Mamihlapinatapai

Blaise an' Books⋆｡°✩

It was a chilly day so Atlas was dressed warmly. He wore a black turtleneck sweater and black trousers to match. His hair was too short to put up, so he just let it be. The wind blew it around and covered his eyes.

"Now remember these visits to Hogsmeade Village are a privilege," Professor McGonagall called over the voice of the excited students. "Should your behavior reflect poorly on the school in any way, that privilege shall not be extended again." Draco and Atlas walked up to Filch and handed him their permission slips. "No permission form signed, no visiting the village. That's the rule, Potter." Atlas turned and saw Harry standing next to McGonagall, looking glum.

"All those with permission, follow me. Those without, stay put," Filch said.

Out of the corner of his eye, Atlas could see Harry still talking to McGonagall. Probably trying to convince her to let him go.

"Aye," Draco called. "C'mon."

Atlas and Draco shoved their way to the front of the crowd, the other four Slytherins following close behind. "So, where to first?" Blaise asked.

"Tomes and Scrolls," Atlas voted.

"I fancy a butterbeer, so to the Three Broomsticks," Draco said. Crabbe and Goyle nodded in agreement.

"Okay, I'll meet you guys there."

"I'll tag along," Blaise chimed in.

When the group of Slytherins arrived at the village, Blaise and Atlas made their way to Tomes and Scrolls while the other four wandered off in the opposite direction.

"I didn't think you were into reading much, Blaise," Atlas remarked.

"Eh. I just wanted to tag along." He lazily shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Watching me aimlessly walk around a bookstore doesn't seem too thrilling," Atlas chuckled.

Blaise shrugged his shoulders. They arrived at the store and Blaise held the door open. "Ladies first."

Atlas didn't move from his spot outside the store and looked at him. "Yeah, so go ahead."

Blaise playfully rolled his eyes and walked inside. The store was filled with shelves upon shelves of books. The bookcases were made of dark wood. The walls were a light shade of blue with three small white stripes running around the store. There was a staircase in the back, so Atlas assumed there were even more books upstairs.

"Merlin..." Atlas mumbled, looking around.

"Am I stupid? Isn't this the same thing as the Library?" Blaise asked.

"No, not really," Atlas answered. "There's a different feel shopping for books rather than looking through a Library."

"That makes no sense."

"I guess not." Atlas wandered around the bookstore, realizing half of them were Muggle books. He picked one up and inspected it. To him, it sounded ridiculous. It was a vampire love story. Atlas put the book back and looked up, Blaise nowhere in sight. He backtracked and found him in a section that he didn't dare enter.

"Did you know," Blaise started, looking at Atlas. "That they make these kinds of books?"

"Yes, yes I did-"

"Why didn't you say anything!? I would've gotten into reading forever ago!"

"Oh, Salazar," Atlas sighed. "Alright, you have fun here. I'm going to a different section."

"Wait, you'd like this one," Blaise smirked and held out a book. Atlas hesitantly took it and looked at the back.

Mateo couldn't stop himself in time, before he asked in a whisper, "What are you so afraid of, Leo?"