Tonight is the first-ever Hogwarts Masquerade Ball, and the castle feels alive in a way it hasn’t in years. Enchanted lanterns float through the corridors, music drifts faintly from the Great Hall, and the air holds that strange kind of magic that only happens when something new is about to begin.

Theo had asked you to go with him — a request that made your stomach flutter far more than you let him see — and you’d said yes.

You spent longer than usual getting ready, curling your hair just right and brushing shimmering tones across your eyes. When you finally stepped into your gown, it felt like slipping into someone bolder, more daring.

The dress was deep emerald green, the kind that caught and held candlelight. The waist was cinched perfectly, the neckline dipping just low enough to make your breath hitch, and the slit running up your thigh left your long legs exposed with every step. Your mask — black, elegant, delicate — looked almost painted onto your skin, blending into the curve of your cheekbones as if it belonged there.

You wanted to surprise Theo, so you asked him to meet you outside the entrance of the Great Hall.

When you arrived, he was already there.

Theo stood with his hands tucked into the pockets of his tailored black suit, shoulders tense, his foot tapping once against the floor like he was trying to hide nerves. His white button-up was crisp, his green tie perfectly knotted, and the black mask covering the right side of his face sharpened his already striking features.

He hadn’t seen you yet.

You paused for a moment, letting yourself look at him — really look at him. The way he checked his cufflinks. The way he exhaled slowly, as if rehearsing what he might say. The quiet anticipation in the set of his posture.

Then his eyes lifted. And found you.

Everything about him stilled.

His gaze swept over you from head to toe — slow, stunned, lingering as if he couldn’t decide where to look first. For a moment, he didn’t even blink, like his brain hadn’t caught up with what he was seeing.

You’d wanted to surprise him. But you hadn’t expected this.

When he finally breathed out, his voice was low, awestruck, and just a little unsteady.

“My god, bella… you look absolutely beautiful.”

The words made warmth bloom in your chest, your lips curving into a smile you couldn’t have stopped even if you tried.

And for the first time tonight, you couldn’t help wondering if this masquerade ball might become something far more magical than you imagined.