Brighter Than the Sun

Chapter Fifty-Seven

On the Saturday before the first task, all students in the third year and above were permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade. Hermione told Harry that it would do him good to get away from the castle for a bit, and Harry didn't need much persuasion.

"What about Ron, though?" he said. "Don't you want to go with him?"

"Oh... well..." Hermione went slightly pink. "I thought we might meet up with him in the Three Broomsticks..."

"No," said Harry flatly.

I groaned. "Harry, this is so stupid —"

"I'll come, but I'm not meeting Ron, and I'm wearing my Invisibility Cloak."

"Oh all right then..." Hermione snapped, "but I hate talking to you in that cloak, I never know if I'm looking at you or not."

"At least you won't be trying on stuffy dresses all afternoon," I said.

"Oh, that's right," Hermione said. "I forgot you'd be shopping with your grandmother. I was wondering why you decided to wear a skirt when it's cold outside."

"You have to look your best when you're with Grandma'am," I said.

"But you're just going shopping, right?" Harry asked. "Why do you have to dress up to go shopping?"

"In Grandma'am's opinion, you should dress up just to go and check the mail every day," I told him. "Let's just go."

So Harry put on his Invisibility Cloak in the dormitory, went back downstairs, and together he, Hermione, and I set off for Hogsmeade.

"Harry, I think you're being stupid," I said as we came out of Honeydukes Sweetshop later, eating large cream-filled chocolates. "Just take off your cloak for a bit. No one's going to bother you here."

"Oh yeah?" said Harry. "Look behind you."

Rita Skeeter and her photographer friend had just emerged from the Three Broomsticks pub. Talking in low voices, they passed right by Hermione and I without looking at us. When they were gone, Harry said, "She's staying in the village. I bet she's coming to watch the first task."

"She's gone," said Hermione, looking right through Harry toward the end of the street. "Why don't we go and have a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, it's a bit cold, isn't it?"

"You don't have to talk to Ron!" I added irritably, correctly interpreting his silence. "Besides, that's where Grandma'am said to meet."

"Fine," Harry muttered.

"Thank you," I said, throwing up my hands. "Morrigan."

The Three Broomsticks was packed, mainly with Hogwarts students enjoying their free afternoon, but also with a variety of magical people I rarely saw anywhere else. I supposed that as Hogsmeade was the only all-wizard village in Britain, it was a bit of a haven for creatures like hags, who were not as adept as wizards at disguising themselves.

Harry edged slowly toward a spare table in the corner while Hermione and I went to buy
drinks.

"Oh, there's Grandma'am," I said. "I won't be needing a butterbeer, then."

"I'm going to look like such an idiot, sitting there alone," Hermione muttered.

"I can ask Grandma'am if you can come, too," I offered.

"No, no, it's fine, I brought some things for S.P.E.W. to do," Hermione said, waving me off. "Good luck with the shopping."

"Thanks," I said, hugging her before departing.

"Aisling," Grandma'am said when she saw me. She looked me up and down, taking in my outfit. Apparently it was suitable for her, because she nodded approvingly. "Excellent. I came in here to warm up a bit, but it's far too crowded for my taste. Let's begin, shall we?"