GOLDEN || T. NOTT ✓

twenty-eight | harry potter

I know I said I wouldn't be posting this until tomorrow morning but i'm too excited to post these last few chapters so here I am uploading it tonight!!

THE LAST TWO days Pansy had been sneaking off with Blaise to visit Paz, despite Paz's protests. She did not want her sister to get in trouble because of her, but she also enjoyed her company and liked having her around.

Today, however, Paz had to leave Blaise and Pansy behind so she could assist Neville in bringing food from the Hog's Head to the Room of Requirement. There were so many people living inside of the room now that bringing back food was a two man job.

Neville swung the empty portrait open as he and Paz hopped inside before closing it behind them, lighting up their wands and beginning to walk down the sad looking passageway. It had been a while since Paz had seen Aberforth, though she didn't mind.

"Any new information from Pansy?" Neville asks.

"Just the usual. Hogwarts is going to shit, the Carrows are getting worse, and Snape is doing nothing about any of this." Paz sighs, stepping over a puddle of water that seems to grow every time she passes by it.

"It'll be over soon, I can feel it." Neville states confidently.

Paz wants to agree with him, though instead she stays silent. They had all been saying the same thing for so long: it'll be over soon, everything will be okay, life will be back to normal in no time. They had been saying these things for nearly a year, and none of it has happened yet. Paz is convinced that life couldn't possible get less normal than it is right now.

Once finally reaching the opposite portrait, the two climb through with their large baskets and look around for Aberforth.

The Hog's Head is empty, as it usually is when they visit. It's quite small, smelling of a mixture of firewhiskey and goat. Paz couldn't say that the smell was delightful, though it could be worse.

"Hello Aberforth." Neville smiles as Aberforth enters from a different room. Paz says hello as well. Aberforth merely waves before grabbing the baskets from their hands and returning back behind the bar, filling it with food.

Paz and Neville stand there awkwardly, knowing now that Aberforth wasn't one for small talk. They watched on as he filled the baskets with more food than the very first time they had ever visited him, when only five or six people were living in the Room of Requirement. What was a mere two weeks ago felt like ages ago.

Paz wanders towards the windows, getting close enough to where she can faintly see the outlines of some buildings across the way.  Just like the first time she was there it was dark and depressing.  

Once he finally finished, Aberforth came back from around the counter and handed off the two baskets.

"That should be enough for the next week, I can't offer much more. Business is slow, I can only afford to give away so much free food." He mumbles.

"We understand, thank you for being so generous these last few weeks." Paz says sincerely, hoping for a smile from the man, though he doesn't give one.

"Have you happened to hear anything from the Order?" Neville questions.

Aberforth seems to think for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, not much that would concern you two anyways. Just things You-Know-Who has been doing." He states.

"Oh.. alright. Well, thank you again for the food." Neville says.