Thistle and Stone [Chaennie]

Chapter 8

BURN

Dinner was going off without a hitch, relatively speaking. Jennie was keeping her mouth firmly shut, nodding along to the vague conversations going back and forth about Quidditch teams, Eunwoo's discussion about the end of planting season, his woes with the new crop of first years at Hogwarts (they still hadn't mastered the lesson on Mandrakes, apparently), and Taehyung's hot takes about various Ministry gossip.

"So, Baekhyun, you work with Roseanne at the Ministry?" Eunwoo leaned over Jisoo to grab the salt, nodding across the table towards Baekhyun. Baekhyun was dressed more formally than the rest of the group, looking vaguely uncertain about why he had been invited.

"Yeah, Roseanne and I actually started our training together." Baekhyun sunk his knife into the pie in front of him. "I think I got her into the idea, actually."

"Hang on, sorry." Roseanne, who was seated directly beside him, turned to him and shook her head. "I absolutely got you into it. Don't you remember I practically had to drag you to training the first few months?" Roseanne pointed the knife in her hand towards him to emphasize her point, and Baekhyun rolled his eyes and used his index finger to push her knife down towards her plate. Jennie followed their moves from her spot across the table, noting how at ease Roseanne became the minute she was talking to Baekhyun.

"And what exactly is it you do there, mate?" Chanyeol, seated at the end of the table, glanced between them. He still looked a little suspicious at having them there. Roseanne and Baekhyun both paused and looked at a loss.

Baekhyun stared, "Well, actually, that's the—"

"They can't talk about work, Weasel, that's the whole point." Taehyung huffed into his plate as Lisa snorted into her Butterbeer.

"I'm sure it's all very interesting," Jisoo supplied. "Jennie, have you had to take a break from writing?"

"Just until this is sorted, I think," she mumbled into her plate. Jisoo had always been good about keeping up with her research and writing, but the reminder that her project was on an indefinite hiatus was a painful reminder.

"It'll be wonderful, when it's done." Eunwoo smiled at Jennie, sympathy evident in his eyes. "Hagrid is still using The Rights of Magical Creatures you know, it's required reading for all fifth years. McGonagall was telling me a lot of the content is actually part of the OWLs now."

"Really?" Jennie had known Hagrid was using her work, but she hadn't been told that it was actually being tested. Pride welled gently in her chest.

"What's this about?" Roseanne asked, only half-listening to the conversation. At her question, the table fell into a brief silence.

"It's, erm, Jennie's book." Eunwoo glanced between Jennie and Roseanne; the former was staring at her plate with burning cheeks, the latter looking mildly confused.

"Oh, right," Roseanne replied, seemingly unaware of the uncomfortable quiet.

"You didn't know Jennie wrote a book on the rights of magical creatures?" Chanyeol arched a bushy red eyebrow, surprise evident in his tone.

Roseanne smiled tightly in response. "I'm not always up to speed with the latest literary updates on magical creatures, no."

Jennie internally groaned, quietly hoping Chanyeol dropped the subject. Was she surprised Roseanne hadn't read her books? Not in the least. But that didn't dull the twinge of disappointment that caught in her throat. The bond felt unnervingly tight between them, and Jennie tried to force the feeling down.

"Well, I'm sure we all have a copy you can borrow," Lisa added, her voice a little too bright. "Anyways, Baekhyun, how's the research on the case going?" Lisa tried to look as casual as possible as she pushed her dinner around her plate and nodded towards Baekhyun.