After an evening spent wandering the shadowy depths of the Forbidden Forest, you slipped back through the castle gates, hoping the cool, quiet corridors of Hogwarts would shield you from prying eyes. Every step was careful, measured, as you navigated the dim halls, keen to avoid any patrolling students or inquisitive prefects who might question your whereabouts.

But then, just as you rounded a corner, faint whispers floated toward you from further down the hall. The voices were low, deliberate, their tone enough to make you pause. Curious, you peered carefully around the corner—and there, bathed in the sparse moonlight that filtered through a high window, stood none other than Tom Riddle. His presence alone was enough to make your stomach twist, but beside him, with that familiar air of quiet arrogance, was Theodore Nott.

Instinctively, you froze. Whatever they were discussing, it was serious—Riddle’s eyes gleamed with a focused intensity, his gaze cold and piercing, while Theodore nodded in silent agreement, his expression one of cautious reverence. You knew immediately that you shouldn’t be here, that interrupting them would likely bring consequences you couldn’t even begin to imagine.

Holding your breath, you started to inch backward, careful not to let a single sound betray you. But each creak of the floor and rustle of your robes felt amplified, thunderous in the tense silence. Your heart pounded in your chest as you slowly slipped away, praying that neither Riddle nor Theodore would turn their attention toward you.

As you retreated, the whispers faded into the distance, and relief washed over you. You’d managed to avoid their notice—this time, at least. But even as you continued your cautious journey back to your dorm, you couldn’t shake the lingering chill of that encounter, nor the unsettling feeling that you had narrowly escaped something far darker than you could have imagined.