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Gwen had to wake up early the next day. Oliver scheduled Quidditch practice from eleven o'clock till five, so Gwen had to go to Hogsmeade early to get her Christmas shopping done.
It was crazy that they had to practice for six hours. It was a miracle that Gwen wasn't in pieces already.
Gwen got one of her essays done and then went quickly to change. She had agreed with the twins and Lee that they meet in the Common Room at seven and give the Marauder's Map to Harry then arrive at Hogsmeade at around 7:30.
She just hoped they would have stuck with the promise and be there. And thank Merlin, they were.
"Let's get today over with," Gwen stated when she saw them in front of the fireplace. The three immediately stood up and although they were awake, Gwen could tell that they were still half asleep.
Gwen hoped that Harry was awake and that they didn't have to wait long for him.
They saw him in the middle of the courtyard bidding goodbye to Ron and Hermione through the window.
Gwen passed the other three as she started running to catch up with Harry beforehand.
As soon as she was hit with the cold air, she instantly shivered. She buried her face deep into her scarf. "Harry!" Harry turned around and just like always whenever he sees Gwen, Harry smiled.
"Morning Gwen. You going to Hogsmeade?" Gwen nodded her head. "I am actually, spend some time there before Oliver drags us away. And you will also be going." Gwen added with a cheeky smile in the end. Harry furrowed his eyebrows, confused at what she meant by it.
"I think it's better if you come with me, I'll show you." Gwen linked her arm with Harry's and ushered him towards one of the classrooms.
"Oh, by the way, Lupin told me that he would be able to help you with the dementors. Said that he would try to help me as well."
Harry rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Really? Sorry that I included you in the mess."
Gwen shook her head and laughed a little. "It's no problem at all. You know, you apologize way too much for nothing." Gwen finally stopped when she saw Fred's red hair by one of the classroom doors.
Gwen quickly pushed Harry into the classroom with her. Gwen closed the door behind her and faced Fred, George and Lee who were sitting on top of a table.
"What's going on?" Harry asked as he eyed the Gryffindors.
"Early Christmas present for you, Harry," Fred said. Fred pulled the map from inside his pocket with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. Harry just stared at it. "What's that supposed to be?"
"This, Harry, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.
"It's a wrench, giving it to you," said Fred, "but Gwen convinced us that your need's greater than ours."
"Anyway, we know it by heart," said George. "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."
"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" Harry said. "A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as if Harry had mortally offended him. Gwen groaned.
"Don't be so dramatic!"
Lee cleared his throat in exaggeration. "Weren't you the one who did a funeral two weeks ago?" Gwen felt bashful. "Continue."
"Explain, George."
"Well... when we were in our first year, Harry- young, carefree, and innocent-" Harry, Gwen and Lee snorted simultaneously.
"-well, more innocent than we are now- we got into a spot of bother with Filch."
"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason-"
"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual-"
"-detention-"
"-disembowelment-"
"-and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."
"Is this going anywhere?" Gwen asked. "Don't tell me-" said Harry, starting to grin. Gwen tuned them out as she checked her watch.
The two kept on dragging the story, so Gwen took it in her own hands to show Harry the map instead.
"Here, let me just do it. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Gwen pocketed her wand and watched Harry looking at the map in astonishment.
"It's amazing!" Harry exclaimed which made Gwen smile. "It is, isn't it? And they all lead to-" Gwen started as she traced the passageways with her index finger.
"Hogsmeade." Harry continued and Gwen nodded her head.
Fred moved closer to take a better look at the map so that he could explain it easier. "This one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump."
Lee suddenly cleared his throat and all the other Gryffindors looked at him. He pointed at his watch frequently indicating that it was time for them to all leave.
Gwen looked at Harry and smiled. "We better go, we have some shopping to do. But I'll see you again during practice." Gwen followed Fred and George outside and was about to leave when she remembered something else.
"Oh, I forgot! When you're finished just point your wand at it and say 'Mischief Managed', all the contents would be wiped off." Gwen explained as she and Harry watched the map slowly fade and disappear. Gwen gave Harry one last pat on the back and went to find the twins and Lee.
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Gwen looked around the shop windows with the hope that she would be able to find the perfect gift for her brother. She would be returning home for those Christmas holidays, she couldn't bear leaving her brother alone in what is supposed to be a holiday for families to enjoy.
Sebastian could be very annoying most of the time but even Gwen couldn't complain about all the work he had to do and all the patience he had with her. Sebastian had no choice but to take care of his sister for the past three years.
Even though it was, with no doubt, a hard job to do, she never heard him complain once and that was one of the main reasons why she loved him so much.
Her love for her brother was so big that she knew for sure that she can never love anyone as much as she loves him.
Gwen decided to enter the last shop in all of Hogsmeade. As soon as she entered the shop, she coughed as a cloud of dust fell on her. The place was musty and she swore that she even smelt the odour of some kind of mould.
The owner of the shop, a very young and handsome man looked up slightly and smiled at Gwen. He retreated to his book without saying a word and left Gwen to wander around the shop.
The silence in the shop was too creepy. The only sounds were of the ancient clock ticking and the soft breathing of the man.
Gwen knew that she was being a bit too paranoid and was probably making a fuss out of nothing, but she still grabbed her wand from the inside of her pocket.
As Laurence had told her a million times before he died, a key to being a top-notch auror is to always have constant vigilance.
The Gryffindor girl eyed every object that was stacked on the shelves for her to find something for her brother.
Gwen got her free hand out of her jacket and ran a finger on the wood of the shelves, leaving a clean path that was now not covered in dust.
"Do you need any help?" Gwen turned to look at the owner who was slowly making his way towards Gwen.
"I do actually, I'm trying to find a present for my brother," Gwen responded. The man stopped next to her and stuffed his hands in his pockets and kept staring at Gwen.
He pointed at her. "I think I know you from somewhere. What's your name?" Gwen looked at him confusingly?
"Gwen Hamilton, why?" She asked suspiciously and he snapped his fingers in response.
"Hamilton! Knew it! I'm guessing that you're related to Laurence Hamilton, right?" Gwen nodded her head. She had no idea where the conversation was going. "I'm his sister."
The young man slapped his head gently. "Oh lord, I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Thomas Green. I was a friend of Laurence during my school years." Thomas gave a small smile as he reminisced.
"How did you know that I was related to him?"
"Your eyes, they're the same as his. Would be quite impossible not to see the connection." The young shopkeeper gave Gwen a sad smile, a way for him to say sorry for your loss without using the actual words. Gwen tried her best not to look at him.
"Anyway, what are you here for?" Thomas leaned against an old cupboard and kept his smile on.
It took a few seconds for Gwen to respond as even she had no idea what she was looking for. Gwen started to gnaw at her lower lip in thought.
"Uh, I'm-I'm not sure really. I'm trying to find a gift for my other brother." Gwen finally said.
A smirk appeared on Thomas' thin lips. "Really? Then I have just the thing for you. Follow me," Gwen watched as Thomas walked to the other side of the store and the girl tried her best to keep up with his long strides. As she tried to reach him, she almost fell after hitting her leg against a mahogany coat holder.
Thomas had disappeared behind the counter as he started to mutter nonsense under his breath.
Occasionally, things were thrown in the air and landed on the floor with a small bang. Gwen was pretty sure that some of the stuff was broken beyond repair.
"Aha!" said Thomas who now appeared from behind the counter with his dark black hair ruffled. He put the object gently on the table and then brought his hands to his hair as he tried to tame it.
Gwen was curious about the object that he had brought out, so she quickly walked closer to the counter and grabbed the object in her hands to examine it.
It was a small wooden box with elegant carvings on top. "Don't be shy, open it," Thomas interjected, Gwen glanced up at him and saw that the smile on his face was still there, and even wider.
Gwen made sure that she opened the box gently to not to cause it any damage. When she opened it, she noticed that it was filled to the brim with many folded parchment, a small diamond ring and two lockets.
The girl was confused as to why Thomas has shown her the box. "I don't understand, why did you show me this?" Gwen asked.
"Open the letters and skim through them, you'll know exactly why," Thomas replied. Gwen did as the young shopkeeper said and slowly opened the letter, very careful to not tear the old parchment.
Gwen's eyes read through the first lines that consisted of the date and the address but stopped suddenly as her eyes widened. There on the old parchment was written clearly 'My dearest Clementine,'
Gwen's mouth opened agape. She quickly turned the letter and looked for the last sentence. 'Love, Wendell Hamilton.'
âGwen knew instantly what the parchments were. Letters written by her parents to one another.
"How do you have these?" Gwen asked, her eyes finally tearing away from the letter and towards Thomas. Thomas shrugged. "I have no idea. The box was here before I even started working here. The shop used to belong to my great-uncle until he died a few months ago." Thomas said casually.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Gwen replied as the conversation took a downfall. Thomas waved his hand. "No need for sympathy. Didn't even know the old crooner existed before I was given the shop for me to keep."
Gwen raised an eyebrow at the man's insensitivity to one of his family member's death. Thomas noticed the look he was being given and immediately changed the subject by clearing his throat.
"Anyhow, when I was rummaging through this dusty place I came across it. And when you told me who you are, well, I thought that it belongs to a Hamilton after all." Thomas explained and then raised an eyebrow at Gwen. "I'm guessing that you want it?"
Gwen quickly nodded her head. "Yes, of course, how much is it?" Gwen asked as she rummaged through her bags to find some money.
"Two galleons. With the contents inside the box, it should cost about five times that but since it rightfully belongs to you, it would be horrible of me to charge you that much. Plus, I happen to like you."
Gwen quickly handed him the money and placed the box gently in one of the other bags. "Thanks a lot," Gwen replied as she made her way towards the door.
"Pleasure's all mine!" He called out as she left the shop.
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