The relief that washed over the five Ravenclaw girls as they left the dungeons was palpable. They practically floated up the stairs, the oppressive atmosphere of Snape's classroom replaced by the warm, sun-drenched stone of the main castle.
"Merlin, I need sugar," Lisa declared, fanning herself dramatically. "I think my blood has been replaced with pure anxiety."
"Dinner can't come soon enough," Padma agreed, though she looked more thoughtfully intrigued than traumatized. "His methods are... abrasive, but you can't deny his knowledge."
Talora, her energy seeking an outlet, gave a little skip on the stone floor, her bag bouncing on her shoulder. "Abrasive is one word for it. But we survived! And our potions were perfect. And," she added, her voice dropping to a mock-whisper that all the girls leaned in to hear, "we have... plans for later."
Shya, finally allowing her meticulously maintained composure to relax completely now that they were away from prying Slytherin eyes, simply smiled, a quiet, deep satisfaction in her dark eyes. "It was a successful first day. A very successful first day."
***
Dinner in the Great Hall was a cheerful, noisy affair. The ceiling had deepened to a soft twilight, dotted with the first evening stars. As they piled their plates with shepherd's pie and roasted vegetables, the conversation was a happy jumble.
"Your *Lumos* was so bright, Shya!" Mandy said, still impressed. "And Talora, you almost got that needle! No one else was even close."
But it was Lisa who broached the topic they'd all been subtly eyeing. "Okay, I have to ask," she said, leaning in conspiratorially. "Your uniforms. They're not... standard issue. Where did you get them? The cut is fantastic, and the fabric is so much nicer."
Talora's face lit up with a mixture of pride and a desire to share. "Oh! Our mothers took us to this place in Diagon Alley, Gladrags Wizardwear. It's a proper atelier." She ran a hand down the sleeve of her blazer. "It's charmed, see? The embroidery changes to our house colors."
Shya, usually more reserved, found herself smiling genuinely at their friends' interest. "It's just wool and silk," she said with a modest shrug, though her posture straightened just a bit. "But the Warming Charms are woven right in. Madame Rochelle, the proprietress, said the length could be a matter of style, not survival." She glanced down at her own perfectly tailored skort with a flicker of satisfaction.
"They're gorgeous," Padma said, and the other girls nodded in earnest agreement. It was a moment of pure, uncomplicated girlish admiration, a bridge of shared interest that solidified their new friendship.
***
An hour later, the group—now consisting of Shya, Talora, Padma, Mandy, and Lisa—stood at the entrance to the library. It was even more imposing up close, a vast labyrinth of towering shelves, rolling ladders, and the profound, dusty silence of thousands of books.
"Right," Talora whispered, squaring her shoulders. "Let's find a big table."
They hadn't been searching for more than a minute when they rounded a corner and found them. Cassian and Roman were already there, having claimed a large, oak table in a secluded nook near a stained-glass window. Two stacks of books sat between them, and they looked up in unison as the girls approached.
Cassian's gaze went immediately to Shya, his expression as inscrutable as ever. Roman, however, stood up with a warm, dimpled smile. "You found us. We saved you seats."
The next hour was a fascinating study in group dynamics. They spread out their Transfiguration notes, and the air was filled with the soft rustle of parchment and the occasional whispered question.
Shya and Cassian naturally fell into their own silent, efficient bubble. He would point to a complex line of theory in *A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration*; she would read it, her brow furrowed, and then scribble a clarifying note in the margin of her own parchment, sliding it over for him to see. He would read it, give a curt nod, and they would move on. It was a wordless, intellectual dance.
Meanwhile, Talora and Roman were the social engine of the group.
"This part about the 'unwavering visualisation of restructuring' is killing me," Talora groaned, dropping her head onto the open book with a soft *thump*.
Roman chuckled. "Here, look," he said, leaning over. "Think of it less like restructuring and more like... persuading the match that it always wanted to be a needle. It's a shift in identity, not just shape."
Talora lifted her head, her eyes lighting up. "Oh! That makes so much more sense! You're a genius, Nott."
"Occasionally," he replied, his smile widening.
Padma, Mandy, and Lisa watched the two pairs with wide, amused eyes, occasionally kicking each other under the table.
When they finally packed up, their notes were thorough and their understanding of the subject had deepened considerably. As they left the library, the two groups naturally split back into their House affiliations, but the goodbye was different now.
"See you in Charms tomorrow," Roman said, his gaze lingering on Talora.
Cassian simply gave Shya one of his slow, deliberate nods, which she returned with a small, polite smile of her own.
The walk back to Ravenclaw Tower was a giddy, whispered frenzy.
"Oh my god," Lisa breathed the moment they were out of earshot. "The silent one, Black. He just *stares* at you, Shya. It's intense!"
"And Nott is so charming!" Mandy added. "He explained the wand movement to me when you were getting another book, Talora. He's really nice."
Padma just smiled knowingly. "A 'study date' indeed."
They said their goodnights at the dormitory door, and only when Shya and Talora were truly, completely alone in their room did the last layers of public composure fall away.
Talora didn't shriek or spin. Instead, she dropped her bag by her trunk, a huge, exhausted, and utterly thrilled grin spreading across her face. She immediately went to her desk, pulling out a piece of parchment and a peacock-feather quill. "I have to write to Mum. She'll want to know everything, especially about the uniforms."
Shya, meanwhile, kicked off her shoes and settled cross-legged on her bed, not with a book, but with a small, intricate crochet project she'd pulled from her trunk, her fingers beginning to work the silky, navy-blue yarn with a familiar, calming rhythm.
For a few minutes, the only sounds were the scratch of Talora's quill and the soft rustle of Shya's yarn.
"He's very smart," Shya said quietly, not looking up from her crochet hook.
Talora paused her writing. "Which one?"
"Both," Shya said, a small, private smile touching her lips. "But I meant Cassian. He doesn't waste words. I like that."
"Roman is... easier," Talora admitted, dipping her quill in the ink again. "But not in a boring way. He explains things so they actually make sense." She looked over at Shya. "Do you think... I mean, is it weird? Hanging out with them? They're Slytherins."
Shya considered this, her fingers never stopping. "They're our Potions partners. It's strategic. And Padma, Lisa, and Mandy seem nice too. It's... good. To have more than just us. Even if it's just for studying."
"Just for studying," Talora agreed, a mischievous glint in her eye that suggested she was already thinking of it as much more.
They lapsed back into a comfortable silence, each lost in her own thoughts. Talora detailing the wonders of the castle for her mother, Shya crafting something beautiful with her hands and mentally cataloging the events of the day. They didn't need to link arms or shriek with joy. Their shared contentment, the simple, profound peace of being together after a day that had exceeded all their dreams, was a language all their own. Outside their tower window, the moon shone down on the Black Lake, its surface shimmering with magic and promise. The first day was over, and a whole new world had begun.