POV: Harriet Potter

After Hermione left to settle in and catch up with Ron, who had also come to Hogwarts to help, the reality of the situation felt more dire but oddly more hopeful. Having my friends here reminded me that, despite the darkness pressing in from all sides, we had a fighting chance. We had each other, and that was something the darkness couldn't take away.

I rubbed my eyes, exhaustion seeping into my bones, but I couldn't rest. Not yet. The thought of Severus out there, working tirelessly in the dungeons, kept me from relaxing. Part of me ached to be near him, to make sure he was safe, but I knew we had to divide our efforts to cover as much ground as possible. We couldn't afford to leave any part of the castle unguarded.

I stood up, stretching out my tired limbs, and decided to head to the library. If I couldn't rest, I could at least keep searching for clues, anything that might help us understand this ancient dark magic. The corridors were quiet, the castle feeling more like a slumbering beast than the vibrant home it usually was. I kept my wand at the ready, alert to every flicker of shadow.

As I neared the library, I heard hushed voices. I slowed my steps, moving carefully until I reached the doorway and peeked inside. What I saw made my heart clench. Severus was there, standing near one of the long wooden tables, speaking in low tones to Professor Flitwick. The two of them were deep in conversation, their expressions serious.

I stepped inside, and Severus looked up, his eyes meeting mine. For a moment, his expression softened, the weight of everything he was carrying visible in the slight easing of his brow. It lasted only a second before his usual mask of composure slipped back into place.

"Potter," he said, his voice as smooth and composed as ever. "Couldn't sleep, I take it?"

I shook my head, offering a small smile. "Not with everything going on," I admitted. "I thought I'd come and see if there was anything I could do to help."

Professor Flitwick nodded, his small face lined with worry. "We could use all the help we can get," he said. "Severus and I have been discussing the possibility of strengthening the magical barriers around the castle, but this dark presence is... elusive. It doesn't behave like anything we've encountered before."

I joined them at the table, the books and scrolls spread out like a labyrinth of knowledge we were trying desperately to navigate. "We need to find its weakness," I said, my voice steady. "Everything has a weakness, even the darkest magic."

Severus's gaze flicked to mine, and there was a glint of something like admiration there. "That's what we're counting on," he said.

The three of us worked in silence, the only sounds the rustle of parchment and the occasional murmured incantation as we tested theories and reviewed ancient texts. Hours passed, and fatigue settled over me like a heavy blanket, but I refused to give in. My determination was matched by Severus's unrelenting focus, and having him beside me made the long hours feel a little less hopeless.

At one point, Professor Flitwick excused himself to check on the wards around the Ravenclaw common room, leaving Severus and me alone. The quiet of the library felt almost sacred, and I looked up from the book I was reading to find Severus watching me, his expression thoughtful.

"Thank you for being here," I said softly, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

He set down the scroll he had been examining, leaning back in his chair. "Where else would I be?" he asked, and there was a sincerity in his voice that made my heart ache.

A heavy pause settled between us, and I realized that the distance we had once kept had all but disappeared. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table, and searched his face for any hint of what he was thinking. "I meant it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "What I said earlier. We face this together."

His eyes softened, the shadows in them lifting just enough for me to see the man beneath the armor. "You shouldn't have to carry this burden," he said, and there was a rare vulnerability in his voice. "Not after everything you've already endured."

I reached across the table, my fingers brushing his. He didn't pull away, and the warmth of his hand against mine was a small comfort in the vast darkness we were fighting. "Neither should you," I replied, my voice steady. "But we're stronger together. Don't you see that?"

For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze locked on our joined hands. Then, slowly, he turned his palm to hold mine, his touch firm but gentle. "I see it," he murmured, and the admission felt like a fragile thread of hope binding us together.

The intimacy of the moment made my heart race, but before either of us could say more, a sudden chill swept through the room. The torches flickered, and the shadows seemed to deepen, pressing in from all sides. We both shot to our feet, wands raised, as the temperature plummeted.

"Do you feel that?" I whispered, my breath misting in the cold air.

Severus's expression hardened, and he stepped in front of me, his body a shield between me and whatever threat had just entered the room. "Stay close," he commanded, his voice low and commanding.

The shadows shifted, and a figure emerged from the darkness. It was like a wraith, a mass of swirling black energy with a face that was barely more than a blur. The malevolence radiating from it was suffocating, and I had to fight to keep my grip on my wand.

"You cannot stop what is coming," the wraith-like figure hissed, its voice like nails scraping against stone. "The past will consume you all."

Severus's hand tightened around mine, and he raised his wand, his jaw set. "We've faced worse," he said, his voice cold and steady. "And we're still standing."

The creature let out a bone-chilling laugh, and then it vanished, melting back into the shadows as quickly as it had appeared. The chill in the air lingered, and I felt my knees weaken. But Severus was there, his arm slipping around my waist to steady me.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice softer now, the harshness melting away as he looked at me with genuine concern.

I nodded, leaning into his touch. "Yes," I whispered, though my heart was still pounding. "But that... whatever it was, it's getting bolder."

He held me for a moment longer, his grip warm and strong, and I felt a surge of gratitude for him. For his strength, his willingness to fight beside me. And for the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe-just maybe-we could win this.