"Oh," Eve suddenly stopped in her tracks, turning slightly to address Fred. "If Nolan comes here, tell him we've gone to Flourish and Blotts, will you, Weasley?" Without waiting for a response, she walked off.
"Merlin, she's so cold!" Ginny huffed the moment Eve disappeared from sight. "She acts like she's better than us—like a Malfoy! Typical Slytherin!"
"Careful with the assumptions, little Ginny," Fred chuckled, shaking his head. "Eve Stock is always like that. No wizard dares to flirt with her. I'd wager if we followed her, we'd see something interesting."
Curiosity sparked in Ginny's chest, and without hesitation, she followed Fred as they slipped out of the junk shop. Behind them, their mother's voice rang out, calling over the bustling crowd.
"Percy! Have you found the book you needed, dear?"
Ginny and Fred exchanged knowing glances as they spotted their older brother clutching a copy of Prefects: How to Gain Authority. Suppressing their laughter, they continued on.
Diagon Alley was as lively as ever, especially during back-to-school season, when wizarding families flooded the streets. The sheer number of witches and wizards made it easy to lose sight of Eve and Alicia, but Ginny caught a glimpse of silver hair moving through the crowd.
Eve was leisurely eating her ice cream as she listened to Alicia recount her summer travels.
"Our tour group found this two-century-old manor in Bremen," Alicia was saying excitedly. "Our guide—a witch, mind you—swore it once belonged to a vampire. But I'm not sure if I believe her. You know why? Because inside the manor, I found a Muggle microwave."
Eve nearly choked on her ice cream, suppressing a laugh. "I suppose vampires prefer not to use microwaves, dear, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't own one."
Alicia brightened at the thought. "You're saying… the vampire might have kept Muggles around for blood, and the microwave was for them?"
"Possible," Eve replied, amused. "They do like to keep human pets, after all."
Alicia nodded enthusiastically, far more eager to believe in the vampire theory than to admit she'd been tricked by a tourist trap.
The two continued discussing the topic until a boy suddenly stepped into their path, forcing them to stop.
"Hey, Stock—Field," he greeted, flashing what he probably thought was a charming grin. "How was your summer?"
Eve immediately shut down, her pleasant expression vanishing as she coolly looked the boy up and down. "Who are you?"
The boy hesitated, clearly taken aback. "Er—I'm Emil. Hufflepuff. Two years above you." His confidence wavered when he realized she genuinely had no idea who he was. "I just… thought I'd introduce myself."
"Well," Eve said flatly, "now you have."
She grabbed Alicia's wrist, ready to leave.
"Wait, Stock!" Emil stepped in front of them again, desperation creeping into his voice. "You're going to Flourish and Blotts, right? This year's Defense Against the Dark Arts book list is huge. There are so many volumes—maybe I could help you carry them?"
Eve stopped, one perfectly shaped eyebrow arching in amusement. "Carry them?" she echoed, her lips curving into a smirk. "How quaint."
"I mean, Levitation Charms don't work that well on heavy books, you know—"
"I wasn't talking about Levitation Charms." Eve lazily pulled out her wand, flicking it at his bundle of books. "Reducio."
With a sharp pop, Emil's stack of books shrank to the size of his fist.
The boy let out a startled yelp, holding his now-miniature books as if they might bite him.
"Problem solved," Eve said smoothly. Then she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice to an icy whisper. "If that had been Nolan, he wouldn't have asked me such a stupid question. 'Can I help you carry your books?' Honestly." Her smile sharpened. "Listen, Hufflepuff—don't talk to me again. I'm not sure if Nolan would be jealous, but I have no interest in finding out."
With that, she pulled Alicia away, leaving Emil standing there, slack-jawed.
A few moments later, he finally mumbled, "How am I supposed to make them big again?"
From their hiding spot, Ginny shivered. "Please tell me she's not always like that. She's colder than an iceberg!"
Fred smirked. "Oh, no, no, of course not," he whispered mischievously. "Let's keep following her and see."
When Eve and Alicia arrived at Flourish and Blotts, they immediately noticed a strikingly handsome wizard with golden curls standing at the center of the bookstore, hosting what appeared to be a book-signing event.
The scene was chaotic—dozens of middle-aged witches clutched brand-new hardcover books, their faces glowing with anticipation as they waited for their turn to receive an autograph.
"Who's doing the signing?" Alicia asked a plump witch nearby.
The woman gasped so dramatically that Eve half-expected her to faint on the spot. "Who? My dear, are you serious?" Her voice was so loud that Eve briefly wondered if she had a side job as an opera singer.
Alicia blinked, confused. She had no idea who the wizard was.
The plump witch's eyes gleamed with a fanatical light. "You must be joking! Why, that is the most extraordinary, most elegant, most legendary—not to mention, most dazzlingly charming wizard in the world! Gilderoy Lockhart!"
Eve barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes.
Alicia, however, tilted her head thoughtfully before pulling out her book list. "Gilderoy Lockhart…? That name does sound familiar. Oh! Maybe he's our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year!"
"Sweet Merlin, you're so lucky!" The plump witch clutched her chest as if overwhelmed by emotion. "Your year at Hogwarts will be the best in history!"
Eve gave a skeptical snort, but before she could make any sarcastic remarks, a familiar voice called out.
"Nolan!" Alicia greeted happily.
Nolan had just arrived, walking swiftly toward them. Without hesitation, he wrapped Eve in a warm embrace. "Finally done with that nonsense at The Daily Prophet," he murmured into her hair before pulling back slightly. "Oh, Alicia, you're here too! How was your summer?"
"It was great!" Alicia grinned. "And from the looks of it, you and Eve have gotten even closer. That's nice to see."
Eve beamed, looping her arm through Nolan's without hesitation. Her silvery hair shimmered under the bookstore's warm lighting as she proudly declared, "Now I can tell everyone—this is my boyfriend!"
Hiding in the shadows of a nearby bookshelf, Ginny Weasley stared in absolute shock.
Just moments ago, Eve Stock had been as cold as an ice sculpture, shooting down a Hufflepuff boy without an ounce of mercy. But now—now she was practically glowing, her expression soft and affectionate as she leaned into Nolan like a contented kitten.
She wasn't just smiling—she was radiant.
Ginny gawked. "Is that the same girl?"
And to make matters worse, Eve—who had been acting like the most untouchable, formidable Slytherin in history—was now nuzzling against Nolan's arm, her posture relaxed, her gaze utterly devoted.
Ginny had to admit—Eve Stock was beautiful.
Not just in the way that people look beautiful, but in the way someone's entire presence shifts when they're truly happy.
Fred, who had been watching alongside her, stifled a laugh. "See what I mean?" he whispered, clearly entertained.
Ginny frowned. "She's putting on an act," she muttered under her breath. "Anyone can see that. She knows she can't win Nolan over by being herself, so she's pretending to be sweet and affectionate. But it won't last. She can't keep up the act forever. I bet their relationship will fall apart before the year is over."
Fred's usual mischief dimmed slightly as he shook his head. "That's where you're wrong," he said, uncharacteristically serious. "You weren't at Hogwarts during her first year. Slytherins made her life hell. No one would talk to her—except for a few people. And Nolan? He was her closest friend from the start."
Ginny glanced back at Eve, who was now laughing softly at something Nolan had whispered to her.
Fred shuddered dramatically. "And whatever you do—never, ever badmouth Nolan in front of Eve Stock. That girl? She's not someone you want to get on the wrong side of."