Chapter 7
One Year Later
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As the sun set on the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the Hogwarts grounds, Harry and Pansy sat together beneath the ancient oak tree, its leaves whispering secrets in the gentle breeze. Graduation was only weeks away, and the anticipation of a new chapter filled the air with an electric excitement.
Harry turned to Pansy, his heart racing. “You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about our future,” he began, his voice steady but filled with emotion.
Pansy’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “What do you mean?”
Harry took a deep breath, drawing strength from the bond they had forged over the past year. “I can’t imagine my life without you. You’ve changed everything for me, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box, opening it to reveal a delicate silver ring adorned with a single, shimmering emerald—the same color as Pansy’s eyes- engraved with the Potter coat of arms.
“Pansy, will you marry me?” he asked, his voice filled with hope and sincerity.
For a moment, silence enveloped them, the world around them fading away. Pansy’s breath caught in her throat as tears welled in her eyes. “Harry… I—”
Before she could finish, a sudden darkness enveloped the grounds. The air grew heavy, charged with a sense of foreboding. The sky darkened, and an eerie chill swept through the trees.
“Harry!” Pansy exclaimed, her voice trembling as she sensed the danger looming.
In that instant, the ground seemed to tremble, and a familiar, chilling laugh echoed through the air. From the shadows, Voldemort emerged, his presence suffocating.
“Ah, the Boy Who Lived, and his little Slytherin pet,” he hissed, his red eyes glinting with malevolence. “How quaint.”
“Stay back!” Harry shouted, instinctively placing himself in front of Pansy, the ring still clasped tightly in his hand.
Voldemort laughed again, the sound filled with malice. “You think you can protect her? She is nothing more than a pawn, just as you are.”
Pansy’s heart raced, fear coursing through her veins. “You won’t take us,” she said defiantly, stepping beside Harry. “We’re stronger together.”
Voldemort’s gaze flickered with interest. “Together, you say? You think love can conquer darkness? How foolish.”
At that moment, Pansy felt a shiver run through her. She had heard rumors of Voldemort’s return, but witnessing it firsthand was far more terrifying than she had imagined.
“Your families will join me, Pansy,” Voldemort continued, his voice dripping with venom. “The Parkinsons have already pledged their allegiance. They will find you, and they will deliver you to me.”
“No!” Pansy shouted, her heart sinking at the thought of her family aligning with such evil. “They can’t!”
Voldemort’s expression darkened. “Oh, they can and they will. They believe in the power of bloodlines and supremacy. You’ve betrayed that legacy. They will come for you.”
Pansy glanced at Harry but he was just squinting, “It’s not real Pansy he’s just a wraith.”
Voldemort snarled “Enjoy your little romance while it lasts,” Voldemort hissed as he vanished into the shadows, leaving behind a lingering sense of dread.
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In the days that followed, Harry and Pansy were left reeling from the encounter. As graduation approached, the threat of Voldemort’s return loomed larger than ever. They sought refuge in the familiarity of Hogwarts, where friends rallied around them, but the tension was palpable.
Pansy found herself increasingly uneasy, her family’s allegiance weighing heavily on her. “What if they really do come for us?” she asked Harry one night as they sat in their favorite spot by the lake.
“They won’t get to us,” Harry reassured her, wrapping his arms around her. “We’ll fight back together. I won’t let them take you.”
But Pansy’s fear was real. “If they’re working with Voldemort, we could be in serious danger. I can’t let them hurt you, Harry.”
He cupped her face gently. “We’ll figure it out. You’re not alone in this.”