Blindsided

Part 6 - Hollow Haunt

"Oh! Hello, my Young Friends! And Where may I be this fine evening?" The stoney visage of Ignatia Wildsmith moved with more grace than you would expect stone to have

"You could have waited Sebastian" Ominis teased as he bought Evelyn into the room, her face puffy from the mixed bag of emotions upstairs. Anne touched Eves arm, her nose scrunched up as if to ask Are you okay? Evelyn just nodded.

"I didn't think it would do anything I just lit the flame" Sebastian scratched at his neck in confusion.

The sound of stone moving against stone alerted them all to the Ignatias plaque waiting not so patiently upon the hearth. Her eyes slowly moving between them all.

"Sorry Ignatia, we've just popped you up in my Ho-" Eve started before being interrupted

"Hollow Haunt" Anne shouted clasping her hands over her own mouth at the sheer volume that escaped her.

"Very well" the golden scroll beneath Ignatias bust burned with the inscription Hollow Haunt as her profile settled back into the plaque to remain inanimate. Everyone looked at Anne, who giggled nervously.

"It's the only thing I remember from History of Magic. The first name you say to a Ignatia plaque is the name of the location." She explained wringing her hands awkwardly.

"Okay" Eve shrugged, not really caring what her house had been named "Why Hollow Haunt?"

"Well..." she grinned seeing the indifference in Eves face "Since Professor Ronen put the defensive charms around the house the muggles struggle to...comprehend the property. That combined with me being as pale as I am and sometimes things float around the house, the villagers think I'm a ghost. The Hollow Residence is Haunted...Hollow Haunt" she grinned ear to ear "I've always wanted to be a ghost and scare children"

Sebastian tried desperately not to laugh. Eve seemed in a odd mood and he didn't want to offend her anymore than Anne's stunt may have. He clasped his hand over his mouth to hide the curl of lips.

Ominis simply shook his head. This is typical Anne. But he couldn't grumble it was nice to have 'typical' Anne back.

"I love it!" Eve couldn't help but smile. Anne's joy was contagious and it was a rather clever name.

"Oh I'm so glad" She sighed in relief "I got food ready whilst you were upstairs" she skipped to the kitchen without pause.

"I thought we were going back after we'd put this thing up" Sebastian wiped his brow looking at Eve still unsure of her mood "I mean...it's your house"

"We may as well stay the night now it's dark out, and we won't be able to get back before curfew if we're eating"

"Are you okay with that?" Ominis squeezed her arm.

"Yes it's fine" she smiled taking his hand and leading him to the small dining table shoved up the corner of the kitchen. Sebastian grabbed the plates from the kitchen cabinets and began to lay the table, whilst they idly chatted. Perhaps having people here wasn't so bad. As though he could hear her thoughts Ominis squeezed her knee under the table, offering her a genuine smile.

"Told you" he whispered leaning into her "This is better than Home"

"Budge up now, time to get friendly" Sebastian leant across the tiny table putting bowls out for each of them. Ominis grabbed the underside of Evelyn's chair scraping it across the floor and inching it closer towards him. She blushed at the sudden proximity, their chairs practically interlocked.

"Since when do you lot care about curfew anyway?" Anne asked serving out the homemade stew she'd been cooking since they arrived.

"Since..." Sebastian gulped sitting opposite Ominis on the round table "Since I'm the Tri Wizard Champion for Hogwarts"