The third-floor hallway was crowded, students coming and going between classes, voices echoing off the stone walls. She was coming from Potions class, her books balanced in an unsteady pile, distractedly rereading her notes. She didn't see the Ravenclaw boy approaching. She didn't see his outstretched foot. She only felt it when she tripped. Books flew, parchments scattered across the stone floor. She fell to her knees, her hands scraping, shame burning her face. "Watch where you're going, you idiot," the Ravenclaw boy laughed loudly, his friends beside him cackling.

She stood paralyzed, staring at the books on the floor, her hands trembling.

"Get up," the voice came from behind.

Theo. He bent down quickly, began to gather the books. Then he looked up at the Ravenclaw boy.

"Was it you?"

"Was it what?"

"She tripped over your foot."

"Accident," the boy shrugged, smiling.

“Accident,” Theo repeated the word as if it were something strange. “You saw her coming, stretched out your leg, and waited for her to fall. What kind of accident is this?”

Silence. The Ravenclaw’s friends stopped laughing.

“Look here, Nott,” he began.

“No,” Theo stood up, placing himself between him and her. “You’re going to look at her and apologize.”

“I’m not going to apologize.”

“Yes, you are.”

The Ravenclaw tried to maintain eye contact, but looked away in seconds.

“I don’t need to hear that from you.”

“Yes, you do,” Theo’s voice was low, calm, but sharp. “Because someone needs to teach you.”

“Teach you what?”

“How to be a man.”

The boy frowned. “What the fuck?”

Theo tilted his head, observing him as one observes an insect.

“A real man doesn’t humiliate a woman to feel superior. A real man doesn’t knock people down in the hallway and call it an accident. A real man,” he pointed at her, still on the floor, “sees a woman down and helps her up. He doesn’t laugh with his friends.” Total silence in the hallway.

“I don’t think anyone ever taught you that,” Theo added coldly. “But it’s time you learned.” The Ravenclaw opened his mouth, closed it, looked around. No one said anything. He swallowed his pride.

“Sorry,” he murmured, looking at the floor.

“It wasn’t meant for me,” Theo didn’t look away.

The boy looked at her. “Sorry.”

She just nodded, still speechless. Theo bent down again, finished picking up the books, and held out his hand to help her up.

“Come on,” he said softly.

He guided her to an empty bench near the window and sat beside her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, running his hand over her scraped knee. “I am,” she swallowed. “You didn’t need to…” “Yes, I did.”

“Why?” He looked at her. His dark eyes were softer now.

“Because nobody ever taught me either. And I learned on my own. It hurt,” he ran his hand over her face. “I wish it had hurt less. I wish someone had taught me sooner.”