Forbidden

Luke, after much deliberation, decided to venture into the forbidden book area once again. The thrill of breaking the rules had a magnetic pull on him.

But what about Dumbledore's ominous warning?

He couldn't fathom Dumbledore staring at him all day, let alone firing him. The worst he expected was a loss of house points if he were caught. With this in mind, he steeled himself for the daring mission.

Under the cover of dusk, Luke gently pushed the creaky door open and slipped out.

As he swung the door open, he nearly collided with Malfoy, who was entering.

"Where are you off to?" Malfoy inquired, an air of knowing mischief about him.

Luke, quick on his feet, produced his wand from his robes and brandished it before him.

"Hahaha, I've got to finish constructing Hogwarts today. Crabbe, fetch an axe and cut down some trees for me!"

Malfoy, smirking, ushered Crabbe into the room, pretending not to notice Luke.

"I haven't seen Luke leave today!" he declared, feigning ignorance.

Luke shifted his gaze towards the now-straightened Crabbe.

"Me—me neither!" Crabbe stammered.

Satisfied with their responses, Luke bid them farewell. "Goodbye!"

With his wand back in his robes, Luke ascended the stairs to the first floor of Hogwarts. Here, he found several Hufflepuff young witches loitering by the entrance of the dining area.

Some of them even greeted Luke with a friendly demeanor.

Luke responded with a warm smile.

As he turned to head towards the staircase, the Hufflepuff witches couldn't help but blush and start a hushed conversation.

"Do you know the name of that cute Slytherin guy?"

"I've seen him around, seems like a first-year."

"So adorable, you could pinch his cheeks!"

"His golden hair perfectly matches the Slytherin aristocratic vibe!"

"..."

Luke, who had only just moved a few steps away, couldn't help but smirk at their comments. He hadn't gone far, for Merlin's sake.

These witches were something else.

With a determined stride. Night had fallen, and the library was deserted as Mrs. Pince had left for the night. The silence was eerie.

With a wand in hand, Luke aimed it at the door's lock. He was about to cast "Alohomora" to unlock it when a voice echoed out.

"—?"

The voice sounded oddly familiar.

"Hermione?" Luke questioned, his curiosity piqued. "Who's there?"

As the door creaked open, Luke finally caught sight of Hermione clutching a book, rubbing his eyes. He appeared drowsy, with sleepiness etched across his face. But when she heard her name, a subconscious jolt of surprise coursed through her.

Upon seeing the familiar figure, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, her hand gently patting her chest. "I thought it was Madam Pince; it scared me."

Then, almost instantly, she regained her composure. "Are you out for a late-night study session?"

"How can you call it a 'night tour'? I came out to study."

Luke, pushing open the partially ajar door, entered from Hermione's side. "But... but—"

Hermione stumbled for words. "Against the rules?"

Luke came to her rescue, grinning. "Don't worry. I've sneaked out many times, and Filch has never caught me!"

And it was true. Filch had never apprehended him except for that one elusive encounter with Dumbledore.

"What about you? Did you nod off while reading in the library?" Luke inquired, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

"Didn't Madam Pince find you?"

Hermione looked a bit sheepish. "Mostly because I was so tired, I ended up falling asleep in a corner."

"Corner drool!" Luke, wielding his wand, performed a sparkling charm, directing it towards the corner of Hermione's mouth.

It was inevitable to drool a little when you nodded off on a book.

"What?"

Hermione reacted and swiftly retrieved her scarf to wipe her mouth. "What are you studying in the library?"

Bluntly changing the subject, Luke accepted it head-on. "Some dark spells that are forbidden to learn."

Luke ventured into the restricted section and, relying on his memory, found the book from the previous night. "The Black Magic Curses!"

At the utterance of these three words, Hermione involuntarily raised her voice, but then realized something was amiss. She lowered her head and said softly, "I've heard that studying dark magic spells can warp a person's mind."

"Luke, you should really steer clear of such things."

Luke could clearly sense Hermione's concern for him, but he was resolute.

"Headmaster Dumbledore knows dark spells too."

"No, Headmaster Dumbledore is different. He's the greatest wizard!"

Hermione countered instinctively. "I'm going to be a great wizard too, just like Dumbledore."

"But you haven't reached that level yet," Hermione approached Luke and whispered.

"Alright, don't worry too much."

Luke placed the book he was holding on the table and explained to Hermione. "Only weak-willed young wizards get corrupted by the curse. I'm different."

"Believe me."

Pale blue eyes met concerned, warm brown ones. The azure starlight illuminated the surrounding darkness, allowing Hermione to see Luke's face clearly.

"Never mind, I'm leaving," she said, turning her head away instinctively.

After Hermione departed, Luke opened the book documenting the dark curse. As he flipped it open once more, a black mist billowed forth.

"Evanesco."

Luke brandished his wand, intoning the spell. In a flash of light, the fog dissipated into thin air.

"These forbidden books are riddled with traps," Luke mused, half-squinting his eyes.

.....

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