Snake & Raven

Senet and Merre grin at one another. Senet adjusts their hat, charmed to make their hair a deep inky black, and Merre shrinks down and twitches their tail.

“Operation Disaster Fire is on,” Senet chuckles as they lower a palm to Merre’s level. The squirrel darts up the sleeve and peeks out. They’re set.

The trip to Hogsmeade is motivated by a mutual interest: watching their favorite totally-not-dating couple on their first trip alone together for the town. It’s a nice, crisp early spring day and flowers are blooming everywhere.

They can see Charlie lacing his fingers with Thandi’s, his face redder than the wreath of roses on the door of–“Really? Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop? Oh, Merre this should be rich.”

They approach as the two enter and groan. As always, the place is packed. Dozens of couples, with the one of particular interest seated in the back. Senet exchanges a look with Merre. “Either you n me, as people spendin pocket money, or…”

Merre bounces off their shoulder and into the alley, scurrying on top of the garbage cans onto a brick wall. Senet grins. “Right, we thought ahead. Good going, nuts.”

Merre gives the best withering glare a squirrel can manage as Senet climbs up after them, pulling out Paul’s Peeping Square. They push it to the wall and it’s as if they’re sat right behind Charlie.

“Aw, we’re gonna miss the best part! I can’t hear ’em, and we’re gonna miss Charlie’s face as he botches it up!” Despite this, the two of them peer in, watching Thandi as the great Puddifoot herself puts down a teapot decorated with fat pink hearts. Charlie looks up to her and Thandi blushes as the woman laughs, giving him a big slap on the back.

Thandi reaches out to comfort Charlie as the lady leaves them be for a moment, returning with cookies and teacakes on a small stand. She gives Charlie a thumbs up as she leaves. It’s a boring twenty minutes watching the two, and even Merre returns to their human form so they could chat with Senet.

“It ent that different from usual,” they sigh.

“Usually she’d be in his lap and he’d be handfeedin her like some queen. Thought it’d be more fun if he completely–snrk–let the cat out the bag.”

The two of them burst out laughing. “Yknow, Sen, we can give em a hard time. Wanna go in and make faces behind Thandi?”

They high five. This’ll be rich. Senet removes their disguise and grabs their Square from the wall as they follow Merre back around to the hot pink front.

Inside, it smells like sweets and cakes and teenage hormones. Merre is put off by the menu they observe as they’re seated close to their target. Charlie pales on seeing them, glancing between them and Thandi.

“Charlie? Is something wrong?”

“Um. Uh. N-no. Er.”

“All right. Well…as I was saying, don’t you think that there should be a spell for transportation? Flume powder is so…”

He attends to her words dutifully, trying not to look at Senet and Merre. The two of them grin at him over stuffed mouths of shortbreads and crackers. Senet elbows Merre and raises their hands to make a suggestive hand signal to Charlie.

His eyes go wide and even his ears turn red. Thandi tilts her head at him and starts to turn. Senet and Merre quickly adjust, turning away.

“Oh! Senet, Merre, you’re out on a date, too?”

Charlie sputters as both spies guffaw. “Too! Oh, that’s good–“

He stands suddenly, shop going silent. “It’s not a date!” Merre groans at the tears in his eyes, already threatening to spill over. The Madam approaches quickly. 

“Excuse me, but try not to bother the other customers. I’ll warn you once, but if it happens again, you’re out.”

Charlie, thoroughly embarrassed, sits and stares at the tabletop. Thandi frowns and raises a finger. “Actually, could we trouble you for the bill?”

“Us, too,” Senet says, grinning. Charlie covers his face with his hands and seems to shrink in on himself. Merre leans forward.

“Ythink we done enough? I feel kinda bad for him.”

“Well, the git ain’t callin it what it is, so…”

The bill arrives and Charlie slams down the payment, grabbing Thandi’s wrist and speeding out the door before Merre and Senet could even manage to pull out their coinpurses.

Senet sighs, looking after them. “I guess I’ll cut em a break. Ywanna hit the Joke Shop?”

Charlie cries into Thandi as they stand outside. She strokes his hair and he clings as he always does, burying his face into Thandi. “It’s not a date.”

“I know, Charlie. I know. It’s okay. What else did you plan for today?”

“I. I didn’t…”

The bell of the Tea Shop tinkles and the two interlopers emerge. They approach and slap Charlie on the back. “You two’re on your own now! Go and enjoy your bookshoppin or whatever you two nerds do when you’re makin eyes at each other.”

“We’re goin to Honeydukes later, ywant some frogs?”

Thandi nods. “That would be nice! Oh, could you pick up some peppermint drops? I’ll pay you at the school.”

Charlie can’t bear to look. He was laughed at on a date–er, outing, and it’s agonizing. Thandi is going to laugh at him. In the bad way. 

Rather than laugh, though, she’s gentle. “Perhaps you should renew the charm?”

He looks up, excited, and he kisses her face all over, brows furrowed the whole time. Thandi giggles as he squeezes her tight and leans back, lifting her off the ground. He stumbles back and they fall into a pile.

Charlie laughs and gives Thandi a nuzzle, trespasses forgotten, and they decide to hit the bookstore after all.