Author's Note: I'm leaving for holidays soon, so this is the last chapter I'll have up for a couple months. Please Review.
Disclaimer: JKR owns it, I don't.
Born Under A Bad Sun
Chapter 8: Two Feasts And A Plan
By Peeler
"All in all, you're just another brick in the wall."
-Pink Floyd
As always, we were forced to endure Dumbledore's rather tedious speech before the feast could begin. "I have a few announcements before we begin. I'm sure all of you know, but in case any of you don't, I'll say it anyway. Lord Voldemort has returned, and his followers have made a number of attacks already. Thus, we are taking the following safety measures. There have been powerful wards set up all around the school. Do not attempt to leave the grounds. Hogsmeade weekends have been shortened to Sundays only this year, and you will be under strict supervision while there. Due to the current crisis, you can expect discipline to be stricter this year. While I realize a few of you have relatives who may be fighting with Voldemort, rest assured that no practice of the Dark Arts whatsoever will be tolerated here. Anyone caught practicing anything illegal, or actively supporting Voldemort, will be immediately expelled and turned over to the Aurors for questioning.
I also have a few more mundane announcements. The forbidden forest, while it is contained within the wards, is still off limits. Also, I have the great pleasure to announce that an old friend of mine will be taking up the Defense Against the Dark Arts post. In these dark times, this is the most important class you will have. Therefore, I introduce to you Professor Silas Penner. Silas, stand up and tell us a little about yourself, won't you?"
Professor Penner was a tall middle-aged man with graying black hair and a weathered face. "Well, about me, let's see…I've been teaching in an American wizarding college for the last two years, before that I was a MLA, that's Magical Law Enforcement, officer in Amsterdam, that was quite a job, and before that I was at the All-England College for Defense of the Magical Community; that's sort of like an advanced police academy. Anyhow, when it comes to fighting the Dark Forces and magical crime, I've seen just about everything. I'll be here as long as Professor Dumbledore needs me, or as long as any of us can last with You-Know-Who on the loose."
"Thank-you, Silas. Now, everyone, why don't we sink our teeth into something a bit more tasty than air!"
Hogwarts' calamari was the only food I'd ever had that could rival the Manicotti at the Cotton Bludger Pub and Inn. It was an excellent evening, as I relaxed and made friends with older Slytherins in our common room. Jenna introduced me to everyone I had always known just as 'the seniors', and more importantly, I met all the girls in the sixth and seventh years. The two other ranking Death Eaters at Hogwarts were both Slytherin, Claire Dufferin, a seventh year, and Jonah Regland, a sixth year. They both outranked me, but at least I outranked Jenna. There were quite a few rank-and-file new Death Eaters in the older two years. "So Malfoy, have you got any plans for spreading havoc around here?" asked Claire. "no, I figure we should just keep it quiet and not risk being thrown out. We'll have enough trouble just getting out of here for meetings, we don't want to attract too much attention to ourselves. And does anyone know how we'll get out for meetings anyway?" "Well, sure!" said Jonah. "A few years ago I saw those Weasleys sneaking through a secret passage, so I checked it out. It leads straight to Hogsmeade! We just go through the passage, apparate out in Hogsmeade, come back after the meeting, and no-one will be the wiser."
All in all, life was good for the next few weeks. Though the atmosphere around the castle was rather worried and everyone seemed a little afraid all the time, most of the Slytherins only felt better with things as they were. Of course, I couldn't lord it over people like I would have in the days before I was a Death Eater, but I still had fun. Professor Silas Penner was right about one thing; he had seen it all. Each day he would begin with a story of some situation he had been in. He taught us magical law, and all of its strange obscurities. For example, who knows that it's illegal to drink a whole bottle of Captain Morgan before midnight on a full moon in August? We learned the history of the Dark Arts; how even back when muggles and wizards had lived together, the dark wizards had lived apart. There have been powerful dark wizards all through history, but the first to really gather an army of followers was Grindelwald. Most of the dark wizards before that had concentrated more on research and the development of new spells, potions and the like.
Of all dark wizards, the greatest was held to be Salazar Slytherin, but surprisingly, he had operated within the laws of the time. Slytherin himself never used an Unforgivable curse, but was a powerful politician at the time. He founded the township of Hogsmeade and was the mayor there for a number of years. However, when it was discovered that his grandmother was a Vampire, he was driven from the town. Embittered, he began to look into the research of Herpo the Foul, and discovered that he could control serpents. He also began to study potions with great enthusiasm, and invented many potions that today are considered dark and are illegal. However, he also created the polyjuice potion, and another intriguing concoction made from poppies, that Slytherin claimed gave the drinker visions. Following his dispute with Gryffindor over Hogwarts, Slytherin became a speechwriter for the wizard who was the Lord of Edinburgh County. After the Lord discovered Slytherin with his wife, however, he challenged Slytherin to a dual. Slytherin won, and killed the Lord with a boot to the head while he was unconscious. After that, Slytherin was banished from the country, and died in Scandinavia at the age of 107.
The rise of the dark arts this century began with Grindelwald, who began his rise to power while the wizarding world was watching the outcome of the muggle World War. After terrorizing France and Southern England for eight years, Grindelwald was challenged to a duel by Albus Dumbledore, following the death of Dumbledore's wife Helena in an attack by dark wizards. Grindelwald was killed, and Dumbledore, then a Professor at Hogwarts, became next in line to be Headmaster.
Well, the history lesson is over. Now back to my story. Two months after school began, I felt a distinct throbbing on my arm. I pulled up my sleeve, and sure enough, the Dark Mark was shining. I hurried downstairs as quietly as possible, and found Jenna and Claire waiting. "Jonah's already gone. Come on!" We found the statue and spoke the password, Dissendium. Sure enough, there was a tunnel. After a while, we felt we were leaving the grounds. "Okay, here we go." Claire vanished. So did Jenna. I felt the swirling void around me, and then I saw the Death Eater's conference hall again. It was much smaller this time. Only the human ranking officers were at this meeting. Voldemort seemed healthier, and stronger than he had the last time I had been here. "My friends" he called out after all the Death Eaters had taken their seats, "It is time we moved against the muggles. Until they are removed, our people cannot be free, you know that. Our special ops forces have successfully removed the link between the muggle government and our world, so they will expect nothing. This meeting is for the purpose of informing you all that this will be happening soon. There will be another meeting here in two week's time, to discuss strategy and organization, by then I expect all of you to have contacted your squads. On Halloween, we will attack. The muggles won't see anything coming. I expect ALL of you at each meeting. Failure to show up means death. I know you all understand. Thank you. There will be a feast in the great hall before you return to your homes."
During the feast I walked around with Jenna and Claire, and found as many members of my squad as possible. Anika and the Dark Elves were all staying here at the castle, but all of the humans except Jenna were at their houses. I would have to spend some time in the owlery.
When we were all back in our beds, we slept more soundly, with a feeling of duty and purpose. These days belonged to us; it was our time to shine.
Thank you for reading! Tell me what you thought! Next chapter will be a significant departure from my style of writing up to this point, so stay tuned!
Sing Hey for the bath at close of day
That washes the weary mud away