The stars shimmered in the dark sky as you sat on the edge of the Astronomy Tower, legs dangling over the stone ledge, the cool night air brushing against your skin. Hogwarts had been weighing on you lately—the pressure, the whispers, the constant sense of something just out of place. You needed a moment to breathe, to escape, even if only for a little while.

Then, the faintest creak echoed behind you—a soft sound, but enough. You didn’t need to look to know who it was. The footsteps were too familiar, too deliberate.

Your favorite enemy.

Tom Riddle.

“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” he asked, his voice smooth and calm, tinged with amusement.