6
Sarah POV
After spending a night reassuring my friends that I was fine, and spreading the rumor that my house was attacked by Inferi (as an excuse for my odd behavior), I was glad to get to breakfast the next day. I hadn't eaten last night, and Mrs. Weasley had done me some good, at least giving me an appetite again. Thankfully, Snape wasn't at breakfast, and I only had to deal with the Slytherin table. Sixth years were diverted to their House Heads for instruction on their classes, and I had everything with Hermione, which helped a lot. Arithmancy first period was actually fun, and it raised my spirits. I had felt last night that Hogwarts wouldn't make me feel better this year- and Arithmancy contradicted me, for the moment. I had Ancient Runes next, and that increased my mood even more. I felt increasingly bipolar. Last night I was downright scary, this morning, I didn't tremble, my face had a slight color to it now, and Hermione commented on how warm I felt when I passed her a book for translation.
Then my happiness was brought to a screeching halt when I remembered that my next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, was with Snape. I took a deep breath before entering the classroom. As soon as I stepped inside, a long shiver went up my spine as the burning feeling started up again. Clenching my jaw, I sat beside Hermione, Harry on my other side, and I didn't miss the looks they were sharing with Ron. Snape had paused for a moment as he was writing at his desk, then continued, not even looking up. "Sarah, you're so white you look like you're about to faint." Harry muttered. I just winced and closed my eyes as Snape stood up. When he was out of my sight, I stared determinedly at the back wall, my grip which was previously tight around my left wrist got looser and looser. I didn't even hear Snape's instructions until Hermione lightly touched my arm.
"We're getting into pairs, practicing jinxes without speaking." Hermione said in an undertone, and I shakily stood across from her, holding my wand in trembling fingers. I felt a pang of pride as D.A. members started right away- I had taught them how last year, and they were a bit rusty, but I could tell it threw Snape for a loop. "Ready?" Hermione asked, and I refocused back on her, giving a quick nod, holding my wand tighter. I slowly battled through it, afraid that I'd suddenly go raving mad like the last time I had used defensive magic. I mostly gave Hermione the practice though, starting to feel ice cold again. "Sit," Hermione said finally, as class was winding down, easily pushing me into a chair when she saw my eyes flutter for a second. She sounded almost hysterical.
"Sarah, you should go to the Hospital Wing," Ron said, and he sounded a little hazy. "Here," He extended a hand, and after a second, I took it, the difference in skin tone and steadiness was shocking as he pulled me to my feet. "I can be late to Transfiguration, like I care," He was babbling, clearly nervous, moving to steer me away as the class left quickly.
"A moment, Ms. Wimkil." Snape's curt voice made Ron freeze and I saw Harry reaching for his wand.
"Go on," I said after a minute, and my voice was lifeless again, and I didn't even look away from the wall I was staring at. "Go." I tried to insist, but it only came out angry and dark again.
"I'll be outside," Ron promised, sounding incensed, as Hermione had to almost herd Harry and Ron out the door, both of them glowering at Snape. The door swung shut and the air almost got frigid as my coldness filled the whole room. Achingly slow, I turned, my right fingertips trailing lifelessly across a desk as I moved to stand in front of Snape. For a moment, he didn't speak, only looked at me, looking perfectly normal already- it was like he was becoming immune. That thought in my mind suddenly sparked a pit of rage for him, and Death Eaters like him. It was their fault that I couldn't go out in public without feeling pain, their fault that I looked like a corpse, and their fault that I felt sick all the time.
"I'm interested to hear if you felt anything dark pursuing Potter on his journey to Hogwarts. As a matter of security." Snape said in a low voice, totally unlike his usual curt, cold manner. In the back of my head, I wondered briefly why Snape cared- he hated Harry and wouldn't give a damn if something dark boarded the train with us.
"I can't go out in public anymore without feeling sick; I feel every dark thing everywhere." The voice that spilled from me was full of deep rage, and I stepped forward without realizing, thrusting my left wrist in the direction of his mark, making him step back, his face twisting. That was good, he deserved pain, even if it was a fraction of my own.
"If you have, or feel anything in the future, Dumbledore wishes to hear of it." He pressed on, and for a second, I saw pity in his face before it vanished. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling my spine tighten until I thought it'd snap- I'd just felt like…her again. All at once, my face cleared to lifeless again, my tense pose crumpled.
"Fine," I forced the word out, and it sounded painful even to me before I turned on my heel, snatching my bag with a trembling hand and stumbled from the room. Stepping over the threshold, warmth surrounded me again, as well as a furious cuss word from Ron when he caught me.
"Use that word again, Mr. Weasley, and I shall put you in detention. Take Ms. Wimkil to the Hospital Wing." The burning reached me before Snape's voice did. He strode off in the opposite direction as Ron started to help me along. We were half way down a hallway when the burning got so hot and my skin got so cold, that Ron let go with a yell. I stood up straight, whirling around with a gasp to lock eyes with Malfoy at the end of the hall, and behind him, Snape. The usual darkness around Snape had doubled, which could only mean one thing-
Malfoy was a Death Eater. He had been in Diagon Alley, on the train this year, and in the hall last night. Harry had been right. Snape twitched, as if to grab Malfoy, and it all fell into place.
"Cissy, wait!" I called, running after her as we barreled down Spinner's End.
"He's my only son!" The woman sobbed, burying her face into her hands. "You know what the consequences are if he fails, Bella! I can't let that happen."
"If it gets the Dark Lord closer to murdering Potter and Dumbledore, then you should let it happen, Cissy." My voice turned sharp and my hand closed around the top of the couch in fury. "Don't be weak, Cissy. Stand for what you believe in."
I was laughing, elated. He had been brought into the ranks, despite Cissy's reluctance, and now, with her son as a Death Eater, we'd take over Hogwarts, murder Potter and Dumbledore, and restore the world to our order.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trembling in my effort to force the dreams away, quickly grabbing my left wrist as it seared with pain. I couldn't believe it- Draco Malfoy was sixteen, yet he was the Death Eater here this year to kill Harry and Dumbledore. "Sarah, what is-are you-?" Ron was struggling to put words together, still keeping his distance.
"I have to see Professor Dumbledore." I forced out, turning back around, but getting closer to the two Death Eaters at the top of the hall made me bend over my left arm which was now throbbing with pain and a gasp escape my lips.
"Sarah, you should go to the Hospital Wing-"
"No," I hissed through my teeth, even when Ron tried to turn me back around. I straightened, drawing my wand, determined to make it to Dumbledore, even if I had to hex Ron, when Bellatrix suddenly slammed into my mind, making me lurch, my wand falling from suddenly numb fingers, the world going dark.
"Fear not, my Lord. I will keep her silent." I laughed, pushing through into the girl's mind, fighting off her weak defenses with a feral smile.
"I thought you were fond of this student you've marked." The high cold voice filled the room, even though he was sitting in shadow in a straight backed chair, Nagini twisting around his shoulders. He sounded amused.
"It'd be useless to kill her now, and besides, she can't fight me off forever. There are secrets in her mind that I will have." I snarled, and slammed my fingers down on my Dark Mark. I heard the scream of pain as if it was a long way off and shrieked with laughter, pressing harder, digging deeper.
Ron POV
Sarah lurched, freezing on the spot, and her eyes started to turn black, making me take another step back. Seconds later, she screamed out loud, the sound full of terrible pain. She collapsed, curling around her left arm and shuddering. Snape shoved Malfoy out of the way, who was just watching like a prat and started to come over. The effect was instantaneous; Sarah started to writhe as he got closer. "Back off, can't you see it's hurting her?" I shouted, making him stop.
"What is going on here?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply, whipping around the corner and stopping, seeing the scene. After a moment of stunned silence, she already had a hold of herself. "Severus, go fetch Professor Dumbledore. Move, Weasley." She barked, waving her wand, making a stretcher. She levitated Sarah onto it and had already started to walk away. I snatched up Sarah's bag and scrambled after her, heart pounding. What the bloody hell was happening? Why had Sarah suddenly insisted on seeing Dumbledore?
McGonagall brushed into the ward, calling for Madam Pompfrey in a tight voice. She appeared and instantly bustled over, already waving her wand, drawing the curtains around the bed. "Mr. Weasley, what happened?" McGonagall asked sharply, forcing me back down the ward with her long strides, away from Sarah.
"I dunno, she left Snape's class ill, and then she had a fit or something-" I broke off as the doors opened. Snape was standing a few feet back, expression blank as Dumbledore swept in, Harry jogging after him, throwing a dark look at Snape before the door closed.
"The situation, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked, McGonagall following him as they approached Madam Pompfrey. Harry stopped next to me and we listened hard.
"She was seizing. Something or someone must have tried to enter her mind. I'm not sure if they succeeded, if it'll be permanent, or if any permanent damage was done. I've given her a sedative she was so restless. There is nothing further I can do, Albus." Poppy whispered fiercely, then strode away, shooing Harry and I further back with a scowl.
"What happened?" Harry asked, and I quickly filled him in, making his face darken.
"You two. Return to class." McGonagall barked, now brushing down the ward, pushing us out.
"But Professor-" Harry started, but one look from McGonagall silenced him. "Come on," he muttered to me, going the opposite direction of his next class. "Let's wait for Hermione and come back later."
Sarah POV
"My Lord, she is stronger than I anticipated. I was unable to gather anything from her head- although she will not be telling anyone about Draco. I've made sure of that." I said, slightly satisfied, but mostly irritated.
"You have done well Bellatrix. You may retire." He said, loosing interest and playing once again with Nagini. I bowed low before backing out. As soon as the door closed I stalked down the hallway, furious that I couldn't enter her mind. Perhaps I should try again…
"Ennervate." A voice said quietly, and my eyes flickered open of their own accord. At first, all I saw was white, then my eyes slowly focused. I was very uncomfortable, tense, all my muscles straining. My head was pounding, and my breath was so fast and shallow, it was almost a pant. The brightness dimmed, and Professor Dumbledore swam into view, looking extremely cautious. "Ms. Wimkil, can you hear me?" He asked quietly as my eyes quickly flicked around the room. Neither Malfoy nor Snape was in view. Bellatrix in the back of my head was still furiously angry, but there was a barrier of numbness blocking her from me, and keeping me from moving too.
"Professor," I breathed, filling with wild anxiety. He had to know about the second Death Eater, about the plan-
"Sarah, try to relax. You've been sedated and you're in the hospital wing. We think that you just had a seizure of some kind triggered by the mark. Relax. You are safe now." Dumbledore said soothingly.
"There's a- Death Eater-at Hogwarts," I choked, and Dumbledore's eyes flashed pity.
"Yes, Sarah, it's Professor Snape. Remember?" He said gently, but I jerkily shook my head, feeling my heart race.
"N-No, there's a n-n-new one," I went to utter his name and groaned, my eyes squeezing shut as the mark flared so hot I thought my skin would melt. I went to grab it, but my sedated limbs refused to react.
"Sarah, relax, stop trying to tell me. I know." Dumbledore said, and it shocked me to the core.