The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 38 - Hogsmeade at Last

After Branwen's summer in the States and her exhausting first day back at Hogwarts, the weeks that followed were surprisingly mundane. As a third year, she now had two extra elective classes. She chose Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes, which were both very interesting, but also heavy on homework.

Quidditch practises started the second week of school. Bailey Fairchild had graduated at the end of the last term, so Kingsley Shacklebolt took her place as captain of the Gryffindor team. Edgar Bones had been named a Prefect this year as well, so he decided to give up his position as Chaser on the team to focus on academics. Rather than attempt to train two new team members, Shacklebolt decided to offer the open Chaser positions to Gideon and Fabian Prewett.

The Prewett twins had been on Gryffindor's Quidditch team until their fifth year, when they too had bowed to academic pressures. They came back from the recent holiday though to begin their seventh and final year with a renewed zest. They told anyone who would listen that they would take on that fellow Voldemort single-handedly (or rather, double-handedly, considering there were two of them). The only other subjects they cared to talk about were their two infant nephews, whose pictures they carried around almost constantly, and Quidditch. They zipped around the pitch in perfect sync, inventing moves that were not recommended for the faint of heart.

With her Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays taken up with practise and Tuesdays now devoted to Madam Pomfrey, Branwen found little time for homework or anything else. It was only the boys' continued tutoring that kept her at the top of her classes, though she ended up being more of a help to them when it came to Potions and Herbology.

There was one bright spot in her calendar that had her eagerly marking down the days: her first Hogsmeade weekend.




James threw himself onto the sofa between Peter and his sister. He wriggled until his head rested in Branwen's lap beneath her Transfiguration textbook, then tossed his legs across Peter. "Ugh," he groaned. "Why does Evans hate me so much?"

"What did you do this time, James?" Remus was on the floor in front of them, absently paging through Confronting the Faceless (something he had picked up "for a bit of light reading" having finished his assigned works). Sirius was sitting nearby, sending a squadron of paper planes into the fire.

"I didn't do anything!" James continued with a dramatic sigh. "I just asked if she fancied going to Hogsmeade with me this weekend, and she turned me down."

"I was there," Peter piped up. "She said she would rather use the Reductor Curse to pierce her ears than be seen in public with you."

James glared at him, but Sirius started laughing so hard he fell from his chair onto the floor. "Shut up!" James tossed a pillow at his face.

Branwen finally set her book aside, realising she wasn't going to get any more work done. "Are you really surprised though? I mean, look at what you do to her and Snape. Just last week, you filled his pockets with galleons, then set a Niffler loose on him."

James sat up. "Yeah. And it was hilarious."

Branwen rolled her eyes. "Look, all I can tell you is that if someone pranked you as much as you prank Snape, I certainly wouldn't be dying to be seen with them."

"Well, apparently Evans' friends aren't as picky. She may have said no, but McKinnon said yes."

"James Fleamont Potter, you are a pig!" Branwen huffed. "The girl you fancy turns you down for being a prat, so you just go and ask her friend?"

Remus was glancing between James and Sirius, who had instantly sobered. "Um, what did Marlene say when you asked her?"

At this James gave a smug smile. "She said yes of course. She knows a good thing when she sees it."

Sirius took the pillow he was still holding and smashed it into James' face. "You filthy git! You knew I was going to ask her!"

Branwen shoved the boys apart. "Why does anyone have to go with anyone? Can't we all just have fun together? It's my first time out after all."

No one said anything. Sirius grit his teeth and stormed out of the room. James stood and stomped his way up to the dormitory.

In the aftermath of the boys' quarrel, Peter quietly whispered, "Uh, Branwen, would it be okay if I asked someone. I wanted to ask Charity Burbage."

"It's okay, Peter," Branwen smiled and patted his hand. "You ask Charity. In fact, would you like me to ask her for you? We have Herbology together tomorrow."

"Um, sure, okay," Peter dropped his textbook, mumbling and fumbling, his face turning Gryffindor scarlet.

Branwen smiled, then nudged Remus with her toe. "Anyone you want me to ask?"

"Hmm?"

"As a date. For you. This weekend."

"Oh," he flushed, "that's all right. I was just planning on going with you. Can't have you wandering Hogsmeade alone, can we?"




After a week of rain, the day of Hogsmeade dawned with brilliant clarity. The crisp blue sky was dotted with puffy white clouds. A sharp breeze danced with the final leaves of the season and songbirds were eagerly snatching up the worms that had surfaced in the muddy ground.

Branwen skipped into the Great Hall in high spirits. She was wearing one of her new outfits from San Francisco: bell-bottomed denim pants and a brightly-coloured gingham jumper. She wiggled a space for herself between Remus and Peter at the table. "Good morning, my dears," she placed a kiss on each of the cheeks beside her. "Are you ready for our day out?" She reached for a buttery slice of toast.

"Yep."

"Absolutely."

"By the way, Peter, I'm sorry Charity was ill. She told Alice to tell me to tell you that she would find you later if she's feeling better."

"S'alright," Peter mumbled around his waffles.

Remus piled more eggs on his plate and eyed Branwen. "Will Aubrey and Cresswell be jealous if they see you with bus?" Remus asked.

During the week, Branwen had received invitations from both Ravenclaw boys to go to Hogsmeade with them. She had turned them down flat. "That's their problem," she answered Remus.

She glanced around the room. "Are James and Sirius not even going to stop by for breakfast? Oh." Her voice dropped when her eye reached the end of the table. James and Sirius were leaning over heaping plates, laughing with Marlene McKinnon and Ivy Morris. Once Sirius had gotten his own date with the pretty Hufflepuff, he and James had buried the hatchet and agreed to a double date.

James felt his sister's gaze. He detached himself from his group and trotted over. "Good morning, Bon-Bon," he kissed the top of her shining raven hair. "I have a present for you." He pulled a hand from behind his back and produced a small leather bag embroidered with tiny yellow flowers.

Branwen frowned. "James, that's not from you. Dad bought it for me after I begged for three hours straight. I've been using it for the past three months."

"Ah! But when Dad bought it for you, could it do this?" Though the bag was, at most, a few inches deep, he shoved his arm into it up to his shoulder.

"An expansion charm! Thank you, Jamie," Branwen jumped up to hug her brother. She kissed his cheek, then whispered in his ear, "I'll talk you up to Lily if I run into her."

James hid a blush by kissing his sister back, then ran back to Sirius and the girls, who were now standing and slipping on their coats.

"All right, boys," Branwen slid the purse over her shoulder. "Let's move out."

Remus stretched his arms above his head with a groan while Peter reached for an orange to stuff in his pocket. Once they were both standing, Branwen linked arms with them and they headed out the door.

It was a pleasant walk to the village. The air smelled like rotting leaves and ripe pumpkins, and the sun lay gently on their skin. Windswept leaves curled and pranced around their ankles like so many tiny kittens. It tugged at Remus' wavy locks and Peter's thin blond fringe. Branwen had pulled on a knit cap and somehow, when the wind danced through her hair, it didn't wisp around, but only shimmered in the sunlight.

"What's our first stop, Bran?" Peter asked, leaping over yet another puddle of mud.

"Hmm....well, we definitely need to stop at Dervish and Banges to pick up some phials so we can start the Animagus process again. And then...."

"Honeydukes," Remus grinned wickedly, the image of rows and rows of chocolates running through his mind.

"And don't forget Zonko's!" Peter chimed.

"All right then, gentlemen, lead the way!"

They had finally entered the town proper, and it was only her hold on the two boys that kept Branwen from becoming utterly lost in the crowd. They led her down the main street, dodging carriages, mud puddles, and other students. Alice, Emmeline, and Dorcas waved as they passed across the street. They passed the noisy entrance to the Three Broomsticks, the sweet scents of Honeydukes, and the dark street to the Hog's Head before they came on Dervish and Banges.

"What's that way?" Branwen pointed down another street that intersected the High Road.

"Oh, that's the way to Madam Puddifoot's," Peter said.

As Branwen watched the crowd meandering down the street, she realised that most of them were walking hand-in-hand. There was Caspar Montgomery and Bridget Latimer. Electra Zabini and Crowley Mulciber. Xenophilius Lovegood and Pandora Calistro.

"It's a good place for a snog," a voice whispered in her ear. Branwen started before realising the chuckle came from Remus. She swatted his arm. "Like you would know, Lupin."

The three friends made quick work of the supply shop. Even though it had many more interesting items to inspect, for today, they were only there for phials.

Having secured their supply, Peter dragged them into Zonko's where he filled his bags with sugar quills and hiccoughing sweets. Branwen selected a handful of Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks and some floral-patterned Nose-Biting Teacups.

Remus only strolled around with his hands in his pockets. He had only a few Sickles to spend, and he was saving them for the new flavour of chocolate frogs Honeydukes was supposed to be carrying. After watching him walk by the display of Acid Pops three different times though, Branwen added a handful to her purchase. They would find their way to him somehow, as little surprises during the term or as a lump present at Christmastime.

When all the purchases were shoved into the expanded bag, they made their way to Honeydukes. It was like walking into a golden heaven. It was filled with the heady scents of chocolate and sugar and coconut and caramel and fruit and treacle and....Branwen lost all track of thought and time running through the sweet delights.

When the three friends finally surfaced into the chilly October air, their cheeks were red with laughter and a sugar high from the products they had already sampled. Remus and Peter steered Branwen in the direction of The Three Broomsticks.

"Come on," Remus shoved open the door from them, "I'll order the butterbeers; you guys find a table."

"Oi, watch where you're going – oh, Lupin," Lily Evans tilted her head to look into the eyes of the taller boy. She eyed the other two behind him. "Did you three just get here?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way up to order."

"Me too. Why don't we go up together? Severus and Regulus are saving us a table over there," Lily nodded toward the back wall where Branwen saw the two boys sitting stiffly beside one another. When she looked up, Remus and Lily were already on their way to the pub counter. She rolled her eyes, then led Peter to the table.

Snape looked over the top of the Daily Prophet he was reading as the pair approached. "Potter. Pettigrew." He went back to reading without another word.

Peter sat down across from Snape. Branwen took the seat beside him, facing Regulus. The young Black managed a smile. "All right, Potter?"

She nodded, although her gaze was fixed on Remus and Lily laughing across the room.

"Ready for the match next weekend?"

Branwen brought her attention to the boy in front of her. He had slicked back his hair with Sleekeazy's and wore a green silk tie tucked into his starched black shirt. He looked extremely formal for such a fun, casual weekend trip. She smirked. "Are you ready to have your arse handed to you on the pitch, Black?"

He rolled his sleeves up and leaned on the table. "At least we don't have to worry about integrating anyone new into our team. We're still the well-oiled machine we were last term."

"You only wish you had players as good as the Prewetts to put on your team."

"Who ordered butterbeer!" Remus and Lily returned just then, passing the drinks out among their friends. Remus sat beside Branwen, Lily across from him. Snape finally set the paper down and glared at Remus.

"Here, this is what I was talking about, Remus," Lily reached around Regulus and snatched the paper from Snape, handing it to Remus. The headline read: Ministry Disappearances Continue.

Lily took a swallow from her bottle, then continued a conversation she and Remus had begun before rejoining their friends. "Personally, I agree with the call for Minister Jenkins to step down. Sure, she handled the Squib Riots of the Sixties just fine, but this is an entirely different matter."

"Who would you have replace her?" Remus asked. "Minchum? Moody?"

"Not Moody. He's a great auror of course, but I think Minchum will be able to handle issues of policy better."

"Of course, we all know who would make the best Minister." The entire table hushed as Branwen spoke up. She licked the remaining drops of butterbeer from her lips, then, when she was sure everyone was watching, she shrugged. "Dumbledore, of course. He's the most powerful wizard of our age. If anyone can handle what the world has to throw at us, it's him."

"Hear, hear!" Peter raised his glass.

Before anyone else could respond, a bubble of laughter popped through the door and Branwen immediately recognised her brother's voice. "Hey! There they are!" James and Sirius came tumbling in their direction. Marlene and Ivy peeled off, heading for the counter. The clatter of chairs scrapping on the wood floor surrounded their table.

"So," James leaned in. He glanced around, as though afraid of being overheard, but continued to speak in his usual boisterous voice, "we're going to be having a party tonight in Gryffindor Tower. You there, Evans? And don't say no," he cut her off, "because Marlene already said yes. Ivy's coming too. It's an open House invitation," he lifted his nose and sneered at Regulus and Snape, "except for Slytherin."

"I'm devastated, Potter" Snape rolled his eyes.

"And no kid sisters either," he threw an arm over Branwen's chair. "all right, Bon-Bon?"

"All right? You're kicking me out of my own common room and you say 'all right'?"

Sirius threw his arm over the other side of Branwen, pinning her in. "Look, it's not that we don't want you there, kid, it's just that – well, having a third year around kind of cramps our style." His attention wandered to Marlene and Ivy weaving toward them through the crowd.

Branwen huffed. "You know what, I think I've had just about enough of Hogsmeade. I'll see you boys back at the castle."She shoved back her chair and darted from the tavern. The buzz of students laughing faded as she neared the school, replaced by the quiet jingle of the glass phials in her bag and the distant call of a raven.

Halfway back, she heard the sound of running footsteps from behind. She smiled and turned to meet the chaser, his name on her lips. "Rem – oh, Regulus," her smile faltered.

"Hey, Potter," he puffed as he fell into step beside her. "Had to get away from those flobberworms before I hexed them all." He cleared his throat when she said nothing. "You know, I've been thinking of getting some night practise in before the match next week. It's supposed to be clear this evening, and if that brother of yours is going to kick you out of his lame party...."

She scoffed. "My brother's not the boss of me. I'm going to be there at the party too."

"With Cresswell and Aubrey?"

"How do you know about them? And why do you care anyway?"

At some point they had both stopped walking and were staring the other down. Regulus was the first to look away. "I'm going to be on the pitch at nine tonight." Then he walked as fast as he could away from her.