[Hogsmeade] Fleeing the teasing mischief

[Henry Boggleworth]

(continued from "Opening Night")
Boggleworth was glad to escape the stifling atmosphere in the club, he was still worried about Jac but was determined to push that to the back of his mind. The cold wintry air was refreshing at first but he knew he would soon become cold, even though he wore a scarf and hat, his jacket was thin and the wind drove straight through. He clucthed Loren's few belongings she had left in the club and looked around blearly eyed, seeing her but scant few feet away he shook himself wanting to drive away the effects of the drink, the cold would help he hoped as he didn't want to be drunk any longer.
Seeing Loren shivering he handed over her belongings saying "there you go, I'll walk you back up to the castle, it's too cold to stay out tonight I fear, though I'm willing cause I'm used to it really," with those words memories of his patrolling around the school grounds as the Head Boy, flooded back, strangely he somewhat missed it, though he was reminded of it at any moment he barely pondered on it for sany long period of time. He smiled thoughtfully at Loren an foolish but adventurous idea formulating in his mind. He'd always wanted to visit the Shrieking Shack at night, ever since his last visit there where he had only just escaped with his life; not from ghosts or gaunts there, but a man, if indeed he had a heart. Gabriel Vandesar had almost caught him there, but with a lot of luck Boggleworth had escaped, through one of the many tunnels from the shrieking shack. He grinned at the memories of those fleeting moments, his heart had pounded loudly in his chest all that day.

"Fancy going to the Shrieking Shack?" he asked bluntly coming straight to the point for once. "I could show you around, it's a sight worth seeing, especially at night." he probed wondering whether Loren had he guts to take the slight risk.
"Unless you're too scared," he teased with a laugh. "Nah I can see the gleam in your eye, you're interested aren't you?"
He smiled reassuringly about to add that there'd be no danger, well not much. But he held his tongue and awaited her response.

[Loren Hayes]

Loren smiled at Boggleworth appreciatively when he emerged from the noisy club with her coat. For the brief moment that the double doors were open, fast music blasted out into the cool night air, but was quickly muffled again. Summer was on their heels but it was still always chilly - especially all the way up in Scotland. Not in all her years at Hogwarts had Loren ever got used to the mountain cold. It was as if the pollution of the muggle world could not touch any magical dwelling.

Silvery street light beamed down in pools along the cobbled high street, and Loren stepped out into the deserted road - which was really only defined from the path by black and cold bollards. Only the occasional loner or young couple roamed in the distance. Loren turned and looked at Boggleworth with raised eyebrows. 'I have been in the Shrieking Shack before, you know. Not all Ravenclaws are sad bookworms!' She whipped her coat round her shoulders and began to run. 'Come on then!' She bellowed back at him as she disappeared round a corner, heading in the general direction of the run down haunt.

[Henry Boggleworth]

Boggleworth saw few people about, it wasn't surprising giving the chill winds that oft blew through these narrow streets, though he was feeling pleasantly cool after the overbearing heat inside the club. Though his mind wandered back to what Jac would be doing Boggleworth was brought abruptly back to the present with Loren's comment about Ravenclaws.
"Did I even suggest such a thing?" he asked jokingly, he could imagine Loren as the adventurous type though, he knew a good few Ravenclaws who were the same, though he wouldn't judge Loren before he got to know her better. Boggleworth laughed as Loren headed off in the direction of the Shrieking Shack, little did she know that was the long way there, instead of following he shouted
"I'll see you there slowcoach!" Boggleworth knew the winding and twisting streets of Hogsmeade like the back of his hand as a lot of his time prefecting had been spent around the entirity of the school grounds.
Setting off with a slow jog down a side alley he noticed a dark figure emerge up ahead, drawing his wand he slowed to a walk little more than creeping. With wand drawn he still felt a knot of fear in his stomach, he knew who it would be; the ministry to come and finish the troublemaker off once and for all. His mind racing trying to find the best possible course of action, he discarded many spells including the obvious lumos to blind his potential enemy. Still undecided he crept further along the alley, it was a disused pathway filled to the very brim with broekn crates, barrels and other objects probably rubbish from the Three Broomsticks.
The last he had seen of the figure was beyond a large barrel, creeping ever onwards but remembering to breath normally he pushed away the voice of Henry who immediately arose whenever there was a problem.
Tiried of going slow Boggleworth bounded forward...

he was utterly surprised by what he found.

[Loren Hayes]

Loren spun round, surprised to see Boggleworth darting off in an entirely different direction. 'Oy, what are you doing?' Her voice echoed into the stillness, but he had already vanished into the shadows of a slim snicket. The Ravenclaw paused for a moment, looking back and forth from where Boggleworth had just been, and the direction she had intended to head in. Did Boggleworth know something she did not? Her curiosity was stirred now, and the Hufflepuff's declaration was obviously a challenge Loren was obliged to accept.

Her own path was the conventional one that the tourists took, and so Loren retraced her steps and ran in pursuit of Boggleworth. However, just before she reached the way he had gone, she turned and headed up some worn stone steps and along a passage that contained the back entrances to a restaurant and Honeydukes. If her guess work had been correct, she would come out just ahead of...

Loren grinned triumphantly as she slipped from the alley and found herself a few meters ahead of Boggleworth. Her smiled faded however. How had she got ahead of him so easily? Had he stopped for some reason? She paused, standing very still and watching him. He seemed to be walking purposefully slowly, as if anticipating.

'Bog?' She whispered into the cold air.

[Henry Boggleworth]

Abruptly cutting off a startled cry, Boggleworth stopped the imminent spell upon his lips just in time.
"Thundering Typhoons!" he yelled, with absolute shock clear upon his white face. Adrenaline pumped through his body and he clenched and unclenched his fists in rapid succession.
"Ruddy hell, you almost killed me!" he managed to spit out after a few moments struggling to regain his breath. Seeing the shocked expression upon Loren's face at his seemingly extragant response to there simply being somebody in the alley he thought he had best explain his irrational behaviour. Beginning to laugh at how stupid he must have looked he said
"let me expalin myself simply, I've had a...very strange childhood to say the least, but I can tell you no more, it's a long story more suitable for the comfort of a roaring fire," he chuckled
"just don't scare me like that in future, you'll be the death of me," he laughed good heartedly regaining his former compousre and hoping this outburst wouldn't affect her impressions of him. Though two in the very same night did make him seem pretty weird. Chuckling he smiled happily at Loren "I'll forgive ya...this time."

[Loren Hayes]

'I'm really sorry!' Loren replied apologetically, although rather contradictorily as she was in a fit of laughter. The look on Boggleworth's face was absolutely priceless and the Ravenclaw dearly wished she had had a camera. Her laughter died away awkwardly however when Boggleworth mentioned something about his childhood - he did not give away whether it was traumatic or not, but he certainly seemed stiffer suddenly. Nervously she began to rub her neck, and gestured with a jab of her thumb in the direction they were supposed to be heading. 'Never mind, eh? Let's go or we'll have to go home before we get a chance to mooch about...'

Turning on her heel, Loren broke into a swift walk. She did not wait for her friend for he seemed perfectly capable of staying by her side, and she also hoped to make the two of them forget the random drama from a moment ago.

Loren walked out onto the village's main traveling road. A huge timber archway with 'Leaving Hogsmede' carved into it's upper beam marked the point where Hogsmede ended and the countryside began, the towering frontages and town houses abruptly stopping. There were one or two houses and scatterings of private land from beyond this point, but mostly it was just trees and hills. 'Almost there!' Loren called encouragingly as she dashed under the archway and into the darkness, no more street lights left to guide them...

[Henry Boggleworth]

Appreciating that Loren would let the matter rest for now and wouldn't pry he smiled thankfully at her, though she probably could see in the growing darkness.
"We'll have make time to stay out all night if we have to," chuckled Boggleworth for him rather nervously as it took him time to get over the fright. Walking alongside Loren and keeping to her fast pace which suited his long legs perfectly, he scarcely noticed the surroundign scenery dwelling now upon whether the Ministry would take more drastic action against him, though thankfully at the moment things had died down a little. Coming back to the present as he heard Loren's words of encouragement, he shook away his feelings of doubt and focused upon now.
"Aye, looks like we're near now," his wand was still clutched in his hand and he muttered "lumos" to shed a little light on the surroundings. They were very close now and Boggleworth would need all his wits about him to manage what was about to unfold, but he was still preocuppied which didn't bode well for either of them. He followed Loren more cautiously now shaking away the cobwebs though and readying himself for whatever would be inside the Shrieking Shack.

[Loren Hayes]

As they rounded the path, a pair of old, cankered oaks parted to reveal the smooth hill upon which the shack slumbered. Away from the village the silvery hue of the night was more striking against the darkness, and behind the house sat the moon rather low in the sky - shinning through one window and out the other, creating an eerie silhouette. Although the clouds were thinly scattered, a light rain had begun to pattered down on the road. 'I'm not dressed for this.' Loren sighed regretfully.

Making sure Boggleworth was still pursuing her, she clambered through the thick brambles that lay between the road and the crumbling stone wall that framed it, vaulting up and over into a field. The night's dew was cold and moist on her ankles, and she slipped off her shoes, enjoying the feeling. 'Remember when everyone used to think it was haunted? It's amazing that it's still around, even after the Marauders. What do you think they were like, Bog?' She asked, her eyes shinning in the moonlight and she gazed up the hill at the house in wonderment.