The Young Slytherin Army

The Great Hall

Draco and I stop in front of the great Hall. Draco turns to me and he speaks for the first time since; before our kiss. He says...

"No matter what, stay loyal to the Dark Lord, he will kill you if you defy him."

I swallow hard and nod, Draco relinquishes my shoulder, and we walk into the great Hall. Everyone is there, all the houses are at their tables, and all the students are whispering amongst themselves. I walk straight towards the Slytherin table, and sit next to Crabbe (whose arm is still around Millicent). I watch Draco walk around to sit next to Zabini Blaze.

Blaze looks at me, and gives me a flirtatious wink. Draco shoots him a furious look, and elbows him in the ribs. Blaze looks away, Draco seems momentarily satisfied. I look away and smile at Draco's protectiveness. Crabbe nudges me, and I look at him.

"What?!" I ask, a little annoyed.

Crabbe doesn't say anything (not that I expect him to), he just points towards the Weasleys at the Gryffindor table. I look around, and see Percy Weasley sitting there, talking to his father. I turn to speak to Crabbe and say...

"I thought that Percy had a falling out with his family. Just last weak I overheard that young Weasley girl talk shit about him to Longbottom."

Crabbe shrugs; and we go back to sitting in silence. McGonagle starts to speak at the front of the great Hall, but I can't listen to her. My eyes are fixed on Draco, he is watching McGonagle with hatred in his eyes. I understand that he suspects her of forcing Snape away. I keep watching Draco; memorized by his blonde, wavy hair.

He turns around to my direction, but his eyes aren't on me. Shock and horror are etched on his face. I whip around to see what he is looking at, and I gasp at the sight before me, but nobody hears it because everyone is whispering in surprise.

THE Harry Potter is walking near the Gryffindor table. McGonnigal keeps talking like nothing is happening, but nobody is listening to her.

I turn back to the Slytherin table, but I am too surprised to speak. I sit there deep in my thoughts, and Professor McGonagle's words are floating over my head.

A few moments later an abrupt, cold, cool voice booms through the Great Hall. The voice wrenches me out of my revery and I suddenly hear a ton of students screaming. The voice sends shivers down my spine, and I recognize that it's the voice of the Dark Lord. He is speaking THROUGH THE WALLS!! He says...

" I know you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."

I sit there deep in thought, contemplating The Dark Lord's words. 'If he actually doesn't want to kill us, then maybe I don't have to help him or the Carrows at all.' The Dark Lord continues...

" give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight"

I am petrified with fear, but I know one thing about the dark Lord; he never breaks a promise. One boy's life for an entire school doesn't seem too bad. Millicent looks at me with a pleading look in her eyes, and I know what I have to do.

I stand up, and, shaking all over, point a finger at Potter. My voice is trembling, because I am always bad at speaking to crowds, but I grit down and say...

"but he's there. Potter's there. Someone grab him."

To my horror and surprise, all the Gryffindors rise to stand with Potter, and all the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws join the Gryffindors.

Even though I'm trembling with fear, I stand my ground. No way am I letting Potter take away my home. No way am I going to allow all my friends to have to pick sides. All the Slutherins seem to be thinking the same thing, and they rise to my defense.

A rush of gratitude towards my friends runs through my body, but it's immediately extinguished and replaced with fear, because Professor Mcgonnigal is looking at me with a deadly stare. She says...

"Thank you Miss Parkinson. You can leave the Hall first. If the rest of your house can follow."

A wave of relief runs through my body. This is exactly what I need. I need time to talk to my friends alone, so leaving the Hall doesn't seem bad at all.

I follow Filch and as does the rest of my house. Draco puts an arm around me, to make sure we don't get separated in the crowd. We leave the Hall together, arm in arm.