Coffee & Commentary

Secrets and Stars

September 1987

I inhaled the cool September breeze as I reached the top of the stairs to the commentary box. I had missed so much about Hogwarts over the summer, but this was the place I had dreamed of returning to the most. I sat down in the front row and took in the sight of the quidditch pitch spread out far below me. I leaned back against the rough wood of the side of the box and kicked my feet up on the bench in front of me. I exhaled all of the tension and apprehension I felt coming into my fourth year. Things were changing for my friends and I so rapidly this year. Coming up here to study alone had become my favorite way slow down and take it all in. I opened my potions book and tried to make sense of the brew described in the pages when I suddenly caught the scent of my favorite potion. Coffee.

"Katriona Cassiopeia! What are you doing here?" Murphy McNully called to me from the top of the stairs. I leaped off the bench and bounded to my favorite friend to envelop him in a hug. It had been two long months since I had seen the talkative blond.

He looked so different than I remembered him from just a few weeks ago. His broad shoulders had grown all the more muscular and his hug was so much more firm than it had been the last time he had his arms around me. Nothing about his grip on my waist felt familiar, but it felt like I didn't want to let go. When my cheek brushed against his, the sensation cracked through my body like an unforgivable curse. I broke away and stared at him in shock. "I... I ... came up here to study. All quidditch practices were cancelled due to the high winds and rain we had earlier. I've actually been coming up here to be alone a lot lately, but I am so glad to see you. I am really happy you are here. I have missed you so much." I rambled to a smiling wizard.

I stopped and cocked my head to the side as I realized the incredible coffee smell was coming from the mug at his side. Murphy hated coffee. He saw me frown at his cup and shrugged. "I missed you, Rising Star. In fact, I made it about two weeks into summer before I missed you so much that I made a pot of coffee to remind me of you. I made one every day for a week. Of course, I poured it out more often than I drank it at first. You were right about the need to acquire the taste, but now I'm hooked on my favorite reminder of my favorite witch."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Your mum is your favorite witch. I distinctly remember you saying so. How is she? Did you have a good summer?" I had a million questions for him. He grinned at the thought of his mum. It was nice to see him look boyish after the drastic change in his appearance over summer holiday.

"She is very well. She sends her love to you. Summer was nice... and kind of miserable... and very long. I am glad to be back. I'm glad to be here with you right now. How's your mum?" he asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject.

I grimaced, "Just as toxic as the flower she's named for. I can't spend a summer with her again. I'm drained, sleep deprived, and happy to be back to the rigidity of another school year. Your time with your mum sounds much more enjoyable. I'd love to meet her someday. Send my love right back to her." I changed the subject back to his small, but loving family. As far as I knew, his mother and grandmother shared a cottage on the coast. He always made his home sound so warm and inviting. I had always wished to be part of a family like the McNullys. It warmed my heart to know his mother sent her love to me despite us not having met. His eyes sparkled as he promised to make sure to pass the well wishes between his two best girls.

"What brings you to the box on a night like tonight? Nobody has practiced in days due to the rain. I am glad it stopped, but this wind is outrageous." I changed topic again, afraid I was making him homesick.

"New year, new strategy. Wanna see?" he smiled as he opened his playbook. "The chaser and beater need to tag team the play. I wrote it specifically for you and Orion. It took almost all summer." He went into every conceivable detail about how the idea came to him, how he envisioned the play working out, and even when he would like to call Orion and I to a specific practice.

He was scanning his books feverishly. I missed seeing him get so excited over his passion for the game. He was glowing as he puffed in pride at his handiwork. I got lost in watching him jump right back into familiar quidditch moves and explain the illustrations of new plays of his own creation. I didn't mean for it to happen, but a giggle escaped my lips.

"Is my maneuver funny to you, KC?" he looked offended. I shook my head and smiled at him more gently than before.

"Of course not, Murphy. It is absolutely brilliant! It's just that watching you geek out over maneuvers is something I must have missed more than I realized. It was a long summer without you." I knew I was blushing, but didn't look directly at him as I confessed.

"You are still not going to call me McNully, eh? I imagine it will happen one day. Well, if my rambling is so funny, let's give you a turn to geek out. Teach me something new about something you enjoy." He dared.

"Well, the sun should be down soon. Let me show you the stars. I spent all summer tracking my favorites. I can't wait to take astronomy class." I smiled at him with pride in my knowledge.

The sun was setting, and the air grew still but noticeably colder. I shivered. "If we are going to be out here much longer, I will insist you take this." Murphy shimmied out of his wool jacket and draped it over my shoulders. The warmth and smell was intoxicating. I shuddered. He ran his palm across my back.

"Still cold, KC?" he looked concerned by my shudder. "So comfortable." I sighed. This dashing young man beside me was not the dorky boy I had missed so terribly over the summer. He grinned and laughed. "Not too comfortable, I hope. We should probably wait until later in the year to sleep plan our sleepover."

I almost jumped out of my skin. "WHAT?!" I beheld him with wide eyes and shallow breath. He laughed at his own joke.

"Because... we always end up falling asleep somehow. The common room? Hospital wing? It's like we never know when to say goodbye for the night."

The sun was long out of sight and the night got colder still. Murphy reached into his bag and pulled out his class robes. He moved from his chair to the bench beside me and draped the robe over our legs. I rested with my back on his left arm and looked up into the sky.

"Can you guess that constellation? That one to the left with the W shape?" I asked excitedly. "I haven't the foggiest." He shrugged.

"That would be Cassiopeia." I said with a wink. "Hmm... I should think that is my favorite star." He pulled me closer to his chest.

"Well, Cassiopeia isn't really a star. She's a constellation." I corrected his error.

He nodded. "Cassiopeia is made of stars. She's a collection of star dust. Hot, cold, beautiful, and complicated." He corrected his own error more poetically than I had.

"Mmm-hmm..." I agreed as I nestled into his chest for warmth.

"Are you awake, KC?" I could hear him but was unable to respond as I slipped nearer to sleep. I could feel him laugh and mutter to himself. "Maybe we should make this a habit."