Finding Her Parents: HP Fanfic

Chapter 15: Dinner at Sluggy's

Audri ran a brush through her hair to calm the frizz and patted down her purple dress robes. This was her and Ethan's Halloween date and she wanted it to be as romantic as possible; not that their other dates weren't, this would just be so much more romantic being a holiday and something to dress up for. Sughorn decided to do a Halloween Ball, with required dress robes and an age limit, much to the dismay of the younger students. He was known for having a good party on Halloween that all could enjoy, but Audri suspected he wanted more mature audiences as he got old.

"You look nice," Tessa said on her way to the loo. 

"Thanks," Audri smiled radiantly, then made her way out to the Common Room, where Ethan waited for her, amongst the crowd of Hufflepuffs who were all mostly waiting for the feast. Some of the older students were waiting to join Ethan and Audri at the ball, while the others were waiting to be released to Hogsmeade, for a night on the town. Only recently had Hogwarts allowed this and it greatly reduced the body heat in Slughorn's office. Audri and her friends went last year and decided Sluggy's parties were better than the bitter winds and huddling up at Rosemerta's.

Ethan clutched her hand and led her through the barrels, down the corridor to the Slytherin dungeons. It was almost as cold as the Hufflepuff basement, but Audri felt the basement was the coldest place in the castle. He looked very handsome in his black robes with yellow trimmings and his curly hair flopping on the top of his head.  The hall held green glowing candles that presented the entrance to Slughorn's office, where a small line waited. They were earlier than Teddy and Victoire, but only marginally.

"Looks like more of a party than our first year, eh?" Teddy clapped Ethan on the back and grinned wide. Victoire looked very beautiful in her shimmering gold dress robes, even more so than usual. It was probably the gold flecks bringing out her inner Veela, which made Audri a tad self conscious.

"That it does," Ethan smiled back and loosely wrapped his arm around Audri's waist. "Heard Sluggy's outdone himself this year with the fear factor. Shirvling swears he's got boggarts in the maze he set up in his classroom."

"Get off it! You know how Ash feels about boggarts!" Teddy guffawed. "Bet he's only got the bats and spiders like last year."

"Give Sluggy some credit," Audri smiled at Ethan, "he does better every year."

The line started to move forward, slowly as Professor Slughorn loved to personally address each guest and take epecially long with his favorites. She and Ethan chatted aimlessly and nervously as they waited their turn to be greeted, sometimes looking at the impossibly long line behind them and sharing chuckles over their cleverness in lining up early.

Slughorn was his usual fat self, in an emerald green set of robes and a new purple fez resting on his head.

"Audrita, the lovely Princess of Longbottom Tower!" He smiled jubilantly at her and Ethan, "And Keeper Ethan, so glad you made it this year! I've got a good set of surprises in store for the maze this year, don't miss out!"

"Never Professor," Ethan smiled and took Audri away before Slughorn could ramble on about how they missed his last dinner and how their last fatiguing infusion was simply marvelous. They left Teddy and Victoire to deal with a rant from Sluggy about the new keeper for the Arrows may put Yorkshire in trouble for the cup. 

"Ooh bread pudding!" Audri smiled childishly at her favorite dessert, making her boyfriend chuckle. "I'm surprised you aren't starving, lunch was ages ago."

"I'm looking for an open table," Ethan shrugged, "nearly all of these are filled, and Slytherins are everywhere tonight!"

Indeed there were quite a lot of Slytherins, more so than usual, then again there was more of every House in the office, as well as important people and fellow staff. Slughorn's past favorites littered the enlarged office like flies around honey. Unsurprisingly, Audri's father was absent as he spent every year with her mother and the boys at the Weasley's.

"There," Audri grabbed a plate of bread pudding, then speed walked herself and Ethan to a vacant table near the classroom door and no where near Slytherins. 

"Good eye," He pulled out her chair for her before sitting down. The band, Barnaby and Co., began to strum, increasing the sound several decibals higher, just as Teddy, Victoire, and Cherie and her date Francis Hoxworth, sat with them.

"Blimey I'm starving!" Teddy shouted, lazily leaning back in his chair.

"I love Barnaby!" Cherie shouted to no one in particular. Audri and Ethan smiled at each other, both having expected these reactions from their best friends. 

With a little pop, menus appeared before them, making Teddy holler and cheer to anyone that was in range. Audri giggled and looked over the items. They were the same things Hogwarts cooked any day, but all at once and with the option to choose.

"Onion soup and butterbeer please," Audri pronounced as clearly as possible to her silver plate. Another pop and her order was up. Victoire sniffed her bowl.

"Ooh smells like Granny's!" She then proceeded to order her own identical meal. "I can't wait for Christmas."

They continued to eat and chatter about the haunted house and the band before going their separate ways, since each set were on their own holiday dates. Ethan and Audri decided to skip the maze until the crowd lessened and went to the jack-o-lantern station, while Teddy and Victoire waited in line for the maze and Cherie dragged Francis on the dance floor.

"Vampire?" Ethan held up his chosen pumpkin. Audri crinkled her eyebrows.

"You do vampire and I'll try for a Grindelow!" She smiled and began drawing her best impression of a Grindelow. "First one to finish the best resemblance wins."

"Loser must kiss the winner," Ethan slyly added. Audri raised a brow before racing to finish-she'd never kissed him, Ethan always kissed her, or at least so far. It was like a potions race in class; both were trying to carfeully create a masterpeice and stall each other as fast as they could. Ethan tossed pumpkin guts at Audri and she magicked seeds to stick to his left cheek. 

Finally he finished. Only because she was a perfectionist when it came to her work. They compared pumpkins and decided that although Ethan was faster, Audri's was better. A tie. 

"Kissssss," Teddy snuck up behind Ethan, making him cringe with goosebumps. "I'm allowing this one because it's a holiday!"

"Bugger off, Ted!" Audri bewitched her seeds to throw themselves at him.

"Ow! Ow, owww! Ok, we were just leaving!" Teddy ran off with an arm around Victoire who was giggling madly in her tinkling way. Both Audri and Ethan were red-faced and unable to say anything more than stutters for some time before Audri stood tall and kissed him. He was surprised at first, and did not kiss back until he realized what was happening. He then bent down and wrapped his arms arond her tiny body, engulfing her into a full embrace. It was the best kiss she'd had yet; so warm and tender, yet still giving her the feeling of slow, lazy butterflies. 

When they parted, he mumbled something. Something that sounded a bit like, "I love you."

A/N: It's been a ridiculously long time, too long actually. And likely to be long again until my next update, but I do plan on finising Audri's story, both you and her deserve as much! For any readers still around to read this, thank you. I need to jog my memory with this, since I lost my plans, so please bear with me if this isn't how it used to be and I suddenly veer off the track we've been going. Thank you again, you guys are the best of the best!