Finally broke the 20k word mark, and each chapter now exceeds 2k words on average. I had fun writing this chapter. Hope you'll enjoy reading it too.
"When are you headed to Hogsmeade? I've been meaning to pick up some more Chocolate Frogs: I just need Gwyddien and Cannetella to complete the second series of cards." Scott and I were still in our dormitory, preparing for the rest of the day.
It was a Saturday morning, and the weather was mild. I owed Bell a drink, and planned to settle that debt today.
I contemplated the question, amused as Scott struggled to put on a grey shirt one size too small. "Don't know. Probably in the evening, I'm meeting a friend at the Three Broomsticks. Want to come?"
Scott had finally given up on the shirt and had begun to rummage through his clothing trunk. Voice muffled as he bent over, he asked, "A friend?" The reason why I was meeting Bell was a long story, one which involved my loss of a bet yesterday. That being said, Scott would probably accompany me on the trip, and would probably find out about my appointment.
"Yeah, Bell." After eight Herbology lessons of being in the same group, Scott probably knew her, or at least viewed her as an acquaintance. I awaited a response as he fished out a coin pouch.
He whistled. "Bell, huh? Meeting her at the Three Broomsticks?" The waggle of his eyebrows and his faux-seductive grin looked ridiculous. "Will I see you in your bed tomorrow morning?" He elicited a snort from me.
I played along. "Feel free to come along to chaperone, Scott. I don't think Bell's coming alone: you could probably have dinner with Dobbs. Or is it the other Gryffindor Chasers that you're after? Johnson? Spinnet?" Scott grinned sportingly, his ears a burning shade of red. "Didn't know you were into the athletic kind."
He held up his hands in defeat. "Drop it already, Miles. I'll leave you alone today, then. Probably going to go to Honeyduke's and get back before lunch." Opening his coin pouch, Scott scrutinized its contents. Satisfied he had enough, we headed to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"So the Fire Crab's already scuttling under the fence- Hagrid dives to get it, but the thing turns around. And get this: you know how they spit a stream of fire?" Amused, I took another sip of hot chocolate. Lewis Stimpson paused for a moment, taking in the nods of agreement around the table, before resuming his tale. "This one's trail of flame was spectacular! Had Hagrid not ducked in time, he'd probably have been reduced to ashes by now. But he dives under, and his hair gets the brunt of it instead-"
Scott tapped me lightly on the shoulder. "Bell's leaving the Hall now. Shouldn't you be talking to her now?" I blinked quickly, emptying the contents of my mug before setting it back on the table loudly. "I should." Clambering out of my seat, I dashed in the direction Scott had been pointing at.
"Bell!" She was walking a few meters ahead of me, a group of older Gryffindors between us. If she had heard me, she had shown no reaction. Where was she going? I needed to decide on a time to meet her at the Three Broomsticks today.
"Bell!" I shouted slightly louder. There was still no response. "Katie! Wait up!" The blonde finally faltered mid-step, looking to her right. I jogged up to her.
Tapping her on the shoulder, Bell whipped around. Her suspicion was quickly replaced with one of recognition. Before I could get my words out, two of her companions turned to face me too.
"Bletchley. What do you want?" asked Angelina Johnson. The taller, dark-skinned girl narrowed her eyes at me. Beside her, Alicia Spinnet's hand quickly darted into her pocket: no doubt to ready her wand. Bell took a step towards me, prompting a scowl from Johnson.
Bell's teeth gleamed, her cheerful expression a stark contrast from the belligerence of her friends. "Miles! I couldn't find you during breakfast." Well, me neither. "When do you want to go to Hogsmeade?"
Despite the pointed glares from Spinnet and Johnson, my voice remained level. "We could meet at the Three Broomsticks at six thirty." The food served there was a nice change from the usual dinner fare at the Great Hall. The last carriage back to Hogwarts was at eight, leaving Bell with more than enough time to talk. I would have to catch the six o'clock carriage.
Her eyes twinkled. Before she could mutter her assent, Johnson nudged her in the arm. "Katie! You blew us off to go out with a Slytherin?" She had tried to lower her voice, but the accusation came out as a hiss. Bell didn't seem pleased at the remark, whipping around to stare down Johnson.
Spinnet placed a hand on her shoulder, her calm voice balancing out Johnson's anger. "We're just concerned." She nodded in my direction, and I folded my arms. "He's part of the group that attacked us over a game, Katie. How do you know he can be trusted?" She had a point, but that didn't mean I had to agree with it.
Bell sighed, raking her fingers over her scalp. " know he's a Slytherin, but that doesn't mean he's a bad person... okay?" She got that right. Johnson remained unconvinced, cocking her head to study me. "It's a long story. I'll tell you about it tonight, alright?"
Johnson was finally placated, relaxing her posture. Spinnet occasionally cast a glance at me, but largely accepted Bell's explanation. Grabbing Bell's forearm, she prompted, "Come on now, Katie. We still need to find the twins, Ollie and Harry." Katie nodded absentmindedly.
"Sorry about Angie and Alicia: they're a tad overprotective sometimes." Spinnet smiled awkwardly, and Johnson glared at me. "I'll see you later at six thirty!" With an enthusiastic wave, she beamed at me. I watched as she disappeared around a corner, flanked by the other two Chasers. It was odd how so many of our conversations ended this way.
I arrived at the Three Broomsticks five minutes before I was scheduled to meet Bell. Pushing open the door to the familiar pub, I left my grey windbreaker on a coat rack, then scanned the pub for an empty seat. There was an empty table near the window at the back, which I gladly occupied. Dennis Brunt and Hazel Nettles from Ravenclaw were at the next table, snogging noisily. Averting my eyes from the public display of affection, I pulled out a Chocolate Frog out: a conquest from my earlier stop at Honeydukes.
Bad luck, Scott. The wizard on the card was Bram Stoker, and I was pretty sure Scott already had two of the card. Tucking the scowling portrait of the Muggleborn novelist into my pocket, I chewed on the confectionary. Where was Bell?
The door opened, and I squinted at the figure walking in. It was just a bearded, middle-aged wizard... No, wait. Behind him was Bell, dressed in a maroon jacket. I watched as she shed the outer garment to reveal a plain blouse, before whistling to catch her attention. She perked up upon spotting me, hurriedly sauntering over.
"Miles!" She sidled into the seat opposite me. "Your shirt looks great on you!" I quickly glanced down: a forest green jersey. It had been a gift from Tiffany Salvatrix last year.
"Uh, thanks." What do I say next? Compliment her on the blouse? "Your shoes are nice," Bell had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing, and my cheeks heated up. "Anyway, I think I owe you a drink." I rose to my feet.
"Could you get a glass of Gillywater too? Leanne should be coming over soon." I raised an eyebrow inquisitively, and Bell quickly clarified, "She's over at Maestro's to repair a broken flute."
"I didn't know she played the flute."
She spared a quick gaze outside the window, her eyes darting around the shops. "Leanne and Emma both play musical instruments: it runs in their family, I think."
"Who's Emma?"
"Leanne's sister. She'll be attending Hogwarts next year."
"I see." Bell impatiently drummed her fingers on the table, and I decided to purchase the drinks. I quickly made my way to the counter, counting out nine Sickles and two Knuts. A bored-looking girl accepted the money I deposited in her outstretched palm, nodding at my request. "Would you like your Butterbeer hot or cold?"
What would Bell like? "Warm, I think." The waiter nodded, leaving me to idly observe the pub. Dobbs burst through the door, a thin black case tucked under her arm: her flute.
I watched from a distance as Bell embraced Dobbs affably. She then pointed her thumb in my direction, no doubt indicating the drinks were with me. Leanne looked over, offering a small wave. I nodded at them.
"Your drinks are ready, sir." Three mugs were set on the counter. Gingerly carrying them back to the table, I nearly bumped into a few people on the way back. Fortunately, I managed to set the drinks on the table with only a minimal amount of liquid spilled.
Dobbs cupped her hands around the mug of Gillywater, peering into it approvingly. Bell took a loud sip of her own drink. "You should have asked us for help carrying the drinks." Leanne averted her eyes guiltily.
I blew on the surface of my hot chocolate. "It's not my fault you didn't decide to help." Damn. It didn't sound like I was joking: how was Scott able to pull off sarcasm? The slow shake of Bell's head suggested my words hurt her, but the smile etched on her face told me she felt otherwise.
"The one time us Gryffindors decide to reign in our hero complex..." I chuckled. "Dobbs, I can't believe you let your friend get the better of you."
She pursed her lips, eyes thinning. "Dobbs? I was hoping we'd at least be on first name terms by now. It'd be a nice gesture, even if it's a Slytherin thing to do." It was a Slytherin thing to do.
"Fine, Leanne." A smirk tugged at my lips. I wasn't going to take the first name basis too far, though. "Even if Bell decides to leave all the carrying to me, I was hoping you'd come over."
Leanne spoke up. "I'm sure he doesn't need help doing something as simple as carrying drinks." She smirked at me. "What he might need help with, on the other hand, might be Quidditch." The propagator of the story nodded her head serenely. "I'm sure even Leanne could start tutoring you on how to round corners."
Low blow, Bell. "Hey, my job's just to catch the Quaffle. Look for Potter if you want good flying." Faux hurt creeped into my voice.
Bell tousled her hair. "I was just kidding, Miles. I'm sure you're a good player."
"I am."
A comfortable silence fell over the four of us, occasionally punctuated by a slight cough from Leanne. The fireplace crackled silently: accompanied by the chatter of the nearby tables, the ambiance of the pub ensured the lack of conversation did not become awkward. The hot chocolate warmed my throat, and I was reminded that I had not had dinner yet. A quick wave of my hand summoned a waitress.
"Fish and chips, please: easy on the vinegar." The waitress nodded, turning to my companions. "Anything else?"
"Two beef pasties for me," said Bell.
"Bangers and mash."
Within minutes, the food arrived. My fish was battered crisply, and the chips a tad soggy. Enjoying the aroma of the meal, I bit into a chip. Bell's pasty didn't look half bad.
Dinner was spent enjoyably. First, Bell and Leanne discussed Astronomy: I had never been fond of the subject, but the two of them made it sound far worse than Arithmancy. A few anecdotes about Trelawney's incompetence later, we moved on to the subject of Transfiguration: something all of us at least took. It seemed Bell and I had the shared experience of barely scraping by in the class: while Leanne was slightly better, she wasn't exceptional either. We at least agreed McGonagall was competent and caring, unlike some other staff. I decided to save my recounting of a particularly unpleasant incident involving Filch for another time.
We moved onto subjects other than school: Bell struck up a brief discussion on competitive Quidditch: I was probably one of the only few people in Hogwarts who supported the Wigtown Wanderers. I answered a few questions about my Nimbus 2001, and Bell shared her first time flying on a broom. Leanne added in a few comments: she had probably heard the stories a few times. She didn't have much to say about the sport itself, though.
Each of us talked about what we planned to do over the summer holidays: Bell would be back in Muggle London with her parents, but planned to play or watch the occasional game of Quidditch. Leanne and her sister would spend summer at their family home near Devon: nothing spectacular. I would be returning to the family villa to spend time with my mother. All of us agreed we would be visiting the Quidditch World Cup, though. Between forkfuls of food, we made agreements to sit together at the games.
I had learned a lot about the others today. Bell was practically a muggleborn: her mother was a muggleborn Quidditch coach, who had married a muggle. She took Astronomy and Muggle Studies as her electives, was proficient at Herbology and Transfiguration and feared snakes. Leanne and Emma were both half-bloods: their father was a pureblood who had married a half-blood. Leanne didn't like bats. Leanne also revealed that she had been friends with Bell since their first year, in exchange for my explanation about my first proper meeting with Bell.
Of course, the conversation wasn't entirely one-sided. During our discussion about Boggarts, I had also let slip I feared my father: in a way, it was true, but I deflected attention from my own family history by recounting some particularly tales that had occurred in the Slytherin common room over the past year.
The meeting lifted everyone's spirits: by the time the three of us clambered into a carriage at eight, Bell had a radiant glow about her, and Leanne's normally tired look had been replaced by a gleam in her eyes. Even I wore a stupid grin as we distanced ourself from the village of Hogsmeade and the castle grew close.
As I promised, the updates will be lengthier. I kinda realized I rely a tad too much on the same phrases to describe dialogue or actions, any ideas how I can switch it up?