Hidden Wings - Part I

(Not) going to Hogsmeade

"Where were you?", Hermione demanded and put her hands on her hips.
"We were worried sick!"

Mioha sighed and patiently explained how she had gotten ill after DADA and had to go to St. Mungo's because of a strong flu.

Harry looked relieved upon seeing her again.

"Malfoy was concocting some weird story, how you had run off to help Sirius Black", Ron told her and laughed.
"Like you would do that."

Mioha had to grin and shook her head in disbelief.

"What are you going to do while we are in Hogsmeade?", Hermione asked a bit calmer.

Mioha shrugged.
"I was going to visit some friends in the forest", she answered.

Harry looked glum.
"I'll probably start on my History essay", he mumbled.

Mioha punched him playfully.
"Come on, be positive! The castle will almost be completely empty, think of all the opportunities!"

"That's the spirit!", George said cheerfully, who had walked up to them. 
"Jess, you could have a lot of potential to become our third member of the trick-prankster-club. Interested?"

"No thanks", Mioha laughed.

Harry had to chuckle at the twin's proposal of sneaking into the staff room to switch all quills of the Professors with fake ones that wrote utter nonsense.

Mioha suddenly jumped up.
"Sorry, I just remembered I have to see a friend!", she exclaimed hurriedly and ran off.

She raced down several flights of steps into the dungeons, until she stopped in front of Mr. Filch's office.

Knocking three times, she waited until a sourly voice said "Enter", before she opened it.

Mr. Filch was sitting at his desk, bent over papers, while Mrs. Norris sat on top of a shelf, purring when Mioha came in.

"Hello Mr. Filch", Mioha said shyly and brought out a small, wrapped parcel.
"Happy birthday."

Mr. Filch stared at her incredulously.
"Wha-?", he stuttered, his thin face displaying his surprise.

"A little cat told me", Mioha explained and saw Mrs. Norris wink at her from her spot on the shelf.

She grinned.

Mr. Filch was still staring at the present, and Mioha said apologetically: "I'm sorry, but I have to go to class. I hope you like it."

Waving at the red-eyed cat, Mioha quickly went on her way to Study of Ancient Runes.

She had gotten Mr. Filch a book about gardening, seeing that he had a small cactus in his office.

Hopefully, he would enjoy it.

The Hogsmeade weekend came faster than expected, and Erica kept telling Mioha how excited she was to go next year.

"I want to see The Three Broomsticks and the Shrieking Shack, oh yes, and Honeydukes!"

Mioha had to laugh at her friend's excitement.

It was going to be another full moon tonight, which would mean that Mioha would spend the night in the forest room below the school.
It was very hard not to get lost in the underground labyrinth, and she had been surprised to learn that there were many secret entrances in Hogwarts leading to it.
There was one next to Professor Snape's quarters, which looked like a portrait of a hallway but actually was a secret entrance. You had to go directly through the portrait and you would be in the labyrinth.
Of course, nobody would actually do that, so it was a brilliantly hidden entrance.