Ascendio

XI: Bookshelves and Bubble Baths

Naturally, Jisoo had several questions when Lisa and Jennie eventually reemerged well after midnight, wearing matching shy smiles and connected via pinky fingers. To Lisa's relief, she waited until the next day to unleash her barrage of questions under a shared blanket on Jisoo's bed as they talked about everything that happened on the clocktower.

Jisoo giggled like a schoolgirl (which she was, technically) and gathered the blanket up to her chin. "I can't believe you kissed Jennie Kim," she said giddily, making Lisa blush. "I'm so proud. You know, this is the first thing Rosé and I couldn't bet on; we knew you'd turn on the charm. I mean...it runs in the family," Jisoo said imperiously and tossed her hair back over her shoulder.

Lisa chewed on her bottom lip to suppress a grin and buried her face into Jisoo's stuffed Hippogriff, Sir Feathers. She was still in a bit of a giddy fog from everything that had happened at the ball, but something that remained clear in her mind was the question of her little...incident.

"Something weird happened," she said, and Jisoo sobered at her worried expression.

"What?" Jisoo tilted her head. "Oh no. Did you say 'I love you'? Please tell me you didn't, because that's something you would do, and while it's very sweet, it might freak a girl out."

"No!" Lisa's eyes went wide as she peered up over Sir Feathers' head. She huffed outwards, frustrated that there really was no way of saying it without sounding completely insane. "I kind of...started flying?"

Jisoo had to thrust out a hand to keep herself from falling off the bed. "I'm sorry, you what?"

"Flying," Lisa repeated. "One second I was sitting there, and the next I was just...flying."

Jisoo blinked slowly, as she methodically processed the information. "Is that a—" she leaned in close and whispered, "—Thai thing?"

Lisa shrugged, squirming a little. "I don't know. Maybe? Or maybe I'm just hopelessly into Jennie and Jennie is a ridiculously good kisser? It's Hogwarts. Weird stuff happens, right?"

Jisoo's frown was sceptical. "Maybe you should talk to Ten."

Lisa groaned helplessly. Ten was elusive at best these days, always on some top secret mission with the Aurors in some corner of the world. "For all I know, he could be eating baguettes in Paris, or making friends with a penguin in Antarctica. Besides, I don't need to bother him about...girl stuff."

Jisoo eyed her closely, and Lisa was clearly uncomfortable so she let it go. "Well, lucky for you, you have me to help in that department. Still, it can't hurt to write him."

Lisa sighed. "I guess...Oh! I forgot, I got a letter from him yesterday!" Lisa back-rolled off of Jisoo's bed and dug around in her coat pocket to retrieve the crushed brown envelope she had stuffed in there.

She tore it open and paced back and forth as she read bits of it out loud. "Dear cousin, happy Christmas—he says happy christmas to you too, Soo."

"Thanks Ten!"

"I hope this letter finds you in good health and that you are adequately prepared for the upcoming challenges in the tournament—ugh, don't remind me—Your performance against the dragon made the Daily Prophet. Your parents would have been proud...um...can't say where I am right now—of course—but I need to tell you something important..." Lisa's voice faltered as she read over the last words a few times, brows pulling together.

"What is it?" Jisoo asked.

"Don't trust the Kims? What the heck!" Lisa indignantly thrust the offending paper under Jisoo's nose.