Ramble #3: Wow! Its been a while, hasn't it? I've had such severe writer's block as far as this chapter goes. I personally think it could be so much better, but it happens. This is definitely a big turning point chapter and I was hoping it would be a good one. My writing has definitely lacking lately. Anyway, hope you enjoy the new chapter.
Nogard wandered aimlessly through the crowded streets of Hogsmeade. A thick blanket of snow covered the cobblestones beneath her feet. Students bolted around her, completely enthralled in a snowball fight. Refusing to lecture her students for being teenagers, Nogard merely smiled.
The masses of busy people thinned out as she climbed higher and higher, finally coming to a halt at the crest of the large hill. She was completely alone at this point, much to her satisfaction. Nogard seated herself on a nearby rock and stared out at the dilapidated building that loomed in the distance. Snowflakes were falling now, obscuring her view slightly.
She rubbed her hands vigorously together, attempting to warm her frozen fingers. She sat there a every bit of an hour, just staring at the old mansion and reminiscing. One memory in particular, that of her eighteenth birthday, resonated in her mind.
After a while, Nogard rose and made her way back down the hill. She moved passed hoards of students and villagers alike, engrossed in their purchases as they moved from store to store. Nogard entered the Three Broomsticks in search of warmth and refreshment.
She ordered a butterbeer, a beverage she hadn't had in years, and seated herself at a small table near the bar. She sipped the sweet amber liquid, allowing its warmth to melt her frozen body.
"Andromeda," McGonagall's voice greeted as she took a seat beside her colleague.
"Hello, Minerva. How are you?" Nogard replied, flashing a friendly smile.
"I'm quite well. Thank you." She returned the smile. "Why are you in Hogsmeade?"
"Personal sanity check. I needed to get out of the castle. You?"
"I am chaperoning the students today."
"I see. They can drive you pretty nuts, can't they, Minerva?"
"At times, of course, but we were all like that at their age."
"Yeah," Nogard chuckled. "I know I was."
"You went to school with Severus, did you not?"
"Yes, but we didn't exactly get along."
"How so?"
"He and some of my other friends had a mutual loathing for each other. It was a one-sided dislike from him by association. Granted, I may have picked on him once or twice, but not as much as two of my friends did. It was almost a ritual for them."
"I see." McGonagall looked up a the door. "Oh! Here comes one of your former classmates now."
"Pardon?"
Nogard looked up out of curiosity. Her face flushed a ghostly white, and her fingers began to tremble. A tall man was walking toward them as McGonagall gestured for him to join them. His chestnut hair was flecked with a gray that almost matched his hazel eyes. His tired, pallid expression was only brightened by the smile adorning his lips. It was him.