"What are you talking about!" Dylan's eyes widened, and he shot Cedric a look. "I just occasionally experiment with cooking with Luna. We haven't been here together in ages."
Cedric watched as a faint blush crept up Dylan's cheeks as he spoke, making him look as if he'd been warmed by a hearth fire. Yet, he was still playing it cool. Cedric merely shrugged.
"Oh, really?"
Dylan didn't say anything more, just shook his head slightly, a quick, almost rushed movement. His gaze drifted sideways, landing on Luna's hair. Luna stood beside Dylan, seemingly oblivious to their conversation, her head slightly bowed, chin resting gently on her collarbone. Her light golden hair fell, obscuring half her face. Her usual detached, faint expression shifted ever so slightly, her lips pressed together more tightly than usual.
But Cho saw it clearly: that subtle upward curve that just couldn't be hidden. Even Luna's earlobes had a faint pink flush, quite noticeable against her fair skin.
Ding!
Just then, the secret oven chimed. The ingredients Cedric and Cho had placed inside were ready. Cedric opened the oven, donned his gloves, and carefully removed the baked biscuits. As soon as the door opened, a puff of warm air, smelling of butter and roasted nuts, billowed out, forming a hazy mist in the warm, yellow light.
Cedric held the baking tray, pulling his gaze away from Dylan and Luna. He completely ignored Dylan's hesitant expression and Luna's hidden shyness, letting out a soft chuckle. "Cho and I made these biscuits together. Want a few?"
Cedric placed the biscuits on a table covered with a rough cloth, then turned to face the others. Dylan cleared his throat, then nodded. Cedric took off his gloves and pulled Cho closer. "Biscuits made with love, I imagine they'll be absolutely delicious."
Cho also lowered her head slightly, playfully punching Cedric's chest. "Oh, stop it! There are other people here!"
Cedric's eyes widened slightly. He bit back a smile, then clutched his chest, a grin spreading across his face. "Everyone, try them. They're fresh out of the oven, so be careful, they're hot."
Dylan's hand was enveloped in a magical aura. He directly picked up a biscuit, brought it to his mouth, and took a bite. Instantly, the crisp biscuit crumbled between his teeth. The rich butteriness, mixed with a hint of spicy ginger, spread through his mouth. The crunchy, roasted nut pieces crunched against his tongue, and the sweet-but-not-cloying flavor slid down his throat. After swallowing, even his nasal passages were filled with a warm, comforting aroma. Dylan's eyes lit up. "It truly is delicious."
Cedric allowed himself a moment of restrained, yet undeniable, pride.
Dylan then took another large bite. After swallowing the crumbs, he, without much thought, reached for another biscuit. This time, he held the biscuit by its edge, letting it cool for a couple of seconds before turning and offering it to Luna beside him. "You should try this one. It has more nuts in it; I think it'll be even better."
Luna looked up, her light golden eyelashes fluttering gently in the warm air. "I can get one myself, you know." She raised her hand and took the biscuit. Her fingertips, however, accidentally brushed against Dylan's thumb. She felt as though she'd touched a warm little ball of cotton. Luna paused, then brought the biscuit closer to inspect it. The surface of the biscuit had a thin layer of icing sugar, not too much, shimmering with tiny specks in the warm, yellow light. The edges were still coated with a bit of toasted flour.
She mimicked Dylan, taking a small bite first. The spicy ginger flavor was the first to emerge, followed by the sweet fragrance of butter coating her tongue. Finally, the roasted nutty aroma bloomed between her teeth. Luna chewed slowly, her eyes lighting up slightly. "It tastes of sunshine. They must have been sun-dried nuts."
Cedric paused, then chuckled. "You got it! I specifically put them on the windowsill to dry this morning. Cho doesn't like nuts that feel a bit damp."
Upon hearing this, Luna put the rest of the biscuit into her mouth, not even a speck of icing sugar clinging to her lips. "It's delicious."
"Glad you both like them." Cedric picked up a biscuit, gently blew on it, and then held it to Cho's mouth. He cupped his other hand beneath the biscuit to catch any crumbs, bringing his hand within an inch of Cho's chin. Cho's eyelashes fluttered, and she didn't bother to reach for it, instead tilting her head slightly and taking a small bite of half the biscuit. "The ginger is just right."
Cedric's eyes crinkled in a smile. Cho was about to eat the other half of the biscuit when Cedric suddenly pulled his hand back. He casually popped the remaining half into his own mouth. After a couple of chews, Cedric nodded. "Using candied ginger really is much better than raw ginger for seasoning."
Watching the affectionate display of the young couple, Dylan's mouth twitched. He then turned to Luna. "Since they're done with the oven, shall we use it now?"
Luna nodded gently.
Cedric squinted at Dylan. "Go on, go on. Are you two going to eat any more? If not, we'll just take the rest with us."
Dylan shrugged. "They're your own baked biscuits; you should eat more of them. They're so good; if I finish them all, you'll just blame me for eating too much."
Cedric scoffed. "It's just a few biscuits. It's not like we can't afford them." He gathered all the biscuits from the tray, dividing them into two portions, and carefully put each into a small bag, tying the bags securely. He kept one for himself and handed the other to Cho. "Alright, let's go. We won't disturb them with their… their oven research here." Cedric's words trailed off midway as he received a daggered look from Dylan, so he smoothly changed his phrasing.
Cho smiled and nodded gently. "Luna, don't stay out too late." She cautioned Luna, who nodded slightly in understanding. Then, Cho and Cedric left the kitchen.
---
## A Quiet Moment and an Unexpected Conversation
After they left, this corner of the kitchen fell silent. The sudden quiet left Dylan at a loss for words with Luna. He decided to focus on examining the oven first. Luna stood by, watching Dylan crouch down, meticulously studying the charms within the oven.
It wasn't until Dylan had almost finished recording all the spells from the secret oven and stood up that Luna slowly spoke. "Don't mind what Cedric said just now. He was only joking."
Dylan blinked when he heard that. Wait a minute. Why was Luna saying something like that? Shouldn't he be the one comforting her? It was usually the boy who had to reassure the girl! Why was Luna suddenly comforting him?
Dylan clicked his tongue and gave an awkward smile. He just didn't quite know how to interact with girls, especially someone like Luna, whose emotional maturity seemed far beyond her actual age. Any flimsy excuse he might offer, she'd surely see right through it. This left him feeling a bit stuck for words.
"I didn't take it seriously. You shouldn't let his jokes bother you either."
Luna's gaze shifted. After a moment, she nodded. "If it was just a joke and you don't care, why were you so quiet?"
"Huh? Uh... this... I..." Dylan's blinking sped up. "I was just studying the spells in the oven, you know? I got so engrossed, that's why I didn't say anything..."
Luna tilted her head. "Really?"
Dylan nodded vigorously. "Yes, exactly!"
Luna's gaze remained unperturbed. "I remember you've already studied the spells in this oven before, haven't you?"
Dylan was momentarily speechless. "Uh... well, I needed to record them in more detail this time, preferably so I can replicate it. My production line needs precise spells, not vague ones." Luna just looked at Dylan, didn't say anything more, and simply nodded.
Suddenly, she changed the subject. "You haven't come to find me to go to the Forbidden Forest at night lately, nor have you asked me to come here to cook anymore."
---
## The Unicorn's Blood and a Midnight Rendezvous
What was with that slightly resentful tone? Dylan blinked, his mind racing. "Lately... I've just been really busy, you know? For the past couple of days, I've been researching a new spell, and now with this production line idea, that's why I came over."
"Oh, I see." Luna's tone became flat again. Her expression, too, was unreadable. Dylan couldn't tell what this girl was thinking at all. When faced with one of the few people who could leave him utterly speechless, Dylan inhaled sharply, pressed his lips together, and widened his eyes. It was probably best to remain silent until she spoke again.
"Are you coming with me to the Forbidden Forest tonight?" Luna asked.
Dylan paused. "Tonight, to the Forbidden Forest? To look for unknown creatures?"
Luna shook her head. "I went to the Forbidden Forest the night before last and found some blood. I suspect it might be unicorn blood."
"Huh?" This time, Dylan was even more surprised. Unicorn blood? Had a unicorn been harmed again? He hadn't seen any unicorns for ages. Though, last time he'd encountered centaurs and merpeople. He'd been thinking about fishing out some merpeople from the Black Lake sometime, and perhaps snagging a few centaurs too. The goal was to breed more newborns in his own world until they formed a distinct race. He hadn't expected Luna to find traces of a unicorn after just one trip to the Forbidden Forest! How was this girl so lucky?
He didn't doubt Luna's claim, as unicorn blood was quite distinct. That kind of blood, carrying a curse, would make anyone grimace upon seeing it. Even if a unicorn willingly offered its blood, it still possessed immense magical power. Luna herself had a keen intuition for the spiritual world, so for her to be able to identify unicorn blood, Dylan found it perfectly normal.
Clearly, Luna's words had indeed captured Dylan's attention. To Dylan, the matter of a unicorn was certainly a higher priority than building a magical food production line. After thinking for a moment, Dylan nodded. "If that truly is unicorn blood, I wonder who else could have sneaked into the school grounds to harm a unicorn. I'll go check tonight, but..."
Dylan hesitated, looking at Luna. "Are you sure you want to come too? It might be dangerous."
Luna looked back at him calmly. "Danger is danger, and exploration is exploration."
Okay! Another one of those utterly perplexing statements. Dylan's lips twitched, and he offered a smile. "In that case, shall we meet tonight?"
Luna tilted her head. "Aren't you going to set a time? You're not being very clear."
Dylan: (...). Who exactly was being unclear here? He took a breath, then chuckled. "How about midnight? Same old spot."
The "same old spot" Dylan referred to was the patch of woods behind Hagrid's hut. Luna always used to arrange to meet him there. In fact, Dylan had no idea that he could easily sneak around Hagrid without being detected because he possessed many advantages. However, Luna certainly didn't have the same abilities he did. Whether it was his Shadow Ring, Coal's abilities, or the Dementor's powers... Yet, how did she manage to stroll freely to Hagrid's hut without anyone noticing her?
Dylan had asked Luna about it before. Her explanation was that she simply "skipped along the whole way." She hadn't seen anyone. Dylan was completely bewildered. Are you a ghost or something? Dylan could only express his admiration, with no other thoughts. Perhaps Luna automatically entered the spiritual plane at night? Most ordinary people, and even many wizards, couldn't perceive things in the spiritual world. In that case, not seeing Luna's presence would be perfectly logical.
"Alright, that's a perfectly reasonable time. I'll be there," Luna said, nodding blandly, her voice as calm as a business CEO.
Dylan blinked again, then scratched his head. "So, should we... head back to our common rooms to get ready and pack up?"
"No problem, we'll do as you say," Luna nodded again. "Remember, don't be late. It's our agreement."
After Dylan and Luna walked through the Hufflepuff kitchens and left the Hufflepuff common room area, he waved at Luna, then quickly turned and hurried back to his own common room.
Luna watched Dylan's retreating back, his stride almost like an escape, and her calm eyes narrowed slightly. Thinking of the biscuit Dylan had "fed" her, the corner of her mouth involuntarily curved into a small smile. If Dylan knew what she was thinking right now, he'd probably shout in protest. "What?! He just picked up a biscuit and handed it to her! How did that become 'feeding'?"
This girl's thought process... it was truly baffling! Given this, could she possibly interpret their "agreement" as a "date"?
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