The Mark of a Death Eater

The Book

The couple hastily broke apart at my interruption. They stared at me for a full three seconds, then a sort of dawning comprehension appeared on their faces. First Draco's, then Astoria's. Yes, Astoria Greengrass. I glared at the two of them. Particularly the pretty brunette blushing at the floor.

"Don't mind me," I said, smiling sweetly. "I should probably read in my room."
"I should probably go to, um, dinner..." said Astoria. Her cheeks were bright red.
"Yeah, you should," I said flatly.
She rose and walked away, her head bowed meekly so that her hair hung in a curtain around her face. She stopped in front of me, I was blocking the doorway, and mumbled a quick 'excuse me'.

I glanced at Malfoy. "You should go after her. She's probably going to cry with Moaning Myrtle."
Malfoy looked intently at me, making my stomach turn very slightly. "What's the matter with you?" he asked.
"I had a bad day." I said defiantly, crossing my arms across my chest.
"So you felt the need to take it out on her?" he asked.
I shrugged nonchalantly.
Malfoy glared at me and pushed past my shoulder as he strode away.

I was definitely troubled. Curse those Gryffindor morons for messing up my day.

I ran upstairs to get the book but looked around in dismay as I sat down. The Slytherin common room is the gloomiest place you could find. It's dark -very dark- and unless all the lamps are lit everything is barely visible. There's a portrait of The Great Slytherin himself on the wall and there're desks and chair in groups. The couches are covered with a dark-green-almost-black leather and the windows cast an eery green glow across the walls.

Since it's actually located at the bottom of the lake, the little light we get isn't enough. You can't see out the windows and they're impossible to break. I know this because a few of us tried it once (third year, Draco was looking for mermaids).

Seated, I got a good look at the book. It was the green colour of our house, with a snake and a heavy buckle of silver keeping it sealed. The buckle couldn't open, but on it there was a sort of dent that looked like a space that the tip of you index finger would fit in. I learnt in muggle studies that in some banks they use it at it's entrance, to check fingerprints. I held my finger there, but nothing happened. I wondered if I should even bother, after all, Malfoy didn't seem like he needed my help, but then, wondering what sort of secrets this book could possibly hold I decided that I'd open it no matter what.

I tapped the book with my wand a few times, and eventually something happened. The green snake raised it's head ever so slightly and the word 'open' in ancient runes appeared next to it.
"Open." I said firmly. Nothing. "Open." I tapped it with me wand, Still nothing. What, was I supposed to say it in latin or something? I did, but nothing happened.

"Alohamora."
"Aparecium!"
"Cistem Aperio!"
Nope, nope, nope.

I glowered at the book, finally realizing what it probably took to open it. Parseltongue. As if just anyone would be able to speak parseltongue!

Well of course, you dolt, said the voice in my head. The book wasn't meant to be opened by just anyone.

Frustrated, I began trying to pry open the solid buckle, only to nick my finger on the sharp edge of it. I gasped in shock. As I pulled my hand back, it grazed the finger space and a new word appeared as the blood on it vanished.

"Anguem recludam." I read, tapping my wand to it. With a groan and screech, the buckle began to recede, shrinking to the underside of the book. The silver embossed snake seemed to hiss in the reflecting light. Left in it's place was a soft leather buckle, which I pulled off without too much difficulty. I hesitated before flipping the pages. Magical books were full of surprises, from ones that cursed to ones that screamed to ones that tried to bite.

But my curiosity ultimately won over. I opened the book.

I couldn't help but give an involuntary gap when saw the pages. They were in ancient runes and latin. I was certain that with a dictionary, I'd be able to fairly translate it since I'd studied ancient runes and learnt latin in my fifth year.

"Perfect." I murmured.
I was so engrossed in the strange symbols in the margin of the book that I didn't notice the person right in front of me until they spoke.

"Hello, stranger," said a voice, making my heart jump and my hands drop the book. Instantly, the buckle slid back over it. Great, I'd have to cut myself again to open it. I glowered at the intruder, but almost immediately, my glare turned into bewilderment. Because the person in the common room should certainly not have been there, yet there he was.