He was walking along High Street, just as she was. The young witch wasn't sure why it seemed so odd to spot another student outside of the castle, he must live in Hogsmeade like everyone else did. But for Greta and a few others, Millie's entire school lived in Hogsmeade for summers and holidays. So it shouldn't seem strange not to be surrounded by cauldrons or supposedly-empty suits of armor when Millie encountered her classmate, it only truly seemed strange to see the white band of cloth affixed to his person.
That made her acutely aware of the black band she had tied around the sleeve of her green, cotton dress. It was already July and he was still in play?
"Did'ya hear me, Miss Millie? "
"What?" Millie's eyes snapped away from her classmate to the sturdy housekeeper. The stout woman peered down at the young witch over her spectacles —she never did look through them that Millie ever noticed— making her eyes dart away. She caught sight of the brewing clouds in the sky high above and then down to the storefront name a little lower, able to finish her answer at last. "Of course, Mrs. Moore. I'll be right out here."
"Good. I won't be long."
Mrs. Moore hurried inside the curios shop, leaving Millie holding the basket outside. The woman knew she didn't like Dervish and Banges, something just seemed off inside that place. The thought drew hazel eyes back across the street to the boy on the other side, and before she knew it the young witch was halfway across. She only took a moment to decide after that, withdrawing the wand she carried everywhere now. Millie wasn't about to be caught off-guard anymore, not after what had happened last time.
Stepping onto the other side of the street, Millie aligned herself with his path. She kept the wand by her side until the last moment, still aware that they were in the middle of the busy High Street with witnesses all around. And at the back of her head, also aware that they were likely to get rained out at any moment now. That hardly crossed her mind as the young witch called to her peer.
"Are you really still 'alive' after all this time, Mr. Podsnapper?" Nevermind that Millie herself had been until only the other day. Her wand arm came up quick, her wrist well-practiced with this charm. "Finite! "
That made her acutely aware of the black band she had tied around the sleeve of her green, cotton dress. It was already July and he was still in play?
"Did'ya hear me, Miss Millie? "
"What?" Millie's eyes snapped away from her classmate to the sturdy housekeeper. The stout woman peered down at the young witch over her spectacles —she never did look through them that Millie ever noticed— making her eyes dart away. She caught sight of the brewing clouds in the sky high above and then down to the storefront name a little lower, able to finish her answer at last. "Of course, Mrs. Moore. I'll be right out here."
"Good. I won't be long."
Mrs. Moore hurried inside the curios shop, leaving Millie holding the basket outside. The woman knew she didn't like Dervish and Banges, something just seemed off inside that place. The thought drew hazel eyes back across the street to the boy on the other side, and before she knew it the young witch was halfway across. She only took a moment to decide after that, withdrawing the wand she carried everywhere now. Millie wasn't about to be caught off-guard anymore, not after what had happened last time.
Stepping onto the other side of the street, Millie aligned herself with his path. She kept the wand by her side until the last moment, still aware that they were in the middle of the busy High Street with witnesses all around. And at the back of her head, also aware that they were likely to get rained out at any moment now. That hardly crossed her mind as the young witch called to her peer.
"Are you really still 'alive' after all this time, Mr. Podsnapper?" Nevermind that Millie herself had been until only the other day. Her wand arm came up quick, her wrist well-practiced with this charm. "Finite! "
![[Image: uHwnE8q.png]](https://i.imgur.com/uHwnE8q.png)