Lumos (Book One)

Chapter Nine ~ Ravenclaw VS Gryffindor

Evil. Endless, endless evil.

I was running. Running through the Forbidden Forest. I was being chased.

"Samantha!" called Sirius Black with a voice I had imagined to be what he'd sound like. Trembles ran up my spine. My legs were cramping.

I tripped.

I was sprawled on the ground. I scrambled to get up, turning to see what I'd tripped over.

Blood. So much blood. Harry was on the ground, shirt and skin ripped open brutally. There was so much blood.

I didn't have time to scream, to mourn. I pulled his eyelids closed over his glassed-over eyes. Tears threatened to flood down my cheeks. I stood to run again.

Behind me was Sirius Black. A sickening grin was spread across his face. He held a bloody, serrated knife in one hand. His prison clothes were soaked in blood.

Harry's blood.

I had no chance. He grabbed my shoulder.

"Why do you run from your godfather?" he growled, grin pinned in place. He sunk the knife slowly into my stomach. "Let's have some family time, dear Samantha."

I woke up screaming, in my bed alone. Aria fell off her bed.

"Avery?! What the hell?! I thought you were being murdered!"

I was drenched in sweat. "Er... I just had a nightmare... That's all." I looked around. "Did everyone leave already?"

"Except us. I'm not going home for Christmas."

"Why not?"

"It's hell enough at the Lestrange house any other time of the year what with my mother being one of the many Death Eaters in Azkaban. At Christmas?" She shivered.

I gave her a sad smile. "Where'd Draco go?" I thought aloud.

"Oh he left a couple hours ago. He didn't want to leave before you woke up but his father was waiting for him." I looked to where Draco had been when I fell asleep. A note lay on the pillow. I sat up, reaching for the piece of paper.

Avery ~

I'm sorry I had to leave before you woke up. I didn't want to leave you by yourself when you were having fits from your nightmares.

I left a present for you under the pillow. 

Merry Christmas,

Draco

I smiled to myself. I lifted the pillow. Underneath it, as promised, was a box the size of my palm. I picked it up.

Aria raised an eyebrow. "What'd your boyfriend leave you?"

I shot her a look. "I don't know."

"Well open it!" She strutted over to my bed and sat on the end.

My hands trembled as I slowly opened the black box. I gasped.

"What? What is it?"

I grabbed a silver chain between my nails, lifting it so Aria could see. The pendant was large enough to be noticed, but small enough to be seen as an everyday necklace. The Slytherin banner was encased in the pendant.

My initials, S.A.OR-P, were inscribed in gold along the top with another set of initials. "D.L.M".

Draco's initials, I thought, smiling.