I should like to take a moment to thank you for your kind reviews. Also I apologize for spelling errors, spelling, alas, is not something in which I excel.

Chapter 8: Whispers

I looked at the little piece of paper in my lap. Carefully unfolding it under the desk so Slughorne wouldn't see it, I read the inscription.

Think he'd mind if I lit Lucy's chair on fire?

I looked up grinning at Rodger.

No, she's useless at potions, he wouldn't care. Wait until history of magic though, we'll need something to end the boredom. Besides, it'll be interesting to see if Binns notices.

His response read: Your reasoning is unshakable. I smiled. History of Magic would be fun today.

I was sitting doing a transfiguration essay in the empty common room. Everyone had gone to bed, except for me, I had procrastinated extraordinarily well, and it was only September. The fire was dying, giving the room a dark orange glow. I had only one paragraph left to go, when I heard someone coming up the stairs from the boys' side. I shrank back into my chair, managing to just peer around the edge.

Lucious Malfoy entered the common room. He looked about, and went to the far corner, pulling a piece of parchment out of his robes. He sat down at a table, and began to write furiously. He then paused, uncertain what to pen next.

"Need any help?" I had finally worked up the courage to speak and reveal my presence.

He turned, anger flashing through his eyes. I shrank back. I admired Malfoy far more than any other student at Hogwarts. No, I admired Snape, but not for the same reasons, Snape knew more than all of us combined. Lucious was the leader of our pure-blood pack. He was intelligent, suave, Head Boy. I hated myself in that moment, for causing him to be angry. But, quick as it had appeared his anger subsided.

"Why hello Bellatrix, didn't see you there."

"I was finishing a transfiguration essay, for the third week she's certainly making it feel like the week before exams."

"Yes, McGonagall does load on the work." He took the chair next to mine. Leaning forward he looked over my essay.

"Your bit about vanishing live animals as opposed to objects is good. But be sure to cite the differences between invertebrates and those of us with more backbone."

"Thanks." I scribbled furiously, trying to focus on the paper. Don't look at him, don't look at him, don't look...

My first one-night stand was fun.

The holiday break was not as pleasant as I had hoped. Auntie was grim-faced the whole time. Sirius spent it at the Potter's. Besides the grim mood, the teachers had given us loads of homework. I spent most of the break sitting at the kitchen table with Regulus, sipping mulled cider and puzzling over scrolls of parchment and books. I was most pleased to return to Hogwarts for the second term.

It was towards the end of fifth-year that I first began to hear the whispers. Something was stirring outside the castle walls. Someone was calling together all the purebloods to unite, restore the quality of wizards.

I was sitting with Alasta, Rodger and Regulus when Lucious first told us about the Dark Lord. He said that his father had told him to start spreading word amongst the students. The Dark Lord was out there, no, no one called him by his real name, yes he would write it down, but would we listen please? the Dark Lord wanted to restore the purity of wizards, cast mudbloods out of our world. He was looking for families and dedicated individuals to help progress the new platform.

My friends and I were immediately immersed into this new movement. We met in empty classrooms, the common room, anywhere really, to discuss and plan. The seventh years who were about to graduate, Lucious amongst them, were going to go help the Dark Lord. But we had all been warned not to openly discuss this new development or our plans. Lucious would take up a job in the minister's office, Crabbe in the department of magical law enforcement and so on. We all knew what Dumbledore would say, he loved those mudbloods.

I was excited. I couldn't wait until I left Hogwarts and began to help establish the natural order of things. At home, during the summer holiday, Auntie talked incessantly about the Dark Lord. She wanted Regulus and I to go join him as soon as we could, become one of his elite, the so called "Death Eaters." Meanwhile, we were to do our best in school, study dark magic and gauge the feelings of the other students.

Sixth year started, it would be a great year I thought. Narcissa, a seventh year, was mopey, of course, she missed her boyfriend, Lucious. They had been going out all last year. I was happy for them, Lucious and I had nothing, they, however, glowed in each other's presence.

My own love life was improving as well. Rabastan Lestrange and I were going out, and of course everyone knew. I preened under the inspection of the other Slytherines. Rabastan didn't have the mental capabilities one might have preferred. Actually, he was slow and stupid. But he was a great physical guy. His younger brother, Rodulphus might have been smarter, but he was a twitchy little kid and somewhat loathsome.

Rodger and Alasta had finally fallen into each other's arms. I wasn't quite sure what to think. I loved Rodger—as a friend, he was too good a friend to ever be a romantic interest. I guess I was happy for them.

I had lost contact with Lucious and Snape. I knew they were out doing great deeds. Reports of the Dark Lord came only through the newspapers: 11 dead in Sussex; Muggle mansion sacked; Brothers go missing. I felt confined, like a tiger pacing in a cage. Great things were happening outside the walls of Hogwarts and I wanted so badly to be part of it. But I was stuck here until June, one more year to get through in this wretched school.

Regulus and I crept along the dark corridor. Roaming the halls at night, even if we were seventh years, was still something I didn't want to get caught for. Crossing the great hall swiftly we ducked behind a suit of armour. We slid along the wall gaining the staircase and making it up to the second floor. The library came into sight. As I stepped out to cross the hall, Regulus grabbed my arm and pulled me into a broom closet, and then I heard it, footsteps approaching.

Regulus and I were so squeezed we could barely breathe. We waited silently, hearts pounding, as the footsteps passed and turned a corner. I exhaled audibly. Regulus smiled his arms encircling me, hugging me tightly to his chest. I smiled up into his face, handsome, black hair falling into his eyes. It was a face I loved more than any other, my best friend, dearest cousin. We stood there for several minutes, in each other's arms.

Regulus stuck his head out into the hall, looking for signs of someone. The coast clear we ran across and into the library. Quickly we passed the bookshelves and desks, making our way to the back. The Restricted Section was dark.

"Lumos" we both whispered, our wands lighting.

Walking up and down in the aisles I scanned titles and spines whatever there was to give a clue about the books' contents. Finally I found one that sounded promising "Dark Spells of Attack" it was called. I pulled the heavy volume off the shelf. Further up the aisle I saw Regulus likewise making a selection. I reached into the bag I carried and pulled forth a roll of parchment and a quill. I opened the book and turned through the pages, settling on one that featured a curse and several gruesome illustrations. Setting the parchment over this page, I held the quill upright on the parchment, saying "ecrivus." Immediately the quill began to scratch, copying the page beneath. From down the aisle Regulus grinned at me as he did the same.

Soon ten quills were scribbling, copying curses, jinxes whatever it was that we found to study. When the time came, we would be ready.