laconic • t.nott ✓

33 ➺ escapade

「 ESCAPADE 」

ON THE LAST DAY OF Easter break, Theo woke early to find Blaise already up and dressed. He sat on a chair with his feet balanced on the bed, reading the book he had borrowed from Tristan Nott's library. The jar of cashews sat on his lap and he reached in every now and then to take one out and pop it into his mouth.

Theo scowled as he propped himself up on his elbow. "I didn't give you permission to eat those."

Blaise didn't look up from his book. He took his sweet time chewing and swallowing the cashew before he said, "I didn't ask for it."

Theo grunted in annoyance and sat up. Both his and Blaise's backpacks were resting by the door, ready to be carried away. When Blaise noticed him looking, he said, "I packed them. Don't worry about it."

Blaise sat reading in the chair for the next half hour as Theo washed and dressed. At one point, he stopped to ask, "You know I've told you you can take the book with you, right? You don't have to finish it now."

Blaise nodded, his eyes not leaving the pages of the book for a second. "The story is intriguing."

Theo gave up and went to wake Corben up but when he entered his room, it was empty, the bed freshly made. He found Corben in the kitchen, helping Fowley make breakfast. He stood watching them for a moment. "Why did everyone get up so early and didn't bother to wake me up?"

Corben glanced at him briefly before returning to his work. "I told Blaise to wake you," he muttered, his attention focused on the mixing bowl in front of him. "He said you don't sleep much in school, so ..." He trailed away as the stove began to make loud spitting sounds.

They finished their breakfast quickly, then hurried outside with their bags. Initially, they had planned to apparate to King's Cross Station, with Corben coming along by side-apparition as he was yet to give and pass his apparition test. But neither Theo nor Blaise being much experienced in this branch of magic, they had decided it was too risky for the three of them to apparate together, especially to a place so crowded with muggles.

So eventually they had settled on taking the Knight Bus.

They paused on the porch to check and recheck their bags. As Theo secured his bag around his shoulders, Fowley scampered toward them with three paper bags in her hands. She gave one to each of them. "Fowley made brownies for yous, Sirs," she said shyly, "so you don't get hungry on the train."

Corben grinned and gave her an elegant bow, to which she blushed. Theo kneeled before her but before he could say anything, she burst into tears.

"Master Theodore will not be returning anymore," she howled, cradling her face in her hands. Theo blinked in confusion at the sudden outburst and held her hands until she calmed down. She sniffed and wiped her face with the towel she wore around her torso. Then she gave Theo a brave little smile.

"I will return," he stated firmly. "I told you I will find a place for you so you don't get lonely, didn't I?"

Fowley shook her head vigorously. "It won't matter. Fowley cannot leave this house."

"We'll figure something out. I promise." He hugged her tightly, her small form weightless in his arms. Then he stood. "Take care of yourself, Fowley. That's an order."

Fowley stood at the doorway as the three of them stepped off the porch and into the opening before the house. The trees rustled around them and they walked into the woods, following the paved pathway. Corben insisted that they summon the Knight Bus now - he wanted to see how the trees would shift away at the approach of the bus - but Theo wished to enjoy the walk.