3 May 1893 - Hogwarts Library
Honoria Rookwood

Out of all the classes Tao had been the most excited to take, Care of Magical Creatures had been at the top of his list. It was unfortunate that he had to wait two more years before he’d be allowed to take it. Two more very long years of having to watch some of his older friends take it while he was stuck in something he didn’t want to take — like flying.

It wasn’t that it was useless. Tao liked being on a broom, but it wasn’t a skill he’d use outside of Hogwarts, not when Irvingly forbade magic from being used in places where flying would be more fun than his home. He wasn’t sure if anything magical was normal in his house, as he’d never seen a magical creature whenever he was outdoors. Maybe they just hid, and he wanted to find out; Tao wanted to be a wizard outside of Hogwarts! Of course he couldn’t use magic outside of the school until he graduated… but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do other things that didn’t involve magic to the test. It was why he’d collected a few books on Porlocks, as he was interested to see if he could attract one. They seemed entirely harmless.

Tao was skimming on where they liked to hide (stables; so maybe there was one that lived near Chestnut he’d never seen before), although he couldn’t recall Hogwarts having a stable. But the school had to, right? Maybe once he left the library he’d grab Max and make him go hunting. (Although knowing his friend, he probably already knew where it was and how to get into it undedicated.) Reaching for a book, Tao found another one not related to what he was reading sitting on top of it. He cleared his throat. “Uh, excuse me. Could you move your book please?"

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Honoria watched as Tao searched through the books, his excitement for the search was obvious and she watched him with interest. She had grown up in a magical household, with magical siblings, and magical friends - and sometimes she still found the enthusiasm of others to be infectious. She watched him seruptiously over the top of her book, still pretending to read.

When Tao asked her to move her book, she looked up from her own fake reading and gave him a small smile. "Of course," she said, moving the book to the side so he could reach the one he wanted. "Are you looking for something specific? Can I help?" she felt like something of an expert on the library - even if she had only been in the school for a year.

As she watched Tao continue to search, abandoning her pretense and watching him with open interest.

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Tao’s eyes flicked up to Honoria and he couldn’t help but grin at her as he nodded. He’d spent a lot of time in the library over the school year but it was still large and a bit overwhelming — hopefully next year it would be easier to navigate, now that he knew the castle.

“I’m looking for information on porlocks… I want to see if any live in the forest near my house.” It should go without saying that he wanted to use magic without actually using it; he might die if the ministry came knocking on his door, and even if Longwei was a lawyer, he wasn’t sure he could help out if he was using underaged magic. Well, but see if they live near my house, I want to see if I can attract one here, at Hogwarts first, before I try it at home.” Tao grinned at her. “If something goes wrong, at least the nurse won’t yell at me.”

He sat down and opened up a book, pushing it between them so both of them could read it.

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Honoria's eyes widened with interest as Tao explained his search for information on porlocks. She found his desire to observe magical creatures without actually using magic to be quite intriguing. "Porlocks? They're fascinating creatures," she replied, her voice filled with genuine curiosity.

She moved closer, leaning in to get a better look at the book Tao had opened. Together, they scanned through the pages, absorbing the information about porlocks and their habitat. Honoria pointed at a paragraph describing their preferred environments. "According to this book, porlocks are often found near stables and other places where horses are kept. It's possible there might be some near Hogwarts, it's definitely worth exploring!"

Honoria glanced around the library, ensuring they weren't disturbing anyone nearby. Satisfied that they had some privacy, she leaned closer to Tao and whispered, "I can show you a shortcut to the stables if you'd like. Maybe we can find some porlocks together!"

She couldn't help but smile at the thought of their little adventure.

  

Honoria's head was much closer to Tao’s than he expected, and the young first year couldn’t help but blush as he turned his attention toward the pages of the book, pouring over the words as they soaked in information about porlocks. He hated that he couldn’t take Care of Magical Creatures until third year, but he planned on being one of the most knowledgeable students in his class, impressing even their teacher.

When she spoke, Tao turned toward her and grinned at her. “Yeah, I like the sound of that.” He hadn’t had a chance to explore the stables yet, classes, friends and just exploring the castle itself had kept him busy enough, although as Honoria leaned in closer and whispered to him like it was a secret meant for just them, he straightened his back. Leaned closer to her until their heads nearly touched. Tao’s lips stretched into a wide smile as he mentioned a shortcut, and excitement bubbled inside his stomach. Maybe they could really lure out a porlock! “Do you want to go right now? I haven’t been to the stables yet.”

But Tao was already closing the book and standing up, making the decision for them. He was grinning too. Ida and Longwei would be so proud of him, venturing out of his comfort zone for the sake of knowledge. Tao was anything but adventurous.

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Honoria couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement as Tao's face lit up with enthusiasm. His eagerness matched her own, and she could tell they were about to embark on a memorable adventure together. As he mentioned going to the stables, she nodded eagerly, already envisioning the possibilities of what they might discover there.

Tao's decision was swift, and she was delighted when he stood up, closing the book and taking the lead. Honoria gathered her belongings, ensuring she had everything she needed, and then reached out to snatch ahold of Tao's hand. With a mischievous smile, she pulled him along as she ran out of the library.

Navigating the corridors, they followed the path she had in mind. Down a short corridor, down a flight of stairs, until they reached a specific corridor leading to the kitchens. Honoria's excitement grew as she approached a particular spot on the wall, pressing on a seemingly inconspicuous panel. The hidden panel revealed a secret passageway, leading them outside the school just a stone's throw away from the stables.

Releasing Tao's hand, Honoria stepped back and flourished her arms with a triumphant expression. "Tada!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with pride. "Isn't this a clever shortcut? My brother told me about it!"

Without wasting another moment, and still breathing hard from their last sprint, she broke into a run, her excitement propelling her forward. The sound of horses snorting and stamping their hooves filled the air, drawing them closer. Honoria reached the front aspect of the stables, where the majestic creatures resided. She stopped and turned to Tao, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Where do you think is the best place to look for Porlocks?" she asked, barely containing her excitement.

  

Tao did not expect Honoria to grab his hand, so when she did he couldn’t help the blush that stained his cheeks, but he ignored it as he scrambled to keep up with her. His own hand tightened around her’s just so he wouldn’t get lost as they twisted and turned down corridors Tao had never seen before. How in the world did she know so much? Honoria clearly had read about them or had someone who spilled all the secrets to them. Before he could ask her though, she was opening up a secret panel and pulling him through and to the outside.

He laughed and nodded. “Very cool! My siblings didn’t tell me about anything like this.” Although he highly doubted either of them got into any sort of trouble; Longwei didn’t talk too much about his Hogwarts day, but Tao should ask him. Ida was much too calculating to get in trouble, and she probably mapped out every step before she executed the plan. Tao groaned quietly as she took off into a sprint, although he followed closely behind Honoria, his lungs burning as they came to a stop in front of the stables.

“Hmm….” Tao tapped his finger against his lip before he was tugging out the book on porlocks, flipping open to a page in it. “Well, they live in grass or nest in the hay inside the stable.” The book was closed and slipped away. “I think we should check the grass first, and then if we don’t see any, we check out the stables.” He reached to grab her hand and grinned widely at her before he was tugging her toward the grass.

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Grass and hay, both of which were within a few hundreds yards of where they currently stood. Tao's infectious enthusiasm mirrored her own, and her eyes shone with a lively gleam as he took the lead, his strides marked by a determination to decode the mystery of the porlocks. A mischievous glint danced within her gaze as Tao's hand found hers once more, their fingers entwining. The gentle pull of his grasp pulling her along, just as she had done with him.

Grass cradled their steps, and Honoria's senses heightened with every rustle. Amidst the rustling blades of grass, Honoria's keen eyes danced with a mix of excitement and determination. Her gaze swept over the landscape, hunting for any subtle sign that might betray the presence of the elusive porlocks.

I don't remeber!' she said, rather suddenly, turning towards him, 'Do they live underground? Are we looking for burrows or tracks?' she giggled sheepishly.

  

Tao grinned as Honoria's fingers intertwined with his own. His eagerness mirrored hers as they embarked on their porlock hunt, silently hoping that they'd spot one. Brown eyes darted around, scanning the landscape around them like he expected one to just pop up out of nowhere. It was silly to think, but he was still hopefully.

"Well," Tao began, his voice brimming with excitement, "I read that porlocks can be tricky creatures. I think I remember that they like dark places, so they probably live underground... maybe in burrows?" He hummed quietly, thinking quietly about everything he had read; they wouldn't study the creature for four more years at Hogwarts, but that wasn't going to deter Tao from finding out as much about beasts as he possibly could. His eyebrows knitted together as he turned toward her. "What if they make fake burrows to confuse people? We should also look for any animal prints and see if they suddenly disappear." He knew they walked on two feet, so hopefully they wouldn't confuse the porlock's footprints with their own.

Tao turned toward her and lowered his voice to a whisper. "We also need to be really quiet, so they don't hide from us."

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Honoria couldn't help but share in Tao's enthusiasm as their fingers intertwined. His excitement was palpable, and she found herself drawn into the thrill of their adventure. Her eyes, dark pools of curiosity, scanned the grassy landscape with an eager intensity, as though expecting the porlocks to materialize before them.

As Tao began to share his insights about porlocks, Honoria nodded in agreement, her own thoughts aligning with his. His words carried the weight of genuine curiosity, a thirst for knowledge that mirrored her own. "You're right," she whispered in response, her voice barely louder than a breath of wind, just in case she should scare off one of the creatures she imagined to be hiding somewhere close so it could watch them right now

  

Tao pulled Honoria down into the grass so they were well hidden. His head poked out just enough for him to see over the grassy landscape, eyes watching for another movement. Or shape. Or something that would scream Porlock. But there was nothing, which was almost disappointing.

It was the flash of something that caught his attention a second, just as Tao moved to pout at Honoria that maybe this was going to be a waste of time. Instead he tugged at her hand, pointing. “There, look in the distance! I think I see one.” He whispered excitedly, poking his head up just a little more; he squinted like it was going to make the porlock come into focus more.

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Honoria allowed herself to be pulled down into the grass, her petite form snuggled close to his in their hidden sanctuary. Her dark, doll-like eyes widened in anticipation, her heart racing as she waited for any sign of the elusive porlocks. Though she strained to see, the landscape before her remained unchanged, a tapestry of undisturbed grass.

As Tao moved to express his initial disappointment, Honoria couldn't bear to see his excitement wane. Her fingers, gently entwined with his, felt the tugging motion and her gaze followed his direction as he pointed. Her lips curved into a warm smile, and she whispered in agreement, "Yes, I see it too."

Their shared imagination danced in the sea of grass as they pretended to spot the elusive porlock in the distance. Honoria played along, her eyes squinting as though to sharpen her vision, even though nothing substantial appeared before them.