RIDDLE ME THIS

48

the Room of Requirement was full of Slytherins.

Draco had found the room years ago and suggested it as a meeting place, and now every student in our house filled the space.

Tom, Matteo and i stood on a raised platform, overlooking those gathered.

"i'll get straight to the point here." Tom addressed everyone. "our Father, Lord Voldemort, needs more Death Eaters. he needs you."

whispers broke out and we let them talk.

"why should we help?" someone shouted.

"yeah, what's in it for us?" another seconded.

"your lives." i told them bluntly. "if you refuse to join his army, you will die."

the whisperings ceased abruptly.

"what makes you think we want to be part of this so called army?" a nameless face yelled.

"what makes you think we wanted it?" Matteo glared at the boy.

"what you need to understand," Tom said slowly. "is that you will not always get a chance in life... and this is one of those times."

there was a long silence in which people looked at their friends, communicating silently.

"i will join you." Blaize Zabini stepped forward.

"so will i." Theo Nott came forth.

"and i." Enzo Berkshire stood by his friends.

i bowed my head in thanks to them as a cacophony of voices rose, pledging their allegiance.

"anyone who does not wish to join us," Tom silenced the cries. "come forward."

the room went still.

then from the back, two identical girls who i dimly recognised from the year below pushed their way forward.

"what are your names?" Tom demanded.

"my name is Flora Carrow, and this is my sister Hestia," one of them declared.

"you would rather die than join us?" Tom cocked his head.

"that's not what i'm saying-"

"it's what i'm saying." my brother corrected.

the girls turned white as sheets as Tom took out his wand.

i didn't know what he was doing, but i was going to have to stay silent.

"no, please!" Flora tried to shield her sister.

"you give me no choice, Carrow." he raised his wand. "Av-"

"stop!" Hestia cried. "we will join you!"

Tom grinned like a serpent. "now, how hard was that?"

he grabbed the sobbing Hestia by her collar and pulled her onto the stage, much to Flora's protests.

i knew what he was going to do this time.

he rolled up her sleeve and pressed his wand to the inside of her wrist, whispering the Dark Lord's spell.

Hestia screamed and tried to pull away and her sister scrambled onto the stage, but Pansy pushed her back down onto the stone floor.

the girl's screams ended and she stumbled back, clutching her arm, but i stopped her, seizing her wrist and holding it up in the air, showing everyone the Dark Mark which now graced her forearm.

a few people gasped, but what had they expected?

"form lines in front of Lola, Pansy, Draco and i." Tom commanded.