┏ ೋღ : 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂. : ღೋ ┓

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞-𝖔𝖓𝖊:
𝔧𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔲𝔰, 𝔧𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔲𝔰, 𝔧𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔲𝔰 𝔤𝔦𝔯𝔩

┗━━ ೋღ : ©-𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒄 : ღೋ ━━━┛

𝕿HE LIBRARY WAS QUIET AND STILL, save for the chatter and rush of a few students. Tall wooden bookshelves, polished to a soft gleam, rose up on either side of narrow aisles, filled with rows upon rows of books. Sunlight filtered through the large, arched windows of the castle, casting gentle patterns of light and shadow across the floor.

Finding Adrian sitting at one of the tables of the library, you hiked your bag further up your shoulder and hesitated a bit before approaching him. Your footsteps caught his attention and he brought his eyes up from his sketches in his notebook.

"Sorry, were you waiting long?" you asked nervously, sliding into the seat across from him. As you settled into the chair, you removed your bag from your shoulder, its strap slipping down your arm as you placed it carefully on the table in front of you.

"Nah, you're good," he replied with an easygoing grin that immediately put you at ease. His relaxed posture and the way he leaned back in his chair, completely unbothered by your slight tardiness, made you feel a little less anxious. "I only got here five minutes ago."

You let out a small sigh of relief. "Okay, that's good" you chuckled quietly, finally allowing yourself to relax into your seat. The initial tension in your shoulders began to melt away as you mirrored his easygoing demeanor.

"So, where did you wanna start?" He asked, sitting up straighter in his chair. As he crossed his arms, he mentioned, "You were the one who came up with the dueling situation in the first place. It'd be hard to do for the Reductor Curse."

"Oh, right," you muttered, blinking as you remembered suggesting a duel as the presentation part of the project. Reaching into your bag, you took out your wand and your notebook. "Uhm, can you be the one to cast Reducto during the presentation?"

"Sure," Adrian answered, sounding quite sure of his abilities. However, you had only asked him to be one to cast the curse since you had quite a few ideas for the duel and felt it was too complicated to explain it to him, so you just wanted to hand the easy part to him.

"Alright." You ripped out a page from the back of your notebook and laid it in front of you. Pushing your bag and notebook to the side, it gave you a clear view of Adrian. "Just react fast, okay?" He nodded, and with a wave of your wand, you muttered, "Depulso."

The piece of paper was struck with a white light, flying in the opposite direction of you. It flew straight toward Adrian, who listened to your words and lifted his wand to counter. "Reducto." In the flash of a blue light, the parchment disintegrated to dust and fell into a pile of ash on top of the table.

"Okay, then imagine that, but with ten different things flying at you," you told him. In a simple wand movement, the window beside your table was unlocked. You pushed it open and muttered, "Aerisio." A jet of hot air blew from your wand and at the pile of ash, sending it out of the window and into the sky. With another wave of your wand, the window closed and relocked.

"What kind of things?" Adrian asked curiously, watching the dust drift away and disappear into the sky through the window.

"Rocks, books, paper," you listed off with a slight shrug. "All you need to do is just react quickly and use the spell on anything that gets flung your way."

"You're not using this presentation as an excuse to throw things at me, are you?" He questioned, his voice holding an undertone of teasing. His eyes narrowed in a scrutinizing manner, trying to decipher your expression.

Despite his teasing, you felt nervous that he was genuinely questioning you. You laughed nervously, shaking your head as you replied, "No, of course not. I just thought it would be a good way to show how versatile the Reductor Curse can be. If anything, I'm giving you a chance to show off your reflexes."

He nodded. "Alright, and don't worry, I'll make sure to hit everything you throw at me."

You felt a wave of relief at his enthusiasm. His confidence in the presentation made you feel more certain about it, even though you hated presentations. "Great. We'll need to practice a few more times to make sure everything goes smoothly, though. We can't afford any mistakes during the actual presentation."

"Agreed," Adrian said, tapping his wand thoughtfully against the table. "How about we meet up tomorrow by the Black Lake? That way, we can work out everything and make sure we're both on the same page."

"Sounds good to me," you replied, feeling more at ease with him. "I'll bring some objects we can use for practice, just to get the timing right—"

"Adrian!" A voice called out, catching his and your attention. Your eyes were drawn to where the familiarly obnoxious voice came from and you instantly frowned at the sight of Alexia Gardner and her friends.

While Alexia approached you and Adrian, her friends hung back and simply watched from afar. "It's been a while since we've talked, hasn't it, Adri?" You wanted to vomit at her nickname for him.

"What do you want, Alexia?" Adrian groaned, rolling his gray eyes with annoyance flickering in his gaze every time he looked at her.

"Aw, I'm not Lexi anymore?" She inquired, pouting at his lack of affection towards her.

"Nope," he stated bluntly. It honestly surprised you that they even dated in the first place, seeing as Adrian appeared like he held no feelings for the girl whatsoever.

"Oh, come on. Just because we broke up doesn't mean we can't be friends," Alexia reasoned, batting her eyelashes in a way that made you want to burst out with laughter.

"It does when you break up with me for some guy you're delusional enough to think would date you," he remarked.

You tried stifling your laugh, but failed as you coughed into your elbow with a grin. Adrian, sensing your amusement and entertainment, started smiling at your failed attempt to look disinterested.

Alexia's eyes snapped toward you as if she had just noticed your presence despite you being there the entire time. "Ah, sorry. I didn't notice you." Her fake tone made you want to throw up and you struggled to not roll your eyes. "Aren't you Mudblood Murray's friend?"

"I'm Kyra's friend actually," you replied evenly, keeping your tone neutral despite the unpleasantness of the situation. Alexia's eyes narrowed slightly, as if she was trying to assess whether or not she could push you further.

"You know, I loved watching your Quidditch match with Gryffindor, (Y/n)," Alexia mentioned, her voice laced with a sickeningly sweet tone. It dripped with insincerity and her eyes gleamed with barely concealed malice. "But maybe next time, try not to crash straight into the ground. It gave me secondhand embarrassment." She gave a mockingly empathetic grimace, her gaze flickering with satisfaction at the discomfort on your face.

A flush crept up your neck, the memory of your fall during the Quidditch match rushing back to your mind. The yells from the stands and the mortifying feeling of having the wind knocked out of you by Harry Potter — all of it replayed in vivid detail. You clenched your jaw, trying to push the memory away, but it lingered stubbornly, feeding the embarrassment that stemmed in your gut.

"Alexia, actually, leave," Adrian scoffed, practically pushing her away with his glare.

"Just so you know, he would never choose you over me," she whispered lowly to you, making you wonder why she thought you even cared about either of them. With a flip of her hair and a roll of her eyes, Alexia turned on her heel and sauntered back towards her friends who were already stifling their laughter.

"Don't listen to her," a voice cut through your thoughts and you looked up to see Adrian standing beside you, his expression one of clear disdain as he watched Alexia's retreating figure. He rolled his eyes, his annoyance evident. "You're a good Quidditch player. The only reason you fell was because of Potter."

"Thanks," you sighed, trying to shake off the lingering embarrassment of Alexia's words. "You're... uhm, you're pretty good at Quidditch too." The compliment felt awkward, but it was sincere nonetheless.

Adrian's lips lifted into a grin as he laughed lightly. "Thanks, I try," he replied, his tone jokingly arrogant as he shrugged, as if to say that being a good Quidditch player was just another one of his many talents. "It's one of my favorite parts of the day."

"What? Quidditch practice?" You asked, curiosity piqued. Sure, you liked Quidditch, but it wasn't exactly the highlight of your day.

"Yeah," Adrian confirmed with a sure nod, his eyes brightening as he spoke about it. "You know, not to the extent of Wood-level obsessed, but I love Quidditch." His voice carried a genuine fondness, a passion that was clear in the way he spoke.

You smiled at his enthusiasm, feeling a little more at ease. "It's good to have something you really enjoy."

"Yeah, it is," Adrian agreed, glancing back down at his notebook. "Anyway, we should probably get back to work. We've got a lot to cover if we want this presentation to be flawless."

Nodding slowly, you felt grateful for the return to the task at hand. "Right." As the two of you dove back into planning, the library around you faded away, along with the embarrassment of Alexia's words.

In the dimly lit History of Magic classroom at Hogwarts, the atmosphere was thick with dust. The room was lined with towering shelves crammed with scrolls, old tomes, and artifacts. The walls, adorned with faded portraits of notable witches and wizards, seemed to watch over the students with a stern, silent vigilance.

At the front of the room, Professor Binns hovered just above the ground. His voice, a monotonous drone, floated through the room, barely holding the students' attention.

With your attention on your friends around you rather than the professor, you whispered harshly as you ranted about the event that had occurred with Alexia Gardner. "She kept criticizing me and even brought up me falling during the Ravenclaw-Gryffindor Quidditch match to embarrass me."

"It's 'cause you're friends with her ex-boyfriend now," Kyra stated, her voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial tone as she leaned in closer. "Just don't let her get under your skin." Her words were calm, but they carried the weight of experience, as she knew what Alexia could do.

You shifted uncomfortably, frowning slightly. "I wouldn't say me and Adrian are friends," you replied, your tone tinged with uncertainty. You and Adrian shared more of a mutual understanding and politeness as project partners, and you doubted that you two would even talk after the project was over.

"Then you're on friendly terms with her ex. Same thing," she remarked with a shrug. To her, the lines between friendship and being 'on friendly terms' blurred easily, especially when it involved someone as temperamental and envious as Alexia Gardner. "Either way, she's jealous."

"Well, she has nothing to be jealous about," you muttered with a roll of your eyes, finding it exhausting to have Alexia on your back about something so trivial. "We're not even friends."

As you leaned back into your chair, you stared ahead at Professor Binns as he droned on with his lecture. Your mind, however, wasn't on the lesson. Instead, your eyes wandered to the back of Theodore's head, noticing how he leaned closer to Indie as she whispered something in his ear. The sound of his quiet chuckle at her words made you frown, the expression creeping onto your face before you even realized it.

"You know, I'm surprised Indie and Nott have even lasted this long," Seamus remarked, his tone carrying a hint of incredulity as his eyes followed the direction of your gaze. "Thought he would've moved on to the next girl by now."

Alana, catching onto the topic of conversation, nodded in agreement, her eyes briefly darting to the couple before returning to the table. "Well, Indie's smart and pretty. Not to mention outgoing," she added, her tone thoughtful. She glanced around at your group of friends, noting their interest in the conversation. "He'd be a fool to fumble someone like her."

"Maybe Indie was right," Kyra chimed in, her voice carrying a thoughtful hum, though her expression hinted at a lack of full conviction. "Maybe she did change him."

Kyra's words unknowingly caused your frown to deepen, and you didn't know why you felt this terrible feeling in the pit of your stomach either.

The sky above Hogwarts was a tapestry of deep, velvety blue, dotted with countless stars that twinkled like diamonds. The Astronomy Tower, the highest point in the castle, stood proud against the night, its stone walls cool to the touch despite the warmth of the late summer evening.

Inside the tower, a group of third-year students had gathered for their Astronomy class. The circular room was dimly lit by enchanted lanterns that floated above, casting a soft, amber glow that didn't compete with the starlight filtering through the large, arched windows. At the center of the room stood a large brass telescope, its polished surface gleaming as it pointed toward the sky.

You sat among the students with Kyra by your side. Clutching your Astronomy textbook to your chest, your fingers absentmindedly tracing the constellations decorating the cover.

Professor Sinistra began the lesson with her usual calm demeanor. Her voice guided the students through the constellations visible that night. "Tonight, we will be focusing on the constellation of Orion," she announced, her wand directing the telescope toward the eastern horizon. "Orion is one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky, and it holds a great deal of mythological significance. Who can tell me the names of the stars that form Orion's Belt?"

No hands shot up and everyone remained quiet. Professor Sinistra's eyes roamed over the sea of students before her eyes landed on you. "Miss (L/n)." Despite her calling you out, Sinistra's gaze was kind and patient as if she already knew that you knew the answer.

Swallowing thickly, you answered softly, "Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka."

"Correct, very good," Professor Sinistra praised, her eyes twinkling with approval. "And can you tell us why these stars are significant?"

You hesitated, but Kyra nudged you slightly as a form of encouragement as she also knew that you knew the answer. "They're important navigational stars," you began, fiddling with your fingers beneath your robe sleeves. "In Muggle history, sailors used them to find their way across the seas."

"Excellent, Miss (L/n). Ten points to Ravenclaw," Professor Sinistra said with a smile. A warm flush of pride washed over you, but it didn't erase the immense anxiety you felt.

As the lesson continued, the students took turns looking through the telescope, observing the stars and planets in the night sky. You and Kyra waited patiently while Kyra whispered to you, "Congrats on getting us ten points."

"I thought I was gonna have a heart attack," you whispered back, dramatically clutching your robes over your heart. "Why'd she have to call on me?"

"'Cause she knows that you know the answer?" Kyra responded, narrowing her eyes as if to say 'duh'.

When it was finally your turn to look through the telescope, you leaned over and adjusted the focus until Orion's Belt came into sharp view.

"There it is," you whispered, more to yourself than to Kyra. The stars were so bright and clear, their light cutting through the darkness with a brilliance that took your breath away.

"I'm starting to think you like the stars more than me," Kyra chuckled, watching you in amusement at how you fawned over the stars.

As you stepped back to let Kyra have a look, her gaze flickered over your shoulder and her eyes widened. She started grinning before she quickly stared through the telescope. Confusion washed over you and you turned around to see what happened. Only once you turned around, you were instantly greeted by the sight of Dean Thomas.

"Hey, (Y/n)," Dean called out, his voice warm and cheerful as he approached. His broad smile was infectious, and despite yourself, you couldn't help but return it with a grin of your own.

"Hey, Dean," you greeted, your smile widening as the familiar comfort of his presence settled in.

Dean's gaze lingered on you for a moment, a fond smile playing on his lips. "You're in your element up here, you know," he remarked softly, his voice filled with a quiet admiration. "I can see why Astronomy's your favorite subject."

You chuckled lightly, feeling a bit flustered by his observation. "I mean, what's prettier than the stars, right?" You replied, gesturing to the vast expanse above you, the night sky glittering like a sea of diamonds.

Dean hummed thoughtfully, his eyes still on you as he shrugged slightly. "I can think of a few things."

Kyra, who appeared to be listening in on your conversation, stumbled at his words and almost completely collapsed on the telescope.

At the front of the class, Professor Lupin stood beside the blackboard. You sat beside Kyra as usual, your eyes downcast as you doodled absentmindedly in the margins of your parchment.

"Right, everyone, settle down," Professor Lupin called out, his voice warm but commanding. "Today, we'll be starting a new project. You'll be working in pairs to research a dark creature of your choice. This is an opportunity to dive deeper into the subject and develop a thorough understanding of how to protect yourselves against these creatures."

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