It had been just over a week since the incident between Seo and his fangirl, and in that time, Louis hadn't seen or spoken to her.

He blamed himself for the distance. He was certain it was his fault—for not properly thanking her, for telling her she shouldn't have intervened.

The more he thought about it, the worse it felt. His words, however unintentional, had implied that she was helpless in the face of conflict as if he didn't trust her to hold her own. It was an insult, and he hated himself for it.

Realizing his mistake, Louis spiralled into overthinking. He secluded himself, turning his focus inward as he tried to figure out how to make things right. He spoke less and distracted himself with anything he could find, but his mind was never far from Seo.

One afternoon, seated at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, Louis half-listened to his cousins' chatter. The conversation, led by Roxanne, started innocently enough—until she brought up James' latest romantic interest.

The teasing started lighthearted, but it quickly veered into territory Louis wanted no part of. James's dramatic denial only fueled the cousins' laughter, and soon, Lucy and Dominique had joined in, egging him on.

Louis, distracted and tired, found his patience wearing thin. But it wasn't until the topic shifted to him that he truly snapped out of his thoughts.

"So, Little Lou," Roxanne began, her tone full of mischief, "speaking of love interests, what's going on with that Ravenclaw girl you're always hanging around?"

"Yeah, Seo Chang," Dominique chimed in, her grin wicked. "It's been awfully quiet between you two lately. Trouble in paradise?"

Louis stiffened, his fork clattering against his plate. "It's not like that," he muttered, his ears burning.

Lucy leaned in, her voice teasing but soft enough to cut through his tension. "You sure about that? You've been sulking for a week, Lou. Feels like something's up."

He opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss. What was going on? And how could he fix it?

"Rox, I understand the desire to ask about Elodie's well-being," Fred began, choosing his words carefully, "but I only inquired with Al out of genuine concern. I'm uncomfortable with listening to what you have to share unless it comes directly from her."

James placed his hands on the table, and with a confident tone, he inquired, "Well, I'm not Fred, so why don't you share what you know?"

Roxanne discreetly shot a glance toward her brother, sensing his unspoken warning in his pursed lips. Fred responded sternly, "James—"

James interrupted Fred's warning, speaking with conviction, "It's not about morals, Fred. She's my friend, too, and if someone has information that could lead to clarity, I'm willing to listen."

Louis, who was currently seated at the Gryffindor table with them instead of his usual Ravenclaw table, folded his arms, his words carrying a hint of uncertainty. "Let me share why I know then Rox," He turned to James, "I've heard a rather interesting piece of information from a particular housemate of mine," he began. "Apparently, Elodie's absence is due to seeing you and some girl snogging."

James' eyes widened at his words, his reaction betraying his surprise. "What?!" Fred, in contrast, snapped his head towards him, expressing a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Roxanne, also responding to the revelation, had her head snapped towards him as well. "Wait," she exclaimed, "Why were you...?"

James quickly raised his hands in defence, defending himself by saying, "Wait a minute! I didn't do anything!"

Fred and Roxanne were both taken aback by James' surprising and seemingly contradictory behaviour. They were all familiar with James' obvious growing affection for Elodie, so hearing that he had been engaged in some flirtatious action with another girl was hard to believe. But James' adamant denial and raised hands only added to their shock.

James continued to defend himself, "I told you, I didn't do anything! This is all a big misunderstanding!"

"It appears that a certain charm was used to trick Elodie into thinking she witnessed James and a mystery girl in an intimate moment," Louis revealed, his tone somewhat subdued.

Fred and Roxanne both shot their gazes towards the Ravenclaw Weasley in surprise. "What?!" Fred exclaimed, expressing his astonishment.

James turned to Louis, his voice laced with suspicion and realization, "So... you're saying we were set up?"

Louis nodded in confirmation, "It's a common tactic that people use against others that they perceive as threats," he explained. "My housemate, Seo, is quite skilled in charms, and she was actually present that day. Elodie seemed to be under the influence of a charm that made her think she was witnessing James with another girl."

Fred and Roxanne both listened intently to Louis' explanation of the situation. James, in turn, appeared to be processing the information, trying to make sense of what he had just heard. "So, you're saying Elodie wasn't actually witnessing me with someone else, but that it was all a result of some sort of charm that made it look that way?" James asked, confirming his understanding.

"Precisely," Louis confirmed, resting his elbows on the table. "Since then, we've noticed that Elodie has consistently been in the company of Blake ."

Roxanne then interjected, her voice filled with shock, "So I knew what I saw as true. It was really Blake I kept seeing her with."

Louis nodded in affirmation, prompting Fred to add his own confirmation. "Wait so as in Blake Zabini!?"

Fred and Roxanne were taken aback by this new information, their minds already beginning to piece together the puzzle. "Blake Zabini" Louis repeated as if confirming the name once again.

James, on the other hand, seemed to be struggling to process what he was hearing. "Wait..." he began, his voice trailing off as he attempted to make sense of the situation. "Who is Blake Zabini?"

"Her ex-boyfriend," the group answered simultaneously, leaving James to stare in surprise.

Louis smirked at him and said, "By the look on your face, I can tell you've never heard of him before."

James scowled and retorted, "No, I haven't."

"Well, understandable, since you were probably too busy being caught up with some random girl, weren't you?" Fred and Roxanne both glanced at Louis for his comment.

"Louis!" Fred warned him, but James had already stood up, ready to lunge at the Ravenclaw. However, Roxanne swiftly intervened, grabbing his arm to restrain him.

"James! Don't!" she exclaimed.

Louis smirked at James, unbothered by his hostility, and retorted, "Just speaking the truth, mate."

"Louis, enough!"

Fred scolded him, but Louis shot him a challenging glare. "No," he retorted, his voice firm. "I've grown tired of everyone in our family treating James's actions like they don't matter at all. You don't know the struggle it is for me to deal with being a quarter-Veela."

The atmosphere at the table became tense, as everyone froze in response to Louis' sudden outburst and admission. "People think it's a blessing," he grumbled, his voice tinged with bitterness, "but it's nothing but a damn curse!"

He fixed his gaze on James, his expression hardening. "You have no idea how painful it is, James. Love is something hard to believe in because of it." he continued, his voice filled with a hint of accusation. "Sure, you've stopped, but have you really considered the impact of your actions? Have you truly learned from your mistakes?"

James remained silent in response to his question, his response clear without spoken words. Louis chuckled, his tone tinged with a mix of frustration and disappointment. "Of course not," he remarked, not waiting for any replies.

The three at the table sat in silence, unable to find the right words to say as Louis promptly left.

The silence that followed Louis' departure hung heavy in the air, each of them lost for words. James shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his usual confidence seemingly wavering. Fred and Roxanne exchanged glances, unsure of how to address the sudden tension.

Fred reached out to comfort James, "Hey—."

James quickly interrupted his cousin, stopping him before continuing. "No, Louis is right," he replied, forcing a smile that masked the hurt within. He then resumed his meal, barely touching the food on his plate.

Louis had never realized just how much anger he had been holding back. The realization hit him like a storm, unexpected and overwhelming, as if the secret he had vowed to keep buried had clawed its way to the surface.

His frustration wasn't directed at anyone in particular—it was more about himself. About the way he had mishandled things with Seo, the way he'd let his own insecurities and poor choice of words push her away.

And yet, despite his turmoil, all he truly wanted was to see her again. To be in her company, even if it meant enduring her quiet scowls or the occasional jab about his name. There was something about her presence that calmed him, even when she stirred him into confusion.

But now, with the distance between them, he wasn't sure how to bridge the gap. Should he wait for her to approach him? Or would he have to be the one to take the first step?

The uncertainty gnawed at him, leaving him restless and irritable. He was Louis Weasley, confident and easygoing, yet somehow Seo Chang had managed to unravel him completely.