The tension in the room crackled like static electricity. Dolores paced in front of you, her heels clicking sharply on the stone floor of the dimly lit classroom. Her lips thinned, pressed together in displeasure.

“Are you not going to tell me the truth?” she demanded, her voice cutting through the thick air.

You stared at her, defiant and unyielding, saying nothing. Silence became your shield.

Dolores's face twisted in frustration. Without warning, she struck—her hand st!nging across your cheek.

Your head snapped to the side, but slowly, a sneer curled your lips. You turned back to face her, eyes gleaming with amusement.

“That,” you said lowly, “was a very bad choice.”

The room shifted instantly. Chairs scraped against the floor as Draco, Mattheo, Theodore, Lorenzo, Tom, and Regulus shot to their feet like predators.

Mattheo’s voice broke the stunned silence. “Hey, sh/t!” he shouted, eyes blazing with fury.

Lorenzo smirked. “Oh, look—she recognized herself!”

Tom’s voice slithered into the chaos. “Perfect. My snake was getting hungry.”

Draco stepped forward, his wand already in hand, a cruel smile curling at the corners of his mouth. “My father taught me a spell... the Cruc!atus Curse.”

Dolores took a cautious step back, her confidence faltering.

Regulus’s expression was cold as ice. “I’ll take care of it,” he said quietly, his voice carrying a promise of retribution.

Theodore, usually composed, was brimming with fury. “Nobody has the right to touch her face!”

Draco smirked, his eyes gleaming with possessiveness. “Except me.”

Mattheo rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath.

The energy in the room was volatile, teetering on the edge of chaos. Dolores's eyes darted between them, realizing her precarious position.

And you? You stood at the center of it all, lips still curled in that sneer. The storm had only just begun.