Marauder's Daughter (Eventual Tom Riddle X OC)

Chapter 34: Halloween Hogsmeade Debacle

"Abby, where should I go to in Hogsmeade? Ron only mentioned Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks, but surely there's more than that." Harry asks me a few days before the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year. Dad signed his permission slip and personally sent it to Minnie over the summer, making sure that Harry could have the experience with his friends. 

Our first trip is unfortunately on Halloween this year, and I wasn't going to go, but the twins begged. They were desperate to talk to the Zonko's joke shop owner and needed me to keep them focused during the conversation, and they promised I would be back before night. So, I relented and decided to join them.

"Zonko's, for sure, the twins and I are heading there first. There's also the Shrieking Shack, but don't waste your time on that, it's actually just where our parents would go with Remy during his monthly time." I tell him happily, it's just the two of us in training right now, so I can talk opening. "There's a music shop if you want to pick up an instrument, I'm actually going to look into getting a violin from there. I'd avoid Madam Puddifoot's tea shop unless you want to vomit in your mouth." I stick my tongue out in disgust at the amount of snogging teens I saw there last time. "And there's a nice book store there, in case you want to take Hermione to her own heaven." I jokingly add on and he chuckles.

"Why would I vomit at Madam Puddifoot's?" He asks curiously.

"All the hormonal teenagers take their dates there and make out at the tables. Ruins an otherwise good tea house, I do love their collection. So far I've only gone when sneaking out to Hogsmeade, it's calm then and only has the locals or other ditchers there." I laugh off.

"Thanks then, I'll definitely go to the joke shop, and I'm sure Hermione will drag us to the bookstore." Harry responds with a grin as we wrap up our sparring. 

Harry's been a slow learner for physical combat, he's too sweet and kind, like Cedric, so he doesn't want to hit me at all. I can't train him like I did with m little brother Tim in my last life, who I just brutally attacked at random intervals for six months solid, arrogantly taunting him and riling him up. Harry has a short fuse, but I know it's not the best way to train him. He needs the basics first, but he's getting them well enough, just slower than I'm used to being around.

Quidditch for Harry is going better this year thanks to the lack of Dementors. He still didn't win his game against Hufflepuff though, the storm was massive and it was so hard to see, but Cedric genuinely did find and catch the snitch first, sealing his team's victory for the first match of the year. Harry beat himself up so much about it, and Wood looked ready to cry at the end of the game. Harry at least didn't fall off his broom and break it though, so he wasn't going to be getting the Firebolt this year, no matter how much drooling all of us did over it when we were back to school shopping. The twins were bitter that Cedric specifically had won, and they seemed to have an especially deep rooted hatred for the Hufflepuff boy.

"Guys, I'm going to grab something from the music store, I'll catch you later at the Three Broomsticks, ok?" I tell the twins after we finished our two hour long, rather jovial interrogation of the joke shop owner. He gave them wonderful advice, and I listened closely as well. The twins want me to join them at their shop as a partner, but I didn't think it was what I truly wanted to do, so I only told them maybe, or that I'll be a part timer, or just help with inventions. We stocked up on little bits and pieces for the school year while we were there, our mischievous minds growing with thoughts on how to use them and on who.

"Alright, don't be too long, we're only going to Honeydukes before there. You want anything?" George asks me before parting. I decline his offer and head to the music shop.

I look around at all the instruments, admiring the beautiful violins. I played a bit in my last life, and I've found I miss the calming sound of it. I don't necessarily have the free time to play these days, but it would be nice to have as an option.