"The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding."

-Albert Camus

Chapter Two: Darkness Falls

Eliza had felt as though she had just gone to bed when she was abruptly shaken awake by Draco Malfoy. He had a gloating smirk on his face, and she immediately noticed the rest of the campgrounds had suddenly changed from cheering and celebrations to destruction and terror. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and hurriedly put on her hiking boots. Her eyes squinted she stared down Draco waiting for him to open his ignorant yap.

"What is it? What's happened?" She was going to ask 'What has Lucius done now.' but that would not endear Draco to responding of course. Draco smirked even wider and ran a hand through his platinium blonde hair with a smirk.

"Oh just the muggles getting their fair justice of course. Come on Mother says we can't be here, she's already left, told me to take you to the woods where we'd be safe." Frankly it sounded as though Draco would much rather be with his father doing whatever it was he was doing to those poor muggles. Eliza knew better to argue, if Draco ran off to his father, Eliza would be in a world of trouble with Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. She sighed and tied her hair back grabbing her wand and her backpack. Draco immediately began to pull her by the arm into the near by woods. Draco leaned casually against the tree with a smirk on his face. He then put his hands on her shoulders and smirked as he casually and non-chalantly guided her gaze to the clearing near by where a family of muggles was suspended in the air. Eliza looked shocked.

"But aren't they the campground manager's family? Wouldn't it look suspicious?" Draco grabbed her arm forcefully pulling her to look at him. His grey eyes so like his fathers staring her down, looking at her with suspicion. "What, are you saying you honestly care about them damn muggles Serena? You're a Black. Toujours Pur, Or did you forget your own family's motto." Of course Draco being raised by Narcissa would of course believe all that 'Always Pure' rubbish. "Don't pity the muggles in fact, pity yourself Serena, when Father finds out you were worried about muggles, I do believe someone is going to be in for a rough night of reminders." Eliza looked at him in sudden alarm.

"No Drake please don't tell him. I don't care about ruddy muggles, I don't honest. I only asked because I don't want your father getting into trouble." Draco's eyes searched hers, he knew she was lying. But just this once, would it hurt if he pretended otherwise. He knew all too well what his father did when he or Serena expressed concern about muggles. Believe it or not Draco did care for his cousin, they were family, and to Draco that was all that mattered. Family first. Draco nodded.

"We both know you care about those muggles Serena. Damn it, why must you disgrace the name of wizard all the time? Ugh, I won't tell father. But only because I don't want to see on the end of his cane again. Last time was hard enough." Serena looked relieved. Draco smirked and caressed her cheek.

"Fear not cousin, your secret is safe with me." They were soon interrupted by the appereance of what Draco ordained to be the golden trio. Ron it seemed had tripped over a tree root, and Eliza stood there leaning against the tree waiting just waiting for the battle of wills to spark. Of course Draco would make an insult and start a verbal battle as he always did with the three Gryffindors. She listened in to hear with the others were saying, specifically Ron for that matter.

"Tripped over a tree root," he said angrily, getting to his feet again.

"Well, with feet that size, hard not to," said a drawling voice from behind them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned sharply. Draco Malfoy was standing with that redhead again nearby, leaning against a tree, looking utterly relaxed. Harry noticed that the girl didn't seem as relaxed as Draco did which made him rather curious. Draco's arms folded, he seemed to have been watching the scene at the campsite through a gap in the trees. Ron told Malfoy to do something that Harry knew he would never have dared say in front of Mrs. Weasley. Eliza smirked and winked at the youngest Weasley. Ron looked at her curiously, having no clue as to why she would do that.

"Language, Weasley," said Malfoy, his pale eyes glittering. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't like her spotted, would you?" He nodded at Hermione, and at the same moment, a blast like a bomb sounded from the campsite, and a flash of green light momentarily lit the trees around them. Eliza whipped around at the green light and Draco patted her on the shoulder before leaning down and whispering in her ear. "No one is dead. It's not the killing curse, it's just meant to look like it is." Eliza nodded. Draco continued smirking looking cocky and arrogant and he continued to lean against the tree, this time with one hand, the other hand in his robes gripped around his wand just in case.

"What's that supposed to mean?" said Hermione defiantly. Good for Hermione, Eliza thought. At least she wasn't afraid of Malfoy.

"Granger, they're after Muggles," said Malfoy. "D'you want to be showing off your knickers in midair? Because if you do, hang around… they're moving this way, and it would give us all a laugh." Draco laughed at this. Eliza smacked his chest. Draco rubbed his chest looking hurt. "That was cruel Serena, really cruel." Eliza starred him down. "And that wasn't? Laughing about Granger? I didn't know you fancied her." Draco growled. "I'd never fancy that filth. She isn't worthy of licking my boots."

"Hermione's a witch," Harry snarled. He had enough, Draco was talking about his best friend, and it seemed Draco's cousin had even tried to defend Hermione, which was even weirder. At least with Draco he knew what to expect.

"Have it your own way, Potter," said Malfoy, grinning maliciously. "If you think they can't spot a Mudblood, stay where you are." Eliza's teeth gritted together, she hated that world. It was a cruel word, just rude. Dirty blood. She shook her head.

"You watch your mouth!" shouted Ron. Everybody present knew that "Mudblood" was a very offensive term for a witch or wizard of Muggle parentage. Good, thought Eliza, people needed to stand up to Draco more often, maybe he'd get his head out of his arse.

"Never mind, Ron," said Hermione quickly, seizing Ron's arm to restrain him as he took a step toward Malfoy. There came a bang from the other side of the trees that was louder than anything they had heard several people nearby screamed. Malfoy chuckled softly.

"Scare easily, don't they?" he said lazily. "I suppose your daddy told you all to hide? What's he up to - trying to rescue the Muggles?"

"Where're your parents?" said Harry, his temper rising. "Out there wearing masks, are they?" Malfoy turned his face to Harry, still smiling.

"Well… if they were, I wouldn't be likely to tell you, would I, Potter?" Eliza shook her head, Draco really was a bit of an idiot. He basically just told them that they were. Stupid idiotic pureblood. Ugh!

"Oh come on," said Hermione, with a disgusted look at Malfoy, "let's go and find the others."

"Keep that big bushy head down, Granger," sneered Malfoy. Eliza smacked his chest again, she happened to like Hermione. She smiled at Hermione, who looked at her in surprise before turning to the others.

"Come on," Hermione repeated, and she pulled Harry and Ron up the path again. Eliza shook her head. Ugh Draco.

"Drake you really are a moron sometimes you know that right?" Draco shrugged. "I guess, whats that supposed to mean?" Eliza stomped on his foot. "You're an idiot Drake, you practically told them Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius were part of the masked lot. Do you want them knowing your family are deatheaters?" Draco looked at her in surprise, she did have a point. Why didn't he think of it before? Draco grabbed her arm ignoring that fact she right and pulled her through the trees.

"Hurry up Mother and Father said we need to meet them at the apparition point in the woods." Eliza sighed why ever couldn't she just have a normal day? Nope, it seemed destiny was not on her side. It wasn't much longer and a skeletal figure lit up the sky. Draco and Eliza both froze, oh no the Dark Mark. But, he couldn't be back could he? A loud pop sounded and Lucius and Narcissa grabbed them both. "Side Along Apparate with Draco, Serena. You took your test this summer remember? We must go. We must flee, if it is indeed the Dark Lord, we have much to pay for. We must not be seen. The Dark Lord is many things but merciful is not one." With that said Lucius and Narcissa took each others hands and apparated back to the manor. Eliza and Draco shared a look before Eliza apparated back to the manor. Lucius was pacing in the living room looking very very worried. Draco knew better then to ask his father anything about it and went off to his own room rather quickly leaving Eliza standing in the hall.

"Uncle, whats wrong?" Lucius turned to Serena curiously watching her as though she was an enigma. He walked over to her curiously. "Lift your left sleeve my dear." He said in that charming manner but she knew better, she knew it was a carefully veiled threat if she didn't comply with his demand. It was a command, and she lifted the sleeve of her bottle green robes to show the dark mark that had been placed on her arm as a child. It was blackening getting darker. Lucius pulled up his sleeve as well. "It's the same as mine. With the dark mark being cast tonight, I believe I am not wrong in saying, that indeed the dark lord will rise again. We must be on our guard, this year at school there is going to be a tournament. I want you to enter it, there are rumors among those in the fold that something will happen involving that tournament and the dark lord. I wish you to enter it, and see what you can find out. Is that understood my dear?" Eliza nodded looking up at him, her eyes trusting but curious.

"I understand Uncle." She muttered softly and quietly very aware of the curious look Lucius was now giving her. He nodded yet again. "Then perhaps, perhaps you shall succeed where Draco has failed, perhaps you will indeed make me proud Serena Black." Eliza couldn't help but smile, despite everything she had never thought Lucius would actually care where or not, she, not his blood at all, would make him proud. This was going to be an interesting year indeed.