One Step Ahead Part II | Sirius Black

Chapter 217

When Gwen first traveled to Hogsmeade during her time at Hogwarts, she had been taken with the picturesque surroundings.

She had always preferred the solitude of nature to the hustle and bustle of cities, and yet the small town peppered with small cottages and ancient shops had reached a sort of happy medium that settled in her heart in the feeling of pure acceptance. Hogsmeade housed memories of laughter and tears and of Sirius.

Her lips twitch slightly at the thought of her fiancé. He wasn't thrilled that the evening before valentines day would be spent apart from one another. She promised to be home early first thing tomorrow, before the sun woke him up. She intends to keep that promise.

Hogsmeade looks nothing like it's usual self, and Gwen feels that feeling of acceptance turn to one of unease. No snow dusting the roofs like powdered sugar, no holly and floating candles. For the first time, Hogsmeade looks sad, and the night sky weeps tears from above that threaten to soak through her coat.

Wrinkling her nose, she hurries towards the road that branches off High Street, heading towards a pub that always looks a little gloomy even in the absence of rain. Her eyes find the familiar worn out sign above the door depicting a wild boars decaptiated head resting on a white cloth jeweled with red blood. Her lips curve further into a simple smile, and she presses on the door with a little bit of extra force to ensure that it opens.

Hog's Head was squat in spirit and in setting, the floors dirt that turns an unsettling shade of rusty brown thanks to her soaked wellies. She stamps her feet, shaking the water off and peering at the eclectic crowd in the dingy pub. It wasn't her first time visiting, but she hadn't been since Mundungus had been banned for life sometime ago. Fortunately, she hadn't faced the same punishment for working with the criminal.

She passes another sign, one that explicitly states the prohibited sale of unicorn blood on the premises. Her smile fades to a frown, disheartened by the idea that such a sign would need to exist. Making her way behind the bar, she keeps her hood drawn to avoid any unnecessary attention. With any luck, she'd be out of here and snuggled up with Sirius before dawn blanketed the constellations. The staircase is rickety, squeaking and groaning in protest in such away that her apprehension grows.

When she finally makes it up the stairs and steps into an open room glowing orange from the fireplace, she removes her cloak and says plainly, "Albus, what a lovely location you've chosen."

Sitting in front of a curtained window just next to the fireplace, Albus Dumbledore smiles and his eyes glow behind his spectacles, "My most sincere apologies, Gwenyth. Thank you for joining us."

Gwen hums in reply, but stops in the center of the room to stare at a portrait hanging above the roaring fire. The strokes of oil paint caress the smooth face of a young girl that peers out into the sitting room as if waiting to hear the end to a story. Gwen smiles, and the girl does too.

Finally, the veela turns away from the portrait and makes her way over to the waiting pair watching her. She pulls out the chair next to her old Headmaster and blinks at the witch sitting across from her nervously. Gwen studies the woman calmly, taking in the ruby red scarf wrapped around her unruly hair and the bangles that seem like they struggle endlessly to not slip from her bird like wrists. It's the beads however hanging around her neck that grab Gwen's attention. She'd seen beads like them before, just ones untouched by magic.

"Sybil," Albus begins, and Gwen decides against turning away from the witch twitching uncomfortably under her gaze. "This is Gwenyth Whitlock. She agreed to join me for the interview seeing as she is far better at Divination than myself."

The woman's eyes grow enormous beneath her bottle like glasses, and Gwen smiles, extending a hand, "A pleasure, Miss Trelawney. I'm looking forward to learning more about your Sight."