Gryffindor: The wagging tail of an excited puppy. A voice calling out into the morning: sharp and clear and ringing. Twin pairs of footsteps in the dirt. The joyful ones. The thoughtful ones. Playful barking and the flapping wings of the birds it startles. Hands ruffling fur. A companionship that follows every footstep, every breath, into the dawn of a new day.

Ravenclaw: A face transforming from stillness to a smile. An action so very like the cracking of an egg—both delicate and shattering. A gentle pause. A moment of thought. The twitch of lips as they turn upward. Cheeks, round and dimpled. The soft intake of breath as light floods the eyes. Warmth that begins in the heart and continues to radiate outwards.

Hufflepuff: Laughter, hearty and pure. The type that cracks through the air like a thunderclap—echoing, echoing, echoing. Upturned smiles and crinkled eyes. A sound that cycles, over and over, like the spinning of a record. The chain reaction it causes. Flushed cheeks from a loss of breath. A type of joy that lights up the room far brighter than anything else ever could.

Slytherin: Someone singing along to their favorite song. The way their eyes light up as they hear the first few chords. Their voice: soft and uncertain at first, building confidence as the chorus is reached. A bobbing head and tapping feet. Swaying. Fumbled words and the imposter lyrics that take their place. Energy that fills the air even after the music has faded to silence.