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A trip to Honeydukes was long overdue.
She was running dangerously low on Droobles and dark chocolate, not to mention that stash of Bertie Bott's was long over. So when she saw the notice two weeks back, Kate made a mental list of all the sweets she had to purchase.
"This is a very charming place," Erik commented as they trudged through the snow. "We have a similar little village too, in the valley. Sometimes the High Master allows us to visit it to buy similar things - clothes, sweets, stationery. I in particular have always been fond of the sweet shop - but being someone who puts on weight fairly fast and plays Keeper, my treats are few and far in between."
"Well, I have the metabolism of a hummingbird," she laughed, opening the door to Honeydukes. The shop was stuffed to the brim with students and they somehow managed to exit with a box of dark chocolate and four packs of Bertie Botts', plus two packs of Droobles to last her till the next trip on Valentine's Day. "Do you want to go back to the castle or walk around some more? We have seen almost all of the place, except for Madam Puddifoot's tea shop."
"I would like to visit this place."
"Okay, then." They entered the frilly tea shop, filled with couples and people who wanted to escape the cold. Druella and Abraxas were sitting in a booth, the former laughing at the latter's jokes, while Gemma McKinnon was inhaling the warm vapors of her hot chocolate by the door, hands wrapped around the mug.
"This place is a pink nightmare," Kate muttered, and Erik laughed. "Just look at the amount of lace and embroidery here! And the pink!" He let out a short laugh again, heading for the counter.
"Two of your finest hot chocolates please, good ma'am." Mrs Puddifoot tittered, then waved her wand as the drinks assembled themselves, the two taking the mugs in their hands and standing by a window - there were no empty seats left. "Well, I must head back after this - we have our match with Beauxbatons - will you be attending?"
"I most certainly will." He put his empty mug down.
"I'll take your leave now - thank you for this wonderful tour of this beautiful hamlet." He joined the group of Durmstrangs leaving, and Kate struck up a conversation with Gemma about the play, which had its final practice today.
Hot chocolate finished, Kate was taking a leisurely walk back to the castle when she passed the Hog's Head, something rapidly moving in its dim alley. When she saw the silhouette of a person in the shadows, she pretended to have seen nothing, walking straight ahead.
"Can I borrow a bean?"
"Absolutely not," she replied, moving the bag away from the speaker. The dark haired boy smiled at her, but his expression conveyed her hidden doubt - that he had indeed seen her see him. "You could borrow a piece of chocolate, though." She rifled through the bag, finding the box of chocolate, passing a bar to him as he broke off a chunk and returned it to her.
"Erik?"
"Practice."
"You showed the him the entire village?"
"Even Madam Puddifoot's." He looked mildly surprised.
"I gathered you loathe that place."
"Not her hot chocolate."
"Bought any sugar quills?"
"No - they're nice to look at, pretty nice at first too, but they're better off unused, because I hate leaving them unfinished and they become too sweet to get to the end. Dark chocolate though…" she pointed to the bag, "you can never tire of dark chocolate." He stopped midway, a crooked smile building up on his face - combine that with snow-filled hair, and Tom Riddle was quite the sight to look at.
"No, you cannot," he removed a glove, his bare thumb moving across her lower lip. The heat was welcome against her cold lips, and the contact made her shiver slightly. He skimmed his fingers across her right cheek, thumb still on her mouth. "You're cold."
In that moment, she was frozen to the spot - metaphorically, thank Merlin.
"Which is why I think we should head to the castle," she replied, and he nodded, replacing the glove as they made the walk back in silence.
"Warm up, Summers - can't have the Head Girl dying of hypothermia." He headed towards the staircase, going Merlin knows where.
She went to the third floor classrooms, determined to squeeze in another hour of practice for the play - Walburga and Jennifer were splendidly performing their parts and Orion had practiced the incantations enough times to get the maze and the fountain right on the first try.
The hour up, she decided to go to the library, wondering about what Riddle had been doing in the alley. He wasn't there until I had just walked past, which means he Apparated. But from where?
That question could wait until her Defense Against The Dark Arts homework was over.
The Beauxbatons had put up a fight against the Durmstrang team, but fell short on keeping. The capture of the Snitch was a very close one - Vulchanov and Hamon had been neck to neck, but Hamon's magnificent capture was in vain, and the Durmstrangs won with a 20 point difference.
Now two hours were left till dinner, and she decided to write to her father, although the hope that he would end up reading that letter was bleak - with the Blitz and the fighting in France, no man above 18 had the luxury of calling himself safe and sound.
Dear Father,
Things are good at school - the sister schools from France and Norway are here - Beauxbatons Academy and Durmstrang Academy respectively. To celebrate inter-school unity during this time, we are holding week-long festivities till Christmas, culminating in the scintillating Yule Ball. The schools will leave Hogwarts on Christmas morning, and till then, the Head Boy and me have been asked to overlook the preparations and ensure the events progress smoothly. I don't know if you possess second sight, but thank you for packing Mother's dress for me beforehand for graduation day - it looks ideal for the Ball.
How are you?
I had received word from a friend that the troops are heading to Dunkirk, Belgium. Is that where you are? How are your men? Is Major Timothy's son joining you all, or is the Army sending him somewhere else? I hope you are eating properly - the battlefield and your comrades need all of you with them. They say a second Blitz may happen, although Gemma's father, who is in the RAF, says that it seems highly unlikely because the Luftwaffe seem to have their attentions focused on France.
Do not worry about me - I am completely safe and sound in Hogwarts. Nothing can penetrate the walls of this school as long as those who are loyal to the school stay to defend its honour. The Axis would never be able to find us anyways. Do write back as soon as you can.
Your loving daughter,
Kate
It was hard to put anything more, because all he needed to think of right now was to fulfill his duty to his land, and just come back home - and Gellert Grindelwald came under none of the above categories.
The path to the Owlery was filled with snow, icicles looming threateningly from the roof of the tower. Most of the owls were roosting on the upper beams, some walking around on the ground. She called to a bronze one, a few borrowed Owl Nuts on her outstretched palm. The bird flew down, nipping at the nuts. A few moments later, it extended a foot.
"Thank you so much," she said, the bird taking off after a friendly nip.
There was still an hour and fifteen minutes left until dinner, so Kate decided to wander around the castle - an activity she partook in a couple of times outside of patrol. There were so many secret passages around the castle, and even though she'd discovered three of them, she was pretty sure the school had plenty more hidden in it.
She had often wondered if Hogwarts was sentient, the castle a living entity like the Labyrinth, ever changing and expanding. Which would explain how I had gotten lost a record number of times in fourth and fifth year, because I'm certain that trapdoor behind the statue of the one eyed crone wasn't there before.
A huge group of students passed by, and Kate followed them, heading towards the Great Hall for dinner. The meal passed by in chatter and plans for tomorrow were the only thing on most people's lips, hairstyles and dress robes being fervently discussed.
It all better be go well tomorrow, especially that Ashwinder.
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