(Harry Potter) Lost in a game

§"Talking in Parseltongue"§

§Spells in Parseltongue§

System UI

"Powerful beings talking"

"Normal conversation"

Thinking deeply

"Non-English conversation"

POV Antares Hecate

James, Sirius, and I slipped out of the castle unnoticed,

our steps muffled against the cool grass. As we crossed the grounds, the

imposing silhouette of the Forbidden Forest loomed ahead, its darkness far

deeper than anything I'd experienced before. The night was suffocating, and the

only sounds were the distant rustling of leaves and the occasional hoot of an

owl. This wasn't like the daytime excursions we'd taken with Hagrid or

Professor Kettleburn. No safety in numbers, no daylight to ward off the dangers.

Just us, the unknown, and the knowledge that somewhere in this darkness was a

poacher.

The thought of him unsettled me. A single dark wizard in a

place teeming with dangerous magical creatures—Acromantulas, werewolves, maybe

even Thestrals if you wandered too far into their domain. I'd never been afraid

of the forest before, but now? The idea that someone who'd willingly enter this

place to harm it was lurking nearby made my skin crawl. I couldn't help but

wonder what kind of man it took to do such a thing.

The deeper we went, the darker and denser it became. The

canopy above blocked out what little moonlight there was, leaving us enveloped

in shadow. My grip on my wand tightened. The silence stretched too thin, like

the forest itself was watching us. I glanced at James and Sirius. Usually, they

were full of banter, but now they were unnervingly quiet. It wasn't fear

exactly, but I could tell the forest was getting to them too.

"Don't use Lumos," I whispered. "It'll light us up like a

bloody target for anything in here. Got it?"

No answer. I slowed down, turning back to look at them. "Did

you two get it?" I repeated, my voice sharper this time.

Still no reply.

A knot of unease coiled in my stomach. Were they messing

with me? Or worse—had we been separated already? The forest had a way of

distorting sounds, and with the thick shadows pressing in, it was easy to lose

track of someone.

Suddenly, there was a sharp crack to my left. My instincts

kicked in before I could think. "Stupefy!" I hissed, sending a jet of red light

toward the sound. It struck something, and I heard a loud yelp followed by a

string of muttered curses.

The light from the spell revealed James and Sirius standing

there, grinning like idiots. Sirius had been hit square in the shoulder, and he

was rubbing it furiously.

"Hey! You bastard, that hurt!" Sirius hissed, glaring at me.

"Don't sneak up on me!" I snapped, lowering my wand. "I

thought we got separated. You're lucky I didn't use Expulso or worse."

James couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. "Merlin,

you're jumpy tonight," he said, smirking.

"I'm not jumpy," I muttered, though I knew I was lying to

myself. The forest felt wrong tonight—like something darker than usual was

stirring. Between the poacher and the creatures out here, it was hard not to

feel on edge.

"Sure, sure," Sirius grumbled, still rubbing his shoulder.

"You're lucky I didn't hex you back."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, whatever. Just no more messing

around, alright? We're in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. There's enough

out here to worry about without you two pulling stupid pranks."

Sirius muttered something under his breath but nodded.

"Fine. No more pranks. But if anyone hexes me again, I'm hexing back."

James chuckled. "Let's just keep moving. The sooner we find

whatever you're after, the sooner we can get out of here."

I nodded, but my thoughts lingered. The forest wasn't just a

dark, dangerous place. Tonight, it felt like it had eyes—watching, waiting.

The dense canopy of the Forbidden Forest loomed overhead,

blocking out the faint starlight. Shadows twisted and danced, making every

movement in the underbrush feel like a threat waiting to pounce. The air was

damp, filled with the earthy scent of moss and decaying leaves. Despite the

heavy silence, the forest was alive with subtle noises—the occasional rustle of

wings, the snap of twigs, and the distant howls of wolves.

James broke the quiet first. "Alright, Antares, what exactly

did you leave out here? Because dragging us into this place, at night, feels

like some elaborate joke."

I glanced over my shoulder, trying to look casual. "It's…

nothing major. Just something I need to retrieve."

Sirius snorted, clearly unimpressed. "Nothing major? You

dragged us out past curfew, into one of the most dangerous places on school

grounds, for 'nothing major'? Come on, Antares, spill it. What's so important?"

I hesitated, racking my brain for a convincing lie. I

couldn't tell them about the quest. "It's an old heirloom. Family thing. I

accidentally left it behind last time I was out here during class."

James raised an eyebrow. "You brought a family heirloom to

the Forbidden Forest? Why? Were you showing it off to the thestrals?"

Sirius laughed at that but quickly followed up with, "Yeah,

mate, that's not exactly the kind of thing you take on a field trip. Are you

sure you're not just making this up to mess with us?"

I scowled. "Look, you don't have to believe me. But if it's

lost for good, I'm the one who's going to get an earful, not you."

Sirius shrugged. "Fine. Let's find this precious trinket of

yours. But next time, don't be so careless, yeah?"

We continued deeper into the forest, the oppressive darkness

pressing closer with each step. Every snap of a branch or rustle of leaves made

my heart race. The thought of the poacher lingered in the back of my mind. Who

was he? What did he want here? And how dangerous was he? The Forbidden Forest

wasn't just home to magical creatures—it was home to predators. Wolves,

acromantulas, and Merlin-knows-what-else roamed freely here. The idea of a

poacher wandering this dangerous terrain with clear intent sent a chill down my

spine.

As we trudged along, we passed a small clearing where a

group of hippogriffs rested, their sharp eyes tracking our movements. Further

ahead, a pair of nifflers scurried through the underbrush, their noses

twitching as they searched for anything shiny. Sirius whispered something about

catching one for fun, but James quickly shut him down.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted it. A lone

Mooncalf had wandered away from its herd. The creature moved cautiously, its

large, luminous eyes scanning the shadows. It was vulnerable, separated from

its group. My stomach twisted.

Before I could say anything, a sharp crack echoed through

the air. A spell shot from the darkness, encasing the Mooncalf in a glowing

net. The creature let out a pitiful cry as it struggled, the light from the net

illuminating the figure of a man in the shadows.

"That's a poacher," I hissed, my voice low but urgent.

James looked alarmed. "We need to get a teacher. They'll

know what to do."

"We don't have time for that!" I snapped, trying to keep my

voice steady. "If we go back for help, he'll be long gone. And if he gets out

of here, he'll tell others how to get into the forest. This could be the first

poacher to ever breach this place—if he succeeds, there will be more."

Sirius nodded, his expression serious for once. "Antares is

right. We can't let him leave. Besides, James, what are we going to say to the

teachers? That we just happened to stumble across a poacher while taking a

midnight stroll in the Forbidden Forest? We'd be expelled before we finished

explaining."

James frowned, clearly torn. "I don't like this. It feels

reckless."

"We don't have a choice," I insisted. "This isn't just about

the Mooncalf—it's about the entire forest. If he gets out, this place won't be

safe for anyone anymore."

James sighed, gripping his wand tighter. "Fine. But if this

goes south, I'm blaming you."

Sirius grinned, his usual bravado returning. "Let's show

this poacher what happens when you mess with Hogwarts."

As we crept closer, the poacher remained focused on the

Mooncalf, oblivious to our approach. His wand glowed faintly, revealing a

rough, scarred face and a cold, calculating expression. My heart pounded in my

chest.

The forest felt alive with malice tonight, each shadow

twisting into shapes my imagination eagerly turned into threats. The air was

thick, damp, and oppressive, carrying with it the scent of decay and soil. The

poacher stood only twenty feet ahead, bent over the Mooncalf still struggling

weakly in the magical net. He didn't notice us yet, his focus locked on

securing his prize.

I gripped my wand tightly, my mind racing. The quest was

clear: kill him. Not incapacitate, not deter—kill. I could feel James and

Sirius behind me, their breaths shallow and anxious. I wasn't sure if it was

the darkness or my own paranoia, but the forest felt more hostile than ever.

Every rustle of leaves seemed amplified, every distant cry of a creature like a

warning meant just for me.

James whispered, his voice strained, "So… what's the plan? Stun

him and run?"

I shook my head, barely sparing him a glance. "We don't have

time for that," I murmured. My voice sounded foreign to my own ears—cold and

detached. "If he gets out of here alive, others will come. The Forbidden Forest

will become a hunting ground."

Sirius stepped closer, his brow furrowed. "Wait, what do you

mean by—"

Before he could finish, I acted.

"Diffindo"

The cutting charm sliced through the air, almost silent

except for the faint hum of magic. It was aimed for his neck, where I knew it

would do the most damage. The poacher must have sensed something because he

turned just in time to see the spell coming. His eyes widened in shock as the

magic struck.

The spell hit with brutal precision, slashing deep into the

side of his neck. Blood erupted from the wound, splattering the ground and

staining the leaves of a nearby bush. He stumbled, his hands flying to his

throat as he gurgled, choking on his own blood. The crimson river spilled

through his fingers, dripping down his chest in thick, glistening streams.

I froze, watching as he crumpled to his knees. His wand

slipped from his hand, forgotten as his body fought against the inevitable. His

lips moved, forming words drowned by the wet, choking sounds coming from his

throat. Blood bubbled at the corners of his mouth, and his skin turned deathly

pale.

Then, with one last shudder, he collapsed face-first into

the dirt, the life draining out of him in a widening pool of red.

For a moment, all I could hear was the pounding of my own

heartbeat and the distant rustling of the forest. My wand hand trembled, but I

kept my grip firm.

Ding

The notification from the Game was loud in my head, almost

mocking. I didn't look at it. I couldn't—not yet.

James's voice broke the silence, sharp and filled with

panic. "You killed him!" His eyes were wide, his face pale as he stared at the

body. "Antares, what the hell? I thought we were just going to knock him out or

something! Merlin, we're going to get expelled. No—no, worse. We're going to

Azkaban for this!"

Sirius wasn't much better. He was pacing frantically, his

hands in his hair. "We're done for. They'll think we're dark wizards. They'll

send Aurors—hell, they'll send Dementors. We're going to get the Kiss for

this!"

Their panic was infectious. My breathing quickened, my

thoughts racing as I looked at the poacher's lifeless body. The blood, still

warm, seeped into the forest floor, the metallic scent mixing with the earthy

smell of the woods. I felt bile rise in my throat. I'd killed someone. I'd

taken a life.

"Calm down!" I snapped, my voice shaking. But they didn't

listen. James was muttering about Aurors, and Sirius was ranting about how

stupid this all was.

"Calm the fuck down!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the

trees. They both froze, staring at me. "Do you think I wanted to do this?" I

gestured wildly at the body. "Do you think I enjoyed it? I didn't have a

choice! If we stunned him and called the Aurors, he'd get a slap on the wrist—a

fine, maybe a month in Azkaban, and then he'd tell everyone how to get into the

forest. This isn't just about us. It's about the creatures in here. The

Mooncalves, the Thestrals, the unicorns—they'd all be hunted down. I did what

had to be done."

James swallowed hard, his eyes darting between me and the

body. "You… you don't even seem upset about it."

I didn't know how to respond. The truth was, I wasn't sure

how I felt. My hands were still trembling, my stomach twisting in knots, but my

mind… my mind felt strangely clear.

Ding.

New Perk Unlocked:

Gamer's Mind

"When playing

a game, one doesn't feel the emotions of killing someone—so why should you? All

negative feelings and emotions are removed to keep the user in a rational state

of mind."

And just like that, the storm of emotions vanished. The

shaking stopped, my stomach settled, and my thoughts became calm and focused. I

could still remember the fear, the guilt, the horror—but I couldn't feel them

anymore. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and all the noise in my head

had been silenced.

Sirius broke the silence, his voice low and uneasy. "You're

bloody terrifying when you're calm, you know that?"

I ignored him, turning my attention to the Mooncalf, now

free and rejoining its pack. At least that was something. The forest was safe

for now. The quest was complete.

But as I looked back at the blood-stained ground, I couldn't

help but think what the game is doing to me.

The forest still smelled of blood and ash, the faint scent

clinging to my robes even as we left the scene behind. My mind replayed the

poacher's last moments again and again: the flash of my cutting charm, the

gurgle of blood, the sight of his body crumpling to the ground. I felt

detached, like I was watching it happen to someone else. But I knew better.

That someone else was me.

"Guys, you know we had to do this," I said, my voice soft

but firm. "I had to do this. If he got out, the forest would've become hunting

grounds."

James stopped in his tracks, his face twisted in something

between anger and disbelief. He didn't respond, just stared at me with a hard,

almost betrayed look.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, frustration

building. Turning back to the situation at hand, I'd burned the body and

cleaned up the blood with a few precise Evanesco charms before we left. The

forest didn't hold the same weight of evidence as before, but it still lingered

in the back of my mind—this mess wasn't over.

The walk back was heavy with silence. Sirius and James

followed behind me, their footsteps muffled by the damp forest floor. I could

feel their eyes on my back, but neither of them said a word. The awkwardness

gnawed at me, a stark contrast to our usual banter.

When we finally slipped through the castle's secret

passageways and into the safety of our dormitory hallway, I turned to speak,

desperate to break the tension but stopped myself.

As we reached the door to the dorm, I tried again. "Look, I

didn't want to—"

James cut me off sharply, his tone clipped and cold. "No. Be

quiet." He stepped inside and slammed the door, leaving me standing in the

corridor with my mouth open.

I turned to Sirius, hoping for some kind of reassurance. But

when I opened my mouth, he held up a hand to stop me. "Antares, I get it. I

really do. I understand why you did it, and maybe, eventually, James will too.

But…" He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm worried about how fast you

decided to kill him. We didn't even see the guy longer than five minutes. You

didn't hesitate. You didn't even talk to him."

I tried to interject, but he shook his head. "Just... stay

away from us for a while, okay? James needs time. I need time. Night."

And with that, he stepped into the dorm and locked the door

behind him, leaving me alone in the corridor.

The weight of his words hit me like a punch to the gut. I

stood there, staring at the closed door, feeling my chest tighten. My eyes

started to sting, and I realized tears were welling up. My throat burned, and

the first sob was clawing its way to the surface—until I heard it.

Ding.

The notification cut through my grief like a knife, and

suddenly, the tears dried. My vision cleared, and the raw pain in my chest

faded into nothingness.

"Fucking game," I muttered, clenching my fists. "Just let me

cry, damn it."

As if mocking me, another Ding sounded in my head. Just like

that, the anger melted away too, leaving behind a hollow calm. It was

infuriating, yet I couldn't summon the energy to care.

With nowhere else to go, I started wandering. I knew the

prefect patrol patterns by heart—after all, breaking rules had become something

of a specialty for me—so it wasn't hard to avoid them. My feet carried me to

the third-floor corridor, where I paced back and forth, my mind racing even as

my body moved automatically.

Then, I saw it.

A door I had never seen before materialized out of nowhere,

as if responding to my presence. Intrigued, I approached it cautiously. The

door creaked open, revealing a small, private room. The walls were lined with

shelves full of books and odd trinkets, and at the center was a single bed with

clean, soft linens.

I stepped inside, the quiet hum of magic in the air soothing

my frayed nerves. I stood at the foot of the bed for what felt like hours, just

staring at it, my thoughts swirling.

Eventually, exhaustion took over. I lay down, the mattress

firm but comforting beneath me. I didn't remember closing my eyes, but when I

woke, the sun was shining through a small window high on the wall.

For the first time in hours, I felt... almost at peace. But

as I sat up, the memories of the night before came flooding back, and I knew

that peace wouldn't last.

Author's note

Annnnnd

that's the end of the chapter yes, I know it's a little short but I wanted to

get a chapter out. Thanks for reading. Reviews and favorites help keep me motivated.

Feedback helps me improve as a writer. See you again sooner then later.