Harry's heart pounded in his chest as he moved swiftly through the castle's dark corridors. He didn't dare look back.
His mind replayed the image of the hooded figure in the library—their presence had been unnatural, as if they weren't bound by the same laws of existence as ordinary wizards.
Who were they?
What did they want?
And more importantly… why did they feel so familiar?
Harry pressed himself against the cold stone wall, catching his breath. The silence of the castle at night was deafening. He listened carefully, his sharp instincts telling him he was still being watched.
His fingers twitched. Without thinking, he reached out—not with his hands, but with something deeper, something instinctual. The shadows in the corridor shifted, pulling inward toward him like an unseen force drawing them closer.
"This magic…"
It wasn't like anything taught at Hogwarts.
It felt ancient.
Personal.
Harry closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling, trying to grasp it. The shadows trembled around his fingertips, like they wanted to obey him.
But then—
A sudden voice shattered the silence.
"You shouldn't be out this late, Potter."
Harry's eyes snapped open. He turned to find himself face-to-face with Professor Lupin.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor stood a few feet away, his face unreadable in the dim torchlight. There was something about his expression—something knowing.
Hadrian forced himself to remain calm.
"I… couldn't sleep," he said smoothly. "Needed a walk."
Lupin's gaze flickered briefly to the shifting shadows around Hadrian's feet before he spoke.
"You were in the Restricted Section."
It wasn't a question.
Harry tensed.
"I—"
Lupin held up a hand, silencing him. Then, after a pause, he sighed.
"Come with me."
Harry hesitated. Was this a trap?
Lupin must have sensed his hesitation because his lips twitched in a small, tired smile.
"I'm not here to punish you," he said quietly. "But there are things you need to understand, Hadrian."
Harry stiffened at the way Lupin said his name. Not "Potter." Not "Harry."
Hadrian.
"He must know something",Thaught Harry
Hadrian's mind raced, but he followed Lupin without a word.
They walked in silence through the winding corridors, deeper into the castle than Hadrian had ever been before.
Until, finally, Lupin stopped in front of an old wooden door.
He turned to Harry , his expression unreadable.
"What you saw in the library," Lupin said softly, "is only the beginning."
Harry clenched his fists.
The shadows at his feet stirred.
And the door creaked open.
—