The door to the Slytherin common room closed with a soft thud behind Alaric as he stepped inside, his wide eyes taking in the dim, green-lit room. The tall stone walls and the snake carvings above the fireplaces made the place feel ancient and powerful. He let out a low whistle as he took it all in.

Then he spotted her.

"Calliope!"

His face lit up as he weaved past a cluster of students and hurried over.

"I knew you’d be here!" he said, grinning ear to ear. "I saw you at the feast, but it was impossible to get through the crowd." He shrugged, then added, "I didn’t say anything before because I didn’t want to jinx it, but I just knew Slytherin was the right fit for you." He paused for a beat, "At least, from what my father said about here."

He folded his arms and took a half-step back, as if appraising her. "And you look good in green. Though, obviously, I look good in green too." He added with a cheeky wink.

He flopped into one of the armchairs near the fire and glanced up at her. "So... are you thinking about trying out for the Quidditch team?"

He leaned back and rested his hands behind his head, his grin widening as he waited for her answer.

Calliope had been considering two curiously placed bookcases, her heart telling her that there was a secret alcove to be discovered, but thus far her thunk thunk thunking on the spines of all the books was not giving. Maybe she needed to pull them forward for the alcove to be revealed, but that would be a task for another day. She couldn't waste her entire night playing with books and bookcases, especially when she had posters of The Hippogriff Howls and Glitter Dragon to put up and some small postcard sized posters of Joshua Miller, The Dead Kneazles, Grimoire, and Melanie Sung...all of which were all kind of embarrassing in their own ways. But sprucing up and getting her dorm up to aesthetic could obviously wait seeing as Alaric was popping on over - yes, she had finally placed his face and name and recollection once she was no longer tossing bits of bread at others and as well as no longer feeling ravenous.

"Alaric, hey, sup?" she greeted nonchalantly, tucking her long brown hair behind her ears. "Impossible to get through the crowd or impossible to pull yourself away from your new giiiiiiiiiiiiirlfriend?" An obvious, gentle (?) jab a him for seeming to be SO hyper focused on his conversation with their older housemate. Hello, her and Maddox had been RIGHT there too, you know? Flipping some of her hair over her shoulder, not at all haughtily (but also absolutely haughtily, Calliope struck a little pose in her robes and nodded approvingly at his compliments. "Did you have to tell the hat that you wanted to be here? I think it almost put me in Hufflepuff, at least it seemed to be heavily implying it." So not the vibe though and thankfully the hat had been respectable enough to trust her opinion.

Joining him in the armchair (they were petit first years so there was plenty of room for two, okay?), she nodded sternly but with the tiniest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Obviously...and see about getting a spot on the orchestra and in the frog choir as well I think. What about you? Sorted out what clubs and such you're going to join? Wizard's Chess?"

Some day she would beat him at a game. Some day. Once she learned a bit more patience for it.

Alaric’s grin slipped for a second at the word "girlfriend," and his face went a bit pink. He quickly waved a hand as if brushing it off.

"What? Peri? No way! She’s, like, a million years older than us—and she’s way more into secret passageways than... anything else." He gave an exaggerated eye roll before flashing a teasing grin. "You and Maddox were busy pelting people with bread! I was doing important work—like figuring out who actually knows stuff about this place."

He watched as Calliope flicked her hair over her shoulder and struck her little pose. For some reason, it made his stomach do a weird flip, but he ignored it and folded his arms like he was unimpressed.

"Hufflepuff?" He made a show of pretending to faint. "I mean... I just can’t see you in yellow. You’d have the whole common room marching in time by the end of the first day." He laughed. "Besides, you belong here. Obviously."

When she plopped into the chair next to him, he scooted over a bit but didn’t mind. It felt kind of cool, like old times.

"Orchestra and frog choir?" He raised his eyebrows. "You’re really going all in, huh? I mean, you’re good enough to pull it off, for sure. You’ll probably be leading the frog choir by Christmas."

She asked about his plans, and he fiddled with the phoenix charm on his bracelet while he thought.

"Latin and Magical Theory, probably," he said, scrunching up his nose. "And maybe orchestra, but only in the background—I’m not really a ‘center stage’ person. Oh, and Wizard’s Chess, of course." He gave her a smug look. "Someday, you’ll beat me. But when you do, I’ll make a big scene like I didn’t see it coming."

He chuckled, then leaned forward a little. "But until then... you’ve still got at least five more losses to go."

Alaric leaned back again, glancing at the green-tinted windows as something swam past. Hogwarts felt huge and strange and kind of overwhelming—but having Calliope here made it all feel a lot more fun.

Boys really were thick.

His eye roll met hers with a well-practiced precision, and she couldn’t help but smile at the ease with which he provided the moment. It was almost too easy, verging on dull — but Calliope was determined to add a touch more flair. "Secret passages... like the one to her heart," she hummed, her smile almost self-satisfied as she folded her arms across her chest. Another eye roll followed, this time more exaggerated, more dramatic. "Dad went here, my cousins went, and some still do. My sister goes here. I’m already at least a hundred steps ahead of you."

And the bread tossing had been way more entertaining and less gushy. Time well spent, even if she hadn't understood what the older Slytherin had muttered under his breath. She had been too busy enjoying the feast that arrived and she her fun put on pause due to his stirring.

"It’s more than aesthetic," she shot back, though anyone who knew her well would realize that aesthetic was, in fact, the lens through which she’d judged most of her life. The brief spat with the wandmaker had been proof enough of that. "My uncle was a hatstall between Slytherin and Hufflepuff, actually." As for the marching comment, she wrinkled her nose, but the compliment was taken nonetheless, tucked away with the smallest sense of pride.

"You're funny," she remarked, poking his cheek with a teasing glint in her eye, her lips pursed in that way that made her look both curious and mischievous. "You sure do think I should be the leader of everything." It wasn’t that she didn’t have the capability, nor the ambition — it was simply that leadership felt too much like extra work, would steal focus from her own spotlight, and she preferred working alone.

Calliope patted her robe pockets for the box of Bertie Bott's she had left over from the train ride over. She had picked out most of her favorites already, but there were some non-bogus flavors remaining. Probably. "Okay, Ravenclaw," she teased with a grin as she tilted the opening of the box towards him to share. "You're already surrendering to the truth. Sounds like I'll beat you in under five." He walked right into that one too, even if she did not wholeheartedly believe such an accomplishment would even happen this term.

"So," she hummed, popping one of the beans into her mouth and taking the tiniest chew to see if it was a flavor she enjoyed or whether she needed to spit it out. "If I sneak a broomstick into the dormitory, do you think anyone will notice, and if they do should I just blame it on Peeves?"

Alaric groaned, flinging his arms over the sides of the chair like a dramatized hero in peril.

"Secret passages... like the one to her heart?" He gave Calliope a wide-eyed, mock-serious look. "Oh no, you’ve figured out my master plan. All that talk about hidden doors—it was really just a cover story." He snickered before shaking his head. "But seriously, she’s just another new face. It’s nice meeting someone who’s curious about Hogwarts, like me."

He matched her eye roll perfectly, smirking. They were already back to their usual rhythm.

"And sure, you’ve got a head start," he added, sitting up straighter. "Your whole family’s been here, but give me a bit of time, and I’ll figure out stuff even they don’t know." His grin sharpened as if he was already imagining some epic discovery. "I’m not just here to tag along—I want to be the one who finds something big."

When she poked his cheek, his grin only grew wider. "You’re great at spotting things, probably better than me at it, but if we found a hidden passage, I bet between the two of us, we’d figure it out for sure."

When she held out the Bertie Bott’s box, he narrowed his eyes at her. "If I end up eating troll bogey, you owe me big time." But he reached in anyway, popped a bean into his mouth, and chewed slowly... then let out a relieved laugh. "Marshmallow!" He held up a hand triumphantly. "I knew luck was on my side."

At the mention of the broomstick, Alaric’s grin widened. "Blame Peeves?" He let out a snort. "He’d help you sneak it in just to stir things up, but as soon as you’re caught, he’d make a huge scene and rat you out just for fun."

He leaned forward, his grin turning mischievous. "But... what’s in it for me if I help?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "If we pull this off, will you teach me some Quidditch moves from that camp you went to? You’ve probably got tricks up your sleeve that I’d never figure out on my own."

His gaze flicked toward the fire for a moment before looking back at her. "Do you think Maddox would help, or would we have to handle this ourselves?" Already imagining how the plan could come together. "This is going to be brilliant if we don’t get caught... and maybe even if we do."

Periwinkle's heart raced as she stood before the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Her palms were clammy, and her mind buzzed with anticipation. This was it—the moment she had been dreaming of for fifteen years. The dream house, her dream house. With a whispered password, the stone wall slid aside, revealing the space that had occupied her imagination for so long.

She stepped inside, and her breath caught in her throat. The room was everything she had ever envisioned and more. It was dimly lit, but the soft green glow emanating from the walls gave it an ethereal beauty. The air was cool, yet it wrapped around her like a comforting embrace. The dark leather chairs, the ornate silver accents, the emerald-green tapestries—it was perfect. Every detail screamed Slytherin, and Periwinkle couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear.

Her dark brown eyes darted around the room, taking in every corner, every shadow. The fireplace crackled softly, casting flickering light across the stone walls. She could feel the history of the place, the whispers of generations of ambitious minds who had sat in these very chairs. And oh, the green—her favorite color—it was everywhere, wrapping the space in a hue that felt so right, so her.

She wandered closer to the windows that overlooked the black lake. The view was surreal. The water shimmered faintly, and she could just make out the silhouettes of mysterious creatures gliding through the depths. It was magical—no, it was home. A real home. Not the cold, distant place she had grown up in, but something warm and alive, even here in the dungeons.

Periwinkle finally sank into one of the plush chairs near the fireplace, letting out a contented sigh as she leaned back. The warmth of the fire contrasted with the coolness of the room, creating a perfect balance. She felt at peace for the first time in forever. Her fingers brushed over the armrest of the chair as if to confirm this was real and not just another dream.

"This is it," she whispered to herself, a smile spreading across her face. "This is what home is supposed to feel like."

Her excitement bubbled up again as she imagined all the moments that awaited her here—late-night conversations with housemates, plotting grand schemes, studying ancient magic by firelight. It was all ahead of her now.

Periwinkle’s heart swelled with joy and pride as she sat there, soaking it all in. The Slytherin common room wasn’t just a place; it was a promise of belonging, ambition, and a future she could shape however she wanted. And she couldn’t wait to begin.

Text Cut: Alaric the Adorbs

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freyr

Alaric groaned, flinging his arms over the sides of the chair like a dramatized hero in peril.

"Secret passages... like the one to her heart?" He gave Calliope a wide-eyed, mock-serious look. "Oh no, you’ve figured out my master plan. All that talk about hidden doors—it was really just a cover story." He snickered before shaking his head. "But seriously, she’s just another new face. It’s nice meeting someone who’s curious about Hogwarts, like me."

He matched her eye roll perfectly, smirking. They were already back to their usual rhythm.

"And sure, you’ve got a head start," he added, sitting up straighter. "Your whole family’s been here, but give me a bit of time, and I’ll figure out stuff even they don’t know." His grin sharpened as if he was already imagining some epic discovery. "I’m not just here to tag along—I want to be the one who finds something big."

When she poked his cheek, his grin only grew wider. "You’re great at spotting things, probably better than me at it, but if we found a hidden passage, I bet between the two of us, we’d figure it out for sure."

When she held out the Bertie Bott’s box, he narrowed his eyes at her. "If I end up eating troll bogey, you owe me big time." But he reached in anyway, popped a bean into his mouth, and chewed slowly... then let out a relieved laugh. "Marshmallow!" He held up a hand triumphantly. "I knew luck was on my side."

At the mention of the broomstick, Alaric’s grin widened. "Blame Peeves?" He let out a snort. "He’d help you sneak it in just to stir things up, but as soon as you’re caught, he’d make a huge scene and rat you out just for fun."

He leaned forward, his grin turning mischievous. "But... what’s in it for me if I help?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "If we pull this off, will you teach me some Quidditch moves from that camp you went to? You’ve probably got tricks up your sleeve that I’d never figure out on my own."

His gaze flicked toward the fire for a moment before looking back at her. "Do you think Maddox would help, or would we have to handle this ourselves?" Already imagining how the plan could come together. "This is going to be brilliant if we don’t get caught... and maybe even if we do."

Calliope raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp as she studied Alaric like he was a particularly amusing puzzle she wasn’t sure if she should solve or just toss aside. "Secret passages to her heart," she repeated with irritating emphasis, her lips twitching into a smirk fleeting smirk. "Cover up, sure. Nice try, but last time I checked, hearts weren’t hidden behind trapdoors or secret staircases. You’ll need something a little more... convincing than all those smooth lines you’ve been throwing about all night."

She leaned in slightly, her tone laced with teasing as she lightly drummed on her knees. "Maybe you should save the secret passage talk for someone who actually needs to be charmed, Alaric. Not everyone’s as easily swayed as—" She cut herself off, shrugging as if it didn’t matter. "Well, never mind." Of course Calliope believed his version of things, but she wasn’t about to let him off that easily. She knew full well her teasing was just for fun, but watching him squirm? That was a different story. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of slipping away without a little more pressure. Let him get all flustered; it was far too entertaining to stop now and deep pink suited his cheeks.

She leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don’t get too cocky. I’m very well versed in the ways of Hogwarts. Besides, you’re gonna need more than just a big grin to outsmart the castle and discover its mysteries." Calliope’s lips curled into a mischievous grin, clearly enjoying the game of pushing his buttons. It wasn’t just for her own amusement since she was, after all, helping him along the path to greatness. Or at least, that’s what she told herself as she watched him dance to the same beat as her own drum. "Just make sure you don’t go poking around in places you shouldn’t...like the Forbidden Forest. Wouldn’t want you getting lost down some forgotten corridor or eaten by something lurking out there. I hear there are really insane stories about the ones who didn’t come back and I don't want you included in such tragic ballads."

Calliope couldn’t help but roll her eyes. "If you get troll bogey, don’t come crying to me. I didn't force it into your mouth and you did so of your own free will," she teased, giving him a playful shove. "Lucky. Marshmallow is by far one of the best in any box. Besides cinnamon, anyway."

She couldn’t deny it, Alaric was bang on about how Peeves operated. "Sounds like something for someone a bit more... gullible," she teased, flicking her long brown hair over her shoulder with a laugh. "Alright, alright, we’ll leave Peeves out of it." She paused, tapping her chin like she was seriously considering it. "As for your Quidditch lessons... hmm. Maybe. If you help me sneak it in. But don’t get any ideas about a free pass. You’ll have to earn it." Her eyes glinted mischievously as she leaned in as well, their foreheads practically touching now. "And what’s in it for you? You get to learn how to fly, and I’ll owe you a big one once we pull it off and there is no greater currency than an honest favor."

A wink followed as she grabbed the box of Bertie Bott’s beans again, popping one into her mouth and savoring the disappointing cherry flavor, but she acted like it was the most important thing she’d done all day. "Maddox?" she said, smirking. "He’s reliable, so I’m all for pulling him in." She leaned in, her tone almost conspiratorial. "This is going to be so ridiculous but fun. Just hope you’re ready for the ride, Alaric. You’re in it now."

Was sneaking a broom down here really that big of a deal? Probably not. But hey, if they wanted to make it seem like a top-secret high-stakes mission, who was she to argue?

Alaric scrunched his nose, his cheeks flushing slightly as she repeated his words with that smug grin.

"Okay, okay, you win," he said, holding up his hands in surrender. "No more secret passage talk—for now. But for the record, hearts hidden behind trapdoors sound way more interesting." He shot her a playful grin before adding, "I’ll come up with something better next time. Just you wait."

As she leaned back and crossed her arms, Alaric mirrored her stance, though his grin stayed firmly in place.

"Oh, I know it’ll take more than a grin to outsmart this place," he said confidently. "But that’s half the fun, right? Besides, if anyone’s gonna figure out the castle’s secrets, it’s going to be me. I’ve got determination, strategy... and I’m stubborn enough to keep trying even if the suits of armor start throwing things at me."

He paused and tilted his head thoughtfully. "But I’ll skip the whole ‘getting eaten in the Forbidden Forest’ thing. That would be a pretty rubbish ending to my story." He chuckled, but there was a flicker of sincerity behind his words. "Besides, someone’s gotta stick around to keep you out of trouble too."

When she mentioned troll bogey again, Alaric gave her a wide-eyed, mock-offended look. "Oi! I’m brave, not reckless. And I only grabbed the bean because you’re usually not trying to sabotage me." He let out a dramatic sigh, then added, "Besides, if I ever get stuck with a cinnamon bean, it’s all yours. I can’t stand cinnamon." He gave her a lopsided grin. "I’ll take marshmallow or almost anything over that."

At her mention of Peeves, he nodded sagely. "Leaving Peeves out of it is definitely the right move. He’d either ruin everything or turn it into a circus act with us as the stars."

When she agreed that Maddox was reliable, Alaric nodded. "Yeah, that’s why I brought him up. He seems like the kind of person who can stay calm when things get messy." He paused for a moment before adding with a grin, "Besides, we’re going to need someone who’s good at looking innocent."

Alaric shifted in his seat, an excited glint in his eyes. "This really is going to be ridiculous, but that’s what makes it brilliant." He chuckled and added, "And of course I’m ready. I wouldn’t have stuck around this long if I wasn’t."

He reached for another bean, popped it into his mouth—and immediately winced. "...Horseradish." He coughed, eyes watering slightly. "Why do I keep doing this to myself?" He laughed, shaking his head.

He leaned back with a grin, already picturing their first flight in the common room. "Just wait. This is going to be the best first-year story anyone’s ever heard."

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a curious look. "So... do you have a plan already, or are we making this up as we go?"

"Oh really? Is that your grand plan, then? Play my knight in shining armour?" She smirked, rolling her eyes but also trying not look to amused by the thought. "I can take care of myself, but you’re welcome to try." Her tone was playful, but there was an unmistakable glint of challenge in her eyes.

At the mention of cinnamon beans, she grinned, tossing a bean into the air and catching it with a dramatic flair. "Cinnamon? Really? You’re the one who’s got it all wrong, Alaric. Cinnamon’s the best. But sure, if you ever find yourself with one, I’ll take it off your hands. I’m such a generous friend." Her voice dripped with mock sincerity as she winked at him, then burst into uncontrollable giggles. As for Maddox, she nodded approvingly and stopped laughing. "Good point. He’s got that whole ‘innocent look’ down to an art simply by looking so indifferent to everything." She leaned back and stretched her arms over her head. "Not that he’ll be fooling anyone for long, though. And hey are you saying that I have the features of a Dark witch? Because I am not sure if that is meant to be an insult or praise." She paused, taking a moment to reflect on her words. It was a strange thing to say, wasn’t it? She didn’t exactly mind the comparison - being a little bit dark had its charm and having an edge was a fabulous aesthetic to have. But there was something about the way she’d said it that made her wonder...With a shrug, she gave him a cheeky grin, letting the moment pass without dwelling on it too much. After all, she'd been teasing him all night. It was all part of the game.

Calliope listened as Alaric started getting all fired up about their first flight, his eyes practically glowing with excitement. She found herself grinning in response, a spark of the same anticipation igniting in her chest. "It’ll definitely be ridiculous," she said, her voice turning a little quieter with the weight of her own excitement. "But it’ll be one for the books, something we can look back on as seventh years and laugh at how dumb we were." She leaned in conspiratorially, the playful teasing still there but laced with the thrill of the adventure to come. "How many laps around the common room you think we could make before we most likely get busted?"

She grinned wider as he asked if she had a plan. "Do I have a plan?" She mimicked his curious look with exaggerated seriousness, tapping her chin like she was deep in thought. "Of course I do. I’ve got the perfect plan." She paused, her lips curling into a sly grin. "And we’re making it up as we go. No point in making it easy, right?" Which, yes, meant that she had no plan at all but she had asked it rather rhetorically and that had snowballed into whatever this was now. Why fight a good thing?

Calliope couldn’t help but laugh at Alaric’s dramatic wince as he bit into the Bertie Bott’s bean. "Serves you right," she ribbed him, her laughter echoing off the windows flanking them as she leaned in again to grab another handful of beans for herself. "You’d think after all this time, you’d learn which ones to avoid." The laughter stopped a mere few seconds after she popped a bean into her mouth, at which point her face contorted as if she’d just swallowed a pile of dragon dung. She gagged, spitting it out with all the grace of a clumsy troll. A mix of droll splattered down the sides of her lips, while a chunk of spit clung stubbornly to her lower lip. Could he find her cinnamon one now? Because that’s exactly the palate cleanser she needed and if he was going to serve as her knight in shining armour there was no time like the present!

Alaric puffed out his chest in mock importance, grinning.

"Knight in shining armor?" he repeated, his tone somewhere between playful and dramatic. "Why not? Every great wizard needs a cool title, right?" He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice like he was sharing a big secret. "But if you’re so sure you don’t need saving, I’ll just stick around to watch you get into trouble instead. Someone’s gotta write down the whole disaster for the history books."

When she caught the bean with a flair, he rolled his eyes, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Cinnamon? Best flavor?" he said, pretending to gag. "Alright, alright, you can have all of mine. Consider it my gift to you because I’m so generous." He gave her a mock bow, his grin growing. "But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong about it being awful."

At her comment about Maddox, Alaric shrugged. "Yeah, he’s pretty good at looking chill about everything," he said thoughtfully. "Which works for us, ‘cause if we look like we know what we’re doing, no one will suspect a thing. Right?" His smirk softened a little at her next comment, and he tilted his head as if considering her words carefully. "And hey, I never said you looked like a Dark witch. But now that you mention it, maybe you’ve got a little of that ‘don’t mess with me’ thing going on. It’s kinda cool, actually." He shrugged casually, but there was a flicker of warmth in his gaze.

Her excitement about the broomstick plan made his grin grow wider, and his voice grew quieter, almost conspiratorial. "Ridiculous? Totally," he agreed, leaning forward like they were plotting something grand. "But isn’t that the whole point? We’re gonna look back at this and either laugh or tell everyone it was the most daring thing anyone’s done in Slytherin since... ever."

He tapped his chin, pretending to think. "How many laps? I say three if we’re careful. Four if we’re fast. But if we make it to five? Instant legends." He leaned back with a big grin. "We have to go for five, obviously."

When she claimed to have a plan, his eyebrows shot up, but the sly grin on her face gave her away. "Oh, so ‘making it up as we go’ is the plan?" he teased, shaking his head slightly. "Figures. But honestly, it’s way more fun that way."

Her reaction to the bean made him burst out laughing, nearly doubling over in his chair. "Alright, alright!" he said between giggles. "You need a cinnamon one to fix that? I’ll find you one. Just try not to spit this one out, okay?"

He rummaged through the box, holding up a reddish bean and squinting at it like it might bite him. "Pretty sure this is cinnamon. Or it’s something horrible, but that’s the risk, right?" He handed it to her, his fingers brushing hers briefly before he pulled his hand back, his grin faltering for a split second before returning.

"There. Your knight in shining armor has delivered." He sat back, folding his arms proudly. "Don’t say I never do anything for you."

As he watched her with the bean, a fleeting thought crossed his mind—that maybe the best part of the whole broomstick plan wasn’t the adventure itself, but the fact that he got to do it with her. But, of course, he’d never say that out loud. Instead, he just grinned and waited for her reaction.

Alaric puffed out his chest in mock importance, grinning.

"Knight in shining armor?" he repeated, his tone somewhere between playful and dramatic. "Why not? Every great wizard needs a cool title, right?" He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a big secret. "But if you’re so sure you don’t need saving, I’ll just stick around to watch you get into trouble instead. Someone has to write down the whole disaster for the history books."

When she caught the bean with a flair, he rolled his eyes, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Cinnamon? Best flavor?" he said, pretending to gag. "Alright, alright, you can have all of mine. Consider it my gift to you because I’m so generous." He gave her a mock bow, his grin growing. "But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong about it being awful."

At her comment about Maddox, Alaric shrugged. "Yeah, he’s pretty good at looking chill about everything," he said thoughtfully. "Which works for us, because if we look like we know what we’re doing, no one will suspect a thing. Right?" His smirk softened slightly at her next comment, and he tilted his head as if considering her words carefully. "And hey, I never said you looked like a Dark witch. But now that you mention it, maybe you’ve got a little of that ‘don’t mess with me’ thing going on. It’s kind of cool, actually." He shrugged casually, though there was a flicker of warmth in his gaze.

Her excitement about the broomstick plan made his grin grow wider, and his voice grew quieter, almost conspiratorial. "Ridiculous? Totally," he agreed, leaning forward as if they were plotting something grand. "But isn’t that the whole point? We’re going to look back at this and either laugh or tell everyone it was the most daring thing anyone’s done in Slytherin since... ever."

He tapped his chin, pretending to think. "How many laps? I say three if we’re careful. Four if we’re fast. But if we make it to five? Instant legends." He leaned back with a big grin. "We have to go for five, obviously."

When she claimed to have a plan, his eyebrows shot up, but the sly grin on her face gave her away. "Oh, so ‘making it up as we go’ is the plan?" he teased, shaking his head slightly. "Figures. But honestly, it’s way more fun that way."

Her reaction to the bean made him burst out laughing, nearly doubling over in his chair. "Alright, alright!" he said between giggles. "You need a cinnamon one to fix that? I’ll find you one. Just try not to spit this one out, okay?"

He rummaged through the box, holding up a reddish bean and squinting at it like it might bite him. "Pretty sure this is cinnamon. Or it’s something horrible, but that’s the risk, right?" He handed it to her, his fingers brushing hers briefly before he pulled his hand back, his grin faltering for a split second before returning.

"There. Your knight in shining armor has delivered." He sat back, folding his arms proudly. "Don’t say I never do anything for you."

After a beat, he sat forward again, his expression earnest but still light. "Hey, when are tryouts for Quidditch?" he asked, leaning on his knees. "I’ll be there, obviously. Someone has to cheer you on and make sure you don’t fly straight into a goal post from all that confidence you’ve got." He smirked, but his tone was genuine. "You’re going to crush it. No doubt about that."

As he leaned back again, he watched her closely, a small smile tugging at his lips. A fleeting thought crossed his mind that maybe the best part of the whole broomstick plan wasn’t the adventure itself, but the fact that he got to do it with her. Of course, he’d never say that out loud. Instead, he just grinned and waited for her reaction.

"Just make sure to save me a good spot in the stands for when you’re Slytherin’s star player."

Calliope snatched cinnamon bean from Alaric, her fingers practically crashing against his in her haste as her eyes now began to water from the absolutely horrific flavor assaulting her taste buds. Through the pain, she nearly missed the small flicker of something in his gaze and the little jolt of something other than knuckles hitting knuckles, but she decided not to dwell on it for now. Instead, she popped the bean into her mouth, immediately feeling the warm, sweet relief from the earlier disaster and wilted into her seat. She really could kick her shoes off and lay her legs over his lap for extra comfort - she was just that relieved.

"You're so corny," she teased, smiling at him with her eyes closed as the flavor of cinnamon blossomed in her mouth - her cheeks not the pleasant color of a ripe peach. "But you did come through with the cinnamon so I’ll give you that, my knight in shining armour." Ugh, she sort of sounded like mamma when she was getting all fluttery eyed at dad and they were being weird with one another - which was practically every second of every day. She sat up just a bit, the playful edge never quite leaving her voice. "That sounds more like my personal scribe than a knight." But hey, if she needed someone to write her biography then she knew who to turn to.

Her expression softened for a moment as she thought about his words regarding quidditch tryouts. She felt a flutter in her chest, but quickly shook it off, not wanting to seem too soft - she had that whole Dark witch aesthetic to keep up with now too. "Tryouts are on Monday and you better show up to cheer me on," she insisted. "But I will have you know I have never once flown into a goalpost and I have no intention of doing so at tryouts either. Just make sure you don't get dizzy trying to keep up with me once I'm in the air. Celebratory butterbeers or whatever the Hogsmeade weekend after I make the team, I'll even treat you."

Calliope sat up more and even leaned in towards Alaric, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she considered the prank - no, the mission - she was about to embark on with her two best friends. It was absolutely ridiculous, and that’s exactly why it was going to be perfect. Did Alaric and Maddox even know they were her best friends - up in the air, like the brooms they would be riding on in the common room soon. Once Maddox was also clued into things. For someone who was frustrated by the assumptions people made about her, the brunette was sure making a whole lot about this - c'est la vie.

"We obviously have to make it to five now," she nodded firmly, holding out her hand towards Alaric for a handshake - it was the only official way of sealing a deal, after all. "No half measures."

And he was still definitely wrong about cinnamon being awful.

Alaric blinked as Calliope snatched the cinnamon bean so quickly their fingers collided. "Whoa, you’re really desperate to fix that disaster, huh?" he teased, his grin widening just slightly as their fingers brushed. He leaned back, watching her wilt into her seat. "You’re welcome, by the way. Clearly, I’m the hero of this story." There was a playful lilt to his voice, but something in his gaze lingered just a moment longer than necessary.

When she called him corny, Alaric let out a laugh, leaning closer with a smirk that felt a little too pleased. "Corny? Nah, that was pure chivalry. But fine, if you need a personal scribe, I’ll do it. Your story deserves the best writer, after all," he said with a tilt of his head. "Although," he added, his grin turning slightly cheeky, "I might have to add in a few embarrassing goalpost crashes, just to keep it exciting."

His grin softened into something more genuine as he continued. "Monday? I’ll be there, obviously. I’ll be front and center, cheering so loud the other players will want to quit before tryouts even start." He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping just a touch as his eyes met hers. "And if you do hit a goalpost, I’ll be ready to write it into your biography," he paused for effect, his grin widening again, "but seriously, you’re definitely making the team. No question." He leaned back, watching her closely, and added, "Butterbeer after you make it, though. And you’re treating, since you’ll be the new star player."

As Calliope leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief, Alaric couldn’t help but match her energy, the excitement bubbling in his chest. He extended his hand to meet hers, their handshake firm but lingering for just a beat too long. "Five laps," he said, nodding with a grin. "No half measures. This is going to be legendary."

Her eyeroll could not be understated. The facts spoke for themselves and, even with how stubborn she was, she couldn't deny the truth entirely. "Yeah yeah yeah," she sighed dramatically, waving him off somewhat dismissively but obviously with a smile curling the corners of her lips. "Congratulations, Alaric, you’ve officially won the Battle of the Beans." Her fingers drummed against her leg absently, though she wasn’t sure if it was exclusively from the relief of cinnamon or if the slight fidgeting was related to the way his gaze seemed to linger just a bit too long on her, like there was a challenge in his gaze that she didn’t quite understand but was definitely enjoying but also irritated by not knowing precisely what challenge was being presented.

One thing was for sure though. They were done with the Bertie Bott's for the time being.

In favor of enjoying the way Alaric effortlessly yes-and'ed her, The brunette was able to shelve the eyeroll this time around. "If I do crash into a goalpost, I’ll make sure to look extra impressive doing it. You could title the chapter something like 'How Calliope Barrington Makes an Impact’ or something. Be a real motivation piece about getting back up again after getting knocked down." Big if, obviously, because she wasn't going to get knocked down in the first place. Duh. "Buuuuut really," she continued with an exaggerated sigh, "I’ll make sure to give you plenty of material and you won’t ever need to make anything up."

As his expression softened, hers hardened with confidence. "Good. Excellent. I obviously can’t have you just watching from the sidelines." She shot him a teasing glance, feeling that familiar spark of excitement in her chest. "You'll be sitting in basically the VIP section too." Because she said so. "If I were you, I’d be soaking up all that future glory. I'll even sign something for you now, anything you want. It'll be worth millions of galleons someday," she added with a little laugh.

Calliope’s grin widened as she met Alaric’s handshake, her fingers curling around his with just a hint more pressure than necessary - chalk it up to her enthusiasm and determination or whatever. She was all confidence now, that nagging anxiety about the tryouts forgotten entirely. This, right here, was her turf: playful banter, sassy challenges, and the thrill of knowing she could handle whatever the universe threw at her, including the impending chaos with Maddox and Alaric. "Legendary is right," she replied, her tone dripping with satisfaction as she leaned back, still holding his hand because she couldn't think of a reason why she ought to let go anyway. "I mean, I'm obviously going to be the star of the show between the three of us simply because I'm the quidditch player, but it will totally be worth sharing the whole experience." And whatever detention may come from it - if she was taking a fall then she certainly wouldn't be doing it alone.

Alaric smirked at her exaggerated sigh, watching the way she waved him off like she was doing him a favor by admitting defeat. "Thank you, thank you," he said with a dramatic bow. "I’ll treasure my victory in the Battle of the Beans forever. Maybe I should get a trophy made."

His eyes flicked down to her fingers tapping against her leg, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he leaned back, his grin widening as she played along. "‘How Calliope Barrington Makes an Impact’?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "I like it. Very inspirational. I’ll even throw in some dramatic quotes about resilience and glory." He tilted his head, pretending to think. "Of course, it won’t be needed because you’ll be too busy actually making the team, right?"

Her confidence was contagious, and he found himself matching her energy, shaking his head at her offer. "VIP seating, autographs? Wow, I really am special." He shot her a playful look. "Alright, fine. Sign something for me now, and I’ll hold onto it. When you’re famous, I’ll sell it for millions of galleons and live like a king."

As their handshake lingered, Alaric’s smirk softened just a bit, though he tightened his grip slightly in return. "Obviously you’re the star," he admitted, a teasing glint still in his eyes. "But, I mean, someone has to make sure the story is worth telling. That’s where I come in."

He finally let their hands fall apart, leaning back with a look of pure satisfaction. "This whole thing is already shaping up to be legendary. And when we inevitably land in detention, at least we’ll have the best story to tell."

Calliope snorted with laughter, genuinely entertained by his dramatics - ones she had done nothing but enable, which was simply beside the point. "I like the sound of that, clearly on your way with that whole writing career," she teased with a little nudge. "I'll make sure that trophy extra special." And by she she meant her mum and all the serious Italian flair that came with her being the outlandishly extra human being that she was. Seriously, every birthday outdid the last to the point that mum and dad were either buying or renting out small islands for their soirees with enough food to feed the whole Ministry. If it wasn’t over-the-top, it wasn’t worth doing. That was her mum, her parents, for sure. And now, Alaric just might get to experience that level of "extra." She almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

Calliope shot him a playful, sideways glance as his words landed. Yes, please continue to sing her praises and use all the right words, Alaric. "Duh," she hummed, patting her pockets for a pen or a half broken quill that she could use. "In fact...here," she continued, grabbing his hand and flipping it over so she could write directly on his palm. It really played out a whole lot better in her head than in reality though, the tip of the self-inking quill not really liking the texture of human skin, as her signature appeared in disjointed splotches across his palm. You could make out a 'C' and maybe the 'p' in her name...that one swirl was most likely a B...eh, you knew what you were looking at if you knew. "A priceless one, for the books," she winked, leaning back again and grinning at him.

Calliope stretched where she sat, legs sprawling over his waist and feeling as though the energy of their banter winding down - and really it was no wonder given the time - but it was clear that she was enjoying this moment...every playful word, every spark of challenge. With a wry smile, she shot him one last glance before collecting her legs to stand up. "Well, I better head back to my dorm so I can have any hope of coming down from this high and getting a decent night's beauty sleep," she winked and then gave a mock salute. "See you at breakfast, Signore Scribe."

And with that, she turned toward the door, already thinking about the chaos and glory waiting ahead - both in the sky and on the ground.