Shadows of Doubt
Chapter 24: Shadows of Doubt
Dipak sat cross-legged on his four-poster bed, curtains drawn, eyes closed in concentration. The common room below buzzed with the usual evening chatter, but here in the quiet sanctuary of his bed, he focused solely on the task at hand.
"Clear your mind," he whispered to himself, reciting the mantra from the Occlumency book. "Visualise a barrier around your thoughts."
For a moment, he felt it—a shimmering wall encircling his consciousness. But as quickly as it formed, it dissolved, leaving him frustrated and drained.
Dipak sighed, opening his eyes. The candle on his nightstand had burned low, testament to how long he'd been practising. Progress was slow, but he couldn't afford to give up. The stakes were too high.
As he slipped out from behind the curtains, he caught sight of Ron watching him with a mixture of concern and curiosity.
"Alright there, Harry?" Ron asked, his voice low. "You've been awfully quiet lately."
Dipak forced a smile. "Just tired," he lied smoothly. "Lots of studying, you know."
Ron nodded, but the furrow in his brow suggested he wasn't entirely convinced. "Right. Well, Hermione's waiting for us in the common room. Said something about reviewing our Divination homework."
As they descended the spiral staircase, Dipak braced himself. Hermione's piercing gaze was becoming harder to evade with each passing day.
The bushy-haired witch was indeed waiting, surrounded by a sea of parchment and open books. Her eyes narrowed slightly as they approached.
"There you are," she said, her tone carefully neutral. "I was beginning to worry."
Dipak settled into an armchair, acutely aware of his friends' scrutiny. "Sorry, I was just—"
"Studying?" Hermione finished, arching an eyebrow. "You've been doing an awful lot of that lately, Harry. Especially for subjects that aren't on our regular curriculum."
The accusation hung in the air, unspoken but palpable. Dipak felt a bead of sweat form on his brow. "I just want to be prepared," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "After everything that's happened... I can't afford to be caught off guard again."
Hermione's expression softened slightly. "We understand that, Harry. But we're worried about you. You seem... different lately."
Ron nodded in agreement. "Yeah, mate. You know you can talk to us about anything, right?"
Dipak felt a lump form in his throat. The concern in their eyes was genuine, making his deception all the more painful. "I know," he managed. "I just... I need to figure some things out on my own."
Hermione looked like she wanted to press further, but at that moment, a commotion from across the common room drew their attention. Neville Longbottom had somehow managed to set fire to his Herbology essay, and in the chaos that ensued, the moment for further questions passed.
As Dipak helped extinguish the small blaze, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking a tightrope. One wrong move, one slip of the tongue, and everything could come crashing down.
Little did he know, the true test of his deception was yet to come.
---
The following day, Dipak found himself in Divination class, the heavy perfume of incense making his head swim. Professor Trelawney drifted between the tables, her eyes magnified behind her thick glasses.
"Today, we shall explore the subtle art of palmistry," she announced in her misty voice. "Partner up and see what secrets the lines of fate reveal!"
Dipak partnered with Ron, both of them stifling yawns. As Ron halfheartedly examined Dipak's palm, tracing the lines with a finger, something unexpected happened.
A jolt of energy coursed through Dipak, and suddenly, the world around him seemed to blur. Ron's voice became distant, as if speaking from underwater. In his mind's eye, Dipak saw flashes of images: a dark corridor, a glinting object, and a pair of red, serpentine eyes.
With a gasp, Dipak jerked his hand away, nearly toppling his chair.
"Mr. Potter?" Professor Trelawney's voice cut through the fog in his mind. "Are you quite alright?"
The entire class was staring at him. Ron looked pale, and even Hermione, skeptical as she was of Divination, seemed concerned.
"I... I'm fine," Dipak stammered. "Just felt a bit dizzy for a moment."
Professor Trelawney's eyes widened with excitement. "Perhaps you've had a genuine vision, my dear! Tell us, what did you see?"
Dipak hesitated, acutely aware of the danger. He couldn't reveal what he'd actually seen, but he needed to say something. "I... I'm not sure. It was all very vague."
The professor looked disappointed, but Dipak caught Hermione watching him intently. He avoided her gaze, knowing she'd see right through him.
As they left the classroom, Ron nudged him. "What really happened in there, mate?"
Before Dipak could answer, a silky voice interrupted them. "Potter. A word."
Professor Snape stood before them, his dark eyes glittering with suspicion. Dipak felt his heart rate quicken. "Of course, Professor."
"My office. Now." Snape's tone made it clear this wasn't a request.
Dipak glanced at Ron and Hermione, who looked worried. "Go on," he said to them. "I'll catch up with you later."
As he followed Snape down to the dungeons, Dipak's mind raced. What could this be about?
The dungeon office was as gloomy as ever, jars of preserved creatures lining the walls. Snape settled behind his desk, fixing Dipak with an unblinking stare.
"So, Potter," he began, his voice dangerously soft. "Care to explain your recent... behaviour changes?"
Dipak blinked, caught off guard. "I'm not sure what you mean, Professor."
Snape's eyes narrowed. "Don't play dumb, Potter. Your teachers have noticed. You've been distracted in classes, wandering the corridors at odd hours, and your performance has been... inconsistent."
Dipak remained silent, unsure how to respond.
"Let me be clear," Snape continued. "We have confirmed reports that Sirius Black is in the vicinity of Hogwarts. This is not the time for you to be skulking about the castle, especially after dark."
Relief washed over Dipak, quickly followed by a new wave of anxiety. At least Snape didn't know about the mind magic, but this was still dangerous territory.
"I understand, Professor," Dipak said carefully. "I've just been... preoccupied with extra studying. I'll be more careful."
Snape leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "See that you are, Potter. The headmaster may coddle you, but I assure you, Black will show no such mercy if he gets his hands on you."
Dipak nodded, fighting to keep his expression neutral. "Is that all, Professor?"
"For now," Snape said coldly. "You may go. And Potter? Stay out of trouble."
As Dipak left the office, his mind was whirling. He'd dodged one danger, but Snape's warning about Black added a new layer of complication to his already precarious situation.
Back in the Gryffindor common room, Ron and Hermione were waiting anxiously. "What happened?" Hermione asked as soon as he entered. "What did Snape want?"
Dipak sank into an armchair, suddenly feeling exhausted. "He wanted to warn me about Sirius Black," he said, deciding a partial truth was safest. "Apparently, there's confirmation he's near Hogwarts."
Ron paled. "Blimey, Harry. You need to be careful."
"We all do," Hermione added, her brow furrowed with concern.
As his friends discussed the implications of Black's presence, Dipak stared into the crackling fire. The flames danced, casting flickering shadows across the room, and for a moment, he thought he saw something in their depths—a glimpse of another world, his true home.
The weight of his secrets pressed down on him, heavier than ever. How long could he keep this up? And with Black on the loose, how much more dangerous had his mission just become?