Death Eaters... Forever?

“Give me the prophecy like a good boy, and we’ll let you and your friends go,” he said. I felt strange; I didn’t quite know which side I was meant to be on. Wait, I’m staying with my friends! But even that was confusing; Lucius was a friend of sorts, too.

“Never! Expelliarmus!” Harry disarmed Lucius, sending the rest of us into action. I bound Barty Crouch Jr, but I knew it wouldn’t hold him long. For some strange reason, I didn’t want to hurt the Death Eaters. I was one of them, after all. No I’m not!

We ran back the way we’d come, but Death Eaters appeared on either side of us.

“Reducto!” Ginny’s spell was amazing, but although it temporarily prevented one Death Eater from following us, it caused a row of glass balls to topple, creating a domino effect that followed us as we ran toward the door.

Barty grabbed my left arm and I winced before pushing him away and following Harry and Ron through a door. The others followed us, so it was with surprise that we fell through the door and landed on air.

Standing up, I brushed myself off and looked around. We were in a large circular stone room, much like that in my nightmares. However, a huge arch dominated the centre of the room, and as I walked closer, I could hear whispers emanating from a mist-like curtain in the arch itself.

“Where are those whispers coming from?” I heard Harry ask.

“There are no whispers, Harry,” Hermione replied, worried.

“I hear them too,” Luna said mildly. I deigned not to answer; it would cause questions.

“Let’s go,” Ron said, frightened. I saw Harry still had that strange misty globe in his hands and wondered why it was so important. However, before I could reply to Ron, I heard the arrival of black robes, and shadows flew past us cackling.

“Death Eaters!” We all huddled together tightly, eyes shut as they flew between us. Suddenly a hand went over my mouth, and I was dragged away from the group.

I opened my eyes in the sudden stillness and found myself in the hands of Barty Jr. Neville was struggling in the arms of Bellatrix Lestrange – whom I’d seen in the Daily Prophet – and the others were similarly held captive. We’d all been disarmed, and only Harry now stood where we’d all been moments ago. I couldn’t turn around to curse Barty, and I was too scared I’d be unable to focus the spell if I tried to free the others.

“Give me the prophecy, Harry, or your friends will die.” Lucius smirked at Harry, who stood beside the arch, surrounded by us.

“Don’t give it to him, Harry!” Neville managed to say before Bellatrix stopped him.

“You should be on our side, Kyera,” Barty whispered silkily in my ear. I jerked away from him, but wondered which side I was really on.

I watched in horror as Harry regretfully handed the ‘prophecy’ over.

Lucius looked triumphant, but just as he took the glass globe from Harry, white shapes Apparated around the room. I recognised Lupin, our third year Dark Arts teacher, Moody, the real one, and Sirius, who I was so relieved to see alive. Immediately they began to battle our captors. I was freed by a young woman with bubblegum pink hair. Barty still had my wand, but he was fighting another Auror so I simply took it from him while he was busy.

“Crucio!” I heard the curse a split second before the jagged pain erupted from my spine. I collapsed, writhing in agony. However, the pain stopped abruptly and after a moment I forced myself to get up.

“Mercnewria!” I sent my own curse at the man who’d been the source of the Cruciatus Curse. He was battling Lupin, but began to scream as the poisonous mercury entered his heart. I sighed with guilt and sent the counter-spell before it could kill – or permanently damage – him. If it weren’t illegal for me to kill him, I would’ve simply left him to die.

However, that – and my sudden guilt – forced me to save him.

Jementa! I shouted in my mind at another Death Eater, who was fighting another unfamiliar Auror. It didn’t last as long as I hoped, but it bought the Auror time to retaliate. She threw a thankful glance my way as she disarmed the man.

I looked over to see Harry still by the arch with Sirius. Harry distracted Bellatrix for a moment as Sirius fought her. Sirius said something, but over the cacophony I wasn’t able to hear what it was. I watched as Sirius blocked a killing curse, staggering back a step. And I watched as a peaceful look came over him and he fell into the archway, disappearing into the curtain-like substance within it. I suddenly realised what happened, but the shock numbed my grief. I simply stood there watching as Lupin restrained Harry, and thus didn’t know until too late that Barty was behind me.

XXX
Damn it! He’s done it again! Barty had Apparated with me, and while I was still trying to get a grip on myself, had disarmed me.

“Where are we? What’re you-”

“We’re safe! I had to protect you, didn’t I? The Dark Lord gave me the job to protect a kid!” Barty was almost as furious as me, eyes narrowed at me as though it was my fault.

“Hey! That kid is 28 years old, nearly 29!” I was getting so fed up with being called a kid. Even if I did act like one. Barty looked at me as though I was mad.

“I’m a bloody half-elf, you idiot!” Slowly realisation trickled into his dark eyes. I could’ve disarmed him there and then, but I was in too much of a bad mood to care that I’d just been kidnapped by an insane Death Eater.

“So that’s why you’re so important to the Dark Lord,” he mused.

“Uh-huh. Now if you were supposed to be protecting me, where were you when that Death Eater used the Cruciatus Curse on me?” I demanded.

“I was a bit busy,” he retorted sarcastically. I rolled my eyes and changed the subject.
“Where are we?” From what I could attain, we were in the middle of a deserted street. Decrepit and abandoned buildings lined either side of the road, the most prominent of which we were standing in front of.

“Just come with me.” Barty took my arm again and pulled me toward said house. It was almost as large as the Malfoy Manor, but it looked older. Massive pillars of stone held up the second story, and although it seemed as decrepit as the other houses, I could see it was actually quite sturdy. The grey stone was covered in a damp-looking green moss and ivy clung to the sides like a drowning man.

I couldn’t help but admire the brilliant architecture of the place, and as Barty pulled me inside I was even more in love with the old mansion. Complex arches and doorways lined the corridor, and the walls were a strange mixture of wood and stone. Barty opened one of the smaller doors and I was hit by déjà vu. It was the room from my nightmares, complete with stone walls and a very amused looking Tom Riddle. He was in his perfect teenage body again, which surprised me somewhat, but Barty didn’t seem to find this unusual. He closed the door behind him, leaving me alone with Voldemort once again.

“What is this I’ve been hearing about your new spells and potions? Killing Curses? Potions that drain the drinker’s magic? I thought you were a good law-abiding young witch,” he crooned, seemingly pleased that I was not. “You would make a good Death Eater.”

“I don’t obey anyone unless there’s a reason.”

“Ah, but you know you want to become a Death Eater.” And there it was again, that niggling feeling in the pit of my stomach that urged me to do so.

“Yes, I do.” No use in lying.

“Well then, become my ally. My friend.” He smiled at me, and I could see in his eyes that he was sincere in his wishes to befriend me.

“Do you even know what a friend is?”

“Yes, although I have never had one. I’ve never had the urge to be on equal terms with anyone before. However, you are intelligent, strong-willed, someone who I would like to get to know.” He looked ashamed at his admittance to human feelings. “And like me, you have an amazingly long life-span.”

“I thought you were mortal?”

“No. I found out twenty years ago that my mother was no mere witch; she was of Elvin descent.” I gasped. “Don’t get me wrong, I do not have as much Elvin blood as you do. However, I have enough to ensure a life almost as long as yours. Unfortunately, my weak mother died of a broken heart.” He sneered.

“Wait, so you can’t die? You’re like me?”

“Yes.” I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and looked at him in a new light. He was the only one left of Elvin descent that I knew of. Why did it have to be him? I groaned silently.
“Because fate made it possible,” he replied to my thoughts. He looked strangely hurt, and I wondered again why he would want to become my friend, although I could understand it more now.

“So is this why my Dark Mark is silver?” I asked. I’d been dying to know for certain, although I’d guessed that it was the case.

“Yes. I don’t know why.”

“So let me get this straight. You tortured me multiple times, Marked me as your property, and now you want to be my friend?”

“I’m sorry about my actions, but I failed to understand why I felt such a strong connection with you – other than our Elvin blood, of course.” I sighed, for I really did want to become his friend.

“I’ll think about it,” I said, walking to the door. I opened it, took my wand from Barty forcefully, and looked back once more. “But don’t get your hopes up.”

Tom simply smiled at me serenely, and I had the sudden urge to go running into his arms. Before I could embarrass my self like that, I Apparated.

XXX
Instead of returning to the Ministry, I went to the Burrow. Mrs Weasley almost died of fright when I popped into her kitchen, and I was just as surprised – she wasn’t at Headquarters’. I briefly wondered why Voldemort had not found where it was by now from my thoughts, but pushed this to the back of my head.

“Kyera, you gave me a fright!”

“Sorry, Mrs Weasley. I didn’t know where else to go. Harry and the others are at the Ministry, so I need to go, but first I need to have a sit down.” The days events were catching up to me, and I almost fell over from exhaustion.

“Harry’s at the Ministry?”

“Yeah. With Ron and Ginny. We’ve been fighting Death Eaters.” She turned pale. Oops, probably not the best thing to say to her. I felt strong enough to return after a few minutes. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”