Eleanor Snape- Book 3

The Mark Again

"Mmmmm!" An unexpected moan escaped my lips as I dropped my wand to the ground. It hit with a hollow clank. I grabbed my left forearm. The Mark had suddenly started tingling, like millions of hot needles penetrating my skin. Uncle Severus had told me this was going to happen, but I hadn't expected it to happen to soon. My father cackled.

"What? Can't take it?" He asked, using his wand to make my own fly up into my hand.

"No, it's just-"

"You better get used to it. Anytime He wants an emergency meeting, that will happen."

"Uncle Severus told me."

SMACK!

MY father slapped me across the face.

"Don't get wise with me."

"Sorry, Father." I apologized, rubbing my cheek. He ignored it.

"Since you're at Hogwarts, I don't know if he would want you to be there.' He said, more to himself than to me. "You should go ask your uncle. We're done for tonight." He faded as usual until he was completely gone. I opened my eyes as another moan was escaping my lips.

"Shut up, Eleanor!" I heard Pansy groan from her bed beside of mine. I ignored her and got up, putting on my shoes and house coat. "And where are you going?" She sat up.

"Bathroom." I murmured, walking past her and out the door. On my way down the hallway, I saw a fluffy cat run by. Paranoid, I pointed my wand at it.

"Sarah Beth!" I spat, and it looked at me. This cat was nasty looking with matter fur and whiskers that were sticking from its face at various lengths. The freckle-like spots were no where to be found. I let out a sigh of relief: It was only Mrs. Norris. "Shoo." I instructed, and it ran of into the darkness, no doubt to somehow communicate with Filch to tell him "There was a student out of bed!" like she somehow always does. I had to hurry.

Glad it wasn't Cumberland, I continued on. I didn't think I'd really have to worry about her spying on me anymore. My point was definitely made clear. True, I did it a bit harshly, but I had to make sure she understood. She was ignorant and thick headed, so I had to make sure she got it. It wasn't that I really cared about what she had seen, it's about what she COULD have seen. I couldn't let her see the Mark.

Knock! Knock!

Surprisingly, I only had to knock twice on the door before Uncle Severus answered it.

"It's burning." I I stated seriously. He looked around before pulling me into the room and shutting the door.

"I know it is. Mine is, too." He replied, pulling up his sleeve.

"what do we do? We can't Apparate, and-"

"Calm down. He understands that we can not get there with out drawing attention. He is excusing us."

"So, it'll burn like this every time he wants us to meet him?"

"Yes, but if you are at school, ignore it. If you are in Hogsmeade, ignore it."

"Wait." i caught the last few words. "Are you letting me go to Hogsmeade?" He sighed.

"I was planning on telling you tomorrow, but I guess I will tell you now. Yes. I was allowing you to go, IF you stay out of trouble."

"Thank you."

"But I will revoke that privilege when I see the fist sign of mischief. Understood?" I nodded my head yes. "Very well. But back to the subject at hand. This isn't going to be the last time the Mark burns. You can't make it noticeable."

"Pansy heard me moaning this morning in my sleep."

"Play it off as a nightmare if anyone asks." He said.

"Okay," I sat on his desk. Usually, he would have scolded me, but his mind was else where tonight, so he let it slide.

"You can't draw attention to it. If someone sees you are in pain, they might send you to Pomfrey, and she will examining you. She will see the Mark. That cant' happen. But," He continued, "If you were to be sent to her, come to me. Do not let her examine you, understood?"

"Yes."

"Okay, breakfast will be starting in an hour. I wouldn't advice you to go back to sleep."

"Why not?"

"It will just fatigue you."

"Good point." I hopped off the desk as Uncle Severus opened the door for me to leave.

"Oh, and Eleanor?"

"Yes?" I turned to face him.

"I saw you holding hands with Vincent."

"Um..." I blushed.

"Good choice." The conversation turned awkward, so I just kept walking. He suddenly realized that that was not something I wanted to talk about, so he changed the subject. "Perhaps you should study your potions homework until then."

"Or maybe not." I muttered after he closed the door behind me. I went back down t hallway and back down into the Common Room. Instead of going back up into the dorms, I circled around to to the sofa in front of the fireplace. to my surprise, a fresh fire was roaring and another person had had my idea.

"What are you dong up?" I asked him, sitting down.

"Couldn't sleep." Goyle shrugged, putting the Quidditch magazine down. Like me, he was still in his pajamas: a loose fitting shirt from some Quidditch game and a pair of pants with little snitches on them. "I've been here forever. I saw you go out. What was that for?"

"i had a nightmare." I lied, remembered what Uncle Severus had said. "Truthfully, I was going to my uncle for comfort."

"Wuss." He snickered.

"It was about my father." That shut him up. We fell into a silence. Anytime my father came up in conversations no one would talk. It was kind of annoying, but at other times very useful.

"Sarah Beth really wants to be your friend." He whispered kind of absentmindedly, starring into the fire.

"I don't care. I didn't like her before she spied on me, so-"

"Eleanor! She was helping you! She worked to get you and Vince together!"

"But-"

"Shut up!"

"Don't' tell me to shut up!" I snaped.

"Fine." He slouched down, crossing his arms. "Be that way."

"I will."

"But since we were talking about Vince, he has been so happy. I've never seen him like this. He must really love you."

"Well, I think I love him back."

"Yeah, he told me, and anyone else who asked." He smiled.

"What?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"Well, not we both have someone to love."