Chapter 19: Unbreakable Vow

"Did your aunt force you to join 'R'?" Claire asked Merula, who didn't respond. "How much does the Circle of Khanna mean to you?"

"Everything," Merula muttered. "Aunt Verucca doesn't care about me, not like the Circle does."

"What does that mean?"

"No matter how cowardly your friends are, they would never trap me in an Unbreakable Vow."

"An…Unbreakable Vow?" Claire let go of Merula and stepped back. "You made one?"

"Yes," Merula said without a hint of sarcasm. "And you know that if I break it, I'll die."

"Can you tell me about the Unbreakable Vow? And who did you make it with?"

"My aunt," Merula said after a pause. "She made me promise to be loyal to my 'true family.'"

"Is that how she got you to work for 'R'?"

Merula shook her head. "I didn't know she was part of 'R' at first, and I was still angry at Rakepick. So when my aunt Verucca made the offer to join 'R' in exchange for making the Unbreakable Vow, I jumped at the opportunity because I was willing to do anything to get my revenge on Rakepick for what she did."

"Then you lied to me when you claimed 'R' reached out to you after the Sunken Vault?"

"I did, but only because my aunt told me to lie until you met 'R''s leader. Now I'm paying the price for my foolish decision. Let me know when the vote happens."

Then the staircase returned to its previous place on the wall, allowing Merula to descend down to the Slytherin Dormitory. A few days later during the weekend, Claire called the Circle of Khanna to the School Grounds for the vote. Merula showed up this time, but she was uncharacteristically nervous which surprised Claire.

"Are you ready for this?" Claire asked. "Because if you're not — "

"I'm fine," Merula interrupted. "Let's just get this over with."

"Do you want me to tell the Circle about your vow, and your aunt?"

Merula was shocked to hear this. "You would do that? For me?"

"Only if you want me to do that."

"No, I need to speak for myself. But…thanks for the offer."

Claire took that as a compliment and got the attention of the Circle of Khanna members. "Tonight, we will be voting on whether Merula Snyde stays in the Circle of Khanna or not. But before we get started, Merula would like to explain something that might change your opinion of her recent actions."

While Claire stepped aside, Merula tepidly stepped forward.

"She looks quite scared," Corey noticed.

"Don't be fooled by her," Ben insisted. "It's just a pity act."

"Pity me all you want, but it's not going to make you the better person for criticizing me behind my back, Copper," Merula said defensively.

This earned her many glares from the Circle of Khanna including Corey and Ben.

"Sorry, force of habit," Merula apologized. "Before you decide what to do with me, there are some things you should know."

"Well, this is rich," Ismelda chuckled. "Merula being honest? This has to be a joke."

"It's no joke, Ismelda," Merula said in a serious tone. After briefly sighing, she said, "First of all, my aunt, Verucca, is the Director of 'R.'"

Corey flinched upon hearing that, while several Circle of Khanna members looked surprised.

"And second, I made an Unbreakable Vow with my aunt before I knew she was working for 'R,'" Merula added. "The vow I made was to always be loyal to my true family, which basically means I'll die if I don't obey my aunt."

This time, everyone in the Circle of Khanna was shocked unsure of what to say or think.

"It would explain some of Merula's actions as of late, since she might have been forced to do them against her will," added Claire.

"Like when she told us about your true father?" Ben suggested.

Merula didn't say anything.

"So with that out of the way, let's start the vote," Claire urged.

"Can I abstain my vote?" Penny asked, raising her hand.

"Why?" Claire asked.

"This is all too much for me to handle," Penny said as tears welled up in her eyes. "I can't forgive Merula for what she's done, but knowing about this Unbreakable Vow she made…I don't think I have the strength to vote for or against her…."

Badeea raised her hand. "I feel the same way."

"So do I," Cedric Diggory added.

"I'm not interested in voting," Victor said. "Especially since I don't know Merula very well."

"Okay, then Penny, Badeea, Cedric, and Victor won't be voting," Claire said. "Anyone else want to join them?"

No one else raised their hand.

Content, Claire nodded. "All right, if you think Merula should stay in the Circle of Khanna, raise your wand."

Liz, Diego, Barnaby, Ismelda, Beatrice, Jae, Tulip, and Chiara raised their wands in response.

"That's eight votes," Claire counted. "Now, raise a wand if you think Merula should be banned from the Circle of Khanna."

Immediately, Corey, Ben, Talbott, Fred, George, Charlie, Tonks, and Andre raised their wands.

"Eight again," Claire said, realizing what this meant.

"A tie?" Merula exclaimed and turned to Claire. "You have to break it. What's your decision?"

Claire looked between the two groups within the Circle of Khanna, knowing how both sides felt. But when she thought about her feelings on the issue, she knew what her answer was going to be.

"I think…Merula should stay," Claire said.

Merula did a double take as did everyone else in the Circle.

"We have to remember that she was forced to betray our group because her aunt tricked her into making an Unbreakable Vow," Claire stated. "But she won't be participating in our important meetings so she doesn't have to pass the information to her aunt."

Sighing in relief, Merula said, "Thank you, Claire."

"Did you just refer to Krystal by her first name?" Ismelda remarked.

"Yeah, so?" Merula folded her arms. "I don't do it very often, and I'm not going to make a habit out of it."

To be continued…