Tom stood composedly, but there was a strange electricity in his gaze. “Today… is the day.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with promise.

Draco arched an eyebrow and gave a skeptical chuckle. “The day?” he echoed. “What day are we talking about now, Tom?”

Before Tom could respond, Mattheo scoffed from his seat by the window. “You can’t remember anything, can you, Draco?” he said, a grin tugging at his lips. “Merlin, you’d forget even your wand.”

A ripple of laughter followed. Barty leaned back and tossed a small glass orb into the air, catching it lazily. Evan chuckled briefly, shaking his head. Regulus smirked from where he was lounging near the fire with his arms folded.

Draco gave Mattheo a half-hearted glare. “I’m selective with what I remember,” he said coolly. “And I don’t recall any of you being particularly interesting.”

Theodore finally looked up from the book balanced on his knee. “It’s Halloween night,” he said simply.

Mattheo’s grin widened, slow and wolfish. “Or better said… our night.”

You felt the corner of your mouth curve. “Let the fun begin,” you said softly.

Mattheo turned his gaze to you, and the firelight caught the dark mischief in his eyes. “Of course, love.”

He stood and the others followed. Tom was already pacing slowly before the fire, his voice steady and commanding. “Everything is prepared. The charm is in place, the wards are weak - they won’t sense a thing until it’s far too late.” He paused, looking at each of you in turn. “We only get one chance to pull this off. Don’t waste it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Barty said, twirling his wand between his fingers.

Regulus’s smirk deepened. “You’re sure this won’t bring the entire castle down, Tom?”

Tom’s eyes glimmered. “Only if we want it to.”

Laughter rippled again.

Draco adjusted his cloak with a flick of his wrist, feigning boredom. “I suppose there’s no turning back now. Whatever this is, let’s make it worth the detention.”

Evan snorted. “Detention would be the least of our worries.”

Theodore closed his book gently, standing to join the circle. “Let’s move before the clock strikes midnight.”

Outside, the wind howled through the cracks of the old windows, and the lake shimmered under the moonlight.

Mattheo looked at you one last time, his grin wild. “Ready?”