Willa had dropped Herbology after her OWL, so she didn’t spend much time out at the greenhouses these days, but she was amenable to the suggestion. She could perhaps wish that she’d worn her cloak, in case the evening was too cold, but she’d just have to trust her enthusiasm to carry her through. She chatted idly as they walked through the hallways, dropping little hints about her big news but not getting into any details — not while they might still be within earshot of other students. When they crossed the threshold to the grounds, before they’d reached the gardens Lydie suggested, Willa decided she could contain herself no longer. “Lydie,” she said in a low tone. “I have done something wicked.”

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