dear boy with the green eyes ⁂ golden trio era (UNDER EDITING/REWRITING)

trente

     The young Slytherin, Arabella Silvercrest, navigated the shadowy and echoing halls of Hogwarts with a mix of determination and unease. She had promised to meet the infamous Weasley twins, Fred and George, who were plotting a daring break-in at Argus Filch's office to retrieve a stash of confiscated items. Unfortunately, the twisting corridors of the ancient castle had proven more bewildering than she had anticipated, and she soon realized she was hopelessly lost.

      As she rounded a dimly lit corner, her cheek collided abruptly with something solid—specifically, Fred Weasley's chest. She stumbled back, blinking in surprise. When her gaze lifted, she found herself face-to-face with Fred, his mischievous grin illuminated by the faint light from a nearby torch. 

      "Lost in the labyrinth of Hogwarts, are we?" he teased, his voice laced with amusement, as he casually draped an arm over the shoulders of his equally annoying and mischievous twin brother, George.Arabella huffed in mock annoyance, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. 

     "Well, perhaps if you had given me actual directions instead of a riddle wrapped in mystery, I wouldn't have taken a wrong turn," she retorted, feigning indignation. "I'm a Slytherin, not a Ravenclaw." Her quick wit elicited a shared chuckle from the twins, their laughter echoing off the stone walls. 

      "Ah, but every adventure needs a touch of mystery!" George chimed in a playful glint in his eyes. 

      "Careful, Georgie. You wouldn't want to anger the snake," Fred jested, earning another eye roll from Arabella, though a smile stretched across her face. The twins had a delightful knack for playfully teasing her about her house, and she never took their jabs to heart. 

      "Are we going to stand here exchanging witty banter all evening? Or do we actually plan on retrieving your confiscated treasures and plotting our next prank?" Arabella crossed her arms, a sparkle of mischief igniting in her green eyes. 

      "See? This is precisely why we like you," Fred retorted, a grin widening as they linked arms with her and set off down the corridor. After winding through several confusing turns and navigating a couple of hidden passages, the trio finally arrived at the wooden door of Filch's office, their hearts racing with excitement and a hint of trepidation. 

George knelt and began fiddling with the lock, his brow furrowing in concentration, which made Arabella raise an eyebrow. 

      "You're a wizard, aren't you? Just use the unlocking charm," she suggested, a hint of disbelief coloring her tone. With a determined shake of his head, George insisted, 

     "It's twice as exhilarating to pick the lock." His fingers danced expertly over the mechanism until, with a satisfying click, the door swung open. The three of them exchanged glances before slowly creeping inside, their eyes straining to pierce the thick darkness of the room.Arabella instinctively reached for her wand, planning to illuminate the space, but Fred, ever the sensible one, gently placed a hand on her arm, halting her movement. 

      "What?" she asked, her voice slightly trembling from both the dim light and the thrill of the impending adventure. 

      "Don't," Fred urged quietly. "Just stay close and follow us." Understanding the importance of silence, she nodded, taking hold of his sleeve as they ventured deeper into the shadowy interior. George moved ahead, expertly unlocking the cabinet that housed their sought-after loot. Arabella clung to Fred, feeling a mix of comfort and nervous excitement.His teasing gaze fell on her. 

"Scared of the dark?" he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes, lifting the tension just a bit. 

      "I'm not scared," Arabella replied defensively, avoiding his gaze as heat rushed to her cheeks. 

      "Oh really? Because I noticed that you have an iron grip on my arm. Or perhaps it's the fact that I know you fancy Harry and not me." His teasing tone was light, but it struck a nerve; Arabella's face flared with embarrassment at the mention of her crush. 

      "I have no idea what you're talking about. And I am definitely not afraid of the dark," she shot back, her voice firm but her confidence wavering. 

      "Come on, practically everyone knows. Except maybe the poor boy himself—he's a bit dense. You could spell it out for him, and he'd still miss the message," Fred chuckled. 

      "I'm aware of that," she replied sharply. "You'd think after all the time we spend together, he'd—" Her voice trailed off suddenly, the realization of what she was about to confess dawning on her. 

      "He'd what?" Fred pressed, his eyes glinting with curiosity as he leaned closer, clearly enjoying the banter. 

       "Nothing. Anyway, I don't have a fear of the dark," she insisted, desperately trying to steer the conversation away from her feelings. 

       "Arabe—" Fred began again, but George interrupted him. 

      "Will you two stop flirting? I've gotten it open!" he announced triumphantly, breaking the tension as he pulled a few items from the cabinet.Just then, something caught Arabella's eye—a weathered piece of parchment sitting ominously on the desk. 

     "Wait, why does this say that Filch is headed this way?" she exclaimed, shock flooding her voice. The twins' heads snapped up in alarm. 

      "What?!" they shouted in unison, panic setting in. 

      "You were supposed to keep watch!" Fred accused, his tone a mix of disbelief and worry. 

      "No, you were!" George shot back, both of them caught in a flurry of blame. 

      "I distinctly remember it being your turn!" Fred retorted, a frantic undertone in his voice.Arabella stepped in, her face a mix of exasperation and urgency. 

     "Really? If you've both forgotten, Filch is nearly upon us!" Her voice rose as she shoved the parchment into George's chest with an urgency that demanded action. "Unless you really want another detention, I suggest we skedaddle!" 

      With adrenaline thumping in their veins, the trio dashed from the room and into the dark, empty hallways of Hogwarts. The specter of Filch loomed large behind them, his heavy footsteps reverberating through the silence as they raced to escape. 

      "Looks like Snape's roaming the halls, too. Just our luck," George whispered, glancing worriedly at the parchment once more as they pressed on.They made their way through the labyrinthine corridors but soon found themselves cornered as Snape and Filch approached from both ends of the hallway. Time slowed as Arabella, with bravery born of desperation, shoved the twins into a nearby alcove just as Filch came into view. 

In the midst of the chaos, Fred quickly thrust a small box into her hands. She barely had time to tuck it inside her shirt before Snape turned the corner. 

      "Ms. Silvercrest?" his chilling voice cut through the tension of the air. "What are you doing wandering the halls at this hour?" The weight of the moment bore down on her, and all she could think was that they were caught.