Whispers in the Shadows || Slytherin Boys

beneath the moonlight

The cool night air hit my skin as we made our way down the sloping hill towards the lake. The faint flicker of firelight shimmered in the distance, reflecting off the glassy surface of the water. Laughter and chatter floated through the air, growing louder with each step. My pulse quickened, the thrill of the evening settling into my chest as I walked alongside Kai, Felix, and a few other Ravenclaws.

The sky above was deepening into a velvety darkness, stars beginning to sprinkle the heavens. The bonfire ahead cast an amber glow, illuminating the faces of students already gathered in clusters, some sitting on the ground with drinks in hand, others swaying to music drifting from a charmed speaker nearby. It was everything Kai had promised - casual but buzzing with excitement. I could feel the charge of the night, that familiar rush of something unspoken yet thrilling. A promise of anything.

"Wow, it's bigger than I expected," I muttered, half to myself, as we got closer to the group.

Kai, who had been talking animatedly to Felix about some new quidditch move, turned to me with a grin. "Told you it was the thing of the year! And we're just getting started."

He nudged Felix with his elbow, causing Felix to stumble slightly and almost trip on a rock. He laughed awkwardly, fixing his hair. "Yeah, it's... definitely something," Felix mumbled, his gaze flicking around the scene.

Felix wasn't exactly the party type, but he'd been nice enough to tag along. Shy, a bit awkward, but always kind. I caught his eye and smiled softly. He returned the smile, though a hint of nervousness remained in his posture.

Kai, on the other hand, was in his element. His energy was contagious, and as we approached the bonfire, I could see him scanning the crowd, looking for familiar faces. He had that effortless charm that drew people in, something I admired about him. Felix shuffled beside me, quieter but still present, adding a soft counterpoint to Kai's louder enthusiasm. The group dynamic felt balanced, even if there was an unspoken tension lingering between Avery and me that I hadn't quite shaken.

"Let's grab some drinks before all the good stuff is gone," Kai suggested, steering us toward a table where bottles and cups were already laid out.

The table was an unorganized mess of whatever students had managed to smuggle in, ranging from butterbeer to something that looked far stronger, likely charmed. I eyed the various bottles, trying to decide what would give me the right balance of buzz and control. I wasn't planning on getting too drunk tonight - just enough to loosen up.

Kai grabbed a cup, filled it with something dark, and turned to me with an exaggerated flourish. "Your poison, madam." He handed me the cup, then winked. "It's just firewhiskey with a splash of something sweeter. You'll like it."

I took a sip, the burn spreading down my throat, followed by a smooth aftertaste. "Not bad," I admitted.

Felix hesitated, eyeing the drinks uncertainly before finally pouring himself a very conservative amount of butterbeer. "I'll, uh, start slow," he said, glancing at me with a sheepish grin.

"Good plan," I replied, taking another sip of my drink and feeling the warmth spread through my chest.

Just then, a familiar face bounded over - Ryan, one of Kai's closest friends and, from what I'd gathered, the unofficial life of any Ravenclaw party. His laugh boomed before he even reached us, already tipsy and full of energy. He slung an arm around Kai's shoulder, nearly spilling Kai's drink.

"Kai! I knew you'd show up eventually," Ryan hollered, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "And who do we have here? The lovely Catalina gracing us with her presence."

I rolled my eyes playfully. Ryan was a good guy, just a bit extra, always playing to the crowd. "Trying to keep things interesting, you know?" I said, tipping my drink to him.