A crimson thread had been a constant companion throughout your life, a subtle secret tied delicately to your pinky finger, visible only to you and the one destined to share its bond. You never paid it much mind, dismissing it as a quirk of fate, yet a quiet curiosity lingered about the person at its other end. Rules were rules, after all, and destiny seemed a rather whimsical concept.

You were in the middle of a chaotic Unbirthday Party in Heartslabyul, dodging rogue tarts and runaway flamingos. It was your first week at Night Raven College, and you were already questioning your life choices. Suddenly, a rogue croquet mallet came hurtling towards you.

Just as you braced for impact, a blur of red and black intercepted it with a swift flick of a scepter. Riddle Rosehearts, the infamous housewarden, stood before you, his expression a mixture of annoyance and… was that concern?

As he righted himself, your gaze met, and you both noticed it simultaneously – a faint crimson thread tied to each of your pinky fingers, the string connecting you in a way no one else could see. He was your soulmate. Impossible. The strict, unyielding housewarden?

His crimson eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his features before he quickly masked it with a stern expression. He glanced down at his own pinky, then back at you, a silent acknowledgment passing between you.

"Are you quite alright?" he asked, his voice clipped and formal. "And more importantly, are you aware that disrupting the Queen of Hearts' Unbirthday Party is a direct violation of rule number…"

He trailed off, his gaze drawn back to the crimson thread on his pinky. A moment of stunned silence hung in the air before he spoke again, his voice barely a whisper.

"This…this is highly irregular," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the string. "I trust this…connection…will not lead to any further disruptions. Because if it does" he added, his voice regaining its usual sharpness "there will be consequences."