Spare Me; Draco Malfoy

ButterBeers

That afternoon we went to Hogsmead to get couldron cakes at the bakery spot owned by a sweet old witch and her elf. This place felt like a warm welcoming hug that I've definitely needed. Tobias and Pandora stayed behind at Hogwarts to finish up Tobias's school work. He's been falling behind and Pandora has taken the strenuous task of tutoring him.

The snow falls outside of the window and people enter shops with their icy shoes leaving a white trail. "I need another one," Orión says between bites of her cake. "I'll be back."

Frida looks back at Orión as she orders another cake, then turns back to me and says with a sneaky smile, "I think Orión likes Blaise."

I stop chewing my chocolate cake and look back at Orión. She does look more aloof and happy than usual. "How do you know?" I ask Frida.

"She muttered his name in her sleep. I also see that way she looks at him when he talks to us," she says giggling.

"Blaise is a good guy, they would be a good match," I say, imagining them two. It would be very cute to have someone like Orión and Blaise who were opposites, be together.

Frida then notices Orión coming back with her new cake. "So, Amélie..." Frida says trying to find a convincing topic to change the subject to. But she stops as she looks out the window. "What are they doing?"

We all look outside to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione walking faster than usual into Hogsheads. What would they be doing in a pub? I couldn't imagine Hermione drinking and much less at a dingy pub.

"I didn't take them as the type to drink," Frida says raising one eyebrow.

"No. They're definitely up to something," Orión says not looking up from her couldron. "Just a wild guess." She shrugs.

"Let's go into the pub too, I wanna see Hermione drink for the first time," I say smiling and getting up from my seat.

Orion groans slightly as she has to get up from eating her cake. We all hurry out of the bakery and walk across the path to Hogshead. Frida pushes open the creaky wooden door into the pub and a freaky troll greets us. "More of you?" The troll asks annoyed. We look around confused, no other students were in here besides us and two older wizards at the bar.

"We- we're looking for Harry?" I say confused. For sure we saw them coming in here, all three of us couldn't have imagined it.

"Yes, they're all in the back room over there," he pointed at a smaller door leading to who knows where.

"Okay. Thank you," Frida says as we all look around nervously. What's with all the secrecy? Who else is in here, the troll said they are all in here. Who are all the people?

"Should we go in?" I ask Frida and Orión before turning the knob. "Yes, they're probably all in there drinking and hiding from professors," Frida whispers.

I smile, wanting to catch them in the act and I turn the rusty knob. The door creaks open to a quiet room, full of Hogwarts students of different houses. We stand there in awkward silence. I can see Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the front of the room while everyone is sitting as their audience.

"This is a private meeting only," Hermione says looking at us kind of irritated.

"Oh sorry, I- we were just passing by," I lie, not very convincing. They all have very worried and serious expressions on their faces.

"Hi Amelie," Ron says from across the room, as he waves at me. I wave at him back, but do not dare speak into the quietness.

"Didn't know Slytherin's would be joining Dumbledore's army," said Seamus a bit condescending. My friends and I just keep looking more confused by the second.