Apples and Snakes

Love on the Battlefield

Mum, I need to see the Quill," I said.

"What, I can't-"

"Just listen," I interrupted. "I just want you to write a name on the list. Just one. Mara Jade."

"What's this about?" Mum asked.

"I'm returning to school under a pseudonym so I can continue my activities and education," I said.

"What? Why not as your-"

"There will be a huge target on my head. I know secrets, I'm the mastermind." I explained.

"Why, then?" Mum asked.

"They need a figurehead," I explained. "Someone to lead them, someone who's got a plan. Someone to blame."

"And you exclusively fulfill this role?" She asked skeptically.

"I have to. I'm the only person to do it," I explained. "I'm not going to wait around, anyway. I've got a duty, and I'm going to play my part."

"So, Mara Jade, huh?" Mum asked.

"What?" I shrugged. "It sounded good."

"Okay, I'll do it, later today. I hope it helps," she said.

"It will," I promised. I hugged her, then started walking away. I had work to do, things to set up. I would give Teddy the records, and give her the title of the Archivist. I would set things up for my return under Mara Jade.

"Ky!" I called, and he was talking to a few of the other Ravenclaws, particularly one with beautiful brown skin, and lovely kinky black curls. He looked at them, said something, and came up to me.

"Yes, princess?" He asked.

"I need your help with something, in the library," I said quickly. "It's kinda important, but if you were busy back there, y'know, please, just come find me later."

"No, it wasn't anything important," Ky said, as he rearranged his books into a more comfortable position.

"Come on, then," I said. My heart was pounding with the secrets, with the plans boiling in my blood, wrecking balls inside my brain.

We found a secluded window-seat, and sat down.

"Reminds me of where we first talked," Ky said with a small chuckle. "Now what was it you have to say, princess?"

"I have a plan for next year," I said. "And big ones at that. Ones I need your help with."

"Sounds like you," he said. "So what are we talking about?"

"I'm not returning back to Hogwarts," I said. "But Mara Jade will."

"Huh?"

"Look, Harry's taking off to go take care of these things called Horcuxes-" I stopped, because Ky had paled considerably at the term.

"Your brother's going after the Horcruxes?" He asked.

"You knew?" I demanded.

"Okay, first of all, didn't answer my question, and second of all, right before I turned myself in, the Dark Lord was asking me to make one!" Ky said.

"You didn't, did you?" I asked, part of me a bit erratically worried for him.

"No, I didn't, princess," he said, placing his hand in my hair, sending shivers down my spine. "That's a part of why I returned. It's insulting the dead, to use them to gain immortality. It's so immoral, that I couldn't take it anymore. I don't want to become a monster, just as much as you don't."