Fauna hadn't been to the Three Broomsticks in a while, and especially not during a weekend when the Hogwarts students were swarming. She wore her yellow coat today, in solidarity with the Hufflepuff students. Was the town overrun with third-years or did they all just look very young to her now? 

In the crowded pub, she parked at a table, propping her foot up on the other stool as she waited for Ayla.

It had been too long since she'd caught up with Ayla, the younger Hufflepuff she'd taken under her wing at Hogwarts. Now seemed the perfect time. For the past few weeks, she'd finally started processing the onslaught that had been December and early January. It had all started getting better that weekend she'd spent time with her friends, first sharing gillyweed with Virgil, and then sharing drinks with Fig, Tia, and Loch the very next night. After that weekend, she'd caught up with Bagnold and Bruce, and with Zeta through letters, and with an old friend (who also happened to be a Hufflepuff).

She was doing well and hoped Ayla was, too. Ayla had sounded conflicted in her letters. Based on what Fauna had heard from her and gleaned from Zeta, Ayla had boy troubles.

Bobbing her foot, Fauna pulled out her notebook and began doodling cartoon faces. She glanced up every once in a while, keeping an eye on the door and the crowd.

When her friend walked in, she smiled warmly and hopped up to hug her. "Ayla! It's been forever. It's really good to see you. I like your hair."

Blue! When had she charmed it?

The butterbeers Fauna had ordered arrived, just in time. "Feel free to get something else," she sat across from her. "I tried to get ahead of the crowds."

Ayla had been really looking forward to the Hogsmeade weekend. She had found it hard to focus on very little else, much to her Professors' chagrin. She was surprised she had managed to make it through the week without landing in detention. She had an eager spring in her step as she approached the popular hot spot. It wasn't hard to spot her surrogate sister and threw herself into the proffered hug.

"Thanks!" She absently touched her turquoise curls, which she had managed to pull back into a waterfall braid, "It wasn't by choice but it could have been much worse. Peeves" she rolled her eyes, the only explanation needed for what had happened to her hair.

Ayla took a seat and a sip of the Butterbeer, waving off the offer to order something else, "how have you been?! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

It was nice being with Fauna again. The constant stream of thought seemed to have quieted, at least for now. She knew that once things got underway she'd be a non stop flow of anxiety and concern about her current situation but at least she could be polite to her friend first.