Main Prompt: Cult
Secondary Prompt: 2.[word] collateral, 5.[setting] Forbidden Forest, 7.[dialogue] "We're disorganized mourners."
Word Count: 1324
A/N This is based on characters from Hogwarts: Mystery
The basic information if you have never played the game is
Barnaby Lee, both his parents are Death Eaters and he tends to be more sensitive, although his father has instilled strength in him, likely through abuse of some sort, he is a member of the Slytherin house
Ismelda Murk, her parents are unknown but for the purpose of this story they are Death Eaters, she has dark tendencies and supports the Dark Lord, she is a member of the Slytherin house
Erika Rath, her parents are unknown but for the purpose of this story they are Death Eaters, she has a reputation for eliminating her Quidditch competition and she is a member of the Slytherin house
Merula Snyde, both of her parents are Death Eaters and she is a strong supporter of the Dark Lord, she tends to be antagonistic, she is a member of the Slytherin house
~wWw~
Merula Snyde hated the world. Her parents were both in Azkaban all because they wanted to help someone whom they believed in to achieve his goals, someone who only wanted to keep them safe. She wasn't the only one who had lost her parents, many of her friends were in the same situation as she was. Erika Rath, Ismelda Murk, and even the soft Barnaby Lee had lost their parents and friends, specifically their seventh-year friends who had been of age while the arrests were being made. They were all upset about it, Barnaby less than the others but she supposed that was to be expected with how little he aligned with his family's ideals.
Merula stood by the door, waiting for the others to join her. She watched as some of the older students who were studying drifted off to bed. It was only as the last one stumbled out of the common room that Ismelda joined her. Merula's foot slowly tapped against the floor as she waited, inconsistent with its rhythm. After a couple more excruciatingly long minutes Erika finally joined the pair and about thirty seconds after that Barnaby joined the trio of girls.
~wWw~
"Finally, took you long enough, Lee," Merula sniped before turning towards the door. Barnaby didn't say anything, still lost in his thoughts like he had since he heard about his parents a couple of weeks before. It had been almost a month since the Dark Lord had been destroyed, but it had taken them a while to round up the Death Eaters.
"Whatever," he mumbled, following the trio of girls out of the cold dungeon he hated living in. He was only in Slytherin because his parents wanted him to be and he knew the consequences that he would face if he wasn't sorted into his family's house. He twisted his hands together, not really wanting to be with the trio of girls but unable to say no.
He silently walked behind the three girls with Merula taking the lead. Erika glanced back at him quietly asking if he was okay. He sharply nodded, not knowing what else to do. It was too late to turn back now. The quartet of Slytherins snuck through the castle. It was silent except for the crackling of the torches still lit on the walls and the soft echoes of their footsteps. They slipped out into the Forbidden Forest, the one place on the castle grounds Barnaby had never been, he didn't follow every rule, but the one about not entering the Forbidden Forest he did.
"I don't like this," he said finally speaking up, his voice breaking the tension that was beginning to emerge within the group.
"Then don't come with us, disappoint your parents even more," Merula snapped, effectively calling his bluff. He had told her before about what happened to him at home, but she didn't appear to particularly care. Barnaby fell silent, not wanting to be there, but feeling like he had little choice.
Merula led the group through the Forbidden Forest, stepping over sticks and roots. Ismelda stumbled over a rather large root into Erika. Erika grabbed her, stopping her from falling completely. Ismelda nodded her thanks and continued following behind Merula. Erika rolled her eyes at Ismelda's lack of pureblood manners, considering how she was raised.
"Snyde, how much longer? I've got Quidditch practice tomorrow and need to sleep at some point," Erika said ducking beneath a tree branch before it clotheslined her.
"It's not that much further, but besides that point, you should be proud to have the opportunity to serve the Dark Lord," Merula said with a slight grin.
"Sounds like a cult," Barnaby muttered under his breath, causing the other three to look back at him.
"Do you want to repeat that?" Ismelda asked with a frown.
"Sure why not, this entire thing sounds like a cult," Barnaby said, tired of being in the Forbidden Forest and being with Merula.
~wWw~
Erika let out a bark of laughter.
"He's not wrong," Erika said around her chuckling.
"This isn't a cult," Merula spoke, her voice dark. She paused for a moment before continuing, "we're disorganized mourners." Erika looked at Ismelda hoping she would see how crazy this was. She didn't look concerned or anything, she looked like this was something perfectly normal to be happening.
"You're kidding, right?" Erika asked, looking between the two girls. "You do know that to your Dark Lord we are merely collateral, or is that what you were hoping for?" She was alarmed by the idea. She knew Merula didn't like Barnaby or even her most of the time, but this was surely too far, wasn't it?
Merula didn't say anything and that was when Erika realized she was right, she and Barnaby were merely collateral for Merula. Something creaked in the distance, but no one paid attention to it, too engrossed in their conversation.
"I guess Lee was right, this is a cult, and you are so deep that you can't even realize it. I get you are upset about your parents, but this is your life, not theirs. Decide for yourself, not for them."
"Whatever, you guys can come with us or go back, see if I care," Merula snapped. She knelt on the ground and began to set out candles in a circle while everyone else watched. She carefully placed some wood in the center before using her want to light both the wood and the candles. Something snapped ahead of them causing all four of them to turn towards the source of the sound.
"Well, errr, actually all of you will be coming back with me," Hagrid said appearing from in front of the group, having caught the few words Merula had said a few minutes prior.
"You can't force me to do anything!" Merula said, stomping her foot on the ground. Hagrid looked at her before speaking.
"I guess I can't but the headmaster can and the Forbidden Forest isn't very safe for a youngin like you." Ismelda didn't say anything rather walked in front of Hagrid along with Erika and Barnaby. He carefully blew out the candles and stomped out the fire in the middle, ensuring that nothing else was burning.
"So what are you all doing out here anyway?" Hagrid asked. When no one answered he tried again. "You're going to get in more trouble if you don't tell me and whoever fesses up first is probably going to get in less trouble for being honest."
"It's a cult," Barnaby and Erika simultaneously said while Merula and Ismelda said, "We're disorganized mourners."
"Well I suppose it doesn't really matter, you ain't supposed to be out after curfew or in the Forbidden Forest," Hagrid said after a moment. The now group of five slowly made their way back to the castle, watching as its lights grew brighter the closer they got.
"Well well, lookie here," Flich said gleefully, as they reached the doors. "Students out of bed, students in the forest, someone's in trouble."
"Yeah, I've told them this. Don't worry I'll bring them to Professor Snape, I'm sure you have plenty of more important things to do," Hagrid said, shooing away the older man.
Hagrid led the four Slytherin students down to Professor Snape's chambers. He rapped his knuckles on the door and waited for it to open.
"Enter," Professor Snape drawled out. Hagrid led the four students into the room.
"I found four of your students in the Forbidden Forest, doing some cult-like activities, to be honest, I'm not completely sure, but that's beside the point," Hagrid said.
"For the last time it's not a cult, we're disorganized mourners," Merula said.
"I will take it from here, thank you Hagrid," Professor Snape said, curling his lip. Hagrid nodded and left the four students with their Head of House. Ismelda stood completely silent, terrified of what Professor Snape was going to say.