All changes, even the most desired, have their melancholy,

because what they leave behind is a part of us.

We must die in one life before we can die in another.

POV Alyssa

My name is Alyssa McGrant, I am 27 years old and I have been working for the Hogwarts News, a famous newspaper in the city of London, for some months now.

What is there to know about me? First of all I am not an easy girl nor docile. I don't let anyone walk all over me, let alone my colleagues who can be really mean sometimes.

At the age of 18 I left my family and with it, my comfortable life, to move to London.

There I took the best journalism classes. In one of these classes I met Sarah and Agnes, two girls who were completely different from me. They were kind, elegant and honest. I felt like we were gonna be great friends because I felt like I was on the same page.

That morning, when I got to the paper, I felt something was wrong.

I looked up and saw Sarah standing in front of the front door, waiting impatiently for me. The first thing I noticed was her teary purple eyes.

At that sight, a twinge gripped my stomach.

-Sarah, what happened? - I asked worried.

-Alyssa killed Agnes...I'd like you to write the article. Would you mind? - Sarah asked me with a trembling voice.

At those words, I felt my legs give out. Agnes, my dear friend Agnes, that Agnes I loved so much... She wasn't supposed to be dead.

Silence fell between us. I couldn't answer.

My mind couldn't accept what had happened, because for her, nothing bad had happened. Fact is, after long, deep breaths, I asked that typical question that I never wanted to get out of my mouth.

-How did this happen? -

-S-according to investigators, she was the victim of the serial k-killer of the park...the newspapers have talked about six victims and believe that it is only a matter of time before there is even a seventh...- Sarah answered me with a very trembling voice.

At those words, my eyes were also filled with tears. I tried to keep them in every way, but they didn't want to know. I burst into despair with Sarah in tow.

After a few minutes, we recovered and bravely entered the building and went to our own office. Left alone, I started thinking about all the good times we had together. The more I untied and released these memories in my head, the more the pain became unbearable. But with time, all my melancholy turned to anger. I wanted my friend to have justice! So I took courage and started reading all the possible and imaginable newspaper articles about these tragedies. Then I inquired about the victims, I wanted to find out their identity. I wanted to know everything about them because I could find something that maybe would bring them together. I opened my laptop and started writing constantly struggling with my tears. I stayed on the computer until the building closed, as I had lost track of time. I only stopped when I heard a knock on the door.

-Come on! - I said with a thread.

-Alyssa, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I saw the light on in your office, so I figured you'd forgotten your shift was long over. Maybe you should go home...get some rest! -

-All right...- I answered unconvinced.

I saved the item and put my laptop in my bag. I took my jacket and after saying goodbye to Sarah, I left the building and walked home.

On the way to the park, I bumped into a guy.

She had short brown hair and pitch-colored eyes, which seemed to peer into your soul. He was dressed in a silver-green uniform, with a serpent on his heart, showing off his muscular body.

-Sorry, I was thoughtful- exclaimed embarrassed.

I looked down and called myself a fool when I saw my bag on the ground.

- I owe you an apology...I hadn't seen you, miss! - the boy apologized and stooped to pick up my bag, which, in the fall, had overturned.

When my gaze met the boy's, my heart flipped: who knows who that young man was?

- Pleasure. I'm Theodore Nott- the boy said, holding out his hand. I grabbed him and introduced myself.

-My pleasure. My name is Alyssa McGrant-

-Nice name. Congratulations! -

-Thank you, yours too! Sorry, but I have to go home...I'm late! I hope to meet you again soon- I said. When I left, Theodore stopped me and handed me a note with his phone number on it. I happily accepted him. I picked up the phone, rang him up and saved him in the address book. He did the same. We said goodbye and then everyone went home.

Hogwarts Day, 07.50

I got up early enough and with calm and patient action, I started to prepare.

I took a shower and once I was dry, I put on the uniform (which my mica Sarah wanted the journalists to wear) and I left my small apartment.

I stopped by my favorite bar and ordered the usual breakfast: a cappuccino and a croissant with cream of milk.

The bar owner was a friend of Sarah's and often in parties and hot summers, she and I would help out by serving tables and making cocktails.

At the end of my breakfast, I resumed my journey to work.

As usual, I arrived first and once I was in my office I decided to start writing some articles, but I couldn't even start, that the phone rang.

PHONE START

° Hi Alyssa, I don't know if you remember me...I'm the guy who hit you yesterday °

° Of course I remember. Theodore, right? Sorry again for yesterday...I had my head in the clouds!°

° Don't worry! Excuse me! Anyway, I wanted to ask you...always if it's not too much trouble, do you want to go out to dinner with me?!°

° Of course I would! I gladly accept...when you want to go out?°

° If you have no other plans, tomorrow at 20.00°

° Theodore! I would say we can meet at the gate of Central Park°

° It's perfect! Then tomorrow °

° To Tomorrow's Day°

END CALL

After this exciting phone call, I turned off my phone and with great effort I went back to the article hoping not to be disturbed again.

After a while, I decided to take a break and went for a long coffee.

When I returned to my desk, something on the computer caught my eye.

On the laptop appeared an inscription "I'm coming to you! The game is starting! You will be the next victim!"

I knew immediately that the person who had written that message was aware of all my movements and it frightened me a lot.

That message kept me from concentrating, and every time someone came into my office to pick up papers, I gasped for fear. The terror was making its way into me.

Like a slow, silent disease that slowly takes over your body. Who could be mad at me? Who knew me well enough to know all my moves?

A lot of things were not clear to me and yet I pretended that nothing had ever happened and went on as usual. I wanted to talk to Sarah, but it was better not to, as I feared for her safety.

At least in crime movies, that kind of thing used to happen a lot. The killers not only hit the intended victim, but also his dearest affections.

This was the thing that scared me the most!