The Mark of a Death Eater

The Poisened Necklace

Zayn and I both dashed down to the foot of the little hill we were on. We could see it clearly. A girl that I recognized as a Gryffindor chaser, Kelly or something. She looked eery and terrifying. Six feet in the air, her arms were outstretched, her mouth wide open in a terrible scream. A girl by her feet was screaming as well, begging and crying for her to come down. I ran forward. The Weasel,Granger and The Prince were there too. The three of them rushed forward the same time I did but as they tried to pull her down, she suddenly crumpled and fell on top of them. They tried to pick her up but she was shaking and screaming so much that they left her on the ground where she writhed and screamed as if she was in terrible pain. "Stay here!" Potter shouted at us. "I'm going for help!"

Granger dropped in the snow next to her. “It’s me. It’s me, Hermione. Stop screaming Katie, it’ll be alright. Harry’s gone to get help!” At that moment, Potter suddenly appeared with Hagrid. Seriously? Could he really not find anyone else? "Get back!" shouted Hagrid. "Lemme see her!" "Something's happened to her!" sobbed the girl on the floor holding Katie’s hand. "I don't know what happened! She just-"

Hagrid bent down, lifted Katie and ran off toward the castle with her. “Shh Leanne, it’s alright now.” Granger crooned to the girl. On the floor, I realised was a necklace that seemed to have fallen out of a package. Potter reached for the necklace. “Don’t!” Granger and I screamed at the same time. We glanced at each other, and then quickly away. “Don’t,” I said slowly. “Mobilliarbus,” I said, pointing my wand at the necklace. It rose into the air. A lovely, elaborate opal and silver object. “What did you do to her?” demanded the Prince. “Nothing, Prince Potter. I just arrived now. The question is, what did you do?” Zayn walked beside me to the castle, shocked into silence. The Tragic Three took exchanged looks, then followed, speaking quietly among themselves.

Professor McGonagall was waiting for us by the front steps. "Why is it always you three?” she asked warily. “What's that you've got Miss Evergreen?” "It's the thing she touched," said Potter. "Good lord!" exclaimed Professor McGonagall. “Osman, go and fetch Professor Snape at once. The rest of you, up to my office please.” By the time we had reached her office, so had Zayn and Professor Snape. I placed the necklace on the table. Professor Snape narrowed his eyes at each of us in turn. "What is it this time?” he asked. “Explain yourself Miss Evergreen!” Professor McGonagall accused. I gasped and looked around at the others. Granger and Weasley shrugged. I laughed. “I can’t believe it! Just because I’m around when disaster happens, people immediately think I’m the one who did it!” “Well, you don’t have an excellent reputation for restraint, do you?” Granger sneered. I glowered at her. "I've seen that before," said Potter, appearing to be in deep thought. "It was on display in Borgin and Burkes. The label said it was cursed." Professor Snape looked down at Leanne, who had started sobbing again. "How did Katie get hold of this?” "She... she came back from the bathroom in the Three Broomsticks holding it, a- and she said it was a surprise for somebody at H- Hogwarts and she had to deliver it. She looked all funny when she said it and Oh! now I think she must have been Imperiused and I didn't notice it!" Leanne started crying again. "Did she say who'd given it to her, Leanne?" asked Professor McGonagall sympathetically. "No, she wouldn't tell me... a- and I said she was being stupid and not to take it up to school, but she just wouldn't listen so I... I tried to grab it but it tore and... and...” Leanne couldn’t go on. "It’s all right, Leanne, go up to the hospital wing and get Madam Pomfrey to give you something for shock." Leanne left and the two Professors turned to us again. "What happened when Katie touched the necklace?" asked Professor Snape. "She rose up in the air," said Potter quickly, "and then began to scream, and collapsed. Professor, I need to see Professor Dumbledore." "The headmaster is away until Monday, Potter," said Professor McGonagall flatly. "Away?" Harry repeated angrily. "Yes, Potter, away! But have you anything to say about this, it can be said to me, I'm sure!" Potter hesitated. "I think Draco Malfoy gave Katie that necklace, Professor,” he said.

On one side of him, Weasley shuffled, embarrassed, and Granger groaned, dropping her head in her hands. "How dare you accuse him of anything like that?” I demanded. He ignored me."That is a very serious accusation, Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "I have no solid proof, Professor, but you’ll have to trust me." He lapsed into a story about following Malfoy to Borgin and Burkes and a conversation the three had over-heard between him and Mr. Borgin about an object that needed repairing. When he had finished speaking, Professor McGonagall looked confused, Professor Snape furious. "Malfoy took something to Borgin and Burkes for repair?" Professor McGonagall asked. "No, Professor, he just wanted Borgin to tell him how to mend something, he didn't have it with him. But that's not the point, the thing is that he bought something at the same time, and I think it was that necklace —” "You saw Malfoy leaving the shop with that necklace, Potter?" Professor Snape asked harshly. "No, Professor, he told Borgin to keep it in the shop for him. He didn’t carry it out but I think he bought the necklace-" "But Harry," Granger interrupted, "Borgin asked him if he wanted to take it with him, and Malfoy said no —" "Because he didn't want to touch it, obviously!" said Potter angrily. "What he actually said was, 'How would I look carrying that down the street?'" corrected Granger. "Well, he would look a bit of a prat carrying a necklace," interjected Weasley. "Oh, Ron, you’re not actually believing any of this are you? It would be all wrapped up, so he wouldn't have to touch it, and quite easy to hide inside a cloak, so nobody would see it! I think whatever he reserved at Borgin and Burkes was noisy or big, something he knew would draw attention to him if he carried it down the street. And in any case," she pressed on loudly, "I did ask Borgin about the necklace, don't you remember? When I went in to try and find out what Malfoy had asked him to keep, I saw it there. And Borgin just told me the price, he didn't say it was already sold or anything —" "Well, you were being really obvious, he realized what you were up to within about five seconds, of course he wasn't going to tell you — anyway, Malfoy could've sent off for it since —" "That's enough!" said Professor Snape looking furious, as Hermione opened her mouth to retort. Professor McGonagall glared. Zayn and I watched the exchange silently. I felt slightly overwhelmed but I didn’t want to miss anything being said that might be of importance. "Potter, I appreciate you telling me this, but we cannot point the finger of blame at Mr. Malfoy purely because he visited the shop where this necklace might have been purchased. The same is probably true of hundreds of people. And in any case, we have got stringent security measures in place this year. I do not believe that necklace can possibly have entered this school without our knowledge. It must have been given to Katie by someone else.” But Malfoy could’ve gone to the-” “And what is more, Potter, Mr. Malfoy was not in Hogsmeade today." Potter hesitated. "How do you know, Professor?" he asked "Because he was doing detention with me. He has now failed to complete his Transfiguration homework twice in a row. So, thank you for telling me your suspicions, Potter, but I need to go up to the hospital wing now to check on Katie Bell. Good day to you all!” McGonagall marched past us and held the door open for us to leave. A clear dismissal. "Professor Snape glared at Potter. “You will not accuse Draco Malfoy of anything ever again.” He marched away. Outside, I turned on Potter. “How dare you? You have no right to accuse him of something like this. For all we know, it could have been you just as much as it could him.” “Why would I want to hurt Katie? She’s one of the best and oldest on my Quidditch team.” Potter argued. I smiled grimly. “If you get any of us into trouble with anyone you will regret it Prince Potter.” Potter rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to pick a fight with you Evergreen. I’m tired, it’s been a long and confusing day, and you’ve already picked two fights with me over last week. Just... leave me alone. Okay?” He turned his back to me and walked away. I snarled after him. Zayn took my arm. “Hey Em, relax. It wasn’t Malfoy, but it wasn’t Potter,” he said. “I know it wasn’t Potter.” I mused calmly. Zayn smiled but I could tell he was freaked out. He gave me a short hug. “Don’t worry about it, okay?” I sighed and nodded. I watched Zayn’s back as he walked away. After hearing Potter, I had my suspicions about Malfoy too. But mine was based on a different theory. Potter thought it was Malfoy, Malfoy was a death eater. He had a job to do at Hogwarts. What if his job was actually to kill someone. Katie could have easily been Imperiused to carry the necklace to someone at Hogwarts. And he probably needed to kill Potter, since he was suspicious of Malfoy and also because he needed to fulfill whatever orders He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gave to him and You-Know-Who had wanted Potter dead for years now. But of course, he hadn’t been in Hogsmeade today. 

“Antipodean Opaleye,” I gave the password for the Slytherin dorm. I had no choice. I was the only one who knew for sure. Tonight I had to confront Malfoy. I had too much to say.