Heart Scars

Thirty Five

December first was snowy and cold, and also a Hogsmeade day. Adhara walked next to Alecto; though she wished for nothing more than to sneak off to Honeydukes with Remus.

She had cut down the time she had been spending with the marauders. Alecto had begun to grow cold towards her, and only after acting much like herself did Adhara earn her trust again.

Adhara had taken Severus's advice. She acted cold towards those who weren't Slytherins, she ridiculed her brother and James, she couldn't bring herself to say an unkind word to Remus, and she even let slip the word mudblood to a Hufflepuff second year. She believed that was when Alecto started acting less stiff towards her.

"I need to go to Tomes and Scrolls. My father's special ordered a book he wants me to read." Barty sighs. Evan sends him a small glare from the other side of the group. The two had still not made up, and Adhara began to worry they never would. Barty was too stubborn to change his mind about where he stood, and Evan was too prideful to try to change his mind.

"I'll go with you. They have a new book on crystals that I want to read." Pandora smiles airily at him, and together they leave the group.

"Weird one that girl." Amycus comments. Evan and Regulus glare at him.

Adhara, though she had been keeping appearances up with Alecto, had completely cut herself off from Amycus. He was no longer the loyal and protective boy he once was. No longer did he defend his friends or guard her potion so it didn't get sabotaged. No, the Amycus Carrow she knew was gone, replaced instead with a boy who was wicked and malicious. Maybe he had always been that way and Adhara had never noticed because she too was wicked.

"Ara, are you going home for Christmas?" Alecto asks. Adhara wants to say no, but she has no reason to. It's not like anyone she knew would be staying at the castle.

"Yes, I always do." She says. The red head girl smirks and shares a look with Amycus, who smiles widely.

"It's happening. Fathers already had it arranged." Amycus says.

"What's happening?" Evan asks the older boy.

"We're going to take the mark over the holiday. After father and Amycus talked sense into me, I realized I didn't want to wait until after graduation." Alecto grins, her face full of pride. Adhara's stomach twists. Wasn't this the girl who had sobbed in her arms because she didn't want to take the mark? Wasn't this the same girl who was terrified of following in her father's footsteps?

"Yes, Alecto just needed to see that joining the Dark Lord was the responsible thing to do. The sooner we join, the sooner we can climb the ranks." Amycus brags, or what he thinks is bragging.

Adhara wants to scream. Didn't he know what hell it was to be high in the ranks? Didn't he know that ghosts would plague his dreams, and he would never again get a good night's rest? Didn't he know he was giving away his freedom?

"Come, Ara, I need to go to J. Pippin's. I've run out of rat liver." Severus says stiffly, and she quickly follows after him.

"Bloody fools they are!" She exclaims when they're out of earshot. Severus just nods.

"Don't they know what they've done? It's over, Sev. Their lives are over."

"Ara, calm down. Your emotions are getting the better of you." Severus scolds quietly. Adhara quickly shuts her mouth and begins to breathe deeply.