A lot of this chapter is based off my relationship with my real life best friend and how we deal with our long-distance relationship. We do communicate like Victoria and Jeremiah do in this chapter (except with text messages, not owls LOL!)

Chapter 6-Hogmeade

The entire common room was deserted by the time Victoria had finished her homework. Aside from the glow of the fire there was little light in the room. She knew it was late and idly wondered what Jeremiah was doing and if he would remember to use the mirror like he had promised.

Just as she was thinking this the mirror, which was still on the table where she was working began to glow and as she picked it up Jeremiah's smiling face appeared.

"Bit late over there, isn't it?" Victoria asked as she picked up the mirror.

Within the small frame Jeremiah shrugged.

"It's dinner time, so not too late." He answered, before peering into the mirror. "I should be asking you that, isn't it past midnight there?"

"I was up…" Victoria replied vaguely, "I was finishing my homework."

"That busy, huh?" Jeremiah asked.

Victoria laughed.

"You better believe it." She paused, "I wish you were here about, Potions hasn't been the same without you."

The talk turned to their individual schoolwork and discussing History of Magic in general since they were both writing an essay on a similar topic, but after a while Victoria turned to the other reason for her call.

"Do you think you'll be able to come to Hogsmeade?" She asked, "They usually have weekends a couple of times a month."

"Maybe," Jeremiah replied, "I have to ask my parents about a portkey… But definitely over the holidays, I promise."

Finally Victoria did go to bed, promising Jeremiah she would send him an owl with the date of the next Hogsmeade weekend. As she got ready for bed, she turned her attention to the picture of herself and Jeremiah but she kept on her nightstand.

The picture had been taken the previous year outside the Institute. She and Jeremiah had been sitting under a tree when someone had snapped the picture. They were grinning into the camera their arms around each other. A lot of people had thought they were dating and she was sure if Jeremiah went to Hogwarts it would be no different. She looked once again at their smiling faces before turning out the light, a smile on her face.

Over the next month the weather got progressively cooler, while it had yet to snow, it had gotten cold enough Victoria had to spend most of her time wearing a cloak over her robes. It was the second to last week in September when Victoria finally got word out to Jeremiah about the Hogsmeade weekend, to which he replied to the following morning.

Victoria-

Talked to my parents about taking the portkey for October 6… My brother is working in the area that weekend so I'm coming over with him. They did say, however, we're most likely looking to book another international portkey sometime around Christmas-I'll definitely see you then.

Jeremiah

After reading the note Victoria couldn't stop smiling, it was the best news she had gotten in a while. She hadn't seen Jeremiah in person since before she had left in June.

"What are you so happy about?" Laura asked as they ate lunch before their afternoon classes on Friday.

"My best friend from America is coming into Hogsmeade in October. He's coming over with his brother who works in the Auror department, who has some international work to do."

"Brilliant!" Laura said with a smile, "I always see you talking to that two-way mirror… I guess you really miss him a lot."

Victoria nodded.

"I do."

Jeremiah and his brother came into Hogsmeade early the morning of October 6. That morning, he sent a brief note with a ruffled looking barn owl letting Victoria know he had arrived.

Victoria-

Sending this with my brother's owl, D'Angelo, and he's the only one I have right now. I didn't bring my own owl with me since I was only going to be gone for a couple of days.

This made sense, Jeremiah had a snowy owl Einstein, named after a famous Muggle scientist. Victoria usually only saw Einstein if she and Jeremiah were planning to meet and he was sending the message, but most of his news had come with Alastair. She continued reading.

We arrived pretty early this morning after Jason got word about his assignment, we're staying at the Hogsmeade inn until Sunday.

See you later,

Jeremiah

Victoria hurried through her breakfast before dashing back up to her dorm (although she wasn't quite sure how quickly you could dash flying a broomstick up a staircase) and retrieved her cloak, a hat and a scarf before joining Laura in the entryway of the castle.

Filch, the caretaker, who Victoria had been told to avoid, was checking off names on a long piece of parchment. She impatiently waited until he gave her and Laura a curt nod before allowing them to walk out of the castle and off the grounds.

On a whim, Victoria had shoved her two-way mirror in her jeans pocket, and was somewhat startled when it began to vibrate. Holding her broomstick with one hand, which was drifting lazily next to Laura, she reached into her pocket, knowing it was Jeremiah.

"Hey," she greeted, "long time no see."

Jeremiah grinned, his bright eyes twinkling.

"Meet me in The 3 Broomsticks," he laughed quietly, "almost forgot to tell you where to meet; I only remembered after I sent D'Angelo off this morning."

"Yeah alright." Victoria replied, "I'll see you in a bit, right now I've got a broomstick to fly." She disconnected the call.

When she reached what she figured was The 3 Broomsticks Jeremiah was waiting outside for her. He was wearing his cloak and had his hands in his jeans pockets.

As she and Laura drew close and the Firebolt coasted to a stop Victoria made the introductions.

"Jeremiah, this is Laura Scrimgour, she's in my year… We met when we first started the term. Laura, this is my friend Jeremiah Knott."

Jeremiah nodded.

"Nice to meet you."

The three of them got a table at The 3 Broomsticks, but after a while Victoria could tell Laura felt out of place and she left, making her apologies saying she was going over to the joke shop across the road and would meet up with them later. Meanwhile, she and Jeremiah ordered a couple of butter beers and things fell into the old pattern they had when they had been at school together, talking about everything from potions homework to how the school Quidditch teams were doing that year.

"We just had tryouts a couple of weeks ago," Jeremiah said, "the Chasers are decent but the Seeker and the Beaters, suck; Rebecca Hopefield couldn't hit the broadside of a barn." He looked momentarily disgusted. "The Keeper isn't too bad though." Jeremiah wasn't one for sports, but I knew he kept up with Quidditch just so we had something to talk about.

"The House teams are good enough, at least that's what I've heard from other students." Victoria replied, "I'm actually thinking of trying out, either for Chaser or Seeker; at least I have the broom for it."

"Yeah, I saw that." Jeremiah replied with a smile, "Nice Firebolt, all the models after 1999 were all so much cleaner, Jason says turning radius of the Firebolt 2000 is incredible… From what I've heard."

I nodded.

"Yeah, I've only flown it outside a couple of times, I'll probably fly more when the weather gets nicer in the spring. The only thing it sucks at turning in a bathroom."

Then Victoria began to tell him about The Room of Requirements and what she was using it for. His expression alternated between surprise and looking impressed.

Afterwards they migrated towards the direction of Honeydukes sweetshop. The shop was enormous and it didn't take long for the two of them to come out with bags and bags of candy.

It was almost 3 o'clock by then and Victoria didn't realize how long they had been talking.

"Hey I have to head back and find Laura," Victoria finally cut in, "I'll do homework for a little bit before going down for dinner."

Jeremiah nodded and reached over to give her an awkward sideways hug.

"I'll see you at Christmas." Victoria mumbled into his shoulder.

"See you at Christmas." Jeremiah replied.

"I'll write you and tell you about Quidditch and the school tryouts." She promised.

Jeremiah looked momentarily serious.

"Look, don't stress too much about Potions, if you need any help over the holidays I'll help you then, okay."

Victoria smiled gratefully.

"Thanks." She smiled into his eyes one last time, as if she were trying to imprint everything about his face on her mind.

They said another quick goodbye before they parted ways and Victoria went in search of Laura.