ARGENTÉ | harry. p

¾ ◂ five ▸ ¾

CHAPTER FIVE

"IT'S FREEZING!" HARRY EXCLAIMED, his teeth chattering violently the moment he emerged from the icy lake. He hastily grabbed the towel from the girl's outstretched hands, her eyes filled with concern. "Thanks," he managed to stutter, wrapping the fabric tightly around his shivering form. The girl nodded, her brow furrowed as she watched him struggle to regain warmth.

"Twenty minutes now..." Aneira murmured, her voice trailing off as she peered at the pocket watch cradled delicately in her palm. "It's increased quite a bit," she added, closed the watch with a soft click, and met Harry's gaze.

"Let's just rest first," she suggested. Harry nodded in agreement, the weight of exhaustion visible in his eyes. They both settled down, backs against an oak tree.

They were at the Black Lake. The two of them immediately learned the Bubble Head Charm and tested it directly in the lake. But now it's winter and the lake is getting colder.

Aneira filled Harry's cup with tea in a graceful manner. "Drink, Potter."

Now, Harry doesn't know if her actions are caring or strange. But Aneira brought a tea set, complete with the assortment of cakes, and a small table from her little pouch. "It's certainly one way to recover from a swim in an ice-cold lake," he replied, accepting a steaming cup from her. The warmth of the tea seemed to seep into his very bones as he took a sip.

Harry's gaze lingered on the delicate pastries arrayed before him, each one a miniature work of art. But it was Aneira who captured his attention fully as he lifted his eyes to her. She was clad in a light blue dress that fell just to her knees, complementing the clear sky above them. The ribbon in her hair, a perfect match to her attire, accentuated the gentle waves of her silver locks that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight.

A sudden urge to reach out and let his fingers dance through those cascading waves washed over Harry. He imagined they would feel like strands of cool silk, a stark contrast to the warmth of the tea that steamed between them.

As if sensing his gaze, Aneira turned towards him, her eyes meeting his. "You need to practice regularly before the lake freezes," said Aneira.

Harry groaned. "But it's freezing. I'm not sure I can swim there."

Aneira hummed. "Is there a warming spell that lasts for an hour, or not?" she whispered, more to herself than to Harry.

Harry watched her, his green eyes tracing the flutter of her snowy eyelashes. It was a habit of hers, he had noticed, this quiet introspection that often captured her when she was deep in thought.

"I know this might seem forward, but," Harry began, leaning in with a conspiratorial air. "Could we perhaps conjure a new room in Argenté?"

"New room?"

"Yeah, it's akin to crafting an artificial lake," Harry mused, his imagination already painting the vast expanse of water in his mind.

A spark of recognition lit up her eyes, "I recall Newt Scamander mentioning something similar in his writings," He nodded with fervor, a buoyant hope rising within him despite his limited knowledge of Scamander's actual methods. The very idea that his wild and audacious proposal might be more than just a flight of fancy was exhilarating.

Harry and Aneira decided to head back to the castle. Their pace was leisurely, their steps muffled by the thick carpet of leaves as they meandered through the trees. They watched with idle curiosity as clusters of students engaged in various activities nearby; some were engrossed in a lively game, while others were huddled together, their heads bowed over a book in what seemed to be an impromptu club meeting. Harry mused to himself about the existence of a book club at Hogwarts, quickly dismissing the thought with a mental note that it was one club he'd likely never join.