The Sparrow and The Serpent

Chapter 2

"The Dark Lord..." the voice started.

"Percivius, she won't know what that means yet, don't scare the girl" a feminine voice continued, "Come with us cherie, we'll take you to Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Margot started, "The place in the letter?"

"Oh good you've got your letter then?" the other voice said.

Margot nodded and reached into her pillowcase, pulling out the rumpled parchment. "What does it mean?" Margot asked, her voice small.

The woman crouched down next to Margot as she spoke, "You are a witch, my dear... and a talented one I would guess. Your father... he is the greatest sorcerer of our time. He sent us here darling, to collect you for school."

"My - my father? You called him "the Dark Lord?"

~

Mornings in the castle felt like a dream. The dew on the grass in the courtyard still sat in full drops, coating the spiderwebs that had been weaved overnight. The gothic castle was still fast asleep and it would be hours before the sunlight was strong enough to cast into the black lake outside of the Slytherin common room. As the castle began to wake, Margot did too. The canopy around her bed was drawn and she reached up to light the gas lamp above her bed. The book she had read to distract herself last night lay open next to her and she dog-eared the page before closing it.

The last thing she wanted to do this morning was get up from this bed. She had all she could need for a good day within an arm's reach. She had already peeked behind the curtains of her bed and saw that Pansy's bed had been lying untouched since the day before. With her best friend occupied for the morning, she saw even less of a reason to rush out of her dorm. If it wasn't for a list of supplies she needed from Hogsmeade she might have stayed in bed all day.

Margot kicked off her covers and started to get herself ready. The mirror showed that she had dark circles under her eyes and she ran a finger underneath them, wishing some color to leave them. She wore a simple outfit, a short black dress with maroon tights and a chunky black sweater over top. As usual, she tied a black ribbon into her hair and grabbed a leather tote bag from her chair. On her way out of the castle, she saw that a few other students had begun their days, mostly anxious first-years wanting to get their bearings around the castle. As she pulled her headphones over her ears she waved at Blaise and Theo smoking outside of the castle grounds.

"Morning lads," she said to them.

"Good morning Margot," Theo said back, eyeing her up.

"Have a good time last night?" Margot asked, wanting to avert his gaze.

Blaise scoffed, "Yeah loads..." She knew he was upset about Pansy and Roger.

"Would have been better if I got to have a dance," Theo said, a smug grin on his face.

A flush crept up Margot's neck and she pressed play on her music, giving one last small wave at the boys.

As she walked away she could feel Theo's eye burn into her back over the bridge and out of sight. Theodore Nott was a fellow 6th year and Margot had gone through periods of really getting along with Theo, or hating him. He had a temper and could often be spotted sulking around the castle grounds with a split lip or bloody knuckles.

Old castle ruins lined her path to Hogsmead and Margot let the slightly chilly air fill her lungs. A rainbow of wildflowers painted the landscape before her and she collected a few lacewing flies for her potions as she walked. When she arrived in Hogsmeade she walked to the Hogs Head and took a booth in the back. When the short plump waitress came to her table, she ordered a pumpkin pasty and a London fog. The comfort of her potions book settled her into the comfortable booth. The taper candle at her table was almost at the wick when she looked back up. She had been absent-mindedly drinking her tea and her pasty was nothing but crumbs. She lifted her hand to reveal a long smudge of ink on her hand.