- The Hufflepuff Princess -

Chapter 12

The year is now 1996, Elyse had stayed at the Diggory's house over the New Year, and was now sitting on the Hogwarts Express on her way back to Hogwarts. Elyse sat alone in the compartment and she was reading the book she got for Christmas.

Elyse looked up a few times to look outside and she many beautiful trees and plants surrounding her.

Elyse had been reading for a good 20 minutes when all the sudden she started hypervenating. No warning or anything. Elyse dropped her book on the ground and as she did, her hands, legs, and feet started shaking. Elyse could feel tears streaming down her eyes and she got a pain in her chest.

"Not now. Please not now." Elyse said with a shakey voice. She could feel sweat start dripping down her face, and at that point, Elyse currled up into a ball and started shaking all over.

"Elyse?" Someone said, but Elyse couldn't tell who it was. Elyse then felt arms wrap around her, lightly squeezing her into a hug.

Elyse was still shaking, and her eyes were closed. She heard someone start talking, but she couldn't put a face to the voice.

"Oh my gosh! You're shaking. What's wrong?" Elyse then realized that the voice had come from no other then Draco Malfoy. 

Elyse tried to sit up, but she felt hands pushing her back down, Elyse couldn't get up, so she just stayed there, shaking and crying, she tried to say something, but nothing came out of her mouth.

After about 40ish minutes, Elyse had calmed down enough and she was now sitting up. Luckily only her hands were shaking and she had stopped crying.

"What was that about? I was walking down the isle, and I heard something drop, and I turned and saw you shaking and in a ball. What happened?" Draco asked. He seamed uncomfortable to be there.

Draco just looked at Elyse, waiting for an answer. 

"It was nothing." Elyse answered quietly.

"It didn't seem like nothing to me," Draco stated. "were you dying?"

That got a chuckle out of Elyse. "No I wasn't dying. I had a panic attack. That's all." Elyse said as she rubbed her right thumb over the side of her left thumb.

"That's it? All it was was a panic attack? That's nothing compared what it's like for me at home." Draco said with a scoff.

"What?" Elyse asked, looking at Draco.

"I should not have said that." Draco said quietly.

"Tell me." Elyse only said.

"I can't." Draco answered, this time he looked into his hands.

"Hey, I just had a panic attack. You can tell me what's up." Elyse answered, her body no longer shaking.

"I would get in so much trouble if everyone knows. I can't trust a Hufflepuff." 

"Forget about the bloody houses! It means nothing!"

"Gosh, you won't stop bothering me until I tell you. I'll answer three questions that you have. That's it."

Elyse looked at Draco in the eyes and asked her first question. "How do you know who Wormtail is?"

Draco looked annoyed at the question. "Can't tell you."

"You said anything."

"Gosh. I only know him 'cause they meet at my house."

"Who is they? Elyse asked.

"That's something I'm not aloud to say."

"Oh my gosh Draco! You said anything and now you won't tell me. How is that bloody fair?"

"Fine! I'll tell you. If anyone. I mean anyone finds out about this, you'll be sorry."

"Just tell me."

"How do I put this. Wormtail is working with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and they meet at my house. Now you only have one question left."

Elyse let that new information sink in before she asked her last question. "Why are you so angry and mean to people all the time?"

Draco messed with one of the rigs he had on his finger and looked at Elyse. "I'm scared."

When Elyse looked at Draco, she didn't see a mean jerk, all she saw was a scared young boy. 

"What do you mean? Is this about having to marry Astoria when you're older?"

"No, and how do you know about that?" Draco asked. "After the rumors went around, that ended."

"Daphne told me, that's all. Now, back to my question."

Draco rolled his eyes at Elyse and answered.

"You know how He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has a following?" Elyse nodded. "Well, they call themselves the Death Eaters and they are very loyal to the Dark Lord and my father mentioned how I would soon too be one of his followers."

"Can't you just decline?" Elyse asked.

"It doesn't doesn't like that, it's either you choose to become one, or you are forced too. If he asks you to join, at the point you don't have an option. It's either follow him or you die."

"What do you have to do to join?"

"When I am forced to join, my father told me that I would get the Dark Mark on my arm and I would be given a task. If I complete that task, I would really be a part of the Death Eaters." Draco confessed.

"Well the task doesn't sound too bad, I mean-" Elyse started before Draco interrupted.

"The task doesn't sound too bad, yeah right! My father had too kill someone, just to gain his trust. I've heard what they are planning. It changes everyday, so I don't know what's happening, but from what I can tell, someone is going to die before the end of sixth year."

"And you think-" Elyse started.

"Yeah. I think I might be the one who has to do it." Draco said quietly.

"Do you know who it could be, you know..." Elyse said, trailing off her words.

"The one who has to die?" Draco finished.

"Yeah." Elyse answered.

"No, but I have a hunch in mind and I'm praying I'm wrong. I could go to Azkaban if I do it."

"Azcaban?" Elyse asked, confused.

Draco sighed in frustration. "The most secure prizion in the wizarding world. Azkaban is the worst place to end up. If you end up there, it's life imprisonment. There is no getting out. Dementors swarm the building and they suck out all the happiness out of you, and of they suck out too much, you could end up getting the Dementor's Kiss. It sucks out your soul. You would die from it." Draco answered.

Elyse looked out the window and saw Hogwarts behind a hill.