UnExpected

Chapter 57

She tried to ignore it. But it kept coming back. It would not leave her alone.

Buffy walked into the Headmaster's office during lunch and directly over to the desk where he sat. Silently she lifted her left sleeve and showed him the Dark Mark that reappeared once again. Dumbledore's eyes widened at the sight. He looked up to her face and then back at the symbol again before he stood up and gently took a hold of her wrist. His eyes intently surveying the slithering and pulsating skull and snake.

"I thought it was dormant," he said.

"It was," she replied. "Until recently."

The acidic ink burned her skin, but Buffy went past the pain. There wasn't anything else she could do.

"When did it start again?"

She sighed, internally recalling the timeline before answering. "I'm not sure, but...I think it started when he came back. And it's becoming more frequent than before."

His blue eyes turned grave and he released her arm.

"He's been summoning you."

"I know."

She had known since it returned. She knew what it meant every time it appeared.

"Have you told anyone else?"

"No," she shook her head, "no one. I don't want anyone else to know."

The constant reappearance of the Dark Mark lately was what had really brought back the memories of the Chamber, and the horrible memories of what happened before that. All of them. What she had done when she was only twelve years old. What she had been forced to do without her knowledge.

"This won't stop until we know why he chose you in the first place."

The Mark had been on Buffy's arm when her unconscious form was brought up from the Chamber of Secrets. No one knew except for Dumbledore and her mother. They were all shocked at the appearance of it and even more so when it disappeared without reason. Buffy had been told about what happened, from what they knew, when her health and strength had been recovered, and when the Dark Mark appeared again on her small arm, she knew then that what she couldn't remember was something so horrifying that her subconscious tried to protect her from it until she was ready. There had been an infinite amount of questions without inklings of an answer...at least until now. Buffy's dream about what happened with Ginny triggered all of her memories like a domino effect and the puzzle had slowly come together. She finally knew everything that had happened her second year, and most importantly, the reason why, and she damned every part of her existence for it.

"I know why," she confessed softly, and Dumbledore became still. "And it's not going to stop."

*****

"We're sorry," said Hermione as she sat down to his right.

"For the most part," added Ron, settling on his left.

Harry had been sitting alone during lunch. He had not spoken to either Hermione or Ron since last night. He was sick of defending himself when he didn't have to and was not interested in sparking another fight. But he wasn't going to be the one to speak first either. Petty? Yes, it was. But so what? He deserved to be petty sometimes, didn't he?

"What are you sorry for exactly?" he asked.

"Everything," Hermione replied. "You were right. Whatever relationship you've had or have with Buffy is none of our business. Right, Ron?"

Ron stayed silent, and Harry couldn't help but smile at his friend's stubbornness.

"Ron!"