When I finally reached the new flat in London, I found someone waiting on the front steps.
"Hi." Draco said while getting up so I could unlock the door.
"Hi." I replied. It was nearly three in the morning... What was he doing here at this time?
"It's kind of early for you to be here." I said as I waved my wand at the trunk, which was behind me. It floated once again and followed behind me as I entered. I left it in my bedroom and returned to the front room.
"I know, but I wanted to tell you some news before you heard it around Diagon Alley or the Leaky Cauldron." He said, taking a seat on the couch. I had been lucky enough to find a furnished flat that wasn't too expensive. I had yet to find a new job but I had a little money in the bank. Thank Merlin for the savings account that my parent's had started when I was born.
"What is it?" I said as I started cleaning.
"Scourgify." I said waving the wand around the dusty room. I turned back to Draco waiting for whatever news it was he had to tell me.
"Remember Lavender Brown from school?" I nodded.
"Her parents were killed this morning by.." He broke off, but he didn't need to finish the sentence. I knew very well by whom: the deatheaters.
"Were you there?" I asked.
"No." He said.
I hadn't killed anyone yet; I've only been to a few meetings and I wasn't sure that I could do it. I wasn't sure where my loyalties lay, really.
But I think... I could do it if I had to... and as that thought crossed my mind, it shocked me more than anything else ever had.
When had I became so cold and wicked? I brushed the thought away and sat down on the edge of the armchair across from the couch.
"I wasn't sure you would really come." He went on.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." I said sarcastically.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked.
"It's done, isn't it?" I said, he didn't answer so I went on.
"I can't go back Alicia already noticed something's off with me." I finished, as I twisted a lock blonde of hair around one finger, nervously.
"Well I guess you can't go back your part of the dark side now pretty much." He said. I suddenly realized it was freezing and flicked my wand at the empty fire place, and instantly flames crackled to life as the room started to warm up.
"Why did you tell me about Lavender?" I asked.
"Well, I know she was in your house and I didn't know if you had been friends."
"Sort of." I replied.
"Is she next to die?" He shrugged it off.
"Basically anyone that's against Voldemort is next to die." He said dryly.
"Why didn't you kill Dumbledore when you had the chance?" I blurted before I could stop myself. It was a question I wanted to ask for a while, but we'd never been in a place where we could truly talk like this, until now.
"I was weak." He said quickly looking away.
"Really, or are you not really happy being a deatheater?" I spat.
I was really mixed up... Was I or wasn't on the dark side and what had I gotten myself into?
"I have to go." He said getting up. He leaned over and kissed me and let himself out. I locked the door behind him.
I was so tired from the flight, I quickly decided unpacking could wait until morning. I curled up on the bed in my new bedroom and fell asleep.
I awoke around one the next afternoon; I sat up brushing a tangled, limp hair out of my face.
"Welcome to your new life." I said to my reflection in the mirror.
I started unpacking and was hanging robes in the closet when a tapping from the front window stopped me. Abandoning the robes I was hanging I went to the front window opened it.
Immediately I was hit with a blast of frigid air from outside as an owl swooped in, dropping a letter on the floor then perching on the window ledge to wait.
I read the letter. It was from Jill, asking me to meet her for a drink at some bar called Ella Bella's. I wrote back I'd see her there around 8:00 and returned to unpacking.
That night I apperated to the bar to find Jill waiting at a table in the back. She was sipping something that was a sickly green color when I sat down. I didn't know what it was or where it came from, but I knew one thing: I wouldn't be having it.
"Hi." Jill said from behind her veil of midnight black hair. I reached over and pushed it back.
"Honestly Jill how many time's do I have to tell you, you would look so much better if you stopped hiding yourself behind all that black!" It was true; she was pretty under all the black makeup she piled on every day, black eye shadow, black lipstick...well yeah, you get the picture.
"Yeah, yeah... sure." She replied rolling her eyes. I sighed; it was a lost cause that I'd been fighting for for about a year. "So... all moved in?" She asked.
"Yeah." I said. I got up, telling her I'd be back after I got something to drink, I returned with pumpkin juice.
"So how's..." She said pointedly raising one eyebrow.
"Fine." I said in answer. She knew about Draco and I, so there were no secrets here.
"Look... I need a favor." She said sighing regretfully.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I need a place to stay."
"Well move in with me for a while." I said. This is much better; it would be pretty boring if it was just me.
"I hate to ask-"
"Look, it's not a problem! But what happened with your place?" I said cutting her off.
"Well, I can't afford it, and the band's not on tour right now, and I'm kind of in debt." She said in a rush. Jill's in a band called Black Ice, and black is there signature color... surprise, surprise.
"Okay, you can move in whenever you want."
"Tonight's good."
She finished her drink and we both got up.
"I'll get my stuff and be over in a bit." She said, and I followed her out after we paid.
I decided to walk home rather than apperate; it wasn't that far and why rush home nothing much to do. Then I started wondering where Draco was. As it turns out, my question was soon to be answered, as he was waiting on my front steps yet again. I sat down beside him.
"Get unpacked?" He asked.
"Yes." I answered.
"We have to go somewhere now." He said standing.
"Now!" I asked making sure I'd heard right.
"Yes now. The dark lord wants to see us now." Fear shot through me as I fully realized what I was getting myself in to. I quickly covered my fear and reached for his hand.
Together we apperated to Malfoy Manor. He led me inside, then down a hall and up some stairs to an office.
My heart pounded.
'Well you should have thought about what you were getting into!' a harsh voice in the back of my head snapped at me.
A black cloaked figure was at the desk.
"Ah... good Draco. You have her with you." I'd never seen Voldemort before in my life and I wished I could have kept it that way. He was hideous!
I tried to look composed as I stood next to Draco; still clinging onto his hand for dear life.
"We need to get you your dark mark... and make sure you understand a few things." Voldemort said, addressing me.
