Later that evening, Lando sat in the Gryffindor common room, staring at the fire as it crackled softly in the hearth. The book containing the serpent constellation clue rested on his lap, its pages open to a diagram of the stars. His mind whirred, connecting dots and trying to decipher what the clue meant.

Despite his focus, his thoughts kept drifting to Carlos. Why hadn't he delivered the message himself? Why trust Oscar with something so important?

The sound of the portrait hole opening snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Carlos entering the room, his posture stiff and his expression guarded. Their eyes met briefly, and for a moment, Lando thought he might turn and leave.

But instead, Carlos walked over and sat down in the chair opposite him. He didn't say anything, just stared at the fire with a distant look.

"You sent Oscar to tell me," Lando said softly, breaking the silence.

Carlos' jaw tightened, but he didn't respond.

"Why?" Lando pressed, his voice gentler this time. "You could've come yourself."

Carlos exhaled sharply, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "Because I knew you'd get what you needed to hear without me getting in the way."

Lando frowned, his brows furrowing. "Getting in the way? You're not-"

"I am," Carlos cut him off, his voice edged with frustration. "Every time I try to explain something, it ends up worse. So, sí, I told Oscar to tell you. He wouldn't ask questions or try to dig deeper."

Lando leaned back, studying his friend carefully. Carlos looked exhausted, his shoulders slumped and his eyes shadowed with fatigue. "I'm not trying to dig. I'm trying to help."

Carlos ran a hand through his hair, his frustration giving way to something more vulnerable. "I know, Lando. And that's why I'm telling you now- I think the clue Oscar gave you is legit. If the constellation reflects during the full moon, maybe it shows something in the water. Like a path or a marker."

Lando's heart quickened. "A marker to the next step? That makes sense. The lake is tied to all of this- it cursed you, after all."

Carlos winced but nodded. "So... the next full moon then."

"It's in a few days, right?"

"Three days," Carlos confirmed, a little too quickly, Lando noticed.

"Carlos," Lando said, stopping him. "This isn't just about the Chamber, is it?"

Carlos froze, his back to Lando. For a long moment, he didn't move, the tension in his frame palpable. "It doesn't matter," he said quietly. "The Chamber is the only thing that matters right now."

"It matters to me," Lando replied firmly. "You matter to me."

Carlos' shoulders slumped slightly, but he didn't turn around. "Just... focus on the clue. We're running out of time."

Without another word, Carlos walked away, leaving Lando alone with the weight of his words and the urgency of their task.

He sat on the edge of his bed, gripping the edge of his mattress so tightly his knuckles turned white. The full moon was just three days away, the day Lando wanted to visit the lake and search for the constellation. That left him trapped, knowing he was running out of time to keep his secret hidden.

He stared at the scattered parchment and books on his nightstand, barely processing the words on the pages. His mind was consumed by one question: how to get out of this without raising suspicion.

He couldn't simply disappear- not this close to the next step in their search for the Chamber of Shadows. But he couldn't let Lando figure out the truth either. Not so soon.

Two days now remained. Carlos found Oscar in the library, tucked away in his usual secluded corner. A soft golden light from the enchanted lanterns flickered above, casting long shadows across the stacks of books. Oscar leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs, a book in one hand and a mug of tea in the other. He glanced up as Carlos approached, his dark eyes narrowing in curiosity before shifting to his usual deadpan expression.

"Twice in the time of two days?" Oscar drawled, letting the front legs of his chair hit the floor with a thud. "What's the occasion? Need me to help you out of a fight, or start a fight? Or cover up another one of your brilliant plans?"

Carlos huffed, sliding into the chair across from him. "Not quite."

Oscar raised an eyebrow, taking a slow sip from his mug before setting it down. "This ought to be good. Alright, let's hear it."

"I need your help to get out of seeing Lando in two days time," Carlos said, cutting straight to the point.

Oscar blinked, tilting his head as if he hadn't heard correctly. "You... want to avoid Lando? You? The two of you are practically joined at the hip. Did hell freeze over, or am I still dreaming?"

Carlos rolled his eyes. "I'm serious, Piastri. I can't go."

"Why not?" He asked, leaning forward with a smirk. "Finally decided he's too much of a golden boy for your brooding aesthetic?"

"It's not funny," Carlos snapped, his voice harsher than he intended.

Oscar's smirk faded, replaced by a look of cautious curiosity. "Alright, alright. No jokes. What's the problem?"

Carlos hesitated, the tension in his shoulders evident as he searched for the right words. "It's... complicated. I just can't go. Not then."

Oscar studied him carefully, his sharp gaze narrowing. "Complicated how? Because you're starting to sound like a bad excuse waiting to happen."

"I don't owe you an explanation," Carlos said defensively, his jaw tightening.

"Maybe not," Oscar replied evenly, crossing his arms. "But if you want my help, I'm going to need more than vague excuses."

Carlos exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Look, it's personal, alright? I just need you to tell Lando you saw me somewhere else or that I'm busy with something important."

Oscar didn't answer right away. His silence stretched, his eyes scanning Carlos like he was trying to piece together a puzzle. "You're terrible at this," he said finally, his tone flat but not unkind. "You think I can't tell when you're hiding something?"

"I'm not hiding anything!" Carlos snapped, though the defensiveness in his voice betrayed him.

Oscar raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Sure, and I'm the next Minister of Magic. Whatever it is, it's eating you alive. You're pale, you're shaking, and you look like you haven't slept in a week. So, forgive me if I don't take your word for it."

Carlos' fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms. "What happens in two days, Piastri?"

Oscar stopped and thought. When he realised, gilt washed through him as he winced. "Shit, I- sorry, I didn't-"

"Just do this for me, Oscar. Please."

The rare note of vulnerability in his voice made him falter. He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Look, I could come up with some story for you. But I think you know that's not your best move."

Carlos frowned, the tension in his jaw deepening. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying," Oscar began, his tone softening but still firm, "You should go to Professor Alonso, you two are close, no? He's the one who can actually help. Not me."

Carlos stiffened, his expression flickering with unease. "I don't need Alonso involved. I can handle this."

"Clearly," Oscar said dryly, gesturing at his weary frame. "Because you're doing such a stellar job at it on your own. Listen, I don't know what's going on, but if it's bad enough that you're asking me for help, then maybe it's time to stop pretending you've got it all under control."

Carlos' shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of his words hitting him harder than he wanted to admit. "I can't go to him," he said quietly. "Not for this."

"Then figure out a way to tell Lando the truth," Oscar countered, his voice sharper now. "Or come up with something better than asking me to lie for you. Because if you don't trust Alonso, and you don't trust Lando, I'm not sure who you're trying to convince right now- me or yourself."

For a second, Carlos looked as though he might argue, but then he sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "I'll think about it," he muttered, standing abruptly.

"You do that," Oscar said, leaning back in his chair again. "And if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

Carlos paused at the door, glancing back briefly. There was something almost grateful in his gaze, though he didn't say a word before slipping out of the library.

Oscar watched him go, frowning deeply. For all his snark and skepticism, he couldn't shake the gnawing worry that something awful was going to happen. Soon, if it hadn't already started.