The Shadow of Slytherin

The abandoned place

Headed in direction of the Slytherin common room, you spot Alex walk towards the lover's statue in the DADA courtyard, but when he spots you watching, he heads to the railing behind it instead and leans over it, the head hanging low.

Quiet, not another student in sight, you head over to Alex, his hand wiping over the cheek as he stares off into the darkness around. "Are you all right?" you ask, approaching him, but at the sight of the scratches on his arm, you flinch, the blood dripping to the ground. "What happened?"

"Nothing, why do you care?" Alex hisses, wresting his arm from you just as you draw your wand to heal them. "What is your deal anyway?" With those words he storms off, into the DADA tower, leaving you confused.

A sigh comes over your lips, the cold air brushing through your clothes as you wander over the courtyard and back into the castle in direction of the Slytherin common room, but something draws you to walk back outside, not the courtyard, but farther, past the castle walls. Like a whisper, or plea, it lingers inside your mind, and you follow, over the Hogwarts grounds, out the North exit and through the gates in direction of Hogsmead. This time however, you do not head into Hogsmead, but walk along the lake shore and towards the woods from where growling comes your way.

Farther along the rails, two poachers fight with some mongrels, but the beasts growl as they bite down on the first poacher, the other casting spells on the fierce animals that tear on his skin until the second poacher as well succumbs to his wounds, feasted on by the dark mongrels.

Stone cracking under your feet, you walk past the mongrels that take no note of you, in the light of the moon that shines above, you head on, through the narrow canyon, past the Niffler den and in direction of the mongrel lair, but then a familiar growl comes from behind and you spin to see the giant silver wolf head in the same direction as you. The teeth glistening in the moon light, it trots along, accompanying you on your way through the world.

Amidst the shrubs you halt, spotting the red stains on its fur, near the sharp claws. "Alex" you breathe in surprise, noticing the creature stare at you, its head tilted, "You hurt him"

The wet nose nudging against your hand, the wolf walks into another direction, its head turned to see if you follow. Your heart aches at the thought of Alex having got hurt by the massive creature, one he had encountered before, but at the same time the voice inside your head tells you to trust the beast. A familiarity that urges you to walk with the wolf settles inside, joining the serenity that makes your glance shift. As if in trance, your legs carry you in the same direction, up the next hill and far beyond, into the depths of the highlands.

Not sure how long you have walked, you keep on following the giant wolf that every so often turns to you, then walks on, over the next hill and through marches, fighting off dugbogs that attack you. It even takes down a troll, pushing you to take the troll bogeys, but as you take them, you brush your hands off on the wolf's fur. The stare of it on you, bursting into laughter. "Sorry, it's just, juck"

Huffing, the wolf shakes its body and walks on, farther through the marches, up another hill and through a cemetery, watching as the inferi rise, the back arched, ready to strike if they come close, but instead you stand amidst the inferi that refuse to touch you. Indifferent about your existence, they move closer to the wolf that stands still, the dark, blue eyes on you as you watch the dead creep closer.

"Stop" you order at last, the inferi halting in their path, the heads drooping while you approach the wolf and walk past it, at the wave of your hand, the inferi following while the wolf goes on to lead again, up another hill, so far from Hogwarts, you are certain not to return before the morning.

After a long march, you have gathered so many inferi, from above it looks like a field of dead, wandering the woods, along a deep river where many inferi stumble and get washes away by the rushing waters, but bash against rocks and crawl out of the depths of the water once more to continue and follow as you wave for them to hurry along, through deeper woods and over fields towards houses.