After talking with Shacklebolt, I thought I might actually be developing paranoia because of his words. Everything was because I suddenly began noticing things I hadn't noticed before.
Shadows that seemed to always linger behind me. Suspicious glances from passersby and rustling sounds behind me, which vanished the moment I turned around.
Perhaps I really was paranoid.
But Shacklebolt had said that I was being watched. And I believed him. After all, he was a Ministry employee and certainly knew far more than I did.
Maggie, who was almost always by my side outside of work, of course noticed nothing. She still chattered on about her own things, dragged me into the forest for mushrooms, shared village gossip, and paid absolutely no attention to my wariness.
"Why do you keep looking around?" she asked as we ventured deeper into the forest. "Afraid the Bagshot brothers will come back?"
It was a day off, and Maggie and I had gone into the forest once again, though this time for berries.
"No," I replied. "It's just… don't you feel like someone's watching us?"
Maggie glanced around. All around us was nothing but the dense forest.
"Who would care about us?" she scoffed. "We're not queens or anything."
"What if I really am a runaway queen?" I joked.
"Then I'll be your lady-in-waiting," Maggie curtsied, almost falling into a puddle. "Your Majesty, may I gather the berries?"
I laughed. With Maggie, everything felt easy, as she approached everything with a carefree attitude.
We gathered berries in the forest for nearly two hours. Our baskets were full — ripe wild gooseberries and even a few wild strawberries. Maggie chattered on, and I listened half-heartedly, but with the corner of my eye I still kept watch on our surroundings.
And then I saw something.
Among the trees, about thirty meters away, stood an unknown man. He wasn't hiding and didn't move when I noticed him. He just stood there, staring in our direction.
"Maggie," I whispered. "Don't turn around quickly. There's someone there."
Maggie froze, gooseberry in hand.
"Where?" she asked cautiously.
"Behind you, between two pines."
She slowly, as if casually, turned her head that way. After a brief look, she frowned slightly and turned back to me.
"There's no one there," she said.
I looked again. The man had suddenly disappeared.
"He was there!" I said firmly.
"Maybe a ghost?" Maggie giggled. "Grandma said she saw a ghost in this forest when she was young."
"…Maggie, this is serious."
She saw the serious expression on my face and stopped laughing.
"Who could it be?" she asked.
"I don't know… But it's time for us to go home."
We quickly gathered our things and started walking back. I kept glancing around, but the forest was empty and quiet. Only the birds called to each other and the wind rustled through the treetops.
We practically ran back to the village. Only when the first houses appeared did I exhale.
"Why would anyone be watching us?" Maggie asked, out of breath.
"Not us. Me," I said.
"Why? What did you do?"
I looked at her.
"Remember that night in the forest?"
For a moment, a puzzled expression crossed Maggie's face. Nevertheless, she almost immediately understood what I meant.
That incident in the forest, when we accidentally ran into the Bagshot brothers. And when I unexpectedly did something that frightened the brothers and surprised Maggie.
Maggie nodded.
"There are people who are interested in that. And they want to find me."
"For what?" my friend asked, puzzled.
"I don't know. But it's not going to be anything good."
Maggie turned pale.
"…Merope, I'm scared. You mean that really bad people are hunting you?"
I hesitated before answering. Because I didn't know what to think myself.
"I… don't know that yet," I admitted. "But I'll figure something out."
We said goodbye near the bakery. Maggie went home, constantly glancing around. I headed to Mrs. Cole's.
In the evening, I sat on the porch and waited.
The moon had risen, bathing the yard in silver light. It was cold, and I wrapped myself in a shawl, but stubbornly waited for someone.
"…Have you been sitting here long?" a voice finally came from the darkness.
I didn't flinch because I had been expecting him.
"I was waiting for you, Eustace."
Shacklebolt stepped out of the shadows. In the moonlight, he seemed almost like a ghost — pale, thin, with dark circles under his eyes.
"Did you want to see me?" he asked calmly.
"I thought I saw him today… in the forest."
Shacklebolt frowned.
"Who?" he asked.
"I don't know. Some man. He was standing, watching me. Then he just disappeared."
"Please describe him in more detail," Eustace patiently requested.
I closed my eyes, recalling what I had seen in the forest.
"Tall. Dressed all in dark. I couldn't see his face."
Shacklebolt was silent for a moment.
"It seems that this isn't who we were expecting…" he murmured quietly.
"Who were you expecting?" I asked tensely.
"Fanatics. Pure-blood supporters. But they usually travel in groups and don't hide their intentions. And this one… alone. And he's not attacking. It's very suspicious."
"What does he want?" I asked anxiously.
"I don't know," Shacklebolt looked at me. "But I will find out. I promise."
After that, he disappeared into the darkness again without even saying goodbye. I just sighed, thinking about not-so-good things.
I sat a little longer before returning to the house.
"…Who were you talking to out there?" Mrs. Cole asked when I entered.
"I… was talking to myself," I answered awkwardly. "Just thinking out loud."
"Really?" the woman squinted suspiciously. "I swear I heard voices outside!"
"You just imagined it," I countered. "Besides, we lock the gates at night now. Who could get in?"
Mrs. Cole looked at me puzzled for a moment, then a flash of realization crossed her eyes.
"Exactly!" she sighed. "Seems I really imagined it. Must be because I'm already ready for bed."
The woman shook her head and went to sleep.
I also went to bed, and that night I had a dream.
I was standing in the forest, in the same place where I had seen the man. It was dark, and only the moonlight filtered through the branches.
"…Who are you?" I asked into the emptiness.
Silence.
"I know you're here!" I said anxiously.
Morfin stepped out from behind a tree.
He was older than I remembered. As if several years had passed. Gray in his hair, deep wrinkles, a dull gaze.
Seeing him suddenly, I immediately stepped back.
"This… this is impossible! You should be in Azkaban. This is just a dream, isn't it?"
Morfin, or rather the dream-version of him, didn't respond.
At one point I even wanted to step closer, but I didn't have time.
The silhouette of my brother in front of me was already melting, dissolving in the moonlight.
"Morfin!"
I woke up, shouting his name.
My heart was pounding. The room was dark and silent. It was still the middle of the night.
It seemed that I had dreamed some ridiculous dream again…
I ran my hands through my hair in frustration.
And what, for heaven's sake, did it all mean?
***
In the morning, I went to the stables. At least work helped distract me from my thoughts, which hadn't been very cheerful lately.
Thomas greeted me with a frown.
"You look pale today," he remarked. "Not feeling well?"
"I'm fine," I waved it off. "Just slept badly."
"The horses are restless too," Thomas said suddenly. "Daisy was pacing all night. Seems she senses something."
I approached Daisy. The old mare nudged me with her muzzle and whinnied softly.
"What is it, girl?" I petted her. "You feel it too?"
Daisy just snorted.
"Animals sense danger," Thomas said. "If they're uneasy, something is coming."
"What?"
"I don't know. But you should be careful, just in case."
I nodded.
I worked all day like a machine. Cleaning stalls, carrying hay, washing the horses. By evening, I was exhausted, barely dragging myself home.
But as soon as I closed my eyes, there was a knock at the door.
Mrs. Cole was already asleep. I got up, wrapped my shawl around me, and approached the door myself.
"Who's there?" I asked.
"Open, Miss Gaunt. I won't harm you."
The voice was unfamiliar. Male, low, calm.
I froze in place.
"How do you know my name?" I asked tensely.
"I know much about you. Please, open the door. This is an important conversation."
I hesitated. I remembered Shacklebolt's warning not to trust strangers too much.
"I won't open it," I said firmly. "Speak like this."
Pause.
"All right. I represent an organization that cares for the preservation of ancient magical lineages. Your family is one of the oldest descendants of the legendary Slytherin. We want to offer you help and protection from our organization."
"I don't need protection," I said sharply, immediately.
"You're mistaken. Those looking for you won't stop. And we can give you safety."
"…Who are you?" I asked, holding my breath.
"Consider me simply your friend. Think about it. I will come again."
Soon, the footsteps faded.
I stood at the door, pressing my forehead against the cold wood, trembling.
After that, it took me a long time to calm down.
A terrifying realization slowly but surely settled over me.
It seemed that they had indeed found me.