Like any other Saturday, Hogsmade was filled with students.
The Marauders were sitting at their usual table, far from praying eyes, yet somehow near the center.
"Guys, guys. Next Saturday we have a match against the Slytherins and the Saturday after that is Halloween." They were planning their next prank, however time was not on their side. James was scribbling on a piece of paper
"There is also the full moon this week." Remus took the quill from James and added the new information.
"So we don't have too much time. McGonagall will be watching us since the ball is an important event." Peter chimed in while chewing some candy.
"Do you know anything about Edith? She is a prefect from Hufflepuff." He was not allowed to smoke inside, but that didn't stop him from playing with one cigarette.
"Edith? She is in the same year as us, pureblood, prefect, Hufflepuff." Remus shrugged, passing the paper and quill back to James.
"Anything else?" Keeping the cigarette between his fingers, Sirius shifted in place in order to look at Remus.
"Why the sudden interest, Padfoot?" James folded the paper before hiding it in a pocket. "A prefect and a pureblood, nonetheless."
"Remember last week when I was out for a few hours? I met her and she let me go without taking a point. I am curious."
"What?" His brows arched, as he leaned back in his chair, placing the cigarette back in the packet, as his friends looked at him with suspicion.
"Nothing."James laughed it off as he lifted his glass. "So everyone that attends the Halloween ball will be a rainbow?"
"Cheers!" they clinked their glasses in agreement.
"Lily might know more about her, I have seen her talking with her in the library." Remus nugget Sirius, pointing to Lily Evans that just entered the pub.
"Hey, Evans, if you come here, Potter promises that he won't declare his love for the next week." Sirius called out for the redhead, who in turn just sighed before walking to their table.
"That curious? Very well, brother, I will take one for you." Only if he and James were real brothers, life would have been so much easier.
"Yes? When Lily reached their table Peter stood up and brought a chair for her, as James went to order another round of drinks.
"You know Edith." Remus started as she took off her coat and scarf.
"Yeah, Hufflepuff prefect, blonde, green eyes, never feels the cold because she is from Norway." She thanked James when he handed her a glass, before turning back to the conversation. "Why?"
"Sirius is curious about her." James winked at Peter as he answered in place of his friend.
"I assumed that you might know more about her." Sirius added as he hit James under the table. The man just grinned at his friend like he knew something that Sirius didn't.
"Well, ah…. She is nice, she rarely deducts points from students. I haven't heard anything about her being a blood-puritan if that is what you want to know. But, Potter, shouldn't you know more since she is the sister of your captain?"
"Theodor Fossen's sister? That explains some things. Well, he is coming this way and I guess that Edith is with him." James tore a napkin as his crush asked him about his captain. They partied together many times but he could not remember exactly if he spoke about Edith.
"Hey guys, Lily." Theodor shaked hands with them as his sister waved. "This is my sister, Edith. Ditte, these are Sirius Black, James Potter and Peter Petrigrew. I assume that you know Evans and Lupin." Sirius could see the similarities between the two brothers.
"Do you want to take a seat with us?" Sirius offered as soon the introductions were made.
"Yeah, sure. We have a proposition for you anyway." Theodore accepted for both of them, yet his sister had other plans.
"I'll go to smoke, and I will join you in a bit. " She already turned on her heels, preparing to go outside.
"I'll join you." Sirius jumped on his feet, without missing the opportunity of finding out more.
"It's Edith or Ditte?" he asked as she took out her cigarette pack.
"Both, but only a few call me Ditte" The blonde woman was searching through her pockets "Faen! I forgot my lighter"
"Here." With the cigarette between her lips, she leaned forward, as he held his lighter for her. "I was not expecting someone like you to have such a habit."
He observed how she dragged from the cigarette, her eyes closed, a smile on her lips. She exhaled the smoke with ease.
"Someone like me? Do you want to take a walk?" She gestured with her hand behind her.
"Prefect, pureblood, lady." They were walking slowly, passing by pubs, stores and houses, with no direction in mind.
"True, but I only play pretense if I have something to gain." she chuckled as she hit a small rock on the road.
"Won't your boyfriend be mad for walking around with me?" Men were not fond of him hanging out with their girlfriends, and he could not understand why they were involved in a trustless relationship.
"I no longer have a boyfriend. I found a little Ravenclaw helping him with the anatomy of the male body." she threw the remains of her cigarette in a bin, before sitting on a bench. The area was mostly deserted, compared with the center of the town.
"You kept that night only for you. I expected at least some sort of black mail." She was relaxed, playing with a strand of blonde hair that was not kept in the intricate braids that she was wearing.
"We are all humans. I gain no pleasure from destroying your bad boy reputation. I find it refreshing, to an extent. You don't play by the book."
"You talk more like a Slytherin. I thought that Hufflepuff were supposed to be friendly and cute." Together, they were an odd couple, a doll and a beast. A doll with eyes capable of making him feel naked.
"We are loyal and accepting, that is not friendly. Our houses represent what we appreciate more, not our personalities. Because, if that was the case, I am sure that green is wonderful for your complexion." she stood up, walking to him, their bodies were nearly touching "We should go back, they might worry."
"And my brother and I invite you and some other Gryffindors to spend the winter holiday at our home. Theodor probably told the others by now. I will wait for your answer." Her smile was wicked, and he could swear that her smile was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.