On the Road

"Did you know that you actually already were in Hogsmeade?" Richard asked Kim while they were walking on the snow covered road leading to the entrance gates. "Only for a brief time at least." he precised seeing her interrogative expression. "The railway station where you arrived at the beginning of the school year is considered to be a part of Hogsmeade, even if it's not really near the rest of the village. It's on the other side of the Castle." he explained, pointing his finger behind them. They stopped for a moment, admiring the breathtaking view of the Château from where they were standing. It was still early, and the morning sun was illuminating it from the east, making even more imposing than usually. Behind the fortress, one could perceive a small part of the Lake. "I've never asked you about the journey across the lake" he said, regretting to have missed it since he arrived to Hogwarts a week after the start of the term. "I hope you didn't fall in the water." he added jokingly.

Having informed that Kim actually stepped on Hogmeade made her happier than she already is, not knowing that she's been present in a place she never thought she was.

"I've never asked you about the journey across the lake" he said, regretting to have missed it since he arrived to Hogwarts a week after the start of the term. "I hope you didn't fall in the water."

"Actually, I almost did," Kim answered with as smile on her face. She began to blush, having to tell one of the most embarrassing moments of her life. "I read so many stories about Hogwarts' lake. According to some books, that lake is too deep, making it possible for many kinds of creatures to live in. Me, being curious about them, took a look in the lake but it is so dumb of me to think that I might see them in the night. I leaned more, until the boat almost leaned with me, freaking out the students in the same boat as I am. I can't blame them to be mad at me. I'm just glad we didn't really fall."

Kim was about to ask why was Richard late but, she remembered that she already asked the question before, which made him a bit paler than he usually was.

"I heard that there is a very famous candy shop in Hogsmeade. Will you take me there?" Kim said, trying to erase the time that she asked him about his troubled past.

Richard couldn't help but laugh when he heard Kim's little adventure during the crossing of the Lake. "I'm sorry" he apologized, worried she could get mad at him. "But that was pretty funny. I don't even want to imagine the faces of the other students on the boat when it almost turned over." he said, still amused.

A moment of silence ensued, as they continued walking towards the Entrance Gates. "I heard that there is a very famous candy shop in Hogsmeade. Will you take me there?" Kim asked him. "Honeydukes. Of course." he replied with a smile, imagining a store filled with various sweets of all colours and types. "Among other famous shops, there's Dervish and Banges, where you can get your magical items repaired, and Zonko's Joke Shop. We have to stop by, I've heard they sell really interesting things." he explained, excited about their trip. "After that, we can go for a drink at the Three Broomsticks Inn before heading back to Hogwarts. Well, there's also the Hog's Head, but it doesn't really have a shiny reputation." he said with a smile. "Oh, and I almost forgot. There's also the Shrieking Shack, which is supposedly a haunted house. We could stop by if you want. If you're not afraid of ghosts, that is." he added teasingly.

After hearing about the different shops in Hogsmeade made her feel more excited about going. She knew some of them from her father but not the Zonko's Joke Shop. "Is the Zonko's Joke shop new? My father never mentioned it to me before." Kim inquired.

As more steps as they take, the more the castle is disappearing in their back. After some time, Kim finally saw some roofs of the village she keeps on hearing about.

"I don't know" admitted Richard, trying to remember if he had heard anything about the shop history. "I don't think it's new. Maybe it was closed for some time and then it reopened." he guessed.

After some time, they reached the imposing Entrance Gates, made of magnificent wrought iron and flanked by two columns topped with statues of winged boars. Just a few yards from them lay a small guardhouse with a tall chimney. As they approached, an old man got out of the house. "Where are you heading?" he asked them. "To Hogsmeade, sir." Richard responded with confidence. "All right, just be careful, and don't come back too late." the man replied, heading back inside. A few moments later, the enormous iron gates slowly opened with a clanking sound, allowing them to pass though.

They pursued they stroll, as the village was starting to appear in the distance. "How do you like the new classes?" Richard asked his companion, as they had had a few new subjects during the week. "I saw you were quite skilled at Potions" he complimented her with a smile. "Unfortunately, the same can't be said for me." he added, remembering his disastrous performances.

"I saw you were quite skilled at Potions" Richard complimented Kim as they walk along entering the village. She looked at him with great surprise about the compliment. "I am not. I just.. Well.." Potions is one of the things Kim hates so much, next to charms. Being good at it, she never imagined. "For starters, I really don't turn the brewing potion in clockwise or whatever. Me hating it also makes me too lazy to follow all the instructions in the book, sometimes."

Still thinking about the subject potions, Kim didn't notice that Hogsmeade is already in front of her. "Here we are, Hogsmeade." Richard informed. The words 'here we are' caught her attention. She looked up and noticed the shops she never imagined how it looked like. Though it is still snowing, it didn't stop the villagers, or even some tourist, to stay inside their house. They roam around and enter each shops with eagerness. "It's wonderful!" are the only words that Kim can utter out of the perfect scene.