Whispers of Darkness (A Shadows of Slytherin Series) Book 2

Dani

I stirred in my bed, my eyes fluttering open, as the sound of rustling reached my ears from outside the door. Curiosity piqued, I glanced in that direction, only to find Harry stirring on the floor. He must have slipped in while I was lost in sleep. It was his usual habit whenever we found ourselves in trouble with the Dursleys.

"What's happening?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Harry shook his head, his hand slowly reaching for his wand. Instinctively, I retrieved mine from under my pillow and sat up, preparing for whatever awaited us. Just as I rose, the door creaked open, revealing a woman with vibrant purple hair. She held her wand up, emanating a bright light. Stepping into the room, she scanned her surroundings with keen eyes.

Our gazes met, and she smiled warmly. "Professor Moody?" Harry questioned, his grip on the wand loosening. I stood up, a sense of relief washing over me. "What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you, of course," he replied with a gruff tone. "Now, come on."

Harry obediently followed Moody as he strode away. The woman turned her attention to me and spoke in a friendly tone. "You coming?" I nodded and trailed after Harry. "I'm Nymphadora," she introduced herself, following closely behind. "But you can call me Tonks."

Glancing back at her, I offered a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you, Tonks. I'm..."

"Danielle Potter. I'm well aware," she interjected, a mischievous smirk gracing her lips. I couldn't help but smile back at her. "You can call me Dani, though." With our introductions complete, we descended the stairs and stepped outside.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked, confusion lacing his words. "The letter said we were expelled from Hogwarts."

Moody shook his head and quickened his pace toward the street. "You haven't been expelled. Not yet. Kingsley, take the lead."

"Dumbledore managed to persuade the Minister to suspend your expulsion, pending a formal hearing," Kingsley explained, his eyes darting around vigilantly to ensure we weren't being observed.

A formal hearing?" I questioned, my voice tinged with curiosity.

"Don't worry, Dani. We'll explain everything when we get back to headquarters," Tonks reassured me, her tone filled with a hint of anticipation.

Moody's head snapped towards her, his voice stern, "Shh! Not here, Nymphadora!" I observed as anger welled up within her, her hair shifting to a fiery red. She was a Metamorphmagus, capable of altering her appearance at will. As I glanced around, I noticed that we were all lined up in formation. Moody disregarded Tonks' anger and tapped his walking stick on the ground twice, summoning brooms for each of us.

One broom flew toward me, and I instinctively grabbed hold of it. "Stay in formation, everyone. Don't break ranks if one of us is killed," Moody's gruff voice echoed, acknowledging our presence. He then turned his gaze toward Harry and me, giving us instructions. "Danielle, stick close to Tonks. Harry, stick with me."

We both nodded in understanding, and I positioned myself on the other side of Moody, standing next to Tonks. Kingsley mounted his broom and took off first. I observed Tonks doing the same, quickly following after her, launching myself into the air as soon as she soared upward.

Flying over the illuminated expanse of London, I couldn't help but be captivated by the mesmerizing city lights below. Tonks leaned forward on her broom, increasing her speed and descending closer to the water. I mimicked her movements, joining her in the exhilarating descent. She glanced over at me, her raised eyebrows silently challenging me to a race.

A mischievous smile played on my lips as I leaned even further forward, propelling myself ahead of her. However, Tonks proved to be a formidable competitor as she quickly caught up, the wind rushing past us as we engaged in our impromptu race.