The Hope beneath the Dark - Sebastian Sallow

7. Should I know you?

I turned to the voice who just spoke to me, to face the same tall man I previously encountered in the forbidden forest. I reached for my wand, which was not in my pocket. The man noticed my shock.

"Is this what you are looking for?" The stranger lifted my wand up in the air, then handed it to me. "You can take it. Although you must know that I am not looking to fight you."

"Why did you take me here? Who are you?" I asked firmly.

"My name is Alfred, Alfred Forsythe. It won't ring a bell to you, I come from a long lineage of pure-blood wizard. We like to be... private, so our reputation is mostly only known amongst other pure-blood families." He explained in a mysterious tone.

"Good, you're right, I don't know a thing about your family. Now, why am I here?" I insisted.

"I have my reasons, which I may not tell you just yet." He stated, as a woman approached us. "Aahhh... Let me introduce you to my lovely sister, Eileen. You must excuse us for earlier, she gets carried away easily."

I maintained my stare at him, and narrowed my eyes even more, letting him know I was still not satisfied with the answers, or lack of them.

Maybe they were after my ancient magic. After all, rumors spreads and it would be impossible for I, or the ministry, to keep that secret forever. I was warned by the ministry to be careful and to notify them of any concern I might have of people asking about my magic or the repository. Seeing as I missed the train back to King's cross, I was sure my absence didn't go unnoticed. The professors were most likely already looking for me, maybe even my friends and some aurors from the ministry, probably the latest would be more worried about the repository rather than me being safe.

"We will not keep you here any longer, you may leave, but you will have to find your own way back." Eileen told me with a cold voice, as she leaned over Alfred's and whispered something in his ear. She then left and headed back inside the castle.

"Don't you want anything from me? Was it just for fun?" I questioned Alfred.

"What tells you that we have not already taken something from you?" He replied. "Now leave. Or I may ask Eileen to come back and handle it herself." Alfred turned around and went back inside the castle too.

I was left alone outside the stone walls, with an awful number of questions. No matter what they had done to me or could've done, why wouldn't they just obliviate me, and dump me somewhere in the Highlands? Somehow, I had a feeling they wanted me to remember this encounter. Part of it, at least. I walked around a little until I found a path to follow and started following it. I was still unsure where it'll lead, but at least it should take me somewhere.

I finally came across a hamlet, frankly in less time than I thought it would take. I arrived in Bainburgh, and saw no one around, except a few cats. Judging by the position of the moon, it must be the middle of the night. I remembered an empty home I found last time I was here, when looking for a Demiguise statue. What I was about to do might be wrong, but I needed somewhere to spend the night. I looked around and spotted the house I was looking for. Making myself extremely discreet, I casted Alohomora to unlock the door, and I let myself in. I then casted Revelio and made sure no one was around. As I had hoped, no one was here, and I could see the same dust spots from last time I explored the inside of this home, indicating me that no one was here in a long time, so I should be able to spend the night without anyone coming in.

Before heading to bed, I searched around the house to find a parchment roll and a quill, I should send an owl to someone to let them know I was okay. On a table near the bed, I miraculously found everything I needed to write a letter. I took the ink, the quill and the parchment roll and brought it to the kitchen table, putting the items there.