Whispers in the Shadows || Slytherin Boys

a gentle spark

The days stretched into weeks, and with every sunrise, the sting of rejection dulled a little more. Five weeks, to be exact. I knew because I counted every day, each one dragging me further from the ache that had once felt unbearable. The bitterness that had taken root in my chest wasn't entirely gone, but it had reshaped itself into something more useful. Instead of despair, I found resolve. Instead of hopeless longing, I found clarity.

Theo and Mattheo no longer occupied my thoughts the way they used to. I didn't glance at the Slytherins anymore or feel the pull of their presence lingering in the halls. The void they'd left behind was still there, but it was no longer threatening to consume me. It was just... empty. And emptiness, I realized, could be filled with something better.

Like friendship.

"I'm telling you, she's cursed. There's no other explanation for it," Kai declared dramatically, his arms flailing as he leaned back in his chair. His wide-eyed expression would've been enough to make me laugh on its own, but the way he kept shifting between mock horror and deadpan seriousness made it impossible not to crack a smile.

We were lounging in the Ravenclaw common room, the evening light filtering through the high, arched windows. The golden glow gave the space a cozy warmth, and the faint crackle of the fireplace added a sense of calm I hadn't felt in weeks. Kai's storytelling had become a regular part of our evenings, and tonight was no exception. Across from us, Avery was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, her expression teetering between amusement and exasperation. It got better between us, something slowly soothed and I was happy that it did.

"Kai," Avery said, pinching the bridge of her nose, "you cannot just go around accusing people of being cursed. Daisy's not cursed. She's just... I don't know. Unlucky."

"Unlucky? Clumsy? No, no, no. Clumsy is tripping on the stairs or spilling pumpkin juice," Kai argued, waving a finger in the air as though delivering a lecture. "Daisy has had five cauldron explosions in one week. Five. And let us not forget the time she somehow managed to make her broomstick invert mid-flight. She spent thirty seconds upside down before crashing into the Hufflepuff herb garden!"

I bit back a laugh, but it escaped anyway, bubbling up unexpectedly. It felt good - light. I hadn't laughed like that in what felt like forever. Kai's grin widened when he saw me laughing, his dramatics becoming even more exaggerated.

"See? Cat agrees with me. It's a curse," he said, gesturing wildly.

"I think Daisy's just... extraordinarily unlucky," I said, smirking. "But maybe you should keep your distance, just in case."

Kai clutched his chest as though I'd wounded him, his expression one of pure betrayal. "Et tu, Cat? Betrayed by my own best friend!"

"You'll survive," I said, rolling my eyes, though I couldn't hide my grin.

"Barely," he muttered, shooting Avery a glare as she stifled a laugh.

"She does have a point," Avery said, tilting her head thoughtfully. "I mean, you are rather fond of meddling in other people's misfortunes. Maybe Daisy's accidents are just karma catching up with you."

"Excuse me? I am a saint," Kai retorted, his tone mock-indignant. "I bring joy and laughter wherever I go. If anything, I'm balancing the universe."

"Balancing it by tripping over yourself half the time," Avery quipped, earning a snicker from me.

Kai gasped, placing a hand dramatically over his heart. "I am under attack in my own common room. Cat, do something! Defend my honor."

"Sorry, Kai," I said, shrugging. "I think you're on your own this time."