bri

"it's due in like a week, we have time." he argued as he slammed your book shut, placing a kiss on your cheek. you looked over at him unimpressed, while he grinned at you.

"we do it now and we won't have to do it during the weekend, lan." you countered, opening your book again, only for him to close it again. "lando."

"i'm bored. this is boring!" he complained, raising his voice a little too high for your liking. you shushed him quietly, making him roll his eyes slightly.

"one hour, get half of it done, and then we'll leave." you offered earning yourself small scoff as he went back to his book, clearly unhappy.

"we barely get to see each other outside of class, and this is what you want to do?" he complained with a frown. you pinched his cheek lightly, which he flinched away from.

you remembered meeting lando for the first time on the hogwarts express during your first year. you were sitting with your childhood friends, being from a pureblood family, you had a lot of them. they also had friends in the wizarding world, some that you hadn't met before, one of them being lando.

the two of you clicked instantly, he was funny and caring, you were calm and loving. the two of you balanced each other out perfectly. your first couple of years, the two of you were practically attached to the hips. he was your best friend, you were his. but it wasn't until the end of your fifth year that you two became more.

you accepted your feelings for the boy during winter break that year, how much you missed him, how much you wanted to be in his arms again. a couple of weeks before leaving for the summer, lando admitted his feelings towards you, which you reciprocated.

you wrote to each other all summer, like you had done since your first year, something your mother loved to tease you about. your brothers didn't feel the same. your oldest brother - theo - hated it the most, mainly because he didn't know who you were writing to so often. he was in his 4th year when you started, and he had obviously noticed the two of you being close, but had never suspected it would turn into something more. magnus felt the same way, he was only a year older than you, meaning he had been dealing with this for years.

you never told your family about the new development between you and lando, you knew your brothers would freakout. this made it hard for you and the curly headed boy when you came back from summer, magnus now being a headboy. you were always sneaking around, meeting in random places around the castle, trying your best to act like always in front of others.

your closest friends knew, of course, they helped the two of you cover as much as possible. it was a need to know basis. lando had ended up asking you to be his girlfriend three days after the term started, which you happily accepted. that was 3 months ago, and christmas break was right around the corner.

"tell you what, you get half of this done." you started, discreetly placing one of your hands on his thigh as you leaned into his ear. "and we'll go to our spot." you mumbled. lando groaned, letting his head fall onto the table, making you chuckle.

"goodness, y/n/n. how am i supposed to concentrate now?" he cursed as your smile grew. with your brother being headboy, the two of you had to get a bit creative to enjoy some time alone. that's when you discovered a hallway on 7th floor, it was completely abandoned, all classes empty, no one ever walking by. it was perfect.

"one hour. half of it." you repeated before going back to your own work as lando let out another groan.

a little more than a hour later, the of you were stumbling down the empty hallway, lando's hands flying all over your body as he guided backwards to an empty class. your arms were wrapped around his neck, lips dancing as you gently tugged at the girls at the nap of his neck.

he pushed the door open, guiding the two of you in before pushing you against the wall, bitting your bottom lip. you giggled slightly as the two of you pulled away to catch your breathes, but lando wasted no time leaning back in, his lips attaching your neck.

"worst hour of my life." he murmured against the your skin as you threw your head back, giving him better access to your neck. you gasped as his teeth dug slightly into your skin, bitting your lips.

"lan!" you exhaled as you trailed your fingers through his curls. he hummed against your neck, sending a shiver down your spine. "no marks!"

"yeah, yeah."

"i'm serious, lando. last time was too close." you said in a stern voice, lando shrugging at your words.

"who cares?"

"i do!" you exclaimed as you pulled his head away from your neck, your eyes meeting. "if my brothers find out... you'd be a deadman, lan." you mumbled. the bot sighed, letting his forehead drop to yours.

"i know, y/n/n. i'll be good, promise."

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

you should've known better by now never to trust lando's words when it came to things like this. the first thing you noticed the next morning was the slight bruise on your neck. thankfully, it was low, near your shoulder, meaning the chances of someone actually seeing it were quite small - they would have to stare at your neck for them to notice it.

still, you covered it with makeup, wore your hair down and went on with your day as usual, making a mental note to curse your boyfriend out later. the day went by smoothly, no one said anything about it, well, until dinner time.

you were sitting next to your brother, a couple of your friends in your house sitting with the two of you. lando was sitting all the way across the hall with his own friends, your eyes drifting to him every once in a while.

"what on earth is on your neck?" magnus called out snapping your attention back to your group.

"mm?" you hummed as you looked over at him. his expression was a mix of confusion, anger, and disgust.

"you neck!" he repeated as he pushed your hair to the side, pulling down slightly on the collar of your jumper. "is that a love bite?"

"no!" you said quickly, way too quickly for it to seem natural.

"who did this?" magnus pushed as he analyzed your neck. you shoved him away slightly, bringing your hair back in front of the bruise.

"it's not a love bite. i just... hit my neck." you lied, making a couple of your friends around the table chuckle. the two of you would often argue in front of them, they loved it, and this was no different.

"hit your neck, my arse! if i ever find out who did that-"

"nobody did anything to me, mag!"

"right, and i failed all my O.W.Ls." he mumbled, making you scoff slightly.

"i'm 16-"

"i don't care how you are, y/n. it's disgusting. if i ever find out who the boy is, he's dead, you hear me?" he threatened. you rolled your eyes at his behaviour before turning away from him, you were done with this conversation.

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

"you asshole!" you exclaimed as you pushed lando with two hands. his eyes grew wide, throwing his hands up in surrender. the two of you were back in your spot, only this time there was nothing romantic happening.

"woah, woah. what did i do?" he asked franticly as you stared at him with pinched brows. lando had never really seen you angry before, at least never like this and towards him.

"i told you no marks!"

"what're you talking about?" he stuttered as you walked towards him, he took a step back every time you did.

"my neck! look at my neck, lando." you said harshly as you pulled your collar down, exposing the small bruise. lando froze, his staring at the mark before a small smirk grew on his face.

"hot." he relaxed, his eyes still staring at your neck.

"no, not hot, lando. magnus saw it." you told him, and he froze again, his smirk quickly disappearing. "yeah, not so hot anymore is it?" you sassed through gritted teeth.

"oh gosh." he mumbled as he walked towards one of the desks, leaning his hands on it. "oh gosh, oh gosh. he's going to kill me!"

"he doesn't know it was you." you murmured as you joined him, leaning backwards onto the desk. "he's going to be on my arse all the time now. we have to be more careful." you added as you looked over at him. his face had gone pale, his breathing irregular as he nodded slightly at your words.

"right, yeah."

"relax, alright?" you said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "don't drive yourself insane, lan. just no more marks, and when we're around people, we're friends." you stated. he swallowed at your words, still nodding.

"i can do that, okay." he mumbled to himself. you turned your body towards him, pressing a kiss to his shoulder before leaning your chin on it.

"it's going to be fine, alright? i'll tell them during christmas break, give magnus time to decompress before coming back. that sound okay?" you whispered gently as one of your hands went to the back of his neck, playing with his curls slightly.

"are you sure?" he asked quietly, making you nod. you wrapped both your arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek. he answered by bringing his hands to your waist, bringing on in front of him, your foreheads touching.

"i'm sure. we won't have to sneak around anymore, we can hold hands whenever, won't have to lie all the time." you mumbled before pressing your lips against his. lando hummed into the kiss, his arms fully wrapping around your waist. "and now i won't look like a weirdo cheering for you during your next match." you added as the two of you pulled back slightly out of breath. your words made the boy smile as he bit his lower lip, his eyes staring at your lips before meeting yours.

"yeah? wanna wear my number too?" he teased, making you laugh.

"i'll draw a big 4 on my face." you joked as lando's tongue darted out to wet his lips, his body leaning into yours even more.

"now that's hot."

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

it took a couple of days, but you eventually got your brother to back off of you. he still watched you like a hawk, but he was less imposing physically if you will. he'd given you about 10 names of who he thought could possibly be the boy, lando of course being the first one. you were growing tired of his constant guessing, you didn't mingle in his love life.

now, you were sitting at the ravenclaw table with a couple of your friends, lando sitting next to you. his hand was on your knee, yours on his thigh. thankfully, magnus was sitting with his back towards you, meaning he couldn't see it, and even if he did turn around, you doubted he would see much anyways.

it was your last weekend before heading home for christmas break, and although you were excited to see your family, you were going to miss your friends, and lando of course.

the two of you were quietly whispering to each other as the rest of your little group talked, leaving you both in your own little world. lando was telling you about how excited he was to see his family, his two sisters were still at hogwarts, but oliver had graduated a couple of years ago. a lot of his mum's side of the family were flying in from belgium, something he was quite excited about.

your conversation was interrupted by the sound of tons of owls flying into the great hall. almost all conversations ended as everyone watched the birds fly around hoping they'd receive something. you quickly spotted your family's owl, a smile growing on your face as he headed towards you, dropping a letter in front of you.

but your smile quickly disappeared from your face when your eyes landed on the letter. a red envelope. fuck. your friends quickly noticing, the girl sending you wide eyes while come of the boys chuckled.

"l/n's got an howler!" george teased, making you glare his way. you then looked over at lando, who was also staring at the letter.

"it's from your brother." he mumbled, making you let out a sigh. you grabbed the letter, looking at the smoke coming out of it before slowly opening it.

"well, here goes nothing." you mumbled before fully opening it. the letter flew out of your hands, eye level with you as you bite your lip nervously.

"y/n l/n!" theo's voice echoed in the great hall. everyone heard it, quickly turning to find the source of the voice. you saw magnus quickly turn around at the sound of his brother's voice, a small smile on his face, one you did not like on bit. "i have just received a letter from our brother about you walking around the castle with a very visible and very inappropriate mark on your neck! in case you have forgotten, you are at school to study, not to advertise your poor decisions to the whole school! i do not care who the boy is - and believe me i will find out - but since he's probably standing somewhere near you right now, listening to this, i suggests he listens very carefully. whoever you are: if you think you can treat my sister like a careless hogsmeade dare or a trophy for your ego, you are deeply, pathetically mistaken! when i find out your name - and i will - we are going to have a very educational conversation about consequences! y/n, if i hear that you are sneaking around corridors, missing classes, or embarrassing this family again, you will wish you'd never learned how to cast a single speak. need i remind you i am an auror, i spend my days tracking people down, you are no different! fix your collar. fix your priorities. and both of you, consider this your only warning. your extremely patient brother who is rapidly losing that patience!"

the great hall went quiet after that, the letter burning, leaving a small pile of ashes on the table. magnus was scanning the room, trying to find any boy who might be scared from the threats that echoed. your group was quiet as they all stared at the two of you.

your cheeks were red from embarrassment, of course magnus had messaged your brother, and in good magnus fashion, exaggerated the situation. no one had even noticed the mark besides your brother, but now the whole school knew. next to you, lando was froze, his eyes wide as his face turned pale. magnus quickly noticed this, and also noticed the way your arms seemed to reaching for each other under the table.

"norris!" he called out in anger as he stood up. the boy in question quickly looked over at your brother, his eyes somehow growing even wider. "norris, i swear when i catch you!" your brother added as he started making his way towards.

"go!" you called out, slightly shoving lando out of the small trance he was in. "your common room, go!" you said with hurry. lando nodded before standing up and running out of the hall, a couple of the staff members telling him to stop running. magnus followed quickly, a couple of his friends behind.

some people had gone back to their conversations, not caring much about the situation while others stared at you. some were shocked, others giggling between themselves while pointing at you. your face grew hot as you looked down, shame filling you.

"come on, let's get out of here." carmen, who was sitting next to you, mumbled as she placed a hand on your shoulder. your whole group followed, carmen leading the way as you climbed up to the seventh floor. as you neared the Barnabas the Barmy tapestry, george stepped ahead, walking three times in front of it.

a small wooden door then appeared, the russell boy opening it and walking in first, all of you following. the room had transformed into a beautiful enchanted garden, green grass, flowering vines, a small fountains, a couple of tress, a soft breeze hitting you. it was a complete contrast of the current temperature outside.

george had discovered the room of requirement during your 4th year. the library had been too crowded, and after wondering the halls for what felt like forever he stumbled across the room. it had transformed into a small library of his own. he quickly shared this secret with the rest of you, and you had started using it as a little quiet hangout spot for all of you.

your little group, which consisted of alex and charles, lily and oscar, lily and alex, and carmen and george settled near the fountain. a couple of them leaning back against one of the trees, other sitting around the fountain or on the grass.

"well, that was fun." alex mumbled sadly, leaning her head onto charles' shoulder.

"they're such dicks." you cursed as you laid on the ground. your eyes not daring to look at any of them.

"it wasn't even meant for me, and i got scared." george joked, making carmen smack the back of his head lightly.

"not the time, george." she mumbled. a small silence settled over you as lily z came and sat next to you, placing her hand on top of yours. the two of you had grown quite close since you and lando became a thing, seeing as boyfriends were best friends. they were the first to know about the two of you.

she was about to say something when the door opened before loudly closing. you pushed yourself up slightly, looking over at the door, seeing lando leaning his back against it as he took deep breaths.

"oh, thank god you guys are here." he said out of the breath as his eyes landed on all of you before walking over. you sat up completely as he approached you, dropping onto the grass next to you. "they were waiting for me outside the common room like a bunch of hunters! gave a first 10 sickles to tell them i was in the clock tower. ran for my life over here."

"finally some good drama's happening." george said with a smile, making all of you look at him.

"george!" carmen exlcaimed as albon laughed slightly, charles doing the same.

"think i might have to stay here forever. tell my parents i love them." lando said seriously, making you roll your eyes.

"don't be so dramatic. i'll handle it, just stay away from mag."

"y/n. i just got threaten! by an auror!" he exclaimed, making all the boys chuckle.

"mate, you should've seen your face! you were paler than any ghost in the castle!" charles laughed, earning himself a disapproving look from his girlfriend.

"you wouldn't find it so funny if you were in my place!" lando said dramatically. you shot the girls a look, one they quickly understood. they stood up, dragging their boyfriends with them.

"we'll give you a second." one of them mumbled as they walked away. the boys complained, confused as lando shifted, placing his head on your lap. your hand found his hair, fingers tangling in his curls as he let out a content hum.

"i'll talk to him tonight." you mumbled as your eyes met. lando nodded slightly before closing his eyes, enjoying the feel of your nails against his scalp. "i'm sorry about that."

"it's okay, he was going to find out one way or another." lando answered softly, leaning further into your touch.

"should've known better than to open an howler from my brother in font of everyone." you said with a dry chuckle, one lando copied.

"got me a good amount of exercise for the day." he joked as he opened one of his eyes, a small smile on his face.

"you're a dork."

"you love it." he mumbled back as you leaned down, pressing your lips to his shortly.

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

a couple of hours later you walked into the slytherin common room, only to find your brother sitting on one of the couches staring at the fire pit. his eyes found yours quickly, nodding to another couch.

"sit." was all he said. you listened, sighing a bit as you took a seat. "norris?" he questioned. you bit your lip, staring at the ground before looking over at him.

"yeah." you whispered, earning a scoff from your brother.

"unbelievable. i asked you and you said-"

"clearly i lied, mag."

"why?"

"because!" you exclaimed before looking around the room to see if anyone else could hear. "because i knew you'd get angry at him. you and theo. you guys still treat me like i'm a little- i'm not! i'm 16 years old, if i want to snog a boy, i can, and if i want to have a boyfriend, you don't get to decide that for me."

"boyfriend? he's your boyfriend?" he asked with a slight look of disgust.

"yeah, he is. and i really don't care if you have a problem with it, i'm staying with him." you said with confidence, crossing your arms over your chest. magnus leaned his forearms on his thighs, sighing.

"i'm just looking out for-"

"i don't need you to! i'm not 12 anymore, mag. you don't need to look after me anymore, i can do it myself." you cut him, standing your ground. being the youngest sibling always had its pros and cons, this was definitely one of the worst cons.

"i know, alright? but it is not just some switch i can turn on and off whenever i want, y/n. i've been looking out for you for years, how do you expect me to just suddenly stop?" he reasoned, and it was your turn to sigh. you leaned backwards on the couch, throwing your head back slightly and staring at the celling.

"i really like him, mag. he makes me happy." you said softly, almost like a whisper as you looked back over at your brother. his eyes were staring at the fire pit now, the flames shining on his face.

he sighed, again, running a hand over his face. "you could've just told me, you know. half of the reason why i was so pissed off is because you lied to me."

"i'm sorry." you mumbled, making him finally look over at you. "i was going to tell you, during christmas break. all of you. it's only been a couple of months, and i just... i don't know." you finished, you voice low as your eyes stayed locked together.

"no more marks." he spoke, his voice strict, making you nod quickly. "if he ever hurts you-"

"he won't."

"anything happens, you tell me. and keep in clean in public." he added, completely ignoring what you had said.

"promise." you grinned before standing up and walking over to him, throwing your arms around him.

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

telling your family about your relationship with lando had gone a lot smoother than you had expected. your mum was over the moon for you, staying you up late with you as you explained the whole thing to her. your dad, well, he just asked the basic questions - did he treat you good, were you happy, the usual stuff. theo on the other hand, he was something.

he rambled on and on about how you were 'too young' to have a boyfriend, which your mother did not agree with in the slightest. he was a pain in your arse for the whole 2 weeks you were at home.

you and lando wrote to each other daily, he was quite excited that he had survived christmas break without a visit from your brother, half joking and half serious.

the rest of your 6th year went well, magnus was always watching the two of you, but you were finally free to act like boyfriends and girlfriends in front of everyone. your brother eventually grew a soft spot for the boy, you'd sometimes find them already sitting together in the mornings as you arrived in the great hall for breakfast, talking about whatever it was.

exams had finished a couple of days ago, the two of you were sitting against a rock on the castle grounds. george, alex and oscar were playing a game of exploding snap, while carmen watched the two lilys play an intense game of chess. you and lando were sitting a couple of meters away from them, their laughs echoing around you.

"i'm going to miss you." lando mumbled as he leaned his head on top of yours that was resting on his shoulder. your hands were linked, knees touching as you enjoyed your last couple of days together.

"i'll miss you, too, bubs." you whispered before pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "can't believe it's our last summer already."

"tell me about it. feels like just yesterday i was buying my wand." he joked, making you chuckle slightly.

"one year left." you sighed.

"and it's going to be the best one. we won't have your brother looking over us all the time. i'll be able to kiss you whenever i want, sneak around as much as we want, leave all the marks i want-"

"don't get ahead of yourself, lan." you laughed, shuffling closer to him.

"just saying. we're adults now, baby. next summer, i'll join the auror program, you'll get into the junior ministry associate program. we'll get a place together after a couple of years. you'll kick arse in whatever you end up doing, i'll be putting away bad guys like it's a hobby. gotta enjoy our last year of being carefree." he said with a grin, making you smile softly.

"no brother." you stated, lando snorting at your voice.

"no brother. just you and me, love. it's going to be amazing."

it should've been, really. your last year at hogwarts, you were the oldest in the school now. you knew the school year by heart - when you could slack and when to be serious. you knew you could easily pass your NEWTs if you put in the effort. your small cabin in the train was buzzing with energy on the way there.

"who do you guys the new DADA teacher is?" rebecca asked, looking at all of you. you ended up sitting with her and carlos, both couples claiming their own bench.

"no clue. glab horner's gone, though, he was a pain. hated anyone that wasn't in slytherin." lando said as he stuffed his face with treats, making you shake your head slightly.

"as long as they prepare us well for our NEWTs, i won't complain." carlos said, making all of you nod.

"lando." you scolded quietly as you wiped his chin free of the crumbs around his mouth. "guess we'll find out soon enough." you added, turning to face the other two.

official dinners were probably one of the things you hated the most, not being able to sit with all of your friends. especially since the gryffindor table was all the way across from yours. you and lando always sat facing each other, your eyes always drifting towards the other. you were sitting between alexandra and carmen, rebecca and carlos across from you. the five of you were talking about your summer, slowly eating your food when professor vowles stood, bringing the hall to a silence.

"students, professors, ghosts, portraits and anyone who may have taken a wrong turn and ended up here by accident, welcome. it is a privilege to stand before you tonight as headmaster of hogwarts, a school that as, for years, proven excellence is not an accident. it is built. carefully. patiently. and often after several failed attempts that explode, melt or turn purple.

to our first years: you will soon discover that this castle is not just a place of learning. it is a system, a very old and complicated one, full of hidden staircases, unexpected variables, and the occasional dragon. you will get lost. you will make mistake. that is not a flaw in the design. that is the design." he spoke. you had heard this same exact speech every year, and after your second year, you stopped listening. but this year felt different. it was your last one. you still remembered hearing it for the first time, and now as you watch the new students stood at the front of the hall, you felt nostalgic.

"to our returning students; each year you come back a little taller, a little wise, and significantly more confident in your ability to break school rules without being caught. i admire the ambition. i encourage the learning. i will, however, still enforce the rules." he continued, making a laugh break out in the hall.

"before we continue, i would like to take a moment to introduce a new member of our staff. as many of you know, the defence against the dark arts position was left vacant after the retirement of professor horner last year. i am very pleased to announce that it will be taught by professor theodore l/n." he announced, and you felt your blood run cold. your head looked around the staff table, and there he was, your brother. he slowly stood from his sit as you looked over at lando, who was already staring at you with wide eyes.

"professor l/n bring with him extensive field experience, a highly impressive academic record, and, most importantly, a proven ability to survive situations that would normally require a hospital win, a memory charm, or both. i trust you will find his lessons challenging, practical, and, on most days, moderately dangerous." you stopped listening to the rest of the speech after that. your eyes flying between your brother, who was now seated again, and lando.

this had to be a joke. there was no way this was happening. you had been so excited to finally get to experience hogwarts on your own, and now your brother was back. worse, he was your teacher? this truly had to be a joke.

"and now, before I accidentally turn this into a full strategic briefing… let us eat.” professor vowles ended, noise coming back to the hall as your eyes still stared at lando's.

"well, guess that answers my question." rebecca mumbled as the four of them looked over at you.

"this cannot be happening right now." you groaned as you let your head fall to the table. you had spent all summer rambling on to all your friends how about this was going to be the best year yet because your brothers were finally gone. and now theo was back. "my brother is my teacher!" you exclaimed with another groan, making a couple of your friends chuckle.

"at least we know we're learning from someone good, right?" carmen mumbled, trying to cheer you up slightly. it didn't work. this was probably your worst nightmare coming true.

you barely touched your food for the whole night, mainly just picking at it and moping around. across the hall, lando had been quiet all evening. he had met your brother a couple of times during the summer, had one or two conversation with him, but not much. not enough to the point where he could feel comfortable as your boyfriend around him.

eventually, students started making their way back to their common rooms, the prefects guiding the first years, while a couple of older students lingered in the great hall. you waited until your brother left, following closely behind him. he knew you were following, of course he did, he was an auror after all.

"theo!" you called out as the two of you crossed the quad courtyard. your brother stopped in his track, turning around and looking at you with a smile.

"y/n/n."

"you asshole!" you yelled as you neared him, pushing his shoulders slightly. "you couldn't tell me before, really?"

"y/n/n, calm down-"

"no! this was supposed to be my year, theo! where i finally got to feel like a normal students without one of you looking over my shoulder all the time. and now you're back? as my teacher?" you exclaimed, your arms flying all over the place.

"lower your voice, will you?" he whispered-yelled, taking a step closer to you. "i meant to tell you-"

"and what? you just forgot?"

"look." he started with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "i'm not here to play the big brother, alright? i'm here to teach. i am going to keep an eye on you? yes. but that's not why i came here, y/n/n. vowles asked me if i wanted to job, what was i supposed to say? the only time we'll really see each other is during class, and meals." he explained, trying to calm you down, but you just shook your head. tears of anger started forming in your eyes.

"do you have any idea how embarrassing this is, theo? the whole school heard your howler last year, everyone! people made jokes about it, for weeks, it was hell! and now this?" you spat as tears started falling down your cheeks, your face tightening.

"i'm sorry, alright? but i've got a life, too, y/n! teaching defence against the dark arts, it's a privilege. and to get asked by vowles himself? filling in horner's shoes, do you know how amazing of an opportunity that is? i love you, y/n/n, but i can't let you being my sister get in the way of my career." he said softly as you looked away with a scoff.

"i hate you right now." you mumbled as you stared at the ground. your brother let out another sigh, one of his hands landing on the side of your arm.

"i'm not here to be your brother, okay? i'm a teacher, nothing else. i'm not trying to ruin your life, y/n. i'm not going to roaming the halls trying to discipline you. i've got a job to do, and it doesn't include being your brother." he pushed, but you still wouldn't meet his eyes.

"you could've told me. you spent half the summer at home! you rode the train with us and i didn't even know you were there!"

"i wasn't sure how you'd react-"

"and finding out with the rest of the school is better?" you scoffed, finally looking back over at him. just as he was about to speak again, the sound of footsteps echoed behind you, making you turn around. lando appeared a couple of seconds later, freezing when his eyes landed on your brother. they quickly shifted to you and he noticed the look on your face right away. his filled with concerned as he hesitated.

"sorry, i'll, um-"

"it's fine. we're done." you whispered before walking towards the boyfriend. his eyes stayed on you as you made your way towards him, eyes staring at the ground. you walked past him, and he was quickly to fall in step next to you.

"you okay?" he asked quietly as you left the courtyard, making your way to the slytherin common room. you sighed as you took his hand in yours, leaning your head against his shoulder lightly.

"no. i saw him two days before we left and he didn't even tell me." you exclaimed as you straightened up again.

"i'm sorry." you boyfriend mumbled as the two of you made your way down to the dungeons, a couple of slytherin students walks past.

"you have nothing to be sorry about, lan." you said lightly with a chuckle as the boy looked over at you with a frown.

"just about this whole thing. i know how excited you were for this year, y/n/n." he explained, his voice soft as longed the corridor beneath the black lake.

"still, don't apologize. he's going to be busy with classes and... teacher stuff. it's going to be fine." you whispered, more to yourself than to him. you felt him squeeze your hand as the two of approached the entrance to your common room, stopping in front of the stone wall. "this sucks." you groaned as you threw your arms around his shoulder, bringing him into a hug.

he quickly responded by wrapping his around your waist, pulling you as close as possible as his head landed into your neck, his nose tickling you lightly. "you're going to be busy studying anyways, love. and, like you said, he's going to be busy with his own stuff. classes, assignments, teacher things. it's going to be okay." he whispered into your neck as the two of you swayed from side to side gently.

"class is going to be horrible with him. he's going to pick on you all the time." you pointed out, making lando shrug.

"i can handle it. i know my stuff. plus, i could learn a lot from him to get into the auror program." he said optimistically, making you smile lightly.

"i guess." you mumbled before the two of you settled into a comfortable silence. "i missed you." you then added, and you could feel him smile agains the skin of your neck.

"i miss you more, y/n/n. i'll see you tomorrow in class, okay?" he answered as he pulled away slightly before pressing his lips to yours. you smile into the kiss, playing with the hairs on the back of his neck before pulling away.

"good night, lan."

"'night, love."

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

today was the day. your first defence against the dark arts class of the year. you spent your free hour before class studying with your friends, reminding yourself of the things you had learned the previous year, before making your way towards the class.

you and lando were walking being your small group. george, alex, oscar, carlos and carmen walking ahead of you - the two lilys had chosen not to pursue this subject after your 5th year. your friends walked into the class first, you noticed the fact that all the desks were pushed aside right away, the centre of the room left empty.

theo was standing by his desk, his watching as everyone made their way in. you avoided his stare as best as possible, engaging in a small conversation with carmen. when it seemed everyone had made it in, your brother began his class.

"you can put your bags down, you won't be needing desks in this class." he said loudly, making every student go quiet and look over at him. "seventh year defence agains the dark arts is not about passing exams. it's about not dying when someone decides they want you to. some of you think you're good. some of you are. that difference won't matter out there. out there, hesitation gets you hurt, instincts get you sloppy, and sloppy gets people buried. i'm not here to scare you. i'm here to make sure you're useful under pressure.

by the end of this year, you will either be fast, precise, and hard to kill... or you will finally understand how unprepared you've been. we're starting now." he concluded waving his wand. three dummies appeared in front of his desk. he walked around it, pointing at each other. the first one sent a jabbing jinx his way, the other a stunner and the last one a disarming spell, all of which he countered.

"you'll each take turn stepping into this circle." he continued, waving his wand again and a glowing circle appeared in the middle of the class. "before i waste time teaching you anything, i need to know what you already do when someone tries to hurt you. not what you think you'd do. not what you've practiced in neat little classrooms. what you actually do when things move too fast and you don't get a warning.

in a moment, you'll step into that space and you'll have sixty seconds. sixty seconds to keep yourself standing and the person next to you alive. i will not help you. i will not stop it because you're tired. and i will not care if you're embarrassed. if you get hit, you're dead. if you hesitate, you're dead. if you focus on the wrong thing, someone else is. let's find out which of you are ready... and which of you have just been lucky so far." he explains with a grin. you looked around the class at the students - some looked scared for their life, other nervous as they gulped with wide eyes. next you looked over at lando who had a smile on his face.

sensing your eyes on him, he turned to look at you. "you're brother's the best teacher ever." he mumbled as theo called out two people to step into the circle.

most people succeeded, barely, while some failed completely, sitting at the desks once their turn was over. you and carmen were called together, the two of you making out without a scratch, which earned you the smallest 'well done' from your brother. eventually, lando took a small step forward, eager to step into the circle and show what he had.

your brother stared at him, trying to figure out what to do with his situation. "norris, you're up. let's go." he called out, making lando look around a bit. "everyone's already gone, you're alone." he added, making your body freeze lightly. of course lando would be the only one going alone.

"right, okay." he mumbled, sending a quick glance before stepping into the circle. theo flicks his wands like he did all the other times, only this time, four dummies animate. you curse under your breath as carmen places a comforting hand on your shoulder.

lando casts his first spell - expelliarmus, quickly followed by protego as a dummy casts its first spell. another does so quickly after, and lando rolls onto his side to avoid it. then, one switches to non-verbal spell casting, another feinting spells, while one aims for his back.

he noticed an opening, quickly casting a stunner at point blank range. you scowled him mentally, knowing he should've taken this as an opportunity to reposition, slow down or reset. but he didn't, of course he didn't because he always feels the need to be as reckless as he possibly can.

his decision bites him in the ass as he receives a curse in the ribs, making him stagger a bit as you hold your breath, bitting your lip. you look over at your brother, hoping he would stop it seeing as lando was now injured. he didn't. of course he didn't. "you're injured. adjust." theo calls out, lando ignoring his words.

suddenly, the floor jerks, the tile cracking and becoming uneven. lando's face contorts as his brain realizes what's happening. lando started acting on instincts, shielding, rolling, sending fire towards the dummies. over and over again.

a dummy goes down, followed quickly by another. lando's standing in the middle of the circle, breathing heavily, sweat falling down his forehead. and then he does the stupidest thing you've seen him do in seven years. he drops his shield, knocking down the third dummy with ease. the fourth one hits him square in the chest, throwing him backwards and out of the circles as he skids across the floor.

a heavy silence falls in the class, students looking in shock at lando. he had always been one of the best in duelling, seeing him fail was not something one saw often. once your boyfriend stood, you looked over at theo. he was unimpressed, but he didn't look angry like he did when others failed.

"dead." he says calmly, his eyes staring into lando's. "twice, actually." he adds before cancelling the spell he had on the dummies. he walked around his desk, standing a little close to lando as the whole class looked. "you fight like someone who expects the world to rewards courage. it doesn't."

"that was brutal." someone whispered near you, making you fur your brows. lando took a step towards your brother, clearly angry.

"you didn't do that to anyone else. i was alone. you gave me more. you made them faster. you changed the room. you didn't even give me a start signal!" lando called out, making you bit your lips once again. "if you're going to fail me, fine. but don't pretend that was the same test.

"you're right, it wasn't. because no one else in this room runs headfirst towards danger like it's a solution." theo says, making lando chuckle.

"funny. last i checked, you're the one who kept throwing more of it at me." lando says. you didn't get why he was doing this. he never stood up to teachers, never. he normally just shrugged off any fails, bouncing back stronger and proving the teachers wrong.

"and you kept proving you'll take it."

"you changed the rules." he countered, gripping his wand tighter. "that's not a test, that's you deciding the outcome before i even moved."

students shifted awkwardly around the class. it was clear now that this wasn't just about the test. everyone knew about your relationship with lando, and by now everyone knew theo was your brother. it didn't take a genius to understand what was going on.

"the outcome is what happens when you stop thinking and start charging."

"i didn't stop thinking." lando quickly stated with confidence.

"you did." theo replied calmly. "you just did it very fast. you see an opening and you treat it like permission." he added before taking another step towards the boy. you could cut the tension with a knife, lando's jaw tensed as he stared at your brother.

"some people in this room will grow up to be very good at passing exams. you're not built like that." theo says, making lando's brows fur. it didn't sound like an insult, but it didn't sound like a compliment either. "you're built for places where things go wrong. and in those places, the room doesn't stay still. the enemy doesn't wait their turn. and if you move the way moved today—" he explained as he now stood right in front of lando. "—you don't get to be the only one who pays for it." he finishes, pressing two fingers into the younger boy's chest.

a silence falls over the two of them. it was like they had completely forgotten there were other people in the room. students stood awkwardly, some trying to act like they weren't listening, but they all were. the words hit lando stronger than he thought they would. yeah, this was clearly not just about a simple class anymore.

"so what, you're training me for some imaginary battlefield now?" lando asked, his voice tight.

"i'm training you to stop confusing courage with control." theo corrects sharply. "you survived because you're fast and stubborn and hard to knockdown. that's not the same thing as doing it right."

for a second, lando looks like he's going to explode, argue some more. instead, he takes a deep breath, his voice calm when he speaks. "you still stacked it against me." he stated simply.

"yes. because you're the only one in this room who would've tried to outrun it instead of outthinking it." theo said simply. lando stayed quiet after that, his eyes still staring into your brother's. "sit down, mr. norris." was the last theo said before walking back over to his desk.

the gryffindor boy stood in the middle of the class before slowly making his way to one of the empty desks, next to yours. you stared at him, wanting him to look over at you. his face was tight as he kept his eyes on the middle of the room, not daring to look over at you.

your brows furred as you scoff loud enough from him to hear it, and you sensed him flinch slightly at the sound. still, his eyes didn't move, and you eventually gave up.

"next pair." theo called, the words making lando shake his head. the rest of the class was horrible. everyone that stepped up was nervous, barely anyone lasting the full sixty seconds. theo's words were sharper, less encouraging than the small amount he had before.

"class is dismissed." he said eventually, everyone quickly packing their bags. "mr. norris. stay." theo than added, making you both freeze. lando finally looked over at you, his face softening lightly.

"i'll meet you in great hall, okay?" he said softly, his hand reaching for yours. he squeezed it lightly as you nodded before following carmen out of the class. you didn't listened, instead hovering nearby, ready to great lando once their conversation was done.

inside, lando watched as theo tidied the room slowly, the door now closed. he lasts about ten seconds before finally saying something. "are you done pretending this was about teaching?"

"watch your tone." theo says, but he doesn't turn to face him, fixing a cracked torch bracket.

"no." lando says, standing up from his desk and stepping towards him. "you don't get to engineer that and then act like it was a normal lesson." he exclaims, and this makes theo finally turn to face him. his body language calm as he leaned against a desk.

"it was a lesson." he said normally, making lando scoff.

"for who? because everyone else got a demonstration, i got an execution."

"you got sixty seconds, which is more than someone people got."

"see, this is the problem." lando fired back. "you keep talking like this is already a war zone. it's a classroom. or at least it's supposed to be."

"and you keep moving like the classroom rules are the only ones that exists." theo said, his eyes narrowing as lando took another step closer.

"you sacked it. you know you did. you weren't measuring me. you were trying to prove something."

"yes."

"what?" lando demands, now standing even close to theo. the teacher studies him for a moment before speaking.

"that speed without judgement is just a faster way to lose people."

"so you humiliate me in front of everyone to prove a point?" lando asked, his voice dropping as his body falters. this was so stupid.

"i stress-tested you. there's a difference." theo pointed out, making the student scoff.

"funny." lando snapped, glaring at him. "felt personal."

theo pauses before answering, lando waiting to see if he'd take the bait. "if it were personal... you wouldn't have walked out of that ring." he said harshly. that hits. lando's jaw tightens again.

"you don't get to decide what type of fighter i am."

"no, i don't. but i do get to decide what kind of training you survive." theo says taking a step towards lando so they were only a couple of feet apart. "you want to throw yourself at danger? fine. but don't confuse that with control. and don't confuse it with leadership."

"i wasn't trying to lead anyone." lando bite back.

"exactly." theo pointed out.

"you ever consider that i move like that because sometime there isn't time to be careful?" lando stated, his voice lower but more dangerous. theo's eyes sharpened at his words, his jaw also tightening.

"i live in that sometimes." theo whispered. "and the ones who last are the ones who learn not to trade themselves for the hit."

"you're still not treating me like everyone else." lando pointed out, making theo pause for a second.

"no, i'm not." he confirmed. "and if you're smart, you'll stop asking why and start asking what it's for." he said lowly, giving the boy time to register what he had just said before speaking again.

"next time you're in that ring, don't try to outrun the problem. outthink it." he concludes before making his way to his office without another word, leaving lando all alone in the middle of the class.

outside the class, you were waiting anxiously for lando to come out of the class, picking at the skin around your nails. through the door, you could hear the muffled sound of the two men talking, their voices raising and falling.

suddenly, it went quiet. students passed as you waited for the curly headed boy to come out. the door opened after a couple of seconds, lando stepping into the hallway. his eyes quickly found yours, they always did. but before you could even process his appearance, he was moving - away from you.

your brows furred as you quickly followed him. "lando!" you called out as the two of you made your way down the stairs. the boy kept moving, pretending he hadn't heard you. "lando!" you repeated sternly as the two of you crossed the suspension bridge.

you speed up you pace, and as he went to open the doors to the castle, you slammed them, shoving yourself between him and the doors. "move." he quipped as he tried to make his way around you, but you didn't budge.

"no." you bit back, grabbing one of his wrist. that made him freeze, his gaze finding yours. the two of you stared at each other for a bit, with you trying your best to read the emotions behind his eyes. "what happened?"

"i don't want to talk about it, y/n." he said as his eyes drifted away from you. "now, if you don't mind, i'm going to my common room, alright. i'll see you in charms." he mumbled before pushing past you and making his way in. you didn't back down, still following behind him.

"lando!" you begged, making him turn around to look at you. thankfully, most students were in the great hall, meaning no one was witnessing whatever this was between the two of you.

"what? what do you want, y/n!"

"talk to me!"

"i said i don't want to! that was humiliating, y/n, the last thing i want to do if talk about it, alright?" he called out, raising his voice slightly. his chest heaved, as your body deflated. "i just want to be alone right now, please." he whispered, his eyes staring into yours.

and this time, when he walked away, you didn't follow.

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

later that night, you were sitting in a quiet corner of the library, trying your best to focus on your arithmancy assignment that was due the next day, but your mind kept wondering back to lando. he hadn't shown up to charms, something that did not please professor ricciardo. at least, oscar had promised you he'd check on the boy right after class.

neither of them showed up for dinner, which only made you worry more. the girls tried their best to calm you down, which of course didn't work. so, you had opted on spending some time alone in the library, something that usually helped you calm down. tonight, it didn't.

thankfully, you had already done the first part of your assignment - a short essay, all you had left do was the problem set of it, which consisted of drawing a probability tree of a dualist, calculating the outcome volatility index, and explaining why humans intent makes these models less reliable in combat. it shouldn't have taken you long really, this was something you had touched on before.

yet, it had been almost two hours and you were still not done with your tree. every time you started to make a thought about your work, lando took over. you were worried about it, of course you were. your first class with your brother had been brutal for him, a subject he always did well in. it was clear to everyone why lando had been such a target for your brother, which earned you a bunch of pity and judgmental looks.

you tried your best not to think about it, not your brother, not lando. but you couldn't. you let out a heavy sigh as you started to give up on the assignment, ready to just accept professor tost losing his mind the next day. suddenly, someone appeared besides you, their eyes staring into the side of your head. you figured it was probably someone else from your class coming to talk to you about lando, meaning you just decided to ignore them, pretending you were somewhat doing your assignment.

they cleared their throats slightly, still, you remained "focused" on your work. "y/n." the person eventually mumbled, making you freeze before quickly looking over at them. lando's eyes met yours right away, guilt plastered onto his face. "can we talk?" he added hesitantly. you rapidly nodded at his words, packing all of your things with shaking hands before standing up.

lando grabbed your bag gently, which you gratefully handed off. then, the two of you quietly made your way out of the library. out in the hall, the two of you walked side by side, no clear destination in mind.

"i'm sorry." he mumbled sincerely, his eyes looking over at you briefly. "for earlier. i... i shouldn't have treated you like that, or spoken to you that way. and i'm truly sorry i did."

"i was worried about you." you mumbled as your eyes stared at the ground ahead of you.

"i know. i didn't mean to." he quickly answered as the two of you slowly made your way across the transfiguration courtyard. "i was an idiot." he added, making you smile slightly.

"you skipped classed." you pointed up, your eyes finally meeting his as the two of you settled on one the benches in the courtyard.

"yeah." he sighed. "oscar gave me a bunch of shit for that. professor vettel has already sent me an owl. i'm sorry." he apologized again, your gaze still locked with his. your hand reached for his that was on his thigh, your fingers interlocking.

"i didn't mean to force you to talk about it before, i just- i wanted to make sure you were okay."

"you don't need to apologize, y/n/n. you didn't do anything wrong, i did." he whispered sweetly as his thumb rubbed circles against your skin.

"you didn't eat." you mentioned after a couple of seconds of silence. lando looked away from you, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck as he kissed his lips.

"right, about that. there's something i need to tell you." he stated, making your eyes grow with worry. 'i need to tell something' usually meant he had done something incredibility stupid. "so, this one night, i'm walking back from practice, 3rd year, cross path with an house elf. nibsy, super sweet. he scolded me for 'being too thin', whatever that was meant to mean. dragged me to the basement, under the hufflepuff common room. made me tickle this pear painting, and then boom, door handle appears. next thing i know i'm standing in the middle of the kitchen, with house elves shoving food into my hands."

"what?" you said confused.

"they love me down there, y/n/n. let me grab as much food as i want whenever. they even call me 'master lando'!"

"master lando? you've been sneaking into the kitchen for four years?"

"calm down!" he exclaimed, lowering his voice as he didn't want to draw too much attention to the two of you. "i'm not sneaking- that's not the point. the point is, i've eaten today, so don't stress about that."

"if theo finds out-"

"y/n/n, he won't."

"he'll be even more hard on you, lan!"

"baby, please, relax." he whispered as his other hand grabbed yours, your eyes meeting again. "technically, there's no rules that say i can't go in. and i never go during curfew so, really, it's not that deep. just food whenever i want."

"who knows about this?" you asked sternly.

"no one!" lando was quick to answer. "and it's not like i go down there everyday, just... from time to time, after practice or when i don't feel like going to the great hall. and i'm not the only one that does it! the elves bring people down there all the time!" he explained, but you weren't impressed. granted, he had a point, it technically wasn't against the rules, but still. you let out a small sigh as you turned away from him, suddenly remembering why the two of you were out there for in the first place.

"you don't get to shut me out when something happens that has nothing to do with me. you don't get to disappear and ignore me, lando." you mumbled, staring at the ground. from the corner of your eye, you saw him shake his head as he too shifted and looked at the ground.

"i know, it wasn't fair to you and i truly am sorry, y/n/n. i didn't mean to worry you." he whispered back, his hand landing on top of yours as he looked over at you once again. "and i shouldn't have spoken to your brother like that in front of everyone else either, i'm sorry."

"don't apologize for that, lan. he was being a prick towards you, i promise he's going to get an ear full tomorrow-"

"don't." he interrupted you softy, making you look over at him with furred brows.

"what? lando-"

"it's fine. i think... when i stayed, after class, he told to stop asking myself why he did that to me and start asking what it's for. baby, he knows i want to be an auror, and he's one of the best. getting to learn from him is the best thing that i can happen to me this year. being an auror has been my dream since forever, y/n/n, and if being embarrassed during class is what allows me to become the best i can be, than be it." he explained softly as his thumb rubbed small circles on your skin. your eyes held his for a couple of seconds before you let out a sigh.

"fine. but if it gets too much-"

"it won't."

"you tell me. he won't listen to me but he'll listen to our mum." you said, to yourself more than to him. the boy chuckled from besides you, a smile on his face.

"yeah, well, let's hope we don't get that far." he mumbled as you shuffled closer to him, your head dropping on his shoulder as one of his arm wrapped around you, bringing you closer. you nodded against him, closing your eyes as you took a deep breath, a comfortable silence settling over the two of you.

"it's almost curfew." lando remarked after a couple of minutes.

"don't care." you answered quickly, making you scoff.

"baby, come on." he spoke gently as he stood up, and it was now your turn to scoff.

"you're annoying, you know that?" you mopped as you stood up as well, lando grabbing your bag as you started making your way to your common room. you walked hand in hand through the halls and down the stairs into the dungeon. you scowled him for skipping class, before handing him the extra set of notes you had taken.

"i'll see you tomorrow, love." lando whispered as the two of you stood next to the entrance of your common room. he was leaning against the wall slightly, his eyes looking down at yours.

"you better not skip breakfast." you saind, jabbing a finger into his chest.

"i won't."

"8:15. don't be late." you added sternly, making him smirk.

"i won't." he said smugly before leaning in and pressing his lips against yours shortly.

"good night, y/n/n."

"'night, lan."

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

a week later, you were walking back into your brother's classroom. true to his word, you had barely seen him around the castle, besides the great hall of course. the first thing you noticed when you walked into the class was the fact that the desks were once again pushed aside. oh, and also the fact that a ravenclaw student is sitting on a chair in the middle, wand confiscated, bounded with enchanted ropes.

three enchanted dummies not too far away, motionless, but theo was no where to be seen near his desk. everyone slowly made their way in, and suddenly his voice echoed from behind you.

"today, you will learn that saving someone and protecting them is not the same." he said loudly as he slowly made his way around the group of students and over to the ravenclaw. "he's compromised. wandless. panicking. and bound with enchanted ropes that tighten with each spell casted near it." he explained, and the students sitting in the chair look genuinely nervous.

"is this even allowed?" someone whispered in the group.

"three hostile threats. one civilian. you have one minutes." theo finished his explanation. carlos raises his hand, theo nodding at him.

"are the dummies lethal?"

"assume yes." your brother answered, making a couple of student gulp. "if the rope fully tightens, you've failed. you may not physically touch the hostage." he then paused, looking around the room. "mr. norris." he said simply.

you scoffed quietly. of course. everyone slowly stepped to the side of the room, leaving lando all alone in the middle. he had a look on his face, on you quickly recognized. annoyance. still, he pulls his wand out, taking a deep breath. theo then activates the dummies.

one immediately grabed the hostage's chair, another one raises its wand, the last one begings casting something slow and dark-looking. lando lifts his wand, the rope tightens, the student gasps. "careful." theo warns.

lando lowered his wand slightly, breathing harder. he casts a stunning spell at the closest dummie. the rope tightens again, the hostage chokes. you call feel everyone shifting in worry as theo speaks again.

"you're escalating the situation."

"i'm stopping it!" lando bite back loudly.

"no, you're reacting." theo corrects, making lando scoff quietly under his breath. "you do not get to panic because you care."

"i'm not panicking."

"you're pulse says otherwise." theo remarks, making lando's face grow red slightly. students look between each other, all wondering if they'd have to do the same.

one of the dummies approaches him, the hostage's breathing getting louder and louder. then, lando lowers his wand completely, shocking all of the class.

"lando!" you call out in worry, but his wand stays down. instead, he circles around, forcing the dummies to turn.

"finally thinking."

"you're enjoying this." lando scowls, his brows furred.

"no, i'm measuring you."

suddenly, one of the dummies raises its wand directly at the hostage's head. lando reacts quickly, powerful shield charm exploding outwards. the ropes contract, a lot, the student crying out. then, the dummies freeze, the rope loosening around the ravenclaw.

a small silence settles as lando stares at the dummies before turning towards theo. "you set it up so i'd fail. again." he points out, his brows still furred. theo takes a step towards him, his expression remaining neutral.

"i set it you so you'd chose."

"between what?"

"emotion and strategy." theo says simply, making lando scoff as everyone looks on awkwardly.

"you think i can't do both?" he braves, taking a step towards your brother. he holds lando's gaze for a couple of seconds before answering.

"i don't think you know how to yet." he says before lowering his voice. "if someone matters to you, you become predictable. predictable people are easy to break." he adds, loud enough so only lando could hear.

theo then waves his wand, the dummies reseting as lando stayed quiet. "back with the group, norris. mr. russell, you're next."

lando makes his way over to you, his eyes staring at the floor as george nervously makes his way to the middle of the room. "lan?" you said quietly, turning towards your boyfriend slightly. his eyes remained onto the floor, but his hand reached for yours, fingers intertwining, and that was enough for you.

george's turn then starts, and everyone quickly notices the way the ropes are constricting slower, the dummies hesitate more, the pace is different. lando takes in a deep breath as george approaches the hostage cautiously. he pauses before casting small disarming spells.

he saves the hostage with minimal rope tightening, making theo nod once. "better." he says making lando's jaw tighten.

the rest of the class quickly understand this wasn't about power, but about control during rebecca's turn, and everyone's scenario is different based on who they are. some overthink it, some move too slowly, others fail because they hesitated.

theo makes comments here and there, simply sighs when you too make the rope tighten way too much. he's sharp with everyone, but the air is different. and you never notice the way his gaze often flickers back to the curly headed boy next to you.

eventually, the two of you end up towards the back of the group, bodies close but not touching. lando observes everyone's turn, scoffing whenever someone gets the complete opposite scenario than he did, yet they still manage to fail.

by the time carmen's turn comes around, it finally clicks. he hadn't been set up to fail, he had been set up to expose exactly where he loses control. everyone was. and he was the first to do so, in front of everyone.

eventually, class comes to an end, theo gathering everyone in the middle as the enchanted ropes vanish from the ravenclaw's body.

"most of you believe the fight is between you and the attacker. it isn't. it's between you and your instincts. if someone you care about is in danger, your magic will follow your fear. class dismissed."

students slowly start to make their way out, each having their own comments about the class. lando waits for you to move, but you never do. your eyes staring at your brother as he aimlessly rearranges the room, pretending he couldn't see the two of you standing there.

"you okay?" you asked quietly to lando, your eyes staying on your brother.

"i'm fine." he's quick to respond.

"he is." theo says, making you take a step towards him.

"you didn't have to make it that hard." you say stern to your brother, making lando frown.

"yes, i did."

"you didn't." lando says walking up next to you, his jaw tightening. theo finally looks over, his expression still remaining neutral, like this was any other conversation with students.

"if i ease up because of proximity, i compromise the lesson." he counters. proximity, that was one way to put it.

"you escalated the constraints." you defended, making your brother nod.

"i did."

"you changed the parameters when i reacted."

"correct."

"why?" lando pushed, taking another step towards your brother.

"because you reacted." theo said after a short pause.

"you could've taught that without making it personal." you said as you joined lando's side, making theo's eyes sharpen as his gaze shifted towards you.

"it wasn't personal." he said, earning a scoff from lando.

"right."

"if someone matters to you, your magic changes. it's a fact. you don't get to pretend that won't be exploited." theo said, his eyes shortly drifting back to you. a small silence settled between the three of you, and you realized he wasn't talking as a brother or rival, but as someone who had seen what happens when enemies realize you care.

you look carefully between the two boys before speaking again. only now, you're uncomfortable because you understand both sides. "he's not wrong." you whispered as you turned to lando. the words sting as he goes still, his gaze meeting yours.

"you too?"

"i'm saying if you want this, if you want to be an auror, you have to survive being predictable." you said softly, as theo stays quiet, his eyes watching the two of you. lando's eyes hold yours for a couple more seconds before looking at your brother again.

"then stop treating me like i'm fragile." lando says quietly, no anger behind his voice. theo stares at him before speaking.

"i'm not."

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

later that night, lando found himself climbing up the stairs of the astronomy tower, taking them two at a time. his mind running at a hundred miles per hours, his face tight as he nears the top. and when he reaches them, his faze quickly lands on you, standing near the edge, looking over the grounds.

"you're stomping." you remarked without turning, almost making him smile.

"didn't know i have a signature."

"you do." you mumbled before turning around, your eyes finding his. he leans back against one of the stoned pillar, hands finding his pockets.

"you didn't have to say he was right." he pointed out quietly, making shake your head.

"i didn't say he was right."

"you didn't say he was wrong." he quickly said as wind blew through your hair.

"because he wasn't wrong, lando." you said quickly, and there it is again, that small sting he had felt earlier. he takes a deep breath trying his best not to let it affect him too much.

"so i just what? learn not to care?"

"that's not what he was saying."

"that's what it felt like." he said sharply. then, he turned around, staring out at the black lake. "he made it look like it'd already lost. like the second i cared about something, i was done." he added quietly. you moved a bit closer to him, but not reaching out yet.

"he made it looks like you were human." you spoke, making him laugh quietly under his breath.

"that's not exactly comforting."

"it should be." you whispered, making him shake his head.

"not in that room." he murmured as you shuffled closer, shoulders almost brushing.

"do you know what i saw? i saw you hesitate. not because you were scared but because you were thinking." your words make him glance shortly at you.

"i didn't hesitate long enough."

"but you still hesitated. last year, you would've just charged." you pointed out with a soft smile. "he wasn't trying to humiliate you."

"could've fooled me." he scoffed.

"he was trying to show you what happens someone matters." your words hang in the air, his eyes study you carefully.

"you weren't angry at him." there it was. after your small conversation with your brother, lando had somewhat stormed out of the class. he hadn't exactly ignored you for the rest of the day, but your interactions were limited. and you finally understood why.

"i was."

"not like i was."

"no." you agreed before meeting his eyes. "because i've seen him after missions. when he comes home, he doesn't talk about what almost went wrong. he talks about what he should've anticipated." your words that had started as comforting had then turned into unsettling, his jaw clenching.

"so i'm a case study now?" he mocked, making you sigh.

"you're not a case study." you said sharply. "your someone he refuses to underestimate." you then added softly. he runs a hand through his hair as he lets out a frustrated groan.

"i don't want him measuring me."

"you want him doubting you?" you countered, and he stays quiet, because he knew you were right. "you want to be an auror, you don't get gentle training."

"i don't need him going easy."

"he isn't."

"i don't need him proving a point though you." he said sternly, and that makes you still slightly, the wind seemingly blowing louder than before.

"he wasn't using me." you said quietly.

"he used the idea of you." he corrected as you took one final step towards him, closing the distance fully. your hand landed on his arm, fingers curling around his bicep.

"then don't let that idea control you." you whispered. he looked over at you, his eyes soft as they stared into yours.

"you weren't scared?" he asked, making you smirk.

"i was."

"and?"

"and i trusted you." you mumbled, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. he smiled quickly at you before looking back over at the lake.

"what if he's right?"

"about what?"

"about me being predictable." he answered, making you smile faintly.

"you are." you said, making him huffed. you responded by nudging his arm lightly. "you always step forwards."

"that's not a flaw."

"no, it's not. it just needs direction." you said, a small silence settling over the two of you.

"i don't want to change." he confessed, making you reach for his hand.

"then don't. just sharpen." you cooed before pressing your lips to his cheek, resting your head on his shoulder.

"if he ever actually crosses a line..."

"i'll handle him." you cut him off, your eyes meeting.

"you'd take me side?"

"always." you answered, making lando's heart swell. there no doubt, not hesitation behind your words, steading him, and for the first time since class had started, his breathing evens out. his muscles relaxed, his face softened.

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

the next couple of days go by smoothly, lando busies himself with books trying his best to understand how exactly to sharpen. he finds you monday night in the library after his quidditch practice, originally going to find a book for potions. but he quickly stops in his track when he catches you from the corner of his eye, a smile growing on his face.

but he quickly drops as he started to make his way over, his eyes quickly lando on franco who was sitting next to you. a bunch of books, charts and calculations sprawled out on the table. he watches as the two of you lean over the same parchment, your shoulders almost touching. then, franco says something that makes you laugh, as you pushed a strand of hair behind your ear.

lando's jaw sets as he watched the two of you. he hates that he notices it. hates that it bothers him. hates that it bothers him more because its arithmancy. your element, logic, precision, calculation, everything he's been told he needs more of.

he walks over before his brain can process his movement. he isn't stomping, but he's not exactly subtle either. you quickly notice him, looking surprised and then pleased as your eyes meet.

"hey." you smiled as he approached, his eyes mainly looking over at franco.

"didn't know you had company." he pointed out. he knew you were coming here, but he didn't think you'd still be studying, let alone with another boy. franco glaces up at his words, a polite smile on his face.

"we're reviewing predictive curse modelling."

"sounds thrilling." lando answered, his voice coming out sharpen than he had intended. you catch it, franco doesn't.

"it actually is." he responsed, making lando smile tightly.

"i'll take your word for it." he said as you slowly closed one of your books.

"we're almost done." you whispered, making your boyfriend shrug.

"didn't say you weren't." he said, franco shifting awkwardly besides you. out of the corner of your eye, you could see him starting to pack his things.

"i'll finish the project later." the hufflepuff boy mumbled as he put all his things into his bag before standing up, nodding at you. lando was quick to slide into his seat, your eyes studying him as he relaxed in the chair.

"what was that?"

"what was what?" he responded mindlessly, his hand pulling one of your chart closer to him, pretending he somewhat understood what was on it.

"you."

"you seemed... busy." he pointed out as he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes finally meeting yours. you turned on your chair to face him, squinting your eyes slightly.

"it's arithmancy."

"i noticed."

"you don't even take it." you stated, and he wasn't sure why, but your words turned in his stomach.

"yeah, i know." he answered defensively. "you looked comfortable."

"i was."

"with him." he added, and that's when you finally understand the reasoning behind his mood.

"you're jealous." you claimed, pointing a finger at him. he chuckled at your words, his eye drifting the chart once again before going back to you with raised brow.

"of arithmancy?" he laughed, making your brows fur.

"of someone who speaks it fluently." you corrected him, earning yourself a small sigh as he ran a hand through his hair.

"you didn't look at me like that in DADA." the words slip past his lips before he even realizes he's thinking them, and the second his braisn registers it, he regrets it. it's petty, vulnerable, two things he didn't like to be.

"like what?" you pushed, bringing your chair closer to his.

"like you weren't worried." he said quietly, and your face softens at his words. one of your hand lands on his forearms, rubbing small circles on his skin with the tip of your fingers.

"in DADA, i was terrified." you admitted, making him look up at you sharply.

"you didn't look it."

"because i trust you." you answered softly as some students around you started leaving the library, heading to their common rooms for the night. "i don't need to calculate you. i know how you move."

"and him?" he swallowed, making you smile softly at him.

"he's good at numbers." you sigh, taking a small pause. "you're good at people." your words catch him off guard, looking up at you with furred brows.

"what's that suppose to mean?"

"you read rooms. you step forward when no one else does. that's not something you calculate, that's instinct." you explained, his eyes studying you before he answered.

"instinct is what got me in trouble."

"uncontrolled instinct." you corrected with a smile. "if you think i'd rather be with someone because they share a class with me... you don't know me very well." you whispered. lando let out a sigh at your words, his body relaxing slightly.

"i don't like not being in your world." he admitted, his eyes finding yours again.

"you're in it, lan, more than anyone. just not in every part of it." you said with a grin as your hand moved from his arm to his shoulder.

"i'm sorry... for how i reacted." he mumbled, making you grin.

"you're cute when you're jealous, lan."

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

over the next couple of weeks, lando slowly started improving during your brother's class. he rarely ever passed the challenege theo had set up, but he lasted longer, and he knew if he faced what most of the class did, he could pass with his eyes closed. he didn't argue with him anymore, listened on what he did wrong, where he could improve, spent more time reading books about the class than you had ever seen him read before.

he'd stay after class most of the time, not to argue, but to ask where he wasn't succeeding. there were still moments where you thought theo was pushing it too far, but lando assured you it was fine.

november was approaching, leaves falling, the days becoming shorter. winter break was inching closer and closer. you had decided to spend the evening in the common room with rebecca and alex, catching up on life lately, while lando spent his night in the library with his friends.

they eventually all made their way to their common rooms, wishing each other a good night. and before he knew it, lando was standing in front of theo's office door. it was late, not curfew late, but the castle had settled down long ago, the halls echoing.

inside, theo was sitting at his desk, sleeves rolled up, as he reviewed some confiscated objects from this week. then, there's a knock at his door. he doesn't look up immediately, puts some of the items away.

"enter." he said calmly. the door opens, lando steps in, hands in his pockets as he hovers awkwardly near the door. "yes?"

"i, uh, i have a question." lando stated, shifting on his feet. theo then notices the lack of bag, no visible injury, no defensive posture, just lando.

"this isn't about coursework." he remarked, making lando exhale slightly.

"no." lando answered. a small silence settled as lando took a small step forward. "what was your first real duel like?"he questioned, theo leans back into his chair. his eyes looking over at the boy for a bit before standing and walking over to one of the windows in his office.

"messy." he answered truthfully, his tone different than any other time the two had spoken. "it wasn't controlled. it wasn't choreographed. it wasn't clean. and i misjudged my opponent." he continued before turning around to look at the curly headed boy. "i assumed experience meant predictability." he finished quietly, making lando's brow fur.

"it doesn't?" lando spoke lowly as theo walked back over to his desk, resting a hand on the wood.

"no. it means they've survived long enough to stop being predictable. i cast first. aggressive, confident. he didn't block."

"what'd he do?"

"nothing." theo said simply, still shocked himself by this information. "he let me overextend. i thought i'd corned him. i'd driven him backwards, limited his movement. he wanted me there."

"trap?" lando asked quietly, like he wasn't sure if theo's small pause was to let him talk.

"yes." theo confirmed with the tiniest smile. "i walked straight into a binding curse i didn't see because i was too focused on winning. the reason i'm standing here is because i stopped trying to overpower him and started trying to outlast him." theo concludes, his eyes staring into lando's, his expression unreadable.

"were you scared?" the gryffindor wondered, making theo chuckle slightly.

"yes. anyone who tells you they weren't are either lying or a liability." the older boy says as he walked to the front of his desk, leaning backwards against it. lando had shuffled slightly closer as the two conversed. "courage is not charging first. it's knowing when not to." he added, and lando could tell there was a deeper meaning behind his words. they were directed straight to him.

"you think i'd rush?" lando pondered. no anger, no defensiveness, just a simple question.

"i think mistake intensity for control." theo said after a couple of seconds, making lando's jaw tighten slightly. but there was no cruelty or mockery behind his words, just an observation. "but you adapt. that's rarer."

"did you win?" lando asked as he took in a breath. theo grin lightly, nodding.

"eventually. not because i was stronger. because i stopped fighting the duel i wanted, and started fighting the one i was in." the auror explained, but it wasn't just about the duel, it was about everything that had happened in the last couple of months. "why are you asking?" he added as he relaxed slightly against his desk, hands finding his pockets. lando's eyes starred at him for a couple of seconds before answering.

"i don't want to be type of auror who dies because he thought he was untouchable." lando admitted, confession hanging in the air.

"then stop trying to be untouchable. be prepared." theo concludes. that's all there was to say really, lando should wish him good night, head out. but he doesn't. he hovers slightly, something the older boy notices. "you have more to ask." he stated, nodding slightly to let him know it was okay. lando exhaled slightly, preparing himself.

"do you ever regret it?"

"regret what?"

"choosing it. the job. the life." lando explained shyly. this isn't a question any student would ask, this was personal. theo takes a while to answer, lando waits.

"no. i regret moments. decision. not the path."

"what about the people?" lando dared to ask.

"you're asking as my student or someone else?" theo countered with raised brow as he moved around to sit on his chair.

"someone else." lando answered honestly. theo nodded slightly at one of the chairs on the other side of his desk, which lando quickly sat in.

"i don't regret the people. i regret when i wasn't present enough. or when i reacted instead of understood." theo said as he crossed his arms once again.

"you've been hard on me." lando stated, earning himself a nod from the older boy.

"that's not a question either."

"do you want it to be?" lando asked, raising his brows slightly. theo studied him for a moment. then, he stood again, coming back to the front of the desk, leaning against it. still, he kept a good distance between them.

"you think it's because you're dating my sister."

"i think you don't trust me." lando explained, which theo didn't deny.

"i did not know you. and suddenly i was hearing about you through my brother's letter at breakfast. he wasn't sure it was you, but he had a feeling. the letter described, in unnecessary details, that my sister had visual proof of your... enthusiasm." theo stuttered slightly, making lando's face flush red.

"you sent a howler."

"yes."

"in the great hall." lando added, like it would make theo apologize or something. he didn't.

"i was angry."

"i noticed." lando huffed, scratching the back of his neck slightly.

"i misjudged the situation." theo then said, completely shocking lando.

"you did?" he asked, brows slightly raised.

"yes. not because i object to her having a relationship. and not because i thought you incapable of one."

"then why?"

"because i wasn't there. and not knowing makes everything feel like a threat." theo explained softly, his eyes locked with lando's.

"you thought you were losing her."

"perhaps." he admitted, and lando could feel a slight shift in the air inside the small round office.

"it wasn't careless. i wasnt-- collecting moments."

"i know that now."

"and i wasn't trying to embarrass her." lando continued. never had he thought the night would end with him standing in your brother's office trying to explain the whole lovebite situation from the previous year.

"i'm aware." theo said, pausing slightly before continuing. "i overcorrected. publicly."

"that's one way to describe it." lando joked, making theo smile lightly.

"i embarrassed her."

"yes."

"and you." theo added, making lando hesitate before nodding. "for that, i am sorry."

"you were being her brother." lando shrugged.

"i was reacting, there is a difference." theo corrected. a small silence settled, the sound of the fire popping echoing in their ears. "i've been hard on you this term because i needed to see consistency."

"in my spellwork?" lando questioned ever so confused.

"in your character." that lands heavier than lando thought it would. "you're praised quickly, forgiven quickly. i needed to know you would not treat her the same way."

"i don't."

"i know." theo quickly said. "she talks about you like you're inevitable."

"that's terrifying."

"it should be."

once again a small silence settles between them, but for the first time in probably forever, there's not tension between them.

"do you regret her choosing me?"

"no." theo said immediately. "i regret that she was nervous to tell me. that i made her feel that she needed permission. but i do not regret her choosing you.

"i love her."

"does she know?"

"i-i think so. we've never... said it. but i think she knows."

"it's been more than a year, no? i'm quite certain she loves you too." theo said, shocking the boy slightly.

"i mean it. i'm not temporary."

"she does not chose lightly. if she chose you, i will assume she had good reasons."

"and you?" lando wondered. truth be told, lando cared a lot about theo's opinion about him, more than he would ever admit. he was one of the best auror, he was insanely good at quidditch during his years at school.

"i'm still evaluating." theo answered simply.

"and if i fail the evaluation?"

"i will not send another howler." theo said. lando wasn't sure wether it was meant to be a joke or not, but the small smirk on his face gave it away. "i have learned that volume with you is clearly ineffective."

"that's reassuring."

"but if you hurt her." theo said sharply, wiping the small smile off of lando's face. "i will not duel you. i will not shout. i will not threaten. but i will be disappointed."

"i won't." lando quickly said, making theo raise his brows. "hurt her." he clarified.

"i know." the older boy responded after a couple of seconds. a comfortable silence settled over the two of them. "for what it's worth, your footstep has improved." he added. lando blinked once, then again before speaking.

"you noticed?"

"i notice everything." theo said simply, like it wasn't mean to impress, only to state a fact. the fire behind him crackled slightly, and for the first time since lando had stepped inside, the room no longer felt like a place of evaluation. "you came here for a question about duelling. you received your answer. and more than you intended, i suspect."

lando let out a faint breath through his nose, the tension in his shoulders easing in a way he hadn't quite noticed until now. "yeah." he admitted softly.

another brief silence followed, but it was no longer sharp. theo didn't look at him like a professor correcting a student, nor like a brother guarding a boundary. if anything, the scrutiny had softened into something quieter, more certain. "you do not need to seek me out only when something has gone wrong. clarification, practice, questions... they are not inconveniences." theo then added absentmindedly as he adjusted a stack of essay on his desk.

his words made lando glance up in surprise, but theo's stared remained on his desk, fiddling with anything he could find. "if the term becomes demanding, academically or otherwise, you are permitted to come here. provided it is at a reasonable hour and not five minutes before curfew." it wasn't an emotional statement. it wasn't framed as concern. yet the implications sat heavily between them.

"right." lando whispered as he nodded, slower this time. then, theo finally looked up, their eyes meeting again, but there was no challenge behind his gaze, only steadiness.

"good evening, mr. norris." he said, the formality returning just enough to signal the conversation's end without dismiss him. lando rose slightly, their eyes still locked together.

"good evening, professor." lando replied, though the title carried less tension than it had when he first arrived.

he turned towards the door, the quiet click of the handle sounding louder than he expected in the stillness of the office. the corridor outside was dim, lit by scattered touches. curfew was close, even portraits seemed drowsier, their whispered subdued as he stepped into the defence against the dark arts corridor and let the door shut gently behind him.

for a moment, he just there, exhaling slowly, the conversation replaying in fragments rather than words. not approval. not permission. but something steadier than either. he adjusted his sleeve absently and stared down the corridor toward the staircases that would take him back toward his common room, his footsteps softer than usual against the stone.

the castle at night felt different, wider, quieter, almost watchful, and he had just reached the turn leading away from the DADA tower when he heard the faint sound of approaching footsteps. he looked up and froze.

you rounded the corner first, your pace slowly almost immediately when you spotted him in the corridor, surprise flickering across your face. "lan? what are you doing? it's nearly curfew." you said softly as you reached the boy, a small smile on your face.

for half a second, he just stared, caught off guard in a way theo never quite managed to be. "i could ask you the same thing." he replied quietly, though the tension from earlier had already begun to melt at the sight of you.

"you weren't coming from the library." you stated as you crossed your arms lightly, studying him with a small, knowing tilt of your head. it wasn't an accusation, more an observation.

lando hesitated, then glanced briefly over his shoulder in the direction of the office he had just left before looking back at you. your eyes followed his movement, realization slowly dawning. "you want to see my brother."

"it started as a question about duelling."

"and?" you asked, softer now. lando exhaled, the corner of her mouth lifting faintly.

"it turned into... a conversation." you searched his expression for a moment, expecting irritation, or defensiveness, or the usual post-theo tension. instead, you found something calmer, grounded.

"he didn't hex you?"

"no."

"threaten you?"

"not really." he answered, that earned the smallest huff of a quiet laughter from you. you stepped a little closer, lowering your voice further.

"that's progress." you observed, making lando grin slightly.

"yeah, i think it is." the grin on his face didn't quiet change, but it softened around the edges, something quieter settling in behind it.

"you were in there a while. i saw carlos in the common room long ago." you remarked, your eyes still slightly studying him.

"he talks." lando shrugged, but it wasn't careless, it was measured.

"that's terrifying." you answered, making him let out a small laugh, barely louder than the echo of your own breathing. you stepped closer without really thinking about, your shoulder brushing the sleeve of his robes. "what did he say?" you asked curiously.

lando hesitated. not because he didn't want to answer, because he was choosing how. "he said my footwork's improved. that he notices things."

"of course he does." you said as you rolled your eyes lightly.

"and he said..." he continued, quieter. "if i needed anything. his door's open."

you blinked a couple of times at his words. that wasn't what you were expecting. "as a professor?" you asked carefully. lando looked at you for half a second too long.

"yeah." he said, but there was something else sitting under it. something unspoken. you understood anyway. the tension you hadn't realized you were carrying eased from your shoulders. theo hadn't approved lightly. he hadn't said anythign obvious. but he didn't need to.

"that's..." you started, then let out a breath. "that's good."

"yeah." lando repeated. there was a pause, but it wasn't awkward. it was the kind that felt like standing on the edge of something and knowing you were about to step forward.

"you didn't tell me you were going to see him." you mumbled as you glanced down the corridor towards his common room.

"i didn't plan to." he admitted, making you look at him sharply.

"you didn't have to go."

"i wanted to." he confessed. that made you still.

"why?" you asked, barely above a whisper now. lando swallowed once, jaw tightening just slightly before he spoke.

"because i needed him to know."

"to know what?" you pushed. his eyes flickered to yours and held. not playful, or reckless, just honest.

"that i'm serious." he said truthfully. your breath caught before you could stop it. the air between you shifted, not dramatic or loud, just heavier. more real. you searched his face for the teasing grin, the deflection, the usual dodge. it wasn't there.

"and?"

"and i told him..." he said, voice steady even if his fingers flexed slightly at his sides. "that i love you." the words didn't echo, didn't explode. they just landed between you, warm and terrifying and impossibly gentle all at once.

"you what?" you asked quietly as you stared at him. his shoulders lifted in a small, almost helpless shrug.

"i said i love you. i didn't know if you knew it. but i do." he mumbled. the castle felt very far away all of a sudden.

you had imagined hearing it before. maybe louder. maybe in the middle of an argument. maybe whispered in the dark when no one else existed. not like this. not in a corridor with torches burning low and curfew creeping close.

"you didn't know if i knew?" you asked quietly, making him shake his head once.

"you never said it."

"neither did you."

"i just did." he countered. your lips parted, but nothing came out at first. you weren't quick with feelings. you overthought them, analyzed them. you tried to be certain.

but you were certain. you stepped forward until there was barely space left between you. your voice dropped so low it barely travelled beyong him. "i love you too."

he blinked like the words physically hit him. the grin didn't come back, not fully. what replaced it was something ofter, something almost stunned.

"yeah?" he asked, as if he needed to hear it again to believe it.

"yes." you murmured. the corner of his mouth lifted then, slow and real and entirely unguarded. he didn't pull you into something dramatic, didn't spin you around. he just reached for you hand, fingers threading carefully through yours like he was aware of how fragile the moment was. somewhere in the distance, a door shut, making you both glance down the corridor.

"curfew." you mumbled.

"right." neither of you moved immediately. finally, he squeeze your hand once before letting go. "you should get back."

"you too." you barely had time to answer before he leaned down, pressing his lips to yours softly.

"i love you." he smiled as he leaned his forehead against yours shortly.

"i love you, lan." you replied, making his smile grown even more. he took a few steps backwards, still facing you.

"your brother's terrifying, by the way."

"i know." you smiled faintly.

"but." he added, something steady returning to expression. "i think i'm growing on him." he said with a wink, making you chuckle lightly.

"yeah." you said softly, as the two shared one last smile. he turned first, heading toward his common room, footsteps lighter than they had been when he'd left theo's office. you watched him until he disappeared around the corner, the echo of his shoes fading into the castle's quiet hum.

and for the first time since the howler, since the love-bite, since all of it. everything felt settled.

𐔌 ﹒ ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ 𓂃 ₊ ⊹

the portrait swung shut behind lando with a soft click, the warmth of the common room hitting almost immediately after the chill of the corridors. the fire was still going, low and steady, and three familiar figures were scattered across the sofas in varying stated of half-studying and not studying at all. after all, it was the last week before winter break.

max looked up first, lounging back with a book balanced uselessly against his knee. "you're late." he remarked as lando shrugged off his jumped, tossing it over the back of an armchair, though the book he carried remained unopened in his hand.

"library."

pierre, who had been sitting cross-legged on the rug with a parchment spread out in front of him, didn't even bother hiding the knowing look he exchanged with oscar. "right."

oscar didn't look up immediately, his quill still moving steadily across his notes. "revision going well, then?"

"adequately." lando answered as he dropped into the armchair nearest the fire, leaning forward slightly as he set the book down on the table.

"you hate that word." max snorted.

"i tolerate it." lando correctly mildly, though the edge that usually accompanied his sarcasm was noticeable dulled.

the quiet stretched for a moment, filled by only the crackle of the fire and the faint scratching of oscar's quill. it might have stayed that way if pierre hadn't tilted his head slightly, watching lando with open curiosity.

"you and her brother have stopped circling each other like it's a duel every lesson." the words landed lightly, but they were precise. lando paused mid-motion, his fingers tightening briefly around the armrest before relaxing again as if he hadn't reacted at all.

max caught it instantly, his book lowering a fraction. "you noticed that too?"

"it's hard not to." oscar said calmly, not even looking up from his notes. "he still watches him... just differently."

lando leaned back into the chair, gaze drifting toward the fire rather than any of them. "he watches everyone."

"not like that." pierre replied, tone thoughtful rather than teasing. "at the start of term it looked like he was waiting for you to slip. now it looks like he's... assessing."

"that's worse." max mumbled. a faint huffed escaped lando, almost a laugh but not quite.

"it's a class."

"it's been a class since september." max countered, sitting up properly now. "that didn't stop the two of you from acting like you were about to duel across the desks every lesson."

oscar finally set his quill down, lifting his gaze in lando's direction. "you used to brace whenever he called on you." he pointed out, making lando frown faintly.

"i did not."

"you did." pierre said easily. "shoulders went rigid. jaw set. whole thing."

"like you were preparing for impacts." max gestured vaguely. lando exhaled slowly through his nose, one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck in a gesture that had become increasingly familiar over the past few months.

"he was harder on me."

"he still is." oscar quickly replied. "you just don't react to it anymore." he added, quieter now. that lingered. lando's gaze dropped briefly to the rug before lifting again, more thoughtful than defensive.

"there's not point in reacting. he's not unfair, just observant."

"that's a very generous interpretation." pierre's bow lifted slightly.

"it's an accurate one." lando replied. max studied him for a second longer than usual, expression shifting from amused to something more assessing.

"you've been calmer in general." he remarked.

"that's called being exhausted." lando muttered, half rolling his eyes.

"no. that's called thinking before you act." max said simply. silence settled again, heavier this time but not uncomfortable. oscar leaned back slightly in his chair, fingers loosely folded over his notes.

"you stopped rising to bait in the corridors, even when its directed at her." the australian boy pointed out, making lando shift slightly. it was no secret that lando was quite... protective of you, often leading him to a bit of trouble. his jaw shifted slightly, but he didn't interrupt.

"and you corrected your duelling footwork after one comment and never slipped back into old habits. which is not something you would have done later year." pierre continued, almost absentmindedly.

"that was tactical."

"that was deliberate." oscar corrected gently. the distinction sat between then, quiet and undeniable. max tilted his head, watching him with narrowed eyes that held far more understanding than mockery.

"whatever happened mid-november changed the dynamic." the ducth said slowly.

lando didn't answer right away. instead, he leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees as he staredinto the fire, the organ light reflecting faintly in his eyes. "not everything needs to be dramatic to shift." he said at last as pierre echanged a gland with oscar, then back to lando.

"you're less tense in DADA."

"you've said that."

"i'm elaborating." pierre replied calmly. "you used to treat every correction from him like a challenge. now you just... adjust and move on."

"it's unnerving, honestly." max hummed.

a faint smile tugged at lando's mouth, brief and tired. "you'll survive."

another quiet stretch followed, comfortable in the way only years of familiarity could allow. outside, wind brushed faintly against the windows, the castle settling into that slow december hush that always came right before the holidays.

pierre broke it first, voice lighter now. "so."

"so." lando copied, not looking up.

"you're going to see her over the break." the statement was so casual it almost slipped past unnoticed. almost.

"i'm not-" lando started immediately, too quickly.

"you are absolutely seeing her over the break." max said, head snapping up.

"i didn't say that."

"you didn't deny it convincingly." pierre pointed out, a hint of amusement threading into his tone. oscar watched him for a moment, quiet and perceptive as always.

"you've been checking the calendar since the term dates were posted."

lando blinked once. "that was for revision scheduling."

"you colour-coded it." max said, staring at him flatly.

"that's efficient."

"that's emotional." max shot back. a quiet huff of laughter escaped pierre as he leaned back on his hands.

"you've also stopped complaining about winter break entirely, which is unprecedented."

"i never complained."

"you called it 'academically disruptive' every year since fourth." oscar said calmly. lando's mouth opened, then close again as he leaned back into the armchair, tilting his head toward the ceiling like he was searching for a more convincing argument.

"i might visit." he admitted after a moment, carefully neutral.

"you're going to their house." max let out in a disbelieving breath.

"i did not say that."

"you don't have to. it's obvious." pierre replied, grin soft but knowing.

"it's not a formal arrangement."

"you're serious enough that it doesn't need to be." oscar said, expression softening just slightly. that silenced him more effectively than any teasing could have. the fire crackled again, warmth settling deeper into the room. max leaned back against the sofa, studying him with a look that lacked its usual edge.

"you're not nervous." he observed. lando's gaze flicked toward the fire again, thoughtful now.

"i handled the worst part already."

"her brother." pierre stated with lifted brows. a faint exhale left lando, something quieter than amusement but lighter than tension.

"he's... reasonable." he shrugged.

"that might be the most diplomatic thing you've ever said." max said.

"he stilled watches you." oscar added, lips twitching faintly.

"i know."

"but you don't seem bothered by it anymore." he pointed out.

lando was quiet for a few seconds before answering, voice lower now. "it's different."

"how?" pierre asked. he considered the question, shoulders relaxing slightly as he leaned back further into the chair.

"it doesn't feel like scrutiny for the sake of intimidation anymore." he said carefully. "more like expectation." that made them all pause.

"and you're fine with that?" max wondered, tilting his head. lando's faze drifted towards the staircases that led up to the dormitories, than back to the fire.

"i don't mind being expected to do better." another silence followed, softer this time. pierre studied him a moment longer, the teasing fully gone now.

"you've changed this term."

"seventh year." lando said automatically.

oscar shook his head head slightly. "no. that's part of it. but not all of it."

the firelight flickered across lando's face as he let out a slow breath. "some things are just... more important than reacting to every provocation." he said, making max expression shift, something understanding settling there.

"because of her." it wasn't mocking. it wasn't even really a question. lando didn't deny it. he just gave the smallest nod, as if the truth no longer felt like something that needed defending.

"you're steadier." pierre smiled faintly.

"that sounds dangerously close like a compliment." lando muttered.

"it is." oscar said simply. max let out a quiet scoff, though it lack any real bite.

"you used to treat everything like something to charge at headfirst."

"and now?" lando asked, glancing at him.

max's mouth twitched. "now you look like you're actually thinking about what happens after." the room fell quiet again, the fire casting slow shadows across the walls as the castle settled deeper into the december night.

after a moment, pierre spoke again, softer this time. "she's good for you." lando didn't react immediately. he just stared into the fire for a few seconds longer before answering, voice quieter than it had been all evening.

"i know."

no one laughed. no one teased. oscar picked up his quill again, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as he returned to his notes. max stretched back against the sofa with a low sigh, and pierre simply nodded to himself like something had quietly confirmed the suspicion he'd had for weeks.