The air is crisp and heavy as you walk along the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The moon hangs high and full as your footsteps crunch softly against fallen leaves. But it’s not the sound of your own movements that makes you stop.

It’s something else.

The snap of a branch. The unmistakable sound of ragged breathing.

You freeze, heart hammering in your chest as your eyes scan your surroundings. There—just beyond the brush—a figure moves, half-obscured by the shadows.

Your breath catches in your throat.

“...Theo?”

The name slips from your lips without thought. The figure stirs, but doesn’t respond. Instead, it drops to its knees with a strangled groan as if something is tearing him apart from the inside.

You step forward, concern overriding instinct. “Theo, is that you? What’s wrong—”

Then, you see it. The moment everything changes.

Beneath the moonlight, his body contorts with unnatural jerks—muscles twisting, bones shifting beneath his skin.. You can hear the faint crack of bones as his limbs elongate, reshaping into something that is no longer human.

You stumble back, heart slamming against your ribs. You’ve heard of this before. You’ve read the stories. You know what this is—what he’s becoming.

And yet... you don’t run.

“Theo!” you shout. His head snaps toward you, eyes no longer the cool, familiar blue you know—they are now golden and feral, gleaming with wild instinct beneath the moon's sway.

For a moment—just a moment—you see recognition flicker in his gaze. A silent plea to stay back. To run.

"Go..." he rasps, voice distorted, strained. "I can't—can't stop it—"

But your feet remain rooted. You can’t leave him. Not now.

"Theo, it’s me!" you shout desperately. "You don’t have to fight this alone—"

A bone-chilling howl tears from his throat, drowning your words as the transformation completes.

And there, you’re left staring into the eyes of the creature that was once the boy you loved—wondering if there’s anything of him left inside.