Post by Kelly Evans on Dec 17, 2012 5:01:43 GMT -5
Wind whistled through the high street of Hogsmeade, almost with a vengeance, a malicious vendetta against anyone mad enough to be out and about. Kelly Evans was one such madwoman. Shivering, her arms laded with brightly coloured bags crammed full of Christmas gifts, the witch wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck, and tugged her coat closer to her body. Tired, cold, and already sick of Christmas shopping, Kelly stopped and looked up and down the street, searching for an oasis.
She didn't have to look far. The Three Broomsticks and the warmth she knew it would offer beckoned to her with the same power as the Imperius curse, and before her resolve to get all her shopping done in one day could win out over her cold and tired limbs, she struggled her way through the sleet and pushed open the front door. The warmth and the noise hit her like a welcome sledgehammer, the bar packed with students and Hogsmeade residents alike, and she quickly slid into a booth, her bags underneath the table at her feet.
A harassed-looking waiter took her order for butterbeer, and as she waited, Kelly drummed her fingertips on the table. A week out from Christmas and she wanted it to be over already. People seemed to get injured more around the holidays than any other time, and she was sure that if she had to patch up one more case of burns from real life candles that had been magically attached to Christmas trees, she was going to scream. No limit to the imagination at Christmas time.
Her butterbeer delivered and sitting snug and warm in between her hands, Kelly entertained herself by watching the students mill around the bar, flirting and fighting with each other. She couldn't help but think back to all those (truthfully not that many) years ago when she was in their position, staying at school for Christmas because it was easier than heading back to world war three.
Merlin, she missed it sometimes.