Harry Potter Next Generation discussion

The Three Broomsticks is an inn and pub in the all wizarding village of Hogsmeade.

The inn is often warm, crowded, and a bit smoky, but clean and welcoming. A mirror behind the bar reflects the cosy atmosphere, and drinks such as Butterbeer and Firewhiskey are served in glasses and in foaming pewter tankards, as well as gillywater, mulled mead, red currant rum, and even cherry syrup and soda with ice and an umbrella. The Three Broomsticks is owned and operated by Madam Rosmerta.

Lucy dropped her butterbeer down with a clang and groaned. James and Fred had abandoned her to meet up with others in Zonko's, leaving Lucy all alone until they were required to go back to the castle. Lucy was going to kill Fred and James when she found them.

Laurence looked around for a spare seat, clutching his hot butterbeer tightly to warm his freezing hands. It was a busy day in The Three Broomsticks, and students crowded around most of the tables. His friends were back at Hogwarts studying for their upcoming test, but he could always find spare time to come to Hogsmeade. He didn't enjoy History Of Magic anyway. Finally he found a spot next to a pretty redhead with an exasperated look on her face. He thought he had seen her around school before, but hadn't had the chance to talk to her. "Hi," he started, "Can I sit here?"

Lucy looked up, startled, into a pair of very blue eyes. He looked familiar, where had she seen him before? Maybe on the Quidditch pitch, or in one of her classes? Maybe he was a friend of one of her cousins?

He was still waiting for an answer. Lucy probably looked like an idiot, just staring at him without saying anything. "Er - sure," she said, cursing herself silently. "I'm Lucy. Lucy Weasley. And you are?" She didn't usually randomly converse with strangers, but there was clearly no other place for the good—looking boy to go.

((okay that's fine! I'll eagerly await ahaha))

Laurence smiled. "Laurence Knight." he said, and slid into the seat opposite her. "You're on the Gryffindor quidditch team, aren't you?" he asked, remembering her from the tryouts. "I'm the Keeper, by the way," he added, taking a sip of butterbeer and resting his elbows on the table.

((hey so right now it's 11:30 pm for me so i dunno when i'll end up falling asleep haha, but i'll try not too."

"Hi, Laurence," Lucy said with a small smile. "That's where I remember you from! It's been driving me crazy. Yeah, I just made Chaser." Lucy replied, slapping a hand to her forehead. "All these exams we've been having recently are making my mind go slightly insane," Lucy paused. "Well, more than usual." she said dryly, leaning back in her chair.

(( ahh wow! It's early afternoon here. am going in 5 mins but I will reply by Monday. So long ugh! ))

Laurence laughed. Lucy seemed to have a similar sense of humour to him. She was right, they had been getting a lot of homework lately- which he should have been doing. "You got that right," he commented. "My friends are all studying right now. I thought I should finally take a break from it all. They sure love clogging up our calendars- I've had almost no time this past week. I may as well be the walking dead, the state I'm in." He rolled his eyes, thinking about the long nights spent studying.

((time zones haha. okay, i’ll be in camp then, but hopefully i can still reply!))

“Well, smart people know when to take a break.” Lucy raised her glass towards him. “My friends are always taking breaks,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Yet they don’t even get terrible grades. It’s so unfair.” Lucy nodded her head in agreement. “I think they’re just trying to punish us for all the torture we put them through.” she laughed. “Same with the walking dead thing. Have you found a suddenly developed taste for human brain too?”

Laurence laughed, again. Lucy seemed really nice, and hopefully he could get to know her a bit better- after all, they would be paying on the same qudditch team. "Yep," Laurence smirked. "I think I might just have to camp out in the Shrieking Shack from now on- I might be a danger to the students. Do you come here often?" he wondered, momentarily stunned by her eyes. He thought they looked a bit like ice, only warm and smiling. Was that even possible? And, of course, she had that trademark Weasley hair.

Lucy laughed at his joke. "That would probably be smart," she took a sip of her butterbeer. "I do, or try to at least. What about you?" she asked, smiling at him. "Do you often come to Hogsmeade before History of Magic tests?" Lucy turned a little bit red when their eyes locked, and neither one looked away. "I, er, do you have any siblings?" she finished lamely.

Malcolm sat down at his table. He wondered if Ava would come. He couldn't believe she'd never been in here! They needed more team mates, and this was the perfect place to scout out potential team members.

Ava opened the door to the Three Broomsticks and glanced around. She finally found Malcolm and walked over with a grin. "Hello!" She said brightly, and followed with a question. "What are you suppose to do here?" She asked. "I assume drink, but if you haven't noticed, we're students. Kind of can't," Ava babbled, which she tended to do when she was a bit nervous.

"So get a non-alcoholic drink. Try some butterbeer. It's perfectly safe." He almost laughed at how uncomfortable and nervous she seemed. "You do realize most people discover this place in third year? Where have you been hiding? Under a rock?"

Ava looked at him as if he was crazy. "Why would I be interested in butter flavored beer?" She asked, knowing she had no interest in the drink at the moment. Ava hardened at his comment about living under a rock, appearing to be serious- a bit stoic. "I just don't have the time or desire to come here," she said simply, not wanting him to know the real reason. Ava was always cautious in public- she felt like there was too much going on. Plus, being a runaway often got in the way of her having fun with friends. Ava had to ration her expenses and was always afraid of running out of money, despite the fortune she inherited. She just was a careful and cautious person when she needed to be.

"Butterbeer isn't actually beer ," he laughed again, then said in a more sober tone, "But I guess you don't get out very often with friends."
He took a sip from his butterbeer.
"Who are your friends anyway? Maybe they can join the team."

Ava got a bit upset when Malcolm laughed at her, but brushed it off. He didn't know her circumstances, so she let it slide. She looked anywhere but Malcolm as she responded. "My friends? Oh i won't be much help. I'm not friends with many Hufflepuffs," she lied. Ava didn't hang out with anyone, really. She had classmates and some people she occasionally hung out or studied with, but not any close friends.

Malcolm recognized that tone. It was the voice he'd heard coming out of his own mouth his first few weeks at Hogwarts. A voice echoing in loneliness and pain. Did she really not have any friends? Neither do I, not really."Well, you know," he said, "Tell you what, I'll pay for your drink."

"Um, okay," she said awkwardly, not really knowing what to say to that. Ava never really got much kindness and hospitality. She had forgotten what it felt like to be.. wanted. After all, she had been told a countless number of times how much she was a burden, a disappointment, the list could go on and on. Ava's smile grew as she thought of her parents. She was about four when they had a campfire. She had no idea where, she just remembered the feeling of being there with her family, singing songs and eating s'mores until her stomach hurt. The memory popped into her head without a trigger or reason, but Ava was immediately warmer and happier than she was before.

((I'm sorry I haven't posted much of her actually talking!))

She was smiling, remembering something, probably. He wondered what it was. Not your business. He knew better than to ask someone about a dark past. He went and got her drink.
When he got back, she was sitting across from his seat, humming something. "So," he asked, "What do you like to do in your free time, other than explore and play Quidditch?"

"Thank you," Ava said warmly. She honestly didn't even notice he had left. "Well," she began , taking in a deep breath, "I enjoy some Muggle activities. I roller skate sometimes while people are eating, I enjoy doing some gymnastics." Ava went through her brain trying to think of what she had left out. "I like to read some Muggle authors, I used to go camping with my family a long time ago.." She trailed off. Ava started to blush a bit. "And I love to sing. I just.. don't like doing it in front of other people," she confessed, still blushing a little bit. "What about you?" She asked, trying to get the attention off of her.

Singing, huh? His mind drifted too another girl who liked to sing. NO! Ava isn't that girl.
"I like reading too," he said, "There isn't a lot of good wizarding world fiction out there. What kind of stuff do you read?"

"Oh really anything," she said. "I just don't like non fiction or historical. I prefer adventure, fantasy, mystery, pretty much anything. What about you?" She asked.

"Yeah, me too," he said, "You know, I know a guy who knows a guy, and rumor has it that a certain Hogwarts student is righting a book."

Ava raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" She asked, curious. "And is that certain person who's writing a book sitting right in front of me?" She asked, a tad suspicious of Malcolm. Ava had a grin on her face, hoping her guess was correct.

"Nope," he said, "I couldn't write a book if my life depended on it. Besides, this author's a girl."

"Ahhh," Ava said, leaning back in her seat, thinking. "No clue then," she said honestly, raising her hands as if to give up.

"I can't sell her out," he said, "She's trying to keep it a secret, and she doesn't know I know."
"But what do you do on Hogsmeade weekends?"

"Ah I understand," Ava said with a small smile. She grinned when Malcolm questioned what she did during Hogsmeade weekends. "Oh lately I've been practicing Quidditch," she said with a smile. "But normally I roller skate," she said, her smile growing. "It's a bit like flying.. In a way. But the feeling of moving your feet- well I enjoy that," she finished, blushing and looking down. 'Or I just stay in my room and sing louder than I'd like to admit,' she thought, careful not to say it. You could easily tell there was something she wasn't telling. The question is will Malcolm call her out for not telling him everything?

"So you've never been to Hogsmeade?" He decided not to call her out. He also did things he wouldn't want anyone to know. "I love roller-skating. My sister used to-" No. He didn't have a sister. He needed to remember that. If said something like that to his parents-
He shook his head. "Any one, maybe one day we can skate together."

Ava sat there, trying to think of a time she went to Hogsmeade. "I don't think I have before.." She admitted. "If you have a pair of skates and you can keep up.. Sure! Why not?" She said with a small smile. Ava remembered the drink in front of her and took a sip, putting it back down on the table. "Bloody hell!" She exclaimed "this is fantastic!" She said with a huge grin.

"Told you so," he laughed, glad she hadn't noticed his slip-up, "You should listen to me more often."
(good night)

Ava glared at him and laughed. "I got to admit, it's amazing. But listen to you? Not a chance," Ava said with a smirk. "After all, you should listen to your elders," she said with a giggle.

(Good night! Looking forward to hear back from you in the morning!)

So she was comfortable enough to make a joke. That was good. He laughed. "I guess you got me,-" All the laughter froze in his chest. Was that her, sitting at the other table? It couldn't be. He looked closer, it wasn't. He sighed with relief, but didn't feel like laughing anymore.

Ava looked at Malcolm, worry drawn on her face. "Are you okay?" She asked quietly. "What's wrong?" Ava sat and moved her fingers around underneath the table nervously, wanting to help if she could.

"Yeah," he said, "it's fine, I just thought I saw someone I knew." She was worried. About him?
"So anyway," he said, "If you've really never been to Hogsmeade, I'll have to take you to see Honeydukes."
He looked at her, wondering how she'd respond.

"Oh okay.." Ava trailed off, unsure if she should believe him or not. "What is Honeydukes?" she asked, hesitant to go anywhere without knowing where she's headed.

"Seriously?" he asked, dumbfounded, "It's only the most famous sweet shop anywhere."

Ava raised an eyebrow at the word 'sweets'. "We'll do they at least have chocolate?" She curiously asked with a small smile. "If they don't, there's no point in going, honestly," she added. Ava absolutely loved chocolate.

"Are you kidding," he asked, his worry all but forgotten, "They have everything. Literally."

Ava lit up, "then what are we waiting for?!" She asked with a huge grin. "I haven't had sweets in years," she said, happy to have an opportunity to buy some chocolate.

(see you at honeydukes!)