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Later that day, Josie strolls toward Hagrid's hut, yearning for a brief respite from her relentless studies. The day is bathed in a gentle, soothing light, with the forest's denizens contributing to a tranquil atmosphere. The persistent hoot of an owl echoes most prominently in the background.
As she descends a slope, she nearly loses her footing but quickly regains her balance, forging ahead. A passing breeze tousles her hair, causing the shorter strands to tickle her eyes. With a resigned sigh, she brushes them aside, her thoughts drifting toward her fading streak of blue-dyed hair. Perhaps it is time for a visit to a Muggle shop to find some dye or simply a touch of magic.
After a few more minutes of stumbling along, she reaches Hagrid's hut and knocks on the door. "Hagrid? It's Josephine," she calls out.
The unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps approaches the door, which soon swings open to reveal Hagrid's welcoming figure. "Hello, Josephine! How have you been?" he greets her, ushering her inside the cozy hut.
"I've been all right, and I apologize for not visiting sooner. School's been quite demanding. How about you?" Josie inquires, taking a seat at a surprisingly comfortable table.
Hagrid ambles over to the stove, while Josie fiddles with a ring on her finger. "I've been fine, not much going on lately, aside from a few attacks—" He abruptly halts, a flicker of apprehension in his wide eyes. "Forget I said that."
She offers a reassuring smile, her fingers gently tapping on the tabletop. "It's all right, Hagrid. I'm well-acquainted with many things."
He emits a slight grunt before returning with two steaming cups of tea.
"Thank you," she accepts the cup he hands her, and they settle down, facing each other. She takes a careful sip of the hot tea.
Hagrid breaks the silence. "I'm doing some more research on Roman mythology and creatures."
"Oh?" She perks up.
He nods eagerly. "There are some creatures that are truly fascinating. I'm also on the hunt for a particular goddess's statue."
"Which goddess?" she inquires.
"Flora," he replies.
"I've heard of her!" She leans forward with enthusiasm. "Are you getting closer to finding her statue?"
Hagrid's shoulders slump as he sighs. "Not yet. Some leads turned out to be dead ends. But I'll keep you posted once I make any progress."
Their conversation flows on various topics until Josie realizes the time.
"I'm late for patrol," she apologizes, giving Hagrid an apologetic glance. "We can catch up again soon."
He nods in agreement. As she rises from her chair, she expresses her gratitude, saying, "Thank you for this, Hagrid. I really enjoy our chats." With that, she leaves, savoring the temporary escape from her worries.
Josie has no intention of sprinting up that hill. No way. Regulus will simply have to wait. Minutes tick by. The shoes she has on have a slight heel, making her feel unsteady on her feet.
"Ow," she winces as her ankle bends at an awkward angle. Finally, she reaches the Hogwarts doors and pushes her way through. The Great Hall doors are nearby, so the walk isn't too taxing.
She spots Regulus leaning against the wall once more and nearly winces again as she takes another cautious step, cursing her impractical footwear.
"You're late," he remarks, his eyebrows furrowing with concern as he stands up.
"I was with Hagrid, and then I twisted my ankle," she explains as she slowly makes her way closer to him.
"You twisted your ankle?" His eyes scan her entire body, and he quickly grabs her arm to prevent her from stumbling.
"I'm—" She hesitates as she meets his daring gaze, sensing that he wants the truth.
"It hurts, but I can still walk. It'll be fine by tomorrow," she revises her initial response.
Regulus stays close as they continue walking.
"Did Evan actually study for Ancient Runes?" she inquires.
Regulus nods. "Surprisingly, he did."
"I bet Barty forced him to, though," she adds with a slight chuckle.
"In the summer... are you going to look for your aunt?" Regulus turns to her with the question.
"Maybe. I'm not sure," she replies, her thoughts already consumed by the busy year ahead.
"Where will you stay this summer?"
She picks at her nails. "Probably with Alora, the Divination professor, and her wife. They said I could stay there." She has a loose plan in mind: stay with Alora and Karina for the summer, return to Hogwarts, spend the holiday break at the school, and then, during the summer of her sixth year, attempt to find her aunt and hopefully access any inheritance her parents might have left.
As they walk their usual route, they turn a corner and stumble upon a sight: Dorcas and Marlene, snogging in a hidden corner.
"Dorcas," Josephine speaks up.
Dorcas opens her eyes and turns toward them. "Oh, hi, Josie..."
Marlene laughs with wide eyes. "Leave now, or I'll deduct points," she threatens with a small smile.
"Bye, Jo!" Marlene calls as she takes Dorcas's hand, and they disappear around a corner.
Josie laughs before continuing to walk, though a slight wince reminds her of her ankle pain. Regulus immediately moves closer and places a hand on her arm.
"Let's just head back, okay?" He raises an eyebrow.
"Fine," she sighs, and they turn back. Eventually, he convinces her to let him assist her back to her common room.
"Thank you," she whispers as they reach the steps leading to the common room door.
"Will you be all right making it to your dorm?" he asks, earning a small glare in response.
"Yes, I'll manage. See you tomorrow," she replies before leaning in to give him a small kiss near his lips. But as she pulls away, he leans in closer.
"You can have a proper kiss tomorrow," Josie says with a teasing smile, then turns and walks to her common room door.
