Rise of the Death Eaters [3]

Chapter 48: Repercussions

I got little to no sleep that night. Not much of a surprise there, but it still sucked waking up feeling like a weight was pressing down on my head. One look at the mirror didn't make me feel much better. Having pale skin was always a curse when it came to having under-eye bags. And Beauxbatons had taught me that it was better to look tired than to wear caked on makeup.

So I guess I was just going to have to settle with looking sleep-deprived for the day.

My hand had healed within the short time I had slept. Or rather, it was no longer red with pain. The salve had done wonders as Diana had said. It was now a scab of letters that faded when I relaxed my hand.

"I don't have the energy for what this day is going to do to me," Sam complained from her bed. She had dressed quickly only to curl back onto her bed as a last act of defiance to leaving the room. But the moment I called her to come with me, she complied, and together we left the safety of our room for classes.

Tati and her friends were waiting for us in the hall of the girl's dorm.

Everyone looked about as bad I felt.

"I just want to disappear. Ava, isn't there a potion you could make-"

one of Tati's friends started in a drastic state of anxiety that made Sam roll her eyes deeply with a mutter of something crass.

"Let's not get so dramatic," I cut off, in a similar vein to Sam's mood. "We'll all be fine. If anything, people will want to know what happened since they weren't there."

"You talk as if we've suddenly become popular," Tati stated in a nerved tone like her sister. "But it's really the exact opposite."

"We're infamous," I agreed with an ironic smirk to Sam. "I'm sure there's plenty of damage we can still do with people's attention on us."

"Quit acting like we're about to get a spotlight," Sam said as one of Tati's friends opened the door out to the common room.

Turns out that wasn't the best thing to say before leaving the dorms. The moment I walked out and to the stairs, I caught the common room had paused to watch us enter. Exactly like we were being followed by a literal spotlight.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Sam muttered darkly behind me, making me snicker.

"Look who it is," Nott's voice sounded through the room as students began to turn back to their original activates. Nott was by the fireplace with Blaise sitting next to him. Both had their bags packed and ready to go but were sitting there waiting for someone. I doubt I needed to expand my knowledge much to gather who they were waiting on.

"I'm surprised you're taking the time to talk to me, Nott," I said as I walked closer to their side of the common room. The others had made a b-line to the portal, not wanting anything to do with Nott. I didn't blame them. He was someone even I could only handle in small doses.

"Don't downplay yourself like that," Nott replied with a suave grin as I stopped by the arm of his chair. "Nothing makes me happier to see you shamed by the entire school. Now Blaise on the other hand..."

Blaise was very clearly ignoring this entire conversation with a book in one hand, angled toward the fireplace and away from me.

"Wants nothing to do with me, I'm sure," I completed for Nott.

"Someone's been looking for you, you know," Nott cued in with a sly grin as he turned back to me.

"Are you an Owl, Nott?" I questioned pointedly. "If Draco wants to talk to me," I continued, "He can come find me himself."

"He's not talking about Draco," Blaise said lowly with a glint in my direction. I paused to read him but Blaise gave nothing else away as he turned back to his book. Nott on the other hand was more than happy to get my attention.