Shadows of Slytherin Book 1

Mattheo

"Why haven't they returned yet?" I said, my anxiety growing by the second. Restlessly, I paced back and forth in the stands, unable to shake off the nagging fear that something terrible might have happened to Dani.

Around me, the atmosphere was light-hearted and filled with laughter as people chatted and enjoyed themselves. But my mind couldn't escape the dark cloud of worry. Dani's safety consumed my thoughts, and I couldn't find comfort in the cheerful surroundings.

Attempting to offer some reassurance, Enzo approached me and firmly placed his hands on my shoulders, bringing my pacing to a halt. He met my eyes and spoke with conviction, "They will be fine, Mattheo. You have to believe that. Dani will come back safely."

Theo, sitting beside Pansy, chimed in, his voice filled with confidence, "Enzo's right. Dani is a fighter through and through. Besides, now that Fleur has returned, it's two against two. They have the skills and determination to handle the situation. But you have to give them some time."

I took a deep breath, absorbing their words of encouragement. Their faith in Dani and her abilities helped quiet the storm of worry raging within me. Nodding gratefully, I settled back down in my seat next to Draco, desperately hoping that their assurances would prove true.

Please, let her be safe, I silently pleaded with the universe.

Dani

I glanced up just in time to witness Cedric rushing towards Viktor, pointing his wand at him. Panicking, I instinctively shouted, "Cedric, no!" and scrambled to my feet. Quickly making my way over, I desperately attempted to wrestle his arm away. "Cedric, he's under a spell! Don't do it! It's not him!"

Cedric briefly glanced in my direction, and I just looked at him with my eyes, silently pleading, "Please, don't..." Regrettably, Cedric shook his head in frustration, forcefully pushing me aside as he surged forward. Harry and I hurriedly pursued him, our feet pounding against the ground as we sprinted to catch up.

Racing through the maze, we darted around corners, each of us trying to take the lead. Suddenly, we all halted simultaneously, struck by the vibrant, blue radiance emanating from the cup. "That's it!" Harry exclaimed, his voice filled with exhilaration.

"Go!" I shouted, my own voice infused with urgency. Together, we charged towards the cup. However, the towering walls of the maze unexpectedly began to crumble, closing in on us. The continuous recurrence of these collapsing walls was becoming exhausting, but this time, the situation took a turn. The very ground beneath us shook violently, and a multitude of roots emerged, snaking upwards, their gnarled appendages reaching out to ensnare our feet as we ran.

Summoning every ounce of determination, I pushed myself forward, pushing my physical limits in a desperate bid to outrun the chaos. Abruptly, I heard a resounding thud behind me. I abruptly came to a halt, swiveling around to witness the nightmarish sight of the roots dragging Cedric away. "Dani!" he cried out, his voice laced with terror.

"HARRY!" I called out urgently, my voice filled with desperation, causing him to freeze in his tracks. "We have to help him!" I darted towards Cedric. Without wasting a moment, I began casting spells, directing them towards the roots that threatened to engulf Cedric.

"Reducto!" Harry's voice echoed, his spell causing the menacing vines to wither away, retreating from Cedric's defenseless form. Together, our combined efforts were slowly pushing back the threat. Finally, we managed to free Cedric from the roots. As I extended my hand to help him up, he gazed at me with gratitude, his voice filled with appreciation. "Thank you," he said, his voice laced with a mix of relief and disbelief. "You could have left me."