Sneaking A Sip

Hallie had had enough of Professor wailing down her ears about handing in homework late or being late to lessons herself. It was always the same old speech: 'Do you want to pass your NEWT's?', 'If you want to become an auror you need to sort out your punctuality!', 'These next three months could change your life!' Hallie had now started to finish off the professors sentences she'd endured their ranting so often. It wasn't that she was a bad student, in fact quiet the opposite she was a rather talented witch. Practically. Hallie could perform all of her spells non-verbal now and her shield charm had come on leaps and bounds that it was even starting to knock her fellow pupils off guard rather than just deflecting a hex. No, it was her theory that was anchoring her to a desk all day and night. There was just so much and for someone like Hallie who learnt on her feet it wasn't doing her any favors.

That evening Hallie came to the conclusion that she needed to have some time away from the castle. A time to relax! When nobody was looking she sneaked across the common room, out of the Fat Lady's concealed entrance, down four flights of stairs to the statue of the one-eyed witch. She knew if she was caught she was busted but Hallie had a plan. That day she had decided to wear her robes that had a hood on the back, usually the hood was an annoyance and would never sit right but tonight it would finally have a use.

Tapping the statue with her wand thinking the word dissendium the hump on the back of the statue opened revealing a tunnel. Scanning either end of the corridor to make sure nobody was looking she sneaked in and scuttled through the damp earthy passageway all the way until she arrived at a trap door. Now was the most tricky part of her evening adventure.

Hallie dunked her fingers into the pocket of her robes and pulled out a long flesh-coloured piece of string with an ear on the end. She knew the extendable ear that she'd purchased from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes would come in handy one time. Her Mother thought she was being silly wasting her money, and to be honest Hallie thought the same although somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she'd find a use for it and alas she had.

Pressing the ear against the trapdoor she listened for sound. Silence. Quietly opening the trap door Hallie stepped into the cellar of Honeydukes, her heart beating slightly faster. If Mr Honeyduke heard her from his upstairs bedroom she'd not only be in serious trouble, lose Gryffindor house points but she'd most likely be cursed to oblivion as though Hallie were a thief. It was ironic how Hallie hated criminals and dark wizards yet here she was breaking into a sweet shop so she could access Hogsmede.

Hallie was relieved at how smoothly her journey had gone. Somehow she had managed to sneak out of Honeydukes unheard and, with her hood up masking her face, was opening the wooden door to the Hogs Head. The pub smelt strongly of goat and firewhiskey but after weighing up her choices the seventeen year old thought that the Hogs Head was a safer place. Not many students ventured here and it wouldn't seem suspicious for her to keep her hood up.

Hallie walked over to the bar, keeping her head down and ordered a gillywater. After placing four sickles and a knut on the counter she clasped the cool, yet murky glass and headed for a table by on of the windows. Hallie took a sip of her beverage and smiled. Her sneak-out plan had been a success, up to now at least.

Brant had had enough he was on his way to met with his uncle and had decided to stop for a drink he brushed the dirt from his long knee length wind breaker and pulled back his shoulders. The brim of his fedora hat deemed scruffy but he liked it and as he stood tapped the dust from the long dusty road he had walked that day off it. Walking into Hogsmead he quickly saw a tavern to his left and gave a grin knowing that was where he was going to head for.. " That's just what I need." he said softly and pushed open the heavy well worn door.

Looking around he saw the bar and walked over ordering a fire whisky as he lent casually against the wooden bar dropping his knapsack on the floor at his feet as he did . Picking up the cool glass he lifted it to his lips and drank feeling the cool liquid run down his throat. Looking around he saw a seat buy a young woman. Watching her he chuckled recognizing her motions as those of not wanting to be seen. Picking up his knapsack he walked over to the table and coughed before he spoke.

"Mind if I join you , it seems to be the only free chair" he said not placing anything down yet as he didn't want her to think he was hitting on her or going to harm her.

Hallie continued to sip her gillyweed, letting the bubbles tickle her tongue. She licked her lips for a moment, staring out of the window and enjoying the peaceful moment. Hallie's attention was soon drawn to a shabby man with a shabby sack. Looking him up and down smiled. Personally she liked to be well groomed but this was the Hogs Head, what did she expect?
'Mind if I join you? It seems to be the only free chair.'. He said, Hallie smirked, raised her eyebrows and peered around the room. This wasn't entirely true.

'Well there is a chair by that witch in the corner, but judging by the rash on her face she has some sort of pox so I wouldn't want to sit there.' She said, pursing her lips together, her eyes flicking from the shabby man to the rash-hazard witch. 'Then there is that spot by the fireplace, but between you and me.' Hallie said leaning up, closer to the man, 'I wouldn't sit there because there is always a weird smell. I think there is a doxy nest in the wall behind the fireplace.' Ironically she said this in a rather chatty tone and somewhat cheerful. Hallie loved to be around people and, be it the gentleman did seem slightly grubby, he gave the impression that he wasn't all that. Hallie smiled and gestured the man to take a seat opposite her.

'So. What's your story?' She asked, her finger tracing the bottom of the glass, her eyebrows raised and her brilliant blue eyes mirrored her inquisitive tone.

Brant dropped his bag and smiled as he sat down " not much travel here and there " he said taking a sip of his whiskey as he brushed his hair from his faced to reveal his blue eyes which scanned her and saw the cloak " don't worry I'm no snitch, I don't look good in gold, and I certainly don't flutter about. " he said and smiled a small smile hoping she would get his reference. Brant did know just what to say or do he was not that good around woman.

" so you escaped from the asylum then" he said sipping his drink slowly he didn't want make himself drunk that would never be good to turn up drunk to meet his uncle. He looked across at the woman and took a breath in. " names Brant Crawford" he said offering his hand to her.

Hallie's eyes narrowed and she tilted her head as she listened to him tell her about his traveling from time to time. That explained his image - and the overly large bag. Had he never heard of an undetectable extending charm? Hallie thought to herself, taking another sip of the gillywater.

After brushing his hair from his face Hallie could see them more clearly, a soul-piercing shade of blue. As they scanned her Hallie felt under inspection as though he were looking into her past, it felt strange, as though there were no barriers between her and the stranger. She bit her lip and looked down. The Gryffindor emblem sewn proud onto her chest. How could she have forgotten to put a travelling cloak over her robes? That explained what the man, who turned out to be called Brant, meant when he said 'so you escaped from the asylum.

Hallie took Brant's hand to shake. 'Hallie Cooper.' She replied, smiling brightly. 'And I wouldn't say escaped, it's.. well. It's not that bad I suppose.' She added with uncertainty fluttering in and out of her tone. It was bad at the moment. She needed to do something fun. Something daring. The castle had turned into a child's merry-go-round: boring and never ending. The truth was she would miss the castle and it's pointed turrets saluting the stars, it's many winding staircases and sloping lawns. On the other hand she couldn't wait to start work as an auror.

Brant smiled as she took his hand leaning down as in old times he lent down and as if in old times, kissed the back of her hand as he would for any woman he met. He chuckled at her saying Hogwarts was not that bad. "I guess you could say that" he said hearing the uncertainty in her voice " but you don't fully believe that do you, it can be Continuously repetitive" he said as he took a sip from his glass.

As he sat and looked at her and saw her badge he smiled knowing she was doing nothing he had not done while in Hogwarts. " A fellow Gryffindor i see" he said smiling gently. Seeing some bread left on the table he lent forward and took a small piece off it opening his jacket to revel his white shirt he slipped it into his breast pocket where a small brown mouse popped its head up took the bread and dove back inside. Looking at Hallie he raised his finger to his lips and gestured with a smile that she say nothing.

"That's tricks, he found me while I was walking around Europe, ow hes clean " he added as he decided to take off his jacket leaving him in tan slacks and his white shirt,. He placed it over the back of the chair and sat back down to retake up his glass. " so how long have you been sneaking out?" he asked.

Hallie retracted her hand quickly as the stranger placed her lips against her skin. She was friendly and loved to meet new people but she'd just met the man - then again he was old and maybe back in his day that's how people introduced themselves, but on the other hand this wasn't the medieval ages Hallie contemplated in her head.

Upon learning that Brant was once a Gryffindor she relaxed a bit. This had to mean he was a decent human being and most likely not a dark wizard. She titled her head, her lips closed and her tongue slightly stroking her front teeth as he showed her his furry little friend.

She grinned as he told her to keep quiet. She wasn't a snitch and if he got caught for having an animal it would have been an amusing turn of events especially how the pub always wreaks of goat. 'He's cute.' She said flicking her eyebrows before answering his question:

'Well, there was a time in the first year which turned into a time into the second which then turned into a second time in the second year and..' Hallie paused, her lips pressed into a grin. 'I think you can see where this is going?' She asked, raising her eyebrows and drinking the remains of her gillywater.

Brant sat listening to her as she spoke calling tricks cute he chuckled and watched the mouse pop back up " ow now you've don it she'll have a big head all day" he said and chuckled as she explained about her sneaking out . He nodded at the clear pattern to her sneaking. " yes, yes I do see " he said as he watched her drink the rest of her gillywater. " would you like another?" he asked and waved over the bar man. Brant ordered another fire whisky for himself then looked over at Hallie wondering if she at any point would just relax around him.

"You know, I'm not a bad guy despite my appearance, I travel to find old magic just came back to help out my uncle and cousin in a matter" he said softly not wanting to say any more than he had. " its been a while since I had contact with any one from the school , last time was when I left" he smiled as he gave a distant look towards the fire his eyes avoiding the pox covered woman who sat next to it.

Hallie chuckled at Brant saying his mouse would have a big head. He seemed alright, a bit peculiar, but nevertheless and alright man. Before Hallie could say if she even wanted a drink of a fresh glass of gillywater was sat on the table infront of her. Her lip curled into a smile. 'Why thank you Mr. Crawford.' She thanked before raising it to her lips and sipping the cool liquid.

Hallie's mouth dropped when Brant mentioned he wasn't a dodgy character. Had she not hid her suspicions well enough? Not wanting to draw too much attention to this she quickly recovered by raising her mouth into a wide smile. 'I'm not a bad guy either.' She spoke proudly raising her chest and pushing her shoulders back; her chin raised and tilted slightly.

The gryffindor frowned. 'How come you haven't spoken to them?' She asked. It must be lonely life, just you and your mouse travelling Europe. Hallie thought silently. Hallie couldn't talk however. When her brother was bitten by a werewolf she told him to leave and never come back. She regretted this, it was her deepest secret and she couldn't talk to anyone about it. She wouldn't. Her Mother thought that the werewolf that was in the woods behind their cottage in the Lake District had taken her son away - killed him or ate him. There had been a funeral but Hallie knew the truth. The morning after the werewolf attack she found him in the woods, his clothes torn and her skin patched with mud.

Brant looked at Hallie when she said it must have been lonely traveling as he did. thinking about it he had not realized just how lonely he had been " Just things happen when your young and time makes you slip off the radar, yes , I guess it was lonely" he said softly he could see on her face she too had known loneliness in her life.

"um sorry for your loneliness" he said and smiled a small smile to her " guess were just two lonely people trying to just find some space to think. " he said hoping he hadn't just put his foot in his mouth with his awkwardness around women and people in general. He sipped his whisky feeling it warm him and he smiled. " I guess its also because I don't have a reason to stay in one place , no girlfriend and my family is in Tuscany" he admitted" ow don't get me wrong I....ow boy ..um I'm not gay just never found that Mrs right yet I guess" he downed a large mouth full of whisky and coughed a little.