Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Sixty-Six: Welcome

As we moved closer and closer to the entrance hall, the noises coming from it became louder and louder. The other death eaters must have started an all-out battle. When we reached the hall, we saw the mass chaos that was laid out in front of us. All around the room, there were teachers, students, and members of the Order battling against the attacking death eaters. Dad led us through the mess and we all tried to get out of there without getting involved in the fighting.

We were about halfway towards the doors when a shout stopped me in my tracks.

"KATIE!" I whipped around to see Maddie standing there, betrayal in her eyes as she realized that I had something to do with this and that I was now running away. I tore my eyes from her gaze and moved to catch up with Draco, but realized I had lost him in the crowded hall. Another voice caught my attention.

"Katie?" Turning again, I saw George standing there, looking at me in shock, a heartbroken expression falling over his face.

"George," I breathed. We looked at each other for a second longer before a dark figure behind him caught my attention. I flicked my wand, sending the death eater who was about to attack George while he was distracted flying across the room.

As the spell flew right above George's head, he ducked and followed the jet of light's path to see my intended target. He turned back to me and continued to look at me with a surprised expression, now with a little bit of sadness mixed in.

"Katie, let's go!" Draco shouted.

I took one last look at George and quickly said, "I'm so sorry!" but I don't think he could hear me over the noise.

Draco took my hand and we rushed to catch up with Dad and the others who were fleeing the castle.

We moved quickly across the grounds. As soon as we got to the other side of the gates, we would be able to disapparate to Malfoy Manor. We were just about to pass Hagrid's hut when a voice screamed across the grounds.

"SNAPE! HE TRUSTED YOU!" Dad, Draco, and I all turned around to see Harry running across the grounds towards us.

A loud explosion sounded behind us and I let out a surprised scream as I saw Bellatrix had set Hagrid's hut on fire.

"Go on!" I returned my attention back to Dad. "I'll meet you back at the Manor." I nodded and followed Draco to the gates. Once we were on the other side, Draco took my hand and we apparated to Malfoy Manor.

As soon as we landed in the entryway of the manor, we could hear the cackling of Bellatrix reverberating off the walls. "Come along children, the Dark Lord has been awaiting our return." I could feel Draco, who was still holding my hand, freeze beside me.

A cracking sound echoed throughout the room as Dad appeared. "Follow me," he ordered as he made his way towards the dining room. Draco and I exchanged nervous glances before obliging.

All of the death eaters were taking seats at the long dining hall table as they returned from Hogwarts. Draco and I sat between his parents and Dad. I looked around the room, observing the others as they took their seats. Once everyone was seated, our attention was directed towards the head of the table where You-Know-Who was sitting.

"Bellatrix has informed me that the task has been completed. Albus Dumbledore has been killed, thanks to Severus," he informed the room. Snickers and cheers filled the air for a moment until the Dark Lord signaled for silence. "And thanks to Draco, all of you were able to enter the castle tonight to pull it all off. Well done, Draco." There were a few claps of appreciation for Draco. "Now I understand that it has been a long night for all of you, but there is just one more item of business we must attend to."

His eyes flickered over to me and I met his gaze. "Bellatrix tells me that you would like to join the Death Eaters. Is that true, Miss Snape?"

"Yes, sir. It would be an honor to join the ranks of the Death Eaters," I told him, maintaining eye contact.

"What is your first name, my dear?"

"Katie."

He stood up from his chair. "Well, Katie, if you would please come up here."

I felt Draco give my hand a tight squeeze before letting go of my hand so I could stand and go to the head of the table.

"Raise your left arm, palm up," he ordered and I obliged.

The Dark Lord pressed his wand against my arm and jet black liquid began to pour out of it and into my skin accompanied with immense pain. I refused to let out any sounds of pain or distress as he continued the process of branding my arm with the Dark Mark. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

"Welcome to the Death Eaters, Katie," he told me once he was finished. "That will be all for tonight," he announced before disapparating.

Quickly, I exited the room, moved up the stairs, and made my way to Draco's room. As soon as I was out of sight, I ran straight to his bathroom and knelt down by the toilet, making it there just in time to vomit.

Seconds later, I could feel my hair gently being pulled back out of my face. When I was finished puking up what little I had managed to eat at dinner the night before, I sat back and Draco let my hair fall down again.

"Are you alright?" Draco asked.

I sighed, "Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I just got sick from trying to hold in all of that pain," I explained, examining the new ink on my arm. "It's late, or actually it's probably early morning by now. We should try to get some sleep," I told him as I stood up off the ground. He followed me back into the bedroom.

"Our trunks are still at the school. We don't have any pajamas," Draco commented.

I let out a yawn and shrugged. I found some parchment and a quill on his desk and scribbled a quick note before walking over to the window where, conveniently, Draco's owl was perched. Somehow he had known to come back to the Manor.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked.

"Writing to Crabbe and Goyle to ask them to send our trunks here," I stated. After closing the window again, I walked over to the side of the bed and pulled my shirt over my head.

"Now what are you doing?"

"Well I'm not going to sleep in these clothes, it would be too uncomfortable!" I pointed out. I took off my jeans and crawled under the covers.

Draco shook his head before stripping down to his boxers and climbing into bed next to me. He laid down and pulled my body towards his, hugging me tightly and giving me a peck on the forehead.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I replied before shutting my eyes and drifting off to the sound of his beating heart.