Carlos grinned as he sat against the trunk with his legs crossed in front of him. Oscar lounged beside him, flicking pebbles aimlessly into the grass.

"I'm just saying," Oscar said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, "If Lando actually goes through with his plan to charm your broom to sing when it flies, I refuse to watch any more games.. There's only so much I can take."

Carlos snorted, shaking his head. "It's not like he'd actually do it. He just likes winding you up."

"Yeah, well, he's too good at it," Oscar grumbled. He picked up another pebble and sent it skidding across the ground. "Besides, do we really need a theme tune? I thought winning games was the priority."

"Winning games? Says the guy who spends half the time showboating Hufflepuff," Carlos teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, the fans love us," Oscar shot back, feigning indignation. "Not my fault we're good at multitasking. Some of us can win and look good doing it."

Carlos rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. For a moment, the weight of everything felt lighter, like he could almost forget the cursed veins crawling up his skin or the way his chest ached when he breathed too deeply.

"Speaking of multitasking," Oscar said, leaning back on his hands, "We had this whole thing in Arithmancy today. The professor went on this tangent about ancient enchantments tied to water and how they only work under certain conditions."

Carlos froze for a split second, but Oscar didn't seem to notice, still idly tossing pebbles. "She was going on about some constellation- you know, one of those ones that's only visible during the full moon. It's shaped like a snake or something, twists around like it's guarding something. Apparently, it reflects in water when the stars align perfectly. Sounded kind of ridiculous to me, but whatever."

Oscar's casual tone masked the impact his words had on Carlos. A serpent constellation? Visible under the full moon? The details were too specific to ignore.

"What she say the constellation was called?" Carlos asked, trying to keep his voice even.

Oscar shrugged. "Didn't catch the name. Something about an ancient guide or warding magic. Why, does that mean something to you?"

He hesitated, his mind racing. If this was connected to the Chamber, it could be the breakthrough they needed. But he couldn't tell Oscar that. Not yet.

"Maybe," Carlos said vaguely, shifting slightly. "It's... interesante."

Oscar gave him a sidelong glance, his dark eyes narrowing. "You're doing that thing again."

"What thing?"

"The thing where you're hiding something and think I won't notice."

Carlos sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, it's nothing you need to worry about."

"Uh-huh," Oscar said skeptically. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "So what, you're just gonna sit here and brood until it magically solves itself?"

"I don't brood," Carlos muttered, though the faint flush on his cheeks suggested otherwise.

"Sure you don't." Oscar flicked another pebble and stood, brushing off his robes. "Whatever it is, just don't do anything estúpido. I don't have time to save your ass every time you get in over your head."

Carlos stood too, the weight of the conversation heavy on his shoulders. "Piastri," he said, his tone serious.

Oscar stopped, turning to look at him. "What?"

"Go find Lando," Carlos said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Just trust me," Carlos said firmly. "Tell him exactly what you told me about the constellation and the water. He'll know what to do."

"Why can't you just tell him yourself?"

Carlos hesitated, then shook his head. "It's complicated."

Oscar crossed his arms, his expression blank. "Everything with you is complicated."

"Because it is," Carlos snapped, but then his tone softened. "Please. Just do this."

Oscar studied him for a moment, then sighed. "Fine. But if this turns out to be some wild goose chase, you owe me."

"I'll owe you," Carlos said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

With a grumble, Oscar headed back toward the castle, leaving Carlos alone under the tree. As soon as he was out of sight, he let out a shaky breath, his mind turning over the clue. It was a start. Maybe even the key to everything.

The Great Hall was still bustling with students finishing lunch, the clatter of cutlery and low hum of conversation filling the vast space. Lando sat near the end of the Gryffindor table, a stack of notes and books spread out before him, untouched. He had barely eaten, his appetite lost in the labyrinth of research on the Chamber of Shadows.

As he flipped through yet another dense tome, a shadow fell over him. He looked up to see Oscar standing there, arms crossed, his expression as unreadable as ever.

"Busy?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lando blinked in surprise. "Oscar? What are you doing here?"

"Delivering a message," Oscar said flatly, sliding into the bench across from him. "From your favourite brooding partner."

"Carlos?" Lando's heart leapt and sank all at once. "What did he say? Is he okay?"

Oscar leaned back, his casual demeanor at odds with the tension in Lando's voice. "He's fine. We were talking earlier, about random stuff, and I mentioned something from Arithmancy. He got... interested."

"Interested how?" Lando asked, leaning forward.

"You know how he gets when he's trying to act like he doesn't care but totally does?" Oscar smirked. "Like that. Then he told me to come find you and tell you what I said."

Lando frowned, his confusion deepening. "He told you to tell me? Why wouldn't he just come himself?"

Oscar shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. He was pretty insistent, though. Said to tell you exactly what I said and to trust him."

Lando felt a pang in his chest. He was grateful for the clue but couldn't shake the sadness that came with Carlos' continued distance. "What did you tell him?"

"It was something my Professor mentioned in Arithmancy," Oscar said, leaning forward. "She was talking about ancient enchantments tied to water and mentioned a constellation shaped like a snake. It only shows up during the full moon, and when the stars align just right, you can see it reflected in water."

Lando's eyes widened, his mind racing. "A serpent constellation... during the full moon... That's it!"

Oscar raised an eyebrow. "That means something to you? You two have been at this for a while, haven't you? This secret little mission."

"I- yeah," Lando admitted, flipping through the pages with an urgency that matched his excitement. "This is huge. Thank you, Oscar. I mean it."

He shrugged, though a small smirk played on his lips. "Don't mention it. Seriously. I don't need to get roped into whatever madness you two are chasing."

Lando paused, his gaze softening. "Why did he ask you to tell me? Did he seem... okay?"

Oscar tilted his head, his smirk fading. "He seemed tired. Maybe a little... distracted. But he wasn't falling apart or anything."

Lando's chest tightened, a mix of relief and worry swirling within him. "Thanks, Oscar. I'll- " He stopped himself, unsure how to finish.

"Just don't let him shut you out too much," Oscar said, standing and stretching lazily. "He's a stubborn idiot, but I don't think he can take much more of whatever he's carrying."

Lando nodded, his throat tight. "I won't. Thanks again."

As Oscar left the table and disappeared into the crowd, Lando turned his attention back to the book in front of him. His excitement about the new clue was tempered by the lingering confusion and sadness. Why hadn't Carlos come to him directly? Still, he couldn't let himself dwell on it too long. They were one step closer to solving the mystery of the Chamber of Shadows, and whatever came next, Lando was determined to see it through- for both their sakes.