Harry Potter: The Vampire Prince

The four of them ended up together, and Nolan didn't mind at all. Penelope was a little reluctant but agreed nonetheless, while Percy, on the other hand, was visibly anxious.

Gryffindor girls had a tendency to be a handful, and Alicia Spinnet was a textbook example of that. She was passionate about gossip, celebrity worship, and, on occasion, stirring up drama.

This personality trait made her a challenge for many wizards to appreciate, but if there was anything about her worth admiring, it would be her exceptional athletic ability, her well-toned physique, and, most notably, her strikingly beautiful face.

Percy, however, had no time to admire Alicia's face. In fact, he found her quite irritating.

"Spinnet, why aren't you with Johnson and the others?" Percy asked, clearly displeased.

"Are you annoyed by my presence?" Alicia raised an eyebrow provocatively, lowering her voice. "Or are you worried I'll see you embarrass yourself? Don't be stupid, Weasley. The whole of Hogwarts is watching your date. You better make sure it's a success."

Percy wanted nothing more than to curse out loud, but he held it in, resigned to listening to Alicia's endless chatter.

"Look, mate, I know Penelope isn't easy to win over. But think about the situation—you're the first guy she's ever agreed to go out with. That's a big deal, Weasley. You have to prove that you're better than every other wizard out there. Not only are you smart, but you also need to show that you have the charisma of a lion, enough to keep that proud eagle by your side. This is Gryffindor's victory, and every Gryffindor will be proud of you!"

"I'd bet that's not true," Percy muttered, glancing towards the Three Broomsticks' signboard, behind which he could faintly make out two heads of bright red hair. "I'm sure there are plenty of Gryffindors just waiting for me to make a fool of myself."

"Hey, you're overthinking it… or maybe not," Alicia admitted with a shrug. "But whatever. The point is, Weasley, you need to pull yourself together."

She then glanced ahead, noticing how Penelope was deep in conversation with Nolan about this year's new line of witch robes from the brand Elegant Charm. They were currently arguing about whether the material had been influenced by Muggle punk fashion trends.

"See how engaged they are? You should join in."

"Uh, but…" Percy hesitated, feeling utterly lost.

By now, he had realized that the topics Penelope found interesting—music, literature, the Muggle world, or even Sunday afternoon tea recipes—were things he knew absolutely nothing about.

If he were to have a girlfriend, he would much rather discuss how a prefect could seize power after graduation and become a true influential figure in the wizarding world.

Knowledge and authority—those were topics he excelled in. But Percy wasn't sure if Penelope… or any witch, for that matter, would be interested in them.

"Two on two, got it?" Alicia said casually. "I'll take Nolan away for a bit, and then you'll have some alone time with Penelope. Seize the moment, Weasley. You'll never find a girl more beautiful and considerate than her."

Before Percy could stop her, Alicia was already whisking Nolan away like a whirlwind.

In truth, she wasn't very optimistic about Percy's romantic prospects, but if anyone were to ask why she was meddling in all of this…

"Let's check out that area, Nolan. I heard there are plenty of old houses here—hidden and sturdy. I bet you'd be interested in them."

Penelope hadn't even processed what was happening when she realized that her companion had been lured away by the Gryffindor girl.

"Fantastic. Now every girl from every house is after him," she grumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes at Percy Weasley, who now stood in front of her looking as pale as a ghost.

…

"The foundation is about fifteen centimeters thick—solid cobblestones. Fantastic, no worries about termite infestations. The yard is spacious, seems popular with gnomes, though I'd wager you could get rid of them with three spells at most… Not that I'm saying that's a good thing. Treating them harshly makes us wizards look heartless, but you have to admit—gnomes are a real nuisance!"

Nolan's strongest impression of Alicia Spinnet was that she talked—a lot. This Gryffindor girl could talk anyone's ear off.

According to Cho, if Alicia didn't have someone to talk to, she would get so bored that she'd start arguing with the moving portraits in Hogwarts' hallways. She'd even brandish her wand at the dueling figure in a painting and shout, "Come at me, you coward!"

In short, she was a rather amusing witch.

Nolan wasn't sure if Alicia had overheard him talking about finding a house, but she had enthusiastically gathered all the information about available cottages and used their lunch break to show him around.

"So, what do you think, Slytherin Prince?" Alicia grinned. "I think the last one we saw was the best—big yard, spacious back garden. You could grow potions ingredients there or, I don't know, build a little muddy pond."

"You seem to know this place very well," Nolan remarked.

"Oh, of course! Didn't I ever tell you? My family owns a small cottage in Hogsmeade. It's right over there." Alicia pointed off into the distance, where a small, secluded wooden house stood. "When I was little, my family would sometimes stay in Hogsmeade. We're a pureblood family, and my parents love the idea of living in a wizarding village. No Muggles walking their dogs, no worries about stepping outside in a robe and being mistaken for some Halloween enthusiast. I'd love to have you as my neighbor, Nolan."

"That does sound nice. I wouldn't mind having a talkative neighbor like you."

"Really? You mean that?" Alicia was pleasantly surprised.

Nolan nodded. "Talking is one of your strengths; you should embrace it. If you ever feel lost after Hogwarts, you could always work as a saleswitch in a wizarding shop. I'm sure you'd excel."

"You really think so?" Alicia kept asking, as if seeking reassurance.

Nolan had to admit—this witch had her own charms.

Now that he was fourteen, after years of being oblivious to such things, he had finally learned to appreciate female beauty, starting with Penelope. And now, he was beginning to recognize the unique allure of other witches as well.

For the Van Draugr family, whose lineage suffered from a dwindling birthrate, this was undoubtedly a good thing.

But for Miss Eve Stock… well, that was another matter entirely.

Later, Alicia happily agreed to contact the property owner so that Nolan could buy the cottage as soon as possible. The two of them then returned to the bustling streets of Hogsmeade.

And there, they witnessed Percy Weasley—who had once again invited Penelope to afternoon tea—finally getting slapped by the exasperated witch.

As Percy stood there, staring at them with a look of utter despair, Alicia let out an awkward chuckle.

"Wow."

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