Death Eaters... Forever?

Draco returned that day, and we had a game of one-on-one Quidditch, which helped to take my mind off things. Then I went for a long swim, exhausting myself with laps.

“You’re going to drown if you’re not careful,” Draco remarked as I swallowed water and choked, trying to stay above the water.

“You’d like that, huh?” I asked, smiling. He grinned.

“Of course I would.” But for some strange reason, I didn’t believe him.

The next day, Draco was exploring the attic. I joined him because I was bored, and we were having fun, finding strange little contraptions everywhere. I’d had another sleepless night, so I was absolutely exhausted. I wasn’t surprised when I tripped over a box, but I was surprised when Draco caught me. What a turn around from the Draco I know at school, I thought happily. And then, just as I was about to thank him, he dropped me deliberately. Ok, maybe I thought too soon.

I threw a pillow at him and climbed down the ladder quickly. When I got to the bottom, I removed the ladder so that Draco was stuck, and decided to go watch TV. As you may have guessed, I fell asleep.

It was the nightmare again. I knew it. Opening my eyes, I was in the same room as the last nightmare. This time, however, it wasn’t Voldemort but a young boy of about seventeen who was in the room.

“Oh, no, child. It is still me; I can simply assume my old form now that my powers have returned.” He smirked, and I saw that his eyes were a familiar reddish colour.

“Well why do you bother with your older shape?” I asked.

“Do I look scary?” He gave me a disarming smile. I could see his point. “It wouldn’t do for people to think of me as just another wizard, albeit stronger than most.” I nodded in understanding.

“Now,” he continued, “will you join me? We could do great things together,” he tempted me. I can do great things without his help, I thought in response. At this, his face changed, and he resumed his other shape.

“Crucio!” He didn’t even warn me this time. The pain erupted through me again, as if fire were running through my veins instead of blood. It pushed me to the brink of sanity once again, but it stopped again, faster this time. I shook with shock, and even gasping for breath hurt my raw throat.

He walked over to me and grabbed my left arm with smooth, elegant fingers.

Pressing the tip of his wand to my inner forearm, he muttered an incantation I’d never heard before. This time, the pain was centred on my arm, even more intense than before. My arm jerked as the pain caught me. I could easily imagine what being skinned alive by a red hot knife was like. Before the pain began to fade, I heard the Dark Lord speak.

“Now you are Marked as mine,” he chuckled, and I felt a soft hand stroke my cheek.

I woke up, startled awake by someone shaking me. I groaned as it jarred my arm, sending explosions of pain up and down its length.

“Kyera! Are you awake?” I opened my eyes and found Draco looking down at me in concern. “You had a nightmare,” he explained. Obviously, he’d heard me screaming.

“Sorry about leaving you in the attic,” I said, my voice sounding like a sick chain-smokers’. He grinned.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you back for it,” he replied as he helped me up. Then he noticed me cradling my arm. “What’s wrong with your arm?” He pulled back the sleeve gently, but as he pulled it past my wrist, it caught, and I nearly cried out. I realised with a sick feeling that my whole sleeve was stuck to my arm. It was black cloth, so it hid what I’d failed to see at first – blood.

Unsteadily, I walked to the nearest bathroom. “Get your father,” I told him. Putting my arm under cold water, I couldn’t help but whimper with the pain sent stabbing through it. Slowly, I was able to peel the material off my arm. I could see immediately that it was as I’d feared. Under the coating of blood, the raw skin reddened and wept. But I was looking at the silver tattoo. It was like I had a coating of unicorn’s blood on my arm in the shape of the Dark Mark. A silver Dark Mark. I wonder what that means, I thought. It was the most beautiful – and the most terrible – thing I’d ever set eyes on.

“Kyera?” I hid my arm as Draco peered round the corner.

“Go away, Draco. I need to talk to your father.” He looked hurt, but let Lucius in and shut the bathroom door.

“Kyera, I- What happened?” He caught sight of the blood running down the sink, and walked over to look at my arm. I pulled the sleeve down so he wouldn’t be able to see the Mark until I was ready to show him.

“First of all, how does Voldemort find loyal Death Eaters?”

“They have the same opinions as him most of the time, but he usually only Marks the stronger wizards and witches.” Lucius looked confused.

“Ok, and has he ever Marked someone who did not share the same views as him?” I asked shakily.

“Not as far as I know. Why, what’s all this-” Realisation dawned on his face, and I pulled back my sleeve, showing him the silver tattoo. Lucius sucked in a sharp breath.

“When?”

“In my nightmare. He tortured me again, then he did this, and…” I gulped back the tears that threatened. I needed Sev; he’d know what to do.

“So you’re the one…” Lucius mused to himself. I looked up at him questioningly, having held back the tears – for now.

“You know that I am a Death Eater.” I nodded. “Well, the Dark Lord has risen again, as you possibly know. He has been looking for other allies in the war that will come, including those such as you. He’s been looking for you since your powers manifested, and now… now I must tell him you are here.” I understood – his loyalty came first. And his life. I nodded.
“If he wishes to meet me, let him. I don’t care.” I put on a brave face. He sighed and nodded once.

“Oh, and Severus will return soon – he was on business for the Dark Lord.” Lucius turned and walked out.

I knew Sev had been a Death Eater, and a loyal one, but it hadn’t even crossed my mind what it had meant when the Dark Lord had risen again. And no, I wasn’t angry at Sev, I was worried for him. He was like a father to me.