The common room hummed with the faint crackle of the fireplace, casting flickering shadows against the emerald-green walls. Plush armchairs and sleek black couches formed a loose circle around the enchanted TV.

You were nestled between Mattheo and Theodore on the biggest couch. Draco lounged on a high-backed chair. Regulus and Lorenzo sat cross-legged on the thick carpet, leaning back against the coffee table. And then there was Tom, sitting rigidly in a corner, his dark gaze fixed on the screen with unnerving intensity.

The TV blared with bright, cheerful colors as Dora danced across the screen.

“Come on, Boots! Let’s find the magic bridge!” Dora chirped enthusiastically.

You grinned, enjoying the absurdity of watching a children's show.

"Say backpack!" Dora encouraged, her voice high and peppy.

Without hesitation, you played along. "Backpack!"

Dora's wide cartoon eyes gleamed. "Louder!"

Before you could respond, Tom cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed, "BACKPACK!"

The sound echoed off the stone walls of the common room. Even the enchanted flames in the fireplace flickered in shock.

Mattheo froze mid-sip of his pumpkin juice, eyes wide. Draco blinked as if questioning reality itself. Regulus, usually composed, let out a strangled laugh, while Lorenzo immediately fell onto his side, wheezing.

Theodore shook his head in disbelief. "Merlin’s beard, Tom. What possessed you?"

Tom’s expression remained perfectly stoic. “She requested volume,” he said flatly.

You clapped a hand over your mouth, trying to stifle your laughter. "I think you just scared Dora through the screen."

"Good," Draco drawled, recovering his composure. "She's far too insistent anyway."

And somehow, surrounded by laughter and chaos, the castle felt a little more like home.