The Great Hall buzzed with its usual morning chatter as sunlight streamed through the enchanted ceiling. First-year students scurried to their respective house tables, chattering about their latest charms lessons or Quidditch prospects. Amid the sea of Hogwarts robes, two particular students stood out—or rather, were at the center of rising tension.

Naruto Uzumaki, a messy-haired Gryffindor with an infectious grin, leaned over the Gryffindor table, waving a fork loaded with bacon. Across from him, at the Slytherin table..

"Oi, Sasuke!" Naruto called out, voice cutting through the noise. "Bet you can't even beat me in Professor Flitwick's levitation spell! What kind of Slytherin genius are you if you can't even handle a feather, huh?"

Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed as he tilted his head ever so slightly, his voice cool and biting. "Unlike you, dobe, I don’t waste my energy trying to show off. Some of us prefer to actually learn."

Naruto slammed his hands on the table, startling the students around him. "What’s that supposed to mean, huh?! I’m learning just fine, you stuck-up snake!"

The Gryffindor table erupted in laughter while a few Slytherins snickered.

Sasuke didn’t flinch. Instead, he stood up slowly, his voice laced with mockery. "It means, Uzumaki, that maybe you should spend less time yelling and more time trying not to blow up your cauldron in Potions."

"THAT WAS ONE TIME!" Naruto shouted, red-faced.

Before anyone could blink, Naruto grabbed a piece of toast and hurled it straight at Sasuke’s head. Sasuke ducked with ease, the toast sailing past him and smacking an unsuspecting Ravenclaw in the back of the head. Gasps and laughter rippled through the hall.

"You’re dead, Sasuke!" Naruto charged forward, scrambling over the Gryffindor table and toward the Slytherin side.

Sasuke, entirely unbothered, waited until Naruto was close, then calmly pointed his wand. "Petrificus Totalus."

Naruto froze mid-charge, arms locked to his sides, and toppled forward like a stiff board.