He spent months trying to solve this puzzle. This mystery. This girl. Finally, after reading through twenty books and noting down every detail, he came to a conclusion. Tom was certain that the girl he kept getting glances of around the school, was a ghost.

Not the normal, spirit kind that roamed the halls of the castle. She seemed so alive, yet almost non existent. She was a Shade, a form of shy, or even timid ghost. And she had noticed his eyes lingering on her.

Being the strategic boy he was, Tom made his way to the room where he had spotted her most often: The Trophy Room. Being Head Boy, he had access to it, so it wasn’t a problem getting there.

As he walked around the room in silence, his movements stilled. The temperature of the room dropped, so low that steam came out when he exhaled through his nose. That was when he spoke up. — ”I’d assume you were waiting for me?”