Draco entered the Transfiguration classroom, and sat down in a seat in the farthest corner. He didn't feel like sitting near anyone, or socializing at all, for that matter.

While he was organizing his supplies on his desk, he felt a faint burning sensation in his left forearm. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to bear the pain. Even if it was faint, it still burned. After a few seconds, the burning stopped. Draco took a breath of relief and continued organizing his supplies.

Once it seemed like the whole class was ready, Professor McGonagall asked for attention not long after. She stood in the middle in front of the class. "I see that a lot of you passed your Transfiguration OWL. I'm impressed. You have achieved in being in the NEWTs Transfiguration class. However, even though you are in this class, it doesn't mean that you will get easier work. In fact, you'll get more challenging work, so you'll have to work even harder than you did in this class these past five years." The class groaned in response. McGonagall ignored them, and kept talking. "Now, for the first task…"

As hard as Draco tried, he could not focus on McGonagall. His mind wandered off to different places. 'How am I going to complete the task that Voldemort assigned me? How? I don't want to do it… but I have to. I have to, or else he'll kill me. He'll kill my whole family…' Draco put his head in his hands and sighed. 'And how would Hermione deal with it if she found out… I have to tell her, too.'

'I just don't want to lose her… she's the one keeping me sane in these times…' Draco's right hand slightly touched his left forearm subconsciously. Draco hated that Dark Mark more than he hated himself at the moment. It was the reason why he even hated himself in the first place.

He was branded with this mark before the beginning of 6th year, signifying that he was now a member of the Death Eaters, the followers of Voldemort. The only reason why he was a member now, at this young age, was to complete a mission. A mission that he didn't want to do, but had to. He had to kill Dumbledore. How he was going to go about this, he didn't know… but he had to do it, or it will result in more deaths.

Again, Draco attempted to pay attention to McGonagall, and he could focus again. Well, slightly focus.

She was still talking, but now she was demonstrating a bird-conjuring charm. A flock of birds were conjured out of nowhere as soon as McGonagall had said the incantation.

"Avis!" She had said.

As the little brown birds flitted around, she talked to the students again. "Now, it's the time for you to practice this skill. You have to concentrate a lot to be able to master this spell."

Not long after, the classroom was filled with voices, saying the incantation. Some yelled it in frustration, much like Ernie Macmillan, who was swishing his wand in frustration as well. Draco looked at him for some type of entertainment for himself, but he couldn't find the humor. He attempted the spell once, but all he could conjure was a single feather.

When class was finished, the only one who mastered the spell was Susan Bones. Three robins were circling around her, signifying her victory in the spell. She was quite proud of herself.

While everyone was walking out of the classroom, Draco stayed behind and took quite a while to put his stuff away. The burning sensation returned in Draco's left forearm, but now it was stronger. He grunted quietly in pain while the pain subsided.

McGonagall peered over her glasses to look at Draco wincing in pain.

"Everything alright, Mr. Malfoy?" she inquired.

Before Draco answered, he took a quick breath, trying to hold in the pain.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'd better get going now."

And with that, he put his things in his bag, and quickly walked out of the classroom.