Poison Ivy | T. Riddle ✔

[59] Blood And Water

Eridanus had just finished his rounds in the castle after curfew ensuring that no student lurked in the empty hallways. But he couldn't shrug off the feeling that there was something much sinister going on down in the empty corridors. He knew his housemates were up to something and though they never openly admitted it, he knew something was going on right under his nose.

A conspiracy of some sort. A secret meeting of students some place that he had not yet figured out.

Hence he stayed in the shadows, roaming in the corridors, his instincts telling him that he was at the right spot and he would soon find out the answers to his questions.

Soon enough, he spotted students coming in pairs with their dark robes pulled up to disguise their features. He retreated so that they wouldn't notice him but kept a vigilant eye out on where they went.

Following silently, he discovered a small tunnel that opened out in the castle grounds connected to the forest. The pairs of students were descending into the woods and it made him even more suspicious.

Keeping his wand steady, he followed them into the dense forest making sure not to make any unnecessary sound. The dried leaves in the undergrowth crunched under his feet so he proceeded cautiously, being wary of each step and each sound.

In the darkness he could roughly spot a whole group of students gathered in the center of a clearing. Knowing that he would have to blend in if he wanted to find out their motives, he pulled up the hood of his robe, removing the Head Boy badge and pocketed it. 

Silently, he joined the group and up close he could see that they were mostly students from his own house and not just seventh years but as young as third years too. Young Regulus Black was standing among the group as well whom he recognized immediately due to the ring that gleamed on his finger.

He was startled by a low gasp from his side and turned slightly to see Isadora Yaxley standing beside him. She had recognized him but his grip tightened on her wrist in a slightly intimidating gesture, his grey eyes looking down at her as if ordering her to stay silent.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed in a low voice so that the others wouldn't hear.

He chose not to reply since he didn't know himself why he was there but he didn't slacken his grip on her wrist, in order to prevent her from alerting the others. It was just a sinister feeling that told him to stay, an unfathomable urge to find out what was going on among his housemates.

Though by then he could spot a few students from houses other than Slytherin as well but they were quite rare. Though one thing was for certain, almost all the people assembled there belonged to the sacred 28 pureblood families.

After the students coming from the school ceased and it seemed as if the group had completed, one of the students stepped forward creating a skull like mark in front of him. The mark glowed green before vanishing and shortly afterwards a spacious tent loomed into view.

"If you're here to rat us out, you will regret it," Isadora whispered though she didn't dare to tell anyone else.

"I know," he mumbled back, "you don't have to remind me."

His tone was confident almost making her believe that he had become a part of the group as well but not told anyone outright.

"You're here to join us?"

"You'll see soon," the confidence in his tone and stature did not betray the inner feeling of dread. 

She twisted her hand out of his hold, but interlaced her fingers through his, "the password is Tojours Pur. We have to say it together when we step inside."