the only wand shop on Diagon Alley.

Mr. Ollivander was very interested in Disa's wand. Aradia suggested that he should be the one to make sure the wand was in perfect working order. So, in late August, when Disa arrived at the Leaky Cauldron to stay until the start of the term, she walked rather timidly into the foreboding Ollivander's - Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. Mr. Ollivander himself seemed surprised to see her. He was even more surprised when she asked him to inspect her wand. He ran his long, spindly fingers over the grooves and gouges on the entire length of the wand. His crooked nose was mere centimeters from it as he carefully peered at every minute detail on it. He proceeded to turn a vase of flowers into velvety black butterflies and he produced a miniature hippopotamus out of thin air. Through all of this, he never said a word to Disa until he handed back her wand.

"You say this wand has been in your family for generations?" he asked, boring his moonlike eyes into her own.

"I know that it was my great-grandmother's for sure," Disa replied, working off the knowledge that Aradia had bestowed upon her.

"Very curious," Mr. Ollivander murmured. "I've always told my patrons that it is not the wizard or witch that chooses the wand, but really the wand that chooses its owner. I can tell that this wand is very old, older than you might think. You have been chosen as the owner of this wand from long before, Ms. Volyn. I have to wonder what else you have already been chosen to do."

Disa felt very uncomfortable at this point. While many things during the past few weeks were new and surprising to her, she never thought that a life of magic would require her to give up her freedom of choice. The idea that her decisions were already planned out for her was quite frightening.

She had thanked Mr. Ollivander for his time and tried to pay him, but he would not accept her money. The rest of that week was spent picking up a few new schoolbooks, a new work robe and spending her time studying at Florean's shop, where she was currently and carefully transfiguring his ears back to their original state.

When Florean's ears looked like ears and were not an unsightly shade of pink, he thanked Disa profusely and tried to offer her another sundae. Disa laughed and refused politely.

"I won't be able to fit into my school robes at this rate!" she teased, packing her books into her bag.

Florean smiled and waved good-bye to Disa as he went back into his shop. Disa shoved her wand into her belt and began walking back to her room at the Leaky Cauldron. A loud crash behind her caused Disa to turn quickly. The huge rabbit that the little witch had wanted to take home had plopped himself down on one of Florean's outdoor tables. Florean ran outside with a broom crying, "Why me?"

As she watched the scene unfold, Disa bumped into someone quite hard. She toppled over, the weight of her bag dragging her back.

"Umph," Disa grunted. A hand appeared in front of her face. She took it and as she stood up she said, "Sorry about that. I was a little distracted by Harvey over there." She grinned sheepishly at the boy who appeared to be of her own age standing in front of her.

"Harvey? You know that rabbit personally?" he grinned, pushing the bangs of his black hair back, revealing green eyes blinking behind his glasses.

"Oh, sure, we're the best of friends," Disa laughed back. She recognized this boy from the Leaky Cauldron. She saw him occasionally during the past week eating breakfast in the dining room or looking in the windows of Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Well, I've always been told it was a good idea to know a person with such friends as an insanely large bunny rabbit. So allow me to introduce myself. Harry Potter," he said, extending his hand.

"Disa Volyn. Nice to meet you Harry," she smiled. She was a little confused at the strange look he gave her, but it quickly disappeared. "I've seen you around the Leaky Cauldron. Are you staying there?" she asked.

"Yes, until September. Then it's off to school," he said, making a mock face of disgust.

"Oh! Do you go to Hogwarts?" Disa asked excitedly. "I'm starting there in September also!"

"Really? Aren't you a bit, well, old to just be starting?" Harry asked, surprised. "Not that that's a bad thing, but just a bit unusual."

"Is it really?" Disa said, a little worried. "There's so much that I still need to learn! I spent the last few months learning to handle this thing," she said, waving her wand around. "Now I'm going to be the new girl at Hogwarts. I was hoping to blend right in."

"Don't worry about it too much. People will lose interest quickly when the homework starts rolling in. What year are you going to be in?" Harry asked.

"I've been told fifth year. I just have to meet with the Headmaster before classes start to go over a few things," Disa told Harry. "I'm afraid that my wand skills might not be up to par with everyone else though."

"I can help you out there. We still have a week until classes start. I'll help you with transfiguration and charms if you'd like," he offered. "I'm in fifth year, too."

"Oh, I'd really appreciate it!" Disa exclaimed. "I would feel so much better if you could do that for me!"

"Of course," Harry smiled. "We can start by fixing Florean's squashed table over there."

Over the next few days, Disa and Harry spent almost every waking moment with each other. Harry told Disa that he was staying at the Leaky Cauldron because his uncle and aunt, whom he lived with, had gone on a last minute vacation to visit some distant relatives. Harry's friends from school had been there the week before, so he was glad to find someone his own age to spend the remaining time with. The two explored all corners of Diagon Alley, all the time making sure Disa was ready for her meeting with Headmaster Dumbledore. Harry seemed impressed with her transfiguration skills, which came easy to Disa. Charms were far more difficult for her, though. She performed a Napping Charm on Harry and ended up dragging him back across Diagon Alley to his room because he would not wake up. Five hours later, he was so rested and energetic that Disa was tempted to put a Relaxation Charm on him, but thought the better of it.

Harry informed Disa all about the classes she would be taking in a week. She felt fairly confident that she could pass all of her classes, but was openly worried about Charms, for obvious reasons. She was looking forward to Transfiguration and especially Astronomy.

"I've always loved astronomy," she admitted to Harry as they walked past Gambol & Japes Wizarding Joke Shop. "There's something so mysterious and yet so straight-forward about it. I love learning about the constellations the most. Lyra, Andromeda, Hercules, Draco..."

Harry made an odd face at this. He quickly cleared his throat and said, "Want to step into Flourish & Blotts with me? I have to buy a book that I had forgotten about."

"Sure," Disa agreed, all the time thinking that even though she had become such good friends with Harry over the past week, she still did not know so much about him.

As Harry talked to the manager about what book he needed, Disa wandered about the store. She loved books so much. Even though Disa and her grandmother had lived in a small house, there were so many books crammed into that tiny space. Books always brought fond memories of her Nana to Disa's mind. She walked over to a cramped section of books that seemed to be dealing with recent history. She pulled out a book entitled Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century. Flipping though it, she skimmed an article about the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. She was far more nervous about meeting him now that she knew he discovered the twelve uses of dragon blood, among other impressive things. She continued to flip through the book when she came upon a picture she instantly recognized. She sat down on the low stool next to her in order to read the whole chapter on this amazing fifteen-year-old boy.

Harry popped his head around the shelf that Disa was behind, a copy of Predict What's In This Book! in his hand. "Find anything interesting?" he asked.

"Yes, I have, actually," Disa said, turning the book around so that Harry could see the moving picture of himself. "I didn't know you actually like lima beans."

Harry blushed and said, "Well, they're not as bad as everyone thinks...Wait, that's not what I meant to say. Did you read that whole chapter about me?" he asked, seemingly nervous about what Disa's reaction would be.

"Of course. I just thought you were good at Charms, but after this," Disa said, gesturing to the book. "I don't know Harry. I don't know what to expect out of you now."

"I apologize for not telling you about that. I just couldn't find the right time to do it," he explained

"Oh, no need to apologize. You probably thought I was really out of it when I didn't recognize you when I met you," Disa laughed. "I'm so far behind in a great many things."

"Well, I did think it was a bit odd," Harry admitted, "but it was very refreshing at the same time. I never meet anyone new now that doesn't have a preconceived notion about who and what I am. I'm glad I could start out with a clean slate with you," he grinned. "And I don't think you are out of anything. You impress me so much with how well you've adapted to this new situation you've been throw into. It took me almost a whole year to get comfortable with everything. I'm still learning about things."

Disa put the book back on the shelf. "Well, you can certainly teach me what you know so far. Like, how in the world do you fight a dragon? I've read that you are pretty good at that," she said.

"This could take a while. Shall we get some ice cream and make sure Florean doesn't need anymore help repairing his tables?" Harry laughed.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Disa agreed, and they walked side by side over to the ice cream parlor, laughing all the way.

*

The day before the Hogwarts Express was slated to leave from King's Cross Station, Harry and Disa were picking up some last minute supplies at Scribbulus Everchanging Inks. Disa was showing Harry an enchanted ink well that contained ink especially designed for your enemies. When you wrote them a letter in that ink, it would create a horrible smell when they opened it that would follow them around for days. Harry was looking at it with quite the interested look on his face when a girl who looked a year or two older than they walked in the store. Harry nearly dropped the bottle he was holding when he caught a glimpse of her.

"Careful there, Harry," Disa said, grabbing the ink well from him. "You look as though you've seen a ghost," she joked but stopped laughing when Harry did not appear to hear her. She reached out and tugged his sleeve lightly. "Harry?"

The girl walked by them. "Hullo, Cho," Harry said, almost too quietly to hear. She turned around and the look of sadness and pity on her face surprised Disa.

"Oh, hi, Harry," Cho said. She pushed her long black hair back and revealed large brown eyes that seemed to look past Harry into nothingness.

Harry and Cho engaged in small talk that was strained and stilted. Disa observed that Harry acted as though he was almost embarrassed to talk to this extremely pretty girl. Disa hated to admit it to herself, but she was jealous of this girl's beauty. Cho almost had the same shade of hair that Disa did, but Cho's complemented her face completely, framing her in lovely darkness. Disa's hair was simply chopped off right below the shoulders and tended to make her look washed out. Her pale skin was never able to tan in the summer sun and the only sign that she had ever been outside was a handful of freckles splattered across the bridge of her nose. Her blue eyes were the only colored thing about her, and even then, Disa felt as though her eyes revealed too much about her. They easily filled with tears in time of sorrow and made her look like a calf off to the butcher's when she was frightened. No one would ever describe her as pretty, but nonetheless, her countenance always left a lasting impression with the onlooker.

When an uncomfortable silence fell upon Cho and Harry, the former made her apologies and went to go pay for her feather quills. Harry looked after her, then turned to Disa.

"Sorry about that. I just haven't spoken to her for some time," he explained. "She's had a difficult summer." He sighed. "I can't tell you why, Disa. Not now, at least. I wish I could, but I don't think I can."

"It's all right, Harry," Disa said, at the same time thinking that Harry had not been able to tell her anything remotely personal about him all week. Give it time, she said to herself. Don't ruin a friendship before it even has started.

"I'm going to stop at the owl post to mail a few letters since Hedwig is off delivering another one," said Harry. Disa had met Hedwig a few days prior and recalled Harry telling her about how his owl was such a wonderful messenger. "You can come with me, if you'd like," Harry suggested, sounding as though he would rather not be joined.

"I think I'm going to head back to my room. I should review a few things before we leave tomorrow. I'll meet you for dinner at six o'clock, then?" she said.

"Sounds good. See you then," he called as he made his way down the cobblestones to the owl post.

A little weary, Disa climbed the stairs to her room in the Leaky Cauldron. She tried to charm the sugar spoon from the tea set in the room to put spoonfuls of sugar into her teacup, but all it did was tap consistently on the bed post until Disa shoved it under a pile of old blankets in the closet. Exasperated, she flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Her thoughts drifted from Harry to Aradia to Nana and back again. Disa had tried to be patient, helpful and not too prying with Harry, but she feared that their brief rendezvous with companionship was over.

Her fears were seemingly confirmed at dinner when she and Harry hardly exchanged words. They ate their stew in almost complete silence that was only broken when one would ask for the salt or for the pitcher of water. They said goodnight to each other early under the pretense that they each needed their sleep for the long journey ahead.

Disa stared at her textbooks without really seeing the words printed on the page. She had thought for the past week that she would have someone to share her experiences at Hogwarts with, but now it seemed as though she would be alone forever. She rolled over in her bed and looked out the window. She restrained herself from shedding tears over a lost friendship that never really was. A sharp tap at the window startled Disa, but she got up and opened the glass anyway.

"Hedwig?" she said incredulously. "What are you doing here? Are you done delivering letters? Did you forget where Harry is staying?" she teased. Hedwig ruffled her feathers in indignation, as though she would ever forget where Harry was. She stuck her leg out somewhat reluctantly and after Disa had taken the parchment that was attached there, she cuffed the back of Disa's head with her wing as she flew out of the open window.

Disa read the letter as she closed her window, and smiled to herself when she had finished. Apparently, she had been worried about nothing important.

Dear Disa,

I want to apologize for today. I can't really explain why I acted the way I did, partly because I don't know how to put it into words and partly because I truly don't know why. I wrote this note to tell you that I know I am very lucky to have met you, despite the fact that we hardly know each other. All that I really know for sure is that I feel as though this week has flown by. It also feels like it took a lifetime. It seems like we have been friends for hundreds of years, and I am thankful that I bumped into you this week. I would have told you this in person, but I would have messed it all up and ended up telling you that you have very nice fingernails, which wasn't the point of the conversation. Anyway, I hope you can forgive me. Sleep well.

Harry

Disa wrapped her bathrobe around her and climbed a few stairs to get up to Harry's room. She quietly knocked on his door and heard him pad over to open it. When he did, he grinned sheepishly at her and began, "Disa, I..."

She held up her hand. "I just came up to say goodnight. Properly, I mean. When I said it before, I really didn't wish you a good night. I rather had hoped you wouldn't be able to get to sleep. Sorry about that," she said.

Harry laughed. "Really, it's no problem. I should be the one apologizing."

"No one is at fault here," Disa said. She cleared her throat, then announced, "Well, goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Disa," Harry responded, and watched her with a little bit of wonderment as she made her way back to her room. All this week, Harry thought, she's never failed to surprise me. Unbeknownst to him, she never would.