A wet sound caught our attention, and Malena urged us forward a few steps to peek. What we saw was a couple kissing against a tree with such intensity that, if not for the clothes, anyone would have sworn it wasn't "just kissing against a tree."
Hannah and Neville froze instantly. It was obvious they felt uncomfortable, almost guilty, as if they were intruding on something private. They tried to back away slowly, without Malena saying a word… but things didn't improve: turning around, they spotted another couple holding hands and getting ready to slip into a bush. Even though they weren't the quickest to catch on, both of them began to realize something strange was going on in this place.
"Come on," Malena said with a smile, watching the gears start to turn in their heads.
The idea of simple coincidence faded quickly. As we went further, the truth became impossible to deny: more couples kissing, some with hands already under clothes, others stumbling out of bushes disheveled, sounds making it clear kissing had long been left behind… Hannah even had the misfortune of parting some branches only to find two girls scissoring right in front of her. She froze, unable to move, her eyes locked on the act she could barely process, until Malena gently pulled her away before the girls considered her a voyeur—or worse, invited her to join, since in this place crazy things happened now and then.
Neville and Hannah trudged on as red as tomatoes, eyes glued to the ground, walking like automatons. They'd seen more sex in minutes than they ever thought they would in their entire lives. The shock kept them close to the group as if the whole forest had suddenly become hostile. Meanwhile, Malena chuckled under her breath, clearly entertained by their discomfort, though she sometimes threw me glances, hoping to catch some sign of blush or shame. When she found none, she sighed, a little frustrated.
Finally, we reached the far end of the garden, stopping before a stone wall that blocked the way.
"Well," Malena said with a mischievous grin, "I think you've already discovered this place's charm, haven't you?"
Hannah and Neville were so petrified they managed only the faintest nod—or maybe it was just their breathing. So I answered instead.
"Yes, it's clear this is a very… picturesque spot. And I understand why they punish anyone caught sneaking in here." (Red)
"Exactly. This place has existed for centuries, always serving as a space for couples to… get a little braver," Malena explained, just as a muffled moan echoed through the trees, proving her point. "No one really knows how it started. It wasn't part of the castle originally; they say it was made by a shaman, or a group of them, before the conquest of America. A refuge, a hideout… who knows."
"And now it's a den of debauchery," I joked.
My words only made Hannah and Neville turn even redder, recalling everything they had just witnessed.
"Well, yes," Malena laughed, brushing it off, "that's what most people come here for. But it's not total chaos. There are unspoken rules: don't talk about this place, don't bring loose mouths, don't settle fights with fists inside, don't interrupt couples unless absolutely necessary and at your own risk, and never take pictures. Remember, you'll see things here many wouldn't want known outside. If someone thinks you're a gossip… you might never know what hit you. In fact, if anyone tries to sneak photos, everyone who knows about the Clareira da Paixão will make sure they get taught a lesson—it's agreed upon unanimously."
"Understandable," I said, noticing Hannah and Neville nodding unconsciously. Despite the shock, they clearly grasped how serious it would be to break those rules—or even to imagine someone snapping photos during such… intimate moments.
"But don't focus on the bad side. Now you know one of Castelobruxo's most special places, and you also know how to get in—just in case you ever want to bring a special boy or girl here to have a good time," she teased, giving Neville a little shove and glancing at Hannah, as if hoping to ease the tension.
"I… I… no…" Neville stammered, unable to meet anyone's eyes for long. Hannah, equally nervous, just shook her head.
"Come on, don't be so shy. I'm sure any girl would love being brought here…" she insisted, giving Neville another nudge and winking at him. "Or maybe it'll be a girl pushing you in here. If you play your cards right, soon you'll be the one ending up in those bushes… even I might be tempted by your charms and unable to resist letting you take me against a tree…"
Malena's joke was too much for Neville. He barely managed to lift his eyes before seeing her stick out her tongue—then he fainted, collapsing on the ground.
The three of us stared at him in surprise. It was true the boy had gained some confidence and even a bit of courage, unlike the Neville from Hogwarts, but when it came to these matters… they were still far too much for him. Of course, one had to admit Malena hadn't exactly been subtle: from her tone and body language, anyone would've thought she was about to push him against a tree for real and show him what a girl like her could do.
"Did I go too far?" she asked, surprised he'd reached that point.
"For someone like Neville… yes," I nodded.
"Well, they'll eat him alive if he keeps this up… but I think I can fix it," she smiled slyly before turning to Hannah. "At least you're doing better, so feel free to come here whenever you want. Even just for stolen kisses—this place is out of the teachers' sight, and they're always ready to scold you if they catch you too affectionate with someone."
Hannah didn't answer. Her mind was still spinning, her cheeks burning, something Malena and I noticed right away.
"You okay?" I asked.
"I… those girls… they saw me watching them… and they didn't stop… they kept going while staring at me… one even blew me a kiss…" Hannah murmured, growing redder as if reliving it right there.
"Wow… you really are green," Malena sighed, rolling her eyes as she slipped an arm around her shoulders and led her toward the wall. "Come on, I need to give you some lessons before someone drags you into the bushes without you realizing and turns you into their toy… like what happened to a certain innocent girl in the past…" she said in a tone half nostalgic, half mocking, guiding her into a new opening that appeared in the wall.
Watching them go off to talk about… girl stuff, I suppose, I went over to Neville, picked him up, and got ready to take him out as well. One curious thing about this place: though there's only one entrance, from inside you can exit anywhere just by touching a wall. The gap is always just as narrow, though.
…
The rest of the day turned out very different from what we'd planned. Neville woke not long after, though he needed rest to process what had happened, so I took him out for something cold to drink. Honestly, I think Malena wasn't lying when she said she felt tempted; I'm not stupid—she does seem to have some interest in him since the moment they met. But I said nothing and just let the boy relax with his iced shake.
Hannah, meanwhile, I barely saw until the afternoon. Apparently Malena had taken her to the dorms for a very long talk about things I could only guess at. When I finally saw her again, she was still flushed, though a little calmer… at least until I noticed her shyly pulling away when I got close.
Curiosity got the better of me, and later I asked Malena what she'd done to make Hannah so nervous around me.
"We talked girl stuff… sex, lesbians, boys, preferences, how to take care of yourself in more ways than one… and about how many would die to drag her into the bushes… especially you," she said casually, smoking the magical equivalent of a cigarette: non-addictive, much healthier, but still a cigarette.
"What?" I asked, shocked.
"It's not like I haven't noticed how you look at her. You've practically 'claimed' her already. I just told her you're dying to put your cock in her, and that if you get the chance, you'll bring her to the Clareira da Paixão to make her moan," she added with a mocking grin.
"And why the hell would you say that?" I said, rubbing my temples. If I didn't already consider her a friend, I'd have given her a piece of my mind right then.
"Helping out a friend, that's all. Don't worry, I made you sound really good. And with the doubts she had after watching those girls, you've got it easy: just a little push and you'll have her between your legs, she won't resist much…" she teased, though not entirely joking. "Still, for that very reason, you should protect her. I myself suffered from the tricks of some older ones when I was more innocent. Watch over her before someone else takes advantage."
"That's not going to happen… and thanks for your 'support,'" I replied sarcastically. "I'd repay the favor by helping you with Neville, but I think you've got that under control." I rolled my eyes and walked away.
"He's so shy…" she murmured with a certain tenderness, staring into the distance. "Such a sweetheart. I should protect him too, so no one else takes advantage of him." She smiled slyly, stubbed out the cigarette, and left.
After parting ways, I caught up with Hannah again. Now that I knew what was going on, I tried to take things slower… but I hadn't imagined just how intense Malena's "lesson" had been. Poor Hannah didn't even dare go into the girls' bathroom if certain classmates were inside, knowing now a few things about them. I'm sure Malena had been way too specific with her stories, gossip, and personal experiences, to the point of leaving Hannah half paranoid.
Luckily, over the days that nervousness began to fade, and Hannah recovered her usual self. Still, something had changed: sometimes she'd sneak fleeting glances at me she couldn't hold, she'd tense up if we were alone, trying to hide it… yet at the same time she seemed to want it. There was curiosity in her eyes, an unasked question making her blush deeper each time. She was so tangled up in herself it was almost adorable.
On the other hand, I noticed Neville seemed to want to keep his distance from Malena. She, however, only got closer to him. Hannah and I picked up on it right away, and instead of mocking him as we might have before, we silently shared the same conclusion: Malena wasn't joking—she truly wanted to sink her teeth into the poor, innocent boy.
'Sorry, mate, looks like you've caught the wolf's eye,' I thought, holding back a laugh. 'But I've got my own business with a girl…'
I glanced at Hannah out of the corner of my eye. She still didn't know what to do. After Malena's talk, they had grown closer, but at the same time Hannah found herself at a crossroads: she didn't know whether to help Neville or Malena. In the end, she chose to stay on the sidelines, nervous, as if any wrong step might drag her into even more trouble than she already had.