Walking into Easter Night

The stars and moon shone bright, yet Hogwarts Castle remained noisy long into the night.

The shrill, soaring female soprano outside the Gryffindor Portrait Hole went on and on. The Fat Lady's portrait had gotten drunk again and was practicing a classic operatic aria, clutching her hands to her chest, cheeks flushed, her expression intoxicated as she completely immersed herself in her own world.

"Just one drink."

"Just one drink."

"Just one drink!"

The young wizards standing before the Portrait Hole repeated it loudly several times. Only when the final password was practically shouted did the Fat Lady belatedly come to her senses, muttering to herself as she opened the stone door.

Loren and Hermione, returning late from their date, slipped through the Portrait Hole. The Common Room inside was even livelier.

Younger students chased and played in the corridors. Since it was Easter, Neville and Parvati, the two prefects, did not stop their horseplay. Gobstones Club members sat cross-legged on the floor playing cards and Gobstones, their faces blackened by Exploding Snap and their bodies splattered with Gobstones slime. Around the sofas, Ron and the others played chess, cheated, chatted, and told stories...

Countless sounds tangled together, making it impossible to tell which was noisier—the inside or outside.

A look of blatant disgust appeared on Loren's face. He turned and leaned close to Hermione's ear. "It's too noisy here. Let's go back to the Tower, or how about the Room of Requirement?"

Hermione pressed her lips together. They were still slightly numb, with a faint orange flavor lingering on her tongue.

It was all because of this person's crooked idea. He had said that whatever flavor candy they ate, that was what their kiss would taste like...

The moment she recalled what had happened in the Tower just now,