of sugar-baited words

Mio sat alone at the Slytherin table for dinner, helping herself to the strawberry pudding dessert. A few seats down she noticed Asher Avery, one of the prefects, sitting by himself, lost in thought. Bite after bite, she stared at him—his neck, his arms, his hands. He was gorgeous, and he would never waste time with someone like her. Mio shook her head and helped herself to seconds of dessert.

Dear Regulus, 

How’s your summer been? Well, I hope! I also hope you don’t mind that I’m sending you a letter. I wore those earrings you gave me the other day and I thought I’d see how you’re doing. 

Personally, I can’t wait for school to start again. I thought summer in the city would be rather grand, but when you live in a castle the other ten months of the year, well, it can be hard to compete. I also thought it’d be fun to have a job, but it’s really just a drag! Everyone at the Ministry seems to hate their life. Did I tell you I have a part-time internship there? It sucks. Did you get a job for the summer? Hopefully it’s better than mine. I also work at a little bookshop, and that job is quite all right, but most of the time I’m too tired to really read and enjoy it. I can’t believe adults just have jobs like this all the time and don’t have Hogwarts to look forward to. Do you ever feel like you’re growing up too fast? Like, your age number that just keeps shooting up, but you feel the same on the inside? I live with two girls who have just graduated and I know they’re only two years older, but they feel so much older. 

Anyway, it’s been kind of quiet, so if you’re around, I’d love to see you. 

Your friend, 

Mio

“Well you know, it’s a beautiful day, the water calls.” Dawn let out a small laugh. “Much like everyone else here I guess.”

Mio smiled. “It does indeed! Do you live around here?”

When: 22nd July 1980 Where: Tinworth Boardwalk Who: @miobloxam​

To put it lightly, Dawn was busy. She was training more than she ever had, both on the pitch and off it, trying to maintain some kind of life with her friends, all whilst navigating the fact she was now a public figure. It was everything she’d dreamed of since learning what Quidditch was, but still it was an adjustment. Especially with the scandal of the Harpie’s former beater looming over her. That’s why, on this rare morning off, she just needed some time to herself. Rare, but necessary. She was walking down the Tinworth Boardwalk, on her way to settle down on the beach and work on her tan, when she recognised the witch walking towards her. “Oh, Mio. Hi.”

The heat of the summer was wearing Mio down, and her dream of living in London, in the big city, wasn’t necessarily everything she thought it would be. It got lonely, and her roommates, Hattie and Daphne, were nice enough, but older than her and she sometimes felt like a child living with them. She was playing house in the time between terms at Hogwarts, whereas they were adults with real jobs and lives. 

Mio shook the thought away. She had come to Cornwall to be rid of these feelings, not wallow in them. Slowing her pace on the boardwalk, she turned towards the water and let herself feel the breeze that could only come with the ocean. The waves and the wind murmured in her ears and she imagined herself floating away. It had been some time since she had a moment without the constant noise of honking and yelling, the chatter of the city. But just as she had begun to relax, settle into her natural surroundings, and resume walking, a familiar face appeared. Mio put on a smile.

“Dawn, hi! How are you? What brings you here?” She could feel herself sounding jumpy and overeager, but it was as if she was outside of herself watching it happen. 

“June 25th, as luck should have it. Right around the corner.” he pulled his hand back gingerly, before looking around at the rest of the guests to see if there was anyone else here that he recognized. “I’ll let you make the rounds. Wouldn’t want to let anyone feel excluded.”

Esmeralda smiled. “An excuse I can get behind.” She inclined her cone towards Mio’s in a cheers, to life and to another year lived. 

Regulus cleared his throat, taking hold of Mio’s hand for a firm, quick handshake. Anything else was too improper. Crossing a line that he was positive didn’t need to be crossed. They were acquaintances at best, and vying opponents at worst. “Yes, well, everyone deserves a gift on their birthday.” 

Mio felt her heart beat faster as they made contact, her hand in his. She knew she was being silly, that it was only a handshake, that he was only being polite, but no boy had ever held her hand before. And certainly not after handing her a birthday gift. “I- thank you, really. When, er, when is your birthday?”

“Oh, right.” He fumbled it, ironic given that he really was half-decent at Seeker. “I bought it on short notice, so if you hate it, just chuck it in the bin.”

There was comfort in watching Regulus fumbling with her gift, like she wasn’t the only one who was shy and nervous and weird and with no clue what she was doing. “Wow! I-” Her mouth felt dry. He had gone out of his way to get her these? “I love them! Thank you so much!” She put them on immediately before  reaching out towards him, unsure if it was appropriate to hug him or shake his hand or what. 

Dorcas grinned. “Don’t apologise, I’m just yanking your wand. I’m definitely not Prefect material.”

“Oh!” Mio let out a small laugh. She felt slightly ashamed of the relief she felt. Why did she always want approval so badly? She didn’t even know Dorcas. “Well, I guess that makes the two of us.” 

“If you’d like.” She said with a soft smile.

“I think I will!” She unwrapped the gift slowly.

“The passage of time can be so queer,” she agreed. “I, for one, came out ancient.” It was a joke, but she said it so deadpan it hardly sounded like one. “Then there are grandparents reduced to infancy in their final years. We put too much stock in age, it doesn’t mean much in the end. It’s all relative to our individual lifespans.”

Mio was only a year younger than Esmeralda, but there was something about her that seemed much older. Perhaps it was the formality. Or, maybe, Mio just needed to grow up. “You’re right. It shouldn’t matter. There’s nothing too different about me from yesterday to today.” She grinned. “But it’s an excuse to get ice cream and celebrate!”

“Do I think you’re prefect material?”

Mio’s jaw dropped, ever-so-slightly and only for a moment, before she swallowed and straightened up. “Er, no, I’m sorry, I meant to ask if you want to be a prefect next year.”

“Yes,” he said with great confidence. Partially because he hadn’t exactly spent much time trying multiple flavors once he found the right one that suited his fancy. 

Mio raised her eyebrows. “You’re full of surprises. Vanilla it is.” She made the order quickly and turned to him, waiting for her gift partially in disbelief of its existence.

“Hmm,” she hummed thoughtfully, still thinking about fake fruit. “Me? Perfectly satisfied, today. I should be asking you. Birthdays can be cumbersome days,” she philosophized. “So much pressure to enjoy yourself and show it.”

Mio gave the other girl a small smile, grateful for the willingness for honesty. “I do feel a bit strange to be honest. Some part of me feels permanently sixteen, yet here I am apparently nineteen now.”

Again, Mio’s words flew against him as though he were being shot with some sort of spell. “It’s a birthday, you can’t show up to someone’s birthday empty-handed. That’s just poor manners.” Now he felt a little foolish, heat rising around his collar. “How about this. You get me a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream, and I’ll hand over your present. A trade.”

There was something about Regulus’ soft and reserved demeanour that felt so sweet—different from most boys and the other students in their house. “I’m just happy you’re here to celebrate with me. Is plain vanilla really your favourite flavour though?”

Regulus felt bombarded upon arrival, his hands stuffing themselves deep in his pockets where, yes, Mio’s present lay. It was rude to not bring something as a guest, he just hadn’t quite ever had someone ask him so bluntly what the present was. “Oh, well, you’ll just have to wait and see, yeah?” Regulus didn’t know Mio enough to get anything specific. So he settled for getting her ice cream earrings, given the location of her birthday.

Mio’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Oh! I was just kidding, you really didn’t have to get me anything and I’m not just saying that. Let me buy you some ice cream! What’s your favourite flavour?”

“Of course.” Dawn went to say something else, but was distracted by one of her team mates calling to her. There were post game celebrations to be had, after all. And then, without really thinking about it – which was progress in itself – Dawn added, “Reach out if you ever want more advice – or some help with training.” She paused, a cheeky smile on her face though when she added. “Not too much advice, though. I can’t be seen helping out the competition.”

It felt so sweet to know that there was genuine kindness out there, a seeming rarity in her own house. “I will. Thanks again, and good luck!”