The house is quiet, the ticking of the clock the only sound as you sit curled up in your chair, a book resting in your lap. You’ve been doing your best to ignore the news swirling around—the whispers that Theo had escaped Azkäban. The thought of him being free again sends a chill down your spine, but you refuse to let fear control you. At least, that’s what you tell yourself.

Your phone buzzes on the armrest, pulling you from the pages of your book. You pick it up, frowning at the message from an unknown number.

Did you miss me, little dove?

Your jaw tightens, and a familiar dread creeps over you. There’s only one person who ever called you that.

Yeah, Theo, sure. I missed someone who tried to take my life.

A moment of silence stretches, then a barrage of messages floods your screen.

Don’t be so dramatic. You know you lived for the excitement of it all. Like a little game. Cat and mouse.

Your stomach churns at his audacity, but you force yourself to respond, trying to project confidence.

Yeah, well, let’s play again, shall we? But this time, Theo, I’m the cat. Don’t mess with me.

You set your phone down and rise from your chair. Moving quickly, you start securing the windows and locking the doors, double-checking each one. But something feels off.

“Whiskers?” you call out, scanning the room for your cat.

You step out into the backyard. “Whiskers!” you call again, but there’s no sign of her. Unease turns into full-blown dread as you step back inside.

“Whiskers?” you call again, your voice trembling slightly. This time, you hear it—the faint jingle of her collar bell. Relief floods through you, but it’s short-lived.

“Here, kitty, kitty, kitty,” a voice purrs behind you, smooth and unmistakable.

There he is—Theo, standing in the doorway he’s just shut behind him. His blue eyes darken as a small smirk plays on his lips. In one hand, he holds Whiskers, the cat’s bell jingling softly as she squirms in his grip.

“Miss me now, little dove?”