The Mark of a Death Eater : Sequel

Chapter Ten

"The Dark Lord will see you now."
Draco glanced at me, eyes full of fear. I tried to give him a look that said 'good luck' but I don't think it was very convincing.

Narcissa's cold fingers pressed into my back as she lead me away from the table. People were pouring out of the room.

"I have to speak with you," she hissed in my ear. I followed her down the hall, out of earshot of everyone else.
Once we were far enough away, she pulled me around to face her. "Emma, I'm so sorry," she whispered.
"What is it?" I asked. "Don't worry about me. I can handle whatever he does."
"Shh. Don't speak. I'm sorry about this. If I could have prepared you before... If I had known... But there isn't time now. If I tell you now you're going to be in worse shape when you walk in there."

"Narcissa?" My voice came out scared. I didn't understand what she meant. She looked so worried, more than usual, I mean, and she was frightening me.
"You're going to hear what he says and then walk out and come straight here. Think of nothing else." Narcissa's voice was urgent and she was talking fast.
"Don't pay attention to the words he says. He doesn't matter. You come to this room and think of me only."

"Wha- I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"Shh. Don't speak, I told you. Any minute now you're going to be called and you need to be prepared."

I felt a sense of dread and tried to listen.

"What do you normally do when you get bad news, and you want to look strong?"

I shook my head. "I... I don't know. I laugh, or make a joke, or something."

"Then do that. Laugh. Then I want you to leave the room and come here. I'll be waiting for you. If you feel like you can't manage, hold this tightly in your hand."

She shoved something cool and sharp into the palm of my hand.

"This? You want me to hold a piece of glass?"

She gripped my arm in her cold-iron grasp and firmly shook me.

"Grasp it tightly. Laugh. Think of me. Come straight to this room. Don't listen to what he tells you."

"Narcissa... please, I don't understand-"

"Shh. Repeat what I said."

The poor woman looked to be on the precipice of a cliff. I decided to humor her.
"Hold it tightly, laugh, think of you, come straight to the room," I repeated obediently.

"You won't want to laugh," she warned.

"Why won't I-"

"Evergreen, you have an audience awaiting you."

I turned to see Avery standing at the end of the hallway, looking foreboding. What was happening? I didn't understand.

"Emma be strong."
I felt Narcissa's cold fingers clasp my arm, then it was gone.

I walked to the end of the hall, the feeling of dread growing stronger with every step. Avery didn't look gloating, and he hated me. If it was that bad, he'd be gleeful. Whatever was going to happen to me couldn't be that awful.

'But Narcissa is ever wrong.'

Hold this tight, laugh, think of Narcissa, go back to the room.

Avery turned around when I reached him and I followed. I glanced down at the piece I'd clear glass in my hand that Narcissa ordered me to grasp. I would cut myself if I held it tightly. Why would I cut myself?

Hold it tight, laugh, think of Narcissa, go back to the room.

What was going on? I understood that Draco and I were set to receive our punishments, but I had thought it would be some sort of pain, the cruciatus curse? Or maybe some unpleasant work. The way Narcissa put it made it sound like it was bad news. That's probably why I had to laugh. So it seems like I'm not unnerved. But what could it be?

I stopped dead in my tracks as realization overwhelmed me.

Zayn. It was Zayn.

The letter probably didn't get to him.
Maybe the owl was intercepted. I never did get a confirmation that the Osman's had recieved the letter, only that Rigel had.
Maybe I was too late.
Maybe their hiding wasn't effective enough.

How long can you really hide, when the Dark Lord wants to find you?

Avery had noticed my lack of footsteps and turned around.
"Come on, he's waiting."
I laid a hand on a chest of drawers next to me, trying to steady myself.
"It's him isn't it?" I breathed. It's the Osman's? He found them?"
I could hear my breathing accelerate and feel sweat breaking out across my forehead. Was I having a panic attack?

'What did Narcissa say?' a voice, sounding very much like the rational side of me, hissed in my head.
"Hold tight," I said out loud.
Avery's look was part confusion and part annoyance.

"Get up, girl. Do you want to get us both into trouble?" he yanked me to my feet by my arm, but I could barely feel it.

'Nothing's for certain Emma. You're being paranoid. You don't know that's what really happened,' the rational voice continued.

Okay. Alright. I'm okay.

For now.

I understood now. I squeezed my hand shut around the glass; the little stab of pain helped clear my head. I followed Avery down the hall.

'You're strong enough to handle whatever comes after,' the rational voice coaxed.

Avery paused outside the door, waiting. Waiting...

I pushed the door open and walked inside.