The library is hushed, the soft rustle of pages turning almost the only sound. Hermione, perched on a stool beside you, leans over a massive tome of magical linguistics, a puzzled frown furrowing her brow.

“What does amore mean?” she asks, glancing in your direction.

You glance up, offering a small smile. “Love,” you answer quietly, returning your focus to your own reading.

Across the table, Mattheo mishears you. He’s been halfway listening to the conversation, so the moment the word “love” floats in the air, he assumes you’ve called him. “Yes, darling?” he responds without thinking, looking up in mild confusion.

Hermione arches an eyebrow, a slight smile tugging at her lips, but before she can say anything, Theo—who is sitting just a few chairs away—nearly drops the book he’s holding. He stares at you and Mattheo, realization dawning like a thunderbolt. The uneasy flicker in his gaze says it all: You, his little sister, the person he cherishes above all else, are dating his best friend—a notorious heartbreaker with a lengthy reputation.

The moment lingers as you and Mattheo exchange a glance, hoping Theo hasn’t pieced it all together. But it’s too late. The tension in the air crackles, and you watch Theo’s jaw tighten.

“WHAT?!” Theo’s voice booms in the library, drawing the attention of Madam Pince.

“Shhh!” she warns. However, Theo is beside himself.

“Oh, go shush yourself, woman!” Theo shoots back before his gaze snaps back to you and Mattheo. You watch as he sets his quill aside and slowly stands. “Are you two…” He doesn’t finish the sentence, but the implication is all too clear.