Black and White

13

Draco and I go home for Christmas, as usual. The adults all seem unnaturally excited about something. Not necessarily a good excited, either. Lucius and Narcissa seem to be more anxious than anything. But Bellatrix is completely pleased. Well, not with me, of course.

"Lucida, it's time you know," Bellatrix tells me. "The Dark Lord will be returning. And soon. And you will serve him."

"No, I won't," I say. "I will not serve him. I will never be like you, and I will never be a Death Eater."

What follows is me being thrown in the dungeon beneath Malfoy Manor and tortured on a daily basis. I'm not sure how much more I can take. I don't want to be bad, or feared, or evil. I want to be good. I want to help people. Then, near the end of the holiday, I remember something. Or rather, someone, as he peers down into the dungeon after Uncle Lucius leaves me, his expression unreadable.

Professor Snape. He's a Death Eater, but he works for Dumbledore. I'm not for certain, but if I had to guess, I'd say he's a double agent. If You-Know-Who does come back, I'll have to talk to Dumbledore, but that might be my only way to survive right now.

"Ok," I sob as Bellatrix lifts the Cruciatus Curse again. "Ok. Ok, I'll do it. I'll do what you want. Ok."

"You'll do what?" Bellatrix asks, grabbing my chin and smirking at my 'defeat'.

"I... I'll serve him," I choke out. I don't want to say it, but if I want to live, if I want even the chance to do what's right, I have to. "I'll serve the Dark Lord."

"Good," Bellatrix smiles. "Now go upstairs and start cleaning."

"Yes, ma'am," I answer.

I do what she says for the rest of the break, only two days, but I can hardly stop the constant shaking, or the fear of doing something wrong.

It's a relief when we go back to Hogwarts. Draco doesn't say anything to me, but he holds me close to him as Merlin curls up in my lap. He holds my hand as we walk from the Hogsmead station and back to the school grounds.

I get quite a surprise once we're back at Hogwarts. Fred and George run up to me as soon as Draco and I are on Hogwarts' property. The twins practically knock me down, and I can't help but laugh as Draco just walks away. The twins stop and stare for a moment as they see my black eye, the only visible proof of the torture I've been through, but settle on just distracting me.

"Luce," Fred grins. "We've got a surprise for you!"

"Yeah, we figured ol' Bellatrix isn't much on giving Christmas presents," George continues.

"So we talked to our mum, and she made you a one-of-a-kind Weasley sweater," Fred finishes, handing me a package. "It's not much, but..."

I open the parcel to find a dark green sweater with a gold 'L' on it. I grin and pull it on over my turtleneck. It's a little big, but that just makes it even more comfortable.

"I love it!" I exclaim as I hug the twins, teary eyed that a woman I've never met would be so kind. "It's so soft!"

Finally, it's time for the final task in the Triwizard Tournament. We're all gathered in stands around the Quidditch pitch, which has been turned into a maze. There's music and cheering, and everyone is excited.

"Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup deep within the maze," Dumbledore explains. "Only he knows it's exact position. Now, as Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter are tied for first place, they will be the first to enter the maze, followed by Mr. Krum and Miss Delacour. The first person to touch the cup will be the winner. I've instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter. Should, at any point, a contestant want to withdraw from the task, he or she need only send up red sparks with their wands."

The music and the cheering starts up again as Harry and Cedric are allowed into the maze. As soon as they're in, the walls come together, trapping them. Shortly thereafter, Victor and Fleur are also enclosed into the maze.

Not even a full thirty minutes later, the first red spark comes up. Fleur. Later, Victor is found. He hadn't sent up sparks. Then, a terrible pain cuts through my head. I brush it off as a headache, but nausea courses through me as well. Finally, Harry and Cedric appear, the Cup in Harry's hand. We all stand and cheer. I follow the twins into the arena to congratulate Harry. That is, until we realize something is wrong. Cedric is dead.

"He's back," Harry cries. "He's back. Voldemort's back. Cedric, he asked me to bring his body back. I couldn't leave him, not there."

I freeze at this news, fear sending shards of ice through my veins.

"Let me through," yells a man as he pushes through the crowd. "Let me through. That's my son! That's my boy! My boy!"

I turn and bury my face in Fred's shirt, not wanting to see Cedric's dead body any longer. The twins hug me, but not a word is said, between us or anyone. The only sound is Mr. Diggory's cries.

A service is being held in the Great Hall for Cedric. I sit with the twins, of course, but the whole room is silent.

"Today we acknowledge a really terrible loss," Dumbledore says, his voice grave. Cedric Diggory was, as you all know, exceptionally hard-working, infinitely fair-minded, and, most importantly, a fierce, fierce friend. Now, I think, therefore, you have the right to know exactly how he died. You see, Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort. The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. But not to do so, I think, would be an insult to his memory. Now, the pain we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me, and reminds us, that while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one. In light of recent events, the bonds of friendship we've made this year will be more important than ever. Remember that, and Cedric Diggory will not have died in vain. You remember that, and we'll celebrate a boy who was kind and honest and brave and true, right to the very end."

The school year comes to an end, and everyone cheers as the Beauxbatons girls and Durmstrang boys go to leave. They will be missed, but there is always owls. I am shaken by the news of Voldemort's return, but with the help of Draco, I manage to hide it pretty well.

Hermione and I walk up to Harry, and Ron joins us.

"Do you think we'll ever have just a quiet year at Hogwarts?" Ron asks.

"No," Harry, Hermione, and I answer together, laughing.

"No, I didn't think so," Ron admits. "What's life without a few dragons?"

"Everything's going to change now, isn't it?" Hermione asks, and she seems saddened by this.

"Yes," Harry says, putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Promise you'll write this summer," Hermione demands. "All three of you."

"I won't," Ron answers. "You know I won't."

"Harry will, won't you?" Hermione questions, grabbing Harry's arm.

"Yeah," Harry smiles sarcastically. "Every week."

"Lucida?" Hermione looks at me pleadingly.

"No owl," I remind her. "I'll see if I can borrow Draco's every now and again. Deal?"

"Deal," Hermione says, and we pinky swear it.