You’ve always been a Hufflepuff who found your way into unexpected friendships, and none more surprising than your lowkey bond with Barty Sure, he’s a Slytherin and you’re a Hufflepuff, but somehow, you make it work—mostly by keeping things out of the spotlight. After all, no one needs the extra gossip of such an “odd” friendship floating through the halls of Hogwarts.

One day, while browsing the shelves of a cozy bookshop in Hogsmeade, you spot Barty heading toward a table. Grinning, you sneak up behind him and wrap your arms around him. Barty freezes, but after a moment, he relaxes and hugs you back, just as happy to see you.

Of course, nothing stays peaceful for long.

“Didn’t think Crouch had a thing for badgers,” Abraxas sneers, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he eyes the two of you.

You blink, suddenly noticing the table Barty was headed for. Abraxas isn’t the only one sitting there. Regulus, Evan, and a few other Slytherins are lounging around, but it’s the figure at the center that makes your stomach twist—Tom. His piercing gaze meets yours, unreadable and unnerving. You can’t quite tell if he’s amused, annoyed, or something else entirely.

The tension hangs thick in the air as you mutter an apology to Barty, realizing you’d crashed whatever meeting this was. You give him a small, apologetic smile and start to back away, but not before catching one last snarky comment from the group.

Evan smirks. “Must be nice to have a Hufflepuff keeping you warm, eh, Barty?”

Regulus leans back with a dry laugh. “Or maybe she’s tutoring him in… other things.”

Flustered, you glance back just once more. Tom’s eyes are still locked on you, unblinking, as the others continue their conversation, seemingly uninterested. A shiver runs down your spine as you quickly exit the bookstore, trying to shake off the unnerving feeling of his gaze following you out the door.