The Shadow of Slytherin

Halloween comes to an end

Surrounded by the peace of the calm lake in the darker growing sky, you lean against the stone and watch some deer rush by, feeding on the fresh grass around the lake shore.

The bright moon reflects on its surface while the wind blows fog across, leaving behind a silver shimmering wall to surround you at the grave's entrance. With hooting owls, and chirping birds around, you sit in silence, your fingers playing in the sand to your feet.

Surrounded by darkness, the howl of a wolf draws your attention to the other side of the lake, but nothing appears in the dark. The eyes tired, your face lowered to the ground, you notice the reflection of a white wolf in the water, but as your head lifts, the hair flying through the air, the reflection vanishes and you remain alone at the lake shore.

As a gust of wind blows through your hair, it carries the cheers of students and with it the swishing of spells, the thump of their impact and the scream of another student.

Curious, you conjure your broom and rush off, through the crowns of the trees, higher into the night sky to the point were you spot the Quidditch field, and within it Tara, who crawls out of the net that carries her to the ground. Chuckling to yourself, you halt at the sight of her opponent.

His chest puffed, Ominis stands on the platform, dressed in a dark school uniform, the jumper keeping him warm as the wind takes on, carrying you closer to the towers where you land and run towards the bridge to cheer on Ominis when Alec turns around the corner bumping into you. "Sorry, Alec," you mumble, a quick smile on your lips, but it vanishes, when his hand wraps around your throat, pressing you against the wall.

"Watch where you're going, Morningstar, or your next step will be your last," he hisses, his eyes dark, not the usual green but deeper, almost black to the edge of the iris while his breath brushes over your skin. "Now get out of my face," he growls, releasing you from his grasp when Tara's voice rings from behind him.

Her eyes on you, she hooks her arm into Alec's and walks with him out the Quidditch field. "Can you believe it? Gaunt threw me off that platform," she whines, pressing herself against Alec, who wraps his arm around her and presses his lips to her forehead.

Perplexed, you rush up the Slytherin tower to where Alex sits and cheers on Imelda and Atticus, their opponents carried off by the nets while a small pedestal lifts their next opponents onto the platform.

"Morningstar, there you are." Alex grins from one ear to the other, gesturing you to drop beside him. "You missed one hell of a fight. Your Gaunt really does know how to fight, did not know that." At the sight of your face, Alex stops his cheering and comes closer. "Are you all right? Saw you before on the Gryffindor tower." His mouth ajar, Alex pulls on your collar. "What happened to your neck?" Gesturing at the red hand print on your skin, he takes a deep breath, and shakes his head.

"It' nothing. Just bumped into Frost and Hawthorn."

"Hm."

The eyes lingering on Alex, you lift your knees onto the bench and rest your head on them. "Is that all you have to say? What exactly happened between them? From what I heard, he didn't even talk to her any more, and now he cannot get enough of her, but hates me." Your fingers trace over your arm, trying to calm yourself. "It's like he doesn't even know who I am any more. He keeps calling me Morningstar."

"Ignore it. Forth year, he refused to hang out with us, it was all Tara, and then one day he woke up and realised she's not as great as he thought. After that he turned back to normal, and ended it with her. No idea though what she did to provoke it. Was the biggest drama we had in years at this school." His arm over your shoulder, Alex leans closer to the field and points towards another tower, "Alec's always been like that though, playing. Not that I mean he's bad, but, you might not want to get attached. What about Weasley, anyway, you two seem close. And despite what Atticus thinks of him, I know for certain he likes you."