Midnight had always carried an air of foreboding within the walls of Hogwarts. It was the time when the castle seemed to shift and change, its dark corners growing darker, its whispers louder. And tonight, the darkness felt almost alive - heavy with secrets and laced with something sinister.
I made my way to the third floor in silence, the corridors deserted, and the only sound my cautious footsteps on the stone floors. The castle seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something to unfold. The note from earlier had been a weight in my pocket all day, every hour dragging by with increasing dread. But the closer i got to the abandoned classroom, the more i forced myself to remain steady.
The door to the classroom was slightly ajar, and i could see a faint flickering light from inside - a sign of someone waiting. Steeling myself, i pushed the door open and stepped into the room, the hinges creaking softly in the silence.
Inside, Draco Malfoy stood near one of the dusty windows, his face half-lit by the dim light of his wand. He looked as though he had been waiting a while, his posture tense, shoulders set like he was ready for a confrontation. I closed the door behind me, the sound echoing louder than i'd intended.
"Draco," i said, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart. "What's this about?"
He didn't turn to face me immediately. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed on the dark grounds beyond the window, the snow reflecting the pale moonlight. It was a while before he finally spoke, and when he did, his voice was low and almost detached, like he was trying to distance himself from his own words.
"There's something i've been avoiding," he said, still not meeting my eyes. "Something i didn't want to believe - didn't want to acknowledge. But things are changing, and ignoring it isn't an option anymore."
The room seemed colder now, the dim light casting long shadows that danced on the walls. I crossed my arms, trying to keep the shiver running down my spine from being too obvious. "What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to keep my tone steady.
Finally, Draco turned to face me, his expression a mix of resignation and something that looked almost like guilt. It was unsettling to see that on him - Draco was many things, but remorseful wasn't usually one of them.
"You know who my family is," he said quietly. "You know what they stand for - what they expect from me. But it's not just them. There are... others. People who are watching you, watching us. And if you're not careful, you're going to end up on their radar."
There it was, the subtle implication that had been hanging over our conversation earlier. Draco's words were a warning, but they felt more like a thinly veiled threat.
"Who?" I demanded, my voice sharper than i intended. "Who's watching?"
Draco's jaw tightened, and he seemed to struggle with himself before finally speaking. "There are families - powerful families - who are rebuilding what was lost during the war. People who are loyal to the old ways, who believe in what the Dark Lord stood for."
I felt a chill run down my spine, the reality of his words sinking in. I had known that there were remnants of that old world lurking in the shadows, whispers of those still loyal to Voldemort's ideals. But i hadn't realized how close those whispers had gotten.
"And they're watching me?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.
"Yes," Draco replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. "They've heard things - rumors about your family, about what you're trying to distance yourself from. And they're not happy about it. They see it as a betrayal."
It felt like the ground beneath me was shifting, the air growing heavier with every word. I had known that my family's beliefs were dangerous, but i hadn't considered how my attempts to separate myself from them might be perceived by those still clinging to the past.
