BLACK MOON ⍋ Remus Lupin

Chapter TwentyEight - Hogsmead.

Saturday. Another week over.

Unlike everyone else I wasn't looking forward to the weekend; lessons had been the only form of decent distraction between the discomfort during every other moment.

Today was the Hogsmead 'platonic' date, Lily had planned (although I didn't know whether I was still actually invited to come or not?). So many mixed messages throughout the week didn't make it clear whether I'd arrive an unwanted guest.

At the beginning of the week Marlene had practically warned me not to be ill...yesterday she laughed over the fact that it would be "such a shame" if I didn't make an appearance.

The girls were up already and were loudly getting prepared for the day, whilst I was awake and questioning whether I should brave getting up and joining them.

I slipped in late last night, when they had all been asleep and this morning they hadn't come to check if I had even shown up at all, to the best of my knowledge...or to wake me up to join them in getting ready.

That confirmed I was no longer welcome to join them with their little outing. Probably for the best, considering the bitter ending yesterday.

"Are you sure we shouldn't wake her up and tell her to get ready?" Lily asked.

"We don't know how bad it is, Lil, or know what to say yet! And she probably doesn't even want to." Marlene replied and closed the door behind her.

What did they mean? Were they all going to sit around and discuss whether they should dump me from the group? Did they need the boys opinions over the idea of me showing up today?

What did they mean by "how bad" something was...my attitude perhaps? Yesterday I did snap at them, though they did provoke me (whether they knew that or not).

I got up and perched myself on the window that had become a spot I naturally gravitated towards. Overlooking the Hogwarts grounds.

Suddenly a spike of stubbornness slapped me in the face as I watched groups of friends start to wander around the fields, towards the black lake and some out of sight completely.

"I don't need their permission to go to Hogsmead!" I laughed at myself and quickly threw on layers of clothes that probably needed a good iron or didn't match at all. Shoving the essentials into my back and storming out of the room with intention.

*
I arrived at Hogsmead alone, after asking passers by for directions, since I had never been before.

A smile found my face as I took in the small village of shops, pubs and tiny houses that looked like they hadn't been changed in hundreds of years. A light layer of unexplained snow resting on their rooftops.

It was small, unimpressive and I could finally understand why I was never brought here.

There were no restaurants that required you to book months in advance for a table. There were no highbrow shops; Mother would never been seen in a shop that sold handmade gifts and didn't know her by name.

I liked it though, at first glance. Everything seemed happy and communal. Like the perfect storybook village, nothing and nobody was at risk around here. There was no knockturn alley to accidentally get lost down.

I walked into a small sweet shop, starting to fill with giggling first years already getting a sugar rush at the idea of sweets and chocolate.

I walked over the the chocolate section, a plan forming to get a hot drink somewhere, melt the chocolate in my mouth and read the book I had packed for myself- The tales of Beedle the bard. Today was going to be a good day, even if I had to force perfection.