Shadows of Slytherin Book 1

Theo

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.