Summer Vines

Serene Residence was like a bubble under a Forgetfulness Charm, shutting out both the bustle of Hogwarts and the shadows of Wool's Orphanage. Here, time flowed at a wholly new and pleasant rhythm.

In the morning, sunlight filtered through frost-patterned windows, casting dappled patches of light across the thickly carpeted floor. Tom was always the first to wake. He would rise soundlessly, walk to the window, and gaze at the silhouette of Hogwarts Castle in the dawn, his black eyes glinting with plans and longing. Then he would begin his daily magical practice, usually in the open space of the sitting room, repeatedly honing the precision of a Silencing Charm or studying the deeper variations of the Mirror of Spirit Guardian formation.

Ares preferred, after breakfast, to curl up in the softest armchair by the fireplace and browse through the ancient scrolls brought from the vault, or study the Black Box that still refused to open. The air was filled with the scent of burning pine and old books, occasionally mingled with the faint tremors of magic from Tom's practice.

[Ding! Summer Limited Task (1/??) issued! (???) ]

[Task Name: Breakfast in Perfect Harmony]

[Task Requirement: Work with the target person to prepare a simple breakfast without using household magic (having the House-elf do it).]

[Task Reward: One jar of magical jam with +50% deliciousness! (＾▽＾)]

The system notification rang out with a cheerful rhythm. Ares looked up from his scroll at Tom, who was practicing making a quill dance a complicated routine.

"Tom," he said, "shall we try making breakfast ourselves today?"

Tom paused, and the quill dropped to the floor out of control. He frowned, clearly thinking it foolish to leave a perfectly good House-elf unused—they had discovered a quiet little elf named Bobi in the house. But when he saw that Ares's eyes held not a request, but an eager suggestion, he swallowed the refusal that had reached his lips.

"...Do as you please."

The kitchen immediately descended into chaos. Tom tried to use a precise Cutting Charm on the bread, only for the slices to turn out uneven or be cut cleanly in two. Ares wanted to heat the milk, but nearly let it boil over in a cauldron—he had grabbed the wrong container. Flour was scattered everywhere, and one egg had already been broken.

Tom's frown deepened, his patience nearing its limit. Just as he was about to give up and summon Bobi, Ares picked up an egg and held it out to him. "Use a Levitation Charm to keep it steady. I'll crack it."

Tom hesitated, then did as he was told. His precise magical control held the egg suspended over the bowl without the slightest movement. Ares seized the moment and gave it a light tap. The egg slipped perfectly into the bowl.

It was their first successful collaboration.

After that, Tom used magic to control the heat precisely while frying bacon, while Ares prepared tea by instinct—and with faint prompts from the system. When a breakfast that was far from exquisite but steaming hot was finally laid out on the table, they noticed the flour accidentally smeared on each other's faces and could not help laughing.

[Task Complete! (★ ω ★) Harmony +10! Magical jam reward (blueberry flavor) has been delivered to the food cabinet!]

Tom picked up a slightly charred slice of toast, spread it with the suddenly appeared magical blueberry jam that gave off an enticing sheen, and took a bite. Unexpectedly delicious flavor burst across his tongue. He raised his brows and said nothing, but the speed at which he ate made his approval clear.

The experience of completing such an ordinary task together was unfamiliar to them, yet it brought a strange, subtle sense of satisfaction.

The afternoons were for research. They usually spent them in the small underground magical laboratory that came with the house. When Tom led dangerous magical experiments, Ares would set up protective and stabilizing formations nearby. And when Ares studied obscure Ancient Runes or tried to communicate with the Black Box, Tom would set aside his own book and watch quietly from the side, occasionally asking a sharp question or discreetly passing him a potion to replenish his magic when his strength ran low.

Sometimes, research turned into teaching. Tom would show Ares a newly mastered upper-year spell and explain the key points of its magical structure in a tone carrying his usual unquestionable confidence. When his explanation became too abstract, Ares would use a more vivid analogy or a simple Runic script symbol to help make it clear.

Once, while attempting a complicated Runic script drawing, Ares's wrist grew slightly sore from holding the same position for too long, and he unconsciously gave it a gentle shake.

Tom noticed. He set down Advanced Dark Magic Revealed, walked over to Ares, and said nothing. He merely reached out, took Ares's wrist in his hand, and used his precise magic to ease the sore muscles. His movements were somewhat stiff, with the probing air of an experiment, but his pressure was just right.

Ares paused slightly and looked up. Tom had already looked away, as if he had done nothing more than the most natural thing in the world, and returned to his seat. But Ares saw that the tips of his ears seemed to have taken on the faintest, nearly imperceptible blush.

This casual, somewhat clumsy concern began to appear more often. Tom would habitually place books he had finished beside the armchair Ares usually sat in. When the temperature dropped at night, he would silently make the fire burn brighter. Once, Ares fell asleep on the sofa while reading. When he woke, he found a soft wool blanket over him, while Tom sat opposite him reading by lamplight, as though nothing had happened.

[Ding! Target person's "habitual concern" behavior detected! (′▽`???) Soul Anchor warmth +5!]

Night was when they explored Hogsmeade. Wearing cloaks Ares had "exchanged" from the system, enhanced with powerful Confundus Charms and invisibility effects, they moved like ghosts through the sleeping village. They secretly pressed themselves against the windows of Honeydukes, gazing at the dazzling array of sweets inside; outside The Three Broomsticks, they listened to the muffled laughter and chatter drifting out; they even dared to approach the Shrieking Shack, listening to the wind within and guessing at the terrifying legends surrounding it.

Once, on their way back from the dark alley beside the Hog's Head Inn, Tom accidentally stepped on a loose paving stone, making a considerable noise. A light immediately came on behind a nearby window.

Ares instinctively grabbed Tom's arm and swiftly pulled him into the deeper shadows of a doorway. They pressed close together and held their breath as the window opened. A raspy voice cursed a few times, then the window slammed shut again.

In the darkness, they could clearly hear each other's heartbeats and feel each other's warm breaths. Tom did not immediately push Ares away. Instead, after confirming that it was safe, he murmured, "Clumsy." Yet there was little reproach in his voice; rather, it carried a trace of intimacy... one even he had not noticed.

Ares released his arm and laughed softly.

When they returned to Serene Residence and took off their cloaks, the house was still warm and quiet. Bobi had thoughtfully prepared hot cocoa on the small table in the sitting room.

They sat on the rug before the fireplace, cradling warm cups and watching the flickering flames. Occasionally, they exchanged thoughts about the day's research or speculated about one of Hogsmeade's shops. Most of the time, they were quiet, but this silence was no longer suffocating. Instead, it was filled with the comfortable peace of sharing the same space.

Summer vines quietly grew in this secret haven that belonged only to them, winding around two lonely and proud souls. Casual touches, habitual closeness, and silent care were gradually changing the nature of their relationship. Tom still pursued power, still remained suspicious and proud, but another person's presence had already been clearly imprinted upon his world. And he was beginning to grow accustomed to the reassuring warmth that presence brought. This summer was not merely an exploration of magic, but a slow, unspoken fermenting of emotion.