| 𝕯𝖚𝖝 𝖈𝖆𝖕𝖎𝖙 𝖓𝖔𝖝 𝖉𝖎𝖊𝖒 |

The snow had fallen again last night. Gavin Wood shivered as he looked out over the white expanse. He was suddenly delighted to have the thick jumper his mother had knitted for him, in his house colours and thick wool. The young wizard wasn't particularly cold, he felt more as he watched. It was a strange thing about him. His eyes could sometimes feel instead of his skin. It was often said that the eyes were the windows to the soul. Gavin took this phrase very seriously. This was also the case with what was in front of him. He could feel the cold, even though the castle was adequately heated.

- It's so cold! moaned a voice behind him.

Gavin pulled his hands out of his trouser pockets as he recognised Elinor's voice. He had been waiting for her in the Hufflepuff common room for a good half hour now. It was not the girl's habit to be late. The latter was wearing her coat inside.

- That bad?

- Aren't you cold? she wondered.

- No more than that.

- I slept really badly last night... it was freezing in my room.

She shivered at the memory. Gavin frowned, a perplexed look on his face. He hadn't heard any echoes of the cold in the tower from other students. Perhaps his friend was getting used to it more than the others. Whatever the case, he didn't like to see her hurt. To tell the truth, whatever the young witch didn't like or didn't like about herself, Gavin took to heart to remedy. He couldn't help it, he wanted to take care of her.

- Let's go for lunch, I hear their hot chocolate is deadly.

Elinor twitched at the wizard's expression. Gavin noticed and chuckled. It was not in his vocabulary to use that kind of word. Gavin was what many had called an old mind. So he was trying to sound "younger" by developing his language.

- Come on, sighed she, taking his arm.

In the corridors, the young wizard was rather surprised to see that many of the students were up early. He would have been more likely to see them hanging around in bed. Probably his old mind was failing him. Instinctively, he looked around for Will. Why hadn't he managed to find him yet? It wasn't as if the castle was infinite. Besides, he was part of Hogwarts, so he had to be around. Only he couldn't find it. The dining room was as big as the one at Hogwarts, if not bigger, so he had no hope of finding him.

Elinor sat down next to three girls, alone at a large table. One of them seemed to be studying, while the girl next to her, a young witch with short black hair and a Vietnamese tin, barely glanced at Elinor when she sat down. A plate appeared in front of him as his buttocks touched the wooden bench. A mountain of food flashed before them. A muffin, toast and jam slid into his. A cup of hot chocolate appeared in her hand, scalding her a little. On her neighbour's plate, fried eggs and bacon overflowed from her plate. Clearly, the table knew the tastes of the young men. Gavin couldn't help but suppress a chuckle as he saw her grab several pieces of bacon with her fork.

- What? I'm hungry! she defended herself.

Elinor had always had an appetite like a wolf, ever since he had known her. Gavin laughed softly at the pleonasm he had made in spite of himself. His friend was about to ask him the reason for his laughter when Enron came to their side, always in a delicate and discreet manner. As he sat down, a plate appeared and fruit of all colours paraded before him. Enron looked disgusted.

- Seriously? You have muffins and bacon, and I have... fruits?

- It's good for you, tried Elinor.

Enron grunted and pushed the plate away with the palm of his hand before leaning towards his two friends, as if he was going to tell them something important.

- No one has seen Will, he announced.

- What do you mean?

- No one's seen William since we left London, said Enron, taking a grape and putting it in his mouth.

- William Shade? asked a voice beside them.

The three friends turned towards the short-haired young witch. Her two friends stared at her, one glared at her, the other was obviously used to it.

- Do you know him? asked Gavin, surprised that a witch from Beauxbatons could know him.

- Only by reputation, replied she with a shrug. If he's moving around so much, he's probably on the move. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.

Enron and Gavin looked at each other. They hadn't understood a single word the girl had said. Besides, it was none of her business, so they didn't care.

- I'm going to investigate again, whispered Enron.

- It's the first day, maybe he's just visiting? suggested Elinor.

- We arrived last night.

- Rob! Elinor gasped as she heard the young snake's calm voice.

The latter gave her a surprised look. He knew he was discreet, but not that discreet.

- Announce yourself!

- I saw it myself, defended him Enron.

Gavin said nothing so as not to offend the young witch, but he had also seen his friend enter the room.

- Anyway! If you're that worried about it, go and ask other Gryffindors, Enron isn't known for his concentration.

- Hey! the man concerned took exception to this. And why am I known then? asked he then mischievously, moving closer to the young witch's face.

Elinor sat up proudly and glared at him.

- Investigations.

- Quite right! I'm going there right now!

- I'm coming with you, announced Gavin, standing up.

The two friends left, wandering between the tables. Elinor found herself alone with Robin. There was a sense of unease. The two young people were never alone.

- Why doesn't it worry you more that this William Shade has disappeared? asked her Robin.

Elinor didn't know if it was to fill the silence that had set in, or because he was genuinely interested, but he didn't seem to want to sit and listen in any case.

- Because Will has always been mysterious. It's not unusual not to see him for days at a time. He's been doing that since he was a kid.

- Why would he do that?

- How should I know? Maybe it's something to do with the orphanage, or maybe it's just that he doesn't like to stay in one place for very long.

- The orphanage?

- Yes, he is an orphan.

- I understood that.

Elinor didn't appreciate her tone. She frowned.

- Well, that's it.

Robin nodded slowly. He knew Elinor was watching him for his attitude, but he didn't owe her any explanation, he was just curious.

- Is it true that his parents didn't like him? asked Izïa.

Robin had met him in the corridors, but had simply associated him with his mother. He hadn't thought that she could be useful to him.

- Where did you hear that? asked Elinor, surprised.

- That's what they say.

- Who says that?

- Everyone.

The young Hufflepuff seemed to be taken aback. She took another bite of bacon while Robin, having got what he wanted, looked around for Regulus. He looked for a few seconds before he saw him, sitting with Ethan and another Slytherin who didn't seem to be thrilled with his presence. Immediately, Robin felt like sending this individual packing. He withdrew from the girls' table without a word.

- Goodbye Robin, Elinor's voice greeted him energetically behind him.

The young witch sighed. He had such manners. She caught the sympathetic gaze of the young witch who had been reading all this time. And as she turned her attention back to Robin, she saw Ethan watching them. But as soon as he noticed that she had seen him, he looked down and smiled at Robin as she came to him. Strange, she thought, without trying to understand.

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By blueskyling222