I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Extended Family
Chapter 107 – Happier than a Hog in 'Smeade
Takes place at the beginning of Harry's fourth year, after chapter 78 of Family.
"Oh hey, first Hogsmeade trip is this weekend," Alicia said, looking at the board in the Gryffindor common room.
"Oh good, might as well make a day of it," Angelina said. "Since no Quidditch to practice for." She huffed and shook her head.
"It sure is sad," Alicia said, sounding anything but sad. She snickered at Angelina's look. "I'll get the first round at the Three Broomsticks, okay?"
"Fine," Angelina sighed. "Katie, you coming with us?"
"I want to study a bit for O.W.L.s," Katie said thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll wake up early and study till lunchtime, then meet you at the Broomsticks?"
"That will be good, get some good studying done and then enjoy the afternoon and evening," Alicia said.
"You said you'd get me candy!" Lyla cried.
"I'll get it in the afternoon!" Katie replied.
"But all the good candy will be gone!"
"You don't know that," Katie sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Harry, will you please get me candy before it's all gone?" Lyla pleaded, flinging herself onto him and looking at him with huge eyes.
"Hey! Don't pester him like that!" Katie chided, growling when Lyla stuck her tongue out at her.
"I suppose I could," Harry chuckled.
"Don't feel compelled to spoil her," Katie sighed again.
"But she looks so sad when I don't."
"You're such a brat," Katie hissed at Lyla.
"Oh hey, this will be your first time going to Hogsmeade," Angelina said. "We can show you around!"
"Well, actually-" Harry began.
"First official and rule-abiding time," Alicia said loudly, giving him a look. "And that will be fun. We can show you the best stores and explore."
"Yeah, that does sound like fun!" He patted Lyla's back. "Don't worry, we'll go get candy first."
"Don't worry, we'll get you candy too before it's all gone," Angelina said, patting Katie on the back. She, Alicia, and Harry howled with laughter at the remarkably similar looks of indignation on Katie's and Lyla's faces.
-0-
"Don't we want to go early to beat the crowd?" Harry asked. He, Angelina, and Alicia descended the steps into the foyer of the school.
"I've learned that there's no real best time to go," Alicia said. "There're always people that go later because they do not want to get up early on a Saturday. Plenty of people want to go early to beat the crowd which results in a big crowd waiting to leave the gate and get on the carriages. Mid-morning during breakfast is usually a good time, I've found."
"If the weather's nasty then you can sort of guess based on how it is at the moment," Angelina said. "Like if there's a lull then people scramble to leave while it's like that. When it's pouring or snowing, you can go whenever. You'll get drenched or frosted of course."
They waited for Filch to check them off against the list of students with permission and then walked out of the massive iron-wrought gates. "Want to walk or take a carriage?" Angelina asked.
"Weather's nice enough to walk and might as well get a bit of exercise," Harry said, enjoying the sunshine and cool breeze.
"What is the matter with you two?" Alicia huffed. "It's the weekend. You shouldn't exercise on the weekend."
"Come on grumpy," Angelina grinned and gently pushed Alicia along the path.
"Your face," Alicia grumbled grumpily.
"We have to get it somehow, without regular practices," Harry said.
"I suppose," Alicia sighed.
"Will your chances for the League be hurt?" Harry asked Angelina, concern written plainly on his face.
"I was worried," Angelina admitted. "But thankfully McGonagall arranged for the ones that are most serious about going for the League to go to a camp thing. She and Dumbledore made a deal with the League scouts and they're hosting a camp thing for us to play and do some stuff at."
"That was nice of them," Alicia said. "It's good that they're doing that."
"Yeah. There's a few seventh years that really need it too," Angelina said. "I still don't understand why we can't still have the Inter-House League this year, even with the Triwizard."
"It doesn't make sense to me either," Alicia admitted.
"I guess they might be using the pitch for stuff for it," Harry mused. "Are you still going to enter?"
"Yeah," Angelina said. "It'll be really cool if I become Champion."
"Are the tits still going to try?" Alicia asked.
"Who knows," Angelina snorted. "You know how they are, being told they can't is more of a reason to try than any other really."
"They think they can get past whatever Dumbledore is doing?" Harry asked. "That's a dumb question, of course they do."
"If any could, it would be them," Alicia sighed. "Don't tell them I said that."
Harry looked around Hogsmeade Village with wonder. His one visit last year was during the winter and he had entered via a secret underground passage under his invisibility cloak. Walking through the main entrance into Hogsmeade proper was very different.
The main street running through the village was wide and clean. The storefronts were bright and cheery, openly showcasing magic for all to see. The majority of people in the streets were students but plenty of people were strangers to him, the usual residents of the village as well as visitors from elsewhere. Side streets branched off the main street and he could see other buildings and homes where the side streets led away.
"It's really nice here," he said, "it feels pleasant."
"It really does," Angelina agreed. "It's pretty in all weather. Even when it's raining or storming, it's comfy here."
"How old is it?" Harry asked.
"Established in the 1700s," Alicia said. "Shortly after the school was started. Magical families slowly started drifting here for protection and companionship and it's one of the larger completely magical communities in the UK. One of the goblin rebellions happened here."
She sighed and gave her two friends a look. "Honestly, do neither of you pay attention in History?"
"No," they said together and high-fived one another, making Alicia snort.
"Where to first, Rabbit?" Angelina asked.
"Better go get the candy first," Harry smiled. "Don't want to disappoint the Bells."
"To Honeydukes!" Angelina said happily.
The candy store was a delight. The colors within were bright and cheery and while Harry saw some of the selections last time, he had to defend his presence to Ron and Hermione while trying to not stick out. Now he could wander the store slowly and take in the sights and smells. "Oh gross," he said, making a face, "are these actually made with blood?"
"I believe so," Alicia said, her face also twisted with distaste at the bloody suckers for blood suckers. "I never wanted to try it myself."
"Ooooh they got a new type of truffle," Angelina said. "Surprise truffles, fillings that change while you eat them."
"As long as they don't change into real truffles," Alicia said, looking at the box with interest. "Chocolate mushrooms does not appeal."
"Hey Rabbit! Look at the sugar quills!"
Harry's eyes lit up. "That one is two feet long! I want it. Oh hey Alicia look, they have more of the chocolate accessories."
"Those were very good," Alicia smiled.
"You gave Alicia chocolate and not me?" Angelina pouted.
"That was last year when she came back early during holiday. You weren't back yet," Harry said.
"And he loves me more," Alicia said smugly. She shrieked when Angelina kicked her in the rear. They eventually left the candy shop, well laden. "That is a lot of candy, baby bird."
"Most isn't for me," Harry laughed. "These are for Lyla, these are for Katie. These are for Mirabelle and these are for Luna. I got the sugar quills for me and this is for Angelina."
Angelina laughed. "Aww, thanks Rabbit." She took the chocolate accessories box from him. "I'm going to see what I can nibble on during class with these."
"I can't believe you got the gargantuan sugar quill," Alicia snorted. "I mean, I can believe it. Can you even finish that in one sitting?"
"I'm going to try," Harry smiled. "Where to next?"
"I could use some more nibs and a different quill. Let's go to Scrivenshafts," Alicia said. She led them to the next store. It was a lot more quiet than the candy store, as one would expect. Harry liked the cool and quiet interior. There were thousands of different kinds of quills and rows of bottles of ink in all sorts of colors. Journals and notebooks of all shapes and sizes lined the shelves, along with rolls and rolls of parchment.
He grinned as he looked at a display of quills. "Aww, I remember these." He picked up one of the Kleaner Kwills.
"Maybe I should get them for you again," Alicia smiled. "Your handwriting can still have some improvement."
"Oh is that where you got my rabbit?" Harry asked when they left Scrivenshafts, pointing to a store a few buildings down.
Angelina smiled. "Yeah!"
"I love my rabbit," Harry said with a warm heart. They walked into the store and Harry looked around at all the stuffed animal options and plushie toys. "Gosh, this place is wonderful."
"Look at that one," Angelina exclaimed and pointed at a gigantic rabbit sitting in the corner. "It's huge and looks so cuddly."
"Well now I know what to get you for your birthday and Christmas gift," Alicia smiled.
Angelina laughed. "Maybe one day. I don't think it'd be fair to get that and put it in our dorm."
"It looks like it'd take up most of the bed," Alicia agreed. After a while they left and Alicia noticed Harry had a bag from the Magical (stuffed) Menagerie. "Awww, you got something baby bird?"
"I did!" He handed her the bag. "For you."
"For me?" Alicia smiled brightly and hugged him. "Thank you!" She opened the bag and fished out a cuddly stuffed hedgehog. "It's adorable!" she gushed, admiring how soft it was. The underside and face and legs were cream and the back spines were soft brown. When she hugged it, it warmed and released scents of caramel and brown sugar.
"What a cute hedgie," Angelina admired.
"I thought it was most like you," Harry said with a mischievous smile. "Looks a bit prickly but is very soft and warm."
Alicia's glare was ruined by her smile and Angelina laughed so hard, she started coughing and hacking. "You're so funny," she half-growled and poked him before hugging him and the hedgehog together. "Thank you, Harry. I love him. My vengeance will be delayed and much less severe."
They visited Endie Booker's Books and Ends bookstore next. Angelina looked for a new charms book for her N.E.W.T.s class as well as recommending some other books that helped with O.W.L.s to Harry. Hermione came in and found them and they invited her to join them for lunch at the Three Broomsticks.
Harry felt more relaxed at this visit to the tavern. Last year, he had snuck in with Ron and Hermione and that was where he overheard the conversation that explained more about Sirius Black. He snorted to himself as he remembered hearing what he thought was factual at the time, how shocked he felt, how afraid and hurt.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.
"Just thinking. It's amazing what can happen in a year. Last time I was here, I learned that Sirius betrayed my parents and that he was coming after me to finish the job for Voldemort." He smiled apologetically at the flinches from the others. "But only a year later I learned that he didn't actually do any of that for anyone and now I live with him."
"It really is incredible when you put it like that, how your whole world view can just be changed like that," Hermione agreed. They sat together in a booth at the back and they waved when they saw Katie show up at the front door.
"Hey guys," Katie said. She sat beside Harry who scooted over with Hermione to give her room.
"Hey. How was studying?" Angelina asked.
"Good! Did a really big chunk of my study guide, more than I thought. Feel pretty decent to be honest."
"That's good. I'm glad we studied steady-like through the year," Angelina said, pointing at herself and Alicia. "Was a whole lot less stressful."
"Hermione already started," Harry grinned.
"Nothing wrong with that," she sniffed.
"There's a little wrong with that," Alicia smiled. "You can be overprepared after all."
Katie laughed at the look Hermione had. "Oh thanks Harry," she said with a big smile, taking her bag of candy from him. "Oh no, please don't tell me all that is for Lyla," she groaned, looking at the other bag full of candy.
"Only some of it. There's candy for Mirabelle and Luna too," he said. "Plus my sugar quills. Look at this one!"
"That's huge!" Katie exclaimed. "They make them that big?"
"Looks like! I can't wait to see how long it'll take me to eat it."
"Probably a lot faster than you should," Hermione smiled.
"Oh you should see Alicia's spirit animal," Angelina said with a bigger smile.
"Is that like a Patronus animal?" Hermione asked.
"No, it's what makes Harry think of Alicia," Angelina chortled.
"Oh my goodness, it's so cute!" Katie said when she saw the plushie hedgehog. "Also so accurate!"
"I beg your pardon," Alicia sniffed, "you will show Edgar Gruntholomew Pudgington of GrubWallow due respect. Eggie to his friends."
"Oh he does have a fun charm too," Harry said and he poked the hedgehog's nose. The girls cooed when the plushie curled into a ball.
"I hope you're not spending too much on us," Katie said to him. "Not that we don't appreciate it of course."
"Never too much," Harry said firmly. "I got Angelina those chocolate accessories and here you go Hermione."
She smiled when she took the pheasant quills from him. "Aww thank you so much. You didn't have to."
"I wanted to. I never know if I should get you candy or not. With your parents being dentists and all."
They ordered lunch and the four girls insisted on paying for his between them and he finally relented after protesting a little.
"Oh Hermione, did everything go through with Sirius being your magical co-guardian?" Alicia asked.
"It did! I'm really happy about it, so are my parents. It's absurd how much we didn't know and couldn't really handle being Muggles."
"That's good. I know Mum hates it when it comes to medical stuff," Katie said.
"Man, the things you take for granted growing up in a magical family," Angelina said.
"Mum and Dad talk to Ted and Andromeda a lot too. Ted has been incredibly nice and helpful since he's Muggleborn too. It's been a very big relief."
"Uncle Ted is really nice," Harry said. "All the Tonkses are."
"As long as they aren't teaching you dueling," Alicia said frostily.
"I mean, Tonks technically did teach me really well," Harry demurred. "It wasn't one-sided. She probably was taking it easy on me but still."
Angelina snorted. "It did look like you gave as good as you got," she conceded. "I can remember when my brothers and I looked like that."
"Lyla and I wrestle fight," Katie smiled. "We usually don't leave lasting marks on each other but one time she did bite me really hard and left a bruise that lasted for a while."
"Why didn't your mother heal it?" Hermione asked while the others laughed.
"Lyla looked so sad whenever Mum was going to and even though it hurt, I let it stay," Katie said and they laughed harder. "I got her back though. I pinched her really hard on the arse." She laughed too. "She kept saying I was a pain in her arse so decided to make it literal."
"Tyler and I never physically fought," Alicia said. "I told him if he ever tried, I would poison him."
"And you probably still did poison him in some way anyways," Angelina said, giving her a look.
"It certainly is possible," Alicia shrugged. "Speaking of poisoning, have you noticed that Snape has been surprisingly pleasant?"
"It's so weird," Katie said. "I'm not complaining, mind, but it's so unsettling."
"He was nice to me in my first class of the year," Harry remarked. "Said that my kit was good and it makes sense because of Alicia's reputation for potions. And he recommended a book."
"That is so weird," Angelina said. "I almost wish I still had potions to experience it. Almost."
"I wonder what changed," Alicia mused.
"Probably after the incident at the end of the year last year," Harry said. "With…well you know."
"When you were being an idiot, yes, we know," Alicia sighed wearily. "Hey! Unhand Eggie!"
"Harry isn't wrong," Hermione said, giggling at Alicia and Harry squabbling and fighting over Eggie. "I think Professor Snape has changed a little. He's still capable of being rather unkind in delivery but at least he helps now and seems to teach instead of be biting."
"Thank Merlin," Katie sighed. "I need all the help I can get for my O.W.L.s test."
"I am helping you," Alicia sniffed.
After they finished lunch, they wandered about the village some more. Harry and Hermione enjoyed seeing the magical buildings and architecture, something the residents of the village were more than happy to chat about and share. They explored more of the side streets and as the sun began to sink into the horizon, they made their way back to the castle.
"Did you get me candy?" Lyla asked when she saw them in the great hall for dinner.
"I did," Harry smiled. "Here you go. And here is some for you Mirabelle."
"Thank you!" Mirabelle said happily.
"Thanks Harry!" Lyla said, already chomping on a piece of chocolate.
"We're literally about to have dinner," Katie sighed. "Show some restraint, you terrible candy gremlin. LYLA! EW!" Katie pushed Lyla off her, wiping her face. "You did not just have a mouthful of chocolate and lick me! I'm going to kill you!"
"I know I have said this many times, but sometimes I am quite grateful that I am an only child," Hermione laughed as they watched Katie chase after a shrieking Lyla.
"Please don't lick me with a mouthful of candy," Harry begged.
Luna smiled brightly while hugging her bag of candy. "I promise. Good thing you asked me however. Before you did, I was contemplating it."
-0-0-0-
kaya - thank you, glad you enjoy it.
Ghostwriter - I knew when I had that as a throwaway line bit back in that chapter, it had to be expanded upon.
alix33 - Angelina and Hedwig get along later one.
poka - Or Hedwig the Vengeful, depending on her mood.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - She's the best.
odonnellzoo99 - It makes me happy knowing that you laughed out loud to it. Writing about Hedwig rolling on the ground laughing and kicking made me snicker loudly too.
