As I Lay Dying

A Few Months Later;

I was a Death Eater, a pretty damn strong one at that. Voldemort welcomed me with open arms, as he had taken his close to human form, and I had gladly walked into them. A Dark Mark now sketched my arm, as it brought a sinister smile to my lips, and I wore it with nothing less than honor. Draco and Luscious had nothing more to do with me, but housing, which wasn’t so bad now that Draco was put into his place. However, since I was in the least sense special to the Dark Lord himself, I knew that Draco would be getting himself quite a task soon; Jealous, yes. But he would be able to prove himself to me then.

I looked over at the blonde boy with a devious grin, as his father made his way down the corridor, not making a sound as he held his arm to us to teleport. Best not to leave the Lord waiting, as we arrived in a jolt amongst the rest of our brothers, making our way to circle the snake like figure before us. He wore his usual dark cloak, defining the colorless face that lacked most human features. Slits in the place of where a nose should be, red, daring eyes, and a mouth that sat in a lipless line. He was a human figure of his lovely pet, Nagini.

“Welcome my brothers,” He called the meeting to order in a raspy tone, addressing the group as I found myself finding it hard to focus. It wasn’t the first time I had met my Lord, he had made a personal visit on his own behalf to the Malfoy household just to meet me. Not to brag, but he was quite impressed in me. Watching as in a matter of moves I had taken down not only Draco, but Bellatrix by his side.

“Krysta,” Voldemort spoke my name, sending chills through my body as it came out in a snake like tongue. As usual, I approached before him in the middle of the circle, bowing to him before I looked up at his figure. My hands remained clasped behind my back, as I stared at him respectfully, awaiting the reason for my presence.

“I have my first task for you,” he began, slowly making his way down the platform he had been sitting on. He made wide gestures with his arms as he continued. “You are to return back to Hogwarts.”

“What is my purpose there, my Lord?” I asked as the air caught in my throat.

“Get back into what those foolish children are planning, no moves will be greatly made till later, but we need to know how Harry is handling my homecoming. However, young one, you aren’t going back as Krysta.” I looked up at him in confusion as he paused.

“Luscious has come up with a plan, which I have oddly enough found quite intriguing enough that it might work.” He side glanced at Luscious’ bowed head. “You’ve heard of Polyjuice Potion, yes?”
I nodded.

“This is more of a charm, rather than a potion.” Voldemort searched inside his cloak before finding what he was searching for, a dark ring. “This, my dear, is what you will be getting inside with. A new identity, as it changes your appearance into a woman that I killed personally. Simple enough, as long as you wear it, the appearance will stay intact. Take it off and you become, well, Krysta.” He laughed along with the rest of the Death Eaters, as I felt anger building up inside me.

“My job is to get close to Potter? I don’t know how long that will take my Lord.” It had taken several years for him to trust me in the first place.

“It will not matter how long, besides, you had a way with one of the Weasley boys as your old self. I’m sure it won’t be hard to lure him back in, don’t you say?” A smile curled onto my face weakly to replicate his, he was intending on me to not only get information but break part of Dumbledore’s followers.

“Yes, sir. I will not fail you.” I tried my best to smile at him, as my stomach began to turn.
Nodding, Voldemort called forth Draco. The boy slowly made his way to where I stood, a smirk forming on his lips as he bowed and glimpsed at me.

“You are to let Krysta know what has happened since her absence,” Draco nodded before we both backed out of the circle at the wave of his hand. I was going back to the very people that allowed me to stay here, they never looked for me. Hell, they didn’t even know what happened to me, just assumed.

The meeting continued and ended, as Draco, his father, and I returned back to their manor so I could get my things together.

So much had changed as Draco had informed me, not only would I be starting in the spring semester of my last year, but that some woman by the name of Umbridge had taken the liberty of becoming head mistress. And from what Draco had explained about her, she was a pink bitch. Harry and his little trio of his were the same, still trying to figure out ways to defeat Voldemort, and would never be able to do that with me in their way, details weren’t certain though; considering Draco was an outside source. But with Dumbledore gone, they seemed to be crumbling under the absence.

Draco knew he was hitting a nerve as he moved onto the Weasley twins and my formal best friend Jenny. I use formal strongly, I didn’t need friends, I had myself. Apparently the boys had dropped out early, which wasn’t a surprise, and gave me a bit of an unwelcomed hope that I wouldn’t have to see him again. Jenny had run off to live with them also, but remained in close contact with Hogwarts as she was now an intern of McGonagall, her dream to be like her I suppose. All of these just minor details that I would deal with later, now that I knew the real task was getting close to them again.

Much like them, I had changed; a better, more powerful change. I didn’t take shit like old Krysta did, she was some little school girl with nothing but love stuck in her eyes. While me, the new me, stood with nothing but evil pounding through the veins of my slender body. Not that appearance wise had changed; I had a look of innocence, with the doe eyes of a deer. My hair was now long, and a dark brown that could be mistaken as black, draping down my thinner body and reaching its way to the soft of my back. I didn’t look much like a Death Eater, which I suppose was a good thing, unlike my new found companion Bellatrix, but would work to my advantage. However, this didn’t matter anymore due to the new person that Voldemort was having me become.

“Father got your robes,” Draco commented as I slung my bag over my shoulder, pushing my wand in my pocket as I crossed the room in a matter of strides. I peered down at the black cloth, my fingers running over the embroidered Gryffindor crest.

“You can’t be a bitch, remember. You actually have to make yourself likeable, as hard as that is for you.” Draco sneered.

“And you’re still the ass hole, who won’t be that hard for me to hate.” I raised my brows at him after tucking the robes into the suitcase and leaving one out for me to change into later.

Making our way down the hall, I finally took in the situation set before me; I was returning to Hogwarts. Never had I thought I would be walking up the stone hallways again, not unless it was with wand in hand with bodes surrounding my feet. Never had I thought I’d have to endure another one of those classes, sit in the Grand Hall for lunch, watch a quidditch game, or stay in a dorm room full of former friends.

Never had I thought I’d be feeling the snap of heart strings, as Fred’s image filled my mind.

---

I was blonde.

The first thought that came to my mind as I glared into the mirror for the first time since I had put the ring on, a petite blonde stared back. Her hair lay in golden waves around her porcelain face; eyes still my own brown ones. She was just as skinny as I had become, a few inches taller than what I used to be though, as her skin was warm white. I couldn’t find myself to believe that Voldemort had killed this pretty girl just for the purpose of me to become her, but this had to be done.

“Damn,” Draco coughed with a smirk, watching as I ran my hands through my new hair. My ring catching every so often on the tangle of bleached hair, the corners of the girl’s small mouth pulled into a smile.

“She was a fake blonde.” I sneered at him, watching as he rolled his eyes shrugging his shoulders.

“Don’t care, still hot.” He muttered as he walked out of the train’s compartment, almost running into another student in the process. Snapping a few insults at the pudgy kid, Draco stalked off down the hall without a glance back, probably returning to his friends.

The rest of the students flooded the halls and compartments as they were returning back to Hogwarts from Christmas vacation. I remembered a few faces, but none stood out as much to the ones I had in mind, the trio. We were nearing toward the school, and I was glad to be alone, my nerves were driving my stomach crazy as we passed the Black Lake. Faint memories peeked at the rims of my eyes, but never so clear for me to see. I could never see them that well.

Walking back onto the school campus was like a knife stabbing itself into my chest, twisting its way deeper, feeling the scratchy material of the robes on me once more, I strode an equal distance away from Draco ahead of me. The new headmaster was a bitch, I had met her upon my arrival and already had she taken a disliking to me for wearing “inappropriate” shoes. Fuck that.

Now waltzing my way through the busy hallways in my formal dress shoes, I made my way toward the Grand Hall with the rest of the overjoyed students. No one seemed to take notice to my presence, but simply walked on past with their friends. It was easy being ignored.

The great doors opened before me let in a string of memories, as the ceiling filled with candles, a night sky reaching upward and beyond. The long tables were covered with empty plates and cups, as students began to fill their benches in an array of chatter.

I could feel Draco’s stare as he watched me make my way to the Gryffindor table slowly, trying to place where the golden trio would be sitting happily, and the story of my new life replaying itself in the back of my mind.

Riley; I was Riley O’Connor.

I spotted the red hair first, then the black hair that fell over the rimmed glasses.

Riley.

A seat was empty next to the frizzy haired girl, as it was pulled behind her head. The three smiled at each other as I came closer to the empty seat.

Riley O’Connor.

Harry’s eyes met mine, as he smiled up at me, causing the rest of the group to turn towards me. I watched as his lips began to move, as he offered me a hello.

“Hi,” I breathed, as I felt my composure coming back to me. Harry held out his hand to me as I took it into mine, giving me his name. I didn’t think I’d be staring down at this boy again, the one who had dragged me into the mess of his, as I smiled at the other two.

“Want to sit with us? You’re new aren’t you?” Hermione’s voice cut my stare as she gave a smile, motioning her hand to the empty seat. I gladly took the seat, turning to see the raised brows of Draco sitting at his table behind me, a smile spreading on his lips. I was getting a step closer, and he knew.

“I’m Riley O’Connor,” the words spilled from my lips as I looked at the dazed face of Ron. He offered me a sheepish smile, staring down at his plate as his red hair covered his freckled face. A shorter and stouter version of his older brother, Fred; I sucked in a chocked breath.

Baby Steps.