Harry's twin || Between Light and Shadow

Chapter 20: Diggory

"Sure, Diggory," she replied, giving him a small wave. As she walked away, she couldn't help but smile. He was charming, she'd give him that. But she doubted their paths would cross again anytime soon.

---

As Daisy made her way back to the castle, a familiar sense of unease settled over her. It wasn't the cold December air or the eerie quiet of the grounds—it was something else. She had felt it before, a strange, creeping discomfort that she couldn't quite place. And, just like before, it settled over her the moment her eyes landed on Ginny Weasley.

The younger girl walked ahead of her, her red hair unmistakable even in the dim light. But something about the way she moved seemed... off. Her steps were slow and deliberate, almost as though she were in a trance.

Daisy hesitated. The feeling wasn't new. She'd caught herself watching Ginny before, always with the same nagging sense of wrongness curling in her stomach. It wasn't that Ginny had done anything strange—at least, nothing Daisy could put into words. But every time they crossed paths, Daisy felt something was... out of sync, like looking at a picture that had been subtly altered in a way she couldn't pinpoint.

She shook the thought away and called out, "Ginny?"

Ginny didn't respond. She didn't even seem to hear her.

Daisy quickened her pace, catching up to her. "Ginny, are you okay?"

Ginny blinked, as though coming out of a daze, and turned to look at Daisy. Her face was pale, her eyes wide and unfocused.

"Oh... Daisy. Hi," she said, her voice faint.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Daisy said, trying to keep her tone light. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," Ginny said quickly, though her voice trembled. "Just... tired, I guess."

Daisy studied her for a moment, the unease settling deeper. Ginny looked more than tired—she looked haunted. But before she could press further, Ginny mumbled an excuse and hurried off, leaving Daisy standing alone in the corridor.

She watched her go, that strange, nagging sensation twisting in her chest.

Why did she always feel this way around Ginny?

Daisy's mind raced as she made her way to the second-floor girls' bathroom. It was the same place Hermione had taken her for their secret conversation, and Daisy found herself drawn to its quiet solitude. The bathroom was empty, save for the faint sound of dripping water and the occasional mournful sigh from Moaning Myrtle's stall.

She leaned against one of the sinks, staring at her reflection in the cracked mirror. She felt frustrated. Everything seemed like pieces of the same puzzle but she wasn't sure what she was even looking for.

As she stood there, lost in thought, a faint whisper seemed to echo through the pipes, sending a shiver down her spine. She straightened, her heart pounding. Was it her imagination, or had she just heard something?

"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing in the empty bathroom. But there was no response, only the sound of water dripping and the distant hum of the castle.

Daisy took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. Maybe she really is going mental.

---

She couldn't sleep that night.

Every time she closed her eyes, her mind conjured Ginny's hollow expression, the dazed look in her eyes, the way she seemed to drift through the corridors as if detached from herself.

And then there was the voice.

A whisper, slithering through the walls. A sound that sent an unnatural chill down her spine.