Nerida Riddle, daughter of the Dark Lord - REWRITING IN PROGRESS

Nerida Riddle, daughter of the Dark Lord - Chapter 11

6 months later

I stepp down the final step as Draco and I stand alone in the large dark hall of Malfoy Manor. He smiles at me as he takes me hand and we begin to dance. There is no music, but we still dance. Faster and faster and faster until our feet soar off the ground and we kiss. Swirls of blue mist circle around us, and I can't believe it, I can't believe I'm back at Malfoy Manor and -

"Wake up! Quick, wake up. Slughorn wants everybody up and dressed. Wake up, Nerida" Pansy's face looms above me as my eyelids flicker open, and I wish it wasn't a dream. But it was.

"What is it?" I groaned. "It's the middle of the night."

"Slughorn says everybody has to wake up and go to the Great Hall immediately," replied Pansy, who was pulling her dressing gown on over her pyjamas. Suddenly, my dark mark seared and I knew that my father was coming. The Potter boy was here. I smiled to myself, and pulled out my wand, then began to rifle through my trunk, wondering what to do. Go to the Great Hall? Escape and fight? FIght. The sooner I could make everything up to my father the better. I grabbed my wand, and with a swift flick I was dressed in a long black dress, lace-up black boots, and a long black cloak.

Pansy looked shocked.

"Are going," she said, "To fight with them."

I snarled at her. "What does it look like? Now stick your head out the door and see if Slughorn's lurking around."

Pansy obeyed me and then replied: "He's gone."

I thought for a moment. How was I going to get out of the castle. The only way I knew, of course... I turned to Pansy.

"Go downstairs to the Great Hall with everyone else. If anyone asks where I am say I went down before you."

"But what if-" Pansy stammered.

"Go." I stared at Pansy for a second, then she turned and ran towards the Great Hall. I collected the last of my things, and stuffed them in a little pouch hung aroung my neck, concealed under my dress. Then I took a deep breath. Keep calm.

I pushed open the dormitory door the tiniest bit and was pleased to see that no one was around. The common room was completely empty. I hurried over to a corner of the common room, where I knew that there was a trapdoor in the ceiling. Draco had told me about it ages ago. Apparently it led to a tunnel which goes underneath the lake, and up to outside the gates.