Hogwarts Mystery [HP APPLY FIC]

year one, chapter three

By the time Christmas came around, Camille had become used to life at Hogwarts.

She'd found a sense of familiarity in the forever filled hallways and the simplicity of life as a student at the school, but since the winter holidays had started two days ago everything seemed eerily quiet and nothing like the atmosphere she'd adapted to.

"Hey, are you okay?" A question from a fellow Ravenclaw. It startled her, but she relaxed as she looked up to see it was only Kai.

Kai (Kai Parker, that is) was spending Christmas at Hogwarts too, due to his parents travelling back to South Korea over the holidays. Camille wasn't particularly close with Kai, especially since he spent most of his time with Ben, but they were in the same house and often sat with each other at mealtimes.

"I'm fine," she smiled. "Just daydreaming."

"Okay, well, good, because Kai and I had an idea," Nadine piped up. (Camille hadn't seen her arrive, but since they'd first met outside the castle, she'd grown used to Nadine's sudden appearances and mind jumping from thing to thing. It was quite endearing, really.)

"Do tell," Camille grinned, Nadine's cheerfulness already having a positive effect on her.

"Well," Kai started, "Ben's been going on and on—"

"And on and on and on..."

"Yes, thank you Nadine... Anyway, Ben's been talking about this delicious Christmas cake his mum makes every year, but since they decided it would be best for his anxiety management if he stayed here, he's not going to get to taste it, so—"

"We thought we could sneak into the kitchens and make it! Kai managed to get the recipe from Ben's mum and everything!" Nadine cut in excitedly.

Kai rolled his eyes, but Camille could tell he wasn't too fussed about the interruption.

"That sounds like fun," Camille agreed, but she found herself looking over to the other end of the table where Talbott was sitting, writing in a notebook and looking gloomy (or, at least, gloomier than usual). "Do you think we could invite Talbott?"

"Sure, I guess," Kai shrugged, exchanging a look with Nadine. "We have to start cooking soon, though, Dustin offered to distract Ben but I'm not sure how long that'll last..."

Camille ignored their unease, marching over to where Talbott was sitting. The others followed, though they were much slower in their approach.

"Roses are red, violets are blue, we're making a cake, and so are you," Camille reeled off, pleased with herself for the rhyme. It was corny, but she knew Talbott had an appreciation for that kind of corny (it would startle a laugh out of him in any case).

The corners of his mouth turned up as he fought a smile. "Is that your attempt at poetry, Camille?"

She shrugged, a little embarrassed. "Until you let me read some of yours, I have nothing to compare it to."

He opened his mouth to respond, but he noticed the other two behind her and his expression closed off.

"So, what do you say?" Camille prompted, aware of the sudden tension. Talbott was... anti-social, to say the least, and other than Camille and Penny, he hadn't let anyone else into his inner circle (yet). He spoke to Penny because Penny spoke to everybody, and Camille was just lucky enough to have been next to him during the first paired assignment of the year, so now he was willing to partner with her to avoid awkward situations with other first years. She liked to think of them as friends, but she knew he would probably disagree. (She was slowly wearing down his defences, though. She hoped.)