The Project

𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

8.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞

"𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗔𝗧 𝗠𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧?"

𖥸

♪ 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚝 - 𝙲𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙶𝚊𝚖𝚋𝚒𝚗𝚘 ♪

"Come on, Alina!"

"Coming, I'm coming!" she exclaimed, hurrying after her friend who was pushing through the stream of people to get to their friends.

The courtyard was connected to the main building with two large, arching, wooden doors. In the actual courtyard, a fountain resided in the middle, spilling water down into the basin at the base of it. Vines lined the open archways that formed hall like structures, and their color had turned to a warm amber. Fall brought in colder weather and crisper leaves. But the best part would be sipping warm butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks with a fireplace roaring beside her.

Pansy hooked her arm through Alina's and dragged her to where their friend group was standing. Blaise and Draco were talking with each other, Mattheo and Theo looked like they were about to spar, and Enzo and Daphne waved as they approached.

"Is everyone coming?" Alina asked, more of a rhetorical question. Theo opened his mouth like he was about to make a smartass response, but Pansy cut him off.

"Yes, let's go."

She linked her arm through Alina's, who happily leaned against her. Pansy's warmth felt nice against the cold breeze.

They started off towards Hogsmeade, the rest of the group trailing behind them.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

"Why is the walk so damn long?" Daphne groaned from Alina's other side, her arm linked with hers, just like Pansy's.

"Beats me. As if the stairs in school weren't already enough," Pansy groaned back, causing Alina to giggle.

"I mean, do we even need a sport at the school? We get enough of a workout going from class to class," she added.

They all snickered, crossing the bridge into Hogsmeade. The air was crisp, smelling of Butterbeer and fall. People and students milled about, owls flew overhead, and the shops were inviting.

"Are you going to buy a dress for the ball, Pansy?" Daphne asked, leaning forward to look at her across where Alina walked in the middle.

"The ball?" she interrupted, raising a brow.

"The masquerade ball for Halloween?" Pansy added.

"On Halloween? Or before? Because I've already talked to Fred and George about setting up the yearly party, and if you guys miss it I swear I'll hex you."

Pansy giggled at that, and Daphne shook her head. "No, it's before Halloween. I'm surprised you didn't know, since it's an official ball."

"Ah... I've been distracted, I suppose," Alina admitted, shrugging.

"Okay, well, you should definitely go. Actually, you are going," Pansy declared.

"I don't get a choice?" Alina asked, laughing at Pansy's tone.

"Nope."

They made their way into the heart of the village, to which the group stopped to confer where to go.