The first week of Hogwarts had passed in a flurry of spellwork, schedules, cauldrons, and corridors that occasionally changed their minds about direction. Lessons were intense but exhilarating, and by the end of Friday, most of the first years had collapsed into the Hufflepuff common room with the energy of melted chocolate.
The common room itself, a cozy sanctuary beneath the castle, glowed with soft golden light. There were thick rugs, low-slung chairs shaped like badgers, and walls hung with charmed ivy that shimmered slightly when laughter echoed. A fire crackled in the hearth, throwing dancing shadows on the stone walls.
Hadrian, Iris, and Dora had claimed the couch closest to the fireplace.
Iris had curled up on one end with a book across her knees, only half-reading between yawns. Hadrian sat in the middle, long legs stretched out and head tilted back against the cushions. Dora, after a long day of babysitting Nevilla's bubbling disasters and defending Hufflepuff's honor in Herbology, had flopped down beside him with a groan.
And then, somehow — Hadrian wasn't quite sure when — Dora had twisted around, resting her head gently on his lap.
"You're comfy," she mumbled, clearly not caring one bit that Iris was watching with a knowing look behind her book.
Hadrian blinked, caught mid-thought. His hand hesitated in the air before resting softly on Dora's hair, beginning to stroke gently through the strands. The texture shifted slightly under his fingertips — soft, silky, and... changing.
A patch near his fingers had turned from warm chestnut to a dusky lavender, then shimmered into a pale blue as he continued stroking.
Dora made a pleased little hum. "That feels ridiculously nice."
"I think your hair's reacting," Hadrian murmured, oddly fascinated. "It changes color where I touch it."
"Good," she said without opening her eyes. "Don't stop, then."
He didn't.
Iris looked up from her book, suppressing a smile. "You two are going to give our house a reputation."
"Good," Dora repeated, grinning this time. "Let them say Hufflepuffs are all about affection and comfort. Beats the yelling and dueling in Gryffindor."
Hadrian let out a soft laugh, eyes warm as he glanced between his sister and Dora. "I like it here," he said quietly.
The fire cracked, casting a flicker of gold across Dora's cheek and Iris's smile. For a moment, all three sat in stillness, wrapped in the rare kind of peace that came not from silence, but from feeling utterly safe.
After a few minutes, Dora's hair slowly turned a soft shade of rose gold — the same shade it had taken when she'd first hugged Hadrian goodbye before sorting.
Iris peeked over her book again and smiled at them both. "You know, if the rest of Hogwarts saw us like this, they'd never believe we're all secretly scheming little masterminds."
Hadrian chuckled, still stroking Dora's hair. "Exactly why we keep the cozy aesthetic. No one suspects the cuddly ones."
Dora laughed sleepily. "Cozy cuddles, quiet chaos."
"New Hufflepuff motto?" Iris suggested.
"Definitely," Hadrian said. "Now hush, or I'll actually start purring."