𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 | f. weasley

thirty-one

A CLOAKED FIGURE stood in front of Honeydukes, tapping her feet rhythmically. She was consulting her watch every two minutes, often looking into the shop longingly. A strong gust of wind blew, making her clutch onto the heavy book she held with her right hand. She hesitated from stepping into the shop and buying herself something so she stood there, begrudgingly at that spot, the speed of her tapping foot increasing by the second. She began looking around. She could hear the Hogwarts Express leaving the Hogsmeade station - that train made quite the noise. She knew the time was ticking. 

Checking her watch once again, she grinned as the hand struck twelve - and not a second later, she disapparated, keeping one arm ever so slightly out as though waiting for someone to latch onto it. 

She apparated successfully in the middle of a green pasture. She looked around at the change of scenery and smiled. She remembered coming here but instead of a book, she held a letter then, that could possibly change the life of the family that lived in the cottage not far from where she stood. Walking down the familiar winding path, she made her way to the little cottage amongst the greenery. 

It wasn't that little when you neared it. The three-storeyed cottage had a very rustic look to it. Vines stretched over its walls but they were trimmed to look as though they were a fashion statement. Its whitewashed walls accented the scenery, making it not that hard to miss the habitation. The front porch stretched across the rectangular-shaped cottage, stood devoid of any human, but a bay window on the far left showed a man watering his plants.

The garden up front was well looked after as well, the zinnias and dianthus all blooming brightly, bringing some colour to the strong green colour around them. The hills not far off tempted her to go for a hike, the scenery striking a great resemblance to the opening scene of The Sound Of Music - her favourite muggle film. She looked around with a soft smile before shaking her head and returning to her senses. She was here for business. 

Stopping in front of the door, she knocked on it, executing the pattern perfectly as practised. Moments later a dishevelled yet smiled Lupin swung open his door. 

"Professor McGonagall," he greeted and then strained his neck back to look at the clock that hung in the parlour, "Right on time as always,"

"I'm a woman of my word, Remus. Here is the book you'd forgotten along with some letters of some sort which were left by a few students for you," she informed, handing over the book. "I would have owled them but I wanted to come back here for myself," she grinned, making Remus laugh as well. 

"It is pretty scenic," Remus nodded, placing the book on a table beside the door. 

"It is home," the teacher smiled, her mind filled with memories, as she looked across the house, at the landscape. 

"It is," Lupin sighed, with a small smile. 

"Would you like to come in for some tea?" he asked a minute later, bringing himself back to the present. 

"No dear, thank you though," Minerva smiled kindly and nodded, "But I must be on my way. Albus has some requested for a meeting with all the teachers,"

"Well, I wish you luck Professor," Remus nodded, bidding her goodbye as she walked away. He shut the door behind him, grabbing the book as he made his way to the kitchen once again. 

Placing the book on the table next to that day's newspaper, he headed over to light up the stove, placing a kettle over it.

"Do you want tea?" he asked, to the seemingly empty room. Remus looked up at the space devoid of any visible human life, expecting a response.

"But of course," a young girl spoke from somewhere he couldn't exactly pinpoint to, "I never say no to tea,"

"Cassie, take off the charm, I can't talk to an invisible person," Remus laughed, busying himself with making some more tea.