Harley had miscalculated one very important detail.
The next day was Monday. After squeezing in a quick visit to Nimue's mother at lunch, they had practically zero free time to head back to the Room of Requirement.
Hogwarts had officially entered "cram week" before finals. In this final stretch, professors in every subject were breathing down their necks, ramping up the supervision. Even lunch breaks were mostly spent practicing spellwork.
Lynn was relaxed enough, but Harley and Cho didn't have that luxury.
"Looks like we'll have to wait until the weekend... consider it a pre-exam stress reliever..."
Harley hung her head, looking dejected. "And I really wanted to show you the new swimsuit I bought, Lynn."
After dinner, Harley dragged Lynn out for a walk to digest their food, clinging to his arm unhappily. "Night swimming is no fun anyway. I wanted to sunbathe."
"Lynn, do you think I should get a tan?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I like fair skin."
Lynn walked at a leisurely pace, hands tucked in his pockets.
"Ohhh~" Harley drawled, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. "I get it."
"But if it's already a done deal, I guess it doesn't matter if I'm pale or tan."
"Wow, you're awful. I'm still growing, you know."
"Even though England has its traditions..." Lynn scratched his head, looking a bit puzzled. "You have so many girls around you, why do I feel like you're fixating on me?"
"Didn't you say—if one day your best bud suddenly turns into a girl, you gotta let the homies have a go first?"
"Which trashy comic book did you read that in?" Lynn looked at Harley, bewildered. "Are my tastes really that eclectic? How did I not know that?"
"It was in that box under your bed. The plot was actually pretty interesting."
"Stop reading those shady comics." Lynn stifled a yawn. "That stuff is all fiction. Besides, if I wanted a girlfriend, I would have had one ages ago."
"True, you are pretty popular with the upperclassmen," Harley mused, nodding in agreement. "But why don't you go for it, Lynn? Some of those older girls are exactly your type—curvy, tall, long legs. And they're pretty, too."
"It can't be—hehe~" Harley flashed a mischievous grin and poked Lynn in the ribs with her elbow. "It can't be that you can't get it up, right?"
"That is entirely your fault."
Lynn rolled his eyes and grumbled, "You showed me that picture of Fleur way too early. You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"I was supposed to meet her in fourth year during the Triwizard Tournament. But seeing what she looks like three years early? How am I supposed to be interested in anyone else now?"
"Ew~" Harley side-eyed Lynn with disdain. "You are such a pervert."
"Pervert? Hah."
Lynn let out a cold, dismissive laugh and sat down on a nearby stone bench. "If I were actually a pervert, half the senior girls in this school wouldn't be sleeping safe at night."
"You're obsessing over a pretty girl you haven't even met yet. How is that not perverted?"
Harley plopped down next to Lynn, using his arm as a pillow.
"But honestly, it's really comfortable being with you, Lynn. I feel so relaxed. I got a bunch of gifts with love letters tucked inside over Christmas... to be honest, I hate the feeling of guys liking me. I don't mind hanging out with boys, but when they start ogling me, that's where I draw the line."
"You're better, Lynn. It's just easier hanging out with you."
"Well, hurry up and grow up so you can give me some actual eye candy."
"Tch~" Harley pouted. "Want me to introduce you to some girlfriends?"
"I mean, I wouldn't say no. I trust your taste in besties."
"But speaking of which... if you were given the chance right now, would you want to turn back into a boy?"
"Being a girl is actually pretty annoying," Harley whispered, tilting her head back to look at the sparse stars. "I feel miserable for a few days every month. Aside from the physical pain, my mood just tanks. And whether it's summer or winter, my hands and feet are always freezing; I can never get warm in bed. Washing my hair is a hassle, too—though I do like having long hair because it looks good. Anyway, it's just a lot of little inconveniences. You wouldn't understand."
"But it's not all bad. I really like my life right now. I'm not stupid; I can tell. Whether it's Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon or Professor Snape... all these people who knew my parents are only nice to me because I look like my mom. My dad must have been really awful. Mom might have accepted him, but I bet his 'good side' was only for her. To everyone else, he was probably a bully."
"If I looked like my dad, none of them would give me the time of day. I hate that feeling. Maybe because I never personally experienced him being nice to me, I just can't accept that part of him."
"But, what can you do? I'm his kid. There are things I just have to face."
"I'm really happy I met you back then, and I'm happy with this life. So—if I had to choose again right now, I'd choose to stay exactly like this."
"I'm going to wear a super cute swimsuit this weekend. Try not to fall in love, Lynn."
"What is this?" Lynn raised an eyebrow. "The cat returning a favor?"
"Call it whatever you want." Harley wiggled her eyebrows. "I look this good; someone has to appreciate it. Other guys just look at me with dirty thoughts, but you won't."
"Yeah, I'm practically a saint."
Spouting nonsense that even he didn't believe, Lynn patted his pants and stood up. "Let's go. Digestion walk over. Time for bed."
"Walk me to Ravenclaw Tower."
"Why are you going there?"
"I'm going to crawl into Cho's bed and cuddle with her to get warm. Jealous?"
"Cuddle away. I wanted to see you two stick together from the start anyway. I just didn't expect Cho to catch feelings for me, too. My charm is just too lethal for the upperclassmen."
"You don't like Cho?"
"I like all pretty girls. But she's too young; I'm not interested. Plus, I know her dad. He used to tutor me. You go ahead and graze on that pasture yourself."
---
After the weekend came the Hogwarts exam week. First years tested first, followed by the other grades over the next week. Report cards would be mailed home once the students arrived for the holidays.
During this final weekend, countless students who had procrastinated were sporting dark circles under their eyes, but that kind of academic pressure hadn't hit the first and second years yet.
With only seven subjects, as long as you actually listened in class, failing was impossible.
Unless you truly didn't study at all, most report cards would start at E (Exceeds Expectations). Anyone who paid attention could get an O (Outstanding). Even getting an A (Acceptable) was rare. You'd have to be exceptionally talented at failure to get a P (Poor), D (Dreadful), or T (Troll).
With a light and happy heart, Harley held Lynn's arm with one hand and Cho's with the other as the three of them pushed open the door to the Room of Requirement.
They passed through the misty doorway and arrived once again at the oceanfront.
Unlike last time, they entered into a bright, sunny day. The sky was cloudless—a devastatingly rare occurrence for England.
The moment they hit the sand, Harley started running wild.
"You guys, come on!"
Hiking up her skirt, Harley ran barefoot along the water's edge, joyfully dodging the sand crabs that scurried past her feet into the ocean.
"It's so cold! It feels amazing!"
Harley spun in circles, her skirt flaring out. Her joy was infectious, and Cho quickly kicked off her shoes to join the fun.
Lynn was already familiar with the beach. As the designated logistics officer for this beach party, he waved his wand to transfigure some beach chairs while pulling pre-prepared snacks and drinks from his pocket.
"Lynn, do that stuff later! Let's build a sandcastle!"
Harley skipped over to Lynn, grabbed his arm, and dragged him sideways. Her hem was already soaked with seawater, but she didn't care a bit.
"No Transfiguration allowed! We build it by hand!"
"Alright, alright," Lynn replied perfunctorily.
"What's with that attitude? You look so mopey." Harley put her hands on her hips, looking down at Lynn, who was squatting on the ground.
"Forget it. Consider this a little pick-me-up."
Reaching behind her back, she zipped down her dress. Harley, who had worn her swimsuit underneath, tossed the dress aside to reveal a Hello Kitty patterned bikini.
"This isn't a kid's style! It's a two-piece, see? Isn't it super sexy?"
She struck poses for a good while. Lynn glanced at her once and looked away.
"Please don't insult the word 'sexy,' and definitely don't put the word 'super' in front of it."
"I have long legs!" Harley huffed. "I measured. Hermione, Parvati, Padma, Lavender... even if they're the same height as me, none of their legs are as long as mine."
"A future supermodel in the making. You can enjoy an early preview!"
"Preview of what? Are you lending me your legs for two years?"
"That's not a bad idea." Harley giggled. Then, pressing down on Lynn's shoulders, she vaulted onto him like she was playing leapfrog, ending up sitting on his shoulders. "Giddy-up! HMS Lynn, move out!"
"Get down from there! I am not a horse!"
"Cho, come play! Lynn is so much fun!"
Refusing to get down and balancing perfectly, Harley beamed. "I thought we were building a castle? Why are you riding me now?" Lynn grumbled, feeling a bit speechless.
"You can't play favorites. Let Cho have a turn. Be a good boy, Lynn."
"Cho isn't as lig—"
"Okay!"
Cho, who had also swapped her wet dress for swimwear, looked at Lynn with sparkling eyes. "I want to try, too."
"I never should have come out with you two..."
---
"This is way more comfortable than a broomstick! The Nimbus 2000's cushioning charm is so stiff, it's uncomfortable. The 2001 is the same. Lynn, fly a bit! Take me for a loop in the air, then switch with Cho, okay?"
"No."
"Pretty please? I'm begging you~"
"If you want to snap my neck, just give it a quick twist. You don't need to strangle me with your thighs..."
Feeling a bit short of breath, Lynn tapped Harley's leg. For someone with such thin limbs, she was surprisingly strong. Does Quidditch really train this kind of grip strength? Is it really necessary to clamp down that hard on a broom?
Forced into exercise, Lynn reluctantly took Harley for two laps in the air. The nearby seagulls looked utterly confused—since when could things shaped like that fly?
To be fair, Harley was still too skinny. At 4'11", she barely weighed 77 pounds. Despite her surprising grip strength, she was still light enough for Lynn to lift with one arm. The Re'em Blood Pudding they'd eaten at Hagrid's was definitely nutritious—genuine magical food that built strength, far rarer on the market than dragon meat.
Cho, however, was different. Harley was bony enough to hurt his shoulders, but Cho was soft and springy. When he looked up, he saw a soft, curving silhouette.
"Lynn, where are your perverted eyes looking?"
After they landed, Harley's voice piped up from behind Cho.
"Are you looking right here?"
"Eek!"
Cho let out a startled squeak as her weak spot was ambushed, her face turning crimson instantly.
"Harley, don't—"
"Wow! It feels even better than when we sleep!"
Watching the girls playfully fighting and blushing, Lynn's previous grumpiness vanished. He was in a great mood now. This is what he came for. He silently gave Harley a thumbs-up in his heart.
After playing for a while, drinking some ice-cold sodas, and eating snacks, the sea breeze made them drowsy.
Three lazy figures lay on the beach chairs. Lynn, wearing large sunglasses, squinted, ready to take a nap.
At the age of peak innocence, he chose sleep. Doing anything else wouldn't be appropriate right now, so he might as well catch some Z's.
"Didn't we agree you'd put sunscreen on us? Lynn, do your job before you sleep!"
"When did I agree to that? Just rub against each other, won't that work?"
"It's not the same! The movies say when guys and girls go out, the guy is supposed to do this. Besides, don't you want to touch?"
"You're a bag of bones, it hurts my hands. Eat more in the future, Harley. Put on some meat, thanks."
"It's hard for me to gain weight..." Harley pouted. she actually wanted to gain a few pounds, but her metabolism wouldn't allow it. "I eat way more than Cho, but I just can't get fat. Maybe I haven't hit my growth spurt yet?"
"Anyway—hurry up."
"Thanks for finding me chores."
Lynn took the sunscreen and listlessly got to work.
"It's cold! That tickles!"
"Stop squirming like a worm. Flip over."
"Have you ever seen a fried egg flip itself?"
"You are just purely lazy... Alright, done. You're set."
After finishing with Harley in a few seconds, Lynn turned to the other side. "Your turn, Cho?"
"I feel like... you're really practiced at this, Lynn."
Cho, propping her upper body up and turning her head to look at him, sounded suspicious. "Have you... applied sunscreen to other girls before?"
"Oh, tons. Back at Oxford, they used me like child labor."
Lynn straddled the lounger behind Cho, deftly untied the strings of her bikini top, and pressed his hands against her soft back. "Sounds pretty scummy, doesn't it?"
"Yeah..."
Cho buried her face in her arms, her back stiffening as she replied quietly.
"That's about right. Remember one thing, Cho: men, whether they're eight or eighty, are all horn-dogs."
"What about you?"
Cho turned half her face toward him, suddenly curious.
"I'm the worst of the bunch."
"Apple-Sister, your skin feels great. Definitely an improvement from before."
Biting her lip, Cho let out a soft hum, and her body instantly relaxed under his hands.