The Curse-Breaker

Our First Date (part one)

I was woken again by Harli pulling open my curtains and jumping on my bed. "Good morning!" She sang, in a French accent. I opened my eyes, squinting at the light that had filled my dull grey room. "Morning" I grumbled back, in a German accent, reaching over and pulling a pillow over my face. Harli pulled it off my face, "You excited?" She said, still speaking in her french accent, a huge grin on her face. "Harli, I literally just woke up." I said, rubbing my eyes. "And? You have your first date ever today!" She said, leaning over my legs. "I know. Don't remind me, I'm shitting it." I said, looking up at her face. She raised an eyebrow, "You're gonna be fine Riles." She said, squeezing onto my thigh. "Come on, got a day with Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee to get through first." She said, standing up, "Happy Valentines day, love." She said, I smiled and she left my room. 

I got ready for the day and we locked the door behind us, walking through Diagon Alley up to the shop. Harli pushed open the door and I followed her in, "Happy Valentines day losers!" I shouted out. "Morning." George shouted back, grinning at us as he walked out of the office, carrying cardboard boxes. "Oh, Riley-" George said, walking backwards and nodding towards the counter, "-Something arrived for you this morning." He smiled again and walked up the stairs. Harli wiggled her eyebrows at me and skipped into Fred's office. I rolled my eyes and walked over to the counter where there was a card and a small, green box on the counter. I opened the card and the on the front were two cartoon mushrooms, one handing a red heart to the other with the quote 'I have so mushroom in my heart for you' underneath. The card was corny and made me roll my eyes but I smiled, it was kind of sweet. I opened the card and read the inside.

"Dearest Riley,

Happy Valentines day. Look forward to seeing you tonight.

Love, 

B ♥️ x"

I smiled and set the card down by the till, opening the small, green box and jumping back as a large bouquet of flowers jumped out, a small card with "♥️ -B" written on it. Magic was incredible. I picked up the flowers and looked into them, some red roses, some sunflowers and some orange roses. I carried them across the shop into the staffroom to find a vase to put them in. I spread the flowers out around the vase and carried them back over to my counter, "Who are they from?" George said, hanging over the railing of the stairs. "Nice try, I'm not telling you Georgie." I said. Setting them down, I looked up and saw George pretending to look at the Valentines display. "Listen, if it goes well i'll tell you who, as long as you promise not to tell anybody." I said, his eyes lit up and he bounded over to the counter, leaning over it. "I promise." He said, grinning. "Not even Fred." I said, his eyes narrowed and I could see his brain racing. "Deal." He said, holding up his pinky finger, "I'm serious George." I said, looking into his eyes. "I know." He said. I read his expression and it seemed sincere, George was one of the only people I wholeheartedly trusted. Him, Harli and my dad. I locked my finger with his and he grinned. 

The day seemed to drag by until the rush of after school kids, a large group running in, their house ties tied around their heads. A few of the more shy kids hung around the Love Potion display, Fred desperately trying to sell the last of the stock. It worked, the kids hung on his every word and bought a couple of bottles each. George practically had to shoo them all out at five o'clock, I stared out of the window and watched them all run down the street jumping on each other. Harli and Fred came out of his office at about ten past five, she skipped over to my counter and ran her fingers over the flowers. "Aw! Are they from..." She said, wiggling her eyebrows, I raised my eyebrows and nodded. She pouted at the sentiment, "What did Fred end up getting you?" I said. She shrugged, "I don't know yet, he said he'd give it to me over dinner tonight." She said, "You ready to go?" She added. I picked up the vase of flowers and card and nodded. "See you later George!" I called, he waved back and we left heading back home. She stopped half way through the street, "What's wrong?" I said, furrowing my eyebrows at her. "Nothing, I just forgot something, I'll meet you at home yeah?" She said, walking back up the street. "Oh, ok." I said, shaking the thought and walking back to the apartment.