Chapter3: Christmas and Lies

Christmas break came to fast. Since Halloween the days seemed to fly with schoolwork and stolen kisses. We didn't seem any closer to finding the counter curse and my parents insisted I come home for break.  Harry and Chandra waved us good bye from the station. Chandra had finally warmed up to Harry and didn't seem quite so edgy around him. They had even agreed to spend Christmas with each other as a way to keep it from getting lonely.

 ~Harry's (P.O.V)~

       Chandra and I opened gifts in the Gryffindor common rooms. Her face seemed like an open book she showed the just amount of surprise and elation at the gifts. Hermione had given me another book on Quidditch, Ginny a comb that would straiten any hair, Ron a boom kite, and Chandra had given me a book, one in which she had put all the memories she had of my parents.

            Chandra had gotten a gold ring with an inscription from Ron, earrings from Ginny, and a muggle book from Hermione. Not knowing Chandra that well I had Hermione help me buy her gift, we ended up giving her a box of Zonko's treats and a Joke book Ron had said she had thought about buying form their trip to Hogsmeade.  We were about to go down for breakfast when I noticed a small package under the Christmas tree in near the fire. To my surprise if was for Chandra.

            "Hey Chandra, you've got one more gift."

            "Oh?" she looked surprised, "Who's if from?"

            I looked down at the tag then handed it to her, "It's says Santa."

 She stilled, her hands had just wrapped around the gift. I looked at her in surprise. Her face showed nothing but she stared at the gift and I noticed the briefest flicker of fear. Her face had gone pale and her hands shook as she took it. She put it in the pocket of her lavender robes without a word. She suddenly smiled and the uneasy spell vanished.

            "Common I'm starving."

I watched her go mystified, what had that been about? Distrust started to raise in my mind but I quickly set it aside. This was Ron's girlfriend, Ron's an excellent judge of character, maybe it's from a friend and it's private.

            Chandra and I spent most of the day together  we built a snow man and had a snow fight with the other students that had stayed during brake. But as I was laying in bed that night something told me I should go talk to Chandra. Something about her had always struck my as off. Something told me she wasn't who she said she was. I sighed and rolled over in my bed, Chandra's done nothing to deserve such suspicion, I chided myself, stop being paranoid.

            After dinner I had retired to my room. I sat at the table and stared at the small, innocent looking gift on the table. It was from Him. I hadn't heard from him since last year. Something about this gift told me things were changing. What he wanted was changing.

              The fire flickered casting shadows and causing them to shift and change. Hesitantly I took the gift and opened it. Inside was a necklace. The band was a black lace a black widow dangled from the lace a tiny blood red rubies were fixed in it for its eyes and an diamond was imbedded in the back shaped like an hour glass. A note written in loopy letters read, "Wear it always and remember."

            Tears stung my eyes and a clutched the necklace in my hand. I buried my head in my arms and cried. He knew, he knew everything. My gut twisted in despair, all the lies all the deception started to weigh down on me. I loved Ron, yet he loved someone I wasn't. Somewhere a clock struck midnight. As the pain began to build I put the necklace on it was a chocker, enchanted I was sure though I could feel no magic from it.

            The pain started like it always did as an uncomfortable pain in my stomach then moved to my head. Then I knew nothing but pain. Words and memories flew around my mind. It hurt as he pulled things from my mind. I cried out and fell to my knees. I gripped to carpeted floor. My body spasmed at the amount of magic that wasn't mine flowed through it. The back of my hands became wet with tears as well as blood. As he jerked another from my mind I cried out.

            Vaguely I heard a door open then someone touched my arm. I screamed, another mind invaded mine. I was three people at once, memories, imagaes, thoughts that were mine own invaded mine. Then suddenly it was only me. I looked up. Harry stood there, his had still outstretched. Shock, then horror, then anger swept through his face. The tears on my face didn't stop but I hardened my expression and my heart.

            "You shouldn't have come Harry. You've ruined everything."

            "You, your," Harry stuttered.

What was he going to say? I was Ron's girlfriend, his friend, now I was his enemy.

            "You don't know what's going on. You don't understand."

            "Your in league with with Him."  He spit out.

I continued to cry, "Harry," I moaned, "Oh Harry. Why? Why are you here?"

            "Because I felt Voldemort's presence." He said.

I sobbed, "Harry don't you realize what you've done?"

            He glared, "I found out you're a Death Eater. What was the plan, come to Hogwarts become buddy buddy with me then get me to Voldemort."

            I shook my head, "No, no Harry, I wouldn't hurt you. I was only here to learn. I'm only the proxy. Please Harry you have to believe me, I don't want to hurt you, I wasn't even supposed to get to know you."

            Harry stood closer, "You're a liar and I'm not letting you get away with this."

I bowed my head, "I'm so sorry Harry." I looked back up at him hardened my eyes and my heart "Obliviate!"

            Harry was to shocked and to close to avoid the spell. I felt a single tear slip down my cheek as he fell to the floor. "You would have ruined everything I've worked so hard for.

            As I called a house elf and lied about Harry falling asleep in my room I felt my Lord laugh and felt his approval wash over me. I held back a sob and turned back to my room. I would have to hurry, but I couldn't leave until he said so. Ron's ring glinted in the fire light. My greatest act was about to begin, I would pretend I didn't love Ron, while playing the part of the lover still.

            I fingered the ring, I was being selfish, but could I chose any other way?

           

I returned to Hogwarts at the end of brake, glade to see Chandra. I didn't notice the change, I didn't know what had happened during the brake. We spent every night together, and for weeks I didn't realize anything different. But when I did, it was to late.

A/N: Alright, not as long as the others, but still a decent size. Are you enjoying it? Please Review.

All my love to those who've reviewed.!