Forbidden and Mistaken

"So what have you been doing lately, Eliza?" Henry asked me as we were eating dinner.

"Nothing much. School is school." I replied slowly.

"I remember Hogwarts very clearly. Too bad the last teacher I had was that crazy Lupin. One of the Order too, I reckon." Henry Mucliber explained to the rest of our company as they sniggered and cackled along with him.

Draco Malfoy sat next to me, clearly getting angrier by the second as he had to watch Henry talk about himself. Usually that was up to Draco, but as soon as Henry Mucliber got in the picture, there was no room for Malfoy.

"Do you remember the days when the only thing that got in our way of fighting was Henry Mucliber?" I whispered to Draco under my breath.

"And how he would try to hex you?" He whispered back.

"Only to make Catherine angry. 'Kota didn't give a shit for either one of us." I said.

My mother spoke up. "Eliza, do you have something that you wish to share?" She asked. Henry stopped mid-bite while he was chewing on his steak. Bleh.

"Um...Yeah. Draco and I were just talking about...joining the Dark Lord next year, weren't we?" I nudged him.

"Y-Yeah..." He stammered. Then Bellatrix stood up.

"Draco, my nephew. You haven't announced the great news?"

"Oh...yes, Aunt Bellatrix...I have gotten my Dark Mark." He said.

Henry's steak fell out of his mouth and onto the floor. I wasn't shocked. I had already heard it from my parents.

"And dear, Dakota has gotten the Mark too, haven't you?" Bellatrix grinned.

"Yes, I have. And I plan to help him overthrow the Ministry as soon as possible." He smirked. Oh gawd...my horrible influence of a brother.

The Death Eaters all clapped in agreement.

"What is Eliza's decision?" Yaxley asked. Everyone was silent, waiting for my response. My mother spoke after a minute (which seemed like an hour) or silence.

"Eliza, dear, it is not polite to keep our guests waiting..." She said.

"Uh...Well...for those of you who don't know...I am Voldemort's spy for Harry Potter." The guests gasped. "I'm in Gryffindor, but in my First year, I vowed to help the Dark Lord with...with Potter. I'll get my Dark Mark in February, when I'll turn of age. Until then, I think that the Dark Lord has no use of me, and I will continue to collect knowledge for him as I wish." I replied. I would think that the Death Eaters would start to hex me left and right, but instead they smiled. Some even clapped. My father smiled proudly. I didn't know if this was a good thing, but I was certainly astounded by Draco Malfoy's reaction.

"I-...I thought you were always with...with them..."

"Well, you were wrong. If you remember clearly, the Sorting Hat told me that I could choose between the two, and I chose Gryffindor." I whispered back.

"I should've told you about my Mark..."

"I've wanted one for a long time...But my mother wouldn't let me until I was of age..."

"W-...Why weren't you surprised when I announced that I was...a-"

"Death Eater? I knew three days ago. My parents had told me. I understood."

"You weren't mad?"

"Of course I was. It all made sense..."

Henry interrupted us once again. "Stop whispering, you love birds!" He glowered.

Luckily, Mucliber's father silenced him, but I knew better than to offend Death Eaters. The dinner continued on as the Death Eaters talked and discussed tactics and missions that they were assigned to. I was very surprised that the Dark Lord himself didn't show up after all of this.

"All of those years in Azkaban were worth it, for him. I was his most loyal servant, his most trustworthy follower." Bellatrix bragged.

"And certainly you were, but just look at Barty Crouch. He murdered his father then murdered himself. He was a true follower, sitting with Potter every day, having to teach that brat about the Dark Arts. And Potter believed him!" Another Death Eater said.

"He turned Draco into a ferret! And I hated Crouch on the contrary." I spoke.

"It is expected that a young child as yourself wouldn't understand the works of Mr. Crouch." He answered.

"Fine." I spoke again. "But Snape. How do you feel about him? He's always with Dumbledore, and didn't even bother to come here! His loyalty lies with Dumbledore, not the Dark Lord! None of you know that Severus Snape was teaching Harry Potter Occlumency last year! Or that he-"

"Enough!" Bellowed my father.

But a Death Eater questioned me, despite my father's wishes. "Is that true, Eliza?" It was Amycus.

"Of course! I'm in Gryffindor House! I've been to the Weasleys, and I've seen everything!"

"The Dark Lord needs to be informed of such information..." Bellatrix grinned. "Maybe it's time-"

"No!" My mother protested. "She can make her own choices in two months, Bellatrix."

They sneered. "Time is precious, Carrie."

I had just realized what I had done. I had betrayed my friends...but if I didn't do this, I would betray my family. I couldn't make a decision. Why would they make me choose between the people I love and my friends...who I had also loved dearly.

"Well according to the Ministry, she's still a child. And I'm still her mother." My mother responded.

"Well why doesn't the Dark Lord choose for himself? If he needs young Eliza here, then she'll gladly give her services to him." Bellatrix grinned.

No. I wouldn't gladly give myself to the Dark Lord. I'd rather sign a life contract with the Devil.

Dinner continued on without any other talk about me. "Why isin't Professor Snape here, father?" I asked him.

"Severus wishes to stay with Dumbledore at Hogwarts. He means nothing to us at this point." My father answered.

"But he must mean something to the Dark Lord! Why would he let Snape continue to serve?" I asked.

"That is not your business, but the Dark Lord's." He told me.

"I don't trust him!" Bellatrix shouted loudly.

"Bellatrix! He swore that he would protect Draco! If that's what-"

"Silence." My father bellowed as the two sisters sank into their seats. "Enough talk of Severus. Yes, we assume he has sided with Dumbledore. But in trusting the Dark Lord, Severus is with us. Harry Potter will die, and we will reign."

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That was all that was said. Dinner passed quickly, and before I knew it, people were chatting up a storm in the grand living area.

"Hey...um, Draco?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want to go upstairs? I've had it with Henry and his stupid voice."

He smirked. "Fine."

We headed upstairs. There were so many rooms, and so many dangerous ones at that. I took him to mine, not intending anything. Just to talk. He paused at the many pictures and trinkets on my dresser. I sat on my canopy bed, staring into the moonlight. After a while, he sat next to me, running a hand through his golden locks.

"Can I see it?" I asked, cutting the silence.

"What?"

"Your mark." I said. He pulled up his sleeve. The Mark was a tattoo of a snake and a skull, somehow, I found it nice-looking. But it was the mark of death. The mark that people feared. "I think it looks good on you." I said.

"It's meaning?" He asked.

"No...the design. I've always wanted one..."

"A Dark Mark?"

"No! A tattoo. I guess I'll be getting one in February..."

He sneered. "What?" I asked.

"You don't want to."

"I thought you were for it. To take revenge for your father. For Lucius."

"No. If I don't kill...Nevermind."

"What is it?"

"Nothing." He replied.

"Does it have something to do with you skipping all of those classes?" I asked.

"Maybe. It's none of your concern."

"Look..." I tried to say. "You saw what happened at dinner. I'm forced into this as well. You can trust me." I grabbed his left hand, and touched the Mark. A shiver ran through my body. "...Does it have something to do with you...with you going into the Room of Requirement all the time?" I asked.

"..." He didn't answer for a while, then finally spoke. "Yes."

"Well? You know about me? What about you? I have to betray my friends...My best friends. All for my stupid stinking family."

"I...I- I have to kill...kill- D- Dumbledore." He stammered. He tried not to say it, I could tell in his eyes.

"That's terrible, Draco... I'm sorry." I said.

"Why are you apologizing?" He asked.

"Because...because it's not your fault. I know what'll happen if you don't...If you don't listen to Voldemort..."

"Don't say the name."

"You shouldn't be afraid of the- Wait! Get back on subject."

"Fine...You know then...T- They'll kill us." He stammered.

"You're right. They'll kill us. Painfully. And not even our families will be able to stop him."