23 Behind The Greenhouse

Ezra nodded as Enid asked when he first discovered he was a wizard. "Well, both my parents were magical, so it was always likely I would be too," he explained. "But I definitely started showing signs of accidental magic when I was around 5 or 6 years old. Strange things would happen around me when I got really emotional - lights flickering, objects moving on their own. The typical early magical hijinks. But I didn't know learn to control my magic until I turned eleven and an owl showed up with my Hogwarts acceptance letter."

"Whoa, you got a letter delivered by an owl inviting you to wizard school?" Enid asked, eyes wide. "That's amazing!"

Ezra chuckled. "I suppose it is a pretty extraordinary way to find out you're accepted to school. I'll never forget reading that letter for the first time." He smiled wistfully at the memory." he said with a chuckle.

"That's so cool!" Enid exclaimed. "What were your parents like? Were they excited when you got your Hogwarts letter?"

Ezra looked slightly wistful as he recalled his family. "My mum and dad both worked at the Ministry of Magic back home. They were really proud when I got accepted to Hogwarts. But..." he trailed off, seeming hesitant to continue.

"What is it?" Enid asked gently.

"Well, they were both Gryffindors when they were students," Ezra explained. "So I think they were a bit disappointed when I got sorted into Slytherin House instead."

Enid nodded in understanding. "House rivalry runs deep, huh?"

"Yeah, it caused some tension at first," Ezra admitted. "But I think the real strain on my relationship with my parents came later, when I told them I wanted to be an adventurer and explorer after school instead of working a Ministry job like them."

He paused, gazing up at the stars. "They didn't approve of me wanting to 'wander around chasing danger' as they put it. We've never really seen eye-to-eye since then."

Enid gave Ezra a sympathetic look and squeezed his hand. "Well, I think wanting to see the world and go on adventures sounds pretty great."

Ezra smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Enid. It's nice to have someone who understands."

He took a deep breath, shaking off the lingering melancholy from reminiscing about his family.

"What was it like going to school to learn magic?" Enid leaned forward eagerly. "Were there like wands and flying broomsticks and stuff?"

"There certainly were," Ezra confirmed. "We used wands for spellcasting, flew on brooms during Quidditch matches, studied magical plants and creatures. It was everything you'd imagine from a school of magic."

Enid held up her hand. "Wait what's Quidditch?"

Ezra's eyes lit up at the mention of his favorite magical sport. "Quidditch is a game played on broomsticks. There are seven players on each team - three Chasers, two Beaters, one Keeper, and one Seeker."

He went on to explain the positions and balls used in detail, with Enid listening intently. "The Chasers try to get the Quaffle through one of three hoops to score points. The Keeper defends those hoops. The Beaters use bats to knock the Bludgers away from their team and towards the other team to disrupt them. And the Seeker has the most important role - catching the tiny Golden Snitch. Whichever Seeker catches it ends the game and earns their team 150 points, nearly always winning the game."

"That sounds so cool!" Enid exclaimed. "Do you play Quidditch?"

Ezra nodded. "I was a Chaser on the Slytherin house team. Flying around the pitch, executing plays with my fellow Chasers, the thrill of scoring goals...it was brilliant."

"I bet you look really handsome in your Quidditch robes," Enid said, batting her eyelashes.

Ezra chuckled. "Why thank you. I did cut quite the dashing figure, if I do say so myself."

They both laughed. Ezra found himself relaxing, enjoying the lighthearted conversation. There was something charming about Enid's bubbly enthusiasm that put him at ease.

Ezra smiled as Enid's eyes lit up with curiosity about his life as a wizard.

"What about the classes?" Enid asked eagerly. "Did you learn to make potions and cast spells?"

"We certainly did," Ezra confirmed. "Some of my favorites were Potions, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. In Potions, we brewed all sorts of concoctions - for healing, changing your appearance, inducing love or luck, that sort of thing. Charms taught us spells for everyday tasks like levitating objects, unlocking doors, even turning vinegar to wine."

He chuckled at the memory. "That last one got me in a spot of trouble once during a party at the Slytherin common room." 

Enid giggled. "Why am I not surprised you were quite the troublemaker?"

"Guilty as charged," Ezra admitted with a roguish grin. "As for Defense Against the Dark Arts, we learned counter-curses, jinxes, and how to defend against dark creatures. It always kept us on our toes."

"Ooh, tell me about the dark creatures!" Enid said. "Were there like dragons and basilisks?"

"All of those and more," Ezra confirmed. "Dragons can be quite nasty if you don't know how to handle them. There are rumors that there actually used to be a Basilisk in Hogwarts. There are creatures like Dementors that suck out your soul. Lethifolds that suffocate you while you sleep and eat you. Even boggarts, which can transform into your worst fear."

He shuddered at the memory before continuing. "But we also learned about fascinating beasts like hippogriffs, phoenixes, and unicorns."

"Wow," Enid breathed. "It sounds incredible getting to study real magical creatures. Way more interesting than dissecting frogs in biology class!"

They both laughed at that. Ezra found himself captivated by the way Enid's nose crinkled when she laughed. She really did have an endearing spirit about her.

"What about the castle?" Enid pressed on eagerly. "I bet it was huge and ornate and filled with talking paintings and secret passages!"

"You're spot on there," Ezra said. "Hogwarts castle was enormous - grand stone walls, towering turrets, vast grounds, and a lake. Constantly moving staircases, tricky doors, shortcuts behind tapestries. And yes, talking portraits were everywhere keeping an eye on things."

He shook his head in amazement thinking back on it. "I swear I never uncovered all its secrets even after five years living there. Hogwarts always held some new mystery or adventure."

"It sounds like something straight out of a fairytale," Enid sighed dreamily. "Way more magical than boring old Jericho or even Nevermore."

"Oh I don't know," Ezra said playfully. "Nevermore has its own charms. Friendly faces like yours make it feel quite magical indeed."

Enid blushed at the compliment. "Aren't you the smooth talker?" She nudged his arm teasingly. 

"What can I say, I just speak the truth," Ezra said with an easy grin.

 A loud moan suddenly echoed from deeper within the greenhouse, making Enid's cheeks flush pink.

"What was that?" Ezra asked, one eyebrow quirked up curiously.

Enid bit her lip, looking embarrassed. "Oh, that. Well...the greenhouse is kind of notorious as a hookup spot here at Nevermore."

"Is that so?" Ezra said, a teasing smirk spreading across his face. "Why Miss Sinclair, I didn't realize you had ulterior motives in bringing me here."

"What? No!" Enid exclaimed, her blush deepening. She waved her hands frantically. "That's not why I brought you here at all, I swear!"

But Ezra wasn't giving her a chance to explain herself. Still grinning, he leaned closer to Enid, gently grasping her chin with his fingers. Her breath hitched as he leaned in, their faces just inches apart.

"I'm only teasing, love," he murmured. Before Enid could respond, Ezra closed the gap between them, bringing his lips to hers in a tender kiss.

Enid's eyes fluttered shut as she melted into the kiss, the greenhouse and any lingering embarrassment forgotten. Ezra's hand moved to cup her cheek gently as the kiss deepened, his mouth warm and inviting against her own. Enid sighed blissfully, losing herself in the sweetness of the moment.

After a few breathless seconds, Ezra slowly pulled back, resting his forehead against Enid's. They stayed like that for a moment, neither speaking, simply letting the new dynamic between them sink in.

Finally, Ezra brushed his thumb over Enid's cheek. "You're not cross with me, are you?" he asked softly.

Enid opened her eyes to gaze up at him, lips still tingling from the kiss. "Cross? Not at all," she assured him with a radiant smile.

Ezra smiled back, looking relieved. "Good. I'd hate to sour this little hangout with unwanted advances."

"Oh, it was definitely not unwanted," Enid said coyly.