The pink haze of Valentine's Day had faded like the remnants of a fleeting charm, leaving behind heart-shaped wrappers, a few awkward glances, and whispered memories. The castle returned to its usual rhythm: bustling corridors, floating quills, and Professor Snape's ever-disapproving scowl.
In the warm, rounded common room of Hufflepuff, life settled back into its calm buzz. The enchanted fireplace crackled merrily, and several students gathered around the tables finishing up assignments, playing wizard chess, or trading jokes about the more chaotic parts of last week. It was comfortable again—uncomplicated.
The door to the common room creaked open, and a familiar voice carried in:
"May I have a few minutes of your time, my lovely badgers?"
Professor Sprout, cheeks rosy from the cold and hair tucked under her slightly dirt-smudged hat, smiled warmly as she stepped inside. The chatter slowed, and students turned their attention toward her.
She clapped her hands once, sending a puff of dirt from her gloves. "I won't keep you long! I just wanted to share some rather delightful news and a bit of encouragement."
The students perked up, curious.
"We're currently second in the House point rankings!" she announced, beaming.
A small ripple of applause and surprised gasps moved through the common room. Someone let out a cheerful whoop.
"Yes, yes," she chuckled. "Now, we all know how rare it is for the other Houses to take us seriously. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't take ourselves seriously. You lot have been showing such promise—good marks, clever practical work, and far fewer cauldron explosions this term!"
There were a few laughs—mostly from the second-years who had, in fact, stopped exploding things.
"I know we don't always chase the spotlight, and that's perfectly fine," she continued. "But wouldn't it be something to bring home the House Cup this year? It's not out of reach, not at all. All it takes is a bit of extra effort in your classes, maybe an answer or two more in History, some precision in Transfiguration, and"—she raised an eyebrow—"less sneaking around at night, if I may say so."
A small coughing fit erupted from a trio of students in the corner, including Hadrian, Dora, and Iris, who all suddenly found their shoelaces very interesting.
"Just a suggestion," Sprout said with a smile that showed she knew exactly what they'd been up to lately. "Now then. Let's show the other Houses that loyalty, kindness, and hard work are more than enough to win the Cup. All right, badgers?"
A chorus of "Yes, Professor!" echoed around the room, mixed with some enthusiastic clapping and stomping on the soft carpeted floor.
Sprout gave them a warm nod, then made her way toward her quarters, leaving the room abuzz with cheerful energy and whispered plans for extra credit and group study sessions.
At their favorite corner by the hearth, Hadrian leaned closer to the girls and smirked. "Looks like we'll have to tone down the pranks... for now."
"Or make them so good they earn us points," Dora said slyly.
"Academic pranks?" Iris mused aloud. "Now that's a challenge."
The common room roared on around them, a den of happy badgers ready to rise. The spark had been lit—and this time, it wasn't just for mischief.