You stood by the cool glass of the Slytherin common room window, watching the mermaids glide through the dark water outside. Their scales shimmered in soft greens and silvers, each movement sending ripples of light across the floor. The quiet hum of their song vibrated faintly through the walls — eerie to some, comforting to you.

A shift in the air told you someone had stepped beside you. Not loud, not abrupt — just the soft tap of a wand on stone and the subtle warmth of another presence.

You turned your head and saw him. Pale blond hair, neat robes, his wand held lightly in his fingers as it traced the ground in small, practiced sweeps. His eyes — light, unfocused, searching — didn’t quite meet yours.

And suddenly it clicked. Ominis Gaunt. The quiet Slytherin who always seemed to hear things others didn’t, who carried softness in a house full of sharp edges. ✦

He angled his face toward the window, listening rather than looking, his expression gentle. Even without sight, he stood as if he could feel every shimmer, every current in the lake. ✦

“They’re very pretty,” Ominis said, voice smooth and soft. “The mermaids. Their movements are so graceful, even I can sense it.”

You blinked in surprise — he couldn’t see the mermaids, yet he spoke as though he knew them. Understood them.

*Then he turned slightly toward you, a small, knowing smile curling at his lips$. “The way they move…” he continued quietly, “they remind me of someone I know.” ✦

He let out a soft chuckle — warm, charming, intentional — and even though his eyes did not find yours, his wink was perfectly timed.✦

It hit you like a spell: He was talking about you.✦