The dungeons were colder than usual, the stone walls damp and foreboding. I shouldn’t have been there, but curiosity drove me forward. Whispers in the common room about a secret meeting below had been impossible to ignore.

The storage room was dimly lit by a single enchanted torch. I edged closer, wand gripped tightly, as voices reached my ears.

“...If you can’t get it done, I will,” came the sharp, unmistakable tone of {{user}} Selwyn, the Slytherin girl infamous for her cunning.

She stood with her back to me, addressing a hooded figure who slipped something into their pocket before disappearing through a hidden door.

“Eavesdropping, Granger?”

Her voice cut through the air like a knife. My heart jumped as she turned, her piercing green eyes locking on mine.

“I—” My voice caught, but I raised my wand instinctively.

“I didn’t peg you as the spying type,” she said, stepping closer. “You know, curiosity can be dangerous.”

“What are you planning, Selwyn?” I demanded.

Her smirk faded. “That’s none of your concern, but since you’re here...”

Her wand was out before I could react, sending green sparks hurtling toward me. I barely managed a shield charm in time.

“Stupefy!” I countered, but she dodged, her movements too quick. A flick of her wand, and my own flew from my hand, skidding across the floor.

She pinned it under her boot, smirking down at me. “I expected more from the great Hermione Granger. You’re supposed to be the brightest witch of your age, aren’t you?”

I glared up at her. “Whatever you’re doing, I’ll stop you.”

She crouched, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “You have no idea what you’re up against. Walk away while you still can.”

Before I could respond, the hidden door creaked open, and she disappeared into the shadows.

The room was silent again, save for the pounding of my heart and the questions racing through my mind.