Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters belong to J.K. Rowling. They are used without permission, and no money is being made from this story. All original characters are my creation.
Lessons Taught, Lessons Learned
Chapter Six: The Date
"Well," Patrick said putting his fork down dramatically, "No sense in us going our separate ways only to have to come back and meet at the entrance in ten minutes. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready," Trista replied.
Trista gave her permission form to Mr. Filch and she and Patrick started on their way to Hogsmeade. Trista remembered walking from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts when she first came, but she didn't remember the walk being quite so long. It felt like twenty minutes had passed before they finally reached Hogsmeade.
"So, we have a couple of hours until I have to consult about my costume," Patrick said checking his watch, "Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know," Trista replied, "Why don't we look in the shops."
"Honeydukes it is!" Patrick exclaimed and started walking down the street.
"But you just ate," Trista pointed out, "Why are we going to the candy shop first?"
"Trista, Trista, Trista," Patrick said in a manner of someone explaining something to a child, "There's always room for candy. Besides, who says we have to eat it now?"
Trista shook her head and sighed, but she walked with Patrick to Honeydukes. When they reached the candy shop, the saw that it looked like every Hogwarts student that had come to Hogsmeade had crammed themselves inside. Trista started to suggest that they go somewhere else first, but Patrick insisted it would be fine and they fought their way inside.
"Come on," Patrick said, taking Trista's hand and pulling her through the crowd with him, "The sugar quills are back here!"
"Is that all we came here for?" Trista asked, "Sugar quills?"
"Of course not! We also came for the licorice wands, the chocoballs, the chocolate frogs, the jelly slugs, and, of course, the peppermint toads," Patrick replied.
"Oh, of course. How silly of me," Trista said.
Patrick loaded his arms with sweets, and then they went to the front to pay. Trista had looked at everything, but she ended up not buying anything. Perhaps if she didn't find anything in other shops, she'd come back and buy candy, but for now, she'd put it off.
When they left the candy shop, Patrick was carrying two bags. He asked Trista where she wanted to go next, and she suggested Scrivenshaft's because she wanted to buy her mother a nice new quill for Christmas.
"Mum likes collecting nice quills," she explained as they went into the shop, which wasn't crowded at all.
Trista found a beautiful Chilean Flamingo quill and a pot of golden ink, which she bought for one galleon, two sickles, and five knuts. The shop keeper was a kind old witch who wrapped up Trista's purchases with a flick of her wand.
When they left Scrivenshaft's, they visited the other stores until it was nearly two when they had to go down to Madam Malkin's for Patrick's costume consultation.
"What do you think I should go as?" Patrick asked.
"I don't know," Trista replied, "What do you want to go as?"
"A heroic hero!" Patrick joked, standing up tall and sticking his chest out.
Trista giggled, "Well, whatever you choose, don't do that anymore!" she said. "I'm going to run and use the bathroom while you go in."
"You'll come back, right?" Patrick asked. He actually sounded slightly worried she might not.
"I'll come back," Trista promised, "I'll be waiting out here when you're done."
"Okay, 'cause I was thinking after I finish here, we could go to the Three Broomsticks and, you know, talk until it's your turn," Patrick said. His joking manner was nowhere to be found. For the first time that day, he sounded nervous.
"That sounds nice," Trista replied, turning away, "I'll meet you out here!"
Trista went into the first shop she saw that wasn't crowded with students and asked to use the bathroom. Once inside, she locked the door and took off her robes. Her wings were still bound behind her securely. Trista reached around to her back and grasped at her wings until she found a loose feather and plucked it out. She knew she would need this to help with her costume idea.
After that, she pulled her robes back on and put the feather in her pocket. Then, she picked up her bags and left the bathroom. On her way out, she thanked the shop owner and headed back to Madam Malkin's.
She waited outside Madam Malkin's for another ten minutes before Patrick emerged grinning from ear to ear.
"Make a decision then?" Trista asked.
"Oh yes," Patrick replied.
"What did you pick?" Trista asked.
"That's a surprise," Patrick replied and changed the subject, "Let's go to the Three Broomsticks."
They went down the street to the Three Broomsticks, which was crowded with students just like Honeydukes and Zonko's had been. They found a table and Patrick ordered each of them a butterbeer when Rosmerta came around to them.
It was while they waited for their drinks that they suddenly found themselves at a loss for things to say. Now it was starting to feel like a real date whereas before, it felt more like they were just two people hanging out and having fun. Trista hoped the drinks arrived soon so she would have something to do with her hands.
"So," Patrick began. He was looking around the pub as though he was hoping a topic of discussion would appear before him.
"So," Trista repeated, "Umm, are your parents…"
"They're Muggles," Patrick replied.
"Oh. Mine are both magic," Trista replied, "But Mum's a half-blood. Grandma Phae married a Muggle man, Kenneth Davis."
"I see," Patrick replied, "I'm the first magical person ever in my whole family. Mum's a jewelry designer and Dad runs a computer store."
"Computer?" Trista asked confused.
"Oh, it's a device Muggles use," Patrick explained. He went into slight detail explaining the main component of a computer and its uses including the internet and email.
"So, email is like owl post only faster?" Trista asked, hoping she had the concept right.
"It's practically instant," Patrick replied, and then added, "And a lot less messy."
"I imagine so!" Trista replied and laughed. "No birds making a mess everywhere with one of those computers!"
"That's right," Patrick replied and laughed along with her.
By that time, their drinks had finally arrived, and the awkward feeling that had overcome both of them was gone. While they drank, they continued to talk and get to know each other. They touched on subjects ranging from their classes and homework to their individual home lives. Trista learned that Patrick had younger twin sisters named Hannah and Haley, and she told Patrick about being home-schooled by her great-great-grandfather.
"Was it odd? I mean, being taught by a portrait?" Patrick asked.
"Well, it was the only method of being taught that I knew," Trista replied. "So, it wasn't really odd for me."
"Hogwarts must've been odd at first then," Patrick guessed.
"Not really, no," Trista replied. "Mum and Dad told me what to expect."
"I see," Patrick replied and grinned, "Well then, I'm glad you're adjusting well."
Before they realized it, it was time for them to head back to Madam Malkin's for Trista's costume consult. Trista started to pull out money for her drink, but Patrick insisted on paying. She waited for him to settle the bill, and then the two of them headed back outside.
"What are you going as?" Patrick asked as they walked.
"It's a secret," Trista replied smiling.
Patrick promised to wait for Trista outside the shop while she had her consult. Trista hurried into the shop and a witch who was seated at a small table waved her over. Trista sat in the chair across from the witch who then made a curtain appear around them so that they could discuss Trista's costume in private.
"Your name?" the witch asked.
"Trista Nott," Trista replied.
"Mm-hmm," the witch hummed as she jotted down Trista's name. "And what sort of costume were you thinking of?"
Trista reached into her pocket and pulled out the feather from her wings. She held it up and said, "Can you make a dress that matches this?"
"What an unusual color," the witch said, "May I see it?"
"Sure," Trista replied and handed the feather to the witch.
"Well," the witch said, "What sort of dress were you wanting?"
"Since it's a ball, I was thinking something like a ball gown," Trista replied.
The witch picked up her wand and tapped the feather. Then, she waved her wand around so fast that it took Trista a moment to realize that she was actually sketching out a design in midair. The wand must have copied the color of her feather, because it was drawing in that color.
"There, how does that look?" the witch asked when she was finished.
"That's perfect!" Trista gushed.
"Wonderful," the witch replied, "Will you excuse me for just a moment?"
"Okay," Trista replied.
The witch left and returned a few moments later carrying a small box. After she sat down, she opened the box. Inside were tiny crystal beads in two separate compartments. One compartment had pink beads that were just a shade or two darker than the feather, and the other had white beats.
"If you'd like, we can work these into your dress. I think they'd go nicely," the witch said.
"Ooh, yes," Trista replied.
"Good, good! Now then, if you're just going to wear a ball gown, you might consider a masquerade mask to go with it," the witch suggested.
As she spoke, she set down the feather and sprinkled a few of the pink and white beads on it. Then, she tapped it with her wand transfiguring it into a simple yet elegant Venetian eye mask. It was the same color as the feathers, and it was trimmed along the edges with tiny downy feathers. The beads had formed an intricate design up the bridge of the nose and across the brow bone.
"There now, what do you think?" the witch asked, holding up the mask for Trista to see.
"I…it's beautiful!" Trista gushed.
"I'm glad you think so," the witch replied and handed the mask to Trista. "Your costume gown will go well with this mask. It will be sent to you in approximately two weeks. If you'll take this receipt to the witch at the front, you can pay there."
"Can I keep the mask now?" Trista asked, hoping that the witch would say yes.
"Of course," the witch replied, "It's a little something to help you look forward to your costume."
"Thank you," Trista replied.
Trista paid for her costume and the mask and headed outside to find Patrick. As she looked for him, she slid the mask into her pocket to keep it hidden. She did want to her costume secret too, after all.
When she spotted Patrick, she hurried over to him grinning much like he did. While she was consulting about her costume, he had gone into the Three Broomsticks again and ordered each of them a large sweet roll and a bottle of butterbeer. Trista took what Patrick offered to her gratefully; she hadn't realized she was so hungry until she saw the food.
"Did you get your costume all worked out?" Patrick asked as they ate and walked.
"Yes," Trista replied.
"And…?" Patrick prompted her.
"And what?" Trista asked.
"What's your costume?" Patrick asked.
"That's a secret," Trista replied.
Patrick grinned at Trista and took the last bite of his sweet roll. He washed it down with the last drink from his butterbeer and waited for Trista to finish before he spoke again.
"Umm, Trista?" Patrick asked. Suddenly he sounded nervous again.
"Yeah?" Trista replied.
"Well, I had a good time with you today," Patrick began.
"I had a good time too," Trista cut in. "Sorry, go on."
"I really did," Patrick reiterated, "I had a really good time. So, I was wondering if you'd…maybe…like to go to the Halloween Ball with me?"
Trista looked at Patrick while she considered. After a moment, she smiled, "Sure, that sounds great," she said.
Patrick grinned and looked somewhat relieved. They decided that it was a good time to head back to Hogwarts. On the walk back, they held hands.
