AMOR VINCIT OMNIA; GRANGER

XXV.

( secret meetings and a day at hogsmeade )

The meetings in the Hog's Head Inn were as boring as a secret meeting could be.

They were short, the ambience was as depressing as Milo's life as of late and no words were exchanged (this was the part Milo liked the most about this whole ordeal).

Saturday came around and soon Milo made his way into the dark and dirty Inn with the hood of his black coat pulled up so that no one could see his face. The boy sat down at the usual table, where someone, dressed in the same way as him, was already sitting with two cups in front of them. Neither would ever take a sip of the murky liquid.

The two cloaked figures sat there for a while in complete silence so they wouldn't seem too suspicious, then they rose at the same time, it was as if they had studied all their actions according to a play. As they walked out together, the other – to Milo unknown – person gave him a piece of parchment and apparated to Merlin knows where.

Milo, by now used to the little pieces of parchment he received, shoved it into a small pocket on the inside of his coat and made his way over to the Three Broomsticks to meet up with Damian and make the most out of this day. However, he was filled with dread, not ever wanting to open the little messages the Dark Lord sent him, even if they were for the most part, only messages telling him to stay low and warning him to not disobey the orders.

The boy dreaded the moment in which more detailed instructions would be given to him and when he would actually have to do something for the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters.

"There you are!" Damian exclaimed as Milo sat down at the table he had been sitting at alone. "You know, I thought you would just ditch me when I saw that your bed was already empty in the morning."

Milo shrugged with his shoulders, he hadn't prepared an excuse for him already having been in Hogsmeade in the early morning. Whatever would anyone need to do secretly in this small village, except highly illegal meetings with the Dark Lord's associates? He just hoped Damian wouldn't figure this out.

"Anyways, what do you want to do today?" The blond boy asked, taking a sip of the butterbeer he had ordered for himself. "Oh, and do you also want one? I wasn't sure if you like this stuff."

"No, thank you, I don't like sweet things," Milo denied and he also couldn't drink anything right now, he was sure he would throw up if he even took as much as a sip.

Damian nodded in understanding and took another sip, "So, where should we go first?"

Milo shrugged his shoulders, he had no particular store in mind, "I don't need anything. You decide."

"But wasn't it you who-" Damian wanted to say to the boy opposite him, but then thought better of it. He really shouldn't question Milo's motives and actions, it seemed like the Bähr boy was the only one who knew what really went on in his mind.

"Nevermind, how about we go to Honeydukes, I'm sure I'll find something for my relatives there," Damian decided.

Milo looked over at the boy in confusion, "I thought your mother is a muggle and that your parents had a divorce. And you don't seem like someone who would break the law."

"You just don't know me well enough," Damian responded with a wink, though at the bemused expression Milo gave him he continued, "I was just kidding, my parents are still good with each other and I only have cousins on my dad's side so I'll get them some sweets."