entranced/ f.w.

marauders

davina

it's been two weeks since my argument with blue. in talking to blaise, who tried to be a moderator, i found she wasn't going to apologize if i didn't come to her first. as stubborn as i am, i found this extremely unreasonable. 

with my decision to not apologize being made, i decided to study more. that included potions studying with the twins, and every other study session with hermione. whatever time i didn't spend studying, i spent with cedric or the twins.

the only issue i faced was that we could no longer spend time in the courtyard, per cedric's request. he was getting nervous about all the dementors around the castle, especially once he heard that harry was attacked in the hogwarts express, and again on the quidditch pitch. 

as it was my favorite place to study, i often recruited fred and george to help me sneak out. george would distract cedric with quidditch talk, and fred would take me out to the courtyard to study potions. i have to admit, joking around and causing commotion with the twins did have it's perks. 

however happy i have been didn't combat the gloominess peering over the upcoming hogsmeade trip. i didn't have parental permission to go on the trip, so i would be the only third year sitting in hogwarts while everyone else was experiencing zonko's and the three broomsticks.

cedric was disappointed, wanting to spend the trip with me. fred and george were also upset, wanting to show me all their favorite pranks and jokes inside zonko's. they swore they would open their own joke shop one day, name to be determined. 

i was hoping my mother would be able to give me the permission slip in time, but with her current stay in st. mungo's, that was impossible. i sent her owls almost every day, but only ever got responses from the nurses and doctors, saying she was too ill to write back. they told me to keep sending letters, that they made her happy. 

on the day of the hogsmeade trip, i sadly sunk into a seat at the ravenclaw table in the great hall. there were a few upper year students at the other tables, and younger students crowded the area, but most upper years were on their way to the front of hogwarts to go to hogsmeade. 

cedric was generous enough to offer to stay behind, but i told him to go. he was too excited to miss out on it, i didn't want him to feel bored or for myself to feel guilty. 

i was reading one of bathilda bagshot's latest publications when i felt arms sling over my shoulders. i looked to my side to see red hair on both sides of me.

"well hello darling," george beams at me.

"hello george," i smile, "what mischief are you boys up to. you should be at hogsmeade."

"oh let us tell you ms.matthews," fred chuckles, "we figured, why go to hogsmeade without you..."

"...when we had means to help you get there with us?"

they pull me over to an unoccupied corner and pull out a blank piece of parchement.

"oh what is this rubbish?" i laugh.

"what's this rubbish she says," fred laughs, "that there is the secret to our success."

"it's a wrench to give it to you," george explains.

"but we've decided your needs are greater than ours," fred smiles, "george, if you will."

george pulls out his wand, "i solemnly swear that i am up to no good," he taps the parchment, and writing fills it. 

"what the bloody hell is a mooney and a padfoot?" 

"we owe them so much," george exclaims. 

i open the "map" and observe it. 

"is this really a map of hogwarts?" i ask, "oh my word is that actually dumbeldore?"

"yes, pacing, he does that a lot." fred assures me.

"and this map shows..."

"everyone."

"where they are," fred says.

"what they're doing," george continues.

"every minute."

"of every day"

"that's phenomenal," i smile, "let me guess, you knicked it from filch's office."

"of course," fred smiles.

"now," george starts, "there are seven passages out of the castle, we'd recommend-"

"this one," they both say.

'it will lead you straight to the honeydukes cellar." fred states.

"i love you boys so much!" i exclaim, hugging the pair of them.

"oh don't flatter us."

"just remember," george starts, "when your finished, tap it and say mischief managed. that way no one can see it."

"you boys are brilliant!" i smile at them, "okay then, let me go to hogsmeade, cedric must be so lonely. i'll see you boys later. god, i love you."

they share their comments, some of which are making fun of my sentimentality towards them.

i race to the passageway and go through it. once i reach the cellar, i immediately go to try and find someone who knows where cedric could be. they tell me that he headed over to the hill next to the shrieking shack, so i go to find him there.

on my way there i come across fred and george, them winking at me as i walk by. 

as i get closer to the hill, i spotted cedric. he was wearing a longsleeved jumper and denim pants. he had a hufflepuff scarf and a hat over his curls. as soon as he saw me approaching, his eyes light up, but it's quickly replaced with concern and confusion.

"vina what are you doing here?" he questions once i am standing in front of him.

"well i think it's pretty obvious that i'm enjoying a day at hogsmeade." i smile.

"but you don't have a permission slip," he scoffs, "how in the bloody hell did you get here?"

"let's just say a pair of genius pranksters gave me some assistance."

"do you know how dangerous this is?"

"what? me coming to hogsmeade to be with you, just like everyone else?" i ask, "how is that dangerous."

"you know sirius black is on the loose, vina," he sighs, "the professors misplacing you and not knowing you're here could make it ten times easier for you to be a target. they wouldn't even know where to start looking."

"then i guess my golden boy will have to keep me close and safe," i smirk at him.

he shakes his head, a smile forming on his face before grasping my hand and walking in the snow toward the shops.