You Want It Darker. · Y/n story by @gaunt

The castle was doing that thing it always did in January—drafty in the corridors, warm in the wrong places, and full of students who'd already given up on New Year's resolutions by the second week. The stone walls seemed to swallow sound, then spit it back out in echoes that made every conversation feel like it was happening twice.

Ron

...and then McGonagall just looks at him, right, and goes, 'Mr. Finnigan, I was not aware that your Transfiguration homework required pyrotechnics.' And Seamus just goes, 'Well, it didn't not require them either.'

Hermione

rolling her eyes, but smiling You know she's going to make him redo the whole essay. She always does.

Ron

Yeah, but it was funny. You gotta admit it was funny.

Harry laughed, but it was a half-hearted thing. His mind was somewhere else—Quidditch practice later, the pile of homework he'd been ignoring, the usual noise that never quite shut up. He was about to say something when a flash of movement caught his eye.

Harry

Who's that?

Ron

glancing over, then doing a double-take Huh. Don't know. New kid, maybe? Transfer?

Hermione

following their gaze, frowning slightly I didn't hear about any transfers this term. That's odd. Usually there's an announcement.

Ron

Maybe they're just... you know. Here. Not everything needs an announcement, Hermione.

Hermione

ignoring him, still watching They're with a prefect. So they're either new or they've done something very bad very quickly.

The prefect was saying something to you, gesturing toward a door on the left. You nodded, your attention on the castle around you. And Harry—

Ron

elbowing him Mate. You're staring.

Harry

blinking, finally looking away What? No, I wasn't.

Ron

Yeah, you were. Like, proper staring. The kind that gets you hexed if they notice.

Hermione

raising an eyebrow Harry, do you know them?

Harry

No. I just— shaking his head —I don't know. Just curious, that's all.

Ron

Curious. Right. snorting You looked like you were trying to memorize their face for a wanted poster.

Harry

shooting him a look Shut up.

But he looked back. Just once. The prefect had stopped in front of a tapestry, and you were both standing there, you listening to whatever they were saying. You hadn't noticed him. You didn't know he existed.

Hermione

slowing down, turning to look at him properly Harry. You're doing it again.

Harry

Doing what?

Hermione

Staring.

Ron

muttering Like a creep.

Harry

ignoring Ron, looking at Hermione I'm not staring. I'm just— pausing —I'm gonna go say hi.

Ron

blinking What? Why?

Harry

Because they're new. And it's their first day. And I'm being friendly.

Hermione

skeptical Since when do you go out of your way to be friendly to random new students?

Harry

Since now. already starting to move I'll catch up with you guys later.

Ron

calling after him Harry! Harry, you don't even know their name!

Harry didn't turn back. He was already walking toward you, his hands in his pockets, his stride easy and unhurried—like he had all the time in the world and nowhere else to be.