Magic (5sos/l.h. Hogwarts AU)

Chapter 36

~A/N~ Crazy that I'm in sixth form/college/junior year??? I think??? Crazy that I wrote this when I was literally 12 and I'm still publishing it
Enjoy the chapter!
Leila xx

October whizzed by in a blur of homework and hot chocolate by the fire, and Halloween came much faster than I expected. Michael was not happy about this, but the rest of us were ecstatic and had to try to be careful not to mention Hogsmeade around him, as it reminded him of his parental issues which was the last thing we wanted to do.

"THIS IS HALLOWEEN, THIS IS-"

"sHUT UP!" Luke roared at Calum and I, and we giggled before complying. The other two boys had been through enough.

"This is going to be so much fun!" squealed Ashton as we trod through the cobbled streets. "We can go to Honeydukes, and Zonko's, and we can have Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks!"

"And we can go into the Shrieking Shack," suggested Calum. "It's meant to be the most haunted building in Britain."

"Let's not," Ashton shuddered, turning pale.

"We can't get in, anyway," said Luke. "They've blocked it off, Fred and George told me they've tried loads of times but they can't find a way."

"Maybe I could," I mused, but stopped talking after taking one look at Ashton's face.

"No, we couldn't and we shouldn't and we won't."

"Look! There's the Three Broomsticks!" shouted Luke, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the little pub. "Let's go in!"

Pushing through the door, my mouth fell open in awe, for the bustling pub was eerily similar to the one in Castle Combe and most muggle pubs, for that matter, except it was clear that magic was in the air.

People in robes of all colours were laughing at small birch picnic tables, seated on matching chairs adorned with tattered cushions in varying shades of blue. The huge bar was in the corner of the room, with a pretty, curvy bartender polishing a stack of sparkling glasses, of which the collection extended across the entire back wall.

Many students were already sitting with a beige, frothy substance spilling out of their glasses, and I felt the urge to do the same.

"Let's find a table," said Calum, pulling us all towards one of the few empty ones in the busy building.

"Should I go and order?" asked Luke, standing up and eyeing the bartender in a way that made me feel very odd. "Four butterbeers?"

Ashton nodded, but Calum and I exchanged a look. "It's not actual beer, is it?"

"So what if it is?" Calum laughed. "Lighten up."

"I think that's called peer pressure," Ashton glared at him, before giving me a soft smile. "But no, I don't think it is otherwise they wouldn't serve it to underage students."

"Ok," I smiled, the doubt evaporating off my chest as Luke came back, four drinks balanced precariously in his large hands.

My first taste of the butterbeer gave me a huge rush, and I had to rethink the whole alcohol thing until I realised that it was probably the sugar content making my brain feel fuzzy.

"Woah," said Luke, blinking several times. "That stuff is good."

"Also probably going to give me diabetes," coughed Calum. "But who cares?"

"Cheers to diabetes!" Ashton yelled, earning us some strange looks.

"Cheers!" we all chorused, clinking our glasses together and taking another sip of the delicious substance.