Dark Side

Hope Restored

Draco

After the meeting, everyone filed out, off to do their various assignments. I'm the only one who doesn't have anything to do, so once everyone leaves, I just go to bed. My parents hadn't left, so I didn't want to risk going to the hallway.

I wake the next morning, to see the house is empty as usual. I walk through the house, footsteps echoing in the open space, heading to the kitchen. I sit at the counter, and pick up an apple, still half asleep. A loud CRACK rings out through the kitchen, and I jump up, wand drawn.

In front of me is a familiar looking house elf. The elf bows to me, and says, "Mr. Malfoy, I have a note for you from Mr. Harry Potter."

"Thank you." I say, taking the note from the elf, "It's Kreacher, right?"

"Yes." The elf bows to me again, then disapparates with another loud crack.

I sit back down, unfolding the note. I recognize the small, neat handwriting to be Hermione's.

Draco,

We were wondering if you could try and make a spell for us. The Death Eaters have the Dark Mark, but there's no symbol to represent the Order. I made a sketch of an idea I had for the symbol, but I don't know how to make the spell.

Thanks, Hermione

Under the note is a drawing of a phoenix, wreathed in fire. I smile to myself, Hermione not failing to impress me yet again. Now I have something to do, as Voldemort hasn't fully trusted me yet with an assignment.

After I eat, I go to the library, finding every book I can on making these kinds of spells. I work all day, writing down ideas and incantations, and copying Hermione's sketch. It's getting late, my hands were smudged with ink, one of the amazing perks of being left-handed, and I had filled up an entire scroll of parchment. Exhausted, I put my things away, and decide I have to sleep.

The next morning, I go back to the library, grab my notes, then go to the duelling room to try out some of the spells. I'm not very successful, some spells making a feather or something, most doing nothing, and one somehow exploding one of the targets across the room. I'm about to give up, but I decide to try one last time.

I try to focus, cast the spell again. Nothing. I yell out in frustration, turning and throwing a curse at a dummy. It explodes, and falls over, on fire. I sigh, flick my wand to put out the fire, then repair the dummy. One more time.

I close my eyes, clear my mind of everything, and focus on Hermione's symbol, burning against the darkness of my eyelids. I hear a rushing noise, and squint open one of my eyes. The symbol hangs there in front of me, the feathers of the phoenix's wings flickering red flames. I smile and laugh with success, full of the giddy feeling I always get when I finally get a particularly difficult spell.

I wave my wand over the image, and it vanishes. I close my eyes once again, picture the Phoenix, then put the image of the main room of the trio's tent around it. I open my eyes, hoping it worked.

Harry

We're all sitting on chairs in the main room, the conversation had faded away a while ago.

"I wonder if Draco managed to make the spell." Hermione says, in an attempt to start a conversation. Ron shrugs, and the blanket of silence settles over us once again.

There's a crackling noise, and what looks like bright red and orange flame appears in the centre of the room. We all leap up and grab our wands, before we realize what it is, a flickering red phoenix wreathed in orange flame. Hermione's drawing.