Hera

{Chapter Twenty-Seven}

The weather had worsened over the next few days, making it difficult to navigate through the snow as Cassiopeia-Hera and Elena made their way to Hogsmeade. It was their very last visit to the quaint town, before leaving Hogwarts for the Christmas break, and Elena was fully intending to spend it enjoying herself. 

Though the weather had worsened, it was not the ideal weather she needed to complete the animagus process, and it made Hera very anxious. She was hoping to have finished the process before she had to leave Hogwarts so that she wouldn't have to do it under the gaze of her aunt and her uncle. 

Fate was definitely not on her side. 

The two girls finally made it to the Three Broomsticks, after trudging through the snow, the warm air of the pub enveloped them. Elena sighed as she finally felt the warmth return to her body. 

"Wow! This is so awesome!" It was Elena's first time in The Three Broomsticks, and she was amazed at the atmosphere that greeted the..

Although it was her second time visiting The Three Broomsticks, noticed so much more than she did than the last time she was there. It wasn't what Hera was used to, not like the formal tea parties that she and Aunt Narcissa attended, but a much more casual place with a warm and lively atmosphere. She could feel herself instantly relax, just by taking in her surroundings, with boisterous laughter, the smell of homely food in the air as well as the warmth coming from the fireplace.

It felt amazing.

Elena dragged her much taller friend to a seat, in the far corner away from the centre of pub, where it was only a little bit quieter. "Merlin...why didn't you tell me about this place sooner? It's so cool, I almost feel like a grown up!"

"A grown up?" Laughed Hera as she settled into her seat. "Why a grown up?"

Elena took off her gloves from her hands and stretched them as they enjoyed the warm air. "Well, it's got a pub-like atmosphere, you know. My dad would never let me enter one 'till I'm eighteen."

Hera's eyes wandered around the pub, "Well, I never thought of it that way...I was way too nervous the last time I was here." She said as she reminisced about her meeting with her uncle.

"Hi! What can I get for yuh's?" Came a voice. It was a pretty lady, with blonde coiled hair - which was what Hera's hair would've looked like in blonde if she hadn't straightened it every morning. She looked merry, with rosy cheeks and a sweet smile, "Third years?"

Elena nodded, "Yes! We heard about the butter beers...are they as good as we hear they are?"

This made the woman laugh, "Yes, yes. I'll get yuh both them butterbeers." She hummed as she walked away leaving the two girls alone.

Hera leaned in to whisper to Elena, "Was that Madam Rosmerta - the one that the seventh year boys have a crush on?"

"Oh definitely." Elena responded. "So, what are you and the Malfoys' doing for the holidays?"

"Well nothing exciting, really..
probably just going to stay at the Manor again while Aunt Narcissa finds excuses to hold tea parties or dinner parties." Hera took off her own gloves and stretched her fingers as she looked down on her scarred knuckles. "Will you be returning to Asia?"

The shorter of the two shook her head, her shint black hair moved back and forth. "My father will be in England, so we'll be enjoying the snow here, rather than in the East...you better write to me."

"As if I have any other choice." Hera said, chuckling to herself.

Two people suddenly walked by the small window the girls sat at, catching their attention. "Did you just see that?" Elena asked, as her best friend nodded in response. "That was Blaise and Daphne!"