☤ Pseudonym ☤

~Chapter Thirteen~

Saturday morning dawned bright but windy. Harry was quiet at breakfast; only nibbling on a piece of toast. He never was good at handling nerves. 

After breakfast we joined the lengthy queue in front of Filch. Everyone was chatting loudly, all obviously excited for the long-awaited visit to Hogsmeade. When I reached the front, Filch narrowed his beady eyes at me and then nodded me forwards without looking through his list. I silently thanked Dumbledore for making an exception for me, citing some extenuating circumstances. 

I joined the other three on the stone steps and we walked together towards the large gates.

It wasn't a long walk to Hogsmeade and I slowed my pace a little in order to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. I had appreciate the small things in life if I was going to enjoy living at all. 

To my surprise Harry also slowed his gait to match mine. I looked at him curiously. We didn't make a habit of one-on-one conversations, so I wondered what reason he had for this one. 

"I'm sorry." he said so quietly that I questioned whether he had really said it.

"For what?" 

"I don't know really." he let out a long, unsteady breath, "I just... I can see that you're in pain... and I know how it can feel to be suffering alone." he focused his green eyes on mine, "I just wanted you to know that you are never alone and I'm sorry if I have ever made you feel that way."

I looked down at my feet as they moved silently beneath us, hugging my arms around myself. The cold air was starting to seep into me now. I swallowed my emotions and smiled at him. "Thank you. And you know you're never alone either." 

He glanced at Hermione and Ron walking ahead of us. "They just don't get it really. Sure they know that Voldemort's a bad guy and he's done bad stuff. But they haven't seen it... they haven't felt it." 

I nodded silently in agreement. "And I hope they never have to." 

A strong gust of wind blew past us and I shivered violently as it hit me. Suddenly I felt a warmth around me. Startled, I gazed up at Harry. His movement was out of character for him. 

However, I smiled to myself and leaned into the arm he had wrapped around me. 

-----

Finally we reached the main street of Hogsmeade and followed Hermione past Zonko's Wizarding Joke Shop. I noticed Fred, George and their friend Lee Jordan rushing inside. 

We turned up a small sidestreet and Harry and I frowned at each other, slightly confused as to where we going. At the top of the street stood a small inn. A battered wooden sign hung from a rusty bracket over the door, with a picture of a wild boar's severed head on it. The sign creaked in the wind as we approached. 

We caught up with Hermione and Ron as they hesitated in front of the entrance. Hermione turned to us, looking slightly nervous. "I know it's a bit... dodgy... but students don't normally go in there, so I don't think we'll be overheard."

We nodded understandingly and Harry led the way inside. 

It was not at all like the Three Broomsticks, which gave an impression of warmth and cleanliness. The Hog's Head comprised of one small, dingy and very dirty room. It was no surprise that students didn't come here. 

There were few customers but those that were there looked intimidating and as Hermione put it... dodgy. There was a man at the bar whose entire head was wrapped in dirty, grey bandages. Two figures engulfed in dark hoods sat at a table by one of the windows, talking in strong Yorkshire accents.