The castle was different at night. The flickering torchlight cast shifting shadows across the cold stone walls, elongating the corridors and making them feel endless. Hogwarts, during the day, was loud and filled with energy—students rushing to classes, laughter echoing through the Great Hall, the hum of life in every corner. But at night, it was something else entirely. It was quieter, but not silent. The building breathed. It whispered.

Lilith Nightingale had always liked that about the castle. It was a place of mystery, of forgotten secrets. But tonight, the weight of the quiet pressed down on her. It wasn't comforting. It was restless.

She didn't return to her dorm after bringing Leo back. Sleep was elusive these days, slipping through her fingers like grains of sand no matter how exhausted she felt. Instead, she wandered, her steps slow, deliberate, as if she were waiting for something—or someone—to stop her.

Her feet carried her to the lower levels, the dungeons where the chill seemed to seep into her bones. The smell of damp stone and old parchment filled the air. She could hear the slow drip of water somewhere, an echoing rhythm in the otherwise still corridors. The paintings that lined these walls were different from the ones in the upper levels of the castle. They were older, their subjects less talkative, their expressions more knowing. Some of them had seen centuries of students pass through these halls, each one burdened with their own silent battles.

It was supposed to be a sanctuary, this place. But she wasn't sure if she belonged here anymore. Not truly.

A flicker of movement at the end of the hall caught her eye.

Lilith tensed, her hand instinctively going to the wand tucked inside her robes. She exhaled slowly, steadying herself, and stepped forward.

"Out late, aren't you?"

The voice was familiar, lazy but edged with something unreadable. Elias Thorne stepped out from the shadows, leaning against the stone wall with his arms crossed, his usual smirk in place. His tie was loose, his shirt slightly untucked, as if he had been walking the castle for just as long as she had.

Lilith exhaled, half in relief, half in irritation. "So are you."

Elias grinned. "Touché." He studied her, tilting his head slightly. "Let me guess—couldn't sleep?"

Lilith didn't answer right away. She simply walked past him, pressing her palm against the cool stone of the wall as she moved further down the corridor. Elias pushed off from his spot and followed, keeping pace beside her.

"You know," he continued, his voice softer now, "most people don't choose to roam these halls alone unless they're running from something."

Lilith scoffed. "Or toward something."

Elias hummed, considering her words. "So which is it?"

Lilith didn't answer immediately. Instead, her gaze flickered over the worn stone walls, searching. After a moment, she stopped, her hand reaching out to trace the faint carvings on the surface.

Elias watched, curious. "What is it?"

Lilith hesitated before speaking. "I found something a while back. A carving—old, hidden in the bark of a tree. The initials C & F." She ran her fingers over the rough etching before turning to look at him. "I found the same ones here. In the castle."

Elias stepped closer, peering at the initials. The flickering torchlight cast long shadows across his face as he studied them. "C & F," he murmured. "Who do you think they belong to?"

Lilith shook her head. "I don't know. But someone went through a lot of trouble to leave them behind."

Elias tapped his fingers against the stone thoughtfully. "Carving something like this—it's almost like trying to leave a mark, a piece of yourself behind."

Lilith glanced at him, a knowing look in her eyes. "Exactly."

Elias turned to her fully, his usual smirk softened into something more thoughtful. "You think they were trying to be remembered?"

Lilith exhaled. "Maybe. Or maybe they wanted to make sure they weren't forgotten."

A moment of silence stretched between them before Elias reached into his pocket, pulling out his wand. With a flick, a faint glow illuminated the wall, revealing more scratches, more marks that had been worn down over time.

"It's not just these two letters," he murmured. "There's more."

Lilith's breath caught slightly as she took a step closer. She could see them now—other faded carvings, words long lost to time. Whoever C & F were, they hadn't left just one mark.

"They were here," Elias said, his voice quieter now. "A long time ago."

Lilith's heart pounded in her chest, though she wasn't sure why. "And they wanted someone to find them."

Elias nodded. "Looks like they succeeded."

The castle was vast, and they could have walked forever if they wanted to. But eventually, the corridor came to a familiar turn, the entrance to the Slytherin common room looming ahead. They stopped, standing in the flickering light, neither one moving to go inside.

"Go to bed, Thorne," Lilith murmured, tilting her head slightly.

Elias smirked, though it was softer now. "Only if you do."

Lilith rolled her eyes but didn't argue. With a final glance, she stepped toward the entrance, muttering the password under her breath. As the stone door slid open, she hesitated for just a fraction of a second before stepping inside.

She didn't look back, but she didn't need to.

Elias was still standing there, watching her disappear into the shadows.