Chapter 48
The weeks passed further into autumn, with Halloween fast approaching. Oliver spent a lot of time in the quiet sections of the library, hidden away between the shelves with Marcus, studying or oftentimes not really studying. Fred and George had tried to rope him into several pranks, but he had politely declined. They had somehow gotten a fair amount of the Hogwarts ghosts to get involved with scaring several students…and Filch.
“So, we’re definitely sneaking into Hogsmeade this weekend right?” Marcus grinned at him and gave his hand a squeeze.
Oliver smiled back at him; this was Oliver’s favorite Marcus. Happy, relaxed, not worrying about what his friends and family wanted him to do. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” He asked, bemused.
Marcus rolled his eyes playfully, “Why do you always play by the rules? Where’s your sense of fun?”
Oliver laughed, “You do know that two of my closest friends are Fred and George Weasley right? Lee and I have been lookouts for them for years now. That doesn’t mean I’m not worried about getting caught.”
“I think this,” Marcus leaned in and kissed Oliver’s cheek, “is a risk we take almost every day, so sneaking into Hogsmeade shouldn’t be a problem, right? You’re telling me that Fred and George don’t know about a secret way in? I doubt that.”
Oliver smiled at him, “Alright, fair enough but you’ll have to keep it a secret. I’ll give you the details in the journal later okay? I think we need to actually study if we’re going to sneak into Hogsmeade tomorrow and the Halloween feast Sunday okay?”
Marcus rolled his eyes again, “Alright, alright, fine.”
~~~~//~~~
The next day, Oliver stood by the one eyed witch statue, watching Marcus get closer and closer on the Marauder’s Map, and noting where Snape, Filch, McGonagall, and the other heads of houses were. Thankfully, Marcus was the only person he could see approaching. “Mischief managed,” Oliver muttered, tapping the parchment as Marcus rounded the corner.
“You’re joking, right? I had no idea this old thing was a passage!” Marcus laughed.
“Maybe don’t say that so loudly,” Oliver told him before opening the passageway for them.
“No one is around Oliver, which means I can do this,” Marcus leaned in and kissed Oliver gently on the lips, before allowing himself to be led into the tunnel.
“Alright, time to go see Hogsmeade!” Oliver lit his wand and shared an excited glance with Marcus as they headed out of the castle and towards the village.
“Wait a minute, are we in Honeydukes’ cellar? Is all that candy right above us?” Marcus asked quietly, not even trying to hide his glee.
“Yes, now keep quiet. We can’t just waltz upstairs from their basement.” Oliver nodded towards the storm door that led outside.
The two of them emerged outside, greeted by voices and crisp fall air. Leaves in every color danced by them and the surrounding stores and buildings. The two of them smiled excitedly at each other and headed back into Honeydukes, their stomachs doing most of the thinking. Luckily, the store was so crowded with other students that no one was going to notice if the two of them were spending time together.
Oliver tried to pay for some of the candy, but each time he tried Marcus would lower his hand instead. “Don’t worry about it Oliver, I’ve got plenty of money. Or I guess I should say that my father does.”
Oliver sighed, “You have to let me get something today. I have money too, you know.”
Marcus nodded, “Alright, alright, you can get us some drinks at The Three Broomsticks okay?”
Oliver grinned, “Sounds like a fair deal to me.”
Once they were holding several chocolate frogs, and a few boxes of Every Flavor Beans, and some Fizzing Whizzbees, they made their way to The Three Broomsticks. “I have to admit, this was a good idea,” Oliver conceded, before spitting out a vomit flavored bean. “Ugh, why do they make these? Who wants that?”
Marcus laughed, “Come on, you can wash it down with a butterbeer. You’re buying right?”
“Now that sounds good.” Oliver smiled, wondering how he could feel so happy.
The voice in the back of his head of course, had to ruin it. Once they pushed through the doors into the warm, crowded, bar room, it reared its ugly head.
‘Apparently, life can be a lot better without Charlie Weasley in your life. You haven’t spoken in a couple of weeks now haven’t you?’
Oliver tried to shake that thought out of his head, but it may have a point. He and Charlie hadn’t spoken since the hospital wing, and if they happened to see each other in the hallways or common room, they both acted like they hadn’t seen the other. Oddly enough, Oliver did have a little more time for his schoolwork and Quidditch practices. Harry Potter really was a fantastic Seeker, and the team this year was shaping into one of the greatest. Oliver tried not to feel too guilty about the Seeker not being Charlie, or anything Charlie related but it was admittedly hard. He wondered what Charlie was up to…probably schoolwork.
Or not.
Oliver and Marcus were scanning the room, trying to find an empty booth or table, when Oliver spotted him.
Charlie was sitting at a corner table, head thrown back laughing, and holding the hand of a blonde haired boy about the same age as him, looking like he was having the time of his life.
Oliver wasn’t sure if he was seeing the scene correctly, Charlie was holding a guy’s hand? In public? Charlie liked guys? But what about Rosalie? Had he just been confused? Did he just figure out he liked guys?
Instead of asking Charlie any of these questions, Oliver did the reasonable thing; he turned quickly on his heel, forgetting Marcus, and marched out of The Three Broomsticks and into the crisp fall day, that seemed somehow colder now.