Freaks: Year Two

The Bell Towers

"What is going on?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it?" Alabaster asked. He stared at his cousin, aghast. It was the next morning and he had spent all night up with Hoo sick with nerves before finally mustering up the courage to ask his cousin. The Slytherins were acting like this was normal, they were acting like nothing was wrong. They knew something he didn't and he had to ask Eve. "It is not normal that we are ordered to stay in our common rooms! It is not normal that..." He looked around, seeing that majority of the Slytherins we're just going about their evening like nothing was wrong. He looked back to Eve. "You know something. I know you do."

Eve kept her mouth shut.

Alabaster's expression hardened. "Tell me what you know."

"Go back to sleep–"

"No!" Alabaster snapped. "You know something I don't about this. You do! Is...is it about the Dark Lord – it is!" he exclaimed as he spotted the falter in her expression.

"Stop!" Eve exclaimed. "Leave me alone!"

"Tell me what you know. What is happening?"

Eve shushed him. "Fine," she said in a low voice. He was not going to let this go. That much was evident. It was lucky enough she had not woken him in the middle of the night about it. "Follow me."

Eve went up to her dormitory, Alabaster, following her. She told the other girls to get out and once they had, she shut the door and locked it with her wand. She turned to her cousin. "The Dark Lord had plans last night. I don't know exactly what, but that was what was stated in the letter–"

"Letter?"

"Our family wrote to me."

Alabaster turned away from her, feeling a pang of anger in his stomach. "And you never told me until now? How long have they been keeping you updated? Since the beginning of the year?"

"You can not be angry at me because of this," Eve said with a scowl. "You can't read. What are we supposed to do?"

"You tell me!" he snapped. "You tell me what the letters say!"

"You don't even like the Dark Lord."

"Is that the real reason you have been keeping this information from me? About these plans?" Alabaster asked. "Because you know and...and everyone knows that whatever it is, I will not like it?"

"You have made your views clear, Alabaster."

"Is he killing someone? Do you know that much?"

"If someone gets in the way of what he wants then yes!" Eve shouted. "He kills! Accept it!"

"I can not just accept something like that!"

"Well, I have! We have to!" Eve snapped. "We have to accept it and follow his orders and do what he wants! That is what our family says! We have to keep quiet and follow. That is what my mother says. It is what we have to do, why can't you?! You are going to ruin everything! You already are!"

"How do you expect me to follow a person who murders people? Children? Sees those as less just because of who their parents may be? It is wrong! This is all wrong, don't you see that!?"

"Just accept it!"

"I can't!"

"Then you will suffer! You will suffer and soon you will lose every sense of your humanity, I hope you're prepared for that!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"My brother!!!"

There was no time to ask what his cousin had meant because the door was forced open by one of the older students. The sixth year perfect girl. Her expression was sombre. "The Headmaster wants everyone in the Great Hall immediately."