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All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. There are a few characters I made up, and Brianna is Ashley's character (ashley09)
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Giving Up the Fight.
The next morning Hope was awakened by a knock on her door, "Hope?" It was Brianna.
"Come in." She called, now sitting up.
Brianna came in, smiling as usual, "Surprised to see me?"
Hope shook her head, "No. Emmett told me you came."
She looked shocked, "Oh. So, you know Emmett?" Brianna regained her smile as she said Emmett's name.
Hope let out a small laugh, "Yes. Why?" But she thought she knew why Brianna was interested. Most girls did like him.
"Umm.. No real reason."
Hope rolled her eyes, "What do you want to know?"
"Well . . . " Brianna paused for a moment, thinking, "What can you tell me about him?"
Hope sighed before beginning, "Well, his name is Emmett Emerson . . ."
Brianna interrupted Hope's thought of where to begin, "I know that much. What school does he go to? How old is he?"
Again she rolled her eyes, "He goes to Durmstrang, and he is seventeen."
Brianna nodded, "A year older." Hope guess that by the soft voice she had used she wasn't speaking to her but to herself.
"Brianna, do you mind waiting in the hall while I get dressed?" She nodded, a stepped outside, closing the door.
Hope slipped out of her night clothes, and put on a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided to just leave her hair down.
She opened the door of her room and found Brianna still waiting, "So where are we going?" Hope asked, wondering if Brianna had any reason to come and find her besides to 'surprise' her.
"Well, I think everyone else is getting ready for tonight." The two of them were now walking down a long hall way, and voices could be heard at the end of it.
"Oh, are we supposed to be doing the same?" Hope had never attended a real Death Eater meeting, and was told she wouldn't have to for a long time, or at least not until she finished school.
Brianna nodded, "Yes, I was told to come and get you. We all need to be ready for tonight."
Suddenly Hope became wide-eyed with fear, "What do you mean? You don't mean that we are actually going to the meeting, do you?"
Brianna looked at Hope in an odd way, "Yes we are. No one told you?"
"But, we're only sixteen."
"Yes I know, but--" Hope shook her head and ran towards the room she had heard the voices coming from, assuming that her father was in there.
She pulled the doors open and realized that everyone was in there, including her father. She quickly walked up to him and he smiled, "Hope--"
She didn't even bother to keep calm, "You told me that I wouldn't have to go to the meetings until I was eighteen" Hope's tone was angry, and louder than she knew her father would have liked.
"Hope, what you have to understand is that--"
"Understand? What is there to 'understand'? You lied to me. I'm sick of it. I don't care what happens I'm not going." At this point everyone was watching her. Emmett walked up and placed his hand on Hope's shoulder,
"Let's go."
Hope looked back and glared at him, "No. I need my father to understand that I'm not going to be a Death Eater, and I'm not going to become a mindless follower of someone who will just kill me and the people I care about." After her last words she was getting looks from everyone and knew that if she was going to be killed it would be in this room, and not by Lord Voldemort.
She heard Lucius mutter, "Draco." Just before Draco, once again, fiercely grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room, followed by Emmett.
"Hope, how the hell could you have been so stupid?" Draco questioned, but she didn't know how to answer.
"Malfoy calm down. It doesn't matter what she did they are still going to need her. Her opinions, thoughts, and feelings mean nothing." Hope knew it was true, they did mean nothing. And now she hated Emmett for reminding her. They walked back to her room, than all three of them went in.
"Why did you do that?" Emmett looked upset in a way, "Everyone was there, and now you'll be lucky if you live."
Hope stared at the ground, "So then, someone is going to come and kill me?" Her tone was more hopeful then she had wanted it to sound.
Both Emmett and Draco, looked slightly worried after hearing those words come out of her mouth. "No ones going to kill you. I won't let them." As Emmett spoke he moved closer to Hope, but she stepped back.
"Why would you take that joy from me?"
"What are you talking about?"
"What if I want to die? It's perfect. Now they want me dead, and I won't have to be part of someone else's death. Just the cause of my own."
Emmett looked horrified, "Hope, they need you too much to kill you."
"Emerson is right you know." Draco had finally spoken up.
Hope sighed, "I know he is." She spoke while a few small tears were released from her eyes, "And I wish he wasn't" Her last comment was more of a whisper, but they still heard her.
"Why?" Draco's tone sounded like he did care.
"Because if that stupid prophecy is right then I have to--" Hope didn't have a chance to finish her sentence, her father and Lucius had just entered the room.
"How dare you insult our family in such a way?" Her father looked overcome with an uncontrollable rage, and Hope attempted to hold back more tears. Every time he was mad like this she got punished horribly.
"I-I didn't mean to... But--"
"You didn't mean to?" He was repeating her answers, just like her mother used to.
"Honestly child. First you insult not only your family, but mine as well, and then you lie to your father. How disgraceful." Hope glared at Lucius.
She wiped away a few tears and replaced them with the undying anger she kept locked inside her for so many years. "I insulted your family?"
"Yes, by association"
"I'm so sorry." Her apology was sarcastic, "I would gladly not like to know you. I would have gladly let end my life if it would stop you shame." Lucius raised his wand after her last comment, but didn't say anything. Brianna came in the doorway,
"Mr. Evans? Mr. Malfoy?" They both looked back at her, "I was told to come and find you so that the rest of us can continue preparing."
Both men looked at one another, as if trying to decide which one to stay, and which one to leave. Finally her father spoke, "Lucius I believe I should go back and explain what needs to be done."
"No." Hope muttered, tears now streaming down her face, "Please don't leave him to punish me. Please." Her tone was soft and pleading, but it didn't work, her father just walked out of the room. "No." She muttered one last time before Emmett walked over and shut the door behind Brianna.
Lucius smiled, "Oh calm down child. You know I can't kill you."
"That's why I'm afraid."
He laughed before yelling, "Crucio!" Hope screamed as she instantly fell to the ground as an intolerable pain came over her. Lucius had used this curse on her before, but never for long enough for her to go insane.
Hope didn't know how long it had been until Lucius made it stop, but she stayed lying on the ground, crying.
"You two stay; keep an eye on her." Both Draco and Emmett nodded, and then Lucius left. Then Emmett walked over and knelt down next to Hope, Draco just leaned against a wall staring down at the floor.
She slowly sat up, and as she did so his arms held her, "I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do; I--"
"Emmett. Please don't say anything." And he didn't, so she pulled away from him.
"Why does my father let this happen to me?" She wasn't really speaking to anyone but herself, "I'm his child. Not Lucius' "
"Aren't you the lucky one?" Draco questioned.
"No, I get the same punishments as you. Why do we let this happen?" She paused thinking, "Why did I do this to myself?"
"You didn't do this. You had no choice." Emmett's tone sounded so sure of himself, but he was wrong.
"No. I did. I let them take my mother. If I had been smart I could have saved her, and then I wouldn't be stuck in this mess. She would have taken me away, or at least helped my father."
"What happened to your mother isn't your fault." Hope looked up at Emmett, thinking about his words.
"Maybe not. But I didn't do anything then and the least I can do is show her respect by not becoming a Death Eater."
"But wouldn't she have wanted you to become one?" Draco was now speaking.
"What?"
"Well, you're not old enough to do much yet, so all you can do is follow. She would have wanted you to do what would keep you alive."
Hope sighed, "Maybe, but would she probably also would have wanted for me to be happy in life."
* * *
Hours went by as Emmett and Draco helped Hope understand how she would need to act tonight. They went over this hour after hour until the door of her room opened. It was her father.
"Everyone go change into your dress robes."
Draco and Emmett nodded, and Hope muttered, "Yes Mr. Evans." She wasn't going to call him father; she never would again, out loud anyway. He had disowned her long ago, so now it was her turn to give up on him.
When he left, she stared at her dress robes that her father had recently bought apparently for occasions like this.. Black dress robes. Hope sighed then put them on. Just before Hope walked out of her room she grabbed her thick black cloak and put it on.
"It's about time." Draco muttered as she opened the door.
"Why were you waiting for me?"
"I was told that I have to keep an eye on you."
"Oh."
"To make sure that you don't do 'anything too stupid'" He spoke in a mocking, but friendly, tone.
"Great. And this is coming from a guy who makes such wise choices." Her tone was sarcastic.
"Yes, yes I do, don't I?" Hope smiled; she knew that he was trying to make things easier for her.
Draco pulled his hood over his head, "You might want to do the same." So she did, and tried her best to pull all of her hair inside the hood.
Within just a few minutes the two of them were outside a door that let to a room that Hope always found much like a dungeon, "Stay close..."
"Why?" Hope didn't understand why Draco was supposed to stay with her.
"Just listen to me"
"Okay.." And then he opened the door, and she realized that everyone else were in dark black cloaks, so she lightly grabbed a hold of Draco's sleeve so as to stay close.
He led her to the back of the room; she noticed two more people come to the area they were standing. It was Brianna and Emmett, Hope could tell because she saw some of Brianna's strawberry blonde hair.
After a while a tall, skeletally thin, figure with extremely white skin and red eyes entered the room cloaked in black, just like everyone else. Hope's stomach twisted up in fear upon seeing him, she had never seen The Dark Lord before.
Lucius Malfoy stepped forward, "My Lord, we have so much news to be shared with you."
"It is good news. Am I correct?" Voldemort had a high and cold voice that made Hope decide that doing as everyone in this room wanted was a good idea. She had never realized how much fear would come with being in his presence.
"As always, my Lord." There was no reply so Lucius continued, "It is about Potter. We have my son, Draco, the Jones' daughter, Brianna, and John's daughter, Hope helping us."
"Help? From children?"
"Yes my Lord. They attend school with the boy."
"I see. Well what have they been doing?"
Lucius was silent, some how he had forgotten to ask exactly what was happening, so Hope stepped forward, "W-we... Well, actually I have been working on earning his trust and--"
Lucius whirled around. "Have I not already taught you to--"
"Stop Lucius." He then turned and looked in her direction, "Which of the girls are you?"
"Hope."
She could tell that Voldemort had a twisted smile on his face as he spoke, "Ahh. John's daughter." He paused for a moment, "Show me your face."
Hope nodded, and slowly pulled her hood back. He studied her and she wondered why he felt he needed to know what she looked like, but didn't dare question him.
"Tell me, have you heard your prophecy and what is to happen?"
"Yes. I have."
"And? Which side have you chosen?"
Hope took a deep breath, "Yours."
"A wise choice. Now tell me of this plan in which we are letting you children work."
"Well, I was told to gain Harry's trust--"
"And have you my child?"
"Yes"
"Good. Go on, continue."
"And....And that is all I was told to do. I was to come here, as I have, to find out what needs to be done next."
"I like you child. Very obedient, and clever. Also from what I hear you will one day help me rise to a greater, higher power. Will you do this?"
"I will do what I am meant to do, and if it includes what you say, I will happily help you." Hope listened to herself and wondered what happened; the words that came out her mouth weren't hers. She would never agree to any of this, and yet she had.
"Good, good...And will you be ready when the time comes for you to do what must be done next?"
Hope nodded, "Yes."
"I look forward to your becoming a Death Eater."
"Thank-you, I look forward to serving you." She smiled, and then pulled her hood back over her head.
He didn't speak directly to her again. Hope couldn't understand what made her say things like, 'I will happily help you' and 'I look forward to serving you.' While she thought about this Voldemort was explaining something and everyone looked interested, but she barely noticed.
Finally they were told to leave and Draco took her back to her room, "Honestly why did you have to walk me there and back?"
He sighed, "So that you don't try to runaway, or anything stupid like that."
"And who told you to do this?"
"Your father"
"Oh, well... Look I'm tired. I'll see you later." Her tone was hurried and without even letting him say another word, she walked in her room, closing the door behind her.
Hope couldn't understand what had happened during the meeting, and then she softly said to herself, "I've lost my mind..." It was the only reason she could think of, "I've lost my mind and finally given in."
Her struggle was finally over; she wasn't going to fight it anymore. Now all that could be done was for her to wait and do exactly what Voldemort wanted.
All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. There are a few characters I made up, and Brianna is Ashley's character (ashley09)
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Giving Up the Fight.
The next morning Hope was awakened by a knock on her door, "Hope?" It was Brianna.
"Come in." She called, now sitting up.
Brianna came in, smiling as usual, "Surprised to see me?"
Hope shook her head, "No. Emmett told me you came."
She looked shocked, "Oh. So, you know Emmett?" Brianna regained her smile as she said Emmett's name.
Hope let out a small laugh, "Yes. Why?" But she thought she knew why Brianna was interested. Most girls did like him.
"Umm.. No real reason."
Hope rolled her eyes, "What do you want to know?"
"Well . . . " Brianna paused for a moment, thinking, "What can you tell me about him?"
Hope sighed before beginning, "Well, his name is Emmett Emerson . . ."
Brianna interrupted Hope's thought of where to begin, "I know that much. What school does he go to? How old is he?"
Again she rolled her eyes, "He goes to Durmstrang, and he is seventeen."
Brianna nodded, "A year older." Hope guess that by the soft voice she had used she wasn't speaking to her but to herself.
"Brianna, do you mind waiting in the hall while I get dressed?" She nodded, a stepped outside, closing the door.
Hope slipped out of her night clothes, and put on a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided to just leave her hair down.
She opened the door of her room and found Brianna still waiting, "So where are we going?" Hope asked, wondering if Brianna had any reason to come and find her besides to 'surprise' her.
"Well, I think everyone else is getting ready for tonight." The two of them were now walking down a long hall way, and voices could be heard at the end of it.
"Oh, are we supposed to be doing the same?" Hope had never attended a real Death Eater meeting, and was told she wouldn't have to for a long time, or at least not until she finished school.
Brianna nodded, "Yes, I was told to come and get you. We all need to be ready for tonight."
Suddenly Hope became wide-eyed with fear, "What do you mean? You don't mean that we are actually going to the meeting, do you?"
Brianna looked at Hope in an odd way, "Yes we are. No one told you?"
"But, we're only sixteen."
"Yes I know, but--" Hope shook her head and ran towards the room she had heard the voices coming from, assuming that her father was in there.
She pulled the doors open and realized that everyone was in there, including her father. She quickly walked up to him and he smiled, "Hope--"
She didn't even bother to keep calm, "You told me that I wouldn't have to go to the meetings until I was eighteen" Hope's tone was angry, and louder than she knew her father would have liked.
"Hope, what you have to understand is that--"
"Understand? What is there to 'understand'? You lied to me. I'm sick of it. I don't care what happens I'm not going." At this point everyone was watching her. Emmett walked up and placed his hand on Hope's shoulder,
"Let's go."
Hope looked back and glared at him, "No. I need my father to understand that I'm not going to be a Death Eater, and I'm not going to become a mindless follower of someone who will just kill me and the people I care about." After her last words she was getting looks from everyone and knew that if she was going to be killed it would be in this room, and not by Lord Voldemort.
She heard Lucius mutter, "Draco." Just before Draco, once again, fiercely grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room, followed by Emmett.
"Hope, how the hell could you have been so stupid?" Draco questioned, but she didn't know how to answer.
"Malfoy calm down. It doesn't matter what she did they are still going to need her. Her opinions, thoughts, and feelings mean nothing." Hope knew it was true, they did mean nothing. And now she hated Emmett for reminding her. They walked back to her room, than all three of them went in.
"Why did you do that?" Emmett looked upset in a way, "Everyone was there, and now you'll be lucky if you live."
Hope stared at the ground, "So then, someone is going to come and kill me?" Her tone was more hopeful then she had wanted it to sound.
Both Emmett and Draco, looked slightly worried after hearing those words come out of her mouth. "No ones going to kill you. I won't let them." As Emmett spoke he moved closer to Hope, but she stepped back.
"Why would you take that joy from me?"
"What are you talking about?"
"What if I want to die? It's perfect. Now they want me dead, and I won't have to be part of someone else's death. Just the cause of my own."
Emmett looked horrified, "Hope, they need you too much to kill you."
"Emerson is right you know." Draco had finally spoken up.
Hope sighed, "I know he is." She spoke while a few small tears were released from her eyes, "And I wish he wasn't" Her last comment was more of a whisper, but they still heard her.
"Why?" Draco's tone sounded like he did care.
"Because if that stupid prophecy is right then I have to--" Hope didn't have a chance to finish her sentence, her father and Lucius had just entered the room.
"How dare you insult our family in such a way?" Her father looked overcome with an uncontrollable rage, and Hope attempted to hold back more tears. Every time he was mad like this she got punished horribly.
"I-I didn't mean to... But--"
"You didn't mean to?" He was repeating her answers, just like her mother used to.
"Honestly child. First you insult not only your family, but mine as well, and then you lie to your father. How disgraceful." Hope glared at Lucius.
She wiped away a few tears and replaced them with the undying anger she kept locked inside her for so many years. "I insulted your family?"
"Yes, by association"
"I'm so sorry." Her apology was sarcastic, "I would gladly not like to know you. I would have gladly let end my life if it would stop you shame." Lucius raised his wand after her last comment, but didn't say anything. Brianna came in the doorway,
"Mr. Evans? Mr. Malfoy?" They both looked back at her, "I was told to come and find you so that the rest of us can continue preparing."
Both men looked at one another, as if trying to decide which one to stay, and which one to leave. Finally her father spoke, "Lucius I believe I should go back and explain what needs to be done."
"No." Hope muttered, tears now streaming down her face, "Please don't leave him to punish me. Please." Her tone was soft and pleading, but it didn't work, her father just walked out of the room. "No." She muttered one last time before Emmett walked over and shut the door behind Brianna.
Lucius smiled, "Oh calm down child. You know I can't kill you."
"That's why I'm afraid."
He laughed before yelling, "Crucio!" Hope screamed as she instantly fell to the ground as an intolerable pain came over her. Lucius had used this curse on her before, but never for long enough for her to go insane.
Hope didn't know how long it had been until Lucius made it stop, but she stayed lying on the ground, crying.
"You two stay; keep an eye on her." Both Draco and Emmett nodded, and then Lucius left. Then Emmett walked over and knelt down next to Hope, Draco just leaned against a wall staring down at the floor.
She slowly sat up, and as she did so his arms held her, "I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do; I--"
"Emmett. Please don't say anything." And he didn't, so she pulled away from him.
"Why does my father let this happen to me?" She wasn't really speaking to anyone but herself, "I'm his child. Not Lucius' "
"Aren't you the lucky one?" Draco questioned.
"No, I get the same punishments as you. Why do we let this happen?" She paused thinking, "Why did I do this to myself?"
"You didn't do this. You had no choice." Emmett's tone sounded so sure of himself, but he was wrong.
"No. I did. I let them take my mother. If I had been smart I could have saved her, and then I wouldn't be stuck in this mess. She would have taken me away, or at least helped my father."
"What happened to your mother isn't your fault." Hope looked up at Emmett, thinking about his words.
"Maybe not. But I didn't do anything then and the least I can do is show her respect by not becoming a Death Eater."
"But wouldn't she have wanted you to become one?" Draco was now speaking.
"What?"
"Well, you're not old enough to do much yet, so all you can do is follow. She would have wanted you to do what would keep you alive."
Hope sighed, "Maybe, but would she probably also would have wanted for me to be happy in life."
* * *
Hours went by as Emmett and Draco helped Hope understand how she would need to act tonight. They went over this hour after hour until the door of her room opened. It was her father.
"Everyone go change into your dress robes."
Draco and Emmett nodded, and Hope muttered, "Yes Mr. Evans." She wasn't going to call him father; she never would again, out loud anyway. He had disowned her long ago, so now it was her turn to give up on him.
When he left, she stared at her dress robes that her father had recently bought apparently for occasions like this.. Black dress robes. Hope sighed then put them on. Just before Hope walked out of her room she grabbed her thick black cloak and put it on.
"It's about time." Draco muttered as she opened the door.
"Why were you waiting for me?"
"I was told that I have to keep an eye on you."
"Oh."
"To make sure that you don't do 'anything too stupid'" He spoke in a mocking, but friendly, tone.
"Great. And this is coming from a guy who makes such wise choices." Her tone was sarcastic.
"Yes, yes I do, don't I?" Hope smiled; she knew that he was trying to make things easier for her.
Draco pulled his hood over his head, "You might want to do the same." So she did, and tried her best to pull all of her hair inside the hood.
Within just a few minutes the two of them were outside a door that let to a room that Hope always found much like a dungeon, "Stay close..."
"Why?" Hope didn't understand why Draco was supposed to stay with her.
"Just listen to me"
"Okay.." And then he opened the door, and she realized that everyone else were in dark black cloaks, so she lightly grabbed a hold of Draco's sleeve so as to stay close.
He led her to the back of the room; she noticed two more people come to the area they were standing. It was Brianna and Emmett, Hope could tell because she saw some of Brianna's strawberry blonde hair.
After a while a tall, skeletally thin, figure with extremely white skin and red eyes entered the room cloaked in black, just like everyone else. Hope's stomach twisted up in fear upon seeing him, she had never seen The Dark Lord before.
Lucius Malfoy stepped forward, "My Lord, we have so much news to be shared with you."
"It is good news. Am I correct?" Voldemort had a high and cold voice that made Hope decide that doing as everyone in this room wanted was a good idea. She had never realized how much fear would come with being in his presence.
"As always, my Lord." There was no reply so Lucius continued, "It is about Potter. We have my son, Draco, the Jones' daughter, Brianna, and John's daughter, Hope helping us."
"Help? From children?"
"Yes my Lord. They attend school with the boy."
"I see. Well what have they been doing?"
Lucius was silent, some how he had forgotten to ask exactly what was happening, so Hope stepped forward, "W-we... Well, actually I have been working on earning his trust and--"
Lucius whirled around. "Have I not already taught you to--"
"Stop Lucius." He then turned and looked in her direction, "Which of the girls are you?"
"Hope."
She could tell that Voldemort had a twisted smile on his face as he spoke, "Ahh. John's daughter." He paused for a moment, "Show me your face."
Hope nodded, and slowly pulled her hood back. He studied her and she wondered why he felt he needed to know what she looked like, but didn't dare question him.
"Tell me, have you heard your prophecy and what is to happen?"
"Yes. I have."
"And? Which side have you chosen?"
Hope took a deep breath, "Yours."
"A wise choice. Now tell me of this plan in which we are letting you children work."
"Well, I was told to gain Harry's trust--"
"And have you my child?"
"Yes"
"Good. Go on, continue."
"And....And that is all I was told to do. I was to come here, as I have, to find out what needs to be done next."
"I like you child. Very obedient, and clever. Also from what I hear you will one day help me rise to a greater, higher power. Will you do this?"
"I will do what I am meant to do, and if it includes what you say, I will happily help you." Hope listened to herself and wondered what happened; the words that came out her mouth weren't hers. She would never agree to any of this, and yet she had.
"Good, good...And will you be ready when the time comes for you to do what must be done next?"
Hope nodded, "Yes."
"I look forward to your becoming a Death Eater."
"Thank-you, I look forward to serving you." She smiled, and then pulled her hood back over her head.
He didn't speak directly to her again. Hope couldn't understand what made her say things like, 'I will happily help you' and 'I look forward to serving you.' While she thought about this Voldemort was explaining something and everyone looked interested, but she barely noticed.
Finally they were told to leave and Draco took her back to her room, "Honestly why did you have to walk me there and back?"
He sighed, "So that you don't try to runaway, or anything stupid like that."
"And who told you to do this?"
"Your father"
"Oh, well... Look I'm tired. I'll see you later." Her tone was hurried and without even letting him say another word, she walked in her room, closing the door behind her.
Hope couldn't understand what had happened during the meeting, and then she softly said to herself, "I've lost my mind..." It was the only reason she could think of, "I've lost my mind and finally given in."
Her struggle was finally over; she wasn't going to fight it anymore. Now all that could be done was for her to wait and do exactly what Voldemort wanted.
