In The Shadows [Book Two]

Chapter Twenty:

Chapter Twenty:

Too many things put me into a terrible mood, and unfortunately my Dark Mark burning terribly and ruining my beautiful dream of Draco and I was one of them. 

Grunting, I rubbed the mark and threw my legs off the side of my bed. My eyelids would only stay open for a few seconds before they'd slide closed and I would be forced to pry them back open.  I quickly put on some trousers and switched out my too-large t-shirt for something a little more adult-like.

Sliding my shoes on, I ran my fingers through my knotted hair before sighing.  It would have to do, despite the fact that I looked like a transient.  Grabbing my hooded cloak and Death Eater mask as well as my wand, I put both on and the wand  in my pocket before I ventured out to find mother.  Hopefully she would be able to tell me what was going on.

"Amy!"

My eyes darted over to Narcissa Malfoy, her eyes practically glowing in concern as she shepherded me into the dining hall where many others were gathering.

"Tonight's the night! I knew my dearest nephew wouldn't fail at this, he is truly worthy of serving our Dark Lord," Bellatrix crowed, her voice echoing around the room.

"We meet at Borgin and Burkes, from there we individually go into the Vanishing Cabinet, it'll take us to the Room of Requirement. Then we'll find Draco, kill everyone who stands against you."

Everyone nodded, their eyes blazing with eagerness.

It made me nauseous to think they were eager to kill children.  Children my age and younger. I did not voice my discomfort, opting instead to remind myself forcefully that anyone who stood against us, stood against our Dark Lord. If they were stupid enough to do that, they deserved to die.

Wide awake now, I followed mother's example and apparated myself to the specified shop before deciding to be polite and letting every other Death Eater go first.  While I waited, I glanced around all the dark magic antique objects that lined the shelves before picking up a rather pretty ring and stuffing it into my pocket.

The label underneath it read that it belonged to Merlin's wife, Morganna, who used it as a focus point for her magic, much like what we use wands for nowadays. Interesting.

With my thin fingers clutched around the cloudy golden ring, I watched as Narcissa (the last Death Eater besides myself) entered the Vanishing Cabinet and I quickly followed behind.

Mother was instructed to stay in the room, I assume because Bella was worried she'd get in the way of Draco's assignment and so the rest of us left her and made our way around the school.

It took us approximately four minutes of us, as a group, to realize Dumbledore had anticipated us, or at least anticipating that the students would need more protection than was usual tonight because we quickly came across a group of four people.  I recognized all of them, one being Professor Remus Lupin, my godfather, the others being Neville, Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger

We were at the base of the Astronomy tower, and in an effort to waste less time fighting, several of our group broke off after a few minutes and made their way up to the Astronomy tower where it was apparent we would find Draco and Dumbledore with the latter hopefully dead.

I stared at Neville as he turned his wand away from a Death Eater who was paralyzed on the ground before it was pointed towards me. Something in me refused to let me raise my wand, If it had been Ginny or Hermione I wouldn't have hesitated and they'd be dead.. But not Remus and certainly not Neville.

I couldn't. Neville was on the wrong side of our war, but he was courageous, he was strong both mentally and physically, he did what had to be done. I couldn't hurt him. I wouldn't.