PLAYING A FACADE | D.M fanfic

twentyseven.

Days dreaded into months in Hogwarts. It really took a turn. Slytherins did have the upper hand this year, as Snape favours us, but it also meant that Gryffindors were disadvantaged. As I expected, the Carrows were brutal and unforgiving, teaching with unreasonably strict discipline and which I find it hard to follow at times, especially in Amycus' Defence Against the Dark Arts class. They were also appointed Deputy Head and Headmistress by Snape, meaning that every wrong doing done by a student must be reported to them. Other professors tried their best to not report if possible, knowing the torturous methods both Carrows will perform on the students. I thought that Umbridge being the Headmistress was hell, but the Carrows having power in Hogwarts was much more worse than Umbridge. We had a chance of rebellion with Umbridge, but not even a slight chance with the Carrows and Snape as Headmaster. I heard students getting deep, wounded scars as a form of punishment from the Carrows. They would show up the next day bruised and bleeding. To make it worse, we were asked to do the Cruciatus Curse on first years in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Students who failed to do so were tortured by the Carrows immediately through the use of Cruciatus curse every single time. Draco and I had no choice but to perform it on first years, knowing that the Carrows would report us to the Dark Lord if we didn't do so. 

I was dozing off in Muggle Studies while Alecto continued on calling students to read the textbook provided by the late Professor Burbage, always making sure to criticise the text after a student finished reading. She would say how no-majs are incompetent, animals, should be killed and many more. She would also pick on students that are known to be blood-traitors or that associate with no-majs.

"I believe Miss Edwards would know this already, don't you, Edwards?" Alecto asked, walking passed me, bringing my thoughts back to earth.

I looked at her with furious eyes, tired of putting up with her, "Sure. Of course." I replied sourly.

Alecto looked at me, amused, "Be careful with what you say, Edwards."

I subtly rolled my eyes at her the moment she turned her back on me. Draco, who was sitting beside me knew that he couldn't do anything in order to keep our relationship under the covers. Moving on, Alecto asked Neville Longbottom to read the next paragraph. And that kept on going for the rest of the class. Just like last year, everything felt like a routine, just worse. Starting with waking up beside Draco, getting ready for the day, going to class, hanging with Draco, Blaise and the others in the common room or doing any homework, dinner at the Great Hall, getting ready to sleep and slipping into Draco's room to spend the night with him. And repeat the same thing the next day for the past months. Everyone was tense around here. 

Dinners at the Great Hall had become very silent, with the Gryffindor table not saying a single word. It did not take a genius to realize that they were suffering under the new staff members. I wouldn't blame them, I was suffering as well, being the only Slytherin that Alecto picked on, I was the only Slytherin that was picked on by teachers, honestly and that became Pansy's material for attack. She would say how I was a 'disgrace' to Slytherin. I really would jinx her, but Pansy's smart enough to deduce that I was the one who cast it upon her, meaning that she would tell the Carrows.

I wasn't that hungry at dinner and everyone was already walking off, not being able to stand the Carrows' supervision at dinner as well. I grabbed a freshly baked bread and a small packet of butter, shoving it into the pockets of my cloak before standing up, telling my friends that I would be in the dungeon. I walked out of the Great Hall as subtle as I could, I was grateful that I dyed my hair back to my brown roots, it helped me blend in with the others, which was the only reason why I coloured it back, so I wouldn't stand out anymore. That helped a lot, especially in New York. I was walking towards the stairs that led to the dungeon when I saw Neville speed-walking his way up the stairs with a bunch of food in his arms. Curious, I decided to follow him, staying ten steps behind him.