𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬

Chapter 30

The awkwardness passed after a few interactions with each other in the hallways, nods, and sneers (per the usual ones). Adeline invited Harry to a picnic the next Friday, but Harry declined, to Adeline's surprise.

"I'm sorry. Dumbledore asked me to meet with him, I don't know what he wants." They spoke in a quiet alcove after dinner. Adeline had given him a weighted sneer across the hall after reading the rejection letter Harry sent. "But it's probably important. It's Dumbledore, you know?"

"Fine." Adeline rolled her eyes, trying her best not to freak out—Did Dumbledore know about her and was he trying to warn Harry? Was he recruiting Harry?

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you. What about Saturday?"

This was a way to test out the waters of Phase 2. "How do you know I don't already have plans?" She was supposed to start working on the cabinet on Saturday. What an arse. Did Harry not understand that she was holding off working on murdering Dumbledore because of him?

"Thursday," Harry bit his lip. "Please? I'm sorry."

"Why don't you ask him to change it to Thursday?"

"He's the headmaster."

"And I'm your girlfriend." She crossed her arms over her chest, and then she gave in. "Fine." Adeline tried leaving, but Harry pulled her back and kissed her cheek.

"See you then."

Adeline grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it, checking the corridor before returning to her dormitory for an uneasy sleep. Plan DBR was already falling behind, thus putting her behind on the stupid cabinet, which she hadn't even located yet.

But this was more important.

Fun. They had to have fun.

Not normal fun. Calculated fun according to Plan DBR's steps.

So, when Adeline arrived at their secret cove with a bottle of wine, Harry raised an eyebrow. "What is that?"

Adeline read the label, setting the basket down with her other hand. "Superior Red. Had my mum ship it, it's from the Malfoy cellar."

Harry looked amused. "Must be expensive, then."

"You deserve the best, don't you?" Adeline didn't say it as genuine, per Plan DBR. Harry looked at her for a few seconds, almost catching on to the subtle sarcasm in Adeline's voice, but he didn't acknowledge it. "The Slytherins keep having parties and I have no idea how to drink without grimacing. They keep laughing at me." Adeline took a seat next to him on their shared blanket. "And I thought if we were going to have a lovely date, I wouldn't want to bring you cheap wine."

"That's nice of you. Your mum approves of you drinking?"

"My father would be happy to supply the parties if it means higher status for me. Mum just wants me to keep safe and her way of doing so is shipping me the good stuff so I don't fill up on heavy liquor that they usually have."

"Ah, yes. I've heard the method of giving children alcohol to keep them from drinking alcohol works," Harry laughed, laying out on the blanket.

"Alcohol's disgusting."

Harry shrugged. "Haven't tried it."

"Well, now you can if you want." Adeline opened the bottle and poured a bit into one of the glasses.

Adeline took the first sip and immediately cringed. Harry burst out into laughter at her bent face. "That's awful."

"No way, I want to try it." Harry grabbed the glass and took a sip, and the taste made him do the same, leaving Adeline to laugh, too. "It's so bitter. And people drink this for fun?"