(1940-02-13) Valentine's Eve in Hogsmeade
Details for Valentine's Eve in Hogsmeade
Summary: With almost everyone seeming to be paired off on the evening before Valentine's day, Terrance and Melody, each on their own in the village, keep each other company.
Date: 13 February 1940
Location: Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade
Related:
Characters
TerranceMelody

The evening was starting to set in, but the kids of Hogwarts still had a couple more hours to enjoy their exploring before curfew. It being the Valentine's weekend only created a reason for more kids to stay out than usually would. One of those kids was Terrance. The sixth year Gryffindor walked idly along the street, hands in his pockets as his black robes flowed behind him. He had not asked anyone to join him, so was one of the few to be without a date. As he continued to walk, he glanced at the entrance to the Three Broomsticks, contemplating a drink.

Surely the singular students aren't all that scarce! But, if one were to notice, they likely would note a plethora of couples quietly canoodling as they walk hand in hand, or sit close at one of the village establishments. Melody is often alone, although she's been seen from time to time with Myrus Lowe, when he can be torn away from his studies. Sadly, this isn't one of those nights. The sixth year Hufflepuff is emerging from the candy shop, tucking a bag away under the long cloak keeping the winter winds at bay. She turns without hesitation, on a path that will take her past the Broomsticks. One hand, covered by a pink mitten, emerges to swipe ineffectually at her hair as the breeze tugs it, but she does manage to mostly push it away from her eyes. As she nears Terrance, familiar from their classes together all these six years, her broad, toothy smile emerges. "Hallo, Green."

As he hears his name, Terrance draws his eyes back away from the Broomstick's entrance and over to fall upon Melody. "Ah, hello Abernathy. Enjoying your trip?" he asked, returning her wide grin with one of his own. As he asked this he stopped, bundling his arms close to his body to preserve his heat. Then, his brow rose and he gave a few glances around. "Where is Lowe? Still in the shop?" he asked gesturing towards the sweet shop she just came from.

Melody always looks a little bit distracted, as if she's hearing things that no one else hears that draw her attention, but she focuses well enough on Terrance. "It's a lovely night to be out walking," she says, her voice lilting as her eyes lift to sky, as if to confirm her observation. Brown eyes drop almost immediately, though, her smile holding, lips parted over slightly bucked teeth. Mel turns, looking back to the shop as if she hadn't just come out of it, pausing. "Oh! No," she says, turning back. "He's stayed back to study. So I got him some chocolate dragons and some chocolate frogs for Eoin." Her firstie brother and fellow Hufflepuff. As she remarks on her purchases, she crinkles the bag lightly under her cloak, to punctuate her words. "Are you going in for something to drink then?"

Terrance gave a soft smile and an understanding nod as she commented on the night, and then explained the reason that she was found alone. "Oh, yes I was. Thought it would be a nice way to the end the day." he said glancing to the door. "Would you like to join me for a butterbeer?" he asked looking back to her with a smile, gesturing to the door with his head. "Would hate to have to drink alone on a night like tonight." he said with a bit of laugh, looking around at the many couples.

A light jingle of coins can be heard as Melody cocks her head slightly to the left, and, as if she can tell what's in her pocket just from the sound of it, she nods decisively. "I've enough to stay a bit," she says agreeably, focusing again. When his words seem to register, she looks mildly surprised, "Alone? Can't have that." Not that she pays much attention to who's dating whom, but there's always just a tendency toward assuming that everyone else their age is in 'crazy dating mode'. Other than being linked to Myrus since just before the holidays, she's never seemed to have been much of an object of the dating scoreboards, certainly not an object of speculative gossip. "We'll have a lovely chat," she rambles, taking a step toward the door, "And get warmed up again. It's rather cold this winter, don't you think?"

Terrance gives a wider smile at the accepted invitation, "Well thank you." he says, knowing he wouldn't want the school to be saying that he had to resort to drinking by himself of Valentine's weekend. Turning, he moved with her to the front door, "That we will." he said to the idea of conversation and warming up. "And I quite agree, it has been a nightmare." he said, not being a lover of the cold, moving to open the door for her.

Melody pauses by habit, still expecting gentlemen to be gentlemen, and her smile flashes again to Terry as he gets the door. "Ta," she chirps as she steps inside, immediately unfastening her cloak to let the inside air warm her. When Terry steps inside as well, she's already looking around to scope out the available seating. "There's a table over there," she says, pointing vaguely toward the right, "Unless you see someone you wanted to join." But, as out on the street, the tables seem occupied mostly by couples, or groups of four, with almost no one seeming not to be enthralled by a member of the opposite sex across the table from them.

Terrance follow Melody in as she passes him. As he does he lets out an audible sigh of relief as the warm air seems to flow over him. As she looked for a seat, so did he. "No, I don't see anyone. At least no one that would want me to intrude." he said with a smile, spotting a few friends here and there, but whom were occupied. "Let's go ahead and sit there." he said nodding ot the table she pointed out. "I will go get the butterbeers." he said, and moving before she could say no to the bar to get the two mugs.

Melody almost catches him, turning with a, "Oh, but…" But she misses him, and just makes a mental note to buy the next round. She shuffles over to the empty spot, saying hello to housemates and yearmates along the way, and once at her destination she shrugs her cloak off. Revealed beneath is a brightly coloured frock of a hybrid muggle-wizard sort of style, rather flowing and modestly cut. Her cloak is hung on a wall hook before she sits, tucking her wellington covered feet up onto the rungs of her chair. The boots are something she often wears, usually creatively charmed with colour spells to make them unique and different every day. Today, in honor of Friday the 13th, they're simply black. She looks around, spying Terry when he's back on the way over and waving, just in case he's already forgotten where they agreed to sit. It could happen, it's happened to her.

Terrance walked back from the bar, holding the two mugs. He, like Melody, gave greeting to the housemates and yearmates he passed. At least the ones that looked up from their current company. "Here you are." he said and slid a mug in front of her, before sitting across from her with his own mug. He also discarded his cloak, revealing his school uniform beneath his robe. "Thank you again for joining me. It would have been embarrassing to drink alone." he said with a laugh.

Melody watches Terrance maneuver his way to the table, interested to see if the quidditch player is light on his feet enough to manage not to spill anything. "Ta," she says brightly as he sets a mug down for her. His observation draws her laugh as well, and she glances around the room as she says, "I don't think most would know if you were here with the giant squid, let alone if you were alone." Her voice has a perpetual lilt, partially from her Shropshire upbringing, partially just from her normal somewhat dozey demeanor. "It's nice to not just hurry back to the castle, and Eoin will be up no matter if I'm later getting back. He always waits for his sweets." There's a fondness added to the lilt when she speaks of her younger brother. Reaching for her mug, Mel brings it close and takes a sip.

Terrance had already lifted his mug to his lips, taking a long draw of the sweet beverage. He felt the warmth run through him, giving another audible sigh, this time of pleasure at the taste. Looking around, he nodded with another light chuckle, "You know you might be right, not sure they can see past 5 feet in front of them." he said looking back to the Hufflepuff. "Eion is your little bother, yes?" he asked with a smile. "Just got sorted this year? Yeah, I could believe a firstie would stay up quite late for some sweets." he said offering a friendly smile.

The blond girl's head bobs at once in a nod, and she looks pleased at the recollection, having been blithely not given it a thought before that moment, "Yes, he is. I thought he might be disappointed to be sorted into my house, but it's been quite nice." She does know a word other than 'lovely'! Her face suddenly takes a thoughtful cast, eyes taking that glaze that has her looking into something of a middle space for a beat before she's back in the room. "Do you have any siblings?" What occurred to her was that she's no idea if he does or not.

Terrance gave a light shake of his head, his eyes seeming to gravitate on her…either because he didn't want to look around at the many couples or for another reason. "Nope, my parents were lucky enough to have me so they stopped." he said. He was often quite confident and had no issue making jokes about his importance, though most people saw this at just that…a joke. "I would have liked to have had a brother or sister to play with as a kid though." he said with a shrug.

"You can borrow Eoin any time," Melody notes flippantly, her broad grin returned. "He's quite keen on quidditch, and flying in general." Because, really, isn't having the youngsters in tow often really what being a sibling is about? She doesn't appear to take his own flippancy as more than the joke it's intended to be. "We might not exactly be kids still, but it's never too late. Eoin's nice to have a bit of a romp with, we ramble all over Shropshire together."

Terrance gave a laugh at the offer to borrow her brother, but as she mentioned that he was interested in quidditch he gave an interested nod. "Well maybe I can steal him and teach him to fly a bit." he said with a grin and lifted the mug up again.

Melody's hands clap together lightly, her face looking like she hadn't actually expected him to consider the offer. "He'd be so pleased if you would. He's learning the basics, of course, but it's always so much nicer to have someone who really knows their way around something teach you, in a way that's more intimate than a class. I learn my best that way, at any rate." She pauses, for another pull from her drink, before she goes on. "Not that everyone learns best the way I do, but Eoin gets rather a lot out of it as well." A bit more talkative than usual, which might be at least partly owed to the butterbeer and partly to the comfort of having known Terrance at least somewhat through their school years.

"Well I think I would be able to teach him quite a bit about flying." he said, again overly cocky. This time he didn't do it as a joke, but like her this most likely was not all his attitude but also the butterbeer. "Granted, I might not be great at teaching him quidditch as I am just the keeper." he said with a grin to her, knowing that most kids want to be the star seeker or famous chaser.

This gives Melody pause for thought. "Well, there's no such thing as just anything in quidditch," she notes before going on, "But I'm not sure what position Eoin fancies." For all their closeness at home, at school Melody has been mindful of letting her brother develop his own interests, make his own friends, and some things have gotten out of touch between the pair, as happens as siblings grow. Her shoulders shrug lightly, obviously dismissing her lack of knowledge. "It'll be good for him to learn all the different positions to see what he really likes best." A bit of logic from an unlikely place.

Terrance smiles and widely and nods in agreement. "I actually think that is a great idea. And after I teach him what I know about flying, I am sure he would be a good fit for the house team." he said, lifting his glass once more only to realize that the sweet drink had been finished. He set it back down without much thought, his attention held on her. "So, what about you. Do you enjoy flying at all?"

Melody can't help but nod in agreement with Terrance's confidence in his ability. "Only I hope it doesn't turn out that he comes 'round to trounce your House one day," she jokes lightly. "Your Housemates will never let you live it down." She's still got some of her butterbeer left, at least for a moment until she polishes it off rather neatly and absently swipes her hand across her lips after she's set the mug back on the table. "I love to fly. It's one of my favourite things, getting up in the air and leaving the world down below for a bit." Her head tilts as she regards Terrance. "What do you like best about quidditch? Would you like another butterbeer?" The questions, side by side, almost seem to go together even though they're unrelated.

A laugh slipped out as she brought up the fact that he could possibly become a great player for the Hufflepuff house. "Well, I should be gone by the time he really grows into any real skill." Terrance said with a smile, since he did only have one more year left after all. Then as she said she loved to fly, he grinned widely. "Maybe we can go up sometime then. You can help me teach him." he said teasingly before giving a shrug, "I really like the freedom that it offers. And the fan's cheers and adoration is never bad either." he said with a sly smile, nodding to the final question about one more drink

"I think Eoin would like that," Melody says, even as she's slipping to her feet before Terrance might have the chance. "My go," she quips cheerfully, at his nod, and she turns immediately to weave her way through to the bar so they won't have to wait to catch someone's attention to come to the table. It takes her a moment, as all the colours of the different bottles behind the bar prove nearly hypnotizing for a moment, but she pulls herself to reality and the business at hand in short order. With two more mugs in her hands, she returns, her steps light as she avoids schoolmates, the trip nearly a dance of collision avoidance until their drinks are set down and she's plopped back into her chair.

As Melody rose to her feet and danced her way through the tables and occupants, Terrance could not help but to let his gaze follow after her. She was quite the graceful girl, if not the most present at times. He smield softly as he watched her return, slipping one mug up and into his hand, "Thank you." he said, raising his glass for a cheers.

Oh, Melody knows this one! She raises her glass as well, leaning forward to give it a light clink against his, but she stops before sipping, the curious tilt returned to her head as she looks at Terry across the table. "Aren't we supposed to toast to something?" she wonders. "Maybe to high grades on our tests next year?"

Terrance grins widely as she quickly moves to cheers him. He moves his mug to his lips, stopping as she asked if they were to be drinking to something specific. "Well yes, usually we do." then he gave a laugh at the cheers to grades, "That might work. Or to great company." he said, trying to be smooth though more likely coming over as slightly foolish.

Melody's whole existence is slightly foolish, so she sees nothing at all wrong with the Gryffindor's words, and she echoes them, more or less. "To high grades and great company!" Now she can drink in confidence that they've done things right and all will be well in the world. When she puts her drink back onto the table, it might be noted she made something of a respectable dent in the contents, and again she absently wipes her lips with a finger and her lips smack lightly. "I think butterbeer is lovely, don't you?"

Terrance grinned widely at the words before sipping from his own mug. As they were set down, he glanced into her's, his eyes showing his surprise at her ability to put the drink away. "I do!" he said with a silly grin. "Not only warms you up inside, but also places a nice feeling on every moment." he said, obviously feeling quite well himself. "Though I must say, Fire-whiskey is quite tasty as well." he said with a stupid grin.

"It'll be a much nicer walk back to the castle after this," Melody notes, "We'll be warm from the inside out." Apparently a lot of their fellow students have the same thought, with the rounds being secured in that desperate time when curfew looms large. "I had fire-whiskey once. I couldn't taste anything for two days after." She might have let it linger in her mouth just a beat too long when she should have been quickly swallowing. Live and learn.

Terrance gave a soft laugh, nodding a bit in understanding. "Yeah, you have to be a bit more careful with that than this." he said glancing down to his butterbeer. "And you are quite right. We should barely be able to feel that cold." he said and made to sip more of his drink. Then he glanced over to the clock to check on the time, frowning slightly at the fact that curfew was in fact looming.

A lot of the students are slipping out the door, frequently in couples denoted by clasped hands or arms slipped around each other. Surely they'll even pass some as couples linger on the path back to school, off in the shadows having a clandestine snog before they're back on school grounds. It's fortunate timing for the students to have a Hogsmeade weekend on Valentine's day. Melody draws in a deep breath, letting it back out in a low hum as she looks around. "Would you like to walk back to school with me? We can protect each other from all the things that creep on cat's claws between here and the safety of the gates." She's grinning while she says this, letting her voice go low and spooky but still clearly amused and joking.

Terrance eyes the couples leaving here and there, lifting his mug to try and finish it in time to meet their curfew. Then at the offer to walk back to the castle with her, he gives a happy nod. "How could I turn down the opportunity to protect a pretty girl back to her castle?" he said with a smile "It is the thing of Muggle fairytales." he said with a wink and then made to stand. Once up he offered his elbow to her, grinning a bit. "But, I am not sure if I will be guarding you more from 'things that creep on cat's claws', or snogging students." he said with a laugh.

Melody stands and slips her cloak on with an easy movement, one hand lifting to pull her hair free of the collar once it's fastened. She giggles softly, wondering to him, "Aren't they one in the same sometimes?" Her arm is linked with his companionably (and it might be noted that her second glass magically emptied itself of butterbeer). "I do appreciate it, though. It's very chivalrous of you." For a moment she gets more serious, pausing to look a fair distance up at Terrance once they're standing side by side. "Have you always been this tall?" she asks as they start for the door.

Terrance smiled a bit at her giggle and her preparation for the cold. "You know what, I think they are." he said with a nod, glancing to her empty glass before she takes his arm with hers. Then at the question of his height he gave a light laugh, "Not always, but for quite some time." he said with a wink before leading her to the door, again pausing to open it for her to move through first.

"It must be lovely," Melody says, referring to his height as they hit the cobbles and turn to head for school. "One of the things I was most keen to learn was a summoning spell, so that I could stop asking people to reach things for me." She is a bit vertically challenged, especially when seen next to someone of Terrance's stature. She falls silent for a few moments, but it's not really silence that envelopes the yearmates as they head to school, with all the chatter from other students along the path. One arm linked back with Terry's arm, her other fishes out a different bag from her cloak, this one her private stash of chocolates, and she flaps it open with a skilled movement and offers it toward him. "Would you like a chocolate? I always pick up some for myself as well."

Terrance smiled softly down to her, "It has its advantages." he mentions of his height as they walk, "But, there is something to be said for those who are smaller. Good things always come in small packages, my dad always told me." he said with a sly smile down to her. Then at the offer of chocolate he grins, using his free hand to snag a small piece, "Thank you. This has turned into quite the evening." he said looking up at the clear sky.

Melody takes a chocolate for herself before putting the bag away again, and then popping said chocolate into her mouth. She talks around it, but her words are clear. "It's always nice to have someone to talk to." And especially when everyone seems paired off otherwise. There's no moonlight to speak of to light the way back to Hogwarts, but someone students never seem to wander far off the path and get lost. A fortunate thing with the terrible news of a fairly recent death near the village. But the students are well protected, and it's not something Melody even pays much mind to. "May I tell Eoin to speak to you about flying if he sees you?"

Terrance gave a nod as he popped the chocolat into his mouth and chewed. It was indeed quite nice to have someone to talk to and keep company while walking in a mass of paired off peers. Then at the mention of Eion, he gave a wide smile and a nod that could be seen through the darkness, "But of course. I always love to share my love of flying with others. And if he is interested in quidditch, there is only one way to learn." he said as the castle grounds came into view.

"Ta," Melody says, gratitude unmistakable even in the short utterance. "He'll be beside himself, I just know it. It's lovely of you to share what you know with him." Her hand gives Terry's arm a light squeeze, and she practically skips the rest of the way back to the castle grounds. Once outside the gates she gives a hop as she draws Terrance to a stop, and her smile beams up at him. "See you tomorrow, I'm sure," since they all pretty much see each other every day. "Oh, and let me know if you want to study for the test that's scheduled for next week in Astronomy. I'm good with the stars." Says the girl with her head in the clouds and her feet barely touching Earth.

Terrance gives a smile to the distance as she seems so very excited at the fact that she would be able to get her brother instruction in quidditch, "No need to even mention it, it is a pleasure." he said, feeling that light squeeze and smiling all the wider. Then as he is brought to a stop, he turned to face her. "I bet you will. Are you coming out to Hogsmeade again?" he asked with a raised brow, then at the offer he nodded, "Maybe we can get together again and study for a bit." he said. As he did he saw, out of the corner of his eye, a couple of other couples saying their last private goodbyes.

With the prospect of bringing back not only chocolates for Eoin, but the promise of more help with his flying, Melody bounces lightly on her toes. "That would be lovely. I've got my charts for next week done already, maybe you'll find them a help." She grins up at him, all teeth and bright eyes as she takes a step away. "I hope you sleep well, Green." Still not quite to first names, but there's a friendly, warm note in her melodic voice. "Dream good dreams." One hand lifts to wave, then she turns abruptly in a flare of dark cloak and golden hair, and she scampers away, heading for the castle.

Terrance grins down to her as she bounces lightly before him. "Well, we can meet up after Breakfast or lunch and head down together." he said with a smile, "And that would be a great help!" he was still in Astronomy, but was far from the top student. "Sleep well also, Abernathy." he said. Then as she turned and headed to the castle, he just watched for a moment, feeling jealous of Lowe and not understanding how he could occupy himself with studies and miss time with such a lovely girl. Then with a breath and a smile he made his way to the castle doors as well.

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