Prologue | The Nightmare

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The eerie darkness enveloped me as I sprinted through the twisted trees of the Forbidden Forest, the chill wind whispering through the gnarled branches. I'm not sure why I ran, but I ran.


There was the sound of growls and heavy foot steps getting closer behind me. That must be why I was running. 


A sense of dread clung to me like a suffocating fog, and I could feel the presence of something monstrous, something hungry, chasing me relentlessly.


My heart beats faster as I take notice of the panic and adrenaline emerging in my body. My breaths getting heavier, feet threatening to betray me as I stumble on gnarled roots, grass, and rock. There's a spider cavern nearby, I notice. So I avoid that pathway and make a sharp left down another trail. Eyes light up in every direction from the wildlife sprinting with me in the area. I continue running, not stopping. Never stopping. I can't.


I look up at the night sky. A full moon hanging low amid the trees, it's pale glow casting eerie shadows across the ancient branches. I dare not to look back, for fear of catching a glimpse of the monstrous silhouette that pursued me with an otherworldly determination.


Just as I thought I couldn't endure the terror any longer, my foot catches on an unseen root, and I plummet to the ground. The world spun around me as I tried to regain my footing, desperately searching for my wand tucked inside my robe. The monster's growls grow louder, echoing in the vasts expanse of the haunted woods. As I lay there, paralyzed with fear, I realize my desperate escape had come to a sudden halt as my wand is nowhere to be found.


Struggling to my feet, I scan my surroundings, desperately seeking a way out. Suddenly the oppressive darkness begins to recede, giving way to the soft glow of enchanted lamp lights. The towering bookshelves of the Hogwarts library materialized around me, replacing the foreboding trees of the Forbidden Forest.


The transition from the forest to the library was disorienting, and I find myself standing in the hallowed halls of knowledge, the scent of old parchment and leather bound books filling the air. My mind struggling to grasp the sudden change in scenery, with so many emotions running through me still.


A soft, heart-wrenching sob catches my attention, emanating from behind a bookshelf.


My steps quicken as I follow the sound, discovering a lone figure with long blonde hair wearing a Hufflepuff robe huddled in the shadows on the floor.


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