I will be out of town for a week, so I will not be updating in that time. I will put up another chapter upon my return. Please Review!!!
Remember HARRY DOES NOT WIN. IN FACT HE DIES A HORRIBLE DEATH AT THE END.
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"Professor Snape? Might I have a word?" Professor McGonagall's voice echoed down the corridor. He paused and allowed the Gryffindor Head to catch up with him.
"What can I do for you, Professor?" he asked.
"Well, I would just like to congratulate you on your House. Their grades have been exceptional lately. The top of their classes in all of the years. I don't know what you did to motivate them so, but it is working wonders." She was almost beaming.
"Thank you, Professor, for that information. I'm afraid I have some pressing business to attend to, so if you'll excuse me..." Snape nodded to McGonagall and hurried off. This was actually disturbing to him. This was the fifth teacher to tell him his students were excelling in their classes. And that was just this week.
While he expected his students to do well, to have five teachers point out to him how well they were doing was bothersome. Why this sudden jump in grades? He had noticed it in his Potions classes, as well. It also bothered him that he always saw them with a textbook, library book, or rolls of parchment that they were studying. Even on weekends, they were studying.
The only group who did anything else was the Quidditch team, and he had seen their practices. They were flying with a unity he had never seen before. They were intensely concentrated on the game. He wasn't sure what it meant, but it bothered him. He continued down to the dungeons, thinking about his House.
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Tania removed the cauldron form the heat and watched it cool. Draco made a note in his notebook and smiled.
"Well, that the end of the first potion. It looks wonderful." he pulled out several small vials and arranged them to be filled.
"Yes, it is wonderful. I can't believe I came up with it myself. This took us two weeks to make. The other three should be shorter, since we now know what we are doing." She started filling the vials.
"You let me do that," Draco said. "You have a Dark Arts lesson to teach in a minute. Your class is gathering." She glanced at the Common Room. Sure enough, the students were filing in.
"Alright, Draco. I wish this didn't have to take so long. I want to see what happens to our victims when it's all ready."
Draco grinned. "I am sure it will be worth the wait." She stood and pulled out her teaching notes. "Make sure you pay attention. I'll call you over when we start practicing." He nodded and began filling the vials, marking them carefully. Tania moved in front of the fire. Her students quieted.
"You have all been doing so well, lately, that I have decided to start this now. I was going to wait until after Break, but you have been more dedicated than I first thought. Tonight we will start on the first of the three Unforgivable Curses."
She now had every eye on her and complete silence. "First, a warning. These are called Unforgivable for a reason. Using these on a human is worth a life sentence in Azkaban. As much as you can't use the new skills I'm teaching you outside Common Room, you must not use these. Even I cannot save you if you are caught. Now, the one we will start with tonight is..."
Tania was cut off as a red light flashed in Common Room and a ear splitting siren sounded. Instantly everyone was on their feet, grabbing paper, potion ingredients and spell books.
"Squads One and Two, clear the tables. Three and Four, find the study books. Five, make sure the boys dorm is clear. Six, you have the girls. Justin, help Draco get that potion hidden."
With in three minutes, the Common Room was once again silent. Small groups of Slytherins were around tables studying charms homework or memorizing dates for History of Magic. Professor Snape came down the steps into the Room, alert for something, anything.
Hunter 'noticed' Snape first. "Good evening, Professor. Is there something we can do for you?"
Snape looked around the room one last time. "No, Mr. Dethart. I was just checking in."
Hunter nodded and Justin joined them. "Well, sir, everything is fine here. Just a quiet night of studying."
"Then I will leave you to it," Snape said, turning back up the stairs. Something wasn't right here, but he couldn't place it. He left as quickly as he came.
"We'll continue tomorrow after the charms lesson. Spend tonight catching up on homework so you have the time tomorrow. I think everyone will be too shaken up to continue tonight." Tania said, quietly. The students returned to their books.
Tania looked at Draco. "Do you think he suspects something?" she asked.
He shook his head. "I don't know. It's hard to tell with Snape." They bent to their homework, now many levels below them in skill, but necessary to complete anyway.
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Once again, Tania found herself among a group of Slytherins in the Forbidden Forest to be away from the teachers. She had gathered most of the House out here. Everyone, except the First Years.While most of them had been admitted into the NDE, they weren't ready for this. Everyone was wrapped in dark cloaks against the winter winds. It was a few weeks into second term. She stepped forward into the center of the circle and spelled blue fire to give some light.
"This is the final step. If you chose to follow me through everything, then this will prove it. Just as Lord Voldermort gave his Death Eaters a Dark Mark, so I will give you my Mark. You are NDE, New Death Eaters. You serve me, so you will be Marked by me. I have given you every test, made sure you can withstand anything. If you will declare yourselves once and for all, do so now."
Draco pushed back his hood and stepped into the circle.
"I will follow you, through anything. I will risk Azkaban for you. I will risk My Father, Dumbledore, Snape, and the Ministry of Magic. You have shown me true terror and fear and I will fear nothing. You have shown me true pain and I will not be move by pain. Though I may scream, nothing entrusted to me will escape my lips. I will take my loyalty to the grave and beyond. Mark me, Lady, that I may serve you." Draco knelt and pulled up his right sleeve, exposing his bare arm.
"Draco Malfoy. My most faithful follower. You have proven yourself through fear and pain, through knowledge and courage. I accept your service. I swear to be loyal to you as long as you are loyal to me. I will never betray my people. You will belong to me and will be a part of me." She touched his arm with her wand.
"Brandus Karha" she said, firmly and etched a green serpent into his arm. Blood flowed freely, but Draco did not cry out. He kept his gaze firmly on her face. Soon it was finished. She pulled him to his feet and handed him a white cloth.
"We are bound, Death Eater." she finished. He nodded.
"We are bound, Slytherin's Daughter." He stepped back. Justin stepped forward and knelt where Draco had.
"I too, wish to serve, My Lady. I have learned the lessons of terror and pain well. I will give my life to you. Use it how you will. None will convince me otherwise. Mark me, Lady, That I may serve you." He too exposed his bare right arm.
"Justin Cromwell. You have proven your loyalty. You lasted for 3 hours under the Cruciatus Curse. I know you are faithful. I accept you service. I swear to be loyal to you as long as you are loyal to me. I will never betray my people. You will belong to me and will be a part of me."
She touched his arm and spoke the same spell, etching a serpent in his arm. He too, refused to cry out. She raised him to his feet.
"We are bound, Death Eater." she finished. He nodded.
"We are bound, Slytherin's Daughter." He stepped back.
Hunter stepped forward as did every Slytherin in the circle that night, until the ground was stained red with their blood and the New Death Eaters were initiated.
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