Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 120: A dollop of cream

"Hagrid said to say hello," Harry told Hermione when he found her in the courtyard—where they agreed to meet to share the pastries.

"You saw Hagrid?"

"Yeah, I got quite the tour of Hogwarts today on the back of a gargoyle," Harry said as he settled next to Hermione on the bench. The feeling of flying was lingering in the back of his throat like a melted caramel.

"A gargoyle? Like the one guarding Dumbledore's office... where was it?"

"It was on a tower—a small one that I don't think I've ever seen before. I never really noticed gargoyles on the outside of Hogwarts... have you?" Harry asked and when Hermione said no, he went on. "But they have to be there, don't they? Hagrid knew it by name. Juren."

"Gosh. And it gave you a tour?"

"Yeah, a flying tour. It was strange—not like riding broom—more solid—kind of like being on a carousel ride."

"Oh, that sounds kind of lovely."

"Yeah, it was good. The Grey Lady was the one who told me about the gargoyle. I wouldn't have even known it was there."

"The Grey Lady of Ravenclaw? She talked to you? I thought she didn't talk to anyone."

"She was pretty talkative today," Harry said. He thought he heard footsteps on the stairs from the Owlery and turned toward the sound.

"Tony's here," Hermione said in a whisper near Harry's ear.

"Hi, Tony," Harry greeted, budging over so that there would be room for him on the bench.

"It's okay—I'll sit here on the grass," Tony said.

Harry had summoned the pastries from his staff and was holding the crushed box in his lap.

"Oi, I saw your friend... the round-faced one who went flying with us..."

"Neville?" both Harry and Hermione supplied.

"Right, Neville. Couldn't remember his name. Anyway, he was sitting with Gemma inside the Braidwood room—they were signing—I think Gemma was teaching him," Tony said.

"Oh, that's good. He wanted to learn," Harry said and deliberately speaking over Hermione's surprised, "What? Why?"

"I invited them both to join us—but they said that they wanted to keep working instead," Tony said.

"Oh, well, that's fine. I'm glad you invited them," Harry said.

He opened the box and held it out to Hermione and felt the box get lighter and unbalanced as she took a pastry.

"Tony, do you want me to get yours out for you?" Hermione asked. The box tipped precariously as she reached in for another pastry and Harry used his other hand to steady it.

"Um, would you please? I'm still working on my fine motor skills as Ms. Midgeon says," Tony said, trying to laugh. "Thanks."

Harry placed the box in his lap and then gingerly felt around the edge of the box to discern where the remaining pastries were. His fingers sank into cream and he pulled them out, tempted to lick off the cream, then decided he just had to go for it, so plunged back in, getting the sticky goo all over his fingers until he was able to find the more solid pastry underneath the topping. He sniffed it, reveling in the faint spicy aroma and getting cream on his nose as Hermione dissolved into fits of giggles.

"Oi!" Harry protested, trying to lick the cream off his nose with his tongue.

"You just looked so surprised!" Hermione managed to gasp. "And Tony's got some on his nose, too!"