On the last week before Aine heads back to Hogwarts for the start of her new year, she had gone to the Leaky Cauldron to meet up with her friends alongside her father. She hasn't seen any of them personally ever since before the holidays started, as the Weasleys and Granger family was travelling, and Harry... Let's just say he was locked up. Aine was rather surprised when she finally received a letter from Harry, telling her that he left the Dursleys and ended up staying at the Leaky Cauldron for about 3 weeks.
When the Estoileons arrived at the pub, it was bustling with so many witches and wizards. It was very warm and homey to say at least. "Aine!" a girl's voice called from behind and when Aine turns, a pair of arms circled around her, the weight pulling Aine back as she stumbles, grabbing the nearby chair for support. Aine saw a bunch of familiar red-heads all smiling at her and Ginny releases her arms, her long straight hair was longer and had a small portion braided down her face, framing it. "Ginny!" Aine greets with a bright smile and she turns to the remaining Weasleys, "Hello boys!"
"Hiya Aine!" Ron grins, he was taller now, and his ginger locks were longer and wavy too. Fred and George circles around their friend and ruffled her hair, "Wow, Ai, you've grown taller!" George compliments, "Yeah! But still shorter than us!" Fred teases and Aine pouts, "Someday, I'm going to be taller than you both."
"Yeah, maybe in like 10 years!" they say together and the three started bickering around. "Now, now, boys!" Mrs Weasley scolds from behind and rushes to give Aine a great big hug, grabbing the young girl's cheeks that now flushed pink to examine her. Once she was satisfied, she let go and gave a motherly smile. "How are you, Aine?" Mr Weasley inquires and Aine smiles, "Great. What about you, Mr Weasley?"
"Very well, indeed." he boasts and Mrs Weasley shot him a look before looking behind Aine, "Elliot!" she calls and Aine's father walked towards her as they share a friendly hug before Mr Weasley gave his friend another. "Arthur! Molly!" Elliot greets.
The adults proceeded to have a seat, chatting away while the Weasley children went on about what they were doing. Hermione soon joined them, carrying a new fluffy face and Aine's eyes glisten with excitement. "Hermione!" she calls and the brunette made her way over to Aine.
"Hello, Aine!" Hermione smiles, enthusiastically while pulling her new friend into Aine and Ginny's face. "I've gotten a cat!" she brags, "His name is Crookshanks! Isn't he lovely?"
"His face looked like he punched in." Ron sniggers from the corner, and the twins burst out laughing. It was true, the ginger cat looked grouchy, angry almost, but he had the softest coat and a mane that made it look like a lion. Apparently, it was a half-kneazle, a kind of magical beast that looked like a cat. Its big sleepy yellow eyes gazed up to the two girl's faces and blinks as he stares at Aine's yellow eyes. "His eyes are beautiful." she compliments and Hermione tickled the back of Crookshank's ears.
"Can we pet him?" Ginny asks eagerly and instead of Hermione replying, the cat looked up again and lowers his head, almost as if he was accepting their touch. And the girls began petting his fluffy fur, squealing as they admire the cuteness of the cat. It even purred as they stroked his coat, and scratched his chin. "He loves it!" Hermione giggles and Crookshanks blinked once more, satisfied with the affection.
The girls sat by the stairs, talking about what they did over the holidays and Hermione brought out some souvenirs from her bag, along with a present for Aine since they couldn't celebrate with her before. Hermione had given her, well... Everyone guessed it, a book about edible plants and flowers used for potions. "Thank you, Hermione." Aine gasp, grabbing the book as she flips through the pages. Ginny had gotten Aine a preserved flower paperweight ornament and it was very pretty, she whispers to Aine, "I got it from Luna, she made it."
No doubt. Luna was gifted at making crafts like these and she was very much good at it. "Thanks, Gin," Aine said. After some time, Hermione left to get her remaining school supplies, leaving Aine and Ginny together as they looked at the sleeping Crookshanks that Hermione entrusted the girls to take care of as she gets her stuff.
"Have you heard?" Ginny started, and continued, "Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban." she whispers, looking around. Aine stares at her friend in confusion, "Who?"
Ginny rolls her eyes, snatching a newspaper nearby, and pulled open the spread, she points to a screaming man named wanted, he had wavy long matted hair and was unusually familiar to Aine. "Don't you see the posters around here? They're filled with his picture!" she hissed, and Aine, it was true. There were wanted pictures of Sirius Black pasted all over the shop. "How did he escape?" Aine asks, and Ginny raises her shoulders, "Mom and dad didn't allow me to read any of it but I heard from Fred and George saying that he's the first person who has escaped from that prison!"
"Really?" Aine replies, astounded. She knew it was guarded by some creatures and was highly and heavily guarded so no one would slip past them. "Yeah!" Ginny whispers loudly. "So he's still out there, huh?" she mumbles under her breath, pondering on how he managed to escape. A million scenes run through her mind as she wonders about it. Ginny sighs and looks at her brothers, joking around and Percy scolding them to behave, "Why do I feel that this year is going to be another interesting one."
"Right..."
"Right."
But what awaits them will be known then, for now, all they can do is stay safe and let the events unfold on its own.
Soon, Harry had joined them and have come out from his little inn room to a squabbling Hermione and Ron. "Those two are up again." Ginny groans, "Always quarrelling like a couple, imagine they actually become one" she adds.
"Hermione deserves better." Aine remarked, "No offence to your brother, sometimes he's just asking for it."
"Agreed," Ginny says and they both started laughing, and the twins went over to them, "What's so funny, Ginny? Care to share the joke?" Fred asks and Ginny brushes him away, "It's girls talk."
The both of them decided to take a walk through Diagon Alley and they stopped in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies, trying to get a look at what everyone is crowding around for-- it was the Firebolt, the fastest broom and one that many professional quidditch players use. "Someday, I'm going to try out for the Quidditch team." Ginny says to Aine and she smiles, grabbing Ginny's shoulders, "I'm sure you'll do amazing." They then jumped into several sweet shops, admiring all the candies and finally stopping at the Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour for some ice cream. The alley was packed with many students, all hurrying to get their remaining school items before it starts, and with the crowd, it was getting quite hot and stuffy and ice cream seems to be something that will cool them both down.
They sat near the window, looking out at the swarming street, as they nibble on their ice cream. Ginny had gotten a caramel flavoured one while Aine had gotten mint flavoured ice cream. "It's good." she hums happily, taking another scoop and enjoying the taste.
"Oh?" Ginny suddenly says, jerking her chin to a distance, where they saw Draco Malfoy having his measurements taken, probably for a new uniform. His eyes shut as he spreads his arm out, allowing Madam Malkin to measure his waist and was looking very stuck-up. "Someone's getting new robes." she glares.
"mmhm," Aine replies, not really caring much, and tearing her eyes away from Draco and continue eating her ice cream. "he was at my place, a few weeks ago," she says casually and Ginny froze, her head turning to her friend who seemed uninterested, she places her cup of ice cream down and leaned forward, "Draco Malfoy?" she asks and there was another hummed of agreement, digging the dessert with the spoon.
"Draco Malfoy?" Ginny repeats and Aine hum once more, and then there was a slam! Ginny threw her palms onto the table and stood up and Aine jolted up at her. Everyone in the shop stared at the two girls and Ginny gulps, sitting back down awkwardly at the attention drawn to her, "That Draco Malfoy?" she says, pointing to the blonde boy ahead, in disbelief.
"There's only one Draco Malfoy we know, right, Gin?" Aine responded, raising one brow. "But-- How..? Or Why?" Ginny asks, puzzled. "Apparently, his parents have business around that area and he decided to pop in unexpectedly," Aine replies. She stopped digging her ice cream and rested her chin on her hand as she stares at him, "He came and had tea."
"And...?" Ginny presses on, and Aine gave her a short smile, "And he left because dad came back."
"Bet you're disappointed, hm?" The ginger replies, smirking at Aine who looks at her, baffled at her best friend's words, "Why would I?" Ginny shrugs, and stared down at her ice cream and took a huge bite, "Who knows?" And they both giggled for no reason after exchanging eye contact.
As they finished, they made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner in which all of the Weasleys were present, alongside Hermione, Harry, Aine and her father. As they took their seats, Aine gently pushed Ginny to take a seat next to Harry, being a good friend, she was rooting for both of them. Of course, this made it a little obvious as the twins started smirking at one another, while Hermione smiled to herself and Aine winked. Ginny flushed bright red and ended up taking a seat next to her crush because Mrs Weasley was rushing them to take their seats before dinner is served.
Aine sat next to George and her father, and they shared a roast hog along with steak and kidney pie, although Aine didn't eat much as her stomach was still full from the mint ice cream she had earlier. George, on the other hand, kept piling her plate with food, "I'm good, George."
"Nonsense!" he says, almost as if he was imitating his mother, who immediately shot him a glare. "I mean, I'm being nice! Your hands are too short to take the stuff over there." he and Fred chuckled.
"I'm full, Georgie," Aine whines, she really was. It was almost another bite of that pie that could make her barf. "Alright, alright, Georgie. Aine's going to puke in your face if you continue to shove that meat at her." Fred stops his brother who ended up giving the meat to his twin brother instead. "Thank you!" Aine puffs to Fred who winked and gave a thumbs up to her. They continued their dinner before turning in for the night, tomorrow was the day they'll go back to Hogwarts and they have to wake up early in the morning to get ready.
Aine laid on the bed, caressing the bracelet she got from her father with her thumb. The navy blue stone glowing as she slowly closes her eyes. Trying to get some sleep at least. She tossed and turn in the sheets, trying to get a good position to sleep but she soon grew frustrated as she was unable to fall asleep. She raises her head to see her father sitting in an armchair at the corner of the room, reading and asked, "Dad?"
Elliot shuts his thick book and looked up, rather surprised to see his daughter not yet asleep, his features soften, "Can't sleep? Too excited for tomorrow?" he asks and she smiles, "Both." He made his way to her bed and sat down at the edge of it, stroking Aine's raven hair. At times like these, he realizes that his daughter is still a little girl, despite constantly growing, she's still his little sweet girl. "Want me to read you a book?" he suggested, something he always does for her when she was a child
"Yeah," she mumbles and pulled the blanket closer to her as he waved his wand, bringing the book he was reading earlier. Aine gave a soft laugh after looking at the title, 'The mysterious potion ingredients and their history'. Catching the gaze on the book cover, Elliot scratches his head, "I only have this," he said embarrassed.
"It works," Aine reassured and he opened it to the page he left before and read aloud. "The Moonseed is a flowering plant in the family Menispermaceae, native to Eastern North America. Its form resembles the shape of the crescent moon and is one of the many highly poisonous potion ingredient, where most to all parts of this plant is dangerous and deadly. It is used as the main ingredient in the Moonseed potion and other potions like the Drink of Despair which when indulged, results in excruciating pain, terror and extreme thirst and is..."
But before Aine could figure out the remaining words, she soon drifts off, as if falling into eternal whirling darkness. She fell asleep soon after and Elliot went on for some time before stopping and softly shutting the book. He places a small kiss on her forehead before turning to the candle on the bedside table and blew the fragile burning flame away. And he too, tuned in for the night and followed Aine into drifting off to sleep.
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