crossoverfic | [FIC], Horizons, R, Harry Potter/Pirates of the Carribean

Now added, chapters 2 and 3!

Story Title: Horizons
Author: Keelhaulrose
Fandoms: Harry Potter/ Pirates of the Caribbean
Rating: R
Warnings: Sexual situations, mild violence
Summary: Nora Turner, daughter of Elizabeth and Will, lives in a place where she could never belong. Years later Draco Malfoy must choose between following his father and saving a woman he barely knows (it's not easy being cheesy!)
Pairings: Draco Malfoy/new character
This story contains all Het pairings
Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, nor Disney, nor do I play either of them on TV. The canon characters/situations/lines/etc are not mine, nor do I intend to take credit for their work. They gave me the toys, I just played with them

A Broken Dream

The first time the young girl met her father she was nine years old. One day, instead of their regular routine, her mother spent all day bathing her, brushing out her long, black hair, and dressing her in a beautiful new dress. Afterwards she was forbidden to go outside to play, for fear of her getting dirty.

William, her brother, showed up about an hour before sunset, leaving his wife and children at home. He had decided, with his wife, that it would be best for them to not meet their grandfather. It avoided awkward questions and explanations that would take much longer than they were going to be allowed. One day, when they were old enough, he would explain the situation to them, but now was not the time.

"Nora," William greeted her, taking her into a bear hug. He was the closest thing to a father she had ever known. William was ten years to the day older than Nora, and he had been very mature when she was born. Throughout much of her early years he did everything he could to dote on his little sister, and he visited her quite often once he had gotten married and left the house. He was her best friend, as she was not a popular child around the town.

She hugged him back. "How is Marie?" she asked of his wife. "And the children?"

"They are all doing well. The girls can't wait for you to come annoy them," William smiled.

"I do not annoy them!" Nora protested.

"Oh, then it must be just me you annoy."

Nora smiled and pushed her brother against the couch. A puff of dust rose into the air as he hit it.

"Hush, you two!" their mother hissed. "Try not to get too messy."

"Sorry, mom," Nora hung her head. She looked at her mother. She was a beautiful, strong woman, though she was starting to show her age. She had sat Nora down many times and told the stories of when she was younger, the Pirate Queen, and her adventures all over the ocean with her father and a colorful cast of characters. At first Nora took them as nothing more than bedtime stories, but one day her mother had confessed that the stories weren't just entertainment, that they had all happened. Nora hid for two days afterwards, trying to let it all sink in that her mother had actually killed people.

"Nora, that's a beautiful blue dress," William commented.

"Thank you," Nora said, running her hands over the front of it. "I wish they had green, but all they had was blue. Green would have gone with my eyes."

William smiled. "Marie isn't the best seamstress, but I'll talk to her. Maybe as a birthday gift we'll give you a dress that matches your eyes."

"I would like that..." Nora started, but Elizabeth cut her off.

"It's time," she said, hurrying them out the door. They walked around the outside of town, and came to a cliff on the outside of town. They all watched the sinking sun in silence until, with a flash of green, it disappeared into the ocean. And with the flash of green a ship appeared on the horizon. Elizabeth smiled, William looked at his feet, and Nora retreated slightly.

Moments later William Turner, their father, was standing before them, a smile across his face. He greeted his wife with an enthusiastic kiss, then turned and shook William's hand. He finally turned to Nora.

"And who is this beautiful young woman?" he asked, a huge smile across his face. Nora saw that she looked a lot like him, she had his face and his hair. Still, though she strongly resembled the man before her, she felt more shy than she had ever felt before in her life.

"This is Nora, Will," Elizabeth smiled.

"It's nice to meet you, Nora," Will went to hug his daughter, but stopped when she recoiled.

"Nora!" her mother scolded.

"It's OK," Will stopped her. "She doesn't really know me."

"You're her father."

"Who she's never seen."

The group went to have a late dinner. Throughout dinner the younger William recounted his life for the past ten years with great enthusiasm. How he had gotten a job as the local blacksmith, how he had gotten married, how he had two young daughters, with another child on the way. The whole time their father was listening and responding with enthusiasm and love. Nora wanted nothing better than to please her father, but she hadn't done as much with the last ten years. She had gotten born and learned to read. Not all that exciting.

"Nora," her father turned to her. "That dress is such a beautiful shade of green. It looked blue outside, but here in the light I see it perfectly matches your green eyes. It makes you look even more beautiful."

The younger William, Elizabeth, and Nora all looked at the dress in surprise. It had, in fact, gone from a sky blue to the same emerald green as her eyes. They quickly recovered, though not quickly enough to escape being noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Elizabeth said quickly, and turned the subject quickly. Nora stared back down at her dress. Now that she had gotten over the shock of it she wasn't that surprised at the dress changing colors. Strange things often happened around her. Once, when a group of girls from the town were chasing her and calling her mother nasty names and suddenly a large mud puddle appeared between her and the girls, right in dry ground she had just run over, causing the girls to fall in and become covered. Another time, when someone had trampled the flower bed she had spent all summer tending to, she went to bed crying over the lost flowers. The next morning the flower garden was as good as new. She was walking home from playing with her only friend it suddenly started to rain. She ran home, cursing the fact that she had just ruined her favorite dress, but she had entered the house and realized she was completely dry. She knew she could manipulate lights when she was feeling particularly emotional, and had shown her mother once, but at her mother's horror she didn't do that in front of people anymore.

After dinner her mother and father disappeared upstairs, and she went to go spend the night at her brother's house. The next day she spent the day between their house and Jenny's house. Near the end of the day she and William returned to her mother's house for dinner with her father. They ate another dinner where Nora was barely included in the conversation. Her father tried a couple times, but she was overcome with the same shyness, and Elizabeth would change the conversation.

They bid their father farewell, and Elizabeth went back with him to the beach. Nora and William stayed behind, getting kissed and hugged by their father before he departed, but electing to allow their parents a private goodbye. When Elizabeth returned she disappeared into her room. If it wasn't for the maid, Nora would have gone hungry, as Elizabeth didn't emerge for three days.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Nora was just shy of her eleventh birthday when the man showed up. They weren't expecting a knock on the door, and Nora had gotten up from dinner to ask for it.

"Good afternoon, Nora," the man said. She looked at him cautiously. He knew her name, though she was sure she had never seen him before. She would have remembered an outfit like what he was wearing. The man was dressed in long, black robes of some sort, though not like any robes she had seen before. There was a crest on one breast of the black robes. A tall hat sat upon his head.

"Good afternoon," she finally remembered her manners.

"My name is Professor Stewart. I would like to talk to you and your mother."

"One moment," Nora said, abandoning him in the entrance hall to fetch her mother. The women escorted him into the sitting room, where they sat and stared at the guest in confusion for a few moments before Elizabeth decided it would be allowable to offer the stranger tea.

"Allow me," he said. The man pulled a wooden wand out of the robes, waved it once, and a pot of tea appeared in front of them. Another wave brought about cups and saucers. A final wave and milk and sugar appeared.

"Oh, my goodness," Nora whispered in amazement.

"Do you like that, Nora?" the man smiled, noticing she was staring at the wand. "That is my wand, Nora, and it helps me do magic. I am a wizard, my dear," he finished with a smile.

"You're joking!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"I assure you, Mrs. Turner, that I am not. And I have come to tell you that Nora here is a witch."

"I am!?!?" Nora shouted.

"Yes, dear. And I have a suspicion that you are going to be one of the greatest witches a world has known in a long time."

"How would you know that?" Elizabeth asked, fear and confusion thick in her voice.

"I am considered by some to be somewhat of a Seer. I had a premonition of a witch your age, who looked remarkably like you, along with a feeling that you are going to do something great with your life."

Nora looked at her mother, who was staring at her.

"Nora, I have come with a purpose. I am offering you a position at the school that I am currently the Deputy Headmaster of. It's called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The man produced an envelope and handed it to Nora. It had the same crest as his robes. Nora turned the envelope over in her hands a few times.

"Nora, will you please go upstairs for a few minutes," Elizabeth said, staring at Professor Stewart. Nora opened her mouth to protest, but a look from her mother silenced her before she could speak. Slowly she walked upstairs, but when she was out of the adult's eyesight she crouched down so she could listen to the conversation.

A witch! Now all those strange things that happened around her was explained. She could do magic. She wanted to go to this Hogwarts school so badly. She wondered what it would be like. Where was this Hogwarts? Was it far away? How many other witches and wizards were out there? Would they accept her?

"Professor, I'm not sure about her going to some school to learn magic," Elizabeth.

"Hogwarts is a very safe place, madam. Safer than most."

"I don't doubt that. But there are other concerns I have..."

"About your daughter being a witch. Let me assure you, madam, that the magic community is a hidden one. I'm assuming that you had no knowledge of it up to this point?"

"Well, no, I haven't heard of it..."

"Your daughter's status will be kept a secret. The Ministry of Magic takes great care in making sure the Muggle community, that is the community of non-magic people, does not know about the Wizarding community. When your daughter graduates Hogwarts there are many magical fields she can go into, where she can make good money, live in a magical community, and use the magic she will learn at our school."

"I have concerns, however, what would happen should she get found out."

"We have ways to make sure that should someone discover that she's a witch, they won't retain that knowledge very long. She will be perfectly safe, I assure you, Mrs. Turner."

Elizabeth sat quietly for a few moments. "Professor, are you aware of the situation with her father?"

"I am aware that he is absent from her life, but beyond that, no."

"Her father is in a situation that Nora has only had the opportunity to meet him once in her life, two years ago. We never had the opportunity to live together. In fact, he hasn't been seen by the public pretty much since our wedding. Because of this there has been great speculation as to her parentage. We were able to escape the speculation about her brother by moving from the Caribbean to here, but the rumors started up about Nora as soon as she was born. She's tormented by some of the townspeople for being the product of adultery, even though she isn't. I can't imagine what would happen should someone find out she's a witch."

"I'm not sure what I could say to assure you that she would be perfectly safe in our care. Hogwarts is one of the safest places in England, probably in the world."

"But what would happen when she comes to visit? Would someone from your school come with her to protect her?"

"We could arrange for her to stay at school during the breaks except for summer, and if you are truly afraid I'm sure would could make arrangements for the summer break as well."

"So I would never see my daughter again? I would give her up when she is 11 to go learn magic, and that would be the last I see of her?"

"You seem to be able to protest any suggestion I make about the situation. All I can do is make one last plea that this would be a great opportunity for your daughter's future, but admittedly there's nothing I can do to force you to let her go. All I can do is tell you again that should you allow her to attend that her safety would be my personal mission, and that should she not be able to attend I feel that we would be losing a great talent."

There was silence for another minute. "I'm sorry, Professor Stewart. I'm not ready to put my daughter in that sort of situation."

Nora ran to her room, a pit in her stomach. She had gone from the greatest feeling of her life, a feeling like she finally had a place where she could fit in and belong, to the worst, like the best thing that had happened to her was suddenly taken away. She sat on her bed, fuming at her mother. She concentrated on a doll her brother had given to her, and to her surprise it flew into her arms. The sudden display of magic only upset her more, as it was taunting her for not being able to attend the school of her dreams.

A few minutes later her mother came into her room. Nora laid down quickly, and turned towards the wall. The last person she wanted to see at the moment was Elizabeth.

"Heard the whole thing, didn't you," Elizabeth said quietly, sitting next to her daughter.

"I can't believe you, mother."

"What do you mean?"

"All those adventures. All those stories. You killed. And yet, when someone comes offering me adventures, offering me opportunity, you deny it to me. You send him away."

"There is a difference in our situations."

"Mother, you could have given up on Father. You could have walked away at several points. Run away, and go into hiding where no one would be able to find you. You not only stayed, but you took on a position of power."

Her mother sighed. "I was a little older than you..."

"And that's why I'm not asking you to let me go off on some adventure. It's a school, not a battle."

"Either way, I have told you that you are not going. That is my decision, I am not going to change my mind."

"Fine. Can I go to bed now?"

"Is there anything you need?"

"Sleep."

Her mother sighed and left the room. The next morning Nora got up late and took her time going downstairs. When she reached the landing she saw her brother.

"William!" she smiled.

"Oh, hello Nora," William answered coldly. "I was just about to leave. I have things to do at the shop."

"Oh. Can I come see the girls later?"

"Not today, Nora. I don't think that's a good idea."

"What's wrong, William?" she asked, standing in front of her brother and looking up at his face.

"Nothing."

"You're lying to me."

William looked as though he were searching for the right words. "Mother told me about the visitor you had yesterday..." he said slowly.

"Professor Stewart?"

"Yes. She told me what he said about you," the words came even slower this time.

"That I'm a witch?"

William flinched. "Yes, Nora. That you're a witch. It made me think. And I need more time to think. For now it's probably best that you don't come by the house for a while."

"But I didn't choose to be a witch! And it's not like I can control my magic! Mother wouldn't let me go to the school, so it's not like I'm going to learn anything."

"Just the same, I'm going to ask you to stay away from my family." William turned and left.

"This isn't my fault!" Nora shouted at the door. Then she sat on the stairs and cried.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Six years later she and William were sitting by their mother's bedside, watching their mother slowly deteriorate before their eyes. It was the most time they had spent together since it came to light that Nora possessed magic powers. William refused to speak to Nora of such things, only of their mother. He had allowed her to visit her nieces only a few times in the past few years, something that drove the wedge further between them.

"William..." Elizabeth whispered, but she turned towards Nora instead of her brother.

"I'm Nora, mother," Nora replied. "Let me turn up the lights, so you can see better." She looked around the room and the candles burned inexplicably brighter. William scowled at the show of magic, but he kept his tongue in front of Elizabeth.

"Yes, mother?" William asked, stroking her hand.

"Please, take care of your sister. I know that you haven't gotten along well recently," Nora rolled her eyes, "but I need to know that someone will be watching after her once I'm gone."

"I..." William sighed, seeing no way out of the obligation. "I will mother."

"And Nora," her mother turned to her daughter. "I'm sorry. I should have let you go to that school. I shouldn't have been so blind and selfish in my motives. You have a gift. I should have encouraged it."

Nora couldn't say anything. She had been bitter towards her mother for the last six years, since she had been denied the opportunity to study magic. She felt forgiveness towards her mother at times, but it was always quickly replaced by the bitterness that consumed her. She looked at William, who was frowning at the idea that their mother was actually wishing that she had allowed her daughter to become a full-fledged witch. Nora patted her mothers hand as a response.

Elizabeth started sobbing weakly. William and Nora watched her for a few minutes, unable to do anything but hold their mother's hands as comfort. After a few minutes Elizabeth looked at the canopy of her bed, whispered "Will" once, shuddered, and lay still.

Nora wiped a tear from her eye, and in her peripheral vision she saw William do the same. They sat in silence for a few moments, before William stood.

"I have to go make the arrangements," he said gruffly before he turned and swept from the room. Nora stroked her mother's hair a few times, and finally felt the bitterness she felt towards her leave her heart for good. She only wished she was able to have that feeling before Elizabeth had passed.

Over the next two days William got Elizabeth's body ready for burial. The funeral would be small, and kept secret amongst most of the people of the town. Elizabeth Turner and her family had more than a few rumors to their names, and only their closest friends would be invited. William's family moved into the large house, allowing Nora to keep her room, though they all kept their distance. Nora stayed in the room until it was time to bury their mother, and she silently followed her brother's family to the graveyard.

Besides William's family and Nora, Jenny, her mother, the local seamstress Elizabeth was quite friendly with, and two men William and Nora did not recognize attended her funeral. Nora was fascinated by the younger of the two mysterious men, and after racking her brain she remembered a name her mother had told her several times in her stories. But it couldn't be him. It was nearly twenty years later, and the man remained the same. Still, Nora glanced at the man several times throughout the eulogy. He was quite handsome, whoever he was, despite the fact he was so obviously a pirate. She didn't notice, but the man spent several minutes watching her, too.

When the funeral was over the small group wandered out of the cemetery. William and his family rushed away while Nora bid goodbye to the seamstress, her best friend, and Jenny's mother, and started back towards the house. She walked several blocks before she realized that she was being followed. She turned to find the pirate following her. He smiled as she turned to face him.

"Miss Turner," he smirked as he bowed and swept his hat off his head in an over exaggerated gesture of greeting.

"I have an inkling of who you are, though I don't know how you could be," she replied.

"Take a guess," he said, stepping close to her.

"Jack Sparrow."

Somewhere to Belong

"Jack Sparrow." Nora's words hung in the air for a moment.

"Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack smiled at Nora, and seemed to relish in the shock on her face.

"How is it possible?"

"Allow me," he said, offering her his arm, "to explain everything over some rum."

Nora smiled at him and took his arm. "My mother told me that was your drink of choice."

"As a choice it should be for any type of decent pirate."

They walked out of the town, as to minimize the possibility of being seen by anyone in the town. They sat on the bank of a stream just outside the town, under the shade of a thick grove of trees. Jack produced a bottle of rum, took a long drink, and offered it to Nora, who took a sip.

"You look just like your father," Jack started.

"I'll take your word, as you know the man better than I do," Nora replied, taking another swig of the liquor.

"Good man," Jack replied.

"So, how in the world are you..."

"The young, handsome man your mother undoubtedly told you about seeing as you recognized me straight away?"

Nora chuckled.

"The Fountain of Youth. Wonderful thing," he launched into an explanation of how he had found it, and his exploits since then.

Nora was staring into the stream, silent.

"So," Jack said, placing his arm around her. "Tell me about yourself."

"There's not much. I've lived with my mother all my life, have done nothing extraordinary, been disallowed from doing anything advantageous or exciting, and sat here on this bank with a pirate from my mother's glory days."

"Sounds tremendously dull."

Nora took another drink, and started to feel her body becoming more relaxed from the alcohol. "It is, though remarkably it isn't."

"You have your mother's tendency to speak in enigmas, Dearie, you'll have to explain that statement," he took another drink, and looked lamentably at the mostly empty bottle of drink.

Nora replied by taking the bottle out of his hand. She stared at it for a few moments, concentrating really hard, and handed it back to him mostly full again.

"That’s interesting..." Jack whispered, studying the bottle.

"I’m able to do some magic without a wand, though admittedly my skills are pretty limited. Mother wouldn’t let me go to the school to learn magic."

Jack seemed to be lost in thought as he took another drink. "And how is your brother?"

"He hates me for being a witch. He doesn’t want me around his family, but he made a promise to my mother to take care of me, so if he wants to live in my mother’s house, he has to deal with me living there." Nora drank again, and went from feeling relaxed to being slightly inebriated. She felt the bitterness she held for her mother for so long become bitterness for her brother. Somehow, in her anger towards her mother for not allowing her to attend Hogwarts, she forgot to be angry at her brother for his sudden decision that she was no longer the sweet sister she had always been, but rather a dangerous witch to be avoided at all costs.

"What if I could offer you an escape?" Jack said, watching her face.

"What, riding off into the sunset on your ship?"

"Exactly."

Nora shook her head. "You are quite as crazy as my mother told me."

"I’m sure your mother told you a lot of things about me, many of them untrue," Jack slid closer to her, and kept his eyes on her face.

"What untruths are you speaking of?"

"What would you like to know?"

"Is it true she killed you with a kiss?" Nora, her inhibitions now gone, lifted her face to Jack’s.

"I swore after it these lips would never touch a Turner again."

"I would hate to make a liar out of you," she smiled.

"I wouldn’t," he nearly growled, and he pressed his lips to hers.

She had never kissed anyone before, but he made her feel good. They pressed themselves together as Jack kissed her more and more passionately. He took over, pushed her to the ground, and pinned her there. They kissed a while longer when he cautiously moved his hand to her breast. She moved to push him off, to tell him he was going to far, but, whether it was the liquor or her need for independence her hand didn’t push him off, but held him closer to her. He realized that she wasn’t going to object to him, and he started fumbling with her clothes.

He had quickly pushed her bodice off, allowing full access to her breasts. He kissed her neck as he massaged each mound , moving more quickly as she moaned at the sensation. He then moved his mouth to her nipple, biting down lightly, causing another load moan. She closed her eyes and felt her senses heighten. She felt the cool grass now pressing on her back. She smelled the rum coming off their breaths. She heard Jack breathing heavily as he worked her breasts hungrily.

He stopped long enough to pull her clothes off her. She was uncomfortable feeling exposed. Jack gazed longingly over her body. She quickly gazed around the forest surrounding them, afraid someone was going to catch them.

"Scared, love?" he murmured, kissing her.

"I'm just feeling a little..." she glanced at her nude body.

"Hesitant, like your mother. Though considerably more buxom." He pulled off his clothes and she quickly forgot her surroundings as she gazed over him.

He pushed her legs open and positioned himself over her. She whimpered as he pushed into her. While it didn't hurt, as Jenny had told her it would, but it was definitely uncomfortable. He either didn't notice her utterance or didn't care, as he continued to thrust into her unabashedly. She bit her lip to keep from crying out again, but soon found the feeling more pleasurable. She started to move her hips with his, which only encouraged the intensity of his movements.

She started to feel her body tense up. Her breathing became more shallow and her back arched into his body. He sensed her getting close, and quickened his thrusts to finish her. Finally her eyes shut, she felt her breath catch in her throat, and her body shuddered as she orgasmed. When she was finally able to open her eyes she saw him looking at her, a satisfied smirk on his face. He continued to drive into her urgently until he climaxed as well. He pulled her to him and kissed her again.

"First time, Dearie?" he panted.

She nodded. "And I plan on doing it again in the future," she said playfully as she pushed him so she was resting over him.

He smiled at her. "Join me on my boat," he said, in somewhat of a demanding tone. She wasn’t willing to say no. They got dressed and walked back to her house, where he lingered outside while she ran in to grab a few of her things.

"Where are you going?" William asked as he watched her hurriedly shove some of her things into a sack.

"Where I no longer have to be a bother to you," she replied.

"What are you talking about?"

"You have made it abundantly clear that you fear for your family’s safety while I am around, so I am going to alleviate your fears and leave."

"Where are you planning on going?" he asked, as she pushed past him and made for the stairs.

"I think that’s hardly your concern. I’ll be back in time for Father’s next visit."

"I promised Mother I’d take care of you. I demand you tell me where you are going and what you’re planning on doing."

She stopped and turned around. "You are in no position to make such a demand of me!"

He looked at her, noticing a love-bite on her neck. "What have you been doing?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. He crossed the room to stand imposingly over her. Marie and the children were standing at the top of the stairs, watching the fight below. "Who gave that to you?" he growled.

"I am old enough to be making my own decisions, William," Nora snapped back. "It’s not like you’ve been that keen to be a part of my life for the last six years. Why start now?" She turned to leave.

"I knew you were no good," William shouted at her back, as her hand rested on the door handle. "Ever since I found out you were a witch," he growled at her hesitation. Nora spun around as gasps from the top of the stairs betrayed the fact that her sister in law and nieces didn’t know of her magical ability. "You are nothing more than a witch and a whore, Nora, and I have no intention of seeing you or our father again!"

Nora stared at him, hatred in her heart. The walls started shaking, and several candles blew out without assistance of even the slightest breeze. There was a loud BANG and William flew backwards into the wall behind him. Marie screamed as Nora rushed out of the door. She grabbed Jack’s hand and they hurried towards the docks.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Nora spent most of her next two years aboard the Black Pearl with Jack and his crew, avoiding the town where she had her fight with her brother. She wasn’t sure what happened when she left, and after what he had said to her he wasn’t sure she cared what happened.

After two years, she developed feelings for Jack, but she wasn’t sure if the feeling was mutual. They slept together on a regular basis, and during those times he professed his love for her, but she wasn’t sure if he meant the words, or if they were just to keep her returning to his bed. There were times where he seemed more interested in the magic she was able to do. He was able to pull ever more crazy and dangerous stunts, with her protection, as whenever her life was in danger the instinctive magic would kick in and she would save not only herself, but the whole ship from certain danger. Once Jack drove the old ship into the heart of a hurricane, nearly capsizing it, but the ship would always right itself. He even picked a fight with a rival pirate ship, just to find that cannon fire couldn’t penetrate the hull, nor could any of the opposing pirates ever manage to board. Jack flattened the other ship for spite, though he never fully explained it to Nora. After a year he had proclaimed the Pearl invincible, and chose the biggest targets with the most possibility. With Nora by his side, he took prize after prize.

Reluctantly he agreed to return to their town so Nora could keep her promise of meeting her father. He forestalled their departure long enough that there was little chance of them returning in time. With Nora on board, however, the already swift boat made almost unbelievable time whenever she felt the need to go faster. They pulled into the port with mere hours to spare. Jack refused to accompany her to the same cliff she had met Will ten years ago, so as the sun was sinking below the horizon she was standing there alone.

Her father showed up with an expectant look on his face, which fell slightly when he saw that the only person awaiting him was Nora.

"Elizabeth?" was the only word he could mutter to his daughter. She felt bitterness surge inside her, but it quickly ebbed. He had seen her for only a few hours in her whole life, they were virtual strangers.

She looked at him and sighed. It was enough for him, and he started sobbing.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

"She got ill." It was enough.

"And your brother?"

"He and I aren’t speaking. I haven’t seen him in nearly two years."

"Where is Elizabeth?"

Nora took his hand and, silently, they strode through the town, into the cemetery, and to Elizabeth’s grave. Will collapsed upon it, sobbing. Nora whispered something about seeing him at the house, and slowly made her way back to her childhood home. She entered it slowly, fearing what she would encounter on the other side of the door.

Her brother sat in the sitting room, a glass of drink in his hand. He looked up at his sister and, seeing who it was, looked back at the fire.

"Where is he?" William asked after a long, tense silence.

"Mother’s grave."

William took a deep breath. "My family is at Marie’s parent’s house. I’m going to join them. You are welcome to stay in our home until Father is gone, and then I expect you to go wherever you’ve been hiding these last two years again. I don’t wish to see you or Father again. You are welcome to come back here only on the days he returns, and then I don’t expect to see you for another ten years. Do you understand?"

Nora nodded. Without a word William strode past her and left the house. Nora poured herself a drink and sat in the kitchen, picking at some bread and fruit she had found.

A few hours later Will rushed into the kitchen, looked at her, and slammed an old chest onto the table. Nora looked at him in confusion.

"Set me free," William gasped.

"What?" Nora replied.

"I need to be with Elizabeth. Please, set me free."

XXXXXXXXXXX

There was a knock at Marie’s parents house. William was awake, worried his father might try to come visit him. He hadn’t expected Nora to keep his location a secret. He sighed, crossed the room, and opened the door, ready to shoo the elder William away.

Nora stood there instead.

"Why are you here, Nora?" he asked curtly.

"Father’s dead," she gasped.

"What do you mean, Father’s dead?"

She pulled her dress down to expose the fresh scar above her heart. William knew in an instant.

"That was incredibly stupid, Nora."

"I have nothing here, William. I’ve lost my mother, my brother isn’t speaking to me, I can’t be around the nieces I love..." William winced at these words "because I’m a witch, the man I’ve been sleeping with for two years is using me for my magical abilities, and I let him because I think I love him. That professor who came, he said I was destined for great things. Maybe this is my great thing."

"You have tied yourself to a ship, to a duty, that you can’t stop doing unless someone relieves you."

"I don’t care, William. I didn’t come here to argue with you. I came to say goodbye."

William nodded. "Come by in ten years, maybe I’ll be ready to talk." With that he closed the door.

Nora walked through the town slowly, thinking of the memories that came with it. She remembered running through the town with Jenny. They had hid out between two buildings not four years ago, where Jenny had confessed that she was pregnant and planning an immediate wedding. While Nora was happy for her good friend, the confession had reminded her about how unpopular she was around the town, despite her beauty.

She eventually made it to the dock. Quietly she climbed aboard the all-black ship, and snuck into the Captains quarters. Curtains appeared on the windows, blocking most of the light from the room. She climbed on top of the sleeping figure of Jack, who awoke with a start.

"Who’s there?" he growled.

"It’s me," she purred into his ear. He immediately turned to light a candle, but she stopped him. She leaned over to kiss him, and he returned it with equal passion. He snaked his hands around her and pulled her close to him, kissing her with more fervor than he had in a while. Slowly he undid her bodice, and pulled it down slightly, kissing wherever it exposed. She moaned in delight, he rarely was so tender with her. Then again she rarely initiated the activities.

She felt his face tracing the outside of her breasts, then his lips gently caressing them. He finished undressing her, and continued to kiss her tenderly. He reached down and cupped her, and she felt herself getting excited at his touch. Her head dropped back and she moaned loudly. She stood, and undressed him. She kissed him again, and then mounted him, moving her hips in a slow circle, delighting in the excited noises escaping him. His hands were shaking as he started massaging her breasts. She became more excited, and started moving faster. He put his hands on her hips, guiding her motions.

They climaxed together, and he gently pushed on her hips as to make her get off him, but she did not budge. She sat astride him, nodded to the room, and all the candles lit.

"Nora, love, what..." he started, smiling at her face, but he stopped short when he noticed the large gash on her chest.

"You didn’t!" he exclaimed, running his hand over it. He recognized the injury immediately.

"I did," she replied quietly. She stood, and started to dress. He laid on the bed, a contemplative look on his face. Then a smile overtook him. A smile Nora knew to mean that he had seen benefit somewhere in the situation, but she didn’t want to know what.

"May I ask why?" he finally asked.

She shrugged. He stood and embraced her. "Will you be here for me?" she whispered as he kissed the back of her neck lightly.

"Ten years from now, right here," he promised. They kissed, and she was gone.

The Plea

They were on a boat, far out on the ocean, and Crabbe was nervous. Lucius had been elusive all week. He had expected punishment from the man attempting to take over for the Dark Lord. He had failed in his mission. He had failed to retrieve Voldemort’s wand from the Ministry. Lucius knew the wand wouldn’t work well for him, but he wanted it for some unknown purpose. Something about giving it to someone who might help him in his quest. Crabbe had been assigned to retrieve the wand from the ministry, but had narrowly escaped Azkaban yet again. Very few Death Eaters had escaped when Voldemort fell, most had to pull every ministry string they could possibly pull, and were treated as outcasts. Many had fled, but were willing to group around a new leader should one rise to their liking. Lucius Malfoy was attempting just that.

That night Lucius had called him for a special mission. He said it involved something that was dangerous, something he only trusted Crabbe to be able to do. Crabbe was a little weary of accepting a mission that might take him away from his son’s grave, as the anniversary of his death was fast approaching. Lucius promised that he would be reunited with his son, but something about the way he said it was unsettling. However, fearing what would happen if he didn’t go, he boarded the boat and allowed himself to be taken out on the open ocean with only Lucius and his son Draco accompanying him.

The boat stopped, and rocked gently with the waves. Lucius stood, grinning at Crabbe. Draco looked away at the cold, black water.

“Crabbe,” Lucius started, venom in his voice. “As you well know, I plan on having a partner in my new rule. A partner who can provide me with a son who will have unbelievable magical powers, but who will also be immortal. Its a little plan the Voldemort had thought up during his reign, but catching the object we need proved trickier than he originally planned. So I am going to have you make sure she comes to me.

“When you die, and die you shall tonight, you will be lost in Davy Jones’ locker. You will be picked up by the ship that takes the souls who are lost at sea and brings them to the next world, the Flying Dutchman. A woman Captains it’s crew, a woman named Nora Turner. She is allowed back to this world but once every ten years, and that time is nearly upon us. When you are picked up by the ship, you must convince her to come to my seaside home. Don’t tell her what it’s for, tell her you want her to come with you to tell your wife that you died for all I care. But get her to come. Your wife is still alive, and you don’t want her joining you too soon, do you?”

Crabbe stood, patting for his wand, his mouth trying to find something, anything to say that might spare his life. Draco shot him a sympathetic look, but quickly looked back away. Shaking, Crabbe looked back at Lucius.

“Avada Kedavra!” came the cold cry, a flash of green light and the world went dark.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The plank hit the bank with a loud bang, and people began to disembark. They practically floated, some crying, most showing no emotion, down the plank and onto the lush green grass on the surface. The stood there, each fearful of being the first to approach the mist, whatever led them away from the ship that had lovingly scooped them up to help them make their final journey across the ocean.

She watched from the helm, almost envying them. She wanted more than anything to walk down that plank, to stride into that mist, to release the shackles that had kept her enslaved for so long. Her crew, most of whom had witnessed the disembarking countless times before, had either gone down below to get some rest before they turned back around to do it again, or were watching in silence as the souls fearfully left the boat behind.

“Captain,” said a man, approaching her, a scared looking man trailing him.

She turned to look at the man who had addressed her, though her eyes, full of sympathy, met the terrified man’s eyes for just a moment. “What is it, Mr. Turner?” she addressed her grandfather formally, as to not show favoritism towards a member of her crew.

“This here be Mr. Crabbe. He’s wanting to join the crew.”

She waved her hand, a gesture Mr. Turner knew meant to leave the Captain to her business. As he walked away, she gestured again to the man, who followed her into her Captain’s quarters. There she sat at the head of a large table, and motioned for him to take the seat to her right. He sat, shaking.

“Mr. Crabbe, was it?” the man nodded. “Why would you like to join my crew?”

“I’m... I’m just not ready to disembark,” he said, his voice trembling.

She nodded knowingly. “I have one or two every trip, Mr. Crabbe. It’s terrifying to think of what’s beyond that mist. The truth is, what’s beyond it is different for everyone. Have you lost a loved one, Mr. Crabbe?”

“Yes, my son died a few years ago in a great battle.”

She smiled at him. “You will see him beyond that mist, Mr. Crabbe. If you join my crew, you will not be able to pass that mist for ninety nine years at least. Do you really want to wait that long?”

“I’m not so sure I’ll see him there. I did some things in my life that might put me in a bad light. I...”

She raised her hand for him to stop. “I don’t need to hear what happened. It’s not my position to judge, Mr. Crabbe. Tell me, is there any other reason you don’t wish to move on?”

“I was talking to some of the crew. They told me you return to the living world once every ten years. I thought I might be able to go tell my wife what happened. I died at sea, somewhere I’m normally not, and I think she has the right to know what happened.”

She pressed her hands together and brought them to her lips, deep in thought. There was a way that she could tell his hesitations for crossing over, but it would require her to invade his mind. It was a skill she had figured out she had one day, and with the permission of some members of her crew, a skill she could now perform quite well. But she very rarely invaded someone‘s mind without their permission, and this didn‘t seem like one of those situations that warranted such a violation. She suspected that his hesitations for moving on were the same as any other soul she stewarded, though they might be stronger.

“Most of my crew do not leave the ship when I return. They know that should they be stranded, the consequences for not being there to do their duty with me are severe. I can offer you something, though. You tell me where you live, and I will go there myself. I will give your wife your message. She will know you aren’t to return. That will allow you to move on in peace.”

“You give your word? You will go tell her yourself?”

“Yes, Mr. Crabbe. I will tell her myself. But only if you move on. I can tell, you wouldn’t want to bind yourself to this ship for nearly a century. Write your address on this paper,” she said, sliding an old piece of parchment and a quill across the scarred table at him.

He gave a nervous smile as he wrote. “You’re right. I really don’t want to.”

She stood, and extended her hand to him. “I wish you the best of luck moving on, Mr. Crabbe. Spend time with your son. I’m sure he misses you.”

He shook her hand enthusiastically, and scurried out of the room. She returned to her chair, looking at the charts in front of her, but not seeing them. She talked many men and women out of joining her crew. Most of the time it was as easy as it was with Mr. Crabbe, they just needed a little reassurance, though his request was unique. People fear moving on, what is going to happen in the world beyond, and they’d much rather stay in a place where they know what was going to happen day after day. For the few who refused, who demanded to join her crew, most were ready to move on after their 99 years were up. She had only had three stay past their 99 throughout her years on the job, and two of them had moved on since then.

Most of her crew were from before her father’s time, back in the time of Davy Jones. She relished hearing the stories, and many were happy to oblige, most in a cautionary tone as to prevent her from making some of the same mistakes he did. He had led with his heart, as she did, but he had lost his mind in anger. He had abandoned the duty she was now performing day in and day out, guiding the souls of those who died at sea to the next life. He stayed in the world of the living, bent on sending as many people as he could to wait for the guide that would never come. He had convinced himself that he had become invincible.

Things went wrong, however, when her father came along. There was a great battle, something the crew told her about many times, the battle that was supposed to kill off the last of the world’s pirates, but something had happened. Davy Jones’ heart was stabbed, and her father took over the duty originally charged to Jones. He had to give up his bride to perform his duty, and he had performed it for thirty years. He had spent less than two days in that thirty years with his daughter.

William and Nora both had reasons to be angry at their mother. Growing up without a father, many people in their town had decided that they were the product of adultery, and treated them so badly that when Nora was eight her mother had packed the family up and moved them to England. Her father had left her a nice house, and a little bit of money, but since she refused to marry any of the suitors who came to call, the rumors started up again.

And then the man had come. The man who was offering Nora an escape. A chance to be with people like herself, a place to belong. And her mother had refused to let her go, and refused to talk of the situation again. While Elizabeth had never spoken of the incident again, Nora was angry at her for years for not allowing her to go to the school, which the man had called Hogwarts. She attempted to learn magic by herself, but had only succeeded in mastering a few small tricks. She dreamed of wands and magic and living among people with the same abilities that she had, but resigned herself to the fact it never was to be.

She had pirated for two years. She had been in battles and had killed men. She had been vicious, fighting without feeling, being saved countless times by her magical abilities. She wasn't fond of fighting, and she despised the fact that she had killed. She had done it for Jack, the man who was able to make her feel like she was a welcome presence.

When she was nineteen her father returned. Her brother had anticipated this reunion, and had taken his family to go visit his wife’s parents for a few days. He had nothing to say to the father who had nearly cost him his station in life.

The elder William was devastated that his beloved wife had died, and could barely talk to the daughter he had met only once before, at first only asking her to take him to his wife’s grave. He had spent most of the night there, while she returned home. He had come back at midday the next day, his eyes red from crying, a determination on his face. He dug through the house for a couple hours, until he re-appeared carrying a large chest. Nora had seen the chest only once before, when she had searched her mother’s closet, but she had thought nothing of it.

William had opened the chest and placed it in front of his daughter. He had begged her to stab the heart within. He said it was the only way he’d be able to see Elizabeth again. At first Nora balked at the idea, but her father had pleaded with her, begged her, and eventually she gave in. He had warned her that she would have to take his place, but she had no idea exactly what that entailed. She stabbed the heart, and watched her father die before her.

And suddenly she was surrounded, as though her captors had come from the walls of the house. Several held her down, and one produced a knife and plunged it into her chest. She closed her eyes and cried in pain, but after a few minutes the pain stopped completely. She looked at her chest to see a large wound over where her heart would be, and she knew immediately what had happened. She stared at the chest, now closed and locked, before her, knowing it now contained her heart. One of her captors informed her she had until the sun went down to get to the Dutchman. She had run as fast as she could to her brother, and told him what had happened. He was still hesitant to speak to her. She had spent time with Jack one last time, wanting to feel physically loved. She was on the ship well before sundown, and once the sun set she set upon the duty she would continue doing for hundreds of years.

She was a fair and kind Captain. Her crew was happy to work hard for her, but she often watched the souls she had guided leave her ship and walk into the mist to the world beyond, and she found herself envious of them. One day she’d be able to move on, but that would be once there was someone willing to take over her task. Her grandfather often offered to do it, but she refused to bind him to her fate.

Her grandfather entered her quarters. “Everyone’s off, Captain.”

She nodded. “Pull up the plank, weigh anchor, lets sail again.”

He nodded and disappeared for a couple minutes. She felt the ship lurch as the sails were let down. They were out for another group of souls. Bootstrap Bill returned to her cabin and sat down next to her. While she tried not to play favorites, her grandfather was understandably closer to her than most of the crew.

“After the next group, you’ll have your day,” he said knowingly.

She smiled. Sometimes she wasn’t as excited to have her day, as she often didn’t see a point to disturb her duties for a day to experience the world of the living, but things were different now that she had a purpose.

“Where will you be going this time?” he asked.

She pulled one of her charts out from the bottom of the stack. She studied the sheet of paper Mr. Crabbe had given her, then studied the map, as if she could see the tiny little house on it. She finally pointed to a spot on the map. “That’s our heading,” she smiled, and she stood to go man the helm of her ship.