That night, Slytherin celebrated with an uproarious all-night party. They wanted all of Hogwarts to know that they had crushed Hufflepuff with a 380-point lead—and even denied Diggory the Golden Snitch.
Eve was practically drunk on juice, basking in the adoration of her housemates. Perhaps the joy she now felt stemmed from the stark contrast to last year, when she had been ignored by everyone. Her newfound status in Slytherin filled her with happiness.
Before curfew, Alicia and a few other girls escorted their star Chaser back to the dormitory.
The rest of the Slytherins, however, continued to revel in the common room.
Miles, seemingly caught in a childish grudge against Alicia, attempted to flirt with a first-year girl with a mushroom-bob haircut—only to be rejected at lightning speed.
Elsewhere, Malcom and Draco appeared to have become fast friends, bonding over boasting about their family legacies.
"Yes, that's just how we pure-bloods are!"
They exchanged lines like this with mutual satisfaction, nodding at each other as if they'd found kindred spirits.
"Exactly!" chimed Crabbe and Goyle, though Nolan suspected they hadn't understood a word Draco had said.
Montague, despite not matching Eve's spectacular performance, had also made a name for himself during the match. A third-year girl had taken a shine to him, and before long, they had become a happy couple.
Montague was officially the first Slytherin of their year to share a public kiss in the common room.
"Eve Stock is my discovery!" Marcus Flint bragged to a group of wide-eyed first-years. "From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was destined for greatness!"
Among the crowd, Camille's shrill voice rang out. "Nolan, show us some of your flashy magic!"
"Yeah, give us a performance," Miles added weakly, clearly needing a mood lift. "At least cheer me up a little."
"Alright," Nolan said with a shrug. With a casual flick of his wand, Draco suddenly found that Malcolm had vanished—replaced by a croaking toad.
The Slytherins erupted into laughter, and even the freshly restored Malcolm couldn't help but find it amusing.
After all, wasn't this just par for the course?
As curfew fell, the younger students gradually returned to their dormitories. Nolan left the common room and wandered through the quiet halls of Hogwarts.
Over his two years at the school, Nolan had become quite adept at nighttime strolls. Even the Weasley twins would have hesitated to claim they had more experience in nocturnal escapades than he did.
Tonight, Nolan made his way to the eastern corridor on the second floor. This was the intersection of the paths leading to the Ravenclaw Tower and the Slytherin dungeons.
From a distance, he spotted Cho waiting for him.
She seemed nervous, clutching her wand tightly—not only in case of Filch but perhaps also worried about Peeves.
As Nolan drew closer, he could hear her speaking softly to someone.
"Professor Fosco, you won't report me, will you?"
"Oh, my dear, you have nothing to fear," replied the portrait in front of her. It depicted a pale, scholarly-looking wizard with an air of great intellect.
Nolan, however, remembered that this spot had previously been occupied by the Decapitated Watermill Knight. Ah, that explained it—he now cowered in a nearby frame, shivering as the newcomer claimed his place.
Nolan approached and tapped Cho on the shoulder. "Cho?"
"Oh! Merlin, you're finally here!" Cho exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. Her hands were damp with sweat. "If you'd taken any longer, I would've scared myself to death!"
"I remember you saying in first year that you loved exploring. You always claimed to know Hogwarts' layout like the back of your hand…"
"That was during the day!" Cho hissed, her voice rising slightly. "At night, I have to worry about Filch, Mrs. Norris, and—Merlin help me—Snape appearing out of nowhere! Oh, it's awful—they're far scarier than the ghosts! You understand, don't you, Nolan? Compared to the mostly friendly ghosts, I'm much more afraid of burglars. When my parents go out, I always feel like thieves might break into the house!"
"But you're a witch, dear girl. If a burglar attacks you, just use magic to defeat them," Nolan said, tapping Cho lightly on the head. His crimson eyes shifted toward the portrait, narrowing suspiciously. "I've seen you before, haven't I? Professor Dekoco Fosco... in Professor Dumbledore's office."
"Indeed, that's my proper residence," Fosco replied with a delighted smile. A former and distinguished Headmaster of Hogwarts, Fosco held a particular fondness for exceptional students like Nolan, despite being a vampire himself. "Finally, I get to see your nocturnal side, Nolan Von Draugr. Doesn't it feel invigorating to be full of energy at night?"
"You're not wrong, Mr. Fosco," Nolan said with a shrug. "That said, if you don't mind, I'm going to take Cho with me now."
"By all means, young Mr. Von Draugr. Teenage love is a delightful thing. Savor the moment." Fosco laughed before leaving the Watermill Knight's portrait. The original occupant returned timidly after a while, cautiously peeking out before muttering, "Is he gone? That domineering fellow?"
Cho glanced curiously at Nolan and then, after a moment, clasped his hand. "Eve was right. You're different at night."
"Different how, exactly?"
Cho wanted to tell him that he seemed even more captivating under the cover of darkness, but such words stuck in her throat. As an Asian girl, she might be willing to show her fondness for Nolan, but openly praising him felt too bold.
"Well…" she murmured.
Nolan smiled knowingly, gently tugging her hand as they began strolling through the silent halls of Hogwarts.
Their footsteps echoed softly as they wandered between floors, allowing Cho to notice a new side of Hogwarts. By night, the castle was tranquil yet enigmatic, like a slumbering demon guarding countless treasures.
Thick carpets muffled their steps, paintings peeked curiously from behind their frames, and silent suits of armor loomed in the dim corridors. It was an entirely different world—equal parts eerie and enchanting.
Several times, they passed dangerously close to Filch, yet he never seemed to notice their presence.
"That's the Disillusionment Charm," Nolan explained, almost casually.
"A spell I definitely can't master yet," Cho admitted with a wry shrug. "Sometimes I wonder what's in your and Eve's heads. What makes you two so extraordinary? … No, wait. Forget I said that. Let's not talk about Eve. I think… I'd rather talk about Bai."
"Your sister?"
"Yeah… well…" Cho hesitated, unsure where to begin. "It feels like our relationship has fallen apart. She didn't come home for Christmas this year. She didn't even send me a gift.
"I don't know if the gloves and hat I sent her were discarded… or even opened…"
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