**Beneath the Shadows of the Oak**

As I followed Draco into the darkness, the trees seemed to close in around us, their branches tangling together like skeletal fingers. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and I could feel the weight of the forest's secrets pressing down upon me. Draco moved swiftly, his long strides eating up the distance, and I had to quicken my pace to keep up with him. We walked in silence, the only sound the rustling of leaves and the distant hooting of an owl. I tried to get my bearings, but the trees seemed to blur together, making it impossible to tell which direction we were heading. I stumbled once, my foot catching on a hidden root, and Draco reached out to catch my elbow, his grip like a vice. "Careful," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. "The ground can be treacherous here." I pulled away from him, my heart racing with a mix of fear and excitement. What was he bringing me to? And what did it have to do with my father's past? As we walked, the trees grew taller and the air grew thick with an eerie, unnatural silence. I could feel eyes upon us, watching us from the shadows, and I shivered despite the warmth of the summer evening. Suddenly, Draco stopped in his tracks, his head cocked to one side. "We're here," he whispered, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous light. I looked around, but all I saw was a thicket of brambles and thorns. "Here?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. "What is this place?" Draco smiled, his lips curling up in a sly smile. "This is the entrance to a hidden glade," he said, his voice low and mysterious. "A place where secrets are kept, and the past is revealed." With that, he reached out and pushed aside the brambles, revealing a narrow opening in the thicket. I hesitated for a moment, feeling a thrill of fear run through me, but Draco's eyes sparkled with encouragement. "Come on, Octavia," he said, his voice low and persuasive. "It's time you knew the truth about your father's past." I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come, and stepped through the opening into the unknown. As I emerged into the glade, I gasped in shock, my eyes drinking in the sight before me. The glade was filled with ancient, glowing orbs, their soft light illuminating the faces of the trees. And in the center of the glade, a figure stood waiting, its back to me.