Christmas Eve isn’t like it used to be. Her mom was used to Reyna spending the Christmas Holiday at Hogwarts so their traditions have shifted over the years. Her mother was even seeing someone so they’d done much of their traditions before she’d gone to work this morning at eleven. Now though, it was five pm and Reyna made plans to be at Mug Shots after work to eat something and enjoy some cider and mulled wine while listening to people attempt to sing Christmas carols and classics at the karaoke machine. Bursting through the door she called out. “Who wants their drink paid for? The catch, I’m eating Christmas eve dinner with you and you’re dealing with it.”

Dahlia slammed her bag onto the desk between them drawing the attention of students nearby and the librarian. “If you wanted to flirt say so, but don’t pretend it’s me in a slump.” She huffed in hush tones.

Ryder jumped when she drew the attention to them, but a little attention wasn’t going to deter him. “Fine, I’m in a slump. I’m lonely and looking for friends to study with, that’s why I’m not mad you walked to my table. It’s why I brought your things here and if I get to flirt with you while you’re here I’ll do it.”

“Well if that’s the case-” She gasped as she caught her bag as it hurtled towards this table knocking her back into the chair she just tried to vacate. “Didn’t even ask, just summoned my shit.” She raised an eyebrow. “Do you even really want me at this table?”

Ryder raised an eyebrow. “I don’t hate it.” He nodded to her old table. “Change of scenery can be one step to the end of a slump. You seemed to be in a bit of a slump.”

“Where in the world did I put that book? My quill? Is this my seat?” She glanced around the desk she’d chosen to work on her essays in Runes and Defense against the Dark Arts. Everything was right here before she’d gone to use the restroom now that she was back either she was at the wrong desk or her stuff had been moved.

Ryder glanced up when Dahlia sat at the table he had been using. Alone. Until Dahlia sat across from him. Ryder raised an eyebrow and tapped the desk while he watched her struggle to figure her shit out. “Not your seat. Your stuff is two tables over.” He raised his wand and summoned her things to his table.

“Sorry, no, it was good at advice.” Tami shook her head, regretting instantly her teasing, she was just so busy at the moment and she’d only had plain paper available to her- sure, she could charm each and every page but after spending so much time on writing down details, choosing the right pen colours and all the rest, she simply didn’t have time. “And it was a nice sentiment,” She agreed with an encouraging smile. “I appreciate it, honestly I do.” She shifted the pile in her arms and offered him another sheet, crumple free, and pointedly charmed the paper black. “Maybe you could put this one up in your dorm for me? Even for just a day! I’d owe you one.”

Ryder watched with a raised eyebrow and held back a smirk as the paper turned black. “I can do that.” He placed the flyer inside one of his books so it wouldn’t wrinkle. “I’m heading there now. Consider it done.”

When Tami was on one of his missions- which was more often than not- she didn’t often stop and chat. It wasn’t her intention to be dismissive, and as a Head Student she was doing her absolute best to be more approachable to everyone, but it would be fair to say that once a flyer was handed out she moved straight onto the next person. It surprised her when Ryder followed after her, tilting her head to the side in silent confusion but slowing her pace to fall into step beside him regardless. His advice caused her brows to furrow, she looked to the paper she’d just handed to him and when he adjusted the colour she gave a single nod. “Are you a designer now too? Quidditch player. Poster designed. What’s next?” She didn’t mean to tease, she was actually somewhat touched that he cared to offer any advice at all, just curious as to where this interest came from. “For the record this isn’t a ‘nice sentiment’, it’s a- well, it’s…” Words failed her but she gestured an arm as if to say it was so much more than that. A movement. Remembrance. A call to action. From a seventeen year old girl, stuck in the middle of nowhere in Scotland.

Ryder scoffed and crumpled up the paper while he chuckled through her teasing. “Take my advice; don’t take my advice. Whatever, it’s your paper.” He grumbled and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Trying to be approachable and nice was so far annoying. “My attempt at a nice sentiment.”

Everett raised an eyebrow. “Grab food if you want, but you’ll have to catch up with me.” He said arrogantly and headed off for the pitch.

“Halloween,” Tami let the word roll of her tongue with a furrow her brows as she mused over an advert for Hogsmeade’s festivities that was pinned up in the common room. Had it been a whole year already? Since the attacks, the accusations, Foley arrested, freed, one of the true culprits caught and then they themselves murdered. They still hadn’t found anyone else, it’s like the world had forgotten, or perhaps was merely satisfied to say that one man was caught and that should be enough. She couldn’t help thinking that had it been anyone else, had they been just ordinary wix tortured and strung up around the world, there’d be much more urgency to see true justice served. Bundling the pile in her arms to her chest, she slipped one of the papers free and reached out to pin a poster of her own design up besides the Hogsmeade one. Hers was on crisp white paper and stencilled upon it in bold, gold letters were the words: Equality in our schools. Equality in our society. We are one people. Then underneath, in her own hand written with a rose pink pen: Contact Tamiko Naruse for badge orders. She smiled to herself as she turned on her heels and headed out of the common room and headed on out of the dungeons, passing out several copies on her way.

Ryder took the flyer without even thinking about why he was taking it as he passed her in the hall and continued on his way. Once he read it he turned to find hed left her a few meters behind him. He pivoted to walk back towards her without really even knowing what he wanted to say. The pessimist in him wanted say sounds great on paper, what good does a pin do? Part of him wanted to point out that they might all be one people but that didn’t mean there weren’t bad people in that. “Nice sentiment. Might stick out better on black paper, but then you wouldn’t be able to use your pick pen.” He flicked his wand at the paper in his hand to turn it black. “It’ll stick out next to all those other white papers.”

Everett smirked. “Speaking from a Hufflepuff who calls a hole in the wall near the kitchens home away from home, just because it’s made by elves does not mean you’re eating healthy. Let’s go for a fly and then we can ask the selves for a healthy snack.”

“And what if I’m hungry now? I’ll be able to fly longer on a full stomach.” Ryder grouched.

Everett smirked. “About that, how healthy do you think your diet is?”

“Our meals are prepared by elves Everett, it’s not like all I eat is sugar quills and cauldron cakes,” Ryder said rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Trickster, that’s not bad, though probably done before.” Tami gave an approving nod, wondering briefly what other names her people had probably received over the years. Enchantress, temptress, siren. None of them suited her much. Mastermind was much better. “No, you’re quite right, and so’s the hat but who’s to say winning the cup is my goal? Would it be nice? Yes. Would it be the end of the world? No. Plus, cheating isn’t an achievement, it’s a failure.”

Ryder smirked, sure while it wasn’t all that important in the grand scheme of things, it was the cherry on top of anyone’s Hogwarts careers. “Well if you don’t want it, I’ll take it.” He adjusted his broom on his shoulder, “Enjoy the weather then, I’m off.” He said with a little salute.

Everett had a few ideas, none of them were fully thought through but he had a starting point. “Let’s not worry about that now Klausen. For now, we’ll focus on training you as a beater and then we’ll work on what I need from you.” Everett grabbed Ryder’s broom. “Let’s go flying.”

“Now? I was actually gonna see if maybe I could sneak into the kitchen and get a snack or something.” Ryder mumbled dejectedly.

“I didn’t-” Ok, actually, he had her there. Mental note, evil plans were best left in her head. “Cute comes with the territory, I’m afraid, it’s all an illusion, don’t buy into it… but I wouldn’t sell you out to Sol regardless, it’s morally wrong to cheat, people should win fair and square or not at all.”

“So now you’re trying for a morally sound, nefarious mastermind and trickster. I won’t buy into it, but you’re not doing yourself justice by not selling me out. Whatever happened to use any means to achieve some goal or another, why am I quoting a hat?” He asked himself incredulously.

“Stubborn prick,” Everett whispered and leaned forward. “I’ll show you a few things. But you’ll owe me. Nothing big I mean what are friends for?”

Ryder raised an eyebrow suspiciously. “Do you already have something in mind?”