𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 | Harry James Potter x Reader

Prologue

AN - Enjoy the story!

❈🌠➵9¾♌ ⚯ 🗲━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺  

Saturday morning dawned bright and warm in July. Y/N pulled up her blanket over her face to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight filtering into her room. She was trying to recollect what happened in her dream. A great, soaring bird in the moonlight, an odd-looking man at her front doorstep, and a flying broom. Those cartoons were seeping into her mind.

   Before she could remember anything more, there was a loud thump from across the room. She sat bolt upright, her blanket falling from her face. At first, she thought it was her cat, but she squinted in the sunlight, dazed, and looked towards her window. Must've been one of those disoriented birds that kept flying into her window every few days.

   She got up and walked towards her window, rubbing at her sleepy eyes. Halfway towards it, she stopped in her tracks, staring open-mouthed at the window.

    There it was, a tawny owl perched on her window sill, what looked like a letter attached to its leg.

What?

   Y/N stood rooted to her spot for a few seconds, then started searching with her hand blindly, still keeping her eyes on the bird. She grabbed her small camera from the bedside table and snapped a picture of the bird.

   Incredible, she thought, why would an owl be awake early in the morning? Why is it on her windowsill? With what looked like a letter attached to its leg? Was it injured? Thirsty, perhaps? The temperatures this summer were quite high. That doesn't explain why it had a letter, though. Finally, Y/N walked towards the window and opened it slowly, careful to not frighten the owl. It hopped inside and stuck its leg out.

   Y/N watched it for a few seconds, then detached the letter and stared at it. Emblazoned on the front was a wax seal with a sort of crest, separated into four equal sections, with an H stamped on the middle.

   When she turned it around, she received a shock. There, written in emerald green ink, her exact address, and... the location of her room. Shivers went down her spine. Did she have a stalker? Her heart started beating wildly, her mind racing. It seemed impossible-

   Before she could open the letter, the doorbell rang downstairs. She jumped, her senses on edge. Who on earth would ring the doorbell this early in the morning? They didn't have any guests from what she could recall, so who could it be?

   Pocketing her letter, Y/N went out into the hallway. She heard voices coming from the entrance hall. Her parents must've answered the door already.

   As quietly as she could, she walked down the stairs and peered into the living room, which was connected to the entrance hall.

   There stood her parents, looking confused, speaking to a tall, cloaked man. Careful not to reveal herself, Y/N walked down the final steps and hid behind a wall to eavesdrop.

   'I'm here to speak to your child about something that concerns them... The name is Y/N L/N, I believe...' the mysterious man announced.

    Y/N's heart started racing again. Who is he? Am I being taken away? Could it be that the kid from the park she accidentally mauled yesterday called the police on her? Really, how could it be her fault the nasty little bully was thrown ten feet into the air when she merely pushed him gently, he must've been really light and it was quite windy that day-

    'I- alright... Y/N?! COULD YOU COME DOWN HERE FOR A SECOND? THERE'S SOMEONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO YOU,' her mother shouted.

   Oh Lord almighty let it not be a cop- but cops don't typically wear long black cloaks. Seeing no way out of this, Y/N revealed herself and walked slowly toward the front door. She looked up at the visitor and took in his features.