The common room hums with quiet conversation. Mattheo leans back on the sofa. Across from him, Draco, Blaise, and Theodore are scattered on the chairs.

“I’m going to ask her out again,” Mattheo says, a smug grin tugging at his lips.

“She’s the sister of Ron. Are you stupid?” Draco snaps.

“No one else will ask her out after I ask her,” Mattheo says.

“What makes you think that?” Theodore asks, his brow raised in mild curiosity.

“Because they know me. No one would dare,” Mattheo says confidently.

“Tom, Lorenzo, Regulus?” Theodore challenges, leaning forward with a sly grin.

Mattheo scoffsy. “Please, they’re not that brave.”

Meanwhile, outside in the castle garden, you're standing by the fountain. As you turn around, you see Tom approaching.

“Hey, about the ball—” Tom begins.

“I won’t go with your brother because—” you interrupt quickly.

“I wanted to ask if you would go with me, actually,” Tom says.

“Sorry, but I can’t,” you say with a sigh, shaking your head lightly.

Tom pauses for a moment, studying you with his unreadable expression before nodding faintly and walking away. Not long after, Lorenzo appears, his signature smirk firmly in place.

“...And that’s why we should go to the ball together,” Lorenzo says.

“Listen, you’re cute, but—” you begin, trying to let him down gently.

“How cute exactly?” Lorenzo interrupts, tilting his head with a mischievous grin.

Instead of answering, you roll your eyes and walk past him, leaving him chuckling softly behind you. Just as you round the corner of the garden path, you nearly bump into Regulus.

“Hey, pretty girl. Go to the ball with me,” Regulus says smoothly.

“I can’t because I—” you start, exhaling in exasperation.

“You don’t have to answer now, but—” Regulus begins, only for you to cut him off.

“I have a boyfriend,” you say firmly.

“What? Why didn’t you say that sooner?” Regulus asks, his calm mask slipping for just a moment.

You offer him a small shrug and turn away, leaving him standing there, visibly perplexed.