Gone Twisted

Scrunching up her face as the first sun rays hit her eyes, the strawberry blond girl turned around and pulled a pillow over her head. But it was too late, she was awake and once that happened she knew that she didn't have any chance of going back to sleep.

Sighing she opened her eyes and ripped the pillow from her head again, staring at the wall before her in an emotionless face.

Slowly she let her arm glide in front of her vision as she looked at the newly formed dark mark on her forearm. Biting her lip uncertainly, she let her right arm glide over the darkened skin and traced along the lines. Yesterday the mark had been jet black, but slowly it had faded into a vivid red colour.

The dark mark. The mark that only Voldemort's inner circle are allowed to have. The mark that he uses to summon his people and monitor them. The mark that brands his most loyal followers as his property. The mark that already brought so much destruction and terror to this world.

Turning so that she lay on her back, Ash started at the ceiling above her and frowned. She just hoped that Snape was right, that she would be able to successfully spy on the Dark Lord and hence help her family and friends.

Ash laughed at the thought, slowly her family genes seemed to kick in again, making her braver or stupider, however you want to call it. But isn't loyalty to your friends also a Slytherin trait? She chuckled in her mind as she forced herself to sit up and get of the bed.

Slowly she sat up and started her normal morning routine, she hadn't had the opportunity to do so in the last couple of weeks. First she stretched her body good and thoroughly, then made her way to the bathroom, where she showered and did all the other stuff you do in an bathroom. Gradually she walked out of the bathroom again and walked up to the walk in closet that was located at the other side of the wall.

No matter how often she looked at the closet, it always took away a bit of her breath. It was furnished in the same colours as the room, cream, peach and dark brown wood and was about half the size of the bed room, filled with every clothing article you could think off.

Quickly Ash steered towards the direction of the shirts and skirts. From the style of the clothing, Ash guessed that Bellatrix had done the shopping for her. Most of the stuff was black, frilly and lacy but every here and again you could find some very colourful things as well, like a red dress that was placed on a doll and caught Ash's eye in only a matter of seconds - but then again, how could you miss a blood red dress standing in the middle of the room?

Taking her time, Ash picked out a grey tanktop that read "Here comes trouble", a short skirt with black and white flowery frills and a blue jeans jacket. Then she pulled her hair into a messy bun. With a final look in the mirror, Ash nodded, happy with her looks and walked up to the door.

Glancing left and right, Ash took a deep breath as she moved her hand in order to touch the door knob and walk out of the room. As she moved her hand, Ash saw her hand shiver in anticipation, she was allowed to move through the house freely now. She could make a run for it...

Ash shook her head furiously and pulled her hand back. Stupid Ash! she told herself. Thoughts like those would only bring her trouble.

Breathing in deeply again, Ash took a firm hold of the door and pulled it open before stepping onto the corridor. Slowly she started walking down the hallway, in the hope of finding the kitchens.

"The kitchen is the other way," a voice suddenly said behind her, making her jump.

"Draco! Merlin, don't do that!"

"Do what?"

"Suddenly appear!"

Draco was leaning against his door as he laughed at her comment. "But your face is so adorable when you're freaked out!" Draco commented with a smirk.

"Whatever," Ash growled and turned, walking down the corridor the way Draco had told her, she could hear Draco following her. Soon she reached the staircase and walked down, Draco followed. When she came to the end of the corridor Ash turned left and noticed that Draco had stopped walking at the staircase.

"Are we playing that stupid game again?" she asked in an annoyed tone of voice.

"What game?"

"The one where I randomly choose a direction and if it's the correct direction, you'll follow and if not you'll just stand still?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"But you do know that it wont end like the last time, right?"

"Why would it not?"

"Firstly, this Mansion is way smaller then the castle and has less corridors! Secondly, why ever would I want to kiss you? I admit that the first time it was intriguing, but now its nothing."

Draco shrugged, trying to hide stab he felt as she insulted him. "Suit yourself," he chimed and started walking after Ash, who was now on her right way to the kitchens.

After what seemed like hours Ash had finally found the dining room, where a couple of Death Eaters where enjoying their breakfast already. When she entered the room, she felt all their eyes land on her and evaluate her.

"What's that little blood traitor doing here?" she heard Bellatrix snarl at her sister Narcissa.

"You're the one that brought her here," Narcissa replied calmly.

"But she is supposed to be in the dungeons!"

"The Dark Lord wanted her and got her, she's one of us now."

Both women looked at her with curious eyes as Draco joined her in the dining room and lead her over to a table on which several youths sat. She knew them all.

"Hey guys!" Ash said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, a small spoof smile lightening her features. The former Slytherins looked up at her in surprise.

"Hey Ash," Chase grinned at her with joy in his eyes as he stood up and walked up to her, hugging her tightly. "It's good to see you again!" he said truthfully, looking into her eyes.

"You're a Death Eater?" Ash asked him confused, she would never have expected to see her pseudo little brother amongst the others.

"Yeah, now that the Dark Lord is running Hogwarts, he picked out the most promising students to be... guides for the others," Chase told her in the usual happy tone that he kept around her.

After a small pause, Ash smiled at her friend and said, "I guess I'll have to congratulate you now." Quickly she pulled him into an tight embrace, "I'm happy for you."

Disentangling from their hug, Ash looked at the others that sat around them. There were Crabbe and Goyle, Pansy, Daphne, Theodore, Bulstrode and three others that Ash identified as her underclass-man, from other houses. The only ones that were missing where Tracy and Blaise and she was quite sure she wouldn't be seeing them here at any time. But it didn't hurt to ask, right?

"Where's Blaise and Tracy?"

The youths looked at each other, "Well, you know those two, always keeping out of the politics and such. They're neutral ground, you could say," Chase explained and snickered, "but maybe they'll decide to follow the Dark Lord, once they hear that you've joined in!" Suddenly his expression darkened a bit as he added, more to himself then anyone else, "It'd be better for them."

Gulping, Ash smiled at her friend. Quickly she sat down and started eating her breakfast. She tried to act as normal as possible, while the others talked about some kind off gig they wanted to be a part off.

As soon as she finished her food, she excused herself and walked away, searching for Voldemort's office, where he was already waiting for her.