The forest was eerily silent, the only sound being the crunch of leaves under their hurried footsteps.

Pansy pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders. “This is insane… Why would she be here?” Her voice was edged with frustration, but beneath it was something else—fear.

Draco’s jaw was tense as he scanned the dark expanse of trees. “Something feels wrong.”

Mattheo, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped. His breath was unsteady. “I know she’s here,” he said, voice filled with certainty. He didn’t know how, but he could feel it—an aching pull in his chest leading him forward.

The group pressed on, their pace quickening. The trees seemed to close in around them, thick branches forming a suffocating canopy. Then, Lorenzo stopped abruptly.

“Oh… no—”

Mattheo’s heart plummeted. His eyes followed Lorenzo’s, and the second he saw you, everything else ceased to matter.

You were on the ground, your skin pale beneath the moonlight.

Mattheo dropped to his knees beside you, his hands trembling as he reached for you. “This can’t be real.” His voice cracked, raw with emotion.

Nearby, something caught Pansy’s eye. She took a hesitant step forward, staring at the tree just beside you. Carved into its bark were jagged, uneven letters.

“Did she… do this?” Pansy whispered, her fingers barely brushing the rough engraving.

Draco stepped forward. He traced the letters with his fingertips, feeling the fresh cuts in the wood. “This is fresh.” His stomach churned. What had happened here?

Then—

A sound. A faint rustling, barely audible, but enough to make Mattheo snap his head up. His eyes darted between the trees, his muscles tensing.

“Did you hear that?” His voice was a breathless whisper.

And then—

A weak movement. A shift.

Mattheo’s head snapped back to you. His breath caught as your fingers twitched slightly against the earth.

Then, ever so slowly—your eyes fluttered open.

What happened to you?