It was entertaining watching Dove and Virgil play, the ferret aptly demonstrating his tricks. "He'll also go wherever you pat your hand. Shoulder, knee — your other hand", the little beastie, when paying attention, would scuttle to wherever he was instructed.

Soon they left the cover of the canopy, but the rain had stopped, leaving a damp blue and golden sky and a field of shimmering green grass. In a few moments they'd be past the second rabbit hole and back onto the path leading around the edge of Padmore Park. The High Street — and the end — were already in sight.

  

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Dove glanced up at Huck as he told her another of the ferrets tricks. She patted her hand on the other side of where he was perched and sure enough, he went scuttling over to wind around her other hand. She laughed in delight as she patted her shoulder and he went back to perching on it.

They were nearing the end of their adventure together and Dove found herself wishing it didn't have to end. "Do you think we'll see each other again?" She asked. "Or if I give you my last name, would you write?" Part of her did not expect it - Jack Watson had not written despite saying he would and she also had not seen him in many months.

  

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"I will write", he promised as they continued along the path. On the High Street ahead, shapes of passers-by could be seen — Arven rather wished they'd said their goodbyes back in the woodland so they wouldn't have to feign something Proper in the eyeline of Hogsmeade residents.

"And you will see me again, if you wish it so", Arven came to a gradual halt, and turned to face her. He would have given her the choice of another covert meeting or a more formal call, but he would give her time and space to think on it first. After all, Dove might come to regret today's escapades in the cold light of normalcy.

  

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Dove smiled as he promised to write and idly wondered if he would. "I wish it," she said when Huck said she would see him again if she wished it. There was not a hint of regret in her for deciding to wander off in search of a ferret with him. "My full name is Dove Ashdown," she offered with a smile, wondering to herself if he would recognize the name and realize her to potentially be the 'sister' to Robin Ashdown. She took Virgil and offered him back to the man.

  

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Ashdown — he recognised the name, but did not yet place it. Frankly, he was currently too absorbed in the moment.

In a final dash of risk-taking, Arven took her slender hand and kissed it before any passers-by could had a chance to observe. When he let go of her hand, she'd find the small white pebble in it — the one she'd tossed for Virgil. A small memento of their adventure.

The ferret scurried from Dove's hands up onto his master's broad shoulder. A most customary perch.

"Until next we meet, Miss Ashdown."

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Dove was somewhat relieved when he didn't mention anything about Robin. She didn't want to have to go into the whole cover lie so soon.

She smiled at him as he took her hand and kissed it, leaving the pebble in her hand. "Until next we meet," she said in return as she made her leave.

  

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