October 2017
As Theo sat in McGonagall's armchair, she thought of the many different ways she might hex Philip.
"He'll be here any minute," she told the Headmistress. Perhaps she would start with a Bat-Bogey Hex, Theo mused.
"That's the third time you've said that, Burr," McGonagall said dryly. Theo didn't have anything to say to that.
No, a Bat-Bogey wouldn't be enough, she decided. An Insect Hex would be much more appropriate.
Philip's chronic lateness turned out to be a major thorn in Theo's side. It didn't help that she was, as he had put it, 'atrociously early' to everything. The yawning gap between their arrival times didn't go unnoticed.
"Perhaps we might reschedule…" McGonagall was saying when Philip burst through the door.
"Apologies, Headmistress," he said, rushing to the armchair next to Theo. She resisted the urge to stick out her leg to trip him. "Quidditch practice ran later than expected."
McGonagall's expression softened in the slightest. Theo couldn't help but glower at Philip, who winked at her when McGonagall started leafing through some parchments on her desk. The manipulative geezer knew what the Headmistress cared about, Theo bitterly thought to herself.
"As you both know, Hogsmeade trips start this weekend," said McGonagall once she settled on a file. "Some shopkeepers believe there is a Hogwarts student who has been making unauthorized visits to the village over the past month."
She paused to assess Philip and Theo's expressions. "I have reason to believe the student has been using charms to alter their appearance. Either that or they're using Polyjuice Potion, though it's highly unlikely an average student could manage something so advanced."
Philip nodded. Theo knew he could probably make the potion with his eyes closed.
"There are a number of facial transfiguration spells, all of varying complexity," said Theo. She was mostly thinking out loud. "Although charms of that level are typically taught to fifth-years and above."
"Well, whoever it is, I want you two to find them."
The two Heads shared a look.
McGonagall continued, "You two have special permission to go to the village this week. I've set up the fireplace in the Heads Common Room to allow Floo trips to and from the Three Broomsticks Inn. Mind you, I expect you both to be back before dinnertime ends. I'll know otherwise. I want the perpetrator found before the official Hogsmeade trips kick off."
Theo saw the rationale in the deadline. Still, she felt pessimistic about accomplishing the task in such a short amount of time. She had other concerns, too. "What about our classes, Headmistress?"
Philip laughed. Theo elbowed him in the side.
McGonagall ignored the exchange. "You are expected to still attend your classes," she answered. "Therefore, the two of you should coordinate accordingly in scheduling your trips."
"Surely we would be more efficient if we could make individual visits," Philip suggested. Theo nodded, even though a part of her already knew what the Headmistress would say.
Sure enough, McGonagall fixed a steely gaze on the two of them. "You will make the trips together or not at all," she said with an air of finality.
She then kicked them both out of her office before they could protest any more.
The two walked down the staircase, letting the gravity of their assignment sink in. "Together or not all," Philip repeated. He laughed and shook his head slightly. "How would she even know if we're both there or not?"
Theo grabbed Philip by the elbow. "You're so daft," she hissed, eyeing the Gargoyle that had sprung back to its place. "The Headmistress has eyes and ears everywhere."
"Don't worry, Burr. I don't intend to disrespect direct orders."
The two dejectedly made their way to the Heads Common Room. It was on the seventh-floor corridor, behind a portrait of Helena Ravenclaw. The password changed every week.
"It's a Sunday, isn't it?" Helena said serenely as the two walked up to her portrait. "This week's password is 'patronus'."
"What was yours?" Philip asked the portrait. "Your patronus, I mean."
Helena looked surprised to be addressed. "A bottlenose dolphin," she answered.
"An intelligent creature for an equally brilliant woman," he said with a kind smile. "Thank you, Ms. Ravenclaw. Well — patronus."
The portrait swung open.
"Even the portraits aren't safe from you," Theo said exasperatedly as they made their way into the shared Common Room.
"You don't have to be jealous. I can flirt with you, too."
"I think I'd rather have my wand snapped."
Philip laughed and made a beeline for one of the armchairs. Theo had always adored the Heads Common Room, even as a prefect. Her House's Common Room was a low, underground dungeon made of rough stone. It had a grand atmosphere with its dark wood cupboards and low backed, button-tufted leather sofas. But it was cold in all sense of words.
The Heads Common Room was the complete opposite. It was a wide, circular room with intricate arched windows overlooking the grounds and the Quidditch pitch. The walls were tastefully adorned with tapestries in shades of blue, green, red, and yellow; representing each Hogwarts house. There were a number of squashy armchairs and wooden tables, as well as a large fireplace and several bookcases.
Theo would often sneak away to spend time in the room, even if she had no meetings with Philip or the prefects. Once or twice, she had even fallen asleep by the fireplace. It felt pathetic to admit, but it reminded her of home.
"What does your schedule look like, anyway?" Philip asked as Theo settled into a sofa chair adjacent to him. "I know we have Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration together."
"I have two more classes outside of that," she offered.
He let out a low whistle. "Overachiever."
"You're one to talk."
"Well, I only have a total of five."
"This won't do," Theo summoned a piece of parchment and a quill. "If we're going to do this, we're going to do it properly."
They went on to outline their class schedules, then their extracurricular activities. Much of Philip's free time went to Quidditch practice. Theo refused to budge over times she had blocked out for club meetings. After a grueling half hour, they stared down at the parchment.
"The only days we can go are Monday and Friday," Philip pointed out.
Theo sighed. "I suppose I don't have to study on Wednesday," she said, crossing out her Wednesday afternoon. "Three days are more than enough for this task, I think."
Philip nodded, though he seemed distracted. "What's that?" he asked.
He was staring at a book atop the fireplace mantle. Theo's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. She had never seen it before either.
When Theo reached for it, she was surprised to find that it was heavy. There was no indication on the cover or spine what the book might be about. She flipped to a random page, then gasped softly.
The page spread featured the Head Boy and Head Girl of 1978. On the right page, there were individual photos of the Heads. Staring up at Theo (and Philip, who had moved to her side to see what was so surprising) was none other than James Potter and Lily née Evans. James had untidy black that stuck out on one side while Lily's hair was strikingly red.
Theo realized with a start that she'd seen Lily's eyes before; it was the same shade of green as Albus'.
On the left was a full-page photo of the two. James had an arm over Lily's shoulders, who was trying hard not to smile. They swayed a bit in their picture before finding their footing. The flash went off and the two finally burst into laughter. The corner of the page indicated that the photo was taken towards the end of the school year.
"Does it have all the Heads?" asked Philip. "Could I… can I take a look?"
She passed it to him but peered over his shoulder as he flipped through the pages. He didn't seem to mind. Eventually, he stopped at the Head Boy and Head Girl of 1997.
In his individual photo, Alexander Hamilton was grinning almost giddily at the camera. Next to it was a photo of Eliza née Schuyler, whose smile was a lot more prim. Underneath their names were their houses. Alexander was a Gryffindor. Eliza was a Hufflepuff.
Philip was more transfixed by the photo they shared. In it, his parents were in a formal pose. But they were angled towards each other in a way that Theo realized they were likely holding hands, the gesture concealed by their robes. Before the photo looped, Eliza glanced upwards to Alexander, eyes full of admiration.
"I've never seen this picture before," Philip said. "They look…"
"Young," Theo finished after he trailed off. Though she knew she ought to tread lightly, she couldn't help but add, "You don't look like your father."
'As much as I thought you would' was the rest of the sentence, but Theo bit it back at the last moment. Philip's facial features were much more delicate and refined than Alexander's. If anything, he looked more like Eliza's son.
"People always used to say we have the same virtuosity and brains," Philip said. He winked exaggeratedly at Theo. "And that we're reliable with the ladies."
Theo shoved him, annoyed. The book in his hands snapped shut. Realizing something, Theo reached out to reopen it; this time, to the last page.
Her assumption was right. The page was blank, save for their names. Theodosia Burr. Head Girl. Slytherin. She traced over the printed letters, feeling a bit overwhelmed. One month into the job and it wasn't any less surreal.
When Theo received the owl over the summer, Alexander had been overjoyed. He was so happy that he didn't even bother to ask who the Head Boy would be. The two had a lavish dinner, and he treated Theo to a new broom.
Theo wasn't at all surprised to find out Philip was her counterpart. She'd expected his appointment, even, more than her own. Theo had always believed that things came easy for Philip, while she had to fight tooth and nail to get to the room where it happened. It was not something she was about to take for granted.
"I suppose we'll be taking photos at the end of the year," Philip said. "That is, if you haven't killed me yet."
"Trust me, Hamilton. I resist the urge every day."
"You'll get around to it, I'm sure," He shut the book close before placing it back above the mantle. His gaze on it lingered a second too long, and Theo had a feeling he'd be revisiting his parents' picture a couple more times.
The moment of weakness passed as quickly as it came. Smiling, he continued, "We just have to survive this week first."
They agreed to meet after their Defense Against the Dark Arts class the next day. Theo spent what was left of her weekend finishing some extra credit homework and listening to Thalia Greengrass complain about her Muggle Studies class.
Soon enough, Monday morning came around. Theo's DADA class was scheduled in the Great Hall instead of its usual classroom, which initially confused her. It all made sense when she entered the hall and saw a raised platform had temporarily replaced the House tables.
"He's going to make us duel," said Thalia, sounding horrified.
"That's right, Ms. Greengrass," Their professor, Dean Thomas, said as he ascended the platform. Dean gave the class a tight-lipped smile. "There are ten duel commandments, which I'm sure you all tackled in your sixth year. We will focus on expertise today."
He looked over the students, most of whom seemed to be dreading the task ahead. Theo was keen to keep her expression neutral even though she felt her blood roaring with anticipation. A duel, an actual duel.
Most of Theo's experiences with dueling were limited to her membership in the Dueling Club. She'd climbed the ranks of the organization throughout the years, even concurrently serving as President during the brief stint that she was Slytherin's Quidditch Captain.
The year after, she gave up her captainship to focus on the Dueling Club. Many thought she was insane, but she chalked it up to spellcasting being her primary interest. She was so excited that she barely heard Dean running through the rules.
She snapped to attention when she felt Thalia poke her side. Theo only caught Dean saying, "... and Head Boy are in this class?"
Theo locked eyes with Philip, who was on the other side of the platform.
"Yes, sir," said Philip. He didn't look at all enthused.
"Present, sir," said Theo. She was doing everything within her power not to smile.
"Perfect. The two of you can demonstrate a duel, then," Dean chirped. "Any objections?"
Both said in unison "No, sir."
"Come on up, then."
Theo climbed up onto the platform. She moved to one side while Philip went the other way. Dean lingered at the edge of the stage as the two drew their wands in preparation.
"Let's start with something unorthodox," the professor called out. "What are your wands made of?"
"Sycamore," Philip answered. "With a unicorn hair core." From where Theo stood, she could see that it had quite bendy flexibility.
"An Ollivander, I reckon?"
Philip nodded at Dean's question. The latter then turned to Theo expectantly.
"Swamp mayhaw. A rougarou hair core," she announced, unable to keep the pride out of her tone.
A couple of students started to whisper among themselves. Even Dean raised his eyebrows in surprise. "From Violetta Beauvais?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
When Theo first got her admission letter to Hogwarts, Aaron made the executive decision of taking her to an American wandmaker. He let her choose who she'd get her wand from. After extensive research, Theo decided she wanted a wand with a Beauvais build. The Burrs took a weekend trip to New Orleans for it. It would always be one of Theo's favorite memories with her father.
"Those wands have a natural affinity for Dark Magic," Dean said appreciatively. He glanced almost apologetically at Philip, who was starting to look quite pale in the face. "It's a good thing we're not dueling to the death today. But for the sake of formalities, I want you each to name a second."
"Nathaniel Pendelton," Philip said.
Theo glanced over at her friends. Thalia was not so discreetly shaking her head. "Thomas Conway," Theo said instead, much to Thalia's relief.
Thomas put two thumbs up and smirked, in a way that he knew being Theo's second was just a technicality.
"Alright, then," Dean stepped off the platform. "Let's see your bows."
Theo folded herself into a curtsy. Philip did the same, even bowing lower. She grinned to herself. No amount of courtesy would make her go easy on him.
Dean barked, "Let the duel commence!"
Protego , Theo cast nonverbally.
"Expelliarmus!" Philip yelled at the same time.
The red beam of light that shot from Philip's wand bounced off the shimmery shield in front of Theo. Philip was fast enough to avoid the spell.
Theo's shield disappeared. She willed another one back up as Philip exclaimed, "Stupefy!"
He dodged the stunner when it came back. The tips of Philip's ears were burning red, and Theo knew it was hardly about the energy it took to evade his rebounding spells.
"Scared?" he huffed. "Rictusempra!"
The silver beam of his spell ricocheted against Theo's third shield.
"Hardly," she responded with a curt giggle. Philip had stumbled, narrowly missing the charm's recoil.
Someone from below them hollered, "Put up a better fight, Burr!" A couple of students chuckled. From her peripheral, Theo could see that the jeering student was none other than Philip's second, Nathaniel.
She glanced at him and smiled sweetly. "You're going to wish you never said that."
With a snap of her head, she zeroed in on Philip's hand and cast a Slippery Jinx. Philip yelped as his wand fell out of his grasp. He lunged forward to regain it, but it only slid further away.
Mimblewimble, she cast, taking a step forward. "Wh —" Whatever Philip was trying to say fell through. Theo's curse had tied his tongue into a neat knot.
She took another step closer. The duel was a lot more boring than she thought it would be.
Impedimenta , she cast.
Philip froze mid-attempt to grab hold of his wand.
Flipendo.
He flew backwards and landed squarely on his back.
Levicorpus.
There was a flash of light. Suddenly, Philip was dangling upside down in midair as though an invisible hook had hoisted him up by the ankle. His robes fell over his head, drawing a roar of laughter from the class.
"Enough!" Dean commanded.
Theo immediately backed off. Once she let go of the levitating spell, Philip fell to a heap on the platform. With a flick of her wand, she undid the rest of her curses.
"Terrific work," Dean said as the class erupted into applause. The Slytherins were most enthusiastic; the Gryffindors, not so much. "20 points to Slytherin."
Theo did a small curtsy before turning to Philip with an extended hand.
He shot her a lopsided grin and let her pull him up. "Honestly, I should know better than to be on the other end of your wand," he said slowly, as though still regaining control of his tongue. "And I ought to kill Pendelton."
"Sounds like a swell idea."
The two shook hands before going their separate ways. Theo settled in between Thomas and Thalia as Dean started dissecting the spells used in the duel.
"You were outstanding," Thalia said in an awed whisper. "You didn't even have to say any of your spells out loud!"
"Barely even raised your wind," said Thomas. He shook his head. "Remind me to never get on your bad side."
"You're always walking a thin line with me, Conway," Theo warned. She shared a quiet laugh with Thalia as Thomas sputtered some lame excuses.
For the rest of the session, Dean paired up the class for practice duels. Theo got to extract some revenge on Nathaniel with her trusty Jelly-Legs Jinx. When she looked around to see how the others were faring, she saw Thalia suffering from a Pumpkin-Head Jinx and Thomas trying, in vain, to cast defensive spells against a Ravenclaw. Philip was nowhere to be found.
Theo didn't give it much thought until the class ended and Philip had yet to surface.
"Where did Hamilton go?" she asked Nathaniel, who was still trying to find his footing.
"I don't know, actually," he mumbled. "He'll probably be back soon, though."
Except he wasn't. Theo could feel the annoyance growing in her every minute that ticked past. Their set time for leaving for Hogsemeade came and went. She went to her next class — gracefully one they did not share — absolutely incensed.
Thomas got a real kick out of it. "Hamilton stood you up?" he jeered over dinner.
Theo forcefully stabbed her meal with a fork. She had even spent the first 10 minutes of the evening scanning the Gryffindor table for any sign of the Head Boy, to no avail.
"It's really not that funny," Thalia said. She sniffled dejectedly, offended on Theo's behalf. "Wasting other people's time is a clear sign of disrespect."
"Exactly. Thank you, Thalia," said Theo. Thomas wasn't any less amused.
"I can't wait for the row that will ensue tomorrow," He pointed his spoon at Theo. "Don't curse his arse off before your little task for McGonagall is through."
Those were the words Theo carried with her when she met with Philip at their shared Common Room the next day. Still, fury burned in the pit of her stomach at the sight of him lounging on one of the armchairs, looking unbothered; almost triumphant, even, to have gotten away from her. Theo couldn't help it.
"I can't believe you blew me off to nurse your wounded ego," she sneered. "I hope it was worth it."
He glanced up from his book. Theo caught a flash of confusion pass his face before he settled on an expression of exasperation. "I had to nurse more than my 'ego', Burr," he said. "You're a skilled caster, sure, but your healing spells need a little more work."
Theo balked. Not because Philip was wrong, no. He had every reason to complain. While Theo was generally confident in her skills in Charms and Transfiguration, she realized early on that she was shot at healing magic. It felt silly, considering the fact she dabbled in much more ancient branches of the craft.
But since she was averse to anything she wasn't immediately good at, Theo relied heavily on Episkey and whatever medicines were readily available. She hadn't realized her inability to heal would be obvious to him.
Philip didn't look like he was expecting an apology. "Don't worry. I'm good as new."
"I wasn't worried," she said, walking past him to head for the fireplace. She set aside her school robes on one of the nearby chairs, refusing to look at Philip as she did.
"Sure," he shot back. He sounded like he was smiling.
Theo grabbed a fistful of glittering powder from a flowerpot that was now sitting atop the mantle. Once she threw it in the fireplace and the flames were blazing emerald green, she stepped into it and caught a glimpse of a grinning Philip.
Clearing her throat, Theo declared, "Three Broomsticks Inn!"
In an instant, a whirl of green flames sucked Theo through the Floo Network. It was never any easier for her; the deafening roar, the speed of it all. She kept her eyes shut and tucked her arms in tightly, willing the transport to end before she could feel the need to hurl.
Soon enough, Theo crashed into the hearth of the Three Broomsticks Inn. The pub was gracefully empty.
Madam Rosmerta approached Theo. She held Theo by the elbow and guided her to a nearby stool.
"You must be the Head Girl," said Rosmerta. "McGonagall told me you might pass through."
"Thank you," Theo said weakly.
"Theodosia Burr, isn't it? I'm Rosmerta."
Theo wondered why Rosmerta was introducing herself. Aside from the fact that Theo had already met her before, there wasn't a student in Hogwarts who didn't know her name.
She was only proven right when Philip landed in the inn's fireplace, looked up, and greeted, "Hello, Madam Rosmerta! Lovely day, isn't it?" He had taken off his school robes and was wiping ash off his clothes as he stood.
"You always think it's a lovely day, Hamilton," Rosmerta laughed, though not unkindly. "I can't believe McGonagall made you Head Boy."
"You'll get along with her, then," Philip chirped. He nodded in Theo's direction then cocked his head to one side. "You alright, Burr?"
Theo pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just a bit dizzy."
"I'll have the barmaid bring out some warm mulled mead. That ought to make you feel better," Rosmerta said to Theo. She asked Philip, "And a red currant rum for you?"
Philip sat with Theo. "You know I love your rum, Madam Rosmerta, but I'm here on official school business. I think I'll stick to the mead today."
Rosmerta nodded before disappearing to the backroom. Philip and Theo spent the next few moments in silence, much to Theo's appreciation. She gave herself some time to recover from the trip as Philip glanced out the window, watching the streets of Hogsmeade.
A barmaid eventually came up to them with two full pints of mead. She hastily placed one of the glasses in front of Theo. "Here's yours."
She then turned to Philip, taking a little more care with how she handled his drink. "And here's your's, Philip," she said, her tone cloyingly sweet. "I added some extra star anise in there."
He smiled and held the barmaid's gaze. "Thanks, love. That's real sweet of you."
The barmaid practically melted. Theo rolled her eyes.
"Thanks, love," Theo said in a mocking tone once the barmaid finally walked away.
Philip chuckled. "It's called 'being nice'. You should try it some time."
Theo didn't have the energy to get back at him. She took a sip of the mulled mead and immediately felt the warmth spread through her body. She took another sip, letting the decadent sweetness of the honey and the tingling flavor of the spices linger in her mouth.
"You don't come here often, don't you?" said Philip with amusement.
"No," she said. "It was always a little too crowded for my taste."
"Where do you spend your Hogsmeade weekends, then?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"You don't have to be so difficult all the time," he said, his tone a tinge accusatory.
Theo downed the last of her mead. She wasn't in the business of making new friends or tying up loose ends. She fielded Philip's comment by saying, "We should head out soon."
He looked like he might press her on her supposed difficulty, but decided against it. He nodded and finished off his own drink. When they headed to the counter, it was the barmaid behind it instead of Madam Rosmerta.
"Leaving so soon?" the barmaid asked Philip. She sounded crushed.
"I'll be back this weekend," he said with a cheeky smile. He started pulling out his wallet from his pocket, but the barmaid reached out to stop him.
"Madam Rosmerta said it's on the house," she said, conspicuously batting her eyelids at Philip. She was still holding on to Philip's wrist. At this point, Theo was quite through with the charade of Gryffindor's golden boy and his admirers.
"Give Madam Rosmerta our thanks," Theo said loudly before Philip could flirt back. She looped her free arm through Philip's and smiled snidely at the barmaid, who looked displeased at the sudden show of affection.
Then, ever-so sweetly, Theo said to Philip, "Let's go, love?"
The burn of the barmaid's jealous gaze followed Theo and Philip out of the pub.
"Wipe that shite-eating grin off your face, Hamilton," said Theo. "All your flirting was getting on my nerves."
Philip was visibly trying his best not to laugh. "If you wanted to hold my hand, you could've just said so," he teased. "There was no need to terrorize Dulce."
Theo pulled away immediately, scrunching her nose in an expression of annoyance. "As if," she said. "Now, focus. We've got work to do."
The streets of Hogsmeade were gracefully empty, save for a few residents milling about. Theo was inexplicably grateful. As much as she adored Hogwarts, there were days when all of it could get quite overwhelming. She knew she was in the village technically for work, but she was keen to snatch up the few quiet moments she could afford.
"Should we separate?" Theo asked. "McGonagall only said we have to make the trips together. She didn't say anything about what happens when we get here."
"Right. That sounds good; helps us cover more ground."
The two divided which shops they would each visit and agreed to meet under the statue of Hengist of Woodcroft in an hour. Once they separated, Theo felt like she could breathe again.
In a bid to stretch out the peace that she was rarely granted, Theo took on the shops unlikely for a Hogwarts student to visit. She examined some vinyl records at Dominic Maestro's Music Shop and talked to the owner, who seemed to be growing forgetful with time. The cashiers of Spintwitches Sporting Needs couldn't give her a clear description of what the erring student looked like, though Theo began to gleam that the offender may be a male. No one at Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop had the faintest idea of who Theo might be looking for, though she wasn't trying all that hard to get information from them. She was quickly distracted by their new line of self-inking quills.
When the two met back up, Theo had a new quill in her hands while Philip carried a paper bag from Dogweed and Deathcap. They met each other's eyes and came to a silent understanding that they weren't about to talk about it. The sun was setting behind the black mountains beyond the village, anyway. They were expected to Floo back to the castle before 8PM.
"Did you stop by the Shrieking Shack?" Philip asked as he tucked his purchases into his bag. "I was thinking about it when I got out of Madam Puddifoot's, but it was out of my way."
Theo hesitated for a moment before answering. "I didn't see the point."
"Why not? Kids usually like poking around the area. It's worth a shot."
She swallowed hard as Philip started heading in the direction of the shack. The rumors surrounding the Shrieking Shack had mostly died down, as no one had heard screams from inside it in over a decade. But it was still widely regarded as one of Britain's most severely haunted buildings, acting as a tourist trap for those who were brave enough to visit it.
Theo had stopped by once or twice, never being the type to turn down a dare. What she wasn't looking forward to, though, was visiting it as dusk began to roll in. By the time all they could see was the dark outline of the shack, Theo could no longer hide her discomfort. She pulled out her wand and whispered, " Lumos. "
Blue light bathed the path ahead of them.
"See?" said Theo. "No one's here."
"We haven't been here for more than a minute," Philip said. He pulled the gate to the shack open. It creaked and groaned. Theo winced at the sound.
"Really, I doubt any student would spend their trip in thi — oh !"
Theo wasn't proud about the shriek that escaped her. She jumped and stumbled on to Philip, who was quick to hold her waist to keep her from falling completely. The offending squirrel that fluttered past her feet rushed into a nearby bush, equally surprised.
Philip and Theo shared a stunned silence for a moment.
"You're scared," he said matter-of-factly.
Theo cleared her throat and stepped away from him. She could feel the heat rising to her face, but she tried not to let it show. "Hardly," she answered haughtily, echoing a similar exchange the two had during their duel.
This time, though, Theo didn't sound sure of herself at all.
The corners of Philip's tugged upwards. "I'll do a quick round of the shack. How about I meet you down there?" He pointed to a street light on Hogsemeade's main road.
One part of Theo was screaming to resist, to push that she was capable and not at all terrified. But the part that won was the Theo who said "If you say so," and practically bolted away.
Once she got to the lamp post, Theo extinguished her wand and let out a sigh of relief. There was a lot more light in this part of town. She was still trying to collect herself when she suddenly felt two hands on her shoulders and heard Philip directly screech in her ear, "Gotcha!"
She leapt away and glared at him as he doubled over with laughter. "That wasn't funny!" she hissed, shoving him.
Philip staggered backward a bit and wiped some tears of mirth from his eyes. "The look on your face was priceless. Scared of the shack, huh?"
"Not the shack," Theo hesitated. "I'm… not a big fan of the dark."
The admission seemed to catch Philip off guard.
"What?" she demanded.
He scratched the back of his neck. "I suppose I didn't think you were scared of anything."
This time, it was Theo's turn to laugh. "That's absurd," she said. "I know you're scared of Pygmy Puffs…"
"I'm not scared of them. I'm allergic to them," he interjected. "There's a life-or-death difference."
"If that helps you sleep at night," said Theo.
She glanced down the street and saw that several more people were filing past the stores. It occurred to Theo, then, that they only had one more day to return to Hogsmeade and accomplish McGonagall's task. She deflated a bit at the thought of failing the Headmistress.
Philip seemed to sense her change in mood and, more surprisingly, correctly assumed what she was worried about. "We still have Friday," he said.
"Right," she said. "Maybe you can buy a broom then."
"Only if you get yourself a new inkwell."
Their jabs at each other were dull as they reckoned with the likelihood of not finding their culprit. Theo watched a child excitedly race down the street, a No-Melt Ice Cream in his hand.
"What time is it?" she asked suddenly.
Philip checked his watch. "Quarter to seven. Why?"
Plenty of time, she thought. "I'm going to stop by Honeydukes," she said. "I'll meet you back at the Inn?"
"I want Honeydukes, too," said Philip, sounding honest-to-god offended that Theo might have assumed otherwise. "We'll go back to the Inn together."
She pursed her lips and let him be. They walked down High Street, glancing every so often and people jostling past them. When they got to Hogsmeade's wizarding sweet shop, neither had anything to report.
All of Theo's worries faded when she pushed open the door to Honeydukes. "Ambrosius!" she called when she spotted the elderly shop owner.
Ambrosius Flume looked up from a barrel of Fizzing Whizzbees. Immediately, he straightened and extended his arms to Theo. "'Dosy," he greeted, flashing her a toothy grin. Theo enveloped him in a hug. "My girl, it's so good to see you again."
The couple had taken to Theo a little more than the rest of their regular clientele. The Flumes didn't have any grandchildren and Theo didn't have any ties with either of her grandparents. That way, they fell into each other perfectly. It was the clear answer to Philip's earlier question of where she spent her weekend trips; Honeydukes was always Theo's first and last stop at Hogsmeade.
She separated from their embrace and smiled. "It was the most dreadful summer! The sweets makers of America have nothing on you."
Ambrosius laughed affectionately. His gaze went past Theo's shoulders, eventually landing on Philip. "Do my eyes deceive me or is that Philip Hamilton?"
"The one and only," Philip smiled politely. "Good evening, Mr. Flume."
Ambrosius leaned forward, beckoning for Theo to come closer. She obliged. "Are you two friends now?" he asked in a loud whisper.
She giggled and shook her head. "We're Head Boy and Head Girl," she reported proudly. "We're just doing something for McGonagall."
"Head Girl!" Ambrosius cried excitedly. "Oh, 'Dosy, I told you, didn't I? I told you last year that it'd happen."
"Yes, Ambrosius. You did."
"I have something just for this occasion. I'll get it from upstairs," Ambrosius paused. "But, ah, it's not the weekend yet, is it? Bother. My old age is catching up with me, I think…"
The old man hobbled away and up the stairs of his flat. Theo turned to Philip, who once again looked floored.
"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" he said with a slight shake of his head.
Before Theo could ask what he meant, Ambrosius returned with two boxes. "Here," he said, shoving one of them into Theo's hands. "This one has several of the Chocoballs you love, I made them with extra strawberry mousse, just for you… And Hamilton? Yes, here, this one's yours. Do you still like Liquorice Wands? That's good. I threw in a handful."
"We plan on selling sampler boxes of our sweets starting December," said Ambrosius. "The missus and I haven't rolled it out yet to the public, but you two deserve one each. Hogwarts Head Boy and Head Girl! How brilliant."
Overcome with fondness, Theo pressed a kiss on Ambrosius' cheek and thanked him profusely. He laughed brightly before swatting her away. "Go look if there's anything else in the store that you might want," he encouraged. "We're working on some new products. You know where they are."
Theo didn't have to be asked twice. She stalked over to the sweets nearest the front of the store; Philip approached Ambrosius to thank him. She watched discretely from behind the stocks of candy as they chatted animatedly. Once Philip started walking back to Theo, she turned her attention to one of Honeydukes' newest offerings: Broomstick Biscuits, with different flavors per model of broomstick.
"Featuring enchanted cards of your favorite Quidditch players throughout the years," Philip read out loud.
"Their attempt at rivaling the fame of Chocolate Frogs, I s'pose."
"And they will. I can imagine running through 10 in one sitting," Philip paused, then smiled. "So, the Flumes, huh?"
It seemed to amuse Philip, witnessing Theo's capacity for devotion. He'd made fun of her when she was nice to the first-years before the Sorting. She figured this was another one of those moments, though her fondness for the Flumes was a lot more undeniable.
There was no point in lying, she thought. "I've adored them since our third year," she said while looking through some packs of gummy chimeras.
Not wanting to elaborate, Theo balanced her Honeydukes sampler box in one hand and used the other hand to pull out her wand. "Capacious Extremis," she said, tapping Philip's bag.
"I'll be claiming this later," she warned as she passed her box to him. She threw in her quill for good measure.
Philip hid all of it away, including his own box of confections. They fit perfectly in his bag after Theo's Extension Charm.
"Don't worry, Burr," said Philip. "I know better than to get between you and your sweets."
Theo browsed the shelves for a few more minutes. Philip stuck with the Broomstick Biscuits. He was commenting on the shape of the Nimbus 2012 biscuit when the bell above the Honeydukes entrance rang, announcing a new visitor.
Standing in the store was none other than James Sirius Potter.
The events that followed were blurry, even to Theo. By the end of it, a paralyzed James lay on the street outside the Hog's Head Inn. Both Philip and Theo were properly winded after chasing him through the village.
"Took you long enough to get him," Philip huffed.
Theo was still trying to catch her breath. "At least my spell landed on the right person! You really ought to go make amends with that poor goblin…"
Once the two were sufficiently recovered, Theo drew herself to her full height and looked at James in disdain. He laid on the road stiff as a board, his eyes wildly looking back and forth from the Heads. Theo had cast Petrificus Totalus to keep him from getting away.
"He's a third-year," said Philip, disappointment thick in his tone. "Just got into the House's Quidditch team, too."
"What a short-lived stint that's about to be," Theo said. "Let's take him back, then."
Philip and Theo lifted James off the ground with great effort. They hauled the younger student back to the Three Broomsticks, where Philip was the one who asked Madam Rosmerta for Floo powder. They squeezed into the inn's fireplace and Theo proclaimed, "The Heads Common Room at Hogwarts!"
The three spilled into the common room within the blink of an eye. Having already done the trip earlier, Theo was a little less unsteady on her feet. She helped lead James to one of the armchairs.
"I'm going to undo the body-bind curse on your mouth," she told him. "But the rest of your body will stay as is. Capiche?"
She waited, then realized James wouldn't be able to respond. Theo tapped her wand on the boy's cheek. James' jaws unlocked and he gasped for air like a fish out of water.
"Potter, isn't it? James Potter?" said Theo.
"Yes," James answered through gritted teeth.
"How did you get to Hogsmeade, James?" Philip asked.
James said nothing. He clenched his jaw again, eyes blazing with defiance. Philip and Theo shared a look.
"Have you ever seen your Head Girl in a duel, James?" Philip said suddenly. "Well, you saw how she hit you with that spell despite being a couple of feet away. It's because she's studied up on her magic. I'm sure she knows a truth-spelling spell or two."
Theo picked up on what Philip was trying to do. "And Hamilton here can probably whip up Veritaserum in a couple of hours," she said. "We don't want you to escape, of course, so we'll have to leave you bound like that until he's done. If you haven't been listening in Potions class, a drop of Veritaserum is enough to have you spilling your deepest secrets."
She fixed a stern gaze on James, who was looking more and more horrified by the minute. "We will resort to any means possible to find out how you've made your trips," she warned. "I suggest you start talking."
The threat hung heavy in the air. After a moment, James attempted to twitch one of his hands, which had snapped to his sides. "My pocket," he said.
Philip produced a blank piece of browning parchment from James' pants pocket. "Wand," James instructed.
Theo cautiously placed the tip of her wand on the parchment. She started saying, "If this is a trick…"
"No," said James. "Just… repeat after me. 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good'."
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Ink began to spread across the parchment. It folded out, revealing words in cursive: Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers, are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP .
Philip and Theo watched, dumbfounded, as the map outlined the entirety of Hogwarts. Theo placed her fingers over a dot that had her name. It correctly indicated she was in the Heads Common Room.
"What is this?" Philip demanded. "Did you get this at Zonko's Joke Shop?"
"No," said James. "It belonged to my dad."
Theo watched as two dots named after Thalia and Thomas left the Great Hall. "There's some outstanding magic in this," she said in awe. "Did Harry Potter make it?"
"I don't think so."
Several routes twisted off the map, seeming to lead out of Hogwarts. Theo craned her neck in an attempt to read one that mentioned the mirror on the fourth floor.
Philip pointed his wand at something Theo hadn't noticed yet. "There. That's probably how he's been getting into Hogsmeade."
The statue of the one-eyed witch in the third-floor corridor hid a passageway that trailed off the map. The words 'Honeydukes cellar' were scribbled on the corner of the parchment. "But Ambrosius would have mentioned something about you," she said.
James' guilty silence was not reassuring.
"What did you do to him?" Theo asked, enunciating each word with care.
"Nothing," James squeaked. His otherwise cool persona was falling apart in the face of Theo's towering rage. "Nothing, I swear!"
"You can get expelled for underage magic," Philip threatened. "We need an explanation for how no one in Hogsmeade could identify you."
James frantically said, "I didn't use magic. I used memory powder." He jerked his head towards his other pocket.
Philip pulled out a small packet bearing the logo of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. "Forget-Me-Not Powder," he read. "As good as Obliviate."
It all started to click for Theo; Madam Rosmerta reintroducing herself, the owner of Dominic Maestro's Music Shop being forgetful, Ambrosius not knowing the day of the week. Theo felt sick to the stomach. It was unlikely that their memory loss was permanent. Still, it was a dangerous game to play. She couldn't imagine what long-term exposure to the invention might do on the affected residents.
"I think we've heard enough," she said, pointing her wand at James.
"Wait!" he screeched. "The map. You have to — wipe it. Or else anyone can use it. You tap it again and say 'Mischief managed'."
This time, it was Philip who touched the map with his wand. "Mischief managed," he proclaimed. Just as James had said, the map went black at once. As furious as she was in the moment, Theo couldn't help but admire the artistry of the artifact.
Theo waved her wand. James' jaw locked again, effectively preventing him from speaking any more. "Let's take him to McGonagall?" she said to Philip.
Philip nodded before carefully folding the map and tucking it into his bag. "Maybe we can free him of the Body Freezing Spell?" he said, eyeing James apprehensively. "McGonagall might think us cruel for having him paralyzed for so long."
"Serves him right, really."
"Burr."
"Fine," she sighed. She cast the full counter-charm.
James properly collapsed into the seat he'd been propped up against. Philip mumbled a couple of spells that helped bring color back into the younger Gryffindor's face, and presumably some relief in his limbs, too.
"If you try to run from us again, it will take more than Episkey to make you feel better," said Theo.
"Yes, ma'am," James said in a small voice.
Theo felt a bit guilty to have struck such fear in James, but she knew her wrath would barely hold a candle to the Headmistress'.
McGonagall was, in fact, livid to hear the full account of the story. "Not only did you blatantly disregard school rules, but you've also risked the well-being of the residents of Hogsmeade," she told James. "Do you understand how utterly disgraceful this is, Potter?"
Philip and Theo stood to the side, watching James practically trip over his string of apologies.
The Headmistress was pacing her office, visibly distressed. "And this Forget-Me-Not Powder… I'll be having a word with the Weasley brothers about who they sell their products to. Of all the irresponsible things in the world!"
McGonagall stopped in her tracks and regarded James. One could see the gears in her brain turning, slowly but surely coming to terms with the best response to James' actions.
"Hamilton, you recently made Potter your Keeper, didn't you?"
"Yes," said Philip quietly.
"You will find a new one," McGonagall said. "Because Potter will not be playing Quidditch for the entire season."
Philip winced. It was just as Theo had predicted.
"You are also effectively banned from all this year's Hogsemade trips," McGonagall told James. "I'll be talking to Filch about what form of detention to give you, though you can expect a few months worth of that, too. And —" The Headmistress paused as though it pained her to say it. "I will be taking 100 points from Gryffindor."
This time, both Philip and Theo started. They glanced at each other before turning their gazes back to McGonagall. In all their time at Hogwarts, they hadn't seen someone lose that much points in one sitting.
"Be grateful that's all you're being handed," McGonagall said. "If I catch wind of you using any of Hogwarts' passageways again, I will personally see to it that you are expelled."
James nodded. Theo thought he might throw up.
"You are dismissed, Potter. Burr, Hamilton; stay."
But James didn't leave immediately. He lingered awkwardly, before saying in a weak voice, "The map?"
McGonagall narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me?"
"I — the map is my father's, Headmistress."
"I will return it to him, then. Is there anything else?"
Sensing the Headmistress' seething undertone, James said nothing more. He dashed out of the office, leaving McGonagall with Philip and Theo.
"Those passageways do more harm than good," She turned to Philip. "You have the map?"
Philip pulled it out. "Ah, let me just…" He scrambled for his wand. "'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.'"
Ink lines spread from the tip of Philip's wand and onto the parchment. The crossness of McGonagall's expression twisted into one of surprise, then something comparable to grief. She was watching the words in great, green, curly lettering.
Theo took a gamble. "Do you know them, Headmistress?"
McGonagall tore her gaze away from the map. "Once," she said in a tight voice. "I did, yes."
Theo wondered who these 'marauders' were, to have McGonagall teary-eyed at the mere mention of them. It occurred to Theo that the four 'magical mischief-makers' might have been casualties of the war.
"I'll keep this," McGonagall said, taking the map from Philip. She held it tenderly, as if she were afraid it might crumble in her hands. "I'll make sure to repair any damage to the memories of Hogsmeade's residents. The two of you did well today. Thank you for your service."
Philip and Theo didn't ask any more questions. They headed out of her office once they were dismissed. When Theo glanced over her shoulder, she caught McGonagall striking a conversation with one of her predecessors' portraits. She thought it might have been Albus Dumbledore.
Night had already properly fallen by the time Philip and Theo got to the corridor outside.
"That map was a work of art," Philip commented as he passed Theo her things. "If I'm going to be honest, I'm a tad heartbroken to part with it."
Theo nodded. "I can't imagine how powerful it might be, though, if it fell into the wrong hands," she said. "We're lucky that it only went to some snot-nosed Gryffindor."
"Hey!"
"Oh, to hell with you and your House pride."
Theo realized that Philip was concealing a grin. "What's so funny?" she asked.
"I just realized —" There was a twinkle of playfulness in his eyes. "We make a great team, don't you think?"
She stared at him like he had grown a second head.
"Don't count on it," said Theo.
She spun on her heel and started walking away.
"Good night, partner," he called out. Without turning around, she flipped a finger at him and rounded a corner.
Again, Theo could tell that Philip was smiling. She didn't even have to see his face. She could guess it from the lilt of his voice, the inflection of his words.
She seemed to be right, too, as Philip's laughter rang through the halls. Theo shook her head and picked up her pace.
It never ceased to irk her; just how well she knew someone she supposedly hated.