Chapter 6 Friendship in Hufflepuff

The following morning, Liora awoke to the familiar warmth of the Hufflepuff common room. The golden morning light filtered through the tall windows, casting soft patterns across the polished stone floors. She stretched lazily, letting the comfort of her bed linger a moment longer before reminding herself that another day of classes awaited.

“Morning, sleepyhead!” Ella’s cheerful voice broke the calm. She was already perched on the edge of her bed, brushing her hair with practiced efficiency. “Breakfast is almost ready, and you do not want to miss the pumpkin pasties. Trust me, they’re worth getting out of bed for.”

Liora giggled and swung her legs over the side of the bed, letting the excitement of Hogwarts chase away the remnants of sleep. It was hard to believe that only a week had passed since her arrival. In such a short time, she had already made friends, survived her first classes, and begun to navigate the sprawling, mysterious corridors of the castle.

Breakfast in the Great Hall was lively. Liora joined Ella, Marnie, and Tobias at the Hufflepuff table, where the chatter of students mingled with the scent of toast, eggs, and pumpkin juice. Everyone was talking about their classes, the latest rumours about professors, and the ever-shifting staircases.

“So,” Tobias said, leaning across the table with a grin, “did you see the Slytherins last night? Some of them have really weird ideas about house pride.”

Liora stiffened slightly. “Slytherins?” she asked, curious.

Marnie leaned closer, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. “You mean Mattheo Riddle, right? He’s… different. People say he’s brilliant, sure, but there’s something… off about him. You should be careful.”

Ella chimed in, nudging Liora lightly. “We don’t mean to scare you, Liora, but some Slytherins like to play games. They watch, test people, see how they react. He’s… mysterious. Even some of the older students avoid getting too close.”

Liora frowned, instinctively brushing the warning aside. “I’m not worried,” she said lightly. “I’ve only seen him a couple of times. Besides…” She hesitated, feeling a strange pull in her chest, “there’s something about him. I don’t know. I can’t explain it, but it doesn’t feel threatening. Just… curious.”

Marnie raised an eyebrow. “Curious? Liora, he’s dangerous—well, in the sense that he’s unpredictable. People have told stories about him since last year. You don’t know what you’re stepping into.”

Ella placed a reassuring hand on Liora’s arm. “I get it. He’s intriguing. But still… maybe just keep your distance, okay? Hogwarts has plenty of mysteries. You don’t need to add one that could get you in trouble.”

Liora smiled faintly, appreciating her friends’ concern, but the pull she had felt in the shadows of the Slytherin corridor the night before lingered. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Mattheo wasn’t like the other students. There was something different about him—something compelling she couldn’t ignore.

After breakfast, the group headed to their first class of the day, Care of Magical Creatures. On the way through the castle, Liora’s mind wandered, tracing the memory of Mattheo’s dark eyes, the way he had appeared and vanished like a shadow. She shook herself slightly, trying to focus on the bustling hallways and the chatter of her friends.

Still, she couldn’t stop the quiet excitement that bubbled beneath her nerves. Hogwarts was full of rules, of hidden dangers and warnings, but she felt a growing desire to explore, to understand, to see what lay beyond the boundaries her friends advised her to respect.

During the class, Liora tried to focus on Professor Hagrid’s booming instructions about approaching the Hippogriffs and handling magical creatures safely. She listened carefully, copying notes into her worn parchment, yet her mind often drifted to thoughts of Slytherin corridors, dark eyes, and whispered movements in the shadows.

“Miss Potter!” Hagrid called suddenly, jarring her out of her thoughts. “Yer attention, please! Yer not just here to daydream, yeh know. Gotta learn if yeh want ta survive magical creatures!”

Liora flushed, apologizing and concentrating fully on the creature before her—a majestic Hippogriff named Stormwing. The creature’s eyes glimmered with intelligence, and Liora’s hands shook slightly as she reached out in accordance with Hagrid’s instructions. To her relief, Stormwing bowed its head, acknowledging her courage.

“Good girl!” Hagrid boomed, giving her an approving nod. “Yeh got instinct, I’ll give yeh that. Keep practicing, and yeh’ll do fine.”

A small thrill of pride warmed Liora’s chest. She was learning quickly, trusting her instincts even when the lessons were intimidating. But as she left the grounds and returned to the castle, the sensation of being watched returned, persistent and impossible to ignore.

That evening, in the quiet safety of the Hufflepuff common room, Ella, Marnie, and Tobias gathered around the fireplace, chatting about their day. Liora listened politely, offering occasional comments, but her mind kept returning to the pull of curiosity she couldn’t explain.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Ella observed, tilting her head. “Thinking about someone?”

Liora laughed softly, trying to mask the tension in her chest. “Maybe… I just keep thinking about the castle. All its secrets. And… someone I saw.”

Marnie frowned. “We already told you to be careful. Not everyone in Slytherin is as… straightforward as they seem. He’s smart, Liora. And he watches people. That can be… dangerous.”

Liora shook her head, her innocence and trusting nature pushing aside the warnings. “I know you’re just trying to look out for me, but I can handle it. I’ve been fine so far. It’s not like I’m going to run into him on purpose… it’s just curiosity.”

Ella sighed, a mix of exasperation and affection in her expression. “Curiosity can be good, Liora. But Hogwarts isn’t just a playground. There are people who will take advantage of that. Promise me you’ll stay careful?”

“I promise,” Liora said softly, though in her heart she knew she couldn’t ignore the pull. The intrigue was too strong, the magnetism too compelling. Something about Mattheo Riddle made her feel alive in a way that the safety of her friends and the warmth of Hufflepuff could not entirely soothe.

Later that night, as Liora lay in bed, the soft golden light of the common room flickering below, she allowed herself a small smile. She trusted her friends, and she valued their concern, but she couldn’t deny the thrill of curiosity, the sense that she had stumbled upon something—or someone—worth discovering.

And somewhere in the castle, in the shadowed corners of Slytherin, Mattheo Riddle was aware of her awareness.

Somewhere, an invisible thread was beginning to tie them together—a thread that neither warnings, nor house loyalties, nor cautious friends could sever.

And Liora, in her naivety and trust, was already following it.