In the Hogwarts Headmaster's office, Dumbledore rested his hand on his waist-length beard and lowered his head in thought. "It really was Black. I hope he doesn't become a wild card."
"Crunch." A lifelike cockroach burst in his mouth, and Dumbledore, worn out after a long night, smiled sweetly.
Ever since the night in the Forbidden Forest, rumors that there was a monster in the forest had spread quickly through the school, thanks to Malfoy telling everyone about it.
Most students were on edge, and when they wandered around the grounds, they made a point of keeping well away from the Forbidden Forest. Even the Weasley Twins, who usually loved getting up to mischief, had reined themselves in.
Before long, a flood of owls delivered a blizzard of complaint letters from parents. Several School Governors, led by Old Malfoy, sent especially harsh letters, demanding that the school thoroughly investigate the Forbidden Forest to ensure student safety. Otherwise, they threatened to reduce their funding for the school—or even replace the Headmaster.
Of course, none of this was the students' concern. As for Yulian, the only person who had asked him for details was Elizabeth Rosier. She'd told him to be careful lately, because Dark Magic had been stirring around the school—and sensing it was one of the Rosier family's gifts.
However, ever since that night in the Forbidden Forest, Lyria had not managed a single restful night's sleep. The Northern Child of Nature's sense of smell was far sharper than an ordinary person's, and all the more so when it came to the scent of a blood feud.
The shadowy figure's odor—the smell of rotting moss, old blood, and something sickeningly sweet—was etched into her memory like a brand.
Whenever the night grew quiet, she lay in her four-poster bed