Chapter Three
The Loft
We piled inside and I told the driver where to go.
"So where are we staying?" asked Linnea.
"My loft," I said.
Breena smiled and looked at me. I knew what she was thinking.
Back in our years at Hogwarts we had formed a small group, the Marauderettes, and we had moved into a small shack on the school grounds and spent most of our times there. We each had our own little rooms to do with what we liked, and mine was the Loft.
It had been my Loft for the majority of those two years we were in the shack and when we had to leave it broke my heart. I had taken everything from the loft and now it sat in the attic somewhere, lost among the dust.
We pulled up to the large apartment building and I opened the door and let everyone inside. We took the elevator to the top and then arrived at the loft.
"Welcome to the loft," I said, pushing open the door.
They walked inside and looked around.
"No Christmas decorations?" asked Linnea, looking around.
I shook my head.
"It just isn't fun spending Christmas alone," I said.
Hari smiled.
"You think we're leaving you? We're not gunna leave you alone for the holidays!" she said, throwing her arm around my shoulder.
"It's amazing Lex," said Alaina, "How can you afford it?"
"That's another story," I said smiling, "But I'll get to that later."
They set their stuff in a corner and we gather on the couches. I looked around as Hari picked up a picture of Lestat and me.
"You have a dog?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said, raising my voice, "Lestat! C'mere boy!"
There was thunder of paws and then suddenly Lestat sprung onto the couch and licked me. I laughed and pushed him off.
"Guys, this is my dog, Lestat." I said.
Lestat sat down and looked uneasily at everyone in the room. He whimpered slightly and curled up next to me.
"He doesn't really like new people." I said, "He's a right coward if I ever saw one."
Hari petted him and he started to lick her hand and I laughed.
"So what has everyone been up to?" asked Linnea.
"I wanna know what's with you Lex," said Breena.
"Waddya mean Bree?" I asked, looking at her.
"You have a wedding ring on your finger," said Breena, "Something's happened."
My face turned red and I fumbled with the ring. I looked up, Hari grinned widely, and Alaina fumbled with the pictures around us and Linnea's face dropped.
"Lex.you're engaged?" Linnea asked.
I nodded slowly.
"To whom?" asked Hari, her eyes as wide as Sickles.
"Well." I said, "You guys remember Kurt from school?"
"Izyon? The one you could never get enough of?" said Alaina; "He was in Ravenclaw, wasn't he?"
I nodded and Breena nodded slowly.
"Oh, the pale blond one?" asked Breena, "I remember him.very cute."
She grinned and Alaina picked up a picture from off the coffee table.
"Awwww, how cute." she cooed as she handed the picture around.
Breena took it next.
"So how long have you two been dating?" Breena asked.
"Since a year after we graduated from Hogwarts. I was interviewing him for an article about the Quidditch team he was on and we just started seeing a lot of each other." I said smiling, "We moved in here about two years ago, but he had to go to Australia to work for Gringotts."
"He quit Quidditch?" asked Alaina.
I nodded.
"That's a shame. He was always a spectacular Quidditch player," said Alaina, "One of the best on the Ravenclaw team."
"He got injured really badly during a match. I was reporting on it and he got hexed, whacked with bludgers and beater bats and finally thrown from his broom. It was an awful grudge match," I said, "He was at St. Mungo's for at least three weeks.poor thing.I visited him as often as I could. We had been dating for a year when that happened. Soon after he got out he proposed."
"How romantic," said Alaina, smiling.
But Breena didn't seem very interested on the topic of boys, not like she had been when we were third years. We'd coo over boys as they passed in the halls, but she always seemed to be oblivious to that type of thing. She'd secretly say she liked someone, but the words that she did would never cross her lips. And if someone liked her, she wouldn't have the faintest idea of what was going on.
"So how're you doing Linnea?" I asked.
"Okay, I guess," she said, sounding as though absolutely nothing has changed, "I've gotten into the muggle directing business."
"You direct movies?" asked Alaina quickly.
"Yup," said Linnea, sounding rather proud, "Just small films, nothing major yet. During the summers I'm on a Quidditch team, nothing major, just something to do for fun."
"Anyone 'special'," I teased.
"Well.I didn't meet an actor, his name is Aaron Emmendorfer," she said, blushing, "We met on the set of one of the movies. He's so sweet. It's hard for him to relate to me though, cause.well.I haven't really told him I'm a witch."
"WHAT?" exclaimed Breena.
"Well, I mean I've only been dating him for a few months," Linnea blurted out quickly.
"What do you tell him when you disappear for the summer?" asked Hari.
"Well.erm.I tell him I've visiting someone in the US," said Linnea, "Aunt or something."
I rolled my eyes. Linnea hadn't changed a bit. She was always spinning tales of fibs when she could be telling the truth.
"What about you Hari?" asked Alaina.
"Well, ya'll know I've teaching Transfigurations since your 7th year," said Hari, smiling.
"Who could forget? The first day of our 7th year walking into Transfigurations and not taking you seriously. Dumbledore had us in detention for a week," said Alaina grinning.
"But I got married a short time ago." Hari continued.
"What!" exclaimed Breena, staring at Hair, who was now beat red.
"Well, his name is Luke, he's 30, and originally from France," she said smiling, "I was traveling there one summer by myself and I met him when I got lost and asked for directions. I was 23 when I met him and he proposed when I turned 26. We got married a short time ago."
"And none of us were invited?" spat Alaina, looking insulted.
"It was a small ceremony, just his immediate family as well as mine," Hari said quickly, "We didn't want a huge wedding, we wanted it simple."
Breena rolled her eyes and turned to Alaina.
"What about you Alaina?" asked Breena.
"Actually, I've been doing a lot of stuff very similar to Lex," said Alaina smiling, "Only I've been doing freelance stuff and what-not. I actually followed some of your articles for a while."
"The Daily Prophet has actually been very good to me, considering some of the shit they put me through earlier in life," I muttered.
"But your stuff is really good!" encouraged Hari, "I remember when I first read your articles, they were so wonderful!"
"You're always been good at writing," said Breena.
"Yeah, I just wish I had some brains," I said, sighing, "Anyway, what were you saying, Alaina?"
"That's really it," she said, "I have been living with my boyfriend, Daren."
"Daren Austin?" asked Hari, sounding shocked.
"Yeah, why?" asked Alaina, smiling.
"The guy you've been dating since we were in like our fourth year?" asked Linnea.
"Actually we've been dating since our 5th year, but yeah," said Alaina.
"Wow, talk about commitment," I muttered.
"But we just travel and stuff, it's a lot of fun," Alaina said.
"Has he proposed?" asked Hari.
I looked over at Breena, who was scratching Lestat behind the ears and looking blankly at the floor. She didn't seem too intent on join this conversation.
"No, I wish he would though!" Alaina said irritably, "I've been hinting for ages but they just fly over his head. Stupid men."
We all laughed, even Breena. I looked at her.
"So, what about you?" I asked.
"Me? Oh, same old, same old," she said shortly.
"Oh c'mon Bree!" said Hari, "Something has to have happen. We worked together at Hogwarts for three years."
"You were a teacher?" Linnea asked.
Breena nodded.
"I taught Charms for three years, but then I left," she said, "That's when I took to the Ministry. I've been working there ever since."
There was a tone that told them us all that this was all she wanted to say. We kept talking about other things, reflecting on the things that had happened back at Hogwarts. At some point we all got tired and fell asleep.
The Loft
We piled inside and I told the driver where to go.
"So where are we staying?" asked Linnea.
"My loft," I said.
Breena smiled and looked at me. I knew what she was thinking.
Back in our years at Hogwarts we had formed a small group, the Marauderettes, and we had moved into a small shack on the school grounds and spent most of our times there. We each had our own little rooms to do with what we liked, and mine was the Loft.
It had been my Loft for the majority of those two years we were in the shack and when we had to leave it broke my heart. I had taken everything from the loft and now it sat in the attic somewhere, lost among the dust.
We pulled up to the large apartment building and I opened the door and let everyone inside. We took the elevator to the top and then arrived at the loft.
"Welcome to the loft," I said, pushing open the door.
They walked inside and looked around.
"No Christmas decorations?" asked Linnea, looking around.
I shook my head.
"It just isn't fun spending Christmas alone," I said.
Hari smiled.
"You think we're leaving you? We're not gunna leave you alone for the holidays!" she said, throwing her arm around my shoulder.
"It's amazing Lex," said Alaina, "How can you afford it?"
"That's another story," I said smiling, "But I'll get to that later."
They set their stuff in a corner and we gather on the couches. I looked around as Hari picked up a picture of Lestat and me.
"You have a dog?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said, raising my voice, "Lestat! C'mere boy!"
There was thunder of paws and then suddenly Lestat sprung onto the couch and licked me. I laughed and pushed him off.
"Guys, this is my dog, Lestat." I said.
Lestat sat down and looked uneasily at everyone in the room. He whimpered slightly and curled up next to me.
"He doesn't really like new people." I said, "He's a right coward if I ever saw one."
Hari petted him and he started to lick her hand and I laughed.
"So what has everyone been up to?" asked Linnea.
"I wanna know what's with you Lex," said Breena.
"Waddya mean Bree?" I asked, looking at her.
"You have a wedding ring on your finger," said Breena, "Something's happened."
My face turned red and I fumbled with the ring. I looked up, Hari grinned widely, and Alaina fumbled with the pictures around us and Linnea's face dropped.
"Lex.you're engaged?" Linnea asked.
I nodded slowly.
"To whom?" asked Hari, her eyes as wide as Sickles.
"Well." I said, "You guys remember Kurt from school?"
"Izyon? The one you could never get enough of?" said Alaina; "He was in Ravenclaw, wasn't he?"
I nodded and Breena nodded slowly.
"Oh, the pale blond one?" asked Breena, "I remember him.very cute."
She grinned and Alaina picked up a picture from off the coffee table.
"Awwww, how cute." she cooed as she handed the picture around.
Breena took it next.
"So how long have you two been dating?" Breena asked.
"Since a year after we graduated from Hogwarts. I was interviewing him for an article about the Quidditch team he was on and we just started seeing a lot of each other." I said smiling, "We moved in here about two years ago, but he had to go to Australia to work for Gringotts."
"He quit Quidditch?" asked Alaina.
I nodded.
"That's a shame. He was always a spectacular Quidditch player," said Alaina, "One of the best on the Ravenclaw team."
"He got injured really badly during a match. I was reporting on it and he got hexed, whacked with bludgers and beater bats and finally thrown from his broom. It was an awful grudge match," I said, "He was at St. Mungo's for at least three weeks.poor thing.I visited him as often as I could. We had been dating for a year when that happened. Soon after he got out he proposed."
"How romantic," said Alaina, smiling.
But Breena didn't seem very interested on the topic of boys, not like she had been when we were third years. We'd coo over boys as they passed in the halls, but she always seemed to be oblivious to that type of thing. She'd secretly say she liked someone, but the words that she did would never cross her lips. And if someone liked her, she wouldn't have the faintest idea of what was going on.
"So how're you doing Linnea?" I asked.
"Okay, I guess," she said, sounding as though absolutely nothing has changed, "I've gotten into the muggle directing business."
"You direct movies?" asked Alaina quickly.
"Yup," said Linnea, sounding rather proud, "Just small films, nothing major yet. During the summers I'm on a Quidditch team, nothing major, just something to do for fun."
"Anyone 'special'," I teased.
"Well.I didn't meet an actor, his name is Aaron Emmendorfer," she said, blushing, "We met on the set of one of the movies. He's so sweet. It's hard for him to relate to me though, cause.well.I haven't really told him I'm a witch."
"WHAT?" exclaimed Breena.
"Well, I mean I've only been dating him for a few months," Linnea blurted out quickly.
"What do you tell him when you disappear for the summer?" asked Hari.
"Well.erm.I tell him I've visiting someone in the US," said Linnea, "Aunt or something."
I rolled my eyes. Linnea hadn't changed a bit. She was always spinning tales of fibs when she could be telling the truth.
"What about you Hari?" asked Alaina.
"Well, ya'll know I've teaching Transfigurations since your 7th year," said Hari, smiling.
"Who could forget? The first day of our 7th year walking into Transfigurations and not taking you seriously. Dumbledore had us in detention for a week," said Alaina grinning.
"But I got married a short time ago." Hari continued.
"What!" exclaimed Breena, staring at Hair, who was now beat red.
"Well, his name is Luke, he's 30, and originally from France," she said smiling, "I was traveling there one summer by myself and I met him when I got lost and asked for directions. I was 23 when I met him and he proposed when I turned 26. We got married a short time ago."
"And none of us were invited?" spat Alaina, looking insulted.
"It was a small ceremony, just his immediate family as well as mine," Hari said quickly, "We didn't want a huge wedding, we wanted it simple."
Breena rolled her eyes and turned to Alaina.
"What about you Alaina?" asked Breena.
"Actually, I've been doing a lot of stuff very similar to Lex," said Alaina smiling, "Only I've been doing freelance stuff and what-not. I actually followed some of your articles for a while."
"The Daily Prophet has actually been very good to me, considering some of the shit they put me through earlier in life," I muttered.
"But your stuff is really good!" encouraged Hari, "I remember when I first read your articles, they were so wonderful!"
"You're always been good at writing," said Breena.
"Yeah, I just wish I had some brains," I said, sighing, "Anyway, what were you saying, Alaina?"
"That's really it," she said, "I have been living with my boyfriend, Daren."
"Daren Austin?" asked Hari, sounding shocked.
"Yeah, why?" asked Alaina, smiling.
"The guy you've been dating since we were in like our fourth year?" asked Linnea.
"Actually we've been dating since our 5th year, but yeah," said Alaina.
"Wow, talk about commitment," I muttered.
"But we just travel and stuff, it's a lot of fun," Alaina said.
"Has he proposed?" asked Hari.
I looked over at Breena, who was scratching Lestat behind the ears and looking blankly at the floor. She didn't seem too intent on join this conversation.
"No, I wish he would though!" Alaina said irritably, "I've been hinting for ages but they just fly over his head. Stupid men."
We all laughed, even Breena. I looked at her.
"So, what about you?" I asked.
"Me? Oh, same old, same old," she said shortly.
"Oh c'mon Bree!" said Hari, "Something has to have happen. We worked together at Hogwarts for three years."
"You were a teacher?" Linnea asked.
Breena nodded.
"I taught Charms for three years, but then I left," she said, "That's when I took to the Ministry. I've been working there ever since."
There was a tone that told them us all that this was all she wanted to say. We kept talking about other things, reflecting on the things that had happened back at Hogwarts. At some point we all got tired and fell asleep.
