The Adventures of a Death Eater

Chapter 15: The Beginning of the End

Well, we're getting towards the end of this story. =/ Only a few more chapters left. Makes me sad just thinking about it... =(

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Audrey

I awoke on the couch that morning, not by choice. I was freezing cold. I sat up to see the one window to the outside world left wide open, snow drifting into the room. I jumped up, running over to the window, shutting it as quickly as I could. I glanced at the pile of snow on the ground. I was going to be so glad when winter was over. I absolutely hated it, and we had about three months to go. It was hard to tell; the weather was very unpredictable around here.

I walked back over to the couch and sat towards the middle of it. I had just enough room to sit; Artemis was sleeping along the back. I didn't want to disturb him; he was too cute. I don't know how I could ever be mad at him. Our argument played through my head, and I instantly felt bad about it. I knew I had been a tad harsh, and that there was nothing he could do about it. I was just going to have to tough it out. Artemis would be done with being a Death Eater soon enough. Whenever that was, had yet to be determined. I knew tonight was the night he had to complete his task. He and Malfoy had run out of time. I knew it was going to be best to keep my distance once it was time; my name was already going to be drug through the dirt once everyone learned he had done it.

I sat in silence. No one else was up. Most of the student body had gone home after the Ball, and I honestly couldn't say I blamed them. I wish I could've gone home, but I know I wouldn't have been very happy there. My vacation would've been more like prison; my father was a stickler for a clean house; even if there was nothing dirty he'd find something that wasn't quite clean enough for his liking. And we were obviously not allowed to do magic, being minors and all. I still had two months before I could use magic off school premises, and I could not wait for that!

The silence bugged me. I wasn't used to it. The school was normally loud and bustling of activity, even at this hour. The worst part about it was I couldn't move a lot, or make any kind of noise to break the unnatural silence; I didn't want to wake Artemis up. Not because he would be mad, but because I knew he had a lot going on, and desperately needed his rest. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore. I tapped Artemis lightly on his shoulder. He stirred for a moment, but then his eyes fluttered open.

"Well, good morning," he yawned as he sat up.

"Good morning," I mumbled. "Did you sleep well?"

Artemis nodded. "Better than I thought I would, actually." He paused for a moment. "I'm going to take it you didn't sleep well?"

I shook my head. "I did until like an hour ago. It got way too cold in here for me."

"I didn't notice..."

"Yea, but you're not human either, your body already is cold," I said. "My body doesn't tolerate it as well as yours."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "It could if you really wanted it to."

I shook my head. "No matter what I do, I'm always cold. Even if I was... one of you... I couldn't take the cold. It's just not meant for me."

Artemis shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourself." He hugged me tightly for a moment. "So... breakfast?"

"I think so," I decided, noticing my stomach growling. "I hope the house elves didn't make crap this morning. It's like now that there's no one here they don't care about what they make!"

Artemis stood, stretching in the process. "They really don't. Where I'm from they'd get punished for such behavior. Hell, Dobby got sent to Draco's family after we couldn't take him anymore."