The Turns of Time- James Potter Love Story

Chapter 18- Hogsmeade and Hesitations

Frannie skipped ahead of the group, sticking out her tongue to taste the first snowfall of the year. The clouds hung low in the sky, dispersing gentle flecks of ice on the road as shoppers crossed to and from.

"You're acting like a child," Draco scowled, pulling his robes closer to his chest as he shivered, his breath coming out in white puffs.

"It's snow!" Frannie waved her hands in the air, shooting her cousin a mischievous look. "Want a snowball to the head?"

Draco rolled his eyes, nearly running into Remus as he slid down the icy hill. "That was only because Potter had an invisibility cloak!"

"You know about that?" James looked up from the path to Hogsmeade, donning a bright scarlet sweater that Frannie secretly thought did wonders for his figure. "Wait," the boy frowned, "did you say Pot—"

"And we should go to the Three Broomsticks," Frannie interrupted, glaring at Draco. Her cousin needed to watch his tongue. "Or the Hogs Head if you're feeling adventurous."

"That place is infested with disease," Draco grumbled, steering the group towards Honeydukes. "Plus, the bartender doesn't exactly fancy me."

"He doesn't know you now," Frannie pointed out, pulling an emerald scarf tightly against her neck. Draco had stayed in Slytherin, although he slept in a separate bedroom to avoid his father and his cronies. She had been rather excited, as it meant she got some of her Slytherin apparel back. "He's Dumbledore's brother, you know."

Lily's eyes widened as she looked at her, a strand of red hair falling across her cheek. "I always thought he seemed familiar."

"A lot grumpier, though," Peter shuddered, his face flushed pink with the cold. "Kicked James and Sirius out one time."

"Because they were trying to transfigure his goat into a deer," Remus added, shaking his head.

Sirius tutted, soft snowflakes landing on his hair and making him look like an innocent child. "Details, Moony, details."

Lily leaned closer to Frannie, her breath warm on her ear. "I blame you for dragging me into a group with these idiots."

Frannie smiled, shivering as she stepped into Honeydukes, her gaze landing on a pile of pumpkin pasties. "One day, you'll thank me."

Lily watched as Sirius and Remus began to squabble over the last chocolate wand, the former tugging on the package harshly and breaking it into two. "For some reason, I really doubt it."

"How long has it been since we've been in here?" Draco looked around at the shelves, his grey gaze glowing with sentiment.

"We had no time in sixth," Frannie stiffened as she remembered a girl lying in the snow, cursed necklace at her fingertips. "Maybe fifth year?"

Draco nodded, although she could see he also seemed to be trying to shake dark memories. Frannie reached over and squeezed his arm gently with a gloved hand. "We made it."

"What were you two so busy with sixth year?" James's familiar voice made her crane her neck over the shelf. "You've mentioned it several times."

"Which you only know because you've been eavesdropping," Draco snapped, turning away to look at the jelly slugs.

Frannie bit her lip, meeting the boy's hazel gaze. "We had a mission," she explained simply, ignoring Draco's betrayed glare. "Can't say more, I'm afraid."

James looked rather frustrated, running a hand through his damp locks. "How do you expect to change anything when none of us know what to prepare for?"