It was the last day of the Christmas break. Mína's roommates had all returned and were excitedly catching up with one another, spilling every detail of their holidays. Safe to say, Mína was not welcome to join them. She decided to leave them to their ridiculous rambling and go for a walk out in the crisp January air.
There was a crowd of people gathered in the entrance hall, stragglers coming from Hogsmeade station being reunited with friends and chatting happily. But Mína did not have to try hard to push her way through the masses – once she had been spotted by a handful of pupils, a path soon cleared for her to walk through. That is, until this path was suddenly blocked by a scruffy boy with pillar box red hair.
"Hey, Mína! Enjoyed your holidays?"
Teddy Lupin. Of course.
"Yes. Excuse me please."
"If you're heading for the doors I hope you realise you can't go outside,"
She glared at him, and let out a frustrated sigh.
"And why is that?"
"Haven't you looked out a window today mate? Snow's coming down fast. We almost thought the train wasn't going to make it into the station. Everyone had to get special transport back to the school."
Again Mína sighed.
"The cold doesn't bother me, I'll be fine,"
"Mína, no one's allowed to go out. We're all house bound until this clears up. And from what I've heard about the Scottish weather, that could take a while."
"Don't be absurd, they can't lock us in here."
"Couple of fourth year Griffindors already tried sneaking out, they've got this place sealed tight."
"Well that's just perfect, isn't it?"
"Sorry, that's the way it goes. The man says we stay, so we stay." The man? What man? Was he talking about Filch? "Why you so bent on getting outside anyway? You got cabin fever or something?"
"More like an intolerance for what's inside. Or rather, who."
"Meow." Mína looked at Teddy in utter bewilderment. He was, by far, the most bizarre person she had ever come across, always coming out with such strange things. "Well, since your plans have been cancelled and your schedule has suddenly been blown wide open, do you fancy chumming me for lunch? I'm starved!"
"Why are you so determined to have me in your company?" The words left Mína's lips before she had time to stop them. She was suspicious of Teddy's interest in her, and now she had drawn attention to this. But without a moments' hesitation, he answered her in a soft voice.
"I just don't like the idea of someone feeling excluded. Some people like being alone, I get that. But I'd hate to think of someone feeling lonely. So I'll keep offering, because one of these days you might decide that you would like some company, and I don't want you to be scared of being "too late" to ask me for it."
Mína turned over his words in her head. He seemed so… genuine. Why would he care about her feelings? Surely he was lying. He only wanted to be close to her so that he could learn her secrets. Or foil her plans.
"So, lunch?" Teddy's words broke the silence and dragged Mína out of her thoughts.
"I have somewhere to be."
"I thought that somewhere was outside? Which is a somewhere you're not able to get to,"
"It's really none of your concern."
"True… Hope it works out for you," And with those words Teddy stepped aside, allowing Mína to pass him. She headed up the marble staircase and towards the familiar first floor bathroom. This may be her last opportunity to visit her chamber for quite some time, and so she would go there to clear her head – something she found herself having to do ever more frequently, the more time she spent with Teddy Lupin.