Breaking the shadows

Fighting the shadows

1996

Thursday September 30th 

As I'm taking a walk in the along the trails around the lake. It's almost dark outside but I needed some air, I've been inside all day. But now that I'm feeling better, I needed some fresh air. Suddenly something rustles in the bushes. I turn to see what is in the bushes, at first, I see nothing but then something walks slowly towards me. A shadow, the same shadow that followed Ginny and I to Diagon Alley. I keep on walking, hoping that its nothing and it's just my mind playing games with me.

But the thought won't go away, I turn around to see the shadow standing in full light, I have no idea where the light comes from, but I know that id I don't start running now, I won't get back to Hogwarts. And so, I start running, but the shadow is faster than ever and not long after it has surrounded me, with maybe twenty other shadows, they are all identical except for one, that's taller than the rest, I figure that I might have to fight them to get out. I look for my wand, but I realise I don't have it on me. I left it in my room, I didn't think that I would need it for half an hour walk.
I think to myself: "How can I fight without my wand?"
And then it hits me, I have an ability that no other wizard has. I can transform into any animal that I desire if I can find the right emotion. I think hard, they are shadows, shadows go away in the light, but I can only think of fireflies, and they can't really help me fight. Or maybe the shadows aren't real shadows, they could be real, with flesh and blood, they might even be human. A lioness is ready for a fight. But am I powerful enough to take down twenty shadows? Only way to find out is to try. I dig deep to find an emotion that'll turn me to a lioness.
The will to fight to survive is enough to turn me to a lioness. I transform just as easily as always.
The shadows creep closer, and I start biting out for them and I was right, they are human, or kind of human.
For every bite I take it transforms back. Maybe they are immortal? They can't be. They won't be. And then it hits me. I must take down the biggest one and then the others might fall to. But where did it go?
There.
Behind me trying to lounge, it misses, and I fight back. Biting and growling. I need to aim for the neck to have a chance of survival. I'm exhausted but I need to fight it. My fear is gone. All I have left in me is courage and power. I need something to jump from.
I'm in a forest I can jump from a tree.
I run towards the tree nearest me, up the trunk and take off. As I aim for the shadows neck I aim correctly and hit perfectly. My strong jaw and teeth from my form bites the neck over and the shadow collapses and so does the other nineteen shadows.
I've won. I fought twenty shadows alone and I won.
I leave the place still as a lioness, as I'm scared that if I transform back, I won't have the strength to walk back to Hogwarts.
---
Back on school grounds it after curfew but two students are waiting for me at the entrance. It's Ginny and Hermione, they both know my power, but I still hear Hermione ask: "Is that Harlow?"
And Ginny answers relived: "Yes, it is."
They both run to me, and as they hug me, I transform back to my human form, and I feel the weakness take over. I have no energy to stand up or even walk to my room.
Ginny and Hermione help me up to standing. And they put something over us. I think it could be Harry's invisibility cloak. They help me up the stairs and into my room, I fall asleep on my bed so quickly, the last thing I feel is Ginny's soft lips on mine. And I hear the door close behind her as she leaves. 

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Puplished: 30-05-23