"You wizards always eat such delicious food?" Ligeitoli asked, her face sared with jam as she dug into the treats.
Eve found the beautiful fae utterly charming, partly because she appeared to be about the sa age as herself. She constantly dabbed at Ligeitoli's face with a handkerchief, removing smudges of cream and jam. The fae, seemingly accustod to being pampered by her parents, tilted her face up without resistance, letting Eve clean her like a contented kitten.
Wiping away a dollop of cream from Ligeitoli's nose, Eve giggled. "The Hogwarts als are always this lavish. They're prepared by house-elves."
"Wow…" Ligeitoli sighed dreamily, sounding like a drunken old man as her eyes glimred with delight. "Why won't house-elves serve us fae?"
"It's obvious," Nolan interjected, shrugging as he sipped his specially brewed tomato juice. "To have a house-elf, you'd first need an actual house, not so shack. Even the owls at Hogwarts wouldn't sleep in a dump like this."
"This—this—this was built with my own two hands!" Ligeitoli's eyes turned red with fury. "I spent three weeks on it!"
"Good work is good, bad work is bad. That won't change no matter how much emotion you pour into it," Nolan replied flatly.
Seeing Ligeitoli on the verge of tears, Eve quickly shifted the topic. "Miss Ligeitoli, where do fae usually live?"
"Sotis in treetops, sotis in tree hollows," Ligeitoli explained, her patience returning as she spoke about her people. "But don't mistake us for savages who don't know how to build houses. Living among the trees brings us closer to nature. Unlike those pretentious vampires who insist on living in castles."
Nolan sighed and shook his head. "And where should we live?"
"You should be nailed into coffins and buried underground!" Ligeitoli snapped, only to imdiately regret her words. She darted behind Eve, her golden hair trembling as she hid.
Eve stroked Ligeitoli's head soothingly. "What's wrong?"
"Is… is he angry?"
"Why would I be?" Nolan remarked indifferently, continuing to sip his drink.
Eve guided the jittery fae back to her seat and reassured her, "Nolan isn't scary during the day. As long as you don't show him hostility, it's hard to make him angry. But at night, it's better not to test his patience. He's much more frightening then."
"Oh, I see, I see. Vampires…" Ligeitoli nodded earnestly, her deanor softening. Then she began chatting away with Eve again.
Nolan's expression turned slightly odd as he watched the two. He wanted to remind Eve that this seemingly naive fae was actually over 120 years older than her and might even predate her ancestors. But he decided to hold his tongue.
He overheard Ligeitoli whispering to Eve, "Are you and that vampire a couple?"
Eve whispered back, "Do we look like one?"
"Well, sort of, but I'm not sure. You know, fae relationships are always so restrained. We don't openly express affection like wizards do. So I'm not very sensitive to love… But you two seem to have a good relationship." Ligeitoli's voice dropped conspiratorially. She assud Nolan couldn't hear her and continued speaking freely. "Still, being in love with a vampire is dangerous. They're incredibly selfish. They can't bear the thought of their partner leaving the world before them. So they'll always try to convince their partner to beco a vampire too, so they can live forever together…"
"I don't know," Eve murmured, her tone tinged with sadness. "We've never discussed it. Sotis I think becoming a vampire wouldn't be so bad. I've been reading books about them, and they're not as terrible as people say. But… I don't know if I should. My mother… I don't want her to grow old while I stay the sa age."
"That's tough," Ligeitoli admitted. "You know, sotis fae leave the forest and fall in love with Muggles. But it never ends well. That's why we're so hesitant to get involved with short-lived species."
Nolan rapped his knuckles on the table, drawing their attention. "Ladies, are we done eating? Let's talk business."
"Dumbledore agreed to lend the Philosopher's Stone?" Ligeitoli shot up from her seat, her eyes brimming with hope. "He's a great and generous wizard! He would never stand by and watch the fae perish!"
"Professor Dumbledore's generosity is beyond question," Nolan said coolly, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table. "But not just yet. The Philosopher's Stone must remain at Hogwarts until the start of the holiday."
"I'm in a hurry!" Ligeitoli's voice rose in frustration. "Every single day, the Irish fae forest withers more! I don't want to return and find a barren desert littered with the corpses of my people. If it cos to that—"
"That has nothing to do with us," Nolan cut her off rcilessly, raising a single finger. "Let's get one thing straight, Ligeitoli: you're not a victim here. You're a thief. During the holiday, you and your charming little crew attacked ."
Ligeitoli interrupted imdiately, her voice rising in defense. "But you killed the old wizard!"
"Interesting," Nolan said softly, leaning back in his chair. "You don't even know his na, do you? Doesn't sound like you were all that close. Unlike Professor Dumbledore, I don't trust you. There were three of you in that attack—one's dead, one's sitting here, and the last one? I don't know who they are. Until I do, I can't lower my guard. And you? You refuse to give up your accomplice. That alone makes you unworthy of my trust."
Eve clasped Ligeitoli's trembling hands, her voice gentle. "Why not tell Nolan, Ligeitoli? You attacked him. He has every right to know who the culprit is."
"I don't know…" Ligeitoli mumbled, her voice faltering. It was obvious she was lying.
Nolan spread his hands. "Then we can't continue this conversation about trust."
"But…"
"There's no 'but.' The Philosopher's Stone stays at Hogwarts. This isn't just my decision; it's Professor Dumbledore's as well." Nolan's firm declaration shattered Ligeitoli's fragile hopes, leaving the fae girl downcast and disheartened.
"However…" Nolan added, his cold tone carrying an almost lodic quality to Ligeitoli's ears, "I might be willing to take the Philosopher's Stone with to Ireland over the holiday."
"You really would?" Ligeitoli's voice quivered with cautious excitent, her despondence giving way to renewed hope.
"If rlin's prophecy is true, I can help. But I'll need sothing in return," Nolan said, his sharp gaze locking onto her. "The Randall Gorge is in dire need of rangers. I want one or two forest fae to serve as wardens. No fae, no Philosopher's Stone. That's non-negotiable."
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