Chapter Thirty Seven

A/N: Thank you to crazyweirdbitingladyorcatnip and TheArtfulDodger26 for reviewing.

Stray branches broke beneath her feet, each crack seeming to echo through the empty land ahead of her. The fierce wind must have blown them from the Forbidden Forest. Either that, or they had fallen from flaming broomsticks, the final trace of another casualty of war. It would hardly be surprising; there had been so many.

Scarlette pulled her sleeves further down her arms, trying to hide the inky black mark from view. It was a useless gesture, when most of those she approached had been present for her marking, but it made her feel just a little better. It made her feel, for just a couple of minutes, as if she was free from the dark shackles that bound her.

But she was not, and the closer she got to the swarm of black-cloaked warriors, the more evident that became. 'My people.' the young brunette thought bitterly. 'I can't believe that. I can't believe I was so stupid.'

It was the ignorance of thinking she could truly make a difference that had gotten her into this mess. She had thought she could temper her mother's madness, mellow the hatred that flowed inside her veins, but it was an impossible task to attempt. She knew that now. And yet her belief in her own ability to change things might be the only chance for the good to win this war. It was not an opportunity she could afford to miss.

She was close enough now to see the faces beneath the hoods. Some familiar, some not, none of them the faces she was looking for. 'These are only the outskirts of the Death Eaters.' she reminded herself, watching the crowd parting ahead of her, her dark hair and heavily-lidded eyes already giving her away. 'The ones who don't really matter, the ones who would find it easiest to run away. I was never this far away from the Dark Lord. It would have been so much easier if I had been.'

The connections forged with the Dark Lord from her very birth were unfolding before her eyes, as the man himself came into view, surrounded by a select few trusted followers that included, of course, her mother. The woman was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, like a child on Christmas morning waiting to open her presents. The excitement was almost sickening to Scarlette, who had seen the devastation in the castle below.

"Scarlette." The Dark Lord's voice was quiet, but it carried across the crowd all the same. Every eye among them turned to her. "We were beginning to despair you would ever arrive."

"I was assigned a task, my lord," the young woman tried to argue. She could feel the tendrils of Legilimency already creeping into her mind, and she tried to fight them off as best she could. "To observe the situation among the students. I did not want to leave that post for the sake of nothing."

"And what did you discover, on this most vital task?" Voldemort asked. His voice was dripping with sarcasm, and it sent a shiver down her spine. Scarlette stood a little taller, trying to seem courageous. If only the Dark Lord could not see right through her.

"Most of the younger students are gone." She had to give truthful information, the Dark Lord was sure to know if she did not. But it did not need to be information that would compromise her friends. "They're wary of the Slytherins, keeping them at arms' length. I suppose they do not want to risk the Death Eaters learning their plans."

"So you mean to say you have learnt nothing?" Voldemort's voice was as bitter as snake venom. He twirled the Elder Wand in his fingers; the faintest of threats.

Scarlette wracked her brain. She had to find something to tell him, something valuable. But she could not betray Ginny.

Suddenly, a conversation came to the front of her mind. On one of the many occasions she had hidden herself away in the rose garden, not long ago, her aunt Narcissa had told her of a special talent born among the Rosiers, one that she herself had acquired from her grandmother. It was wildly uncommon, and it was highly unlikely she had inherited the trait herself; she had never tested her skills in the area, though she now wished she had done. But it was the only chance she had.

"I overheard their plans, My Lord, when they were gathered in the Room of Requirement." Scarlette's heart was pounding like a drum, the kind that had once called witches and wizards to their execution. "They've reopened the passageways to Hogsmeade and they're sending through as many students as they can. They'll leave a small force in the castle to defend it, Order members mostly, but they're planning to catch you unawares tonight, while we're still recovering. They think they can decimate the army while they're sleeping."

Voldemort's red eyes bored into hers and Scarlette willed her muscles not to tense. He was watching her so intently that he would notice the slightest change in posture. After what seemed like a year, the man nodded.

"You've done well, Scarlette." The Dark Lord hissed her name as if it were Parseltongue. "I can see now that your loyalties lie with your blood."

"My Lord." The brunette bowed her head respectfully, before disappearing through the crowd. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her mother, beaming with pride at her daughter's achievement, but she did not walk towards her. Instead she sought out her aunt and uncle, huddled together out of sight of the Dark Lord's wrath.

"Scarlette, did he believe you?" Narcissa whispered, her voice barely audible. Both were well aware that they were speaking treason.

The brunette nodded quickly, trying to see through the haze spreading through her mind. "I could feel him searching my mind, but nothing happened. Except that I feel so dizzy I could almost faint."

"That often happens with Occlumency; it's very draining on a witch's powers." Narcissa comforted, her words laden with an experience that was a secret to all but them. "But you are safe here with us, Scarlette. You've earned the Dark Lord's trust and you will be protected for it. You will be safe."

Safe. That one word encompassed all that Scarlette had longed for all through this war. And yet, now that it was being offered to her on a plate, she could not help but shake her head.

"Aunt Narcissa, I can't stay here." She could see the sadness behind her aunt's eyes, but the woman's expression remained neutral. "My friends are inside that castle, and they're going to be attacked with all the strength of a dark army come morning. They need me, and I'm not going to let them down. Not this time."

"Very well." the woman sighed; her voice was cold and proper, the simplest way for her to disguise her true feelings. This was the Narcissa Malfoy the world saw, the façade that allowed her to cling to safety among the Death Eaters. It was a simple message, but her niece understood it well, standing taller and taking on an icy exterior of her own. However, as Scarlette made to turn away, the illusion was shattered, her aunt's grip insistent on her arm. "Lettie… if you see Draco, don't let him out of your sight. You are both safest when you are together, and I want you both returned to me when this night is done."

"I promise." Scarlette pledged. A moment later, she was gone.

A/N: Not the best ending to this chapter, I know, but it's difficult to know where to cut off in the Battle of Hogwarts, because it's such a huge event. Just a quick note: I do firmly believe Narcissa was an accomplished Occlumens and since seeing Fantastic Beasts, I've always wondered if people can be born like the ability, like Legilimency. So this is what might happen if they could! Anyway, hope you enjoyed and please review!