While brushing my hair in front of the mirror, I couldn't help but admire my reflection and silently thank my mum for her genes. I was practically a miniature version of her; from the same soft curls to the light blonde color, it was like looking at her younger self.
I was still fixing my hair, getting ready for class, when Cassandra appeared beside me, practically glowing with excitement. "I can't wait for the Yule Ball!" she said. "We should go shopping for dresses together!"
I turned to her with a small smile. "But Aunt Emmeline already sent you a dress," I reminded her.
"I know," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "But come on, isn't it better to have options?"
I sighed, amused. "Fine, we can go but I already like the one Mum sent me."
She grinned, clearly satisfied with her victory. Then she tilted her head and asked, "So, who's your brother going with?"
I blinked in confusion. "Which brother? Arcturus or Rigel?"
Cassandra gave me a look like I'd lost my mind. "Rigel's in second year. I don't think they're even allowed to go to the Yule Ball. Of course I meant Arcturus Black."
"Well," I said, brushing a curl behind my ear, "I'm not entirely sure. But I heard from Orion that Turus has a girlfriend now
Cassandra's eyes widened. "What? I've never heard of that!"
I shrugged lightly. "To be fair, I only know because Orion told me and you know how he is. The biggest gossip in the family
She still looked utterly disbelieving. "Your brother the Head Boy, top of his year, Slytherin Quidditch captain, Seeker for the England national team the same one who basically won the Quidditch Cup for England that golden boy of the wizarding world is taken now?"
I couldn't help but laugh at her expression. "Apparently so. Though if Orion's the source, we might want to wait for confirmation before we start sending out wedding invitations."
"Come on," I added, glancing at the clock. "We'll be late if we don't go now. Professor McGonagall will have our heads or worse, detention."
Cassandra groaned but followed as we hurried toward the door. "Honestly, she'd probably let you off," she said teasingly. "You know how Aunt Petunia is her favorite."
I rolled my eyes and laughed, bumping her shoulder lightly as we made our way down the corridor.
The chatter of the hallway faded when I noticed someone walking toward us Cedric Diggory, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers. His presence drew immediate attention; conversations hushed, heads turned, and several girls nearby gasped softly.
I tried to keep walking, minding my own business, when he suddenly stopped right in front of us. For a moment, I thought he was heading somewhere else until he extended his arm and held out the flowers to me.
"Do you... already have a date for the Yule Ball?" he asked, his voice calm but his eyes hopeful.
Caught off guard, I blinked. "No, not yet."
A slow smile spread across his face. "Great. Then... would you like to go with me?"
He looked at me expectantly, the sunlight from the tall windows glinting in his hair. I felt my heart skip before I found myself smiling back. "Sure," I said softly.
"Really?" His eyebrows lifted in surprise, the corners of his mouth curving into a bashful grin.
"Yeah," I replied, laughing quietly.
His smile grew warmer, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "Brilliant," he said, almost under his breath. Then he added with a shy grin, "I'll see you around "
Before I could even respond, he turned and walked toward his friends waiting at the end of the corridor. But just as he reached them, he glanced back his smile still bright, eyes meeting mine for one fleeting, heart-stopping moment before finally disappearing into the crowd.
I could feel dozens of eyes on me. The hallway buzzed again, filled with whispers and stolen glances everyone talking about what they'd just seen.
Cassandra leaned close, grinning from ear to ear. "Well," she whispered, "looks like someone's the talk of the castle now."
After Transfiguration, I was gathering my books when someone stopped in front of my desk. I looked up and found Harry Potter watching me with that familiar uncertain smile.
"Do you need something?" I asked, slipping my quill into my bag.
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Er -yeah, actually. I was wondering if you already have someone to go with to the Yule Ball?"
I blinked, trying not to laugh. "Yeah. Cedric asked earlier."
Harry's expression faltered. "Oh. And you said yes?"
"I did," I said simply.
For a moment, he looked disappointed then quickly covered it with a small smile. "Right. Well... how about Hogsmeade this weekend, then?"
I raised a brow. "You're persistent, you know that? You've been asking since first year."
He grinned, undeterred. "And now we're in fifth. I'd say it's about time you said yes."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "Fine. We can go to Hogsmeade."
His eyes widened. "Wait really? Finally! I thought I'd never hear you say yes."
I rolled my eyes as I slung my bag over my shoulder. "Don't let that get to your head, Potter."
"Of course not," he said with a mischievous grin before dashing off to join his friends. I spotted Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger waiting for him near the door, both looking amused as he excitedly told them what had just happened.
Cassandra appeared at my side, smirking. "Well, well. Look at you, playgirl."
I turned to her, half laughing. "What? I am not!"
She grinned wider. "Oh, please. First Cedric Diggory, now Harry Potter? You must really have a thing for Quidditch players."
I rolled my eyes, trying to hide a smile. "Maybe," I said, my tone teasing.
Cassandra gasped dramatically. "Merlin's beard, she admits it!"
We both burst out laughing as we left the classroom and made our way to the library. The halls were quieter now, filled with the soft hum of students finishing their afternoon lessons.
While browsing through the shelves, Cassandra glanced over at me. "By the way, I heard there's going to be a house party in the Gryffindor tower tonight. We should go."
I nodded, sliding a heavy Charms textbook from the shelf. "Yeah, we should. Lyra was talking about that last week."
We wandered deeper into the library, turning into one of the more secluded corners — the kind few students bothered visiting. That's when I froze.
In the dim light between two tall shelves, someone was clearly not studying. Two students were pressed close together, snogging like they thought the rest of the world had vanished. I cleared my throat loudly.
They sprang apart and when I saw who it was, my jaw dropped. "Orion Black," I said, crossing my arms. "This is not the place for that. Detention!" I added jokingly.
The girl unmistakably from Beauxbatons, judging by her elegant pale-blue robes flushed crimson. She muttered something in French under her breath, then hurried away, her heels clicking sharply against the stone floor
Orion turned to me, utterly unbothered, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Well," he said smoothly, "way to ruin the fun, Cassie."
I raised a brow, struggling not to laugh. "You do realize this is a library, right? Not some secret romantic hideaway?"
He shrugged, running a hand through his dark hair. "With Beauxbatons visiting for the Triwizard Tournament, I thought I'd make our guests feel... welcome."
I groaned. "Merlin, you're impossible."
Cassandra crossed her arms beside me, tilting her head. "Didn't you have a girlfriend? The one from Hufflepuff?"
Orion smirked, completely unfazed. "We broke up," he said casually. "Eloise was there to comfort me."
I stared at him, utterly disgusted. "Comfort you?" I repeated. "Right. I'm sure Aunt Lily will be thrilled to hear that you're well on your way to becoming a father before you even graduate Hogwarts and from different mothers, no less."
Orion only grinned wider. "Well, speaking of romance," he said slyly, "I heard you said yes to Harry And rumor has it you also said yes to Diggory for the Yule Ball. Wow. Didn't know you had that in you."
I rolled my eyes and picked up my book from the shelf and walk toward one of the reading tables.
He followed, of course because Orion Black never knew when to quit and dropped into the seat across from me. Cassandra joined us, still grinning.
"So," she said casually, flipping through a page, "since you're apparently the family gossip now, do you know who Arcturus is dating?"
Orion's grin turned positively mischievous. "Of course I do. I saw them together last week when I had detention."
Cassandra's eyes lit up. "Who is it? Come on, just say it already!"
He leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying the suspense. "Let's just say... he seems to have a thing for the French."
My eyes widened. "Someone from Beauxbatons?"
He smirked. "Bingo."
"Who?" I demanded.
Orion stood, gathering his things with infuriating calm. "Now where's the fun in telling you everything?"
Cassandra groaned. "You're the worst!"
After that, we decided to head to the Great Hall for dinner. The warm light from the floating candles shimmered across the long tables, and the usual evening chatter filled the air.
As we entered, I spotted Lyra my other cousin standing near the entrance. To our amusement, a younger boy from Hufflepuff was nervously confessing his love to her, clutching a small box of chocolates.
Lyra listened with polite patience before smiling faintly and saying, "I'm sorry, but I don't like short boys." Then she turned gracefully and walked away, leaving the poor boy standing there, red as a tomato.
Cassandra leaned closer to me, trying and failing not to laugh. "Well," she whispered, "all I can say about your family is that you're all in demand."
I groaned, covering my face with my hand. "Please don't lump me in with that circus."
Cassandra laughed softly beside me, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a familiar blond figure lingering near one of the pillars Draco. He looked positively entertained, arms crossed, probably having witnessed the whole scene of Lyra rejecting that poor boy. His expression was that perfect mix of smug amusement and mild disbelief.
I sighed. "Of course," I muttered, "he would be watching."
Draco sauntered over, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, that was brutal," he commented, eyes flicking toward where Lyra had just walked off. "Didn't think my cousin had it in her to crush someone's ego quite that efficiently."
I rolled my eyes. "Are you going to the Gryffindor party later?"
He gave a smug nod. "Obviously. Orion and I wouldn't miss it."
"Right," I said dryly. "And where is Orion, exactly? Don't tell me he's off 'comforting' someone again."
Draco chuckled under his breath. "You know how he is. Always finding... extracurricular activities."
I arched a brow. "And you're not with him? You two usually share the same hobby."
That earned me a full smirk. "Already done," Draco said simply.
Before I could even reply, Orion came sprinting toward us from the corridor hair disheveled, shirt half untucked, tie hanging loose around his neck.
I blinked. "You two..." I said, utterly exasperated. "I don't even know what to say."
Cassandra snorted beside me, clearly trying not to laugh.
"Let's just go," I muttered. "Before I lose what little faith I have left in this family."
But before I could take a single step, I caught sight of another familiar face emerging from the Great Hall. My brother, Arcturus Phineas Black.
If I was the image of our mother, Rigel, then Arcturus was the living portrait of our father tall, composed, and sharp-eyed, his presence commanding attention even without trying. He caught my gaze and offered a small, rare smile. Arcturus could be strict and unyielding to most, but to me and to our mother he allowed glimpses of the caring, protective side he kept buried beneath layers of composure
His expression softened for a fleeting second before he turned his attention to our cousins. His eyes immediately landed on Orion, whose appearance could only be described as a disaster.
"Orion," Arcturus said, voice clipped with authority. "Why do you look like you've been dragged through a chimney?"
Orion straightened, tugging at his loose tie. "It's... a long story."
"I'm sure it is," Arcturus replied coolly, crossing his arms. "But if you don't fix yourself in the next five seconds, you'll earn yourself a week's detention family or not."
Draco smirked, clearly amused by the exchange. "Told you he'd notice," he muttered under his breath.
Orion groaned and began fixing his tie while Cassandra leaned closer to me, whispering, "Strict brother, huh?"
I smiled faintly. "Only when he's awake."
After that, Cassandra and I made our way toward the Gryffindor Tower, trailing behind Draco and Orion. The corridors were alive with chatter and laughter; the castle seemed to hum with the same excitement that buzzed through the air every year before the Yule Ball.
My brother was only here tonight because Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students had been invited as well it was meant to be a "cultural gathering," though everyone knew it was just an excuse for a massive party.
When we reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she was leaning back in her frame with a goblet of something suspiciously fizzy in hand, humming along to the muffled music coming from inside.
"Password?" she asked lazily, eyes half-lidded as if she'd already had a few too many sips.
Orion stepped forward with his usual grin. "It's Golden Snitch," he said confidently.
The Fat Lady brightened. "Correct! Though between you and me," she added, lowering her voice conspiratorially, "they'll be changing it after the party. Too many uninvited guests last time."
"Wouldn't want another incident with the exploding pudding," Draco muttered dryly.
She gave a dramatic sigh, swung open, and the sound of laughter and music burst into the corridor.
The Gryffindor common room was completely transformed banners in scarlet and gold shimmered along the walls, charmed lanterns floated overhead, and students from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang mingled freely, cups in hand. The firelight cast a golden glow over everything, and the energy in the room was electric.
Cassandra's eyes sparkled. "Now this is a party
Near the refreshment table, I spotted none other than Fred and George Weasley up to absolutely no good, as usual. One of them was holding a bottle of firewhisky, the other pouring it discreetly into the punch bowl.
Cassandra nudged me, barely suppressing a laugh. "Are they seriously-?"
"Yes," I said before she could even finish. "And no one's going to stop them."
Orion had already noticed too, grinning from ear to ear. "Gryffindors know how to live," he said approvingly, grabbing himself a cup of pumpkin juice that was definitely not just pumpkin juice anymore.
Harry spotted us from across the room, his eyes lighting up the moment he recognized our little group. He excused himself from Ron and Hermione both of whom were watching the chaos near the punch bowl with a mix of amusement and horror and made his way toward us, weaving through the crowd with that familiar, slightly awkward grin on his face.
"Draco, Orion," Harry greeted, nodding politely though there was a hint of playful tension in his tone. "Didn't expect to see you two here."
Orion smirked, lifting his cup. "What can I say? Gryffindor parties have a reputation."
Draco crossed his arms with a faint smirk. "And I wanted to see if that reputation was actually deserved. So far... questionable."
Harry chuckled, then turned to me and Cassandra, his smile softening. "Hey, you made it."
Cassandra elbowed me lightly. "Of course we did," she said before I could reply. "Wouldn't miss the 'cultural exchange' of the year."
Harry laughed, shaking his head. "Right, cultural exchange. That's what we're calling it now." His gaze lingered on me
Before I could say anything, Fred Weasley's voice rang out from the other side of the room. "Everyone grab a drink! We're toasting to the Triwizard mayhem
The party had reached that perfect, dizzy point where laughter drowned out the music and everyone seemed to glow under the flickering light of floating candles. I'd lost count of how many enchanted drinks I'd had enough to make the room sway pleasantly but not enough to forget the words to the song blaring through the common room.
Cassandra was somewhere nearby, twirling with a Beauxbatons boy, while Draco and Orion were arguing about who danced worse. I was on the dance floor, laughing with a group of Gryffindor girls, when I suddenly felt a warm hand slide gently around my hip.
I turned, heart skipping, and found Harry standing behind me his messy hair even wilder under the golden light, a grin tugging at his lips.
He leaned closer so I could hear him over the music. "You're drunk," he whispered, amusement in his voice
I laughed, tilting my head up to meet his gaze. "I am not," I whispered back, though my words were probably less convincing than I meant them to be.
His eyes sparkled with that teasing, boyish look he always got before Quidditch matches. "Oh, really?"
"Mhm," I said, my laughter bubbling up again. Without really thinking, I reached up and rested my hand on the back of his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin and the soft brush of his hair between my fingers. "See? Still standing. Perfectly fine."
He laughed softly, the sound vibrating against the music. "If you say so."
I looked up at him again, the world spinning a little maybe from the drinks, maybe from how close he was. The lights from the floating candles danced across his face, catching in his eyes.
He raised an eyebrow, amused . Something in me gave way to impulse; I rose onto my toes and brushed my lips against his.
For a moment, everything around us seemed to fall away the music, the laughter, even the spinning lights. Harry froze in surprise, then smiled softly against my lips, returning the kiss with a gentleness that made the whole room seem to steady.
When I pulled back, his eyes were wide, a dazed smile tugging at his lips. "You're definitely going to blame that on the firewhisky tomorrow," he said, voice low and teasing.
I smiled, still a little breathless. "Maybe," I whispered. "Or maybe not."
..................................................................................
A small glimpse of what's to come ..