Chapter 265: Commit to the Act [bonus]
The first Friday of December brought rare good weather.
Second-year Herbology met in Greenhouse Three. Professor Sprout spent the hour on Mandrake care, specifically how to stop them from climbing into each other's pots for social gatherings.
When the bell rang, the young witches and wizards filed out of the greenhouse and started up the flagstone path toward the castle.
Regulus walked at the front, pace unhurried.
Cuthbert was on his left, head down, flipping through his Herbology notes, mumbling to himself, trying to memorize the acceptable root-length range for Mandrakes.
Alex walked on his right, wand in hand, tip pointed at the ground, idly tracing lines in the air.
Hermes brought up the rear, both hands stuffed in his robe pockets, eyes half-shut, looking like he hadn't fully woken up.
Samuel and Lina trailed behind them, three or four steps back.
The distance was deliberate. Far enough that nobody would mistake them for hangers-on glued to Regulus's heels. Close enough that a single glance told anyone they belonged with the four ahead.