Time Flys || hphm T.W

three • 'we should become cat ladies'

14th September 1988

It was the next morning and Iliana was just getting ready until Rowan burst into her room unannounced,

"Liliana Gutierrez, where were you last night?"

"Sorry, what?" Liliana laughed while she clasped a gold necklace around her neck.

"You should not be sneaking out of school grounds... unless you were with a boy." Rowan winked at her causing Liliana to roll her eyes, how had she seen them together? they were only in the castle a few minutes.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hmm." Rowan lips pursed shut as she looked her friend up and down, "You were. And I'll prove it." She smiled. "I just need to find out who the boy was." She muttered while running off leaving Liliana to laugh alone. Rowan was quite persistent.

Penny had said not to tell anyone since she wasn't even meant to know herself that there were kids being attacked, Liliana didn't doubt Rowan would find out eventually but for now she could just deny it.

The Slytherins made their way to the dining hall for breakfast, the best meal of the day according to Liliana. Extreme amounts of toast, eggs and sausage were plastered along the table on their decorative plates which made the classic breakfast seem unnecessarily lavish, but no one complained.

"I will never get tired of this." Rowan said jumping into her seat,

"Dito." Liliana replied, Barnaby was already at the table with a mound of food that looked to be a foot high.

"Hungry?" Liliana said raising an eyebrow at Barnaby, you would think because of his love of food he's a good cook, but that's certainly not the case.

It was a monthly occurrence he would attempt to make his own hash browns, it was a recipe his mum had given him, gracefully written along aged parchment in a small book of other recipes she had managed to give him when she was first taken to Aszkeban. He hadn't been able to see her since.

"Very, I could eat hash browns all day." He said taking a large bite. They all continued to eat while chatting about the next school year, it's the year of their O.W.E.L exams. The teachers wouldn't stop talking about taking their studies seriously and majority of the year group was tired of it, Rowan as the exception of course.

"In what world does Sprout think I'm actually going to spend all my time investigating fancy mushrooms." Liliana said to the group.

"All your study's matter-" Rowan began.

"I'm just going to hope they let me stay because I'm powerful." Barnaby said through large mouthfuls of egg. It was true, he was naturally talented even if his head was probably hollow, but would the school keep him even with zero qualifications?

"They won't keep someone in with no O.W.E.L.S" Merula had read her mind.

"Only things like Charms or some transfigurations are important." Liliana continued.

"Agreed," murmured Evan as he munched though a bowel of milk oats.

"Dark arts?" Merula said, "Of course Gutierrez wouldn't be any good at them though." She added.

"Exactly! Wait what." Liliana staggered realising Merula's second comment but before she could respond Rowan intervened.

"Are your parents not death eaters Merula?" Worry hinted her voice while she pushed her glasses up her nose bridge and starred at the girl. "Probably don't go around saying you want to learn about that stuff." Rowan continued.

Barnaby gave her a hurt look, he was a bit sensitive about parents and death eaters.

"But it contains spells and knowledge that can actually help us." Liliana said defending the others.