𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 - 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘹 𝘰𝘤 (h.j.p)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔢𝔢 | 3.3

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The next morning, the golden quartet made their way to their first Divination lesson, navigating the winding staircases of Hogwarts. Celeste walked beside Harry, a quiet sense of anticipation hanging in the air between them after their moment in the common room the night before.

"Wonder what Divination will be like?" Ron mused, breaking the silence. "Probably just a load of rubbish."

"Don't say that," Hermione chimed in, frowning at Ron. "It might be fascinating—predicting the future."

Celeste smiled softly, a teasing tone in her voice. "Who knows, Ron. Maybe you'll get a glimpse into your next embarrassing moment."

Harry chuckled, shooting Celeste an appreciative look. "It could be any minute now," he added with a wink.

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As they entered the dimly lit Divination classroom, the air was thick with incense, and the warmth of the room made the four of them slightly drowsy. Professor Trelawney greeted them with her usual ethereal voice, motioning for everyone to find a seat.

Harry, Celeste, Ron, and Hermione squeezed around a small table near the center of the room. As Professor Trelawney began speaking about reading tea leaves, Harry glanced over at Celeste, who was watching the professor with mild curiosity. She leaned slightly toward him and whispered, "I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm inside a perfume bottle."

Harry smirked, his eyes lighting up at her comment. "At least it's a break from Snape's dungeon."

Before Celeste could respond, Professor Trelawney floated toward them, peering into Harry's teacup. Her eyes widened dramatically as she gasped. "My dear boy, you have... the Grim!"

A shiver ran down Harry's spine, but Celeste was quick to give his hand a comforting squeeze beneath the table, her voice low and reassuring. "It's just tea leaves, Harry. You're not going anywhere."

Harry glanced at her, the warmth of her touch steadying him. "Thanks, Celeste. I'm not worried." He shot her a small smile, though a flicker of doubt remained in his mind.

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The lesson carried on, though the uneasy feeling from Trelawney's words hung in the air. Once they were dismissed, the four of them made their way out of the classroom and into the crisp afternoon air. Hermione, clearly unimpressed with Divination, ranted about the subject as they walked down the hall.

"I don't know how anyone can take that class seriously," she huffed, her tone clipped. "Honestly, predicting the future? It's nonsense."

"Agreed," Ron chimed in. "I thought I was going to fall asleep in there."

Harry was quieter than usual, and Celeste noticed immediately. She fell into step beside him, nudging his shoulder gently. "Still thinking about what Trelawney said?"

"Not really," Harry replied, though his expression betrayed him.

Celeste gave him a knowing look, her blue eyes softening as they met his. "You've survived worse things than a grim omen in a teacup. And besides, you've got me. I won't let any dark dog come near you."

Harry's face relaxed into a smile. "I guess you're right. I'll count on you to keep me safe."

Celeste grinned, her auburn hair catching the light as they walked. "Deal. But I might need something in return—like help with Professor Flitwick's charm lessons."

"That can be arranged," Harry said, his mood visibly lifted.

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As they arrived at the Great Hall for lunch, their easy banter was interrupted by a familiar, sneering voice.

"Well, well, if it isn't Potter and his little fan club," Draco Malfoy drawled, sauntering over with his usual air of superiority. "You should be careful, Potter. I heard you've been marked for death."

Before Harry could respond, Celeste stepped forward, her voice sharp but calm. "At least Harry's brave enough to face things head-on, unlike some people who like to hide behind their father's name."

Malfoy's pale face reddened slightly, but he smirked. "Watch your mouth, Black. You wouldn't want to end up like your father—locked away."

A flicker of hurt crossed Celeste's face, but she stood tall, refusing to let Malfoy see it. "Better locked away than having to pretend to be you," she quipped back smoothly.

Malfoy glared at her but didn't press further, turning on his heel and walking away with a huff.

Harry gave Celeste a grateful look, his eyes full of admiration. "You didn't have to do that, but... thanks."

Celeste shrugged, her expression softening as she met his gaze. "You'd do the same for me."

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As the day wore on and they eventually made their way back to the Gryffindor common room, Ron and Hermione said goodnight and headed off to bed. Celeste lingered in the common room with Harry, the flickering fire casting warm shadows around them.

They settled into the cozy armchairs by the hearth, the quiet between them comfortable, yet charged with the unspoken connection that had been growing over the years. Harry's eyes lingered on Celeste, marveling at how the firelight caught the strands of her auburn hair, casting it in a golden glow.

Celeste caught him looking and raised an eyebrow, her voice soft but teasing. "What's on your mind, Harry?"

Harry hesitated for a moment before answering, his tone laced with something deeper. "I was just thinking... how lucky I am to have you here. You're always looking out for me."

Celeste's lips curved into a gentle smile, her blue eyes sparkling as they met his. "It's not a chore, you know. I care about you, Harry."

There was a quiet pause as they held each other's gaze, the weight of their words hanging in the air between them.

"I care about you too, Celeste," Harry said, his voice sincere and full of meaning.

Celeste smiled, her heart warming at his words. She leaned over and, in a gesture both innocent and full of promise, lightly touched Harry's arm. "I think we'll figure this out, whatever this is. We've got time."

Harry smiled softly, feeling a mix of emotions he didn't quite understand. "Yeah. We do."

With that, they exchanged a quiet goodnight and headed up to their dormitories, both of them knowing that, while they didn't have all the answers yet, something special was growing between them—something that would only strengthen with time.

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hey guysss :)

so so sorry for the wait, but life has been so busy for me. i'm going to try and upload regularly, but i apologize in advance if i can't! thank you so much for reading, please vote for the next chapter!

I do not own anything except my own character (s) and plot lines / dialogues etc.

All rights go to respective owners.

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『HARRY POTTER – PRISONER OF AZKABAN — 』