Ch282- Hogsmeade

Ch282- Hogsmeade

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Last few weeks were intense, and Harry felt the need for a proper break. With Halloween and the first Hogsmeade weekend coming up, the timing couldn’t have been better. He wasn’t a stranger to the village or sneaking out of the school. His cloak and map had given him plenty of practice in evading detection, a fact Dumbledore had probably already suspected. But this time was different—this was an official visit. No need to worry about being seen or recognized, just a chance to enjoy the trip with his friends without any hassle.

The upcoming Hogsmeade visit also carried a bit of novelty. Sure, he’d been there before under the disguise, but walking openly, with company, would be something else.

Harry arrived at the castle gates, spotting Daphne, Tracey, Susan, Hannah, Hermione, and Neville waiting for him. Standing nearby, Luna, Ginny, and Astoria were looking a bit disappointed, clearly annoyed that, being younger, they couldn’t join the trip to Hogsmeade.

The moment they saw Harry approaching, their expressions brightened. Tracey was the first to speak, grinning widely. "Finally! Took you long enough. Let’s get going!"

Harry raised an eyebrow at Tracey’s impatience, but he couldn’t help the slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "What’s the rush? Hogsmeade isn’t going anywhere."

Daphne crossed her arms, feigning annoyance but unable to hide the amusement in her voice. "We’ve been standing here for ages. You owe us butterbeer for the wait."

Harry chuckled. "Fine, fine. Butterbeer’s on me."

Ginny called out from the sidelines, her tone playful but tinged with frustration. "You’d better bring us something back, Harry! It’s not fair that we’re stuck here."

Astoria nodded along, frowning a little. "Yeah, we’re missing out!"

Hermione smiled sympathetically at them, but before she could respond, Susan chimed in, her voice teasing. "Don’t worry, we’ll make sure to get you something... if you behave."

Ginny rolled her eyes but grinned back. "Deal."

As the group started making their way down the path, Hannah fell into step beside Harry. "So, where are we heading first? Honeydukes?"

Neville perked up at the mention of the sweet shop, nodding enthusiastically. "Definitely Honeydukes."

"I was thinking Zonko’s," Tracey suggested, throwing a mischievous glance at Daphne, who only shrugged.

"Both, maybe?" Hermione interjected, always the practical one. "We’ve got time."

Looking around, Harry asked, "Where are the troublemakers?"

Daphne replied, "The twins took Draco, Nott, and Zabini to Zonko’s over some bet. I didn’t catch all of their chatter."

Hermione, who was walking just ahead, filled in the gaps. "Fred and George challenged Draco and Nott to a price guessing contest. They’re spending an hour in the shop, memorizing prices. Zabini will be the one testing them later by creating a list to check if they remember everything."

Harry chuckled, "That sounds like a losing game. Fred and George practically live in that shop."

Tracey grinned, falling in step beside them. "Yeah, but Draco’s not one to back down from a challenge. Though I’m pretty sure the twins have this one in the bag."

The warm, sugary scent of the shop filled the air, mingling with the quiet chatter of other students exploring the aisles. He saw Neville at the far end of the shop, grabbing some Cauldron Cakes and exchanging words with the shopkeeper. Meanwhile, Tracey was loudly debating with Daphne about whether they should get a box of Fizzing Whizzbees or something more “dangerous,” like Acid Pops. The rest of their group moved around the shop in similar fashion, each of them wrapped up in the simple enjoyment of a Hogsmeade trip.

Pansy, Lavender, Parvati, Padma, and Cho joined them soon, carrying a few bags in their arms. Harry gave a small nod, smirking. “Too impatient to wait?”

Lavender chuckled as she adjusted one of her bags. “We’re just efficient, Potter.”

Parvati nudged her playfully. “Yeah, we were actually considering leaving without you.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Considering? I’m shocked you didn’t.”

Cho smiled, her tone teasing. “We thought we’d give you the benefit of the doubt this time.”

“Well, I appreciate your generosity,” Harry replied, his voice laced with sarcasm. He glanced at the bags. “What’s in the haul?”

“Just a few essentials,” Padma chimed in, holding up a bag from Gladrags. “Nothing you’d be interested in.”

“Ah, well, if it’s nothing but essentials, then I’ll pass,” Harry said with a grin, turning his attention back to the rest of the group.

As they continued to browse through Honeydukes, Tracey said Daphne. “Alright, enough shopping. Let’s grab what we came for and get out of here before we’re trapped under an avalanche of sugar.”

Daphne nodded in agreement, grabbing a few more sweets. “Right. We’ll move to the Three Broomsticks after?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Hermione said, already eyeing the exit.

As the group entered the Three Broomsticks, Harry found himself face-to-face with Madam Rosmerta.

"Well, well, if it isn't a few third years from Hogwarts," Rosmerta said with a playful grin, wiping her hands on her apron. "First time here, love?"

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at her cheerful tone. "Something like that. Name’s Harry."

Rosmerta nodded, flashing him a warm smile. "Rosmerta, at your service. Take a seat, love. I’ll be with you in a sec."

Though the encounter seemed new for Rosmerta, Harry couldn't help but notice how familiar the situation felt. A few weeks earlier, under the guise of Albus Riddle, he had been in the very same spot. Her words now, almost identical to before, made him smirk to himself. He shook his head as he led his friends to a table.

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