Veiled Hearts ~ HP Fanfiction (Harry Potter X OC)

Chapter 35: Hog's Head Meeting

The morning of the Hogsmeade visit dawned bright but windy. After breakfast they queued up in front of Filch, who matched their names to the long list of students who had permission from their parents or guardian to visit the village.

Celestia stood beside Harry, he had informed her that his friends will be joining them in Hog's head bar, and admitted he had no idea where it is. Celestia felt a sense of relief by his words, she wasn't particularly keen on being seen with three Gryffindors in one day.

Celestia was glad her Slytherin group of girls had already left along with her twin brother Draco, as she didn't want to be spotted together with Harry Potter.

With a slight pang, Celestia remembered Daphne Greengrass hadn't spoken to her since last two weeks, Celestia hadn't tried reaching out either.

When Harry and Celestia reached Filch, the caretaker gave a great sniff as though trying to detect a whiff of something from Harry. Celestia looked around, anywhere but at Harry who stared at her accusingly.

Then Filch gave a curt nod that set his jowls aquiver again, Celestia and Harry walked on, out on to the stone steps and the cold, sunlit day.

The gryffindor and the slytherin walked hand in hand, feeling a sense of comfort in each other's presence. Celestia felt deeply loved, knowing that Harry had no intentions of hiding their relationship like she did. However, with Daphne keeping her distance, Celestia couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness. She wondered if her friends were truly her friends, or if they were only interested in her because of her status as a Malfoy heiress.

"What's this Hog's Head place anyway?" Harry asked, breaking the silence. "Hermione mentioned it's a bar, but I've never heard of it."

Celestia nodded, intertwining her fingers with Harry's. "Students don't usually go there," she explained. "Theo and I have been there a few times. It's not on the main road, so it's a bit dodgy..."

At the mention of Theodore's name, Harry's expression darkened. They continued walking down the main street, but Celestia quickly let go of Harry's hand, not wanting to be spotted by any slytherins. By the time they walked past the Owl Post Office, Harry was seething, to lighten the mood, she led him to a secluded spot behind the trees.

After almost twenty minutes, they turned onto a side street and saw a small inn at the top.

A battered wooden sign hung from a rusty bracket over the door, with a picture on it of a wild boar's severed head, leaking blood on to the white cloth around it. The sign creaked in the wind as they approached. Harry hesitated outside the door.

Celestia wrinkled her nose in distaste, eyeing the dimly lit pub with a mixture of disdain and resignation. "Merlin, I hate this place," she muttered under her breath, her aristocratic features contorting in distaste. "All the stuff is unhygienic, but the gin is to die for."

Harry didn't say anything, he stared at the door nervously.

"Well, come in" Celestia said, opening the door, "No one's gonna murder you, iam here with you"

Harry nodded, they walked in.

The Hog's Head bar comprised one small, dingy and very dirty room that smelled strongly of something that might have been goats. The bay windows were so encrusted with grime that very little daylight could permeate the room, which was lit instead with the stubs of candles sitting on rough wooden tables. The floor seemed at first glance to be compressed earth, though as Harry stepped on to it he realised that there was stone beneath what seemed to be the accumulated filth of centuries.

"Fun fact" said Celestia, as they spotted Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger arguing in whispers on the table at corner, "This bar belongs to Aberforth Dumbledore, our dear Headmaster's younger brother."