Yule Balls and Old Foes

Chapter 21

A/N: This is gonna be a short-ish chapter. And EVERYONE KNOWS EXCEPT THEM. Norah and Ominis being idiots Part 3.

Norah and Natty were in Diagon Alley the next day, both of them keen on restocking their supplies of combat plants and some potions. The two of them were alert and well enough to go out for the day as many, if not most, of their fellow students were now nursing hangovers from the night before. Henry had taken it upon himself to check on Amit, with Norah offering to let him rest in the Room of Requirement. She had even told Deek to send food in case they got hungry while he was there to which the house elf happily agreed.

"It's nice to hang out again, without the boys around," Natty said, as they crossed the bridge to the Magic Neep. "Amit should keep Henry busy for a while. It was nice of you to let him study in your Room of Requirement."

Norah shrugged at the thought. "He's been overwhelmed lately, and afraid of telling both Nellie and Samantha that he's not prioritizing a relationship right now."

Natty nodded, finally understanding Amit's sudden urge to get drunk the night before. "Henry did mention something to me about how Amit was feeling with all the romantic attention."

The Slytherin girl was amused. "Look at you and Henry, already acting like a married couple and we haven't even left Hogwarts yet," She teased, making Natty blush. "At least two people among us are happy."

Natty shook her head profusely. "I told myself that I would never be that kind of person who would always be so preoccupied with their relationship that they forget their friends. Romantic relationships may come and go, but friendships are the most valuable."

"Right," Norah teased some more, making Natty nudge her. "But you are right," She added as they entered the Hogsmeade Graveyard to visit the mausoleum where Professor Fig and his wife were buried. Lodgok's grave was also next to the mausoleum.

"What about you and Ominis? Have you told him how you felt?" It was Natty's turn to tease.

Norah shook her head. "I don't think it's worth it," She said, suddenly remembering their conversation during the party before they were interrupted. "But..I found out that it wasn't Anne that he was interested in."

Natty's eyes widened. "You did? He told you?"

"Mhmm," Norah hummed. "He said it wasn't Anne, but he didn't say who it was. So I know but at the same time I don't."

As she laid down some flowers she picked nearby, she spotted a flicker of light coming from another mausoleum. Norah turned her attention back to the graves before them, only to hear a faint ruckus coming from the same mausoleum. She nudged Natty, who seemed to be noticing the same thing. The two girls exchanged looks and quietly stepped out of the mausoleum, hands in their pockets poised to take out their wands as they approached the entrance.

"The Tomb of the Villager," Norah said, hearing that faint ruckus coming from inside. "I cleared this out of Ashwinders last year, who might be coming back here now?"

Natty shrugged. "With Harlow on the loose again and restarting his cause, I wouldn't put it past him to revisit old haunts, like this supposed tomb."

"Could Harlow be hiding out down there? There's nothing much to be seen except those rising columns," Norah was curious.

"We can't know for sure, but this is a good place to set up a secret hideout," Natty pointed out. She turned to Norah. "Shall we go in and find out?"

Norah thought for a moment. "As much as I would like to immediately go in there and give them a piece of my mind, I think we need to keep watch before we make any move. Officer Singer might try and keep us out of this if she finds out."