Hogsmeade

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Last few weeks were intense, and Harry felt the need for a proper break. With Halloween and the first Hogsmeade weekend coming up, the timing couldn't have been better. He wasn't a stranger to the village or sneaking out of the school. His cloak and map had given him plenty of practice in evading detection, a fact Dumbledore had probably already suspected. But this time was different—this was an official visit. No need to worry about being seen or recognized, just a chance to enjoy the trip with his friends without any hassle.

The upcoming Hogsmeade visit also carried a bit of novelty. Sure, he'd been there before under the disguise, but walking openly, with company, would be something else. 

Harry arrived at the castle gates, spotting Daphne, Tracey, Susan, Hannah, Hermione, and Neville waiting for him. Standing nearby, Luna, Ginny, and Astoria were looking a bit disappointed, clearly annoyed that, being younger, they couldn't join the trip to Hogsmeade.

The moment they saw Harry approaching, their expressions brightened. Tracey was the first to speak, grinning widely. "Finally! Took you long enough. Let's get going!"

Harry raised an eyebrow at Tracey's impatience, but he couldn't help the slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "What's the rush? Hogsmeade isn't going anywhere."

Daphne crossed her arms, feigning annoyance but unable to hide the amusement in her voice. "We've been standing here for ages. You owe us butterbeer for the wait."

Harry chuckled. "Fine, fine. Butterbeer's on me."

Ginny called out from the sidelines, her tone playful but tinged with frustration. "You'd better bring us something back, Harry! It's not fair that we're stuck here."

Astoria nodded along, frowning a little. "Yeah, we're missing out!"

Hermione smiled sympathetically at them, but before she could respond, Susan chimed in, her voice teasing. "Don't worry, we'll make sure to get you something... if you behave."

Ginny rolled her eyes but grinned back. "Deal."

As the group started making their way down the path, Hannah fell into step beside Harry. "So, where are we heading first? Honeydukes?"

Neville perked up at the mention of the sweet shop, nodding enthusiastically. "Definitely Honeydukes."

"I was thinking Zonko's," Tracey suggested, throwing a mischievous glance at Daphne, who only shrugged.

"Both, maybe?" Hermione interjected, always the practical one. "We've got time."

Looking around, Harry asked, "Where are the troublemakers?"

Daphne replied, "The twins took Draco, Nott, and Zabini to Zonko's over some bet. I didn't catch all of their chatter."

Hermione, who was walking just ahead, filled in the gaps. "Fred and George challenged Draco and Nott to a price guessing contest. They're spending an hour in the shop, memorizing prices. Zabini will be the one testing them later by creating a list to check if they remember everything."

Harry chuckled, "That sounds like a losing game. Fred and George practically live in that shop."

Tracey grinned, falling in step beside them. "Yeah, but Draco's not one to back down from a challenge. Though I'm pretty sure the twins have this one in the bag."

Neville, keeping pace, laughed. "I'm just glad I'm not in on that bet. No way I'd remember all those prices. Twins are master at that."

"True," Harry agreed. "It'll be fun watching them squirm later, though."

As they walked further down the path towards Hogsmeade, the crisp autumn air filled with the chatter of students excited for the day ahead. Hermione changed the topic. "So, are we sticking to our plan or catch up with bet? Honeydukes first, then maybe a stop at the bookstore?"

"Definitely Honeydukes," Susan chimed in from behind. "I'm already craving some chocolate."

Harry smirked. "You always have a sweet tooth, Susan."

"Is that why I am drawn to you?" Susan shot back with a teasing grin before realizing what she just said. As soon as the words left her mouth, a blush crept over her cheeks, and without a second thought, she dashed off, clearly embarrassed. Hannah followed quickly, laughing softly at her friend's sudden escape.

Chuckling, Harry shook his head, watching them go. "Where did the other girls run off to?" he asked, turning back to Tracey.

"Shopping," Tracey sighed, sounding mildly exasperated. "Lavender and Parvati took them. They'll join us later, once they're done."

Harry raised an eyebrow but didn't ask any more questions. He had a good guess as to why the girls might need some privacy. "Fair enough," he replied with a smirk, deciding not to pry further.

Reaching Hogsmeade, Harry took the lead, guiding the group down the familiar cobblestone streets. The air was cool, and the village hummed with the weekend excitement of students mingling and shopkeepers attending to their business.

The group headed down the main path, passing by a few familiar shops. Harry kept his steps steady, not rushing. There was no need to hurry today—it was one of those rare times where there wasn't a pressing problem or some hidden agenda to worry about.

As they approached the door of Honeydukes, Tracey darted ahead, pushing it open with a grin. "Come on, slowpokes," she teased, holding the door wide for the rest of them.

Harry was the last to enter, giving a small nod of thanks to Tracey. The smell of sugar and chocolate filled the air, and it wasn't long before everyone scattered, eager to explore the shop.

Harry glanced around the shop as he stepped in, noticing Susan and Hannah already darting from one display to another, examining every sweet in sight. Susan, seemingly recovered from her earlier embarrassment, was now deeply focused on inspecting the various candies with a determined look. He moved closer to Hermione, who was standing nearby, her expression less enthusiastic.

"Not tempted by all this?" Harry asked, a slight smirk on his lips.

Hermione shook her head. "My parents always warned me about eating too much sugar. Dentists, remember?"

Harry chuckled. "Right. Well, I suppose we can avoid any dentist lectures while we're here. What's the harm in a little bit?"

Hermione sighed, half amused. "Maybe. But I'm not going overboard like the others."

Susan popped back over, holding a large jar filled with Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. "Come on, Hermione, live a little!" she teased before hurrying back to Hannah, who was now eyeing a stack of Chocolate Frogs.

Harry glanced at Hermione, eyebrow raised. "See? Even Susan agrees. One sweet won't kill you."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but a small smile crept across her face. "Fine, but just one."

Satisfied, Harry watched as Susan and Hannah moved further into the shop, their excitement almost contagious. He shifted his attention back to Hermione, who was now half-heartedly inspecting a small tin of mints, still clearly resisting the sugary temptation.

The warm, sugary scent of the shop filled the air, mingling with the quiet chatter of other students exploring the aisles. He saw Neville at the far end of the shop, grabbing some Cauldron Cakes and exchanging words with the shopkeeper. Meanwhile, Tracey was loudly debating with Daphne about whether they should get a box of Fizzing Whizzbees or something more "dangerous," like Acid Pops. The rest of their group moved around the shop in similar fashion, each of them wrapped up in the simple enjoyment of a Hogsmeade trip.

Pansy, Lavender, Parvati, Padma, and Cho joined them soon, carrying a few bags in their arms. Harry gave a small nod, smirking. "Too impatient to wait?"

Lavender chuckled as she adjusted one of her bags. "We're just efficient, Potter."

Parvati nudged her playfully. "Yeah, we were actually considering leaving without you."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Considering? I'm shocked you didn't."

Cho smiled, her tone teasing. "We thought we'd give you the benefit of the doubt this time."

"Well, I appreciate your generosity," Harry replied, his voice laced with sarcasm. He glanced at the bags. "What's in the haul?"

"Just a few essentials," Padma chimed in, holding up a bag from Gladrags. "Nothing you'd be interested in."

"Ah, well, if it's nothing but essentials, then I'll pass," Harry said with a grin, turning his attention back to the rest of the group.

As they continued to browse through Honeydukes, Tracey said Daphne. "Alright, enough shopping. Let's grab what we came for and get out of here before we're trapped under an avalanche of sugar."

Daphne nodded in agreement, grabbing a few more sweets. "Right. We'll move to the Three Broomsticks after?"

"Sounds like a plan," Hermione said, already eyeing the exit.

As the group entered the Three Broomsticks, Harry found himself face-to-face with Madam Rosmerta.

"Well, well, if it isn't a few third years from Hogwarts," Rosmerta said with a playful grin, wiping her hands on her apron. "First time here, love?"

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at her cheerful tone. "Something like that. Name's Harry."

Rosmerta nodded, flashing him a warm smile. "Rosmerta, at your service. Take a seat, love. I'll be with you in a sec."

Though the encounter seemed new for Rosmerta, Harry couldn't help but notice how familiar the situation felt. A few weeks earlier, under the guise of Albus Riddle, he had been in the very same spot. Her words now, almost identical to before, made him smirk to himself. He shook his head as he led his friends to a table.

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