All five of us rushed across the road, and after throwing some change at the carollers, we ducked into the bar. It was crowded, noisy, warm with a faint smoky haze over it from all of the pipes that were lit.
"I'll get the drinks," Ron said hurriedly, and I noticed that the barmaid was very attractive and curvy.
"I'll help you," Cole said eagerly, and we watched as the two of them kept shoving and pushing each other in order to speak to the barmaid.
The three of us headed to the back of the room, to find a vacant table between a vacant table and a large Christmas tree. Even though the table was sticky with spilt drink, it was out of the main hustle and bustle of the bar.
Ron and Cole returned five minutes later, carrying five butterbeers between them. Cole had lipstick on his cheek.
"Madam Rosmerta kissed me on the cheek," he said proudly.
"Just because you chatted her up." Ron said huffily. He handed out the drinks, and the two of them squeezed into the round booth with us. "Right then, Merry Christmas!"
We clinked the glasses together, before I downed a mouthful. I almost moaned, it was the most delicious thing I'd tasted in my life, the warmth of the drink warming me from brain to toe.
A sudden breeze ruffled my tangled hair. The door had opened again. I glanced up, and raised an eyebrow. McGonagall and Flitwick had entered, followed by Hagrid, and a man with a bowler hat.
"Bloody hell, that's Fudge-the Minister of Magic!" Cole gaped.
Ron and Hermione panicked and pushed Harry under the table. Cole grabbed me by the back of my jumper, shoving me under the table as well. Harry and I collided heads, butterbeer dripping over us.
Somewhere above us, Hermione whispered, "Mobiliarbus!"
The Christmas tree beside the table rose a few inches off the ground, landing in front of us and hiding us from view. Staring through the branches I could see the teachers and Minister sit down on the vacant table.
They ordered their drinks, and I bit on my nail, nervous all of a sudden. Of course, it was the last week of term for teachers too, of course they'd go out for a drink....
"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" Madam Rosmerta asked, as she placed all the drinks on the table.
He said in a quiet voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"
"I did hear a rumour," admitted Madam Rosmerta.
"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.
"I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.
"You know that the Dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away...It's very bad for business, Minister."
"Rosmerta, dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution... to protect us from a monster like such..."
"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought...I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts."
"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."
"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"
YOU ARE READING
Obliviate {Book 1--EDITING}
Fanfiction{First book in the Obliviate series} Aurora Oswin expected a normal enough life filled with math problems and daydreams. But then her thirteenth birthday arrives and she not only sets her arch enemy's hair on fire--but she gets an odd letter as well...
