𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 | 𝐝.𝐦.

four

Against her best wishes, Betty has allowed her friends to drag her out of her dorm room, to make a trip to Hogsmeade.

It is one of those Saturdays when Dumbledore opens the school gates wide for students to rush out of the school. He is sympathetic for the children, since they have been cooped up in the school grounds for over two months coming.

And perhaps he has heard enough of the protests against the limited Hogsmeade trips.

Betty dresses hesitantly, wrapping herself in her only packed cardigan before layering multiple coats over her outfit. She also decides to take her mother's handed down scarf.

It was the only one she'd managed to grab in the fire, and she could still catch a whiff of her mother's tender scent - brewing cocoa and cookies fresh out of the oven - it sends a shiver of nostalgia down her neck as she winds it around her.

"Are you ready to go, Betts? Ginny and the others are waiting for us," Luna asks, her head peeking out from the room's doorframe.

Betty picks up her coin pouch and ambles towards the feathery haired girl, closing the door behind her as she leaves. "Yeah. Let's go."

It's alright for her to catch a break from all the malicious plotting she's been doing the whole semester, she reassures herself.

--

The plan is to hang out at Three Broomsticks, one of the group's favoured pub despite its rugged-looking roof and its lack of vibrant colours - most students would prefer Madam Puddifoot's since it was a much more aesthetically flawless cafe.

Hermione is rambling frantically about Crookshanks latest sickness to Ron and Neville as they trudge through the snow. Ginny and Luna are in deep conversation about Luna's latest discovery during the holidays - the nargles - though it is Luna whom is talking most. And, Harry and Betty - he was telling her all about Dumbledore and his secret meetings, which she ultimately finds most interesting out of every conversation happening.

"You saw Tom Riddle's mother?" Betty exclaims in shock, immediately slapping a hand over her mouth as Harry shushes her.

The cobble bridge is filled with students as much as it is filled with snow.

"Yeah," he admits, "Now, will you lower your volume please. I've only told you, Hermione and Ron about this Dumbledore thing, so you can't be blabbing your mouth to anyone else."

"Oh, please," Betty says, "Like I have anyone to tell."

"Not even Neville and Luna," he adds in a warning tone.

She rolls her eyes at his persistence. "I won't say a thing about this. Not to anyone. I'll probably forget about it once the day's over."

"Sure you will."

"I will, okay. Now, tell me more," she insists, nudging him in the shoulder. "What was it like, dipping your face into Dumbledore's ancient, foggy water of memory, or something?"

Harry releases an exasperated sigh, "Alright, first of all, it isn't ancient - i assume. And second of all, I didn't only dip my face in it. I was basically submerged in the water. But it wasn't as awful as I expected, at least I didn't drown."

"Is this the liberty that comes with being the Headmaster's favourite student?" she teases, waggish smile playing on her lips.

"I'm not the favourite - "

"You can try to deny it. But we all know that you are," she pushes, "There's nothing wrong with it, though. I say embrace this glory because we'll be graduating in only a year, and you can't have this same privilege when you are a working adult."