"Sometimes, the things we can’t see are the most dangerous."

Welcome, readers. You are all about to embark on a mystery—it will require your sharpest instincts, astute observations, and the ability for you to piece together this complicated and dark puzzle. 

Throughout this three-part story, which is narrated by myself, you must follow the clues and examine suspects to find out who has been stalking the protagonist: you. But beware, for it will not be easy. The truth will always be hidden, buried under stories built on lies.

At the beginning of each part, a new clue will be revealed. As you move forward, it will help you get closer to an answer. Once you reach the end and have your answer, you can submit it to me for a shoutout in HMN’s next issue and the coveted Skillful Detective award. 

This story contains twists, secrets, and the unknown. It is the ultimate mystery. This is… “Eyes In The Dark.”

[Disclaimer: The story is told in second-person perspective. The protagonist is described as a Slytherin girl, but you’re welcome to imagine otherwise!]

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"People are strange. They are unpredictable. You never know who they truly are."

Gather around, detectives. Daphne Clarke here, and I have a mystery that’s just begging to be solved. Lately, you’ve noticed strange notes appearing out of nowhere, things shifting ever so slightly, and the unsettling feeling that someone is watching your every move. Someone’s stalking you, and it’s up to you to uncover who it is. Ready for a challenge? Read on…

Let me set the stage. Our story takes place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry centred on a Slytherin girl. This girl wasn’t ordinary; quite the opposite, in fact. She had an unsettling past, one that she was yet to know of. Her name? Astraea Tonks.

Astraea’s unique name was given to her by her mother, Andromeda, who adopted her when she was young. You see, Astraea never really knew who she was, or where she came from. She didn’t know anything at all about her family, but she learned not to ask any questions. All that would result was glassy eyes from her mother, ashamed looks from her father, and a stern face from her sister, Nymphadora.

Let me tell you a little more about her. Astraea was always exceptionally skilled, especially when it came to Defense Against the Dark Arts and magical dueling. She had piercing eyes, sharp features, and an unruly mess of curly black hair. Despite her talents, Astraea almost always kept to herself.

However, by the time she was 16, the young girl had made a quiet name for herself as a powerful, intelligent student. Unfortunately, someone had noticed her. Someone had grown obsessed. Who? That’s what we’re here to find out.

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Part 1: Suspect List

For your first major clue, you will receive a list of your top six suspects, and your relationship with them. Read over this carefully!

Ginny Weasley: (Uncomfortable) Acquaintances
You and Ginny know each other casually, mainly through shared classes or social settings. The two of you were never close, and you often notice her unease around you. Sometimes, you catch Ginny staring at you for a second too long in class, or acting odd during your minimal interactions.

Cormac McLaggen: (Not So Secret) Admirer
Cormac knows nothing about you, but he's persistent in trying to speak with you. He often writes you notes or tries to impress you in ways that mostly come off as overly forward or even creepy. You tend to dismiss his behavior, assuming he does the same with every girl he comes across.

Harry Potter: Distant (But Maybe Not) Peer
You and Harry rarely interact, and when you do, he’s either overly intense or acting strangely—something you expect given his life. However, it always leaves you feeling uncomfortable, unsure of what’s going through his head.

Pansy Parkinson: Rival (For Life)
Pansy views you as competition—whether it be in academics, attention, or just general popularity. She occasionally mocks or makes fun of you in public, and she somehow seems to be lurking around you constantly. Her immature personality and attitude make her annoying and unbearable for you.

Draco Malfoy: Ally (Or Foe?)
Not many people know much about you, Draco included. You and he have a complicated relationship—sometimes he’s cordial, but at other times, he can be dismissive. You’ve never fully trusted him, and sometimes, you can’t shake the feeling that he knows something you don’t.

Hermione Granger: (Almost Too) Close Classmate 
You and Hermione share a mutual respect in academics. You don’t interact often enough to be considered friends, but you spend time together in class. Hermione has been known to ask many questions about you, which you can’t help but see as prying and invasive.

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"The truth is rarely pure and never simple."

It all began with one note. One note to change your entire life—everything you thought you knew about yourself. You were sitting in Slughorn’s Potion class, working on your Draught of Living Death. Walking toward the cupboard to grab your ingredients, you returned to your station to find a single piece of parchment in front of your cauldron. It was crinkled, with a scorch mark along the edge. But it wasn’t the paper that shook you—it was the messy, unrecognizable script written inside.

I see you, Astraea. And I know who you are.

How did you end up here? Let’s review the day:

Your first class was Charms. You had barely mustered the energy to go, but as soon as you arrived, you were most definitely awake. Chaos had erupted as Professor Flitwick instructed everyone to review the Fire-Making Charm—a clear weak spot for your class. Sitting quietly in a corner, you cast the spell effortlessly, watching others struggle as they shouted “Incendio!”

From the corner of your eye, you saw Harry’s spell backfire in a flurry of sparks, scattering in all directions. Ron laughed, but Hermione gasped.

“Careful! I swear you’re going to burn something…”

Defense Against the Dark Arts followed, but nothing much happened there—except for Neville’s odd behavior. He spent the entire class nervously glancing at you. It could’ve just been because of Snape, but you had a feeling it wasn’t.

Then, you accidentally bumped into Ginny on your way out, and the look of horror on her face was unmistakable. It was as if she found you dangerous. None of it made sense. You had never been anything but polite to both of them—and everyone else, for that matter.

At lunch, you felt the need to clear your head. A small study session in the library couldn’t possibly hurt, you thought. But, you didn’t expect the unnerving sensation of someone’s lingering stare as you worked.

“Astraea!” Cormac’s voice rang out as he approached your table. You sighed internally. “How are y—”

“Sorry, not interested,” you cut him off before he could finish. Anger flickered across his face before he scoffed and walked away.

Leaving your things behind, you went to grab a Herbology textbook you needed. When you returned, something felt… wrong.

It wasn’t much, just a subtle shift—but enough to unsettle you. Someone had touched your bag. Your books. Quickly rifling through your belongings, you found nothing missing, but it didn’t make sense. Paranoia crept in, and terrible possibilities raced through your mind as you walked to Potions, every sense heightened.

And that’s when you found the note.

At the time, you quickly looked over your shoulder, hoping to catch whoever had left it. Draco caught your eye, his expression blank and unreadable. Pansy, beside him, glared before turning away. Then your gaze landed on Harry, who had been staring. The moment you noticed, he quickly looked down. Weird. The only other person you saw nearby was Hermione, and she was innocently working on her potion.

Maybe it was all just a prank. After all, it had been a confusing day, and you hadn’t gotten enough sleep the night before. The idea of a stalker seemed ridiculous. So, to ease your mind, you chalked it up to coincidence.

Tomorrow will be different. Right?

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Part 2: Timeline

Now, it’s time for our second clue, which will be the timeline! You may not see its importance, but trust me, you will need it!

The year is 1996, and you are currently in your 6th year in Hogwarts. Your stalker is the same age as you.

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"Everything you see is a lie."

You awoke with a smile, feeling much more energized than the day before. With a skip in your step, you got dressed and headed down to breakfast.

Turns out, a good night of rest was all you needed to ease your worries. You decided to plan a peaceful day for yourself—visiting all your favorite spots in the castle, just to make sure your mind was back on track.

The class progressed quickly. In Charms, all you could hear were Ron and Harry opening Chocolate Frogs behind you, while Hermione worked next to you. She seemed chattier than usual, which was different, but not necessarily a bad thing.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was over as soon as it had started, your magic was strong today. As he evaluated you, Snape continued to give you knowing looks. It was a little uncomfortable, but it was fine. After all, you were the best in his class.

Arithmancy was next, and the classroom was dead silent. The Ravenclaws really were as studious as everyone said.

At lunch, you headed to your favorite corner of the library, only to find it littered with candy wrappers. It was nothing a quick cleaning charm couldn’t fix, but still, it was irritating to deal with. There was also a book left behind, titled Pure-Blood Directory. You reshelved it quickly, uninterested in who left it behind.

Despite all this, you tried to savor lunch before heading to Potions—the class you dreaded most. If it turned out to be anything like yesterday, you knew it would be terrifying.

Fortunately, nothing happened! The only thing that caught your attention was Pansy’s attention-seeking behavior. You’d never really thought of her as a bully, but her constant attempts to throw you off your game told you otherwise. You knew she’d go to great lengths to make sure you were distracted, but with exams approaching, her attitude wasn’t going to be your problem.

After the day was over, you walked into dinner and moved toward your usual spot at the Slytherin table. Waiting for you was a piece of parchment. The ink was still fresh, and the faint smell of treacle tart made your stomach drop. Whoever this was, they were watching. They were there every day, blending in with the other students in the Great Hall. For all you knew, they could be sitting right beside you.

Panic bubbled up inside you as you scanned the room, wondering if the stalker was watching you now. It felt like your shirt was tightening around your neck, and the weight of everyone’s eyes bore down on you.

“I need to step outside for a moment,” you announced, standing abruptly. A few people flinched, but you didn’t wait for anyone to ask questions. You pocketed the note and quickly made your way to the courtyard.

Sitting on a bench in the cool evening air, you tried to calm your racing thoughts. Yet, the feeling of a looming presence wouldn’t leave you. You turned around suddenly, convinced someone was standing behind you—but there was no one there.

“I’m going insane,” you mumbled. “I swear someone was right… there.”

The nerves became too much, and you decided to head to your dorm. Dinner had only just begun, so you didn’t worry about being followed.

As you approached the dungeons, the sound of loud voices stopped you in your tracks. Two people were arguing. You ducked behind a pillar, immediately recognizing the voices.

“I don’t understand why you can’t tell me!” Pansy whined.

“Listen, she is none of your business!” Draco snapped.

You leaned forward, curious as to what the argument was about until you suddenly tripped and toppled forward. Pansy yelped, and Draco turned to look at you, alarmed.

“Oh—I was just leaving,” you sputtered, quickly collecting yourself and rushing past them toward your dorm. Your heart pounded as you shut the door behind you, questions racing through your mind. What were they arguing about? Were they talking about you? They obviously were, but what was Draco hiding?

You suddenly realise the changes everyone has gone through this year. The way they look at you—talk about you. They all know something you don’t, and you need to find out what it is.

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Part 3: Motivation

This is your final clue before voting. Your stalkers' motivations are curiosity and justice.

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"There are no secrets that time does not reveal."

At this point, everything was driving you crazy. Everywhere you went, people watched and nowhere felt safe anymore. Whoever was following you knew where you were at every moment, which was starting to make you feel queasy.

Since the last awkward interaction you had had with Draco and Pansy, you were going out of your way to avoid them by spending all of your time in your dorm. This usually wouldn’t have been a problem, but Hermione wouldn’t stop nagging you about going to class. What was her problem?

All this time spent skipping was for a good reason, though. You have been trying to decode the riddle you were given. You forgot about the piece of parchment from that night but had found it in your pocket in the morning. It was the same messy writing, but this time, the message was longer. Here’s what the note said:

I shine the brightest when shadows fall,
A winter light that outshines all.
The hunter’s friend, both fierce and true,
My name and path both lead to you.

Everything about the message was just…creepy. Whoever wrote it knew about your family and the connection your name has to the stars. Clearly, this stalker of yours wanted something to do with your family. Maybe it was bigger than just you.

Suddenly—it hits you. Every message, clue, and hint fit together to form the perfect puzzle. Of course! Your stalker didn’t want to terrify you. They are clever and just wanted you to see what was in front of you all along.

Quickly, you scrawl a message on the back of the note, running out of your dorm for the first time in days. While running to the library, you crash into Neville, who was in a hushed conversation with Ginny.

“Blimey! For a second, I thought you were B-”

“Sorry, I’m in a rush!” you yell, and continue on your way. When you finally arrive, you leave the note in the little corner where you always sit, knowing that your stalker will find it. What did it say? Well…

I know who you are, and I finally know what you know. Meet me back here at midnight. We need to talk about my family. 

The End.

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If you’re still here, thank you so much for reading my story through! This was so much fun to write and I truly hope you all enjoyed it. Now, we’ve reached the best part: voting time! Please send your answer to me on the Google Form below. If you can’t access Google or there is an issue with submitting, you also have the option of sending me an owl! I’ll provide a link to my wall as well.

Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQa9Uc9M9Q_3Sujw8gKvzs-eKYeTYXO-NmE7NTeSlAl9fcqg/viewform (Make sure to vote quickly, as this will close in two weeks time!)

Daphne Clarke’s Wall: https://www.hogwartsishere.com/1641297/

Well, that’s about it. Check back next issue for the reveal in our last chapter, and to see if you were able to win the game. Thanks again for reading! Toodles <3

Written by Daphne Clarke.
Edited by Marietta Oizys. 
Proofread by Sara Rowan.