Day-Off Encounter
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THE FIRST HOGSMEADE VISIT after Winter Break finally came once the pile of homeworks were given. Third to seventh year students were all excited getting ready to head at the small village down Hogwarts.
A girl who goes by the name, Marlene McKinnon practically dragged her friends to hurry up, so that they can head down quickly. She said she needed a huge restock to her pile of sweets, and she wanted to get them before Honeydukes gets crowded.
Aurora threw her denim jacket on, and went to search for her Gryffindor scarf - January wind are exceptionally cold - she looks through her trunk until she saw the red and gold fabric carefully folded on the very bottom of her luggage.
Her lips parted and her eyes widen, the sight of her scarf wasn't the one that internally surprises her. It was the sight of a thin golden chain that lies beside it.
She picks up the necklace and gaze at it. She had taken this off - she was contemplating if she would just leave it back at home or bring it with her - she decided to just place it down her trunk in the end.
Looking at it, Aurora's stomach made a twisted churn. She thought about not wearing it for awhile, it seems childish to do so since it's just a piece of jewelry that doesn't mean anything.
Oh, but it does. The necklace means a lot to her. The silver jewel and the golden chain, the carefully made pendant taking in form of a cluster of stars in the Taurus constellation, one of those stars was Alcyone.
It was the necklace Remus had given to her, during New Years when he had kiss her and left.
Yes, this holds too much memory about that moment. And maybe that was the reason Aurora decided not to wear it for awhile.
Looking at it, examining it now, it looks awfully beautiful that she's almost driven with the urge to wear it back. Almost.
If only the trickle of bitterness wasn't stronger. Because oh, how it was.
Aurora sighed and stood up from her crouch down position, and walk up to her nightstand. She opened her drawer, and with one last glance at the piece of jewelry, she place it gently down the drawer and shut it close.
For a couple of seconds, she could only stare in daze at the drawer she had just close, struck with the idea of pulling it open again and pick the necklace to place it around her. Of course, she doesn't.
This was just a mere urge.
Aurora was no fool. She doesn't do the same mistake twice, doesn't commit the same failure for a second time, no she doesn't. When she realize things are too far out of her reach, she turns around and walk away. She was not to dwell unto things she knew she can't have.
No, she wasn't a full Gryffindor. When her goal is something she just couldn't get her hands to grasp, she doesn't try hard and jump in every step she could find just to reach them, like a true filled lion would. No, she doesn't.
She defines determination as something to set your eyes upon another thing when you left your current one unsuccessfully achieved.
Aurora knows when to give up. She knows when to stop and move on. Yes, she does. She was quite brave to walk down that path towards the Forbidden Forest that night. Yes, bravery truly is a strange thing.
Aurora Violet doesn't linger on things she knew she can't have. Therefore, she will not stay into the illusion of imagining the what would's, if Remus had exchange the same feelings she has for him.
No, Aurora was no fool. She knows what self worth is.
~****~
The Hogsmeade village has always been a street you'd love to stroll around to. Especially when the smell of butterbeer hits your nose, or the scent candies and chocolates, or that fresh breeze of wind on trees.
Yes, the street of Hogsmeade have always been fun to stroll around to. Honeydukes have been one of the famous shops that resided in Hogsmeade, their sweets were made exceptionally craved for.
Honeydukes is a great place, but perhaps the presence that has in it is the thing that's irritating Aurora.
"...Nuh-uh, I say its the chocolate frogs! It's much better, plus you get to make a collections with the cards!" Marlene exclaimed, as she and Mary childishly argues about which sweet is better instead of actually getting everything over with and just get the damn sweets.
"...I disagree, I think Bertie Botts All Flavoured Beans are much more better! They're fun to eat!" Mary quickly retorts.
"Yeah, if you considered accidentally eating boogers or puke flavour 'fun'." Marlene scoffs sarcastically as she place a pile of several chocolate frogs and sugar quill on her full arms.
Aurora sighed impatiently.
Honestly. If she'd known she will get in the middle of this, then she should've gone along with Alice and Lily, who took it upon themselves to go to the book store.
But there's no going back now. They're suppose to be meeting at the Three Broomsticks after this.
"Can you please just get what you want so that we can finally go? Merlin, we've been here for an hour!" Aurora exclaimed indignantly, and the two girls turns to her in surprise, as if they had forgotten she was there with them.
They have, after all, been arguing since they came here.
"...Eer, yeah. I guess this is good enough, let's go..- Bertie Botts All Flavoured Beans are still the best." Mary hissed the last part at Marlene, and if she thinks Aurora also hadn't heard that, then she's wrong because Aurora certainly has, thats why she's rolling her eyes and grumble to herself as Marlene and Mary engage themselves in another debate about 'which sweet is better?'.
"Why are you late?" Lily asks strictly once the three girls arrived at the Three Broomsticks. Lily and Alice had already found a table by the corner, just by a window.
Aurora rolled her eyes, taking a seat on the table with a huff, "Don't even get me started. I feel like wanting to sink into the deepest part of earth just to get away from this two weirdos." she pointed at Mary and Marlene.
"We are not weirdos!" Marlene gasp dramatically, offended.
"Yes you are." Aurora glared, "Childish weirdos at that."
Alice laughs as Marlene goes on explaining what she and Mary had just a 'small' argument with.
" - and I was never going to back out defending the honour of the great taste of chocolate frogs and it being better than anything else - "
"Oi! Bertie Botts are more superior!" Mary cut off indignantly.
Aurora let out a frustrated grunt, Lily shake her head, and Alice laughs as they watch the girls argue right back again.
When the drinks arrived, Aurora raise her butterbeer up her mouth and took a sip, whilst her eyes scanning over her surrounding. The Three broomsticks was busy, especially during lunch hour and she saw familiar faces from her own house and in others.
She hears chorus of laughter erupt in her ears and she drag her gaze towards the group of boys that was sat on the very center of the pub, laughing amongst themselves whilst extremely ignorant about the stares they're getting from their said laughs.
Aurora raise an eyebrow. The Marauders were practically loud boys so it didn't surprise her that they've caught several eyes on them even with just their laughter.
When Remus titled his head, his hazel eyes locks with her icy blue one for a brief moment. He smiled at her but Aurora hadn't have enough time to smile back, as she was already turning her head away.
Remus frowned as he stares at the side of her head, she had look over to another group huddled on the corner of the room. Aurora wasn't looking over at them anymore, or more specifically - looking at him.
For the better too, because if she still is then she'd be more embarrassed if he'd seen the slight flush across her face, caught in surprise that he caught her eyes.
Yes, Aurora did say she'll move on. But that didn't entirely stop her from falling in love with him.
~****~
The girls had exited the Three Broomsticks, and the fresh chilly air greeted them with a breeze. Aurora falls into a step beside Alice as they all started to walk.
"..I still need to get an ink bottle before I go and maybe some quill too. Any of you wanna come along?" Aurora announces.
"..I wanted to get some new robes." Lily says.
"I think I'll also come with Lily. I need a new blouse." Alice added.
"I'm thinking about buying a new pair of quidditch gloves at the Quality Quidditch Supplies." Marlene exclaims with a shrug.
"I think I also would like to check out new quidditch supplies." Mary, whom is a part of the quidditch team herself, announces.
"I'll go there myself, I guess." Aurora shrugged.
"Brilliant! We'll meet back by the carriages."
And with that, the girls departed ways. Aurora walks up to the other direction of the street. The shop which sells parchments, scrolls, ink bottles and quill was located at the very end of the street of Hogsmeade, which was established beside Zonko's.
She entered the small shop, with a ring of a tiny bell. It wasn't crowded, yet it wasn't empty from people either. A student would pass by here and there, pay for what they bought.
There's not much people here, other students prefer to buy their supplies at the other shop ahead of Hogsmeade, so this one wasn't quite as busy as the other. And that's why Aurora likes to buy her stuff here, it wasn't a busy place.
Aurora stalk towards the third column where she was sure the shelf of quill and ink bottles were located. She pick up a grey feathered quill and smiled to herself. She looks over the other section and raise her eyebrow when her eyes lay upon a unique advertisement...
Scented Ink.
Amused by it, she pick one from the shelf and examined it. She has never gotten a scented ink before, but her mother - who used those during her time in Hogwarts - told her it smells nice.
Aurora opened the bottle, and take a sniff of the ink and her nose relax when she smells the light aroma of lavender.
Grinning to herself, she decided to buy it. Aurora took a bit of parchments and paid for her supplies before heading out the door.
She was still examining her new ink bottle with glee and excitement, that she didn't see someone rushing over to her until their body crash.
"AGGGHH!"
She crashes with someone's shoulder that the impact shove her down, causing the ink bottle slip from her hands and into the ground. Her eyes widen in horror when she saw her ink bottle has spilled.
"Merlin's pants! - I - oh Helga- I am so sorry- are you alright?" a male voice, whom Aurora assumes belongs to the person she just collided with, asks.
Aurora groaned as she sat up from when she just fell, purposely ignoring the hand that the person just offers. She was busy staring mournfully at the three sickles worth of her ink bottle, all spilt unto the ground. The scent of lavender that it possesses slightly blooms into the air.
Then, she glared at the person who just bumped into her. The Hufflepuff boy give her an apologetic small smile, attempting to lessen her anger towards her, whilst stepping back in case she actually loses it.
"I'm really sorry - I didn't mean -! I was just in a hurry- here let me help you -" the Hufflepuff quickly said when Aurora was still heatedly staring daggers at him.
The boy crouch down and attempted to stupidly pick up the ink.
"Don't worry, it hadn't spilled much - oh - oh helga - now I've got ink in my hands! Do you have a tissue? - wait - I've got a tissue in pocket - oh wait - now my trousers are inked too!"
Aurora snorted as she watch the boy struggle. He is tried to pick the ink up the ground but then his hands were inked and then his trouser is also tainted with ink after he failed to get a tissue from his pocket. And now, he tries to brush away the ink in his shirt - which resulted to more mess.
Aurora laughed out loud as the Hufflepuff sigh in defeat.
To be honest, she should be angry right now if it wasn't for the boy's idiocy.
The Hufflepuff looks up and smiled grimly at her, cringing slightly when he saw that his shirt is now inked.
"Oh merlin..." Aurora's laugh died down and she smirks at the boy, "I'll let you off this time because you gave me a good laugh, but please watch where you're going next time." she grumbles.
"Right, sorry.." he sighs.
"Let me help." Aurora smiled as she took her wand out her pocket and muttered a spell that completely washes away the mess on his clothes.
"Oh, right! Why didn't I think about that before?" the boy says as he brushes his now ink-free shirt.
"Because you couldn't." Aurora shot back wittily, putting her wand away.
The Hufflepuff shoots her an unimpressed look.
Aurora looks at the spilled ink bottle on the ground and sighs.
"How much was that?"
"More expensive than your existence.." Aurora answers, the Hufflepuff suppressed an amuse smile.
"I can buy you a new one. I feel genuine guilty about it." he remarks, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, but Aurora waved her hand.
"Don't worry about it, but I'm not denying the offer." she grins, "I mean, you are the one who crashes into my shoulder so I think you do ought to buy me a new one."
The Hufflepuff boy gave her a crooked smile, and extended a hand.
"We probably haven't met before but my name's Samuel Benson." he introduces.
"Can we just buy the ink bottle now?"
"Well, nice to meet you too." Samuel chuckles at her dry sarcasm and Aurora smirks as she finally reach out her hand and shake it with his.
"Mine's Aurora Violet, now can we go?" she raises her eyebrow at him, and he grins.
Samuel stopped shaking her hand and pulled her into the shop. Aurora started laughing in surprise.
Little did they know, four pair of eyes were looking at them from ahead.
"Isn't that Rory?" James asked, an arm around Peter.
They just exited Zonko's when they heard Aurora's familiar laughter, they all stopped to watch her talk with a Hufflepuff.
"Yeah, is she on a date?" Sirius furrowed his brows.
"I'm not sure..." James trails off.
"Maybe.." Peter shrugs.
Then all of them turned to Remus - whose eyes were still trained unto Aurora and Samuel as they disappeared inside the shop with a ding of a bell.
"Right," Sirius cleared his throat, "Didn't you always liked Rory, Moony? Should we teach that bloke a lesson?" Padfoot teased, mirroring a smirk with James.
"Yeah, Moony. Don't you?" Prongs exclaims, and Remus rolled his eyes, finally looking away.
"..I don't like her." Remus mumbled, his words almost incoherent but the marauders were all ears and they all laughed as Remus started walking away.
James, Sirius, and Peter trailed behind him still laughing.
Right, he does not like her like that.
If so, then why is his chest feeling like it's loosing its oxygen?
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author's note:
hi, how did u like the new chapter? any thoughts about the new character? y'all will understand sooner how Samuel will hugely impact the rest of the story :)
this took me so long to write, like what? im always procrastinating, lol.
Genuine curiosity tho: what sweet do you like more (Chocolate frogs or Bertie Botts)?
that's all, have a good day and you make good choices, byeee!!
lots of love,
pearlyy xx
~****~
NEW CAST!!!
Hugh Laughton-Scott
as Samuel Benson
whoops, didn't expect him to be so charming, did you? ;)