The sudden knocking on the door startles me, making me bolt upright from my sleep. My heart races as I fumble for the lamp switch on the bedside table, casting a dim light on the room. Who could be knocking at my door in the middle of the night?
Without a second thought, I quickly make my way towards the door, my bare feet padding softly on the wooden floor. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Dani standing outside my door her. She looks determined about something. Before I could utter a word, she spoke up. "Is Snape one of you?" she asked, her eyes fixed on mine.
"What's going on, Dani?" I ask, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
"Is Snape one of you?" she asks, her voice low and urgent.
Without a second thought, I grabbed her hand and pulled her inside, shutting the door behind us. The dimly lit room was filled with a sense of foreboding, and I felt the weight of Dani's question like a lead ball in my stomach.
"Dani, what's going on?" I ask.
"Tell me, Theo," she pleads, her eyes searching mine.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Why do you want to know about Snape?" I ask, my voice soft.
She shakes her head, her eyes clouded with worry. "It's nothing you need to worry about," she says, her tone final.
I shake my head in disbelief, my eyes fixed on Dani. "Wait a minute, Dani. Does Mattheo or Draco know you're here?"
Dani meets my gaze but doesn't answer my question. I can see the worry etched on her face. "What's going on, Dani?" I ask gently.
She takes a deep breath and looks away for a moment before turning back to me. "Theo, I love you, but there are things that I can't tell you... But please, just tell me if Snape is one of you..."
I could tell something was up. Her expression was guarded and her eyes were focused on something other than me.
"Dani, talk to me," I said gently. "I know you're planning something to protect all of us. What is it?"
She let out a deep sigh, and looked up at me. "If I tell you, then you're in this plan, and there's no backing out," she said, her voice low and serious. "You can't tell anyone. Not Mattheo, not Draco, not Enzo, not even Pansy. Seriously, this stays between me and you."
I nodded, understanding the gravity of her request. "Okay," I said without hesitation. "You have my word. What's going on, Dani?"
She looked at me with a serious expression, "I need to know if Snape is working with you guys. If he is, then it's possible that he may be able to provide protection to you and the rest of our group."
I look at her confused, "What are you saying?"
"I mean...you cannot be associated with me, particularly when Voldemort comes back. He isn't in my head anymore... which makes me think that he is coming soon" After a brief pause, she continues, "However, if he manages to get into your minds, he will discover my relationship with you all..."
I sit in silence, my mind races with what she's saying. "Are you saying..."
"The only way to keep you safe is to let all of you go... to remove myself from your memories..."
"No," I shake my head firmly. "There must be another way, Dani. We don't have to resort to erasing our memories of you. We'll figure something out."
"Theo, I've thought this through. I can't let you and Mattheo risk your lives for me."
I avert my gaze from her, knowing that she's making sense but still struggling to accept it. "But what about all our memories together? Our time growing up here at Hogwarts?" I protest.
Dani shakes her head. "It won't be permanent. I've found a way to restore them, with some practice. You know I'm a quick learner." I can't deny that she's always been a gifted witch, picking up spells with ease. But I can't shake the feeling that this plan is too drastic.
"What if it doesn't work..?"
"Then you'll have to move on without me," she replies, her voice softening. "Theo, I know this is a difficult decision, but it's the only way to keep you all safe... And I'm willing to do it, with or without your help."
As I stand here now, in this moment, I am fighting a battle within myself. Every part of me is screaming to say no. But there is another part of me that knows better. I know that there will be times in my life where I will be faced with difficult situations and tough decisions. And if I don't have the memory of Dani to guide me, it would make things a bit easier...
But... Dani is the bright light in our lives, someone who taught us to see the world beyond just black and white. I remember the time she made me laugh harder than I had ever laughed before...
A few years ago, during our Defense Against the Dark Arts class, we had a memorable experience practicing dueling. I can still recall the excitement in the air as we geared up for our first challenge: Mattheo and Draco against Dani. At the time, Mattheo and Dani had a mutual attraction but had not officially started dating, making the duel even more intriguing.
As Mattheo and Dani walked to their side, they exuded confidence in their strides. "I'll take it easy," Mattheo said with a wink.
Dani smiled, grateful for the gesture. "Thanks, Mattheo," she replied.
Mattheo and Draco had the ability to cast spells without the need to speak them aloud. Little did they know that Dani had a secret advantage... Enzo had taught her how to read her opponent's mind and anticipate their next move.
The duel began with Mattheo flicking his wand, causing Dani to drop her wand. "Sorry, love," Mattheo taunted with a smirk.
Dani played along, "It's alright, it's just practice after all. Let's go again." With a look of determination, she picked up her wand, ready to face Mattheo and Draco once more.
Mattheo flicked his wand, sending a Stupefy charm towards Dani, but she blocked it effortlessly, leaving the two looking confused. He tried again with another spell, but Dani blocked it with ease.
Draco then sent a spell towards Dani, but she blocked that one as well. Mattheo and Draco exchanged a look before simultaneously sending spells towards her. However, Dani proved to be too skilled for them, blocking both spells with ease. In a swift move, she followed up by sending the Leviosa spell towards Mattheo, who found himself floating in mid-air, much to his surprise.
Draco looked shocked as Dani pointed her wand at him, "Petrificus Totalus." Draco was immediately frozen in place.
"What the hell?" Mattheo exclaimed, surprised. He quickly got out of the spell, dropping to the ground. He landed on his knees and looked up at Dani, casting a spell towards her. However, she quickly blocked it and pointed her wand at him, "Accio."
Mattheo's body slid towards her, and he looked up at her in awe. She placed her fingers under his jaw, and bent down to look him straight in the eyes, "Don't ever take it easy on me again, Love."
She stood back up, dropping her hand from Mattheo's jaw, and Mattheo shook his head, "I think I'm in love with you, Danielle Potter." She smirked, "I'm sure you do... Everyone is."
"Depulso." Dani smirked.
Mattheo flew back, slamming into Draco, causing both of them to tumble off the platform.
Pansy, Enzo, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter. We laughed so hard as Mattheo and Draco groaned in pain, struggling to get back up.
Growing up, we had all experienced homes that were devoid of laughter and fun. Our lives were serious, our every move calculated and measured as we were trained to fight and survive. But with Dani, everything was different. She had a way of infusing even the most mundane moments with a sense of lightness and joy, making us realize that there was more to life than just survival.
Dani walked over to us and joined in on the laughter, clearly proud of her victory. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, "You did great. Enzo taught you well."
As her lips curved into a smile, "You all have taught me well." It was a moment that resonated with each one of us, reminding us of the profound impact we had on each other's lives. She was a beacon of hope in a world that was often dark and unforgiving.
"Please, Theo..." Dani whispers, her voice barely above a breath.
"Snape is working with us," I whisper back, hoping that my words will convince her to stay put. I can't bear the thought of her putting herself in harm's way, but I know that her loyalty won't let her stand by and do nothing.
The rest of our group will likely hate me for letting her do this, but I can't deny her the chance to help us. It's the only way we can survive, the only way we can see each other again and make more memories, of growing up and having families of our own.
"Thank you," Dani breathes out, relief evident in her voice. She throws her arms around me, and I return the embrace, holding her tightly.
"Theo, I will do everything I can to get you guys back," she promises, and I feel a surge of emotion at her words. She's willing to risk everything for us, and it's both admirable and terrifying.
"Just make sure to stay alive" I say, hugging her tight. She nods against my chest, and I reluctantly pull away.
"Take me to him... please," she whispers, and I can't deny her this last request. We're in this together now... And I won't let anything get in her way.