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AS THEY STOOD IN FRONT OF HER MUM'S HOUSE, ESMIE GRIMACED AT DRACO'S INCREDULOUS QUESTION.

"You lived here?" He sounded more amazed than anything, but it still made her cringe inside.

None of her friends, not even Enzo, had ever seen where she'd grown up. This house held too many ghosts. Now, standing here, in front of the massive house that loomed over the others on the street, she felt a sense of dread that hadn't surfaced in years. She hated this—hated that they were here. Hated that her past was now laid bare for them to see.

"Uh, yeah... I guess I did," Esmie muttered, her voice tight as she forced herself to walk up the steps. She unlocked the front door and pushed it open, stepping inside as a wave of memories washed over her. The smell of the house, the creaking of the old floorboards, the oppressive silence. It all hit her at once, freezing her in the doorway.

"Mie?" Enzo's voice was a lifeline in the storm. He was right behind her, his hand a comforting presence on the small of her back. She hadn't realised how much she needed that steadying touch until now. "You don't have to go in if you're not ready. We can leave," he offered gently, his eyes searching hers as she turned toward him.

Esmie's throat tightened. She wanted to leave, but she couldn't. She couldn't keep running from this place forever. "It's alright. I... I can do this," she whispered, though her voice shook.

Enzo looked at her for a moment longer, as if trying to gauge her strength. Finally, he nodded, squeezing her hand in silent support. Only he knew the full extent of what had happened in this house—the years of emotional abuse, the neglect, the Christmas that had broken her so completely she hadn't returned to Hogwarts until summer break was over. He had been the only one she trusted with that part of her life, and even now, standing here again, she could feel the weight of those memories pressing down on her.

As she took a step further into the house, the dark cloud of her past settled around her shoulders like a heavy cloak. She flinched, her mind flashing back to nights spent crying in her room, the coldness of her mother's indifference, the suffocating loneliness of this place.

"Mie..." Enzo's voice was soft as he moved in front of her, his hands gently resting on her arms. His dark eyes met hers with a quiet concern. "We don't have to stay. If this is too much, we'll go, alright?"

Esmie bit her lip, fighting the tears that threatened to spill. "I... I can do this," she repeated, though her voice lacked the conviction she wished it had.

Enzo took her hand in his once more, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm right here with you, Esmie. We'll get through this together."

Esmie nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. With Enzo at her side, she turned to the rest of her friends, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Welcome to a Muggle home. Feel free to look around. If you've got any questions, just ask."

Draco, ever the curious one, spoke first. "I've got a question: are you rich?"

The question made Esmie flinch, the discomfort immediately apparent in her body language. It was a question she had dreaded, one she had never wanted to face with her friends. She hated the idea of being labeled as "rich." Her mother had left her everything, and with the sale of Snape's house completed recently, she had even more money than before, but it wasn't something she wanted. The very idea of wealth made her uneasy, especially after all the suffering it had come with.

Enzo saw the flash of pain in her eyes and immediately spoke up, his voice sharp. "Does it really matter if she's rich, Draco?"

Esmie quickly touched his arm, her fingers brushing against his skin in a silent plea for him not to escalate things. "It's fine," she murmured, before addressing Draco's question. "My parents... left me some money." She shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant, though every word felt like it was dragging up memories she'd rather bury.

Before anyone could say anything else, she turned on her heel and began walking down the hall, toward her old bedroom. The familiar path sent a shiver down her spine.

Danielle, who had been quiet until now, followed close behind. "Wait, Esmie," she called out, her voice softer, more thoughtful than Draco's had been. Esmie slowed, glancing back at her friend, who was looking around the house with wide eyes. "You actually lived here?" Dani's voice was full of genuine wonder, not the mocking disbelief Draco had shown. There was something else in her tone too—an understanding.

Esmie's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "Yeah... hard to believe, right?"

Dani caught up to her, walking beside her as they continued down the hall. "I mean, it's huge," she said, still looking around. "But... it doesn't feel like you."

Esmie's heart clenched at those words. "It never was," she whispered, her voice barely audible. She swallowed hard, glancing toward Dani, who was watching her with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "This house was always cold. My mum... she wasn't exactly the warmest person."

Danielle's expression softened, her usual teasing tone gone as she spoke. "I'm sorry, Esmie. I had no idea."

Esmie nodded, blinking back the tears that had been threatening since the moment they arrived. "No one did. I never wanted anyone to know."

Danielle touched her arm gently. "You're a lot stronger than I think I would've been, Emsy. Living here, going through all that... You didn't deserve it."

The sincerity in Danielle's words made Esmie pause, her breath catching in her throat. She glanced down, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of it all, but she didn't want to break down here. Not now. "Thanks, Dani," she murmured, her voice cracking slightly.

"You don't have to face this place alone," Danielle added softly, her hand squeezing Esmie's arm before letting go. "We've got your back. Always."

Esmie managed a weak smile, the support from her friends grounding her in this moment. It didn't erase the memories, but it made them bearable. She nodded once before taking a deep breath and continuing down the hall, Enzo and Danielle by her side.

As Esmie stepped into her old bedroom, a wave of nostalgia washed over her. The room was exactly as she had left it, untouched by time. It was eerie, seeing everything frozen like that—the posters on the walls, the books on the shelves, the bed that still had the same faded comforter from her childhood. She stood there, taking it all in, her heart heavy with the memories this room held. She hadn't expected to feel this much when she walked in, but now that she was here, the emotions were overwhelming.

Behind her, footsteps echoed in the hallway. Esmie turned and saw Enzo enter the room, his gaze sweeping over the space before settling on her. He walked over to her side, his presence instantly comforting.

"Was this your room?" he asked gently, his voice full of curiosity but also concern, as if he could sense the weight of what she was feeling.

Esmie nodded, swallowing hard as she looked around the room again. "Yeah... it hasn't changed at all."

Enzo stayed silent for a moment, giving her the space she needed. She made her way over to the bedside table and slowly pulled open the drawer. Inside, lying on top of old trinkets and forgotten keepsakes, was her diary. Her hand trembled slightly as she picked it up, her fingers brushing over the worn cover.

"This..." she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "This is my diary from the last time I stayed here."

Enzo came closer, his eyes flickering with concern as he saw the way her expression shifted. "Are you sure you want to go through that, Mie?" he asked softly.

Esmie hesitated, but something in her compelled her to open it. As she flipped through the pages, she landed on an entry that made her heart drop. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

Enzo noticed immediately. "What's wrong? What does it say?"

Taking a deep breath, Esmie read aloud, her voice trembling. "I was on my way to tell Lorenzo how I felt about him when I saw him with Katie Bell. It looked like they were flirting, and I guess—seeing them together made me realise I'm just nothing compared to her..."

Before she could continue, Enzo reached out and gently but firmly took the diary from her hands, snapping it shut. "Enough of that," he said, his voice firm but filled with love. "That's not true, Esmeralda. None of it. You are not 'nothing.' To me, you're everything—the most beautiful, kindest, and smartest person I know."

"But, Enzo..." Esmie began, her voice cracking. "That's how I felt back then. I thought you didn't care. I thought I wasn't enough."

Enzo shook his head, his hands cupping her face now as he looked directly into her eyes. "You were always enough. What happened between us in fifth year... it hurt me too, Mie. I didn't know how to deal with everything back then."

He opened the diary again, flipping to a different entry. His eyes scanned the words, and he began reading aloud, "I saw Enzo today, and he looked really sad. I miss him, and I just want to talk to him again. But what if I've broken our friendship beyond repair? What if he doesn't talk to me after the way I hurt him? I hope he doesn't hate me... I don't think I could bear it. All I really want is to kiss him again and tell him how in love with him I am."

Esmie's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she tried to snatch the diary back. "Enz, stop—"

"You wanted to kiss me again?" Enzo teased, a mischievous smile crossing his face as he held the diary out of reach.

Esmie blushed even harder, hiding her face in her hands. "It was all I could think about back then," she mumbled. "But after everything that happened, I didn't think we'd ever be able to fix things."

"You have no idea how much I wanted to kiss you too," Enzo admitted, his voice dropping to a softer, more serious tone as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry for everything that happened, especially after we... you know, after we slept together. I was in love with you, even then, and it killed me that I hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me," Esmie said quietly, resting her forehead against his chest. "I'm the one who's sorry. I should've been honest with you."

"You didn't hurt me either, Mie," Enzo whispered, kissing the top of her head. "And look at us now. We're together, and I'm the happiest I've ever been."

Before Esmie could reply, another voice cut through the air, making them both jump. "Uh... I have a question," Draco said, standing awkwardly in the doorway.

Esmie sighed, turning to face him. "Yes?"

Draco held something up, his expression confused. "What is this?"

Esmie looked at the object in his hands and burst into laughter. He was holding an old broomstick with a stuffed horse's head attached to it.

"Oh my God, that's Star!" she giggled. "It's a hobby horse. My cousin Derek gave it to me when I was little because my mum wouldn't let me have a real pony."

Danielle, who had followed Draco into the room, snorted. "Wait, your mum didn't let you have a pony, so you had to ride that thing around?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Esmie rolled her eyes playfully. "Hey, don't judge! I loved Star. My cousin Derek was like the only cool person in my family."

"You've never mentioned him before," Enzo commented, raising an eyebrow.

Esmie's smile faded slightly. "Yeah... we lost touch. I think I was ten or eleven the last time I saw him."

Danielle's teasing tone softened, and she stepped closer to Esmie. "I'm sorry, Mie. That must've been tough."

Esmie shrugged, trying to play it off. "It's alright. I've got a new family now," she said, glancing at Enzo and giving him a soft smile. "You're my family, Enzo."

Enzo smiled back, pulling her close. "You're my family too, Mie."

Danielle grinned, crossing her arms. "You two are disgustingly adorable, you know that?"

Esmie smirked. "Yeah, well, you're just jealous."

Danielle let out a mock gasp, placing a hand over her heart. "Jealous? Please. Levi's got the flirting down. It's hard to keep up."

Just then, Levi appeared in the doorway with his signature grin. "Did I hear my name?" he asked, winking at Danielle, who rolled her eyes at him.

"Levi, we're trying to have a moment here!" Danielle huffed, though there was a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Levi replied, leaning against the doorframe. "But seriously, you two are adorable. I'm happy for you guys."

"Thanks, Levi," Esmie said, her smile growing wider. "Now can we get back to why we're here?"

"Finally," Draco muttered under his breath. "We still have an assignment, you know."

"Fine, fine," Esmie sighed, giving Enzo one last squeeze before turning to head back downstairs. As they walked into the living room, they saw Mattheo sitting on the couch, clicking the remote control and staring intently at the television.

"Matty, what are you doing?" Esmie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"This magical box... it's fascinating," Mattheo said, his eyes glued to the screen as he turned the TV on and off.

Esmie laughed, taking the remote from him. "That's a television, you idiot. I told you about it."

Danielle joined in, laughing as she nudged Mattheo. "Maybe we should have a movie night or something, show you how it works."

Esmie's eyes lit up at the idea. "Actually, that's a great idea! We could do it at Enzo's place."

Enzo nodded, grinning. "Yeah, since Dad's not around anymore, I've got the house to myself. We could bring the TV over."

Danielle smirked. "Sounds like a plan. Just don't make me watch any sappy romance films, alright?"

Esmie laughed and shook her head. "I make no promises," she said playfully, before noticing Josie standing a little apart from the group. Concerned, she walked over to where her best friend was standing.

"Hey, Jos. You okay?" Esmie asked softly.

Josie turned toward her with a wistful smile. "Yeah, I was just thinking how fun it would've been to come here during the holidays. You know, have sleepovers, stay up late watching movies with you."

Esmie smiled warmly, though her heart tugged at the thought. "Yeah... we could've done so much together."

"Totally," Elsie chimed in, walking up and joining the conversation. "Imagine all of us crashing here for weeks, making the place a mess with snacks and pillow fights."

Esmie glanced between her two best friends, feeling a pang of regret. "I know. I would've loved that, but... well, I was never allowed to have anyone over, especially not magical friends."

"I still don't understand why," Josie said, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Esmie shrugged, trying to keep her tone light. "Neither do I, honestly. My mum did everything she could to keep magic out of this house. She pretended it didn't exist."

"That's ridiculous," Dani said, joining the group with a shake of her head, her dark hair bouncing as she spoke. "Did she really think she could hide magic forever? I mean, come on—magic finds its way in."

"Yeah, well, my mum had her ways," Esmie said with a small sigh, not wanting to dive too deep into the darker memories of her childhood. She glanced at Elsie, who gave her a sympathetic look.

"So what did you do during the holidays?" Elsie asked, curiosity lighting up her eyes.

"Not much," Esmie replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I mostly stayed in my room, reading or writing in my diaries. Sometimes my mum made me go to these fancy parties, but I hated those."

Danielle let out an exaggerated gasp, grinning. "Fancy parties, huh? Bet you were the belle of the ball."

Enzo, having joined the group just in time to hear Dani's comment, slid an arm around Esmie's waist. "I bet she was too," he smiled, kissing the side of her head. Esmie blushed, her smile widening at the compliment.

"You all think way too highly of me," Esmie said, her cheeks flushed. "I was just a quiet kid trying not to stand out."

"Quiet? You? I don't believe it for a second," Dani teased, raising an eyebrow. "I bet you were secretly the life of the party, charming everyone with that smile of yours."

"Oh, absolutely. Esmie here probably had all the rich boys at those fancy parties lining up to dance with her," Levi said with a grin, strolling over and jumping in on the teasing.

Esmie's face turned even redder, and she swatted at Levi playfully. "Stop it! You're making me sound way cooler than I actually was."

"You mean you're not the secret queen of high society parties?" Dani asked, mockingly horrified. "My whole perception of you is shattered, Emsy."

Esmie laughed, shaking her head at her friends' playful banter. "Trust me, it was nothing like that."

"Babbani possiedono alcune cose strane," Theo commented, suddenly holding up a pen as if it were an alien object. Esmie spotted him from across the room and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"It's just a pen, Theo," Esmie said, still giggling. "Like a quill, but without the feathers."

Theo squinted at the pen suspiciously. "Non capisco il divertimento delle cose non magiche," he muttered, shaking his head.

Esmie gave him a confused look and turned to Elsie. "Els, translation, please?"

Elsie chuckled. "He said he doesn't understand the fun of non-magical things."

Esmie smirked, glancing at Theo with a playful gleam in her eye. "Muggles grow up without magic, so to them, everything seems normal. Just like how you all can't imagine life without it, but funnily enough, I was always fascinated by magical things when I was little."

"Really?" Mattheo asked, intrigued as he stepped closer. "I wouldn't have pegged you for that."

"Yeah," Esmie admitted with a smile. "I used to read stories like Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, both set in magical worlds. I loved them, but of course, I had to hide the books so my mum wouldn't find out."

Danielle let out a dramatic sigh, smirking as she leaned in. "Hiding magical books? Esmie, you were such a rebel."

Esmie rolled her eyes but smiled. "Well, I had to get my magic fix somehow."

"Come to think of it," Dani continued, "you probably have a secret collection of magical knick-knacks stashed around this house, don't you? Some enchanted broomstick hidden in the attic?"

Esmie chuckled. "I wish. Most of my childhood was spent trying to not get caught with anything remotely magical."

Dani's grin widened. "And now look at you—breaking all the rules, surrounded by magical friends, your non-magical mother would be horrified."

"She definitely would," Esmie said with a laugh. "And I kind of love that."

"Let's hope she doesn't come back and haunt you for it," Levi teased, leaning against the wall with his usual mischievous smile.

"She wouldn't stand a chance," Enzo said confidently, giving Esmie a squeeze. "I'd take care of any ghosts."

"Ghostbuster Enzo, huh?" Danielle teased. "I can just see you running around the house with one of those Muggle vacuums trying to catch a ghost."

Enzo laughed. "Hey, if it works, it works."

Esmie chuckled, shaking her head at their playful back-and-forth. She glanced around the room, feeling a warmth settle in her chest as she saw her friends gathered together. These were the people she trusted most, and having them here made the house feel less suffocating.

"Alright, enough ghost talk," Esmie said with a grin. "Let's get back to the assignment."

"Fine, fine," Dani said with a mock huff, throwing her hands in the air. "But I'm expecting some good, non-magical fun later."

Esmie smirked. "You won't be disappointed."

She clapped her hands, turning her attention back to the task at hand. "Okay, Genevieve, Levi, and Enzo, you're going to be cooking with Muggle appliances. You can make whatever you want. Draco, Josie, Theo, and Elsie, I want you to clean the house and get everything ready for a movie night. Pick whatever movie you like. Mattheo, Dani, and I will handle the gardening."

Draco groaned loudly. "Wait—does that mean I have to use one of those non-magical brooms? Esmie, you're cruel."

Danielle grinned, raising an eyebrow at him. "Aw, come on, Draco, think of it as character building."

Draco crossed his arms, looking utterly put out. "I hate character building."

Esmie laughed at his dramatic reaction. "Tell you what, Draco—once we're done, we'll have some magical fun. I might even let you use your wand then."

Draco perked up at that, nodding in agreement. "Fine, but only because there's magic at the end of it."

"Always looking for an excuse to get out of manual labor," Levi teased, earning a light punch from Draco.

As the group began to disperse, Danielle caught Esmie's arm, pulling her back for a moment. "Hey, Emsy."

"Yeah?" Esmie turned, her expression curious.

Dani gave her a soft, genuine smile. "Thanks for trusting us enough to bring us here. I know this place probably holds a lot of bad memories for you, but... you're not alone, okay?"

Esmie's heart warmed at her friend's words, and she squeezed Danielle's hand gratefully. "Thanks, Dani. That means a lot."

Danielle's usual playful smirk returned as she nudged Esmie's shoulder. "And don't worry. We'll get through this house without burning it down... probably."

Esmie laughed. "I'll hold you to that."

"Good luck with the gardening, though," Levi chimed in from behind them. "Dani here can't even keep a cactus alive."

"Hey!" Danielle protested, glaring at Levi. "Cacti are tricky, okay? Besides, I'm not the one who nearly set the kitchen on fire last time we cooked."

Levi threw his hands up defensively. "That was one time!"

Esmie grinned, watching their banter with amusement. "Alright, alright. Let's get to work before we all get distracted again."

With that, the group split off to tackle their assignments. Esmie, Mattheo, and Danielle made their way outside toward the garage. Mattheo looked around the cluttered space with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, raising an eyebrow at the various items that had been haphazardly stored there.

"What is this room for?" Mattheo asked, peeking at an old box of gardening tools like it might attack him.

Esmie chuckled. "It's a garage, Matty. Muggles park their cars in here and use it for storage." She gave a small shrug as she looked around. "I already sold Mum's car, though."

Danielle, leaning casually against the doorframe, smirked. "Yeah, it's a magical space where Muggles collect junk for years. Kind of like a room of requirement, but way less fun."

"Junk?!" Esmie gasped, feigning offence as she spotted something tucked away behind a pile of old boxes. Her eyes lit up, and she dashed over to pull it out. "This is not junk! Look at this!"

Mattheo squinted at the object she held. "What is that?"

"A bike!" Esmie said proudly, brushing some dust off of it. "I used to ride this when I was younger. Come on, Matty, I'll teach you how to ride it!"

Mattheo's eyes widened in horror. "You want me to do what? On that?" He pointed at the bike like it was some ancient torture device.

Danielle snickered from behind them. "Oh, this is going to be good. Mattheo on a bike? I'll pay good money to see that."

Esmie grinned, grabbing the bike and dragging it outside. "Come on! It's easy. You'll pick it up in no time."

Mattheo, still looking skeptical, reluctantly followed her outside. "I'm not convinced this is safe, Esmie."

Danielle called after him, her voice dripping with mock concern. "Don't worry, Matty. If you fall, we'll scrape you off the pavement. Maybe."

"Gee, thanks, Dani," Mattheo muttered, but there was a small smile on his face.

Esmie positioned the bike and turned to Mattheo, who eyed it suspiciously. "Alright, get on," she instructed.

Mattheo hesitated for a second before swinging his leg over and settling himself onto the bike, wobbling slightly as he tried to find his balance. Esmie grabbed the back, holding him steady as she started pushing him forward.

"This is terrifying!" Mattheo shouted, gripping the handlebars with white knuckles. "How do people do this?"

Danielle was practically doubled over with laughter from the sidelines. "Oh my God, Matty, you look like you're trying to escape a dragon."

"Do you want to try it by yourself?" Esmie asked through her giggles, still holding onto the back of the bike.

Mattheo's eyes darted between Esmie and the road ahead of him. "I... maybe?"

"Come on, you've got this," Esmie encouraged.

"Fine, but if I die, I'm haunting you both," Mattheo grumbled, giving a quick nod. Esmie grinned and let go, watching as he shakily pedalled down the driveway.

For a brief moment, it looked like he was managing it. Mattheo's eyes were wide with a mix of terror and exhilaration, but then, as expected, he lost his balance. The bike wobbled, and before anyone could stop him, he crashed, landing hard on the concrete driveway and rolling onto the grass.

Esmie burst into laughter as she rushed over to him. "Are you okay?"

Mattheo groaned dramatically, flopping onto his back and spreading his arms wide. "No! How does anyone ride that death trap?"

Danielle sauntered over, grinning wickedly as she looked down at Mattheo sprawled on the ground. "Well, that was the most entertaining thing I've seen in a while. Maybe stick to brooms, yeah?"

Mattheo glared up at her. "I'm never trusting either of you again."

Esmie offered him a hand, still laughing. "You'll survive, Matty. Want to give it another go?"

Instead of pulling himself up, Mattheo grabbed Esmie's hand and yanked her down beside him, sending her tumbling into the grass with a surprised yelp. Both of them erupted into laughter, rolling around like a pair of kids.

Just then, Enzo appeared at the edge of the driveway, his eyebrows raised at the sight of Esmie and Mattheo lying in the grass next to a toppled bike. "What in Merlin's name are you two doing?" he asked, crossing his arms but grinning.

Esmie looked up at him, still giggling. "Hi, Sweets! I was just teaching Matty how to ride a bike."

"Teaching me how to die more like it," Mattheo muttered, sitting up with a groan.

"Want to give it a try, Enzo?" Esmie asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she stood up, brushing off her clothes.

Enzo chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't know about this, Mie. Brooms, I get. Bikes? Not so much."

Esmie grinned, already wheeling the bike back up the driveway. "Don't worry, love, I won't let go of you."

Danielle snorted. "Don't believe a word she says, Enzo. She's a total liar. Just ask Matty."

Mattheo nodded fervently. "She let go of me, and I almost died."

Esmie threw her hands up in defence. "I asked you before I let go! You said yes!"

Enzo laughed, watching the two of them banter. "Alright, alright. Let's see what you've got, Mie."

Esmie grinned, positioning the bike as Enzo climbed on. She held him steady, running alongside him as he pedalled down the driveway. "You're doing great!" she called out.

But just like Mattheo, Enzo wobbled, and within seconds, he lost control, tumbling off the bike—right into Esmie's arms. The two of them crashed onto the grass in a heap of laughter.

Danielle, watching from a distance, clapped her hands together with a smirk. "Oh, I live for this. Esmie catching you like a knight in shining armour, Enzo. How romantic."

Esmie, giggling, looked up at Enzo as he lay on top of her. "Don't worry, darling. You didn't hurt us," she said softly, her hand resting on her stomach.

Enzo smiled in relief, his hand still on her stomach as he met her eyes. "That's good." He leaned down, kissing her tenderly as they lay there.

"Ugh, can we not?" Mattheo groaned from a few feet away, throwing his hands over his eyes in mock horror. "Some of us are still recovering from our near-death experience."

Esmie pulled away from the kiss, laughing as she sat up. "Right, sorry," she said, shaking her head at Mattheo's dramatic performance.

Danielle rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "You two are ridiculous." She gave Enzo a teasing look. "Next thing we know, you'll be writing love poems about this moment, Enzo. 'The day I fell off a bike into Esmie's arms.'"

Enzo snorted. "Maybe I will. I've got a way with words, you know."

"Yeah, right. What are you going to call it?" Dani teased. "'Tumbling into Love: A Bike Ride Gone Wrong'?"

Mattheo groaned louder, still sprawled on the grass. "Please, for the love of Merlin, no poetry. I don't think I can handle it."

Esmie grinned, standing up and brushing off her clothes. "Alright, enough teasing. Let's get back to work before Draco starts complaining again."

Danielle sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine, but I'll be bringing up this bike incident for years, just so you know."

"Wouldn't expect anything less," Esmie replied, laughing as she grabbed Enzo's hand and pulled him up.

The four of them made their way back toward the house, the teasing banter and laughter continuing to echo around them.

Once inside, the group made their way to the living room, the playful teasing and laughter from outside still lingering in the air. Esmie took charge, eagerly showing her friends how to set everything up for their movie night. She guided Draco, Josie, Theo, and Elsie through the Muggle basics—arranging the chairs and blankets, adjusting the television, and even demonstrating how to use the remote. They fumbled with the unfamiliar technology, but Esmie couldn't stop laughing at their reactions.

"This thing controls the box?" Draco asked, holding the remote like it might explode at any moment.

"Yes, Draco," Esmie chuckled. "It's not going to bite you. Just press the button."

Josie, already curled up on one of the couches, grinned. "You're going to love this once we get started, trust me."

Meanwhile, Enzo and Levi were in charge of snacks, attempting to figure out the microwave. "It's just like magic, but for food," Levi joked as the popcorn popped away behind the glass door. "Kind of weird, right?"

"Except it's way slower than magic," Enzo quipped, but he wore a grin as he pulled the popcorn out.

Danielle, seated on a pile of cushions with a blanket draped over her, watched the chaos unfold with a satisfied smirk. "This is great. We should do this more often—watch Matty and Draco try to navigate Muggle life. It's like a comedy show."

Mattheo shot her a glare from his spot on the floor, where he was trying to untangle a mess of cords. "Don't get too comfortable, Dani. Next time, you're trying the bike."

"Ha! I'd be better at it than you," she shot back, sticking out her tongue.

Esmie, grinning at the banter, finally got the movie ready to play. The living room was now transformed into a cozy space, with pillows and blankets scattered across the floor, bowls of popcorn placed strategically around the room, and everyone settled in, ready for a relaxing night.

As the movie started, Esmie nestled between Enzo and Danielle, feeling their warmth on either side of her. Danielle tossed some popcorn at Mattheo's head just to annoy him, and he retaliated by flicking a piece back at her. The playful energy was infectious, and soon, the group was half-watching the movie, half-messing with each other.

Despite the lighthearted chaos, Esmie found herself smiling, a deep, contented feeling settling over her. The movie flickered on the screen, but her attention drifted, her heart swelling with gratitude for the people around her. These were her best friends—the ones who knew her inside and out, who laughed with her and teased her and made even the most ordinary moments feel special.

She glanced over at Enzo, who caught her eye and smiled softly before giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. On her other side, Danielle was still tossing bits of popcorn at Mattheo, but when she caught Esmie watching, she flashed her a warm grin.

Esmie's smile widened. For so long, her house had been filled with memories she wanted to forget, but now, it was filled with something else—laughter, love, and the comfort of knowing she wasn't alone. These small, quiet moments, surrounded by the people she loved, felt more magical than any spell.

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Personally one of my favourite chapters!

I am trying to decide if I should write a book that would be centred around Esmie's fourth and fifth years, especially the events that happened between Esmie and Enzo.

Enjoy! Xo

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