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Chapter 5. Tea Leaves

*Quick a/n: This chapter includes a dual perspective, let me know how we feel about it. I'd love to write more of it in the future. Also, thank you for your patience for this weeks chapter while myself and georgiesbxtch took the time to perfect it. Once again, head over to their work Delirium for an alternative perspective on this universe if you haven't already. 

Thank you again for the love and support as we dive into Madeline and Fred's story...<3

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The three witches made themselves comfortable at one of the many unoccupied tables in the library.

Unsurprisingly, the library was mostly empty at the end of a long day. Madeline thought many students would be resting before dinner.

"Getting an early jump on O.W.L.s is a great idea and all," Daphne started, "but I'm more excited for dinner." She slumped her bag on the table with a loud WACK.

Daphne, Jolie, and Madeline all simultaneously winced as Madam Pince glared across the library.

"Mmm," Madeline hummed in agreement.

She followed suit to Daphne and set her bag across from her. This time, she was much quieter in order to avoid another stare from the librarian.

"How could you think of dinner in a time like this?" Jolie asked, settling beside Daphne.

"What do you mean a time like this? Dinnertime?" Daphne replied with a laugh.

Jolie pulled scroll after scroll out of her own bag. She lined them up in front of her along with her quill.

"No—I mean when we've got a mountain of homework for this week," Jolie huffed. "We'll barely get everything done if we don't—"

"Well, I heard we're having roast chicken tonight," Daphne chirped, cutting Jolie off as she happily pulled her own scrolls out and licked her lips.

Jolie shook her head and smiled. Madeline raised her brows excitedly.

"That does sound good," Jolie agreed.

Madeline nodded and began pulling her own study materials from her bag. She could feel her stomach starting to growl already.

Especially when Daphne went into excruciating detail on all of the main seasonings and flavours you could taste from the roast chicken.

Madeline tried her best to ignore her, trying to fixate on her assignments instead of which side dish she'd be choosing later that night.

Mashed potatoes—no, peas—perhaps both.

She ignored her dinner preferences and focused back to the scrolls she pulled out.

They truly were up to their necks in schoolwork.

By the middle of the week, they had already acquired an essay in Herbology over self-fertilising shrubs, notes to review on the Giant Wars for History of Magic, and were tasked with labelling a star chart for Jupiter before Astronomy later that night.

Not to mention, Madeline was worried about the additional review she had in Charms and Transfiguration in order to be on level with her friends.

She looked onward at her many subjects, weary of which one to begin first. Madeline sighed, opting to admire the smallest feathers on her quill instead.

"I'm quite nervous for the midterm exams, if I'm being honest," Madeline muttered. "I've never formally taken any before." She looked at her friends with raised shoulders.