Right, well. This wasn’t ideal.
Sneaking out of the castle was routine at this point, but it was his OWLs year the stakes were probably much higher. He couldn’t continue to add pages to his permanent record AND fail all of his exams. Not if he didn’t want to have to retake an entire year of school. Again.
But Molly said Bev had to do a pick up today. Firstly, he didn’t like being told by his best friend’s girl something Bev could have told him himself. Secondly, he wasn’t sure Molly was being honest when she said her job was more dangerous. Sure, distributing might carry a heavier sentence but he was waaaay more likely to get caught. Especially considering his luck. Nothing bad happened to Molly, it all happened to him.
But he needed the money. Molly gave him a better share when he had to sneak out. And he was already overwhelmed from school. He figured he could head to the Twelve Knocks after and kick a few back with Kameko. It’d make the trip slightly more dangerous but certainly more worth the trip.
So he went at sun down, when the grounds were still fair game but most students were heading inside, when just beyond the crest of the grounds he would be hidden in shadow. He threw sticks like javelins until one hit the correct knot in the Whomping Willow, and he scrambled down its entrance.
He waited in the shack until he knew night had fallen. He took out a spliff to relax and headed out once he felt himself mellow out. The walk through Hogsmeade was in a haze, a pleased smile hitched onto his lips. The villagers didn't notice the boy with the prominent ears and the stupid grin.
He knocked on Bev’s door - and by door, he meant the hatch that led to the basement apartment that Bev had been staying in for the past few months. The door swung open and Ducky headed in.
Bev was blasting music, drinking straight from a bottle when Ducky came in. “Oi, mate, finally! Thought you’d never show up.”
“It’d be nice if you could show up at the Shack, you know,” Ducky said, throwing his hands up in exasperation.
Bev took another swig and shook his head. “Nah. Looks suspicious. Have a sit and a drink, yeah? Loosen up.”
Ducky frowned. What, and him, a student, leaving the shack wasn’t any less suspicious? But Bev only looked at the world one lens, and that was his own. “I really should get back.” But he was already sitting and taking a drink.
And so they talked. And, yeah, Ducky got a little tipsy, drinking quite a bit but his size and age and tolerance kept him from getting too messy. They blasted Bev’s aggressive music, talking about Molly and their next big party and their big plans for Ducky’s next school break. But, finally, it was time, and Ducky carefully lined his waistband with bags of sugar, spice, and greenery before pulling his friend into a hug and heading off into the night.
He’d skip the club, he supposed. Get back. Listen to Bev and Molly. Sell, sell, sell. Get paid, get ahead. And maybe have another spliff since the night felt so good.
by 
