Filthy Purebloods | ʳᵉᵍᵘˡᵘˢ ᵇˡᵃᶜᵏ

One of Us

When Sidra got back to her dorm that evening, all of Marina's belongings were gone, her bed untouched and the room was eerily quiet.

She tucked herself into bed and pulled out the necklace Marina had given her as a precaution. She wished she could go back in time and undo that afternoon, but she knew it had been bound to happen from the moment her family had asked her to join the Dark Lord. If it hadn't been this that scared Marina off, it would have been something else.

The fear and betrayal in Marina's eyes seemed glued to the back of Sidra's eyelids.

Sidra cried silently as the pendant shone in her hand. It was all she had left of her once best friend. A pitiful trinket to represent their five years of friendship. She stared at the ceiling for a long time and only when the sun rose did she realize how much time had passed.

Sidra ignored her appearance in the mirror as she got ready, dreading the bags beneath her eyes and the gauntness her features had taken on. She looked sick. She felt sick. Staying awake every night was better than waking up midway through nightmares in a sweat, though.

Sleep was a secondary need these days.

At least, Sidra thought to herself as she walked to the Great Hall, the weather was cooling down. Now she would have an excuse to wear long sleeves all the time. The last weeks of summer had been dreadful because she had to cover up the dark mark on her arm somehow and long sleeves were the only way. She'd almost passed out in class several times.

She sat at the table, hoping to spot Marina but she wasn't anywhere to be found.

Avery slid in beside her and Sidra had the urge to move away but the energy eluded her.

"You're looking dazzling these days, Finch." He said, sipping from his glass of what she assumed was pumpkin juice. When he pulled away, a smirk laced his features. His sandy hair was combed and his uniform was crisp. Despite his neatness, his cheekbones seemed more prominent, his eyes tired. He was in the same boat as she was, even if he did seem to enjoy it more.

Avery may have been cruel, but he had only ever threatened her. Sidra felt a sort of comradery between them, even if it was silly. A thought plagued her that she couldn't help but voice. "What was it like for you?"

He quirked an eyebrow and turned to face her.

"The night you... completed the task."

He gulped and licked his lips as his eyes darted around the room before finally settling on her. "I don't remember." He said. "Everything is just black. I have dreams but I can hardly grasp them when I wake up. I've been in a kind of... delirium since that night."

She nodded. "So it's not just me."

"I know what Regulus did for you."

"Does he share everything with you people?" Sidra bit out, stabbing her fork into the untouched bread on her plate.

"Mostly." The grin returned to his face. "But Finch, darling, you are one of us people." He winked and stood, leaving hastily.

His words were true, it was evident in every way but there was a nagging part of her that so desperately hated everything she had become. Sidra didn't care if her family disowned her anymore, she didn't care if she was killed. She was on her way to dying anyway. She may drop dead of exhaustion at this point.

She smelt Regulus before he sat. Usually, his cologne was delightful, but today it smelt toxic. Perhaps all her senses had sharpened now that she was testing her limits.

"Love," He greeted her and pressed his lips to her temple. "Your friend is a traitorous bitch after all."

Sidra turned to where he gestured and saw Marina for the first time - sitting at the Gryffindor table with Sirius. She scowled and turned away. They were probably talking about what a terrible person she was and how she was a murderer. The thought physically pained her.

"I have news. We're to meet with the Dark Lord on the twentieth of December."

"So soon." Sidra breathed. Even a lifetime away would be too soon.

"I'm eager to hear what he wants this time."

She pulled out of his arms and glared at him. "Was killing one human not enough for you!" She spoke in her harshest whisper.

Regulus looked shocked by her tone but his expression morphed into a smirk. "What did you expect, Sidra? We'd join him and live happily ever after? Did you think you wouldn't have to get your hands dirty?"

"I..." He was right. He was so right that she couldn't even bear to look at him at that moment. She stormed from the Great Hall and into the cold outside. Snow hadn't begun to fall yet but the sky was grey, indicating that it would start any day now.

She sat on an empty bench and stared into the distance. Regulus and Avery's words swam around her mind, intertwining. One of us, he had said. Did you think you wouldn't have to get your hands dirty?

She shivered but it was not because of the cold.

Whatever Voldemort wanted from them now, it had to at least be better than the first task.