"Oh, hi, Nolan! What a coincidence!"
Two young wizards, who looked vaguely familiar, stumbled out of Ollivanders Wand Shop as if they'd just seen a ghost. Their expressions were a mix of shock and disbelief. They cast a quick, half-jealous, half-awed glance at Cho, who was standing beside Nolan, before bolting away at top speed.
"What's with them?" Cho asked, frowning slightly as she watched them disappear into the crowd. "Aren't they from Hufflepuff?"
"I have no idea." Nolan shrugged. "But if I had to guess, I'd say it has something to do with our dear Miss Stock."
"Miss Stock has been quite the sensation lately, you know," Cho said, rapping her fingers lightly against the shop window. Inside, her little sister was making faces at her. Cho raised an eyebrow and wagged a finger in warning before turning back to Nolan. "Can you believe that just three years ago, that little Slytherin girl—so timid, always looking like she was about to cry—would grow into someone so... well, striking?"
Eve was fourteen now, and though she had started to show traces of maturity, she hadn't yet developed fully into the beauty people seemed to expect her to become.
Nolan, however, said seriously, "Eve has always been adorable."
After a pause, he added, "And Lady Angela is very beautiful too."
"Who's that?"
"Eve's mother."
"Oh? My mother is very beautiful too. Don't you think so?" Cho said slyly, smiling as she tested Nolan's reaction. "But I suppose what really interests you is Eve's reputation at Hogwarts."
"Hmm? Reputation? Not in the least."
"Oh, come on, Nolan," Cho sighed, clearly unimpressed with his indifference.
Many boys at Hogwarts had their eyes on Eve Stock. Her delicate features and silver hair had already given her a princess-like charm when she was younger, and now, as she grew, an icy elegance had settled over her. It only made her even more irresistible to those around her.
Of course, their admiration didn't do them much good. Occasionally, some bold souls attempted to invite her to dinner, or even asked her out directly. But each time, they were met with a chilling rejection that quickly reinforced Eve's reputation as the "Ice Queen."
Nolan, on the other hand, didn't seem the least bit concerned. Vampires were naturally possessive of their partners—not just emotionally, but through the very essence of their blood bonds. Betrayal was nearly impossible for their kind. And yet, Cho found his attitude too nonchalant, too confident.
She wanted to see him jealous. Just a little.
"Alright, Nolan," she said, leaning in mischievously. "Tell me, what do you think those boys like so much about Eve?"
Nolan, looking slightly troubled, sighed. "Fine, Cho. Enlighten me."
"Since you're so eager to know, I'll tell you, Mr. Draugr," Cho said with a teasing grin, dragging Nolan toward the shop window. She gestured toward the petite silver-haired figure inside as if she were selling a prized product.
"First of all, have you ever noticed how Eve's silver hair is completely flawless?" Cho spoke in the exaggerated tone of a saleswoman. "It's incredibly rare. Like freshly fallen snow—pure and untouched. Her skin is just as soft and delicate. She looks like a character straight out of a fairytale!"
"A fairytale?" Nolan arched an eyebrow. "Cho, you do realize you've met an actual elf before, right? She was at Hogwarts just last year. And let me tell you, elves aren't all that pure or innocent. Most of them are complete idiots. If you tried to sell their heads, you'd probably get a good price—mostly because they'd be brand new."
"Hey! Nolan!" Cho huffed, clearly annoyed.
"Alright, alright," Nolan exhaled, looking resigned. "I understand. Eve is a lovely girl. And you, Cho, are a very charming young lady. Both of you are quite popular with the male students."
"I only mentioned Eve! I wasn't talking about myself!" Cho's face flushed slightly. Shaking her head, she changed the subject. "Forget that. Let's talk about something else—Nolan, have you ever thought about traveling?"
"Traveling? No, of course not. Why would I?"
Vampires rarely traveled. Unless absolutely necessary, they preferred to stay within their own territories.
Felicia was a notable exception.
Decades ago—long before Nolan was born—Miss Felicia had embarked on a grand adventure, riding her beloved companion... a particularly stubborn sea lion.
She had traveled across North and South America, ventured into the depths of South Africa, and even explored the mysterious lands of Asia.
Unfortunately, when she reached the Japanese islands, her loyal sea lion finally succumbed to exhaustion. With no alternative transportation, Felicia had been forced to swim her way to Kyoto. From there, she transformed into a bat and stealthily boarded a plane back to England.
Felicia, however, was no ordinary vampire. She was an Ancestor—a pureblood among purebloods, vastly superior in combat skills to most of her kind. She didn't have to worry about her safety.
Nolan was also a pureblood, but compared to Felicia, he was still young. In his fourteen years of life, he had never left England. In fact, if it hadn't been for Hogwarts, he probably wouldn't have left the Randall Gorge at all.
"You've never traveled?" Cho looked at him in disbelief. "Why not? I visit Hong Kong every few years to see my grandparents."
At this point, Hong Kong was still under British rule.
"I didn't know you were from Hong Kong," Nolan mused. "I do know that Hong Kong movies are pretty famous, though. Miles has a poster of some actress from there in our dorm."
"You should visit sometime!" Cho grabbed Nolan's hand in excitement. "Not just Hong Kong—France too! You have to see the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées! And America! Hollywood is amazing! Oh, and Japan—it's not far from Hong Kong! Ginza Street is absolutely stunning! How about after our third year? Let's all go on a trip together!"
It sounded like an interesting idea.
After all, vampires weren't exclusive to Europe. Their kin could be found in every corner of the world.
Nolan rarely displayed strong emotions, but curiosity? That, he did have.
Cho watched him carefully as he stood there, deep in thought with his usual unreadable expression. Unable to contain herself, she urged, "I'll invite Eve too! The three of us can go together! My parents and Bai can join us. What do you think?"
She seemed eager for a vacation with him.
"…It's not impossible," Nolan finally said, tilting his head. "Alright, Cho. Plan the trip however you like. If you manage to make it interesting, I won't mind being your travel companion. But before that… we still have to get through our third year."
Yes, their first priority was surviving this term—especially under the ever-watchful gaze of the monster lurking in the Chamber of Secrets.