Aria Black and the Battle for Hogwarts

Daphne

DAPHNE'S POV

The tip of the knife feels cold on my skin, but I push through the pain. I have to get this Dark Mark off of me. The knife moves around my Mark, drawing a pool of black blood. Is all of my blood black? Black is the sign of evil. Evil, I am evil. Of course, I always knew I was. But this is cold proof. My blood had never been black before, but maybe my true colors are showing.

I've made a full circle around my Mark, and it still squirms eerily in my skin. It's happy to be there. The Dark Mark taunts me.

This is what I've become now. I got the Mark over Easter break. My father made me, and him, Mother, and all their Death Eater friends laughed at me during the ceremony.

"Welcome, young Death Eater." Voldemort had hissed in his snake-like voice. Then he..... touched me. An awkward pat on the shoulder that's supposed to mean he's proud of me. Does that make me evil? Voldemort, the most evil man in the world is proud of me.

"Daphne?" Someone calls. It's Aria. I pull my sleeve over my bleeding Dark Mark. She pushes open the door and looks down at me in complete and utter horror.

I keep my eyes on the ground. I can't look at her. She can't see what I've become. Of all the people in the world, I look up to Aria the most. And for her to see how horrible I am, how horrible I've always been- is unthinkable.

"What is going on?" She kneels down next to me and reaches for my sleeve.

There is no use resisting. I am too beaten down to resist.

Aria reaches for my arm, and gently pulls my sleeve up.

Her chocolate brown eyes widen. "Daphne-"

"I know." I tell her. "I'm horrible."

"Did you choose this?" Aria asks.

I shake my head. "No, but when my parents made me, I didn't try to stop them."

Aria frowns. "There would be no point in resisting them. You'd be killed. I would have done this too."

"No you wouldn't." I say quietly. "You're a Gryffindor. Good morals, brave, always doing the right thing, loved by everyone. You would speak up, and then find a way out of it with your many friends behind you. But I am a Slytherin. Hated, pureblooded, and evil. If I was to do it again, I still wouldn't resist. That's why I'm evil." I look down at my Dark Mark in shame.

"Slytherins are not evil, and you neither are you." Aria says firmly. "I know you're not. Now come on, we'll get you cleaned up."

"No." I tell her. "I'm a monster. Don't be nice to me. Please, just go."

She shakes her head. "Daphne, I am taking you to the Hospital Wing. Please don't make me force you."

"No!" I cry, as my arm lets out a stab of pain. I don't know if it's the cut or the Mark. Maybe they are working together to destroy me.

"I am a professor. I can-"

"You are a professor who is helping the rebellion effort. I will tell Snape. Please, just leave me alone." I say quietly.

Aria raises her eyebrows. "What? Daphne, you wouldn't."

Now I can get her to leave.

"Yes I would." I tell her weakly.

She contemplates this. "I don't care. Daphne, you need help."

"No. I'm just that evil." I say sadly. "Don't touch me, or take me anywhere. I WILL tell Snape."

Aria shakes her head. She takes out her wand, and I am too weak to move. I start to cry. "Stupefy."

My head is pounding, my vision is blurring.

Then everything goes black.

ARIA'S POV

I have never seen Daphne like that. A monster? She is not a monster!

Madam Pomfrey is wary of touching Daphne's arm, but carefully avoids the Dark Mark as she stitches up her cut.

I should've been more worried about her when she didn't show up to my classes. Maybe I could've stopped her. Why did she try to cut it out? And the blood, it was black! Who has black blood? Do all Death Etaers have black blood? No, Daphne is not a Death Eater.

But she has the mark, a small voice in my head says.

Daphne is not a Death Eater. She can't murder or torture anyone. She doesn't like to follow Voldemort, she just does it to stay alive.

"You'd better tell the Headmaster." Madam Pomfrey says.

That's exactly what I'll do. I'll go talk to Snape.

***

Why am I here? I have a lot of time to answer this question, because Snape lets me knock on the door for ten minutes. The answer I've come up with, is that somehow, I trust Snape. Of course, I hate him at the same time, but I trust him. A little.

Snape looks like someone just peed in his Cheerios. He's livid, and he has large bags under his eyes.

"What?" He hisses, glaring at me. If looks could kill.....

I don't react, keeping my face neutral. "I need to talk to you, Professor."

Snape rolls his eyes. He whirls around and starts up the stairs to the office.

I think he wants me to follow him, so I do. The staircase walls are black, completely black. Snape has killed Dumbledore's spirit, and in doing so, has made me hate him even more.

He sits at the desk, and raises an eyebrow. Blimey, Snape is sassy.

I sit across from him. "Are you aware that Daphne Greengrass was made a Death Eater over Easter?"

Snape's face is indifferent. "Yes." He says coldly.

I bite my lip, trying to hide my anger about the Death Eaters taking someone so young. "She just tried to cut the Mark out with a knife."

He rolls his eyes. "Stupid girl."

My insides burn with rage. I would love to smack him right now. Daphne is going through a lot right now, and he calls her stupid? I take a deep breath.

"Her blood was black. Is that normal?"

Snape raises an eyebrow. "Of course, Black. Now, if that's all, I'd like to continue my rest."

"That's all." I say rather cooly.

I stand up and head for the door.

"Oh, and Black?" Snape's voice sounds like I sneer, but I don't think he means it to.

I turn around, trying to hide my annoyance.

"Miss Greengrass will be well taken care of."