Arthur sat on the edge of his bed, the morning sunlight spilling through the window, casting a warm glow over the room. His hair, now back to its usual dark brown, no longer held the strange wildness it had the night before. Everything felt... normal again, but the eerie sensation of last night's events still lingered in the back of his mind.
The room was silent, save for the soft sounds of his roommates stirring, each of them still asleep in their own beds. A quiet moment, a stark contrast to the chaos that seemed to be following him now.
His eyes fell on a letter placed carefully on the small table near his bed. The envelope was plain, with no markings or signature, yet something about it felt deliberate, almost as if it had been placed there with purpose. He hesitated for a moment, but his curiosity won out. He tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter, unfolding it with a mixture of trepidation and intrigue.
The letter was written in neat, flowing handwriting.
Dear Arthur,
Word of your actions has reached places you may not yet understand. The shadows of the Forbidden Forest are not the only dangers in these halls. You may consider yourself unseen, but be assured, you are watched closely
There are decisions in life that cannot be reversed. Be mindful of where your loyalties lie and whom you trust. Not all secrets are meant to be uncovered, nor all powers controlled.
For your sake, tread carefully
A Friend
Arthur's heart raced as he read the letter again, the weight of the warning sinking in. Who could have known? Who was watching him so closely? He glanced around the room, his eyes briefly meeting the faces of his roommates, but they were all still lost in sleep, unaware of the message that had just arrived. It made him feel more isolated than ever.
He folded the letter and tucked it into his coat pocket, the words still echoing in his mind. He couldn't ignore this—he had been warned, but warned by who? And what did it mean for what lay ahead?
As he quietly left the room, making sure not to disturb his still-sleeping roommates, the unease gnawed at him. Whatever path he had started on, it was already being watched—and someone knew far more than they were letting on.
Arthur made his way down the hall, the letter tucked safely in his coat pocket, but his mind was a whirlpool of thoughts. The sunlight that filtered through the windows did little to ease the tightness in his chest. The previous night's events felt like a dream, and yet every detail was burned into his memory. The dark, shadowed corners of the Forbidden Forest, the twisted creatures lurking just beyond their reach, and the heart-stopping moment when they'd almost been torn apart. He had never felt such terror before.
And then there was the strange, inexplicable change in himself—his hair turning pure white, like he was someone else entirely. His fingers unconsciously brushed against his dark brown locks now, still feeling the memory of how they'd shifted overnight. It felt wrong. He wasn't sure how, but somehow, that strange transformation made him feel disconnected from who he was.
When he reached the common room, the usual bustle of morning chatter greeted him, but it seemed distant, like he was watching everything unfold from far away. His stomach growled in protest as the smell of breakfast filled the air, grounding him in the present, but the gnawing sensation of dread didn't leave him.
Draco was already sitting at the table, flipping through a spellbook, his expression more serious than usual. His eyes lifted briefly as Arthur sat down, offering a small, knowing smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. The weight of the previous night seemed to hang between them, thick and unspoken. Draco didn't look surprised that Arthur had arrived first—he had probably expected that after everything that happened.
"Morning," Arthur mumbled, his voice strained, not quite meeting Draco's gaze.
Draco didn't respond immediately. Instead, his eyes lingered on Arthur, scrutinizing him in a way that made Arthur uncomfortable. His hair, now back to its usual dark brown, still felt foreign to him, and he knew Draco had to be wondering about the change.
"You didn't sleep much, huh?" Draco asked, his voice low and careful. He set his book down and reached for a plate of eggs, the unspoken question hanging in the air. What had happened last night? What had caused that... transformation?
Arthur gave a small shrug, trying to keep his face neutral. "Not really. Still processing everything." His words were vague, but he couldn't bring himself to go into detail.
Draco studied him for a moment, then shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I get it. You—uh—your hair...?" He trailed off, clearly unsure how to ask, but it was clear he was thinking about the same thing.
Arthur ran a hand through his hair again, the action almost automatic. "Yeah," he muttered, trying to act like it was no big deal, though it felt like the biggest thing to him. "Something weird happened last night. I don't really know how to explain it."
Draco's gaze softened, but only for a second. He was always good at masking his emotions, but Arthur could tell something was off. "That... thing in the forest—those creatures... you saw how close we came to getting killed. We should've been dead, Arthur."
The words hit Arthur like a punch to the gut. He didn't want to remember the cold terror that had gripped him, or how close they had come to being torn apart by the creature. But Draco was right. They had barely made it out alive, and yet here they were, sitting at the breakfast table like everything was fine.
Arthur's voice came out low, almost whispering. "I still don't know how we got out of there. Or how I survived… how my hair... changed." He stared down at his hands, as if they might hold the answer, but of course, they didn't. He didn't know what was happening to him, and that terrified him more than anything else.
Draco's expression hardened, the concern in his eyes fading into something more guarded. "Yeah, me neither. I've seen some strange stuff in my time here, but last night..." He shook his head, clearly at a loss for words.
Arthur swallowed, the unease creeping back up his spine. "I don't know who or what's watching us, but something's changed. And not just with me. Something's happening, Draco."
Draco looked away, staring at the table for a moment as if searching for something. Then, in a quieter voice, he spoke again. "Just... be careful. If there's something bigger going on here, we need to be ready for it. You can't take this on alone."
Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly. "I highly doubt that," he muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Whatever this is, I'm not sure anyone can help. And if they're watching me... then I don't know who I can trust."
Draco looked at him, his brow furrowing. "You don't think I can handle it? We've been through a lot together, Arthur. Whatever this is, we'll face it together. You're not alone in this."
Arthur shook his head, the weight of his thoughts pressing against his skull. "I don't know, Draco. I think things are bigger than we realize. We're not even sure what we're up against."
Draco studied him for a long moment, and for the first time in a while, there was no bravado in his eyes. "Look, I get it. But that doesn't mean we just let it eat us alive. Whatever's coming, we'll deal with it. Together."
Arthur met Draco's gaze, his mind swirling. He wanted to believe his friend, to trust that they could face this together, but deep down, he wasn't sure. There was something ominous hanging in the air, something bigger than either of them could handle. And no matter how many times Draco said they would face it together, Arthur couldn't shake the feeling that whatever came next, they were already in over their heads.
"Yeah," Arthur said quietly, though the uncertainty in his voice betrayed him. "Together... I guess."
As they sat in silence, the tension between them thickened. Arthur felt like he was standing on the edge of something dark and unknown, but the strangest part was that he wasn't sure if he wanted to jump into it—or run as far as he could. One thing was for sure: he couldn't outrun whatever had already begun.