Noelle ventured to the part of Hogsmeade that she didn't normally go to. But she was looking for someone specific. She pulled her blood red hoodie around her tighter. She didn't want to come alone, but she knew other people would talk her out of coming here. Especially for the reason she was coming.

But Noelle wasn't foolish either. She held her wand in her hoodie sleeve tightly. The last time she had come to a dodgy part of any town.. she'd been kidnapped, sold, and tortured. She wasn't going to let that happen again.

Noelle headed into Hogsmeade, letting her eyes adjust from the white of the snow outside to the dark of the pub. Her eyes were searching.... she needed to find the dark haired, hazel-eyed boy.

Sabbie.

She knew he was here. Or... at least had been. Noelle had visited him not too long ago. He had been staying here. She couldn't wait for him to get back to Hogwarts.

The door swung inwards. Along with several other patrons Sabbath glanced up to see the silhouette of a young lady cross the threshold. Even in the muted light, he knew who she was immediately, simply by the way she moved and having known her body language well.

He rose immediately, leaving his parchment and book open on the candlelit table. Smiling as he approached, he crossed the room swiftly. "Hola cariña” he grinned embracing her and kissing her cheeks in greeting, taking care not address her by name in this venue. “I’m glad to see you, although I didn’t expect it would be so soon... come.. come and sit a while", he said, motioning toward the flickering amber light of the corner nook where he’d left his belongings.

Noelle's eyes continued to adjust as she walked further into the Hogs head. Her wand still present in her hand, under her sleeve, if anyone dared trying anything. She was being cautious. For good reason.

So surveying her surroundings, it didn't take long for Noelle to see the familiar face of him, Sabbie. Her face erupted into a grin and she hugged him tightly before pulling back so he could do his usual greeting. One that Noelle had grown accustomed too over the years.

"I told you I'd be back. I brought some things for you too." She didn't say his name but headed to the bar with him. She slid into the seat beside and looked at the dusty mugs hanging above her. No thank you.

Sabbath closes his book and moves the table candelabra closer to the centre. It casts a warm light across their faces. "You brought something for me" He says with a quizzical smile. "Actually, I have something for you too" smile widening.

He looks sideways at her with a grin "you've got your wand tucked up your sleeve haven't you" he chuckles, knowing too well she would not come unprepared. "Do you remember I said last time, you should let me know you're coming and I'll come collect you." He does wonder if she deliberately forgot, perhaps preferring not to be traced here ... or to him.

He leans sideways and rummages in his pocket, finds what he is searching for, and places it in on the table in front of her. "Before I forget... you left this on my bedside table when you last visited". He knows for certain the small ring with the moon motive is hers because it once was his.

Of course Noelle had her wand under her sleeve. She was still recovering from the tragic events that had happened two years earlier. No way would she forget. "You do know me." She said returning his grin. She pulle she'd wand out enough to show it before tucking it back in safely and protectively.

"I don't go anywhere without my wand anymore." Noelle told him, figuring he would already know though. She didn't speak loud enough to cause it to seem threatening though. Not in a place like this.

"i actually forgot." It happened. She was more concerned about getting here than having him come get her. She didn't care if people knew she was coming to see Sabbath. He was her friend.

Oh! Her ring. "i didn't leave that.... I gave that back to you when we broke up." Noelle said quietly. Was he trying to give it back? She took the ring and examined it. Beautiful piece of jewelry. "I doubt your family will want me having it."

Sabbath laughed as she revealed her hidden wand, “I knew it”, although he was sure she wouldn’t hesitate to use it to handle trouble as their history in this part of town was no laughing matter.

Sabbath noticed that she had gone quiet and although he didn’t show it, he was perplexed by her reply because he’d not received the ring back from her when they'd broken up, in fact, he’d never given it a thought until the day he saw it just sitting there on his bedside table the day after her visit. He thought perhaps she’d removed it or lost it whilst there.

He watched as she studied the ring, turning it over in her fingers. Mention of his family made his thoughts turn to them, he knew that only one other ring like this one existed, but that was very far from here... he was certain that it was. He glanced at the ring in her fingers, then he looked at her, he thought she looked ok, seemingly unharmed... “Nells, when you sent it back to me.... did you send it by owl?”

Of course he knew. Noelle gave a tiny, knowing smile before putting her arms on the table again.

She looked around, trying to see if she knew anyone here and also looking for anyone that might be paying extra attention to them. You could never be too careful. No one seemed particularly interested in them. Which was a great thing. Noelle wanted to be invisible right now. It was a good thing she kept her hood on. Her hair had been turned a variety of colors earlier that day by a shop owner a few streets away.

Noelle's eyeing returned to Sabbie when he asked if she sent the ring by owl. Oh. She didn't realize they were still on the ring. "Muggle mail since you're the only magical one in your house right now." She knew if an owl showed up, dropped the parchment off, and fly away, it could raise eyebrows.

Sabbath’s eyes flicked to her at her reply, "Muggle mail!”. Understanding dawned on him, he now knew how the pieces fit, and from where the ring had come. His eyes returned to the ring.. he had no cognitive dissonance on the beliefs of his family and culture... he knew better than to intervene. He also thought it best that he not tell her what he knew, but one thing was for certain, there was no way he would be accepting that ring back or even touching it for that matter.

He pushed thoughts of the sender from his mind, switching subject in an attempt to break his reverie. “Err, So... I didn’t forget your birthday” he issued a smile. “I got you something”. He leant down and removed books from his book bag, until he found the item he was searching for... it was still covered in the fabric he’d wrapped it in, having knotted it at the top for safe keeping. He placed the small package in front of her on the table “Happy birthday, Nells", he said as he waited for her to unknot the fabric.https://67.media.tumblr.com/9532dd32...y87ro1_500.jpg

Noelle was surprised at the reaction Sabbath gave when she told him she sent the ring by muggle mail. She lifted a brow and gazed at him, confused at why he would react like that. "Yes. I don't see why that is a problem.... is it a problem?" Noelle asked Sabbie, looking at him with confusion.

She grabbed the strings of her hoodie and played with it while she saw his eyes change. The thing about Sabbie was, he didn't say much about what was bothering him, but you could always tell by his eyes. They gave him away.

Oh her birthday! Noelle knew he would remember though she wasn't expecting anything. They hadn't been on good terms until recently. She turned in her seat to face him when he pulled out the fabric. She watched curiously. "You didn't have to get me anything." She refrained from using his name. Again, a place that she didn't need to be giving anymore information than needed.


Oh merlin.

That box was beautiful. Noelle finished unwrapping it, her mouth dropping open. "This is beautiful!" The details were immaculate. She placed it on the bar and reached over to give him a big hug. "Thank you Sabbie." She said his name this time. But she whispered it into his ear as she hugged him.

He sees her confusion and responses quickly, averting his eyes “No, no, it’s no problem..erm, Its nothing...The ring is yours, do with it what you wish, I don’t want it back, and its of no consequence to my family”. Wanting no further contact with it, or the fates it holds, he issues a dismissive gesture and diverts to the subject of the birthday gift.

Leaning into her hug, he smiles a little, feeling the warmth of her breath against his skin as she whispers to him. “I know I didn’t need to, but I wanted to" he replies.

He watches her as she admires the trinket box."Open it, chica, you’ll find mandrake leaves inside. I know you’ll be wanting to use them soon and I don’t need them anymore,” he says with a small smile being familiar with the process to become an animagus and knowing her ambition to become one.