Chapter 200: 200: A Trip to Hogsmeade · Part Three

Words : 1169 Updated : Oct 8th, 2025

The reason was simple: no matter how advanced wizarding knowledge and craftsmanship were, they probably couldn't make something like this. The straw was shaped like a "Y," designed for two people to share a drink intimately. Cho's face burned like it had caught fire. Guiltily, she snatched the straw away, darting her eyes around as if afraid someone would see. As expected, several wizarding couples were already cozily huddled together, chatting while sharing a single drink. "This straw..." Nolan frowned. "Do they make ones with three—" "You shut up!" Cho cut him off hastily. "Thank you, Madam!" "Oh, it's nothing, dear. Have fun!" The enthusiastic Madam Puddifoot waddled away, leaving Cho fuming. "What were you thinking?!" she snapped at Nolan. "Do you want everyone to know about... this? About us? About the fact that I'm here with you and—oh, Merlin, this is insane. I've actually thought about just giving up!" Eve, however, didn't seem to care at all. She leaned forward without hesitation, pressing her lips against the same straw Cho had just drunk from and took a sip of the honeyed mead. Then she grinned. "Why not?" "Don't you think this is humiliating?!" "Humiliating? Sharing the same guy?" Eve tilted her head thoughtfully. "If it were someone else, I'd probably find it odd. But if it's Nolan... it makes sense to me." "That's absurd!" "Then maybe you should give up." Eve rolled her eyes. "Listen, Cho. Of course, I'd rather have Nolan all to myself, but I understand his situation, and I won't make that decision for him. That would be unfair. I came to terms with it, so I can accept it. If you can't convince yourself, then maybe you should walk away." "What situation?" Cho was growing more confused. "What are you even talking about?" Eve simply shrugged. How was she supposed to explain? That Nolan wasn't just a wizard, but a vampire? In truth, Eve Stock had spent a great deal of time thinking over the past year. For instance, if she wanted to stay with Nolan, would she eventually have to give up her humanity? The idea of gaining a long lifespan, spending centuries—maybe even millennia—by his side before facing the inevitable end together, didn't scare her. But she couldn't bear to abandon her mother. That was why, over the holiday, she had brought her mother to Randall Gorge, allowing her to witness Nolan's world firsthand. To Eve's surprise, her mother wasn't repulsed by vampires at all. In fact, she rather liked them. That day, Eve had made up her mind—one day, when the time was right, she and her mother would embrace immortality together. And with that, she could finally see herself as Nolan's eternal partner. But that also meant facing a certain reality. Vampires did not adhere to monogamy, and no noble vampire in history had ever been tied to just one partner for life. One day, Nolan would take his place as head of the Von Draugr family—one of the only three vampire dynasties in Britain. It left a bitter taste in Eve's mouth. But from the very beginning, she had never considered walking away. Instead, she had worked to change the way she thought. She had even gotten along quite well with that Italian girl, Libera, over the holidays. "What situation exactly?" Cho was still pressing, her frustration mounting. They were obviously keeping something from her. "I don't know what I missed, but you need to tell me! This isn't fair!" By the time they left the tearoom, Cho's mood had soured considerably. Still, she continued clinging to Nolan's arm. Eve suspected it was out of competitiveness—Cho refused to let herself fall too far behind. "Is that 'Finesse'?" Eve recognized the shop they were passing. "I know this brand—there's a store in London just like this one." "There's one in Paris, too," Nolan said. That was something Fleur had told him. "Finesse has always been the best brand for wizarding robes," Cho muttered, still sulking. "But it's also the most expensive." Just then, a slim witch in a silver-green robe emerged from the shop. "Oh, of course, it's the most expensive! Every Finesse robe is tailored to fit perfectly. Come inside, darlings, let's see if we have something that suits you!" The store was spacious, but the first floor only displayed a few robes. Unlike the loose, billowing black robes most wizards wore daily, these robes were sleek and finely crafted. "Dear, where did you get your robe?" the shop witch asked, eyeing Nolan's attire with admiration. "I designed it myself," Nolan answered coolly. "But maybe you could offer some suggestions if I wanted to commission robes for these two?" "Oh, I certainly could, but it will cost you," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Anyone shopping at Finesse can afford your prices," Nolan replied, pulling out a small pouch of Galleons. "You know that." Their arrival caused quite a stir inside the boutique. The store was already filled with students—mostly young witches—who, though unable to afford the robes, still loved to admire them. It was no different from how Muggle women enjoyed window shopping. Even if they couldn't buy anything, just looking was enough to satisfy them. But what no one expected was that Nolan Von Draugr was here. The young witches whispered excitedly amongst themselves. Some envied Eve and Cho for how close they were to him, while others simply marveled at the chance to see him up close outside of school. And then they overheard something shocking. A chubby little witch sighed longingly, "Nolan is really buying Finesse robes for Cho and Stock? Why couldn't it be me..." Her friend let out a dramatic sigh. "Owning a Finesse robe would make you the center of attention for the entire school year... This is so unfair." It wasn't long before the news spread through Hogwarts like wildfire—Nolan had bought custom robes for both Cho and Eve. As for how jealous the other witches were? Well, that went without saying. "I'll have them finished as soon as possible," the shop witch promised gleefully. Though there were plenty of students in Hogsmeade today, very few could actually afford to place an order at Finesse. Yet Nolan had purchased two robes in one go. "I'll have them delivered to Hogwarts by owl when they're ready." The Three Broomsticks was packed today. Nolan led Eve and Cho into the bustling tavern. The Three Broomsticks was the largest and most popular establishment in Hogsmeade. No matter their age—whether an elderly wizard with a long beard or a child barely old enough to walk—everyone wanted to step inside at least once. The menu boasted a variety of drinks: hot butterbeer, lemonade, cherry syrup, even Muggle-style sodas chilled with enchanted ice... ~~~---------------------- Patreon Advance Chapters: patreon .com / HPdreame

Chapter 200: 200: A Trip to Hogsmeade · Part Three

Comments (0)