The stars above Blackmoor Academy blinked quietly, as if trying to remember something they once knew. The laughter and warmth left behind by Mr. Shawn had faded, leaving a hollow echo in the hallways. The school had returned to "normal," but beneath the surface, something was undeniably off.
Only one person still remembered.
Stephen stood alone outside Richard's empty office, hands buried deep in his jacket pockets. The faint glint of moonlight reflected on the door's glass, behind which everything remained untouched—just like Richard had left it.
He didn't even realize Hope was behind him until she softly said, "Still nothing?"
Stephen turned slightly. "Just dust and silence. But something's wrong, Hope. Like... something important was carved out of everyone's mind."
Hope looked away, hugging her arms. "It's not just you. I've been feeling it too. Like there's a hole I can't name."
A few feet away, Jessa and Celeste were already there. Jessa, as fierce as ever, was holding onto a file she had stolen from the archives beneath the library. Celeste's expression was far more complicated—anxious, but laced with a strange determination.
"Is that his schedule?" Hope asked.
Jessa nodded. "Richard was supposed to be on a call with the Ministry the night he vanished. The call was never made. There's no record of him leaving. And no one even remembered he was missing... until now."
"Which means someone altered our memories," Celeste added.
London approached, quiet but alert, with Raphael behind him. The latter was scanning the shadows, jaw tight.
"I don't like this," Raphael muttered. "It's like we're waking up from a spell we didn't know we were under."
"I think that's exactly what's happening," Stephen said. "Mr. Shawn… he didn't come here to hurt us. But he made us forget something important. Maybe to protect us. Or maybe because we weren't ready to face what really happened."
"But now we are," Hope said firmly. "We have to be."
---
The Search Begins
The group split up with a new plan. Raphael and Jessa would check the basement vaults, London and Hope would search Richard's quarters, and Stephen, Daemon, and Celeste would dive into the spell archives.
As the team dispersed, subtle tensions followed them—quiet glances, lingering touches, and buried feelings bubbling to the surface.
---
Jessa and Raphael – Closer Than Ever
In the undercroft beneath the east wing, Jessa adjusted the candle on the wall to reveal a hidden corridor.
Raphael whistled low. "How'd you know that was there?"
"I'm my father's daughter," she replied with a wink. "He showed me once. I think he forgot he did."
They ducked inside, ducking under cobwebs, crawling through the dust of forgotten tomes and magical wards. Raphael followed close, watching her.
"You've changed," he said quietly.
Jessa looked over her shoulder. "That's vague."
"I mean… you're softer. Not weak. But when we first met, you acted like you didn't need anyone."
She stopped, facing him. "And now?"
"Now, I think you care more than anyone else here."
For a long second, neither of them moved.
Then Jessa leaned in and kissed him.
Slow. Certain.
Raphael's heart flipped like it had just been hit by a werewolf truck. He pulled her closer, and for a moment, all the danger in the world slipped away.
---
Celeste and Daemon – A Push and a Snub
Back in the archives, Celeste sat next to Daemon as they flipped through grimoires.
She nudged his arm playfully. "You ever going to tell me why you act like you're made of stone?"
Daemon didn't look up. "Because stone doesn't get broken."
"Dramatic," she muttered. "Do you ever smile?"
"Not unless someone slips a potion in my tea."
Celeste grinned. "So… is that why you keep avoiding me? Because you're scared I'll break you?"
Daemon paused, visibly uncomfortable. "I'm not trying to avoid you. I'm just… not good at this."
She placed a hand over his. "Then let's be bad at it together."
He stared at their hands, then slowly—awkwardly—pulled away.
It wasn't cruel. It wasn't harsh.
But it was still a rejection.
Celeste blinked fast, hiding the hurt behind a smile. "Right. Okay. That's fine."
And she returned to the book, pretending not to care.
---
Hope and London – Secrets Shared
In Richard's private quarters, Hope gently traced the photo on his desk. It was old. A younger Richard with two little girls on his shoulders—Jessa and Celeste.
London watched her quietly.
"You miss your parents?" she asked suddenly.
He nodded. "Every day. I don't even know who I really am… but I know they loved me. I just… don't know where they went."
Hope swallowed. "Same."
London turned to her. "What happened to yours?"
"They were killed in the first supernatural war. They fought bravely. Left me behind in a world I didn't understand."
She closed her eyes. "Sometimes, I wish I could remember what their voices sounded like."
London took her hand. "Then I'll be the voice you remember."
Hope looked at him—truly looked—and kissed him softly.
And in that kiss, there were years of grief and years of hope. All wrapped in a breath.
---
In the Darkness – A Whisper of Power
While the group searched and bonded… Violet stood at the edge of the Blackmoor woods.
Her fingers glowed with forbidden runes. Her eyes shimmered with dark promise.
She flipped through the ancient tome she had stolen, each page whispering truths and power.
And then, with a flick of her wrist, she drew a circle in the dirt and whispered Raphael's name.
A soft black pulse echoed into the air.
Just the beginning.