*
The closer they got to exams, the more anxious the students became. Lessons had turned into solid revision sessions and students were regularly fainting and throwing up during them, although Tom heard from Mark that Fred and George were behind it. Amber had started to become suspicious again of the amount of time Tom seemed to disappear for. What with lessons, teaching the triple threat, reporting to Snipe, spending time with Lyrotth, going to Ab’s pub and working out, he hardly had any time left for her and most of that was spent whilst at Quidditch practise.
On one of the rare free evenings they had alone together, they were curled up together on Tom’s bed when Amber said, “I feel like I hardly see you anymore. Why are you never around? You say you don’t need to revise much.”
“I know, I wish I had more time for you too but there are more important things that I have to do.”
“Going to a pub doesn’t take up 6 evenings a week, what else are you doing and what’s more important than me?”
“You know I can’t tell you. I thought you understood that you can’t know for your own good?”
“I do, but you have to admit, it’s getting ridiculous… We’re kids. We’re meant to have time to learn and relax but you barley have any.”
“I’m not an ordinary kid. I’ve always wanted to be busy, ever since I was a young boy. I feel like my place isn’t at school but out there in the real world, trying to make the world a better place.”
Amber pounced, “Is that what you’re doing? Leaving the school?”
Tom had taken his guard down and was now paying the price. He would never lie to Amber but he didn’t know how to get out of this one. “Err, not exactly.”
“Are you working with Dumby?”
“What? How?” Tom said, completely shocked.
“So you are! I thought you might be ever since I saw a scroll addressed to you from him.”
Tom hit himself in the forehead. The scroll she was referring to had arrived a few days ago. Tom had no idea how it got there but it was on his bed when he got back to his room after lessons. It was simply a reminder from Dumby, telling Tom to look after Hogwash. Amber had come into his room before he finished reading it but in his haste to hide the letter, he hadn’t put it in the draw properly and it stuck out. He thought he’d gotten away with it when she hadn’t said anything but obviously not.
“I thought you hadn’t seen that,” he said in surprise.
“I wasn’t snooping, honest. I just happened to glance at it when you went to shower,” she said, trying to sound innocent.
“I don’t blame you. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have left it visible.”
“So… what are you up too?”
“Ok, I’ll tell you but you have to swear on your life not to tell another soul. Our entire operation could be ruined if you do.”
“I swear it,” she said eagerly.
“Good,” he said and then set about telling her everything. He didn’t leave out any details. He figured if she knew some of it, she might as well know it all to avoid sticky situations in the future. She kept trying to interrupt him but he forced her to listen silently until he’d finished.
“I’m struggling to believe it,” she said opened mouthed. “I knew you weren’t cheating on me but I would never have guessed anything like this. Your fighting against you know who, you’ve been coaching Harry Trotter and your best friends with a dragon!!!”
Tom struggled to contain his joy. It felt so good to finally tell someone, he wasn’t really cut out for being a spy and to hear someone say his activities back to him made them sound even more impressive. “Yep,” he said with a huge smile.
“Yep! That’s all you can say! You’ve got to be the calmest person ever,” she said in awe.
“Haha. It has been my life for most of this year so it seems normal to me. You’ve no idea how good it feels to finally tell someone though, and I’m so glad it was you I got to tell.”
“This is huge! If you can manage to do all this alongside being a student and having me and friends, you’ve got my vote for minister of magic next election.”
“Haha, I love you,” he said and held her tightly.
“You’ve got to be the most important wizard of our generation.”
“Steady on. I’m not that. Harry is. He’s the one Moldywart keeps trying to kill. He’s the one who will hopefully rid the world of him.”
“Well you are to me,” she said defensively and lovingly.
“That’s all I need.”
They kissed and then Amber said, “Think about it though. Moldywart is targeting Harry but he doesn’t know about you, which means you might be able to strike him unexpectedly.”
Tom had thought similarly himself but to hear the words said out loud made him realise the full danger in his future. His face dropped and Amber noticed and her excitement was gone as well. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” she said lovingly.
He took some time to say anything. Eventually saying, “I think you’re right. I’ve thought about it too. But at the end of the day, I’m still only 16 and no match for Moldywart.”
Those words seemed to echo around the room for a time. Tom’s breathing started to rapidly increase and his palms started to sweat as he thought harder about his potential future, or rather lack of it.
Amber grabbed hold of his hand and held it tightly. Her warm and sensitive touch started to calm him down. She whispered into his ear, “It’s going to be alright.”
“Stay with me tonight. Please.” He was even more surprised to hear those words coming out his mouth than Amber was.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said and curled up against him.
Around 10 minutes passed in silence and then Amber tried to take his mind off the dangers in his life.
“I don’t think I ever mentioned, I’ve got my apparition exam next week.”
As Amber’s birthday was April 16th, she was already 17 and so able to take the examination. Amber had never told Tom when her birthday was until after the Easter holidays and so Tom hadn’t got her a present but she hadn’t been bothered in the slightest.
“Oh, of course. I hadn’t thought of that. I really hope you pass. It would be so cool to be able to apparate.”
“Thanks. It would be great if I could. I could travel to places so quickly.”
“I’m so jealous. I’ve got to wait a full year before I can take the test.”
“If I pass, I could take you by side along apparition.”
“Yeah! That would be awesome!”
Tom Collivander and the Order of the Thunderbird, A Potter Parody Page 28
