Hogsade Day had finally arrived, bringing with it a brisk breeze and a sky dusted with clouds like cotton stretched thin across blue. The village was buzzing with students bundled in cloaks, excited voices echoing off the cobbled streets. I walked between Lily and Severus, the three of us weaving our way past Zonko's, past the post office.
"We should go to Honeydukes first," I suggested brightly, tugging my cloak tighter around my shoulders. "I want to check if they've restocked sugar quills."
Severus gave a small nod. "Sure. Let's go."
Lily grinned. "I could use a few sweets. Last ti I forgot to get anything for myself, and Mary nicked half my stash."
We ducked into Honeydukes, imdiately enveloped by the rich aroma of lted chocolate, cinnamon, and peppermint. Shelves upon shelves glead with colorful wrappers—Acid Pops, Fizzing Whizbees, Peppermint Toads, and clusters of bright-blue Sugar Mice. I made straight for the sugar quills display, but the stand was empty.
"What?" I said aloud, blinking. "They're gone?"
Lily leaned in beside . "All of them?" She sounded equally surprised. "Who in their right mind would buy out all the sugar quills?"
"Soone dangerously obsessed with licking their notes while pretending to study," I muttered, shaking my head. "Guess I'll just get a Liquorice Wand and a Chocolate Frog, then."
Severus picked up a handful of Peppermint Humbugs and a box of Fudge Flies. Lily chose a bag of Sherbet Lemons and so Toffee Crunch, and we queued up to pay. Outside, the cold air returned with a slap, sharp on our cheeks after the warmth of the sweet shop.
Lily blew into her gloved hands. "Let's go to Scrivenshaft's. I need new parchnt, and my last quill split during Charms."
We made our way there, the bell above the door jingling as we stepped into the quiet little shop. Shelves of parchnt, ink bottles in every shade, and quills of all types lined the walls. I was admiring a bottle of starlight-silver ink when I overheard Severus speaking to Lily.
"Which kind of quill would you recomnd?" he asked, tilting his head as he examined the selection.
Lily glanced up from a shelf of Phoenix feather quills. "Oh—depends on what you're writing, really. For essays, sothing sturdy like a raven feather. They don't splinter as easily. But if you want sothing finer for Potions notes, maybe a phoenix quill—more precise lines."
Severus nodded thoughtfully and picked out a raven feather quill.
After we paid, we stepped outside again. Just as I was tucking my purchase away, Severus held sothing out to a second quill, neatly wrapped in brown paper and tied with a green ribbon.
I blinked. "For ?"
He shrugged, not quite eting my eyes. "I noticed you always break yours."
I laughed softly, touched. "That's... very observant of you. And sweet. Thank you, Sev."
He offered a small smile, and I caught Lily watching us, her expression unreadable. I smiled at her lightly. "Where to next?"
She tilted her head, her auburn hair glinting in the pale sun. "The Three Broomsticks?"
"Yes!" I said at once. "Butterbeer sounds perfect."
The tavern was packed, buzzing with laughter, chatter, and the clinking of mugs. We squeezed into a corner table, one of the few still open, and ordered our drinks. The warmth of the butterbeer seeped through our hands, chasing away the chill.
"So," Lily asked Severus between sips, "your next match is against Gryffindor, right?"
He nodded. "End of next week."
"Well," Lily said, raising her eyebrows, "even if it's my house, I'm still cheering for you. Just don't tell Marlene."
Severus's lips twitched into a rare smile. "Thanks, Lily."
The door burst open then, letting in a gust of wind and a familiar chorus of loud voices.
Jas Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew strode in, Jas was laughing at sothing Sirius had just said. They scanned the crowded room, clearly searching for a place to sit.
Our table was the only one with space.
Jas's eyes landed on us he nudged Sirius, saying sothing under his breath. The four of them made their way toward us.
Sirius was grinning. Remus looked neutral, if slightly wary. Peter trailed behind them as usual.
Jas stopped beside our table and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Mind if we join you? No seats left."
Severus stiffened imdiately, his mug half-raised. I felt the tension coil around our little table like a live wire.
Lily gave a hesitant glance at both Severus and Jas. "It's fine, I suppose. If you don't mind sharing."
Jas looked smug as he pulled over a chair. "Brilliant. We'll try not to cause a scene."
Sirius plopped down next to him, all long legs and unbothered charm. "What a cozy little gathering."
Remus gave us a polite nod. "Thanks for letting us sit."
Severus said nothing. His gaze flicked briefly to Lily before dropping to the foam on his butterbeer.
I leaned forward, trying to ease the tension. "So... anyone try the new cinnamon butterbeer yet? It's actually good."
Peter nodded eagerly. "I had two mugs already."
"Of course you did," Sirius muttered with a grin, ruffling his hair.
Lily laughed softly, but her eyes stayed on Severus, watchful.
Just as I took another warm sip of butterbeer, Sirius rummaged in one of the brown paper bags on the floor beside him. He pulled sothing out a square box wrapped in thin twine, the kind Honeydukes used for gift packaging. He placed it quietly in front of on the table, avoiding my eyes for once.
I blinked. "What's this?"
Sirius shrugged, that usual swagger montarily absent. "Just—open it."
Curious, I untied the string and lifted the lid. Nestled inside were rows of glistening pastel Sugar Quills, their sugary plus gleaming like they'd been plucked from fairy wings. My eyes widened.
"Sirius," I said, half-laughing, half-incredulous, "you—so you're the one who emptied the sugar quill stand at Honeydukes?"
He scratched the back of his neck, looking like he was both pleased and regretful at once. "Yeah. They're for you. I know you like them."
I stared at him, stunned. His usual cocky deanor had slipped—just slightly. There was a flicker of sothing sheepish behind his grey eyes, like he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself now that he'd been caught doing sothing... almost sweet.
A warm laugh bubbled up from my chest. "You cleared them out just to give them to ?"
He grinned, clearly relieved by my reaction. "Don't get used to it."
"Oh, I definitely will." I plucked out a pale pink quill and held it up teasingly. "Thank you, Sirius."
Before he could reply, Jas leaned in across the table with a wolfish grin. "Look at this—Sirius Black, romantic sugar smuggler. Didn't think you had it in you, mate."
Remus chuckled into his butterbeer, and Peter snorted.
Lily clapped a hand over her mouth, laughing.
Sirius groaned. "Stop it, Jas, "
I laughed again, cheeks warm. Across the table, I noticed Severus watching silently, his dark eyes fixed on the box of Sugar Quills in front of . His expression was unreadable blank, but too still to be disinterested.
I held out the box toward him. "Do you want one?"
He didn't look at . "No," he said flatly. "They're mostly sugar. Not good for you."
His eyes flicked briefly to Sirius, who raised an eyebrow.
I lowered the box, feeling a little awkward now. "I suppose that's true," I said, trying to keep the tone light.
Severus leaned back in his chair slightly, his fingers drumming once on his mug. "You shouldn't eat too many," he added, his voice quieter now. "You'll ruin your appetite."
"Aw, don't be such a sour scribe, Sniv—" Jas began, but Remus nudged him sharply under the table.
Sirius, for once, didn't join in. His eyes were on Severus now, and Severus t them without flinching. The space between them crackled nothing overt, but the tension was unmistakable. Not hatred, not quite. But sothing unspoken passed there, old and brittle, pressed into place .
I glanced between them, suddenly feeling like I was sitting between two storm clouds pretending to be human.
Lily picked up her drink, her voice smooth. "So. Anyone know what Filch is banning next? Soone said there was a Dungbomb explosion in the Owlery last week."
Remus thankfully took the bait and joined in the distraction.
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