✧✦✧

JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE AND BEATRICE

act one  ━  chapter one

. . . . . .

━ MORGAN SAMUELS ━
august 1993

        "DID YOU DIE? SHOULD I CALL AN AMBULANCE?"

Jason Samuels would like to make it known that he is neither bothered nor worried if the answer to these two questions is yes because, at least in his terms, his sister had been in the shower for far too long.

"Fortunately for you," Morgan called back, her voice trickling in from under the bathroom door of their family townhouse in Camden, along with an obscene amount of hot steam, that had accumulated for the forty-four minutes that she had been in the shower, "no, I did not die. But it is possible I might need a doctor after the amount of shampoo I just got in my eye."

Slumping against the door, groaning so loudly, Morgan could hear it even with the gushing sounds of water hitting the bathtub floor, and with the barrier of her wet hair glued to her ears, Jason slammed his hand against the wood.

"I'm giving you five more minutes until I get mum to shut off the water supply."

"Oh, dearest brother," Morgan yelled, her fingers now buried deep in her mound of hair, massaging her scalp where she intended to keep them for at least another ten minutes, "you and I both know she can't go without boiling the kettle for much longer. When was the last cuppa again?" Morgan was well aware he couldn't see her satisfied smirk, but it added to her triumph nonetheless.

"I don't even live here, but she is right."

Beatrice Fisher had appeared in the hallway, a half-eaten apple core in her hands, just as Jason had tipped his head so far back, that it now banged against the door.

"Dessa is due to crack open another packet of custard creams any second."

Jason's forehead creased in puzzlement, and just as he had opened his mouth, a voice called from the direction of the kitchen.

"Anyone for a spot of tea? I baked a fruit cake!"

All three of the teenagers could hear the delight in Odessa Samuels' voice at the prospect of her third pot of tea of the day (bearing in mind it's only just gone midday) ─ a look of delight that was mirrored on Beatrice's face at how accurate her statement was.

Pushing himself off from the bathroom door, the shower still running and the hallway misty with steam, Jason spared Beatrice a look of distaste, "Sometimes, I'm really not comfortable with how accustomed you've become to my family."

Beatrice took a large bite out of her apple and shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm a package deal."

Tutting his tongue on the roof of his mouth, still very much perturbed that he had wasted the best part of an hour waiting for the shower to be free, Jason shuffled along the floor of the hallway, disappearing into his bedroom a second later, the door slamming behind him.

"I'd love a cup, please!" Beatrice called out to the kitchen from where she had relocated to directly outside the bathroom door where her best friend/host was still showering. Knocking twice with her knuckle, the Gryffindor cleared her throat loud enough for Morgan to hear.

"You know how much I despise your brother ─"

"Which you don't."

"Which I don't," Beatrice rectified her previous statement, "correct. But he may have a point surrounding the lengthy shower observation. If we want to get to Diagon Alley at a reasonable time, it would be best if you didn't prune beforehand."

Rinsing the last of the conditioner out of her hair, Morgan called back, "We've got all day, Bea! Besides, I'm meeting Bert at Florean's at two, so no, I'd rather not appear like a fish out of water for when that time comes."

Ten minutes later, and with her hair still wrapped in a towel, Morgan emerged from the bathroom, dressed and ready (with the exception of her hair) and took a seat next to her brother at the kitchen table, just as their mother, Odessa, was pouring the final mug of tea; four slices of fruit cake already laid out.

"So, are you girls heading off to Diagon Alley soon?" Odessa asked, pulling up a chair beside Bea so that the room filled with the uncomfortable sound of wood scraping against more wood.

"Yup," Bea replied, swirling her custard cream biscuit around her cup of tea, careful not to soak it too much it broke off into the beverage.

"Wonderful. Jason will join you."

"That certainly is wonderful." Bea plopped the soggy treat in her mouth, grinning with her lips sealed tight.

That was until she received a rather agressive kick from under the table, followed shortly by a death stare from Morgan. "Don't make me revoke your speaking privileges."

"I was simply agreeing with your mother." Bea lifted her chin, seemingly unphased by the act of violence.

Morgan heaved a sigh. "Does he have to go?"

Jason sipped on his tea, cocking his head to the side emphasising his bafflement. "Sort of?" he said, blinking rapidly because the fact was ─ of course, he had to go.

"It's your last year, you don't need anything, you've got it already." Morgan shrugged, leaving the other three debating whether or not they believed she was joking or not.

"Funny enough," Jason said, straightening up, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "that fact kind of makes this trip slightly more important than any other previous ones."

Refusing to accept defeat, Morgan rolled her eyes, focusing her attention back on her mug of tea, "Oh, just graduate already."

"Oh, just shut up already."

"Kids." Odessa sang in a warning tone from over the top of the rim of her cup, "Jason will go with you for necessity purposes only." Her eyebrows raised at her daughter.

In response to another moan of complaint from Morgan, Jason contorted his face in annoyance, "Oh for God's sake, it's not as if I want to go with you two."

"Charming."

Beatrice received yet another scowl from Morgan. Her best friend's obsession with her older brother never quite rubbed her the right way, it was safe to say.

"Rather go with your girlfriend, I presume?" Morgan quirked an eyebrow.

Odessa's cup clattered against her saucer almost in an instant. "Girlfriend?" She perked up. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend."

"Neither." Bea made sure to mumble this one into her drink, rather than grant herself another reverse brownie point from the friend that was housing her for a portion of their summer for the fifth year in a row.

"Okay, one," Jason's arms lay flat on the table now, as he was resolute to make his point, "I don't have a girlfriend."

"Got pretty cosy with that Bianca girl last year, didn't you though?" Morgan slurped her tea suspiciously, her eyebrows almost reaching her hairline.

Jason let out a frustrated sigh, "She has a boyfriend. We were never cosy."

"Oh," Morgan cooed teasingly, "You were the other woman."

Jason was ever so close, to smacking the mocking pout off of his sister's face, but he dared not ruin his mother's hourly tea meetings. He clenched his jaw and tried to explain himself for a second time. "We spoke a few times and ─"

"And you're currently trying to pretend that you're not totally heartbroken by the fact she chose someone else." Morgan finished for him, although it was clear to her mother and closest friend that this was not how Jason was going to word the rest of his sentence.

Morgan had heard all about her brother's sexcapades, as she liked to call them (no sexual acts were carried out as far as she knows, but she does revel in how much Jason hates the name) from his years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and due to the boy being so popular, there are oh so many.

The most recent fling, ─ if it could even be called that ─ a one Bianca Larsson, to whom Jason flirted with a few times, and got rather attached until she realized she was in love with someone else, who she is now currently on holiday with in the lovely countryside of Provence (it was a relationship long in the works, as Jason understands).

"And nothing came of it," Jason corrected his sister, sparing her a fierce stare. "And two," he continued, "don't go lecturing me about spending time with significant others miss I'm-ready-for-marriage."

"That's not the insult you think it is." Morgan sipped her tea peacefully at the thought of her long-term boyfriend, Herbert. Oh, how she enjoyed teasing her older brother about his failed love adventures (sexcapades) all the while hers was perfectly healthy and ongoing.

Jason got up from the table and placed his empty mug in the sink. "Just piss off to your shopping. You won't even know I'm there."

"Thank God."

Odessa sighed dreamily, as she began to gather her children's (that does include Beatrice on a non-technical technicality) Hogwarts shopping lists into one pile.

"Fabulous."

"Disappointing."

The table shook suddenly, as well as Morgan's chair and her shoulders simultaneously.

"Ow!"

❋❋❋

"IS THERE EVEN ANY USE IN BUYING THIS if it's not even confirmed I'm going to read it?"

Beatrice held up the required sixth-year Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook they had been told to buy for the upcoming year for her friend to see, her face twisting in disgust as if the thought of touching said book made her feel violently ill.

Morgan looked over from where she was on the next level of the balcony in Flourish and Blotts bookstore, lifting her head from where she was reading the blurb. "Even if we have another Lockhart variant, we'll still have to end up teaching ourselves the syllabus, so yes."

Bea shrugged, before tossing the book into the pile that had collected in her basket.

Last year, the students of Hogwarts had the pleasure of having Gilderoy Lockhart as their Dark Arts professor and he proved to be one thing: utterly useless. And so, Bea does make a good point ─ Morgan doesn't even remember opening their non-autobiography textbook at any point during their fifth year.

"Do you think if we go now we can catch Greg before his shift ends?" Bea had wandered over to where Morgan was nestled in a corner (Bea sometimes feared that if she left Morgan alone with books for long enough, completely free-rein, she'd become a book), her head in the same book as before.

She was glancing at her watch when Morgan finally looked up.

"Possibly," Morgan replied. "So long as we're done by ─"

"Two o'clock so you can go meet your boyfriend, yes, I am well aware of your itinerary, Morgan, no need to remind me." Bea raised her eyebrows, before plucking the closed book from her friend's hand and plopping it back into an empty spot on the bookcase, knowing it will be sorted into its correct location at some point.

"Noted."

Greg Roy ─ sweetheart, walking textbook (yet another reason why buying their Dark Arts textbook for that year probably wasn't necessary) and complete dork (Morgan means this in the nicest way possible) to the point where even he can admit to his dorkiness ─ worked at Sugarplum's Sweets Shop, located on one of the corners of Diagon Alley and it was quite possibly his favourite thing about life. So even if his shift that day was meant to end at one thirty, he would most definitely badger his boss for extra time.

So, after buying the last of their books, Morgan and Beatrice headed out into the cobblestone high street, soaking in the last of the summer sun, before they were whisked away in the chilly wonders of September.

Sugarplum's was quite out of the way, hidden from the bustling crowds and busy shoppers, meaning the noise slowly died down as the pair of them got closer to the shop on the corner until eventually, the only sound they could hear was the overhead bell jingly cheerily as they pushed the bright pink door open.

"Is this where I buy a broomstick?"

"Gummy or real?"

Greg was slouched over the counter, his eyes locked on a small notepad in his hands, where he read a list of stock. He seemingly didn't need to look up to see who had entered the shop, most likely because he knew Beatrice Fisher's voice all too well.

Adorned in his adorable frilly apron, Greg was not alone in the shop. A dark-haired boy was perched on the countertop, his legs dangling and his hands wrapped around a very large milkshake he no doubt got from Florean's down the road.

Casper Romero was the coolest kid Morgan knew. And she too internally cringes at that fact but it can't be helped because it was true.

Newly appointed to the Slytherin Quidditch team, quintessential bad boy, and rather easy on the eyes, in a normal world, Casper wouldn't be seen dead with someone like Morgan. And to this day, the Gryffindor is still confused as to how they ended up in the same friendship group even when there's a rather simple explanation to it.

Morgan befriended Beatrice and Edie Cunningham very early on in her Hogwarts days, due to such similar timetables. Edie's family and Casper's family have been friends for years ─ the two of them practically bathed together as kids ─ and so when they started the same Wizarding School, despite being sorted into different houses, Edie and Casper remained friends out of loyalty, connecting Morgan and Casper.

The quartet gained a few members over the years (Greg being too sweet to ignore, and Kira sharing a dorm with Edie), leading them to the point they are now. A chaotic bunch of immature teens that probably shouldn't be left alone together with any thing explosive and/or flammable.

"What are you doing here?" Morgan asked, her gaze fixed on the Slytherin boy who was now swinging his legs back and forth greeting his friends with a wide grin.

"Waiting for Edie."

"Choosing her over us again?" Bea sighed in mock disappointment.

"Mum said I have to babysit her."

Morgan cocked her head to the side, "Does your mum know she's sixteen?"

"Not at all."

"Where is she now?" Bea asked, dropping her hip so she sagged into the wooden counter.

"Dropping Kara off at work. Told her to meet me here."

Kara was Edie's older sister who had recently graduated from Hogwarts, and worked part-time at the Ministry of Magic ─ her grades were quite spectacular ─ and part-time at Rosa Lee's teashop in Diagon Alley. Today, Kara was interning at the Ministry in London.

Morgan smiled, "Tell Kara to say hi to my dad."

Joe Samuels worked in the Department of Magical Transportation in the Ministry, and Morgan knew Kara to be interning for one of her dad's bosses.

"I'll say hi to your dad."

Beatrice's words hung in the air, almost as if they were taunting Morgan. There wasn't anything weirder nor more taunting than your friends fancying your dad. Your brother is bad enough.

"You're not building a very good case as to why I shouldn't murder you in your sleep tonight."

Bea shrugged, unphased. "Why do you think I fancy Jason so much?"

Morgan was beginning to question why she was friends with Beatrice.

Greg hadn't moved from where he was still checking inventory. Sighing, he looked up from his notepad and deadpanned at Morgan and then at Beatrice. "Are you going to buy anything or should I have you removed?"

"Casper hasn't been removed," Morgan pointed out.

"He recently hired me as his bodyguard."

"And oh how you do your job well."

Bea straightened up, pushing off from the counter and smiling at her Ravenclaw friend, rocking back and forth on her heels. "Just wanted to pop by."

"Should we all grab a cuppa at Rosa Lee when Edie comes then?" Casper suggested, also removing himself from the counter with a rather big leap, immediately picking up his milkshake again when he was safely back on the ground.

"I can," Bea answered before her expression turned sour, and she motioned to Morgan, "she can't."

Casper irritatedly poked at Morgan on her arm. "And why's that, Samuels?"

"She's meeting Bert for ice cream at two."

Casper and Greg shared a look of joint understanding and spoke at the same time. "Ah."

"I can talk, you know," Morgan said after her friend answered a question aimed at her.

Bea shrugged. "Not anything of value."

"Harsh."

"So, once again," Casper said, sighing his disapproval, "you neglect your closest pals for your boyfriend."

"And rightfully so." Morgan scoffed. "You lot are a bunch of rotten sods."

"Charming."

"If you weren't single," Morgan addressed all of them, "you'd be the exact same."

"Nah, I'm good," Bea said, nudging her fellow Gryffindor so she swayed to the side. "I get to live vicariously through you. All the while avoiding the stresses of teenage romance."

Morgan wouldn't say there were any stresses involved in teenage romance. Her experience in the matter had been nothing short of bliss. She and her boyfriend, Herbert, had never had any serious argument (in fact, they rarely dispute at all), spend lots of time together, and his parents love her, and vice versa. Like she said, bliss.

"So is that a definite no to the tea then?" Casper asked, lifting a brow and sipping on his straw.

"We could go and M could meet us later?" Bea suggested.

"Can't," Greg said. "Shift ends soon but it's my last day till the holidays so I thought I'd put in a few extra hours to make up for it."

"Work over a cuppa?" Bea let out a derisive chuckle, bewildered by her friend's choice to not only volunteer himself for more work but to also miss out on a steaming cup of tea in the best teashop in England. "You're clinically insane."

"You sound like my mum."

Bea hummed dreamily at the thought of Odessa Samuels. She held a hand to her heart. "A comment I take as the greatest of compliments."

Morgan furrowed her brows. "Why are you so obsessed with my family again?"

"Because I dislike mine."

Morgan cast a glance at Greg and then at Casper, who had been watching the conversation unfold comfortably. "She hugs my mum and Jason for longer than she does me when she stays."

Greg leant over the edge of the counter, his brows furrowing in a mix of confusion and concern. "Why is she staying with you again?" he asked Morgan, who could only shrug in response.

Casper slurped on his drink. "Why would you let her?"

Not letting Morgan answer the question that was aimed at her, Bea rushed in to defend herself. "I've told you." Her shoulders sagged in frustration. "I have problems at home that can't follow me all the way to Camden."

Casper quirked an eyebrow, "Because your problems are four years old."

Morgan has no problem with her best friend staying with her for the final week of summer and neither do her parents (Jason is a different story, but he's learned to put up with it) but even then, Morgan can admit that the origins of Bea's annual visit were rather petty.

"I have problems at home" is code for I can't stand my three toddler brothers.

Bea has been blaming any minor inconvenience in her life on John, Paul and George since before any of her friends can remember. The worst part isn't the fact that they're Muggles ─ nor is it that they are three-quarters of a rock and roll band. The worst part is that they are triplets. Now, who would like to live with crying, non-magical clones? It's not even as if Bea can hex them (her logic). And so, John, Paul and George (you would be right in guessing their dog is called Ringo) are the bane of Bea's existence, end of story.

The mention of her brothers struck a nerve in Bea and she started fiercely counting on her fingers. "John doesn't sleep anymore, we've just found out Paul is allergic to Ringo, and George won't shut the fuck up about dinosaurs!" Her arms had flayed up at her sides, and Morgan, Casper and Greg stifled a series of chuckles that threatened to laugh.

"Oh God," Morgan sighed, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder, "what A Hard Day's Night."

Greg snorted at the pun, and Casper thought it best to annoy Bea further, by stroking her back. "It's alright, Beatrice," he said, leaning closer so he could speak gently into her ear, "why don't you just Let It Be?"

Bea folded her arms across her chest, "You're hilarious, you know that?"

"We do indeed!"

Casper and Morgan shared a not-so-subtle high five behind Bea's back.

Once the three of them's laughter had died down, Greg tilted his head and looked over at Bea, who was still scowling. "I don't think I ever did learn the story behind your parents' baby name choices."

"Well," she exhaled, "they liked the name John. And then they liked the name George. So they just thought ─"

"Let's just let it all Come Together?"

Resting the urge to kick Casper, Bea smiled sarcastically in his direction. That was until Morgan let the dam break, no longer possessing the ability to hide her amusement, meaning Bea's gaze was now fixed firmly on her fellow Gryffindor.

A few new customers had strolled into the shop by this point, the overhead bell informing the group of friends, and so, Morgan, Casper and Bea all relocated to a secluded corner by the window opposite a display of brightly coloured lolly pops to leave Greg to do his job.

Clearing her throat with a final chuckle, Morgan bit her lip to suppress any further laughs, which she knew were to arrive once she had spoken again, and turned to her best friend; Casper yet to wipe the smirk from his face.

"We're sorry, Bea," Morgan said sympathetically. "I actually Dig It."

Bea's hands flew in the air again, less annoyed that they wouldn't stop with the Beatles' puns, but more so exasperated that they knew so many Muggle songs (she was the Muggle born here). "When are you going to stop making jokes about my brothers' names?"

Casper shrugged nonchalantly, taking a lolly from the shelf and removing the wrapper, assuming Greg would pay for it when he noticed it in the Slytherin's mouth. "When they're no longer identical to The Beatles," he said.

"Now, now." Greg, now done serving the customers who had just been and gone, joined his friends over by the window. "We get it. Bea's brothers have the same names as The Beatles." The pause told Bea she shouldn't be grateful for Greg's reappearance. "It's about time we all started to Act Naturally about it, alright? It's All Too Much."

The Ravenclaw was practically drowning himself in his own giggles.

"Did you all learn the entirety of The Beatles' discography just so you could take the piss?" Bea looked at him expectantly, her eyes piercing his.

"Yeah," Casper answered for the three of them, "just Yesterday actually."

Morgan shoved her friend to the side, her back resting against the stocked shelves. "Only Words Of Love, though, Bea."

"Why do you know so many Beatles puns?" Bea asked, her mind boggled by the fact they just kept coming. She refused to give them any comedic credit at this point.

Morgan shrugged unbothered. "Because." Greg and Casper had to turn around to conceal their laughter, Morgan now wearing a blank look as Bea clenched her jaw.

It took the Gryffindor a second to understand the reasoning behind Bea's deteriorating mood and the fits of giggles the two boys had descended into.

"Okay, that one was unintentional." Morgan held up a finger hoping to convince her already angered friend that she was telling the truth.

"Oh help me, God."

Morgan tried not to smirk but Greg and Casper were already there so there was hardly any point trying to suppress it any longer. "Don't you start."

"What are you lot laughing about?"

The light tingling of the doorbell echoed around the shop and this time, the newcomer wasn't a customer, but Edie Cunningham, another portion of their tiny army.

"John, Paul, George and Beatrice," Casper said unceremoniously.

"I see," Edie nodded in understanding, while Beatrice silently prayed a Beatles-related pun wouldn't follow.

"You guys should form a band." The Hufflepuff said to Bea.

They all stared at Edie blankly, who looked back at them vacantly. Slowly, a smirk crept up onto her face. "What? It's original."

Casper disposed of his drink on the shelf (Greg was far from happy), before throwing his arms over Morgan and Bea's shoulders. "Well, why don't you just look at this?" he said, glancing around the group, which was almost complete. "It's like a little mothers' meeting."

Greg grimaced. "Can't be. A mothers' meeting takes planning. This," he motioned to the area they had inhabited, "This is just a tragic accident, running into you lot."

Meanwhile, in agreement with Greg's statement, Morgan had picked up Casper's hand that had previously been draped over her shoulder, and removed it from its resting place, before dropping it, all the while looking as though Casper was infected with something she could catch.

"Why didn't we all just plan to meet here in the first place?" Edie asked.

"Kira's yet to make an appearance." Bea pointed out, the group now gathered in the middle of the empty shop, Greg returning to the circle of friends every now and then while he stopped off at various posts, still doing his job like he was supposed to.

"As per usual." Bea added with a roll of her eyes.

Kira Fleet was the final member of their clan. Morgan's boyfriend's sister had a tendency to not show up. And although on this particular occasion she had no commitment to meeting up with her friends, ─ having opted to spend a day in Diagon Alley with her parents, rather than her friends, because that way, they'd pay for everything ─ it was often that the Hufflepuff showed up late to their group gatherings, or not at all. She claimed it was because her bad memory meant her calendar had to be screamed at her if anyone required her presence.

"Oh, yeah." Casper sing-songed. "I forgot about her."

"What bliss."

"Anyway. E, you good to go?" Casper walked around the corner of the shop to retrieve his jacket from behind the counter where he had stored it without Greg knowing, all the while his eyes stayed on Edie, as he waited for her response.

Edie clapped her hands together, her face lighting up at the suggestion. "Ooh, yes!"

"Where are you two off to?" Morgan asked, curious as to what their plans could be that would make the Hufflepuff so excited.

"Edie wants to look at some brooms," Casper said, his jacket hung on his index finger, as he nodded his head in his childhood friend's direction, "so I thought I'd show her the ropes, what with my ─"

"Flawless athletic abilities." Even Greg chimed in out of nowhere to make it a three-person chorus ─ Morgan, Bea and the sweet shop worker rolling their eyes in sync to a phrase that they found their Slytherin friend repeating more often than not. "We know."

"Let's just all head over there, then?" Bea suggested. "It's one thirty now so Morgan has some time before she meets Herbert and Greg can join us if he wants."

The group replied in a series of overlapping mumbles of agreement and nods, and a few moments later ─ Greg turning down the offer when his boss appeared from the back rooms ─ Morgan, Bea, Casper and Edie headed off to Quality Quidditch Supplies in a bout of idle chatter and chuckles.

The shop was rather crowded when the group ambled over the road to it, a large mass of children and their tired parents huddled outside the shop window, staring in awe at something or rather on display. Morgan soon learned that the item they were all so infatuated with was the new broom, the Firebolt, upon entering and peeking head over the crowd of people on the inside of the glass.

Morgan would say she likes Quidditch on an average level. She liked the idea of being able to play it, but to her dismay, she did not possess such ability. Since her first attempt at flying a brother's broom from a young age, failing abysmally, and not improving when she started Hogwarts flying lessons, Morgan has opted to enjoy the game from the sidelines. Gryffindor pride and all that, just from the safety of the stands.

Casper and Edie immediately set their sights on the brooms, leaving Morgan and Bea to browse the shelves alone, neither of them Quidditch players but browsing nonetheless.

"What happened to staying out of each other's way?"

Morgan's eyes rolled naturally at the sound of her brother's voice drifting to her ears from behind her.

She spun on the spot, craning her neck to respond to his perturbed look. "It was a group decision to come here, dickhead," she said. "I had no intention of seeing you again today. Or ever for that matter."

"I had every intention of seeing you again, for the record."

"I'm going to scratch that for your own safety, okay, Beatrice?"

Jason ran a hand through his hair, letting out a tired breath of air. "Look, just hurry up with your shopping or boyfriend crap or whatever and meet me back here when you're done. I wanna go home."

Morgan spared him a sceptical look at both his resolute plans to stay in the same shop and at the fact that they had been in Diagon Alley for no more than two hours. "You're going to be in here the entire time?"

"I have our parents' money to spend, dearest sister." Jason laid a hand on her shoulder, bending down so he could be sure she heard him over the abundance of noise in the congested store.

Jason straightened out, glancing between his sister and her friend. "Now piss off. I don't want to be associated with the younger years."

Smirking, Morgan deliberately raised her voice hoping to do exactly what he didn't want, "No, I love you more, brother!"

A panic-stricken look flickered across his face, before Jason lunged at his sister, grabbed a hold of her frame and slapped a hand over her mouth. After she gave a little squeal, which was concealed by his hand, Jason then leant down to growl in her ear. "Speak to me in public again, and I'll tell mum about your own sexcapades."

That was enough to shut Morgan up. Bea, on the other hand, was beside herself with laughter.

After releasing her, and sending her a warning glance, Jason headed back over to his friends, one being a blonde girl, Morgan knew to be Bianca Larsson who sang something like: "But I wanted to meet her!" ─ Jason, mumbling "No, no you don't" in response.

Adrian Pucey peered over at the area from which Jason had just returned, upon seeing a smaller, female version of his Ravenclaw friend, turned back to Morgan's brother, cocking his head humourlessly. "Her best friend's in love with you, isn't she?"

"Okay, I'm off."

Morgan didn't even get to laugh at Bea's bright red face or tease her with the line "You only have yourself to blame" before the girl had sped off. It didn't take any time for Morgan to lose her best friend in the busy shop, that was still packed with people who had come to see the latest broom ─ it almost felt as though it were overflowing with rowdy kids; gasps bouncing off the walls every time one of them entered.

But just as she scanned the room for her fellow Gryffindor, bumping into a few shoppers as she went, Morgan spotted a familiar head of long brown hair, over by the trolley of Broomstick Servicing Kits. His eyes trailed over the various brands, his fingers gently tracing the outline of a box he had picked up.

The image brought a smile to her face, her previous search for Beatrice neglected, as she bounded over to her boyfriend. "Bert!" She called out, causing the Hufflepuff to startle, his head darting to look at her. "What are you doing here, I thought you could only get here for two because Kira wanted to buy school supplies with your parents first?"

A half smile crept onto his face, as he put the box back onto the shelf, Morgan now throwing her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a tight hug.

Pulling away, Herbert explained the reasoning behind his visit to the Quidditch shop. "I managed to get away. I-I couldn't find you so I thought I'd check out the Firebolt." He weakly gestured to the display window, where the mob of people still remained.

His explanation made sense, although a small inkling stood out to her. Kira also played for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team and although she rarely bothered her friends with the details about her school Quidditch career (unlike Casper), Kira loved the game and it was no doubt she'd want to badger her parents for new gear.

Morgan ignored her inkling, assuming it was just sibling troubles, knowing full well Jason would hurry along to a shop he wanted to go to, that Morgan would also like to have visited. And she'd do the same to him.

"Oh, okay," she said, before gesturing to the exit of the shop behind her, "well, why don't ─"

"That's a big price tag." Morgan didn't recognise the voice that cut her off, but the source of it showed itself not much later; a brunette girl appeared from behind Herbert, causing the couple to dart their eyes in her direction. "Maybe if we put our money together ─" The girl stopped when her eyes landed on Herbert's guest.

"Oh, hi."

Morgan smiled awkwardly. "Hi."

Herbert watched the two girls for a moment before he realised it was his place to step in seeing as he was the mutual friend here. "Morgan," he said, holding out his hands, "this is Katie. Katie, this is Morgan Samuels. My girlfriend."

Morgan couldn't help but identify the slight hesitation in his voice before he said the word girlfriend, but dismissed it immediately not wanting to be the obsessive girlfriend type she knew he hated.

Morgan knew who Katie Bell was. One might refer back to the Gryffindor pride and, seeing as Katie had been a Gryffindor Chaser for quite some time, even if Morgan was in the year below, it would be hard for her not to know who was scoring all of her house's goals.

Katie smiled sweetly at Morgan, who was apparently significantly shorter than Katie. "Girlfriend?" She repeated incredulously. "I can't believe we haven't met before!"

Katie pulled Morgan in for an unexpected hug, and the two of them stayed there for a second too long for Morgan, who was trying to get her boyfriend to meet her gaze, but Herbert's eyes were tranced elsewhere.

Rubbing the Chaser's back uncomfortably, as if to wrap the hug up, Morgan spoke into Katie's shoulder. "Er, yeah, it's really nice to meet you."

The two came apart and Herbert inserted himself into the conversation again. "We were just looking at brooms. You know Katie's a Gryffindor chaser, right?"

"Of course."

"Yeah, of course you do," Herbert chuckled, before lightly nudging Katie jokily. "Best one in the school, ey?"

Of course you do? What kind of bullshit is that? Everyone knows the best chaser in the school is Adrian Pucey so Morgan doesn't know what Herbert is doing giving the poor girl false hope. She's good, yes, but coming from someone that failed in the Quidditch department, despite her best efforts, Morgan would rather not hear that from her boyfriend.

Katie playfully hit Herbert on the arm, a shy smile making its way onto her face, which had already been dusted with rosiness. "Oh shut up."

Herbert looked over at Morgan, whose eyes couldn't settle on either of them.

"She's just being modest." He rolled his eyes jokily.

Morgan's insides squirmed. "Hm mhm."

"Oh!" Katie claimed back the centre of attention as she lifted a brown paper bag from her hand and passed it to Herbert. "I got you those gloves you wanted."

"Oh, great thanks." Herbert grinned, taking the handle of the bag gratefully. He looked back at an awkward Morgan, who didn't quite know what to say or do. "I'm just going to pay and then I'll meet you outside, yeah?"

"No need," Katie chimed in before Morgan even got the chance to respond. "I already paid."

Jason Samuels has been on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team for four years. He's played Quidditch since he was seven. Morgan knows how expensive Quidditch supplies were. Why would a girl Herbert had never even mentioned before spend that much money getting him Keeper gloves, when Morgan got him a pair for Christmas last year?

"You shouldn't have."

Katie shrugged as if it weren't a big deal, which, internally, Morgan was screaming at how it very much was.

"Think of it as a welcome back present."

Welcome back present? Those exist? Herbert wasn't dying, they had just been off of school for six weeks.

Herbert smiled solemnly at the Gryffindor chaser, who returned his expression with a toothy grin. "Thank you."

"Oh, there you are."

This time, the voice to enter their midst was a Scottish one, the source of whom quickly appeared from behind Katie; his previously stern jaw softening and his dark hair a shaggy mess atop his head.

Oliver Wood. To the extent of Morgan's knowledge: a Quidditch-crazed Gryffindor Keeper and captain, lover of all things Quidditch, a seventh-year aspiring professional Quidditch player, and an all knowledgable Quidditch being. Oh, and Katie Bell's boyfriend.

"Oliver, hey."

Katie seemed surprised at the appearance of her boyfriend, whom Morgan assumed had come into the store with her. A store that isn't exactly large. Busy, yes, but big? No.

Herbert and Oliver exchanged brief waves, Oliver's hand now resting on his girlfriend's lower back, before the Scot's eyes fell onto the other participant in the conversation.

Katie spoke for him.

"Oliver, this is Herb's girlfriend," Katie held out her hand to Morgan, hesitating before she continued on her introduction, "Morgan, was it?"

It's been five minutes. Do better.

And Herb? No.

Morgan smiled clumsily, nodding her head a little, not finding any words on the tip of her tongue. "Hm mhm."

Oliver gave a punctuated nod in her direction, smiling politely at the sixth year. "It's nice to meet you, Morgan."

"You too, Oliver."

"You're Jason's little sister, right?" Oliver asked, his brows knitting a little, almost hoping he hadn't made a mistake in his factual knowledge of the Samuels family tree.

Again, Morgan didn't have words. She felt too ill at ease to form any. She hummed instead, nodding again. "Hm mhm."

A painful silence fell upon the four of them, despite the shop remaining just as rowdy as it was when the Firebolt was first put on display. Katie scratched her head, Oliver ran a hand through his hair, Herbert clasped and unclasped his hands and Morgan could barely look up from the floor.

"So." Katie was the first one to brave breaking the seal.

Morgan couldn't take it any longer and so turned to the person she felt most comfortable with in their little circle and put on her best cheery voice.

"So, ice cream?"

Herbert ran his fingers along the edge of his face. "Oh yeah, sure."

Sure? They've planned to meet for ice cream for weeks. And he suggested the idea. But sure?

Concluding that his time in Quality Quidditch Supplies was over, Herbert made a final move to prepare to leave. "I'll see you on the train, yeah?" he said to Katie

Morgan was almost expecting Katie to tag along. Or worse. For Herbert to invite her and Oliver. The pair seemed nice and all but Morgan felt shitty enough not having to endure it for longer than a quick five-minute conversation.

"Course."

Course? Morgan is well aware she'll see Herbert once before they go and sit with their respective friendship groups for the duration of the long-haul train journey to Hogwarts next week, but as far as Morgan was aware, Katie Bell wasn't a part of Herbert's respective friendship group. Was she?

Morgan needed to get her head out of the gutter.

"See you, Katie." Herbert took a step away from Katie and Oliver, making a move in the vague direction of the exit. He gave a straight-lined-lipped smile at the boy. "Nice to see you, mate."

Oliver pursed his lips and Morgan was glad to see that she wasn't the only one feeling incredibly self-conscious after their interaction.

"Yeah, you too."

Morgan and Herbert left the other couple in the store, a gust of warm fresh air hitting them on the way out, and they headed straight for Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, where they were greeted with yet another comforting hug from the latter shop's atmosphere.

Shrugging off her jacket, Herbert taking it from her shortly after, Morgan soaked the nostalgia in.

The parlour was small, and decorated with a green and teal colour scheme, with rustic chairs and brick walls and a fire in the corner that only burned in the colder seasons, when the ice cream sold was less popular. It was rather busy at this time of day, so the pair were lucky to snag a seat at the far end, the opposite chairs pressed right up against the walls.

Herbert ordered both of them a glass of lemonade, himself a scoop of pistachio and a vanilla cone for Morgan ("Simplicity is key, darling.") before joining her at their shared table, tray in hand.

Herbert took his time to remove the two glasses and ice cream from the tray and lay them out on the table. He even fiddled around with the cutlery next to him that he wasn't going to use before shuffling around uncomfortably on his chair as if trying to find the perfect angle to position his arse on the seat.

Eventually, ─ Morgan having licked half of her scoop already in the meantime ─ he cleared his throat and spoke. "So."

She smiled at him, confused as to why he was making it so awkward. They were never awkward together. It's like an entry-level requirement to dating basically. "So."

"Morgan."

"Bert?" She let out a humoured chuckle ─ one he did not reciprocate.

He bit his lip. He never bites his lip. "Um." He prolonged the speech, so it became more like an annoying buzzing sound.

He cleared his throat again, clasping his hands on the table as if his ice cream pot wasn't there at all. "I think." Herbert furrowed his brows like he didn't know what he was actually thinking. "I think."

"You think?"

Swallowing what seemed to be a rather large lump in his throat, Herbert finally spat it out.

"I think we should talk?"

Morgan noted the creases on his forehead and the twisting of his mouth. The tilt of his head and how he spoke as if he were asking a question rather than making a statement. She had never seen him look this uncomfortable. And she's seen him alone in a room with her dad.

She swallowed the large lump that had accumulated in her throat.

"Oh?"

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫!

pre-writing chapters is
possibly the biggest
accomplishment known to man

i also hope i have summoned
at least some kiss list fans

also longest?? chapter??
like?? ever???