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Rey had never been known as shy. Ask anyone—friends or even foes, and they’d confirm it. She was confident, headstrong, rarely unsure of herself. There was only one thing she really wasn’t confident about: Harry Potter. That is, her like for Harry Potter. She’d never told anyone about it. Not that anyone at school needed to know, anyway. She just didn’t want to be seen as more of a nerd than she probably already was. Yet here she was, having been suckered into the nerdiest Halloween party ever by some classmates.
For some reason—maybe because it was Halloween or maybe because she’d lost her mind—Rey had dressed to the nines. She wore Harry Potter paraphernalia from head to toe. A signature striped sweater, matching socks, a black and yellow tie, and her loose hair was tucked under a yellow headband. All around her colors flashed: reds and greens and blues. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She was the only Hufflepuff there.
Rey slipped a glass of punch from a nearby table, trying not to blush. She felt so self-conscious in her costume! She stuck out like a sore thumb. Even though she’d run into a couple of friends already—Ben, who was a Slytherin, and Poe, an unabashed Gryffindor—she was fighting the urge to leave. Better to head back to the dorms and binge some Potter on her own…
“Rey!” She nearly dropped her punch as someone tapped her on the shoulder. Whipping around, she locked eyes with Finn…who was also clothed in black and yellow. He gave her the sweetest, most genuine smile as they embraced. “Never thought I’d see you in a place like this.”
She shrugged shyly. “Me neither, to be honest. I was dragged here. I had no idea…” Rey paused, unable to keep a flush from crawling up her cheeks. “I didn’t know you were a Hufflepuff too.”
He grinned. “I know! What are the odds, right? Can you believe we’re the only two Hufflepuffs here?”
She shook her head, unable to keep a smile from creeping up her face. Finn’s energy was, as usual, contagious.
“So, do you wanna…um…” He scratched the back of his neck. “Get out of here?”
Rey took his hand with a final sip of her punch. “Yeah, I do.”
As it turned out, Finn had a certain knack for carving pumpkins—and Rey found it hilarious to scare any kids that came to their door. Harry Potter blared in the background as the two of them shared the evening together. At last Finn paused ‘The Half-Blood Prince,’ glancing at her morosely. “I have to go, Rey. I’m sorry. I work early tomorrow.” He turned to leave.
“Finn…” Rey pulled him back, pressing her lips to his before he could argue. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Making my night.” She smiled, her face growing hot. “And proving to me that Hufflepuff is the best house by far.”