Chapter 9
They walked quickly up to Gryffindor tower.
"Follow me." Lucian led them through a secret tunnel that emptied into a larger common room.
"Wow! I never knew this existed!" Ron said, looking around. "Where are we?" Lucian plopped onto the couch by the fireplace, and with a wave of his hand it was lit. "Whoa."
"Have a seat! We are currently in the Red Room, a secret meeting spot under the school." As was custom for Hogwarts rooms, the red room was not red. It was blue and silver.
"Under the school? We didn't walk that far!" Lucian smirked.
"We didn't have to. We were propelled by some magic force so it took us less time." Hermione blinked.
"What was Malfoy talking about before?" Ron sat across from Lucian and Hermione sat next to him. Lucian shrugged and peeled off his glove, exposing the mark. "WHAT?!" Ron jumped up. "What the hell is that?!"
"It's my mark. I made it over summer break. I've initiated only one person as of yet." Lucian replied. Ron grabbed his hand and peered at the wolf.
"It does look cool!"
"Lucian, you use dark spells for that! Don't tell me."
"I've been studying the Dark Arts even before I found out who my real parents were. And it isn't dark unless you use it for darkness. You wouldn't call someone a dark wizard if they used a dark curse to protect themselves would you?"
"I..no. I guess you're right." Hermione agreed. Lucian smiled.
"Good. I was hoping that you guys would join us." Ron blinked and sat back. "Me and Draco, I mean. I've already marked him."
"Lucian, I'm not so sure about that! Draco's a Malfoy for Merlin's sake!" Lucian glared at Ron. "Malfoy's can't be trusted."
"I suppose we can't be. I'll leave you to it then." Lucian stood and stalked out of the room, eyes flashing dangerously. Ron gulped and jumped up to go after him. He caught up to him in the hall.
"Lucian, wait! I didn't mean it like that." Ron grabbed Lucian's arm and Lucian whirled around to glare at him. "Lucian, I'm sorry. I forgot that you're.you know. I just don't trust Draco is all."
"He was going to join Tom if he didn't join me. And while Tom is a lot more lenient and what not because I talked sense into him, he wont NOT torture rude Deatheaters. He believes that obedience is the key." Ron hung his head.
"I'd like to hear more about your group.thing." Lucian smiled and followed Ron back into the secret room. Hermione smiled from the couch. "Tell us more."
"All right." Lucian settled down on the couch across from the pair. "I didn't want to take the Dark Mark so I created my own. I managed to talk father into ceasing the useless killings by telling him the consequences of wiping out the Muggles. He seemed to accept it and backed down. Hogwarts is in no danger, nor are the muggles although he won't stop some of the Deatheater raids."
"Why not?"
"Like he could? He'd be seen as weak and would be overthrown. That would be bad." Ron blinked. "The over thrower would probably gain some of his powers and then we'd be screwed." "Oh. I guess I understand that. What if he stepped down?"
"He would have to go into hiding. The other deatheaters would find someone to replace him and they would be after him. The Ministry already is."
"Oh. Wouldn't Dumbledore help him? Or Professor Snape or Malfoy?"
"Dumbledore wouldn't. And the others wouldn't be able to hide him for long. Him stepping down is out of the question. End of discussion. Are you two willing to join me or not?" Lucian leaned back and watched the two. Ron and Hermione looked at each other.
"I will. I'm your friend and I won't desert you." Ron said. "Where will the mark be?"
"One of your hands, on the back. Either side is fine." Lucian said, delighted. Ron held out his right hand. "Now, close your eyes if you want. It will be painful." Lucian waved his wand, said a spell, and the Mark burned itself on Ron's hand, making the red haired boy cry out in pain. Soon it was done and Ron stared in awe at the wolf.
"Wicked!" Lucian smiled and turned to Hermione. He raised an eyebrow. "Mione, you should join. It only hurts for a minute."
"Do you feel any different?" She asked suspiciously.
"Mione! I wouldn't put a curse on my followers! What do you take me for, an evil person?" She bit her lip. "Thanks for your vote in confidence."
"I'm sorry, I just." Lucian waved his hand and stood.
"I'm going now." Hermione stood and placed a hand on his arm. "What? " "I'm sorry, you've just changed a bit since last year. I didn't know if I could trust you. Here." She held out her hand, face down. Lucian smiled.
"It's okay." He waved his wand and minutes later the wolf was imprinted on Hermione's hand as well. "Thank you. If you two know of any others that might want to join."
"We'll tell you. Won't we Hermione?" Hermione nodded, staring at the wolf.
"If someone comments on those, just tell them its part of a new group. Direct them to me if they have any interest in joining. If they don't like what they hear when they find me, I'll just have to erase their memories of out conversation."
"Okay. We better get going to dinner." Ron said. "You coming with us?" Lucian shook his head and stretched out on the couch.
"I need to make a small adjustment to my mark, so that people can tell who the leader is. Otherwise." Hermione smiled.
"We understand, just don't make the changes too obvious. If they don't think it's you, you'd be safer." She said, pondering on who 'they' were. Lucian nodded and the two left the room.
"So, did you initiate them?" Lucian looked up at Draco as he walked into the Potions classroom the next day. "I didn't get a chance to look."
"Yes. You don't have to wear that you know." Lucian motioned to Draco's glove. "Hermione and Ron are looking around for others to join, minus glove, so you might as well show yours as well." Draco peeled off the glove with a grin and shoved it into his pocket.
"Good, although I can't see why you would want Gryffindorks on your side."
"Because I'm one, perhaps? And because they are loyal." Draco shrugged. "Oh, I changed my Mark as well so if people look hard enough they'll be able to tell that I'm the leader and not a follower."
"Good thinking." Draco and Lucian looked up as Severus stalked into the room. "Don't want t be able to be singled out. If they saw a totally different version on you they'd be able to tell you were the leader." Draco sat in his seat as the rest of the class filtered in.
"Hey." Ron plopped next to Lucian. "The twins want to talk to you. I think they're interested in joining."
"Good, thank you."
"Quiet! In your seats!" Severus barked. "The Potion we'll be making is a copying potion. Anyone know what that is?" Lucian smirked and raised his hand; this was the potion he'd used to be able to copy his Mark. "Lucian?"
"The copying Potion allows the user to duplicate things. Like if you wanted to create a tattoo and your friends wanted one, all you had to do is rub the potion on yours and say a few choice words. The tattoo would copy onto that person, and any other person that wanted the tattoo."
"Very good. Ten points to Gryffindor." The rest of the class gasped in astonishment as Draco and Lucian smirked. "Now, we will be brewing this potion today, so get out your cauldrons and open your books to page."
"Don't bother with your book, Ron. I memorized this potion over summer." Ron nodded. "You used it for this, didn't you?" He pulled back his sleeve a bit to reveal the Mark. Lucian nodded. "Cool."
"It was the only non dark spell I used." Ron snorted as he prepared the ingredients for the potion. Draco smirked at them from across the room. "All right, as the chopped leaves.slowly." Lucian instructed Ron throughout the entire class and their potion came out the best, next to Draco's whose potion was slightly off color.
"Perfect, Lucian. Ten points. Same to you Draco. Clean up your areas and you may leave." Lucian waved his hand and the potion was bottled up. He shoved it into his pocket and followed Ron out of the classroom with a wave to his dad.
"Come on, let's see if we can find the twins."
They walked quickly up to Gryffindor tower.
"Follow me." Lucian led them through a secret tunnel that emptied into a larger common room.
"Wow! I never knew this existed!" Ron said, looking around. "Where are we?" Lucian plopped onto the couch by the fireplace, and with a wave of his hand it was lit. "Whoa."
"Have a seat! We are currently in the Red Room, a secret meeting spot under the school." As was custom for Hogwarts rooms, the red room was not red. It was blue and silver.
"Under the school? We didn't walk that far!" Lucian smirked.
"We didn't have to. We were propelled by some magic force so it took us less time." Hermione blinked.
"What was Malfoy talking about before?" Ron sat across from Lucian and Hermione sat next to him. Lucian shrugged and peeled off his glove, exposing the mark. "WHAT?!" Ron jumped up. "What the hell is that?!"
"It's my mark. I made it over summer break. I've initiated only one person as of yet." Lucian replied. Ron grabbed his hand and peered at the wolf.
"It does look cool!"
"Lucian, you use dark spells for that! Don't tell me."
"I've been studying the Dark Arts even before I found out who my real parents were. And it isn't dark unless you use it for darkness. You wouldn't call someone a dark wizard if they used a dark curse to protect themselves would you?"
"I..no. I guess you're right." Hermione agreed. Lucian smiled.
"Good. I was hoping that you guys would join us." Ron blinked and sat back. "Me and Draco, I mean. I've already marked him."
"Lucian, I'm not so sure about that! Draco's a Malfoy for Merlin's sake!" Lucian glared at Ron. "Malfoy's can't be trusted."
"I suppose we can't be. I'll leave you to it then." Lucian stood and stalked out of the room, eyes flashing dangerously. Ron gulped and jumped up to go after him. He caught up to him in the hall.
"Lucian, wait! I didn't mean it like that." Ron grabbed Lucian's arm and Lucian whirled around to glare at him. "Lucian, I'm sorry. I forgot that you're.you know. I just don't trust Draco is all."
"He was going to join Tom if he didn't join me. And while Tom is a lot more lenient and what not because I talked sense into him, he wont NOT torture rude Deatheaters. He believes that obedience is the key." Ron hung his head.
"I'd like to hear more about your group.thing." Lucian smiled and followed Ron back into the secret room. Hermione smiled from the couch. "Tell us more."
"All right." Lucian settled down on the couch across from the pair. "I didn't want to take the Dark Mark so I created my own. I managed to talk father into ceasing the useless killings by telling him the consequences of wiping out the Muggles. He seemed to accept it and backed down. Hogwarts is in no danger, nor are the muggles although he won't stop some of the Deatheater raids."
"Why not?"
"Like he could? He'd be seen as weak and would be overthrown. That would be bad." Ron blinked. "The over thrower would probably gain some of his powers and then we'd be screwed." "Oh. I guess I understand that. What if he stepped down?"
"He would have to go into hiding. The other deatheaters would find someone to replace him and they would be after him. The Ministry already is."
"Oh. Wouldn't Dumbledore help him? Or Professor Snape or Malfoy?"
"Dumbledore wouldn't. And the others wouldn't be able to hide him for long. Him stepping down is out of the question. End of discussion. Are you two willing to join me or not?" Lucian leaned back and watched the two. Ron and Hermione looked at each other.
"I will. I'm your friend and I won't desert you." Ron said. "Where will the mark be?"
"One of your hands, on the back. Either side is fine." Lucian said, delighted. Ron held out his right hand. "Now, close your eyes if you want. It will be painful." Lucian waved his wand, said a spell, and the Mark burned itself on Ron's hand, making the red haired boy cry out in pain. Soon it was done and Ron stared in awe at the wolf.
"Wicked!" Lucian smiled and turned to Hermione. He raised an eyebrow. "Mione, you should join. It only hurts for a minute."
"Do you feel any different?" She asked suspiciously.
"Mione! I wouldn't put a curse on my followers! What do you take me for, an evil person?" She bit her lip. "Thanks for your vote in confidence."
"I'm sorry, I just." Lucian waved his hand and stood.
"I'm going now." Hermione stood and placed a hand on his arm. "What? " "I'm sorry, you've just changed a bit since last year. I didn't know if I could trust you. Here." She held out her hand, face down. Lucian smiled.
"It's okay." He waved his wand and minutes later the wolf was imprinted on Hermione's hand as well. "Thank you. If you two know of any others that might want to join."
"We'll tell you. Won't we Hermione?" Hermione nodded, staring at the wolf.
"If someone comments on those, just tell them its part of a new group. Direct them to me if they have any interest in joining. If they don't like what they hear when they find me, I'll just have to erase their memories of out conversation."
"Okay. We better get going to dinner." Ron said. "You coming with us?" Lucian shook his head and stretched out on the couch.
"I need to make a small adjustment to my mark, so that people can tell who the leader is. Otherwise." Hermione smiled.
"We understand, just don't make the changes too obvious. If they don't think it's you, you'd be safer." She said, pondering on who 'they' were. Lucian nodded and the two left the room.
"So, did you initiate them?" Lucian looked up at Draco as he walked into the Potions classroom the next day. "I didn't get a chance to look."
"Yes. You don't have to wear that you know." Lucian motioned to Draco's glove. "Hermione and Ron are looking around for others to join, minus glove, so you might as well show yours as well." Draco peeled off the glove with a grin and shoved it into his pocket.
"Good, although I can't see why you would want Gryffindorks on your side."
"Because I'm one, perhaps? And because they are loyal." Draco shrugged. "Oh, I changed my Mark as well so if people look hard enough they'll be able to tell that I'm the leader and not a follower."
"Good thinking." Draco and Lucian looked up as Severus stalked into the room. "Don't want t be able to be singled out. If they saw a totally different version on you they'd be able to tell you were the leader." Draco sat in his seat as the rest of the class filtered in.
"Hey." Ron plopped next to Lucian. "The twins want to talk to you. I think they're interested in joining."
"Good, thank you."
"Quiet! In your seats!" Severus barked. "The Potion we'll be making is a copying potion. Anyone know what that is?" Lucian smirked and raised his hand; this was the potion he'd used to be able to copy his Mark. "Lucian?"
"The copying Potion allows the user to duplicate things. Like if you wanted to create a tattoo and your friends wanted one, all you had to do is rub the potion on yours and say a few choice words. The tattoo would copy onto that person, and any other person that wanted the tattoo."
"Very good. Ten points to Gryffindor." The rest of the class gasped in astonishment as Draco and Lucian smirked. "Now, we will be brewing this potion today, so get out your cauldrons and open your books to page."
"Don't bother with your book, Ron. I memorized this potion over summer." Ron nodded. "You used it for this, didn't you?" He pulled back his sleeve a bit to reveal the Mark. Lucian nodded. "Cool."
"It was the only non dark spell I used." Ron snorted as he prepared the ingredients for the potion. Draco smirked at them from across the room. "All right, as the chopped leaves.slowly." Lucian instructed Ron throughout the entire class and their potion came out the best, next to Draco's whose potion was slightly off color.
"Perfect, Lucian. Ten points. Same to you Draco. Clean up your areas and you may leave." Lucian waved his hand and the potion was bottled up. He shoved it into his pocket and followed Ron out of the classroom with a wave to his dad.
"Come on, let's see if we can find the twins."