Love and Curses (Hogwarts Legacy)

Ch. 15

There was a small skip in Ominis's step as he made his way to the Room of Requirement. It was strange that he and Sebastian had been able to get back in, almost as if the Room recognized them after Raven brought them to it. Like the past few times, the blond boy found the door and went inside.

"Raven?" he lightly called. "Are you in here, dove?"

"I'm here, Ominis." His smile brightened and his wand guided him over to the desk she was sitting at. "Just one moment. I'm about…to…" He could hear her quill scribbling rapidly across the parchment. "Finished. There's homework out of the way." She tilted her head back to look up at her sweetheart. "What has you looking so-" A yawn interrupted her briefly. "Chipper. Excuse me."

His smile faltered a little. "That's the seventh time I've heard you yawn today. Did you have a rough night?"

"If you count being up half the night rough, then yes. It's this sweet little Kneazle kitten I rescued yesterday. Poor thing was caught in a trap. He would've died if I hadn't found him. But he's been a handful and still requires bottle feeding."

"I see. So you've taken up the role of his mother. That's simply adorable, Raven. But I do hope you get some proper sleep tonight."

"Me too. I'm hoping to hear from my grandfather today to be sure whether he'll take Whiskers for me. I love the little fellow, but I just don't have the time to care for him." Raven stood and moved around the chair to place her hands against his chest, earning a hug from him. "Ominis, you never answered my question. What has you so chipper?"

"You haven't heard the news, I presume. Students and staff have been pestering the headmaster all year for canceling this season of Quidditch. So what does he suddenly announce to get everyone off his case? A Christmas ball just before the holiday break."

The girl gasped. "A ball? Just like that, Professor Black really just gave us a ball?! He must be really sick of hearing about Quidditch."

Ominis chuckled softly at her assumption. "Either way, I quite like the idea myself. I was hoping you would be my date."

"Of course! I'd love to go with you!" Raven was beaming when she leaned forward to rest her head against him, a dreamy sigh escaping her. "Sounds like a romantic evening. I can hardly wait."

"Neither can I." Ominis masked his excitement under his composed smile. He couldn't wait for the ball, but for another reason entirely.

Raven let go of him and backed away, looking at the clock next to her desk. "Oh dear, it's about time to feed Whiskers again. Would you like to meet him?"

"Certainly."

"Then wait here." She guided him to the sofa to sit. "I'll bring him out. He prefers being away from the other beasts to eat."

Raven disappeared into one of the vivariums. It was quiet for a few moments, the ticking of the clock echoing in the silent room. But soon enough, her footsteps returned, accompanied by the soft meows of the kitten. Raven sat beside the boy with a bottle in one hand and a crying Kneazle in the other. Whiskers was a tiny little thing the girl affectionately cradled to her chest. She expertly hushed him with the bottle, to which he happily drank from.

"There, there, Whiskers," she cooed, glancing at Ominis. "Feel free to pet him. But be gentle."

The blind boy slowly reached for the source of the quiet slurping, his fingers finding a warm ball of fur. "He really is young. And a fluffy little thing." He rubbed his fingers gently along the kitten's back. "And with quite the appetite."

"As is the case with all babies," Raven told him. "They have to eat a lot so they can properly grow." Once the bottle was empty, Raven carefully wiped the excess milk from the kitten's chin. "Would you like to hold him?"