The Narrator
Unmonitored Account
21 October 1922
First Hogsmeade Weekend
10:00am
Butterwand & Co. was overflowing.
The little confectionary shop sat glowing warmly beneath the fall-gray skies of Hogsmeade, its windows fogged from the sheer number of bodies crammed inside. Gold-painted lettering shimmered above the entrance, while enchanted garlands of sugared pumpkins and fall leaves twinkled softly along the awning. Every few moments the door would swing open with a cheerful jingle, releasing bursts of warmth, laughter, and the overwhelming scent of melted chocolate, spun sugar, citrus zest, and caramelized honey into the cold street beyond.
Inside, it was chaos.
Not unpleasant chaos, excited chaos.
Students packed shoulder-to-shoulder between polished wooden shelves overflowing with familiar favorites and newer creations that had been out of stock since summer. First years stood on tiptoe trying to peer over crowds while older students leaned dramatically across counters, waving sickles impatiently in the air in hopes of being served first.
Above it all hung the centerpiece display.
A towering arrangement of glittering glass jars, golden trays, and enchanted ribbon banners announced Butterwand & Co.’s newest creations in swirling script:
BACK IN STOCK
VELVET CLOUD TRUFFLES
FIZZING STARSHARDS
CLOUDBERRY CHEWS
GOLDEN HONEY SUNSET
ZING ZEST LIGHTNING BOLTS
RAINBOW POP LOLLIES
MIDNIGHT COCOA CUBES
Each sweet seemed almost impossibly appealing.
Students crowded around the display in fascination.
“Are those actually SPARKLING!?”
“The chocolate are SO GOOD!”
“Ohhhh, those are glittery.”
“Oh, I’m absolutely buying them all.”
At the register, little branded boxes tied with velvet ribbon disappeared almost as quickly as the employees could package them. Samples were passed around freely, and already wrappers littered tabletops while animated conversations filled every corner of the shop.
Something about the sweets was undeniably alluring.
Not suspicious. Not dangerous.
Just… wonderful.
Perhaps a little too wonderful.
And though nobody noticed it yet, by the time students returned to Hogwarts that evening, the castle would feel just a little louder. A little brighter. A little more emotional.
As though someone had turned the volume knob on the entire student body ever so slightly higher.
(OOC: WELCOME TO THE SUGAR RUSH! Please see the Sugar Rush forum for all the pertinent information. There are prompts to help earn house points, so read through those to help get inspiration. Once you have a completed thread, please fill out the tracker to help keep track of everything. To help highlight the plot threads, please start your subject with PLOT.
You can respond to this post, with your students buying/trying the treats, or you can make your own. Completely up to you!
PLOT INFORMATION:
Near the end of summer, Butterwand & Co. in Hogsmeade debuted a new line of sweets. They were meant to be nothing more than a novelty, a new product to draw in customers, nothing unusual about them at all. They sold out almost immediately, leaving the shop scrambling to source enough ingredients for a second batch.
They managed it. On the students' first Hogsmeade visit of term, the 21st of October, the shop was ready with fresh samples and a full display. The effect was instantaneous. Students who tried them felt absolutely wonderful, bright, bold, brimming with something they couldn't quite name, and bought up as much as they could carry. Butterwand & Co. was puzzled but delighted.
What nobody knew, including the shop, was that a new shipment of ingredients had come in that season, different from their usual stock. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Nothing smelled wrong. But something in that batch, when folded into the new line, had produced an effect nobody had intended or anticipated.
As the sweets made their way through common rooms and corridors and were consumed in increasing quantities, something began to shift. Students grew bolder than usual, more impulsive, more emotionally intense. Feelings that might ordinarily stay tucked away had a way of making themselves known. Spellwork became unpredictable, not dangerous, but erratic in ways that were difficult to explain. Everything was just a little more heightened than it should have been. A little more chaotic.
Butterwand & Co. had no idea. As far as the shop was concerned, business had never been better.
Maybe it was his age, or the fact that he could see over 75% off the people in the candy shop, but the energy in the room was almost too much to handle. Sure, he liked candy just as much as the next person…
Except for the little shrimp in front of him, this kid was vibrating with pure unadulterated glee.
Sheesh, it was just candy!
But, like all the other sheep, he was here, in line, or what had looked like a line when he got into it, but now it was a mob of people waving money around like idiots. Brooks would wait. If it was sold out, he’d just get some next time.
Maybe in England parents restricted sugar like the Americans restricted alcohol.
It took far longer than it should have, but finally he got the attention of a very ragged looking shop keeper, made eye contact and smiled. She was pretty, older and looked like she had been run over by a truck.
“Hey, can I get three of each new candy? If it’s not too much trouble.”
With a sigh, she gritted her teeth and started moving through the hustle and bustle of the other workers to bag up his order. As his mother loved to say when she was trying to cook and his Pa was in the way, there were far too many cooks in the kitchen.
“Thanks!” he said, smiling to the girl, who just nodded her head while sending him a glare that said ‘I hate you kids with a burning passion.’
Finally, bag in hand, money paid, Brooks made his way out of the shop to the gray skies and fresh air. The shop had been mad hot, with so many bodies packed in like sardines.
Sitting down on a bench to the side, he took out the small lightning bolt shaped one and popped it into his mouth. The tart citrus taste melted over his tongue, causing a pinched sour look to his face.“Oye!” He said, while the zing of tangy citrus went through his mouth.
The initial hit of the sugar was a lot, but once the sharpness faded, he moaned with happiness. This thing was fantastic. “Holy shit.” he said to himself, understanding why the customers were feral for more.
Morgan was furious in the way that Evander made her furious, or that Benji made her furious. Not in the way of being ready to actually unalive someone, but definitely in the way that she would refuse to be held accountable for whatever nonsense she spoke once she reached her target.
The amount of rage was somewhat concerning, but not enough to really stop her in her tracks. Or calm her down.
She stomped her way down from the castle to Hogsmeade, muttering her feelings to her best toad friend who she held to her chest. David understood. He could be counted on more than any human she knew.
As she walked through the town, her green eyes skimmed the people for the giant who she spent most of her time with. But as far as she could see, he was nowhere. So she followed the stream of kids into the candy shop, the sweetness that she’d come to love over the summer hit her. She could see the signs that announced the new candies were back in stock, and she had enough money with her to get some.
She stood in the mob, patiently impatient, already going over what she wanted and how many. She didn’t see him until she exited, her candy in a bag. Her eyes narrowed as she popped a fizzing starshard into her mouth.
“Well well,” she said loudly as she came to a stop in front of him. Because he was so tall, she kept standing so she could look down on him and feel like she was in charge. She was aware, on some level, that looming was difficult when the other person had nearly a foot on you. She chose not to acknowledge this.
The candy in her mouth glittered and popped. “We were suppose to come out here together, you know that right? It’s implied in the rules of friendship and you, sir, are failing horribly,” she said, narrowing her eyes. Still, amusement filled her eyes as the sugar from the candy began to invade her mind.
The sweets shop spat her back out onto the street with a gush of fresh air, less noise and infinitely more space to move.
Maevie took a deep breath, giving her head a shake. She usually wasn’t one to get overwhelmed by bustling crowds or packed rooms, but even she had looked forward to getting out of there about halfway down the line to pay. At least she had managed to get her hands on a couple of those popular treats.
Not her initial plan but the moment she had seen those lollies on display, Maevie had stopped for a second.
She had had one of those before, in the library with Avery. Then and there she hadn’t questioned the effect it had had on her, she’d merely drifted away into a sort of bliss she’d never felt before. Unfortunately the older student who had given her the lolly in the first place claimed to have run out of them himself when she’d asked for another.
And she had kind of forgotten about it since then.
But standing in front of that display, offering six other sweets alongside those lollies, the craze of the crowd…
Maevie had taken a gamble and spent all her money on copious amounts of all of them.
Stuffed into two paper bags hanging from her hands, she swore she could hear them buzzing. As though whispering to her, low and excited, promising more.
Losing no time, eagerness pumping like a stream of adrenaline through her blood, Maevie searched for a spot to sit. Just off to the side, she found just the perfect one.
“Hey Morgan! Hey Brooks!” Smiling brightly she dropped into the empty spot next to the older boy, rummaging for one of the boxes of Cloudberry Chews, completely oblivious to their conversation. “What a nightmare in there, wasn’t it?”, she beamed at them in turn. “If they’re not careful, someone will get trampled soon!”
She giggled cheerfully, finally extracting what she’d been looking for. Anticipation flared inside her stomach as she plopped not one, but two chews into her mouth, hope lacing the flavour on her tongue.
“What are you guys doing next?”
Fully expecting to tag along.
“Well well,” the voice said, breaking him out of his candy induced stupor. “We were suppose to come out here together, you know that right? It’s implied in the rules of friendship and you, sir, are failing horribly.”
Brooks looked at Mysty with a mixed look of humor and wonder. Girls were a mystery. The name made more sense than ever he realized.
Popping another lightning bolt into his mouth, the tart citrus flavor melting on his tongue, he shrugged and looked down at his friend.
“Mysty Mysty Mysty. Of course we’re friends! BEST friends!” he said, the outburst coming out louder than he anticipated. His mind having trouble reconciling the reaction. “I’m sorry for leaving without you. I was up early and wanted to look around the village.”
He nudged her, his fist playfully bumping her shoulder. “Come-on, don’t be mad.”
Mae walked up then, he smiled at the younger girl. They had multiple classes together, which had been nice. Seeing a common face day to day. “MAE! You’re here!” He said with loud enthusiasm.
“What a nightmare in there, wasn’t it? If they’re not careful, someone will get trampled soon!”
He nodded. She was not wrong. It was a nuthouse.
“Yeah, they probably should have limited entry, but man I get what people are excited about. Have you tried these things yet? The lightning ones are A-MA-ZING! What’ya say ladies? Should we stuff out faces and go buy more?”
((OOC: Brooks is feeling the effects, having sudden bursts of joy and loud outbursts.))
Morgan opened her mouth, completely prepared to continue her very valid and extremely normal lecture about the rules of friendship when Brooks announced they were best friends at a volume that made a passing child flinch.
She paused, considered that.
“Best friends,” she repeated, a bit grudgingly satisfied at the concept. She wasn’t going to let him off that easy but – yes, best friends was –
Maevie dropped onto the seat next to Brooks and Morgan’s head snapped towards her at the disruption.
“Mae! – no, wait –” she pointed back at Brooks. “I’m not done with you –” she said in a tone she’d used for Evander a few times by this point. She looked back at Maevie. “Hi! – But also –” Back to Brooks. “You could’ve left a note or something, a portrait message, anything –”
She shifted her weight from foot to foot almost without stopping, without even realizing she was doing it.
“– and YES the shop was an absolute nightmare, I nearly lost David in there –” she pulled the toad slightly out of her bag to demonstrate that he was in fact still present and accounted for, “– but ANYWAY –” back to Brooks, “– best friends implies a certain level of –”
She stopped. Her face went blank and her eyes wide.
“Wait, sorry, what was I saying?”
David croaked, as if reminding her. Her face became animated again.
“Right. Loyalty,” she said, pointing at Brooks. “That’s the word.”
Morgan hadn’t sat down once. The candy in her mouth stopped fizzing and she immediately popped another one in.
((OOC: Morgan is also feeling the effects… can’t sit still. Interrupting herself.))
Both Brooks and Morgan seemed to be excited to see her, radiating an energy that immediately infected her in turn. The berry flavour of her chews spread over her tongue while a beaming smile lit up her face, legs swinging as she eagerly listened to the others’ conversation.
It seemed to jump back and forth between whatever they’d been talking about before she’d arrived, and the claustrophobic hell the shop had been.
Maevie nodded fervently to Brooks suggestion to stuff their faces but then had to immediately shake her head. “Can’t buy more,” she interjected, “I spent all my money already.” She nudged one of her bags with a foot, briefly wondering why she’d even said that. It wasn’t exactly impressive to blow all of the little pocket money she received on candy.
But her mind was distracted only a moment later.
The sight of Morgan’s toad drew a delighted squeak from her, finger pointing at the creature as though she’d never seen anything more exciting in her life before. “David!”, she exclaimed. “You look splendid today!” For some reason that felt like the exact right thing to say, something she might have bit down on usually.
But he deserved to know, didn't he?!
“– best friends implies a certain level of –”
Maevie’s attention snapped back to Morgan, gaze darting to Brooks and back.
“Right. Loyalty. That’s the word.”
“Best friends?”, Maevie asked, straightening as she plopped another chew into her mouth. A rush of confidence burned through her veins, chin lifting a smidge higher. “I should be Brook’s best friend. Everyone knows Hufflepuffs are the most loyal, and I can do this.”
Throwing one of the chews into the air, Maevie tilted her head back, mouth wide open as she caught the falling sweet on her tongue. With a wide grin she chewed, looking from Morgan to Brooks, back and forth, brows jumping repeatedly.
Brooks's eyes went completely wide as Maevie caught the chew in her mouth. It was the greatest thing he had ever seen in his entire fifteen years of life.
"OH! DIRECT HIT!" He yelled, slamming his hand down on the arm of the bench so hard a nearby flock of pigeons took off in a huff. "Did you see that, Mysty?! That was wicked! Bravo!" He said, clapping for Maevie.
Before anyone could stop him, Brooks dug into his own bag, grabbed a lightning bolt candy, tossing it high into the air. Lunging forward, tilting his head back with his mouth open wide. He missed entirely. The candy bounced off his forehead and landed in the dirt with a very unsatisfying puff of dirt. He was already laughing, a loud, booming sound, completely different than his normal laugh.
"Alright, so I need practice! But the loyalty thing," He snapped his fingers, pointing at Maevie with vibrating energy. "She’s right! Puffs are fiercely loyal! It’s in the handbook! I read it, did you read it? YOU SHOULD READ IT! But Mysty…"
His head whipped around to face Morgan, his eyes wide and crazed. Reaching out, he grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her just a tiny bit with sheer excitement.
"You're the original best friend! The bookstore best friend! The ice cream shop taste tester BFF! You can't be replaced? We’re a trio now! A tripod! We’re a… I don’t know… Something else that has three in it!"
He finally let go of her shoulders, his hands reaching into his bag, rustling it around until he found his next candy. Pulling out the midnight cocoa chew he smiled with unadulterated glee. It smelled so good he might cry tears of pure joy.
"Wait, Mae, you spent all your money?" He looked at her horrified. This absolutely would not do! Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a rainbow lolly and the fizzing starshard and handed them over. "Problem solved! What's mine is yours! We're sticking together! Nobody gets left behind!"
Chewing fast as the chocolate melted, his leg started bouncing a mile a minute. He looked between the two girls, practically vibrating off the bench.
"So, what are we doing next? We should go to the Shrieking Shack. Or fight the giant squid! Morgan, let’s go find the squid right now! David can be the captain!"
Morgan had been trying to follow the conversation – she really had – but then Brooks grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her and for approximately three seconds her brain stopped working entirely and she was still thinking about that in a way she absolutely was not going to examine and then he said tripod and she was suddenly back –
“A tripod has three legs,” she said, pointing at him. Morgan’s face was warmer than usual and she was blaming the candy. She also had a weird feeling in her stomach that she didn’t hate. “We are not a tripod.” They had, afterall, six legs between them. Not three.
Morgan’s feet were still moving and she shifted her weight back and forth. She couldn’t stop them.
“And that!” she pointed at the youngest of them. “That was genuinely the most impressive thing I have seen since first year and I once knocked out a sixth year with a –” she stopped. “Nevermind.”
She laughed. David croaked. Morgan looked down at him.
“David is not a captain,” she said, nodding at the amphibian. “He’s a passenger.”
When she looked up, she spotted an open area next to them and before she knew it, she’d shoved David at Maevie. “Hold him,” she ordered as she moved to the spot.
And then Morgan Barlowe, fifth year Gryffindor, threw herself sideways into a cartwheel that was enthusiastic and committed and only slightly catastrophic. She hadn’t busted her head open, which was a good thing.
She came up lopsided, hair everywhere, and immediately did another one. Equally as sloppy.
Morgan looked up at Brooks when she stood up, only about a foot away from the boy, out of breath, but completely serious.
“Your turn,” Morgan said and pointed at him. “Loyalty. Prove it.”
Maevie beamed, legs swinging harder than ever as the others’ praise washed over her like warm water. It rushed through her in ecstasy, demanding more. Brooks promptly delivered.
"She’s right! Puffs are fiercely loyal! It’s in the handbook! I read it, did you read it? YOU SHOULD READ IT! But Mysty…"
An aggressive burst of giggles made her bounce on the bench beside him, chest swelling a little more, smile curling more smug. “Yes, the handbook!”, she almost yelled, shooting a fist into the air, having to idea what he was talking about. "The handbook is the best!"
But the rush of pride of his and Morgan's praise for her candy catching quickly deflated, taking a hit to her ego when the older boy began to shake Morgan’s shoulders, claiming she was still his best friend. Despite her show of talent and her argumentation.
Maevie pouted, sagging slightly. She didn’t want them to be a tripod, that was stupid. She wanted to be the only friend! It almost spilled from her lips, mouth already opened to protest but then Brooks was stuffing more sweets into her hands.
"Problem solved! What's mine is yours! We're sticking together! Nobody gets left behind!"
She hesitated for one moment, gaze darting to the two bags full by her feet and the sheer amount of sweets bulging them out. She had more than enough of her own but a small voice seemed to whisper from the back of her mind. What if she just accepted these anyway…
Maevie shook her head. “Thank you,” she said with a smile. “I have so much already though, you should keep it.” She pushed them back into Brooks’ hands.
Immediately replaced by David.
Maevie cackled brightly as he blinked up at her, eyes rounding when Morgan threw herself into a cartwheel. Her head whipped sideways to look at Brooks’ reaction, feeling a renewed urge to be better.
When Morgan was done, Maevie shoved David into the boy’s hands, jumping up. “I can do that way better,” she claimed and then cartwheeled across the street. Three in a row, because of course she had to prove that she was better.
She came up a little breathless, but beaming. “You!”, she demanded, pointing a finger at Brooks, “have to say who was better now!” This had to convince him. Now she was going to be his best friend.
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