The Undercroft Gauntlet

Chapter 4: The Common Room's Glow

"Expecto Patronum!"

Over and over, Ominis cast the charm with glee. Through the following week, he and Talen returned to the Undercroft after classes were dismissed. Ominis would meet Talen outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom every day and nearly shove Talen towards the grandfather clock, hardly allowing Talen the time to ensure the coast was clear before entering.

Ominis made no improvement to his initial success of the charm — only the feathers of his patronus would briefly appear — but Ominis' eagerness was only spurred as the days past. The wooden dummy wouldn't so much as wobble, but Talen assured Ominis that while the charm was still in its infancy, it was already potent enough to stun actual dark creatures.

When he said this, Ominis had thrown his arms around Talen. Talen was too stunned to even hug Ominis back before Ominis pulled away and continued training, so Talen's arms just dangled awkwardly by his side.

As Ominis' smile widened each day, Talen commented less and less. He would lean against a pillar in the Undercroft and get lost in the joy that radiated from his friend.

His friend, Ominis.

—

Late on the Friday night after Talen's first exam Potion's exam — a pit settling in his stomach of the fear he botched it — he found himself back in the Great Hall, under the blue glow of the Goblet of Fire. Earlier that day, he had received an informal invitation from Gryffindor House to join them as their selected tournament entrees finally submitted their name.

Natsai had promised there would be food that her mother made.

"One, two, three... UP PICKETTS!" Amit Thakkar shouted.

Charlette Becker, Emina Stiller, and Talen — who were sitting on the opposite side of the table from Amit — unanimously put their elbows on the table with their fists closed.

Amit then ordered, "one, two, three... DOWN PICKETTS!"

The three slammed their hands onto the table, their open palms facing down, and a subtle metallic thwang resounded from somewhere. Amit cocked his head to the side, as he inspected each of the six hands. He rubbed his chin, and hmmmed loudly.

"Not here or here," he said, touching each of Charlette's hands. She removed them from the table, revealing nothing hidden beneath. "Not here, either," he continued, touching Talen's outer hand. He put it on his lap.

After studying the three remaining hands, Amit looked up and stared into Emina and Talen's faces. "Neither of you would lie to me, would you?" He asked with a stony straight face.

Talen bit his lip and nearly choking with laughter while Emina returned Amit's icy stare.

After several moments of tension, Amit's expression twisted into a sly smile. Without looking at the hands, he touched Emina's hand in the middle of the three and whispered, "it's here."

Emina burst into laughter, revealing underneath the chosen hand, a bronze Knut. Amit snatched it between his fingers, then leaned in and kissed Emina on the lips. She grabbed his head and returned his fervor double. Her long blonde hair covered Amit's face on either side, like a mask.

Talen shook his head and smiled, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, you two, get a room!" Charlette advised sarcastically.

Amit pulled away with a dreamy smile plastered over his face.

"What kind of Head Boy are you?" Emina commented seriously, though the edges of her lips twisted upward. "You're setting a terrible example."