Chapter 56
I often found solace in the library, far from the prying eyes of older students. Tonight, however, was different. Something felt off, a tension in the air that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
I slipped into the library, the familiar smell of old books and ink surrounding me like a comforting blanket. Finding a secluded corner, I pulled out my Potions textbook and began to read. Professor Snape demands we study the hardest for his class. The quiet of the library was soon broken by the soft murmur of voices. Curious, I edged closer to the source, careful to stay hidden behind a towering bookshelf.
Peeking through a gap, I saw Blaise Zabini standing rigid, his usually calm demeanor replaced with one of visible distress. Opposite him stood Astoria Greengrass, her wand pointed directly at him. Her eyes gleamed with a cold intensity that sent shivers down my spine.
"You think you can just take what belongs to me?" Astoria hissed, her voice barely above a whisper but filled with a venomous edge. "You have no right to ever touch what is mine."
Blaise's eyes widened in fear and confusion. "Astoria, please..."
"Silence!" she commanded, stepping closer. "You will forget everything. Everything about Draco and Hermione. Do you understand?"
Blaise tried to speak, his words a jumbled mess of panic. "But—"
"Obliviate!" she intoned, her wand moving with deadly precision. The spell hit Blaise squarely in the forehead. His eyes glazed over, and he swayed on the spot before collapsing into a nearby chair, his expression now blank and unseeing. “You are lucky Draco said I couldn’t kill you.”
I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp. The rumors were true—Astoria was a dark witch, more unhinged and dangerous than any of us could have imagined. I had to get out of there before she noticed me. I slowly backed away, careful not to make a sound, and bolted for the exit as soon as I was out of sight.
Heart pounding, I raced through the empty corridors of Hogwarts, my mind reeling from what I had just witnessed. Astoria had erased Blaise’s memory, and whatever secret she was protecting was clearly worth the risk. Fear gnawed at my insides. If she found out I had seen her, I could be next.
I wanted to tell someone, anyone, but the fear of Astoria's wrath kept my mouth shut. She was powerful, dangerous, and unhinged. No secret was worth risking my life for.
From that night on, I kept my distance from Astoria Greengrass, avoiding her gaze and steering clear of any situation that might draw her attention. I buried myself in my studies, hoping to remain invisible in the sea of Slytherins. The memory of that night in the library stayed with me, a dark shadow over my first year at Hogwarts. Secrets in Slytherin were dangerous, and I had learned that lesson the hard way.