Chapter 2 - Meeting At Midnight

Sam recalled the events of the day before as he sat at the dinner table the next day. Had he really seen the boys hair change to a jet black? Was it all in his head when the boys face contorted and twisted in front of him?

Sam didn't sleep well the night before and that night he was having even more trouble. He just felt himself drifting into sleep when a voice rang out in his head. There were other voices too, shouting. Sam's head felt as if it was splitting in half.

He sat up looking around. His room was pitch black. The voices were only in his head, Sam realised. They were still pounding on the inside of his skull causing him immense pain.

He heard a noise outside his window and went to look. A silvery stag was on the road, beckoning him to follow. As soon as he saw it the voices started to fade away and Sam began thinking clearly again.

Throwing on his clothes, Sam crept down the stairs and grabbed a torch as he left the house.

The stag was walking away from him, Sam followed. It led him along a few different streets and under a bridge, along a path.

Sam swallowed hard, someone was under the bridge, a man. The stag walked to him and faded away.

"What was that?"

"Patronus" the man replied as if this was a regular occurrence.

"And what are you?" Sam asked.

The man looked up at him, he was wearing round glasses, he had black messy hair and, on his forehead, under the black tangle of hair, something shone slightly red.

"I suppose I can tell you" he said more to himself "I'm a wizard"

Sam wasn't sure whether this was some stupid joke. The man looked very serious.

"And you're not" continued the man "and you've seen some things you shouldn't have"

"What?" Asked Sam, his heart beginning to beat faster in his chest.

"Teddy, the boy from Totter's Bank" the man said "he told me he'd lost control slightly, and you'd seen him do things; change."

Sam didn't know what to say as all his questions about the incident were answered at once. The boy had changed his appearance, but how did this man know? He asked him.

"Well Teddy's my godson, I'm looking after him at the moment."

Sam stayed silent, unsure what to say to this.

"Anyway, it's quite late, lets get on with it."

"With what?" Sam asked shaking.

"I'm going to have to wipe your memory of us I'm afraid" the man said, drawing a long stick from his pocket and approaching Sam.

"That's why you sent that stag for me, that's why you made me hear voices?" Sam asked,stepping slowly backwards away from him.

"Voices?" The man asked, stopping in his tracks.

"Yeah, I woke up and there were voices shouting in my head. It was really cold and I felt really, really sad, like I'd never be happy again"

The man had a confused and shocked expression on his face.

"That wasn't me" he replied " that must have been-"

The man whipped round and stared at something behind him. He was lifted up but nothing was touching him. He seemed to be choking for breath.

Sam then felt a cold hand close around his neck. It pulled him up and clenched tighter. Sam felt the happy thoughts in his head start to leave as he felt something close around his mouth.

A flash of silver light almost blinded Sam. The thing that had been holding him released its grip and he dropped to the floor. Looking up, he saw the stag again. It was charging at one end of the tunnel. Sam felt the sadness that had been filling his every thought, get lifted and he felt better than ever. Standing up, he saw the stag turn and charge towards him.

The silvery white animal passed straight through him and ran at something on the other side of the tunnel. Sam fell and hit his head on the hard concrete. His vision started to fade. As he looked back he saw the stag chasing down a large hooded creature that fled out the end of the tunnel. Then everything went black.