Christmas was around the corner in a blink of Milo's eyes, and suddenly it was a Hogsmeade visit with Renée, Cass, Vincent and Javier, that turned into Javier and Renée leaving to buy presents, Cass spotting the Ravenclaw girl he'd been chatting up, and Vincent roaming to meet his Japanese pen-pal who'd visited for the holidays. Milo was left to wander the frosty streets alone, watching his breath cloud the air before his face and trying to sink as deep into his scarf as possible. The end of his nose was flushed and his long hair was hidden beneath a thick woolen hat. He was content by himself, but it wouldn't last for long.

The Fates had been meddling in Milo's life once again, it seemed, for Remus Lupin was in Honeydukes buying for Peter at the same time Milo was buying for Robin. The younger boy left the shop before the older one did, and Remus had to quicken his pace to catch up.

"Oi, Courtney!" He called, long legs closing the distance almost immediately. "What're you doing down here by yourself?"

Milo shrugged and held up his shopping bags. "Christmas shopping. Renée and Javi went to get presents and Cass and Vince are off with people they fancy."

"So you're alone."

"Correct."

Remus evaluated his options, then suggested, "Well, me too. James is off with Lily, believe it or not, and Sirius and Peter didn't bother coming down because of the weather. Fancy coming to Gladrags?"

"Er—" Milo murmured, looking around for a sign of his friends. "Alright. But I've got to be quick because there's still a few things to I have to buy."

"That's cool," Remus agreed. They walked down the street in almost silence, broken only by Remus commenting on a carollers choice of hat (it was covered with goose feathers and a dragon's baby teeth) and Milo laughing at a third year who'd been thrown out of The Hog's Head.

When they reached the shop, however, Milo was euphoric.

"Oh my God," he whispered, eyes wide at the sight of the scarf display in the window. Remus's eyes dropped to the chunky burgundy muffler covering the boy's neck and jaw and grinned.

"You're a scarf person?"

"I am a scarf person," Milo agreed breathlessly. "This is better than sex"

Remus puffed out a laugh as Milo let himself into the shop, sure to stamp his feet loose of snow before walking through the shelves.

"Morning, hen," the woman behind the counter greeted. "Looking for anything in particular?"

"Just browsing, thanks," Milo replied politely, then wove through the shelves of the store to reach the accessory section. Remus spent a moment looking through the hats, and chose an ascot cap with a gingham pattern for James, then sought out the shorter boy among the racks of scarves.

"Look at this one," Remus mused, holding out a chiffon neckerchief embroidered with tiny dragons. "Says it's self-heating."

"This one beats that," Milo responded. He handed Remus a grey scarf with a moving sky of clouds on one side.

"That's insane," Remus mumbled, turning the fabric over in his hands. But Milo had already moved on, and was fawning over something that was cashmere and cornflower blue and covered in small, golden roses.

"I think I've just seen Aphrodite," Milo whispered. "She said my future lies with this gorgeous thing in front of me."

"I'm flattered, Milo, but we're only just becoming friends," Remus joked. Milo shot him a look of amused annoyance and held the scarf to his chest.

"You're not funny," Milo retorted. "But in all truthfulness, this scarf is probably my one true love."

"Buy it."

"Do I look like the sort of person who has— seventy-six galleons lying around?" Milo snorted, although his eyes grew sad at the sight of the price ticket. "Come on, we should just get what you need and get out of here."

Remus watched Milo retreat to a spot by the front door and eyed the scarf.

Milo couldn't find his friends. Lord knows where they went off to after they left him outside of Honeydukes, but now he was sitting in the Three Broomsticks with a pint of warmed mead between his hands and the beautiful barmaid of the pub opposite him.

"—and then she turned around and said, Claudia, your mead is the worst thing I've tasted in all my years, and I've been intimately involved with several hags!" Vincent's older sister, Claudia Rosmerta, was hammering on about something to do with her employer hating the new drink she'd pitched. "But I'm not worried. Someday, Rosmerta's oak-matured mead will take over this town. Just you wait, Milo Courtney."

The boy in question was getting several jealous looks from his classmates. Claudia was the subject of many teenagers affections, though she didn't hate the attention she got. Sirius Black was a serial offender in her book, because he'd been flirting with her on every visit for the three years she'd been working at the 'Broomsticks.

"How's Vinny going so far?" She asked, breaking his focus on the back of somebody's head just over her shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"How's Vincent? Not causing too much trouble, is he?" Claudia asked with a red-painted grin.

"His pen-pal from Mahoutokoro is visiting the UK for the holidays and decided to come up here to see him," Milo informed, sipping at his drink tentatively. Claudia studied his expression for clues as to whether he enjoyed it. "I think he's finally getting over Prewett, even if he won't admit that he was ever in love with him anyway."

"It's because of Dad," Claudia shrugged. "He never said anything to Vince, but he was pretty pissed when him and Mum found out."

"Yeah, but that's not a reason for Vince to pretend he hates Prewett's guts. They did go out for a fair while."

Claudia turned on him with a frown. "Speaking of relationships, what do I hear about you and Renée Röeder?"

"We've been going out for ages," Milo frowned. "I've spoken to you since I asked her, haven't I?"

"No, I know you're going out, obviously," Claudia snapped. "I heard from Javier Vance's sister— you know she's in Hufflepuff too, year above you?— that Renée isn't too interested in you anymore."

"I know," Milo mumbled. Claudia's expression went from annoyed to sympathetic in a split. "I did her a reading and it was all to do with her breaking up with me."

"Maybe it's wrong?" Claudia suggested hopefully.

"It's not wrong. I'm the best tarot reader in my class, Divination professor says I'm one of the best she's seen."

"Are you a Seer?"

"I don't see the future, Clauds," Milo snickered. She smacked him over the back of the head.

"You know what I mean. Maybe you're a little bit Seer."

"Could've asked my mother, but she's dead now."

Claudia sighed, "Oh, Milo," and stood to hug him tight to her body. Over her shoulder, he saw two seventh-year boys giving him looks that could kill. He smiled charmingly at them and hugged her back. "I read in the paper that they're opening an investigation about you."

"Yeah," Milo mumbled.

It was at this point he realised the Fates probably were meddling with his life a little bit, because as he turned to retake his seat, he smashed his forehead into the chin of one tall Gryffindor.

"Oh, sorry," Remus chuckled. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's fine," Milo answered, rubbing his head. Claudia looked between the pair with the beginnings of a smile.

"I'm Claudia Rosmerta," she introduced, offering a hand to Remus. He smiled and held both arms up, showing his hands laden with bags. "Oh, sorry."

"Oh no, don't be," Remus replied politely. "And I know who you are. I'm Sirius's friend, Remus."

Claudia's smile brightened a little. "Oh, he's a one, isn't he? Where is he?"

"Back at the castle, up to no good probably."

"Hasn't changed a bit since he was thirteen, has he?" She laughed. "Are you wanting a drink, Remus?"

"Well, I came here to meet a friend—"

"Oh, stay for one," Claudia pled, taking his bags from his hands and dumping them alongside Milo's on the extra seat at their table. "Go on, it's on the house."

They both turned to her, one in irritation and the other in polite surprise.

"You never give me free drinks!" Milo scowled, as Remus said, "I can pay if you want."

"Don't worry about it," Claudia said to Remus, then said to Milo, "The day you grow past my height is the day I pay for your drinks."

Milo scowled and crossed his arms. "You might want a chair, Remus," he said to the taller boy. "She'll talk your ear off for hours now that you've accepted a drink."