The Great Hall was quiet in the early morning, with only a few students scattered across the long tables. Lilith Nightingale sat with Leo Wilkes and Elias Thorne at the Slytherin table, sipping tea while keeping an eye on the small first-year beside her. Leo was nibbling on a piece of toast, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of his robe.

"You need to eat more than that," Lilith said gently, nudging a plate of eggs toward him. "You have flying lessons today. You'll need the energy."

Leo hesitated before picking up his fork, but he still seemed nervous. Elias, sitting on the other side of Lilith with his usual casual ease, smirked and ruffled Leo's hair. "Don't worry, mate. First time on a broom's always rough. You'll either soar or fall dramatically. Either way, it's entertaining."

Lilith shot Elias a look. "You're not helping."

"I think I am," Elias countered, grinning. "Takes the pressure off if he expects the worst."

Leo let out a small laugh, though he still looked uncertain. Lilith sighed, making a mental note to watch over him later. Once breakfast was finished, she stood, dusting crumbs off her robe. "Come on, we'll walk you to the pitch."

The morning air was crisp as they made their way across the grounds, the wind tugging at their robes. When they arrived at the broom shed, Leo didn't move to pick one from the provided school brooms. Instead, he hesitated before reaching into his bag and pulling out a broom of his own.

Lilith felt her chest tighten when she saw it. The handle was worn down, the wood chipped and splintered in places. The bristles were sparse, unevenly cut, and barely holding together. It was clear that it was old, possibly second-hand—or worse, thirdhand. The sight of it made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

Elias let out a low whistle. "That thing looks like it belongs in a museum."

Leo's fingers curled around the handle, his face heating with embarrassment. "It—it was my dad's."

Lilith swallowed hard. She knew better than anyone what it meant to hold onto something because it was all you had left. She glanced at Elias, who, for once, had the sense not to make another joke.

"It's a good broom," she said firmly, ignoring the way her throat tightened.

Leo looked up at her, eyes wide with surprise. "Really?"

Lilith nodded. "Of course."

Before the conversation could go further, Madam Hooch clapped her hands, calling the first-years to attention. "Alright! Everyone line up! Place your broomsticks on the ground beside you and say, 'Up!'"

Leo gave them one last nervous glance before scurrying to join the others. Lilith watched as he followed Madam Hooch's instructions, his tiny voice calling 'Up!' as he tried to summon the broom. The old wood barely twitched. She frowned, making another mental note to do something about it soon.

Elias nudged her shoulder. "You're looking awfully motherly right now."

Lilith rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Thorne."

Elias just grinned. "Admit it, you're invested."

She exhaled through her nose. "Of course, I am. He's my responsibility now."

Elias tilted his head. "Yeah? And what does that make me?"

"A headache," Lilith replied smoothly, turning on her heel and heading toward the castle. "Come on, we're going to be late for Potions."

Elias laughed, jogging to catch up. "Admit it—you'd be lost without me."

Lilith didn't answer, but the small smile tugging at her lips was enough of a response.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The descent into the Potions classroom was much cooler, the scent of crushed herbs and damp stone filling the air. The flickering light from enchanted lanterns cast eerie shadows on the ancient shelves lined with jars of mysterious ingredients. The dungeon was colder than usual, though Lilith barely noticed as she made her way to her usual seat.

The room soon filled with the chatter of students as the rest of the class arrived. Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini took their usual spots, Draco Malfoy looking disinterested as he dropped into his seat with the practiced ease of someone who believed himself far too superior to be sitting in a classroom at all. And then, predictably, Elias Thorne arrived—late, of course, his tie slightly loosened again despite Lilith's earlier efforts.

He slid onto the seat beside her with a grin. "Miss me?"

Lilith didn't even look up from the ingredients she was sorting. "Not in the slightest."

Elias chuckled. "Liar."

Professor Slughorn finally cleared his throat, rising from his seat with the air of someone who had far too much knowledge and a deep fondness for theatrics. "Today," he began, rubbing his hands together, "we shall attempt a rather tricky potion—The Draught of Living Death."

A collective murmur rippled through the classroom. Even Lilith raised a brow. It was an advanced potion, requiring extreme precision and skill. One wrong move, and a cauldron could easily become nothing more than a bubbling, toxic mess.

Slughorn continued, "Now, I will be pairing you all up, as teamwork is an essential skill in potion-making." He scanned the room, his gaze twinkling mischievously. "Let's see... Parkinson with Zabini, Malfoy with Nott, and—ah! Thorne and Nightingale."

Lilith's head snapped up as Elias let out a low whistle. "Well, well. Looks like we're stuck together again."

Lilith exhaled through her nose, already dreading what was to come. "Just don't get in my way."

Elias smirked. "No promises."

They set to work, gathering their ingredients with practiced efficiency. Lilith took charge, of course, measuring each component with precise care, while Elias mostly observed, occasionally tossing in a sarcastic remark when he thought she was being too meticulous.

"You know," he mused as she carefully ground valerian root, "you could try having fun with this."

Lilith shot him a glare. "We are dealing with a potion that could put someone into a coma, Thorne. Forgive me for not treating this like a joke."

Elias raised his hands in surrender. "Relax, Nightingale. You're doing great."

She ignored him, focusing instead on the delicate stirring process. The potion began to take on its signature silvery hue, but just as she was about to add the final ingredient, Elias reached forward and lazily dropped in a pinch of powdered asphodel.

The mixture immediately hissed, turning an alarming shade of dark purple.

Lilith froze. "What did you just do?"

Elias blinked. "Improvised."

Lilith inhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the cauldron as she tried to salvage their work. "Do you have a death wish?"

Elias grinned. "Not today."

With careful precision, she adjusted the stirring pattern, muttering a quiet countermeasure under her breath. Slowly, the potion's colour began to lighten, returning to the intended state, though not without some effort. Lilith shot Elias a look that could have turned him to stone. "If you ever do that again, I will personally see to it that you're used as an ingredient."

Elias smirked, leaning in slightly. "Feisty. I like it."

Lilith rolled her eyes, focusing on perfecting the potion, knowing that in the end, she would be the one ensuring they didn't fail.