The Mark of a Death Eater

An Unexpected Friend

I woke to the padding sound of footsteps. I didn't realise I'd fallen asleep. A girl with long, dark hair walked in, dressed in her robes already. She pulled up a chair near the entrance and sat down, spilling books from a lavender bag on the table. She glanced up and recoiled. "Oh, sorry. I thought no-one was here. Sorry," Astoria whispered. "It's ok," I said loudly. "Really, stay." It's not like I own the common room or anything. She hesitated. I smiled a little and told her again to sit. I was surprised to hear no sarcasm in my voice. She must've noticed because she took a seat and pulled out a quill and ink from her bag. "I just realised I didn't do my assignment." I began putting away my books and things and Astoria broke the silence.

"So, you must really like him." She paused at the end, like she was asking a question.  Her gaze was fixed on a spot on the couch next to me. I stared at it for a few seconds, wondering what she was looking at. Then I remembered that Zayn had been sitting there and she'd been with one of her friends at that time. "Wha- Oh, no. Zayn and I are only friends." "Not Zayn." she said. "Then who- Oh." Malfoy. She was talking about Malfoy. "Uh, no. I don't like him, I just..." Just what? What reason did I have for breaking up a couple if they were together?  Astoria shrugged. "That's ok. We're not, um, together or anything. I mean, it's not as if he likes me." She blushed in the glow of a candle. "But you like him?" I asked her. She shrugged, pulling her books towards her. "He came to speak to me afterwards. He's older than me anyway. And I think he likes someone else," she said. I was tempted to ask who it was but I guessed it was Pansy and anyway, I didn't want to look like I cared. "I have to go," I told her. She nodded and seemed engrossed in her book so I slipped out and drew my invisibility cloak over me.

I strolled over to one of the empty classrooms. I found it a few years ago. It may have been an old potions classroom because there were vials of some stuff on the shelves and third years books. Theres a closet in it that looks really small -a broom closet- but if you step inside it, the back bottom descends into a staircase. At the bottom, there's a small desk and makeshift chair out of a crate.It's quite cosy, actually. There's a tiny window that fills the room with enchanted sunlight or moonlight, depending on when it is. Right now the entire room glowed silver. Really, Hogwarts is full of surprises.

I was feeling pretty hungry, so when the room changed from silver to white, I went to shower and change my clothes. When I was done, I woke Daphne, who groaned and stuffed her pillow over her face, then Tracey, who said something about sleeping turtles, then Pansy, who claimed she was already up. I walked with Daphne to breakfast and responded enthusiastically to everything she was telling me. I did miss speaking to her but I was so busy lately. At the Slytherin table, Malfoy, instead of sitting wit us as he usually does, sat a little further away. Usually Daphne, Vivienne, Helen, Tracey, Pansy, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise and I sit together. Sometimes Pansy, Vivienne, Helen and Tracey sit further away, sometimes Daphne and I sit with Rudolph Skyzer and his friends and sometimes Blaise Zabini likes to be alone, but mostly we all sit together. Malfoy gave me a glare as he walked past but I wasn't feeling particularly angry today so I didn't return it. I rolled my eyes. "Are you and Malfoy fighting?" Daphne asked. Something like that," I said. I took a roll and began tearing it to small pieces. Pansy sat across me and put a couple of slices of toast on her plate. "Does anyone know what happened with Draco? He's been snappy all morning." Daphne glanced at me and I shrugged. "Who cares?" I asked. Pansy was giving a weird look but luckily, I was saved by Astoria coming to squeeze in-between Daphne and one of her friends. "Good morning,"she said brightly. "Morning," I said, grateful for her arrival. I pulled out a bag of marshmallows from my pocket and dropped them one by one into my mug of hot chocolate. I stirred it thoughtfully, remembering that I needed to visit Asteria, my owl in the owlery. I absently picked up the unshredded part of my roll and dipped it in my hot chocolate. "Don't tell me you're going to eat that." Pansy gave a disgusted look at the roll in my hand. "Shut up Pansy." She did. 

I grabbed a slice of toast and the rest of my hot chocolate and made my way to the owlery. I waved to Daphne before I left. The owlery took some time, in which I'd finished my drink and half of my toast. I expected it to be empty but Ginny Weasley was there. Or as I like to call her, Ginnyger. "Hello Ginevra Ginnyger." I said. Since I'd found out her full name, she hasn't had a break from hearing it. But my plan sort of backfired when she found out mine. "Hello Emmerentia Verygreen," she said coolly without looking up from the letter she was writing. I growled and whistled a tune of three notes that I trained Asteria to respond to. Immediately, she flew from a corner and onto my arm. Asteria ruffled her brown and black feathers. I cooed to her and gave her the other half of my toast to her. 

"Your owl is lovely." I glanced at Ginny, crouching over her letter and biting her lip, looking very much like she wished she had not just said that. "Thank you," I replied. She didn't answer. I don't blame her, she obviously doesn't like me. If I were anyone else, I wouldn't want to be friends with me either. I don't know why Daphne, Zayn and Arrianne like me so much. It' because they don't know any better, I would presume. To be completely honest, I actually like Ginny. She's witty and funny and has a mean-streak that amuses me. I could never admit it though. Never. Her brothers are the same. At least, Fred and George were. Ron Weasley I cannot stand. The only time I spoke to the twins was when I caught them setting off boxes of fireworks last year. Despite the fact that I was on the Inquisitorial Squad, I hated Umbrige and would give anything to see her troubled. So I told them that I wouldn't tell on them. They were suspicious but seemingly grateful. The twins now had a joke shop down in Diagon Alley and had the most incredible things you could dream up. Really great bits of magic, they had. When Asteria finished off the piece of toast she flew to perch on Ginny's shoulder. "Asteria?" I asked disbelievingly. Ginny pushed her playfully away. I whistled the notes again and she flew back to me. "That's very clever," Ginny said. I looked at her, surprised. I was even mire surprised when I found myself saying, "You could borrow her if you like. Asteria's much faster than other owls." Ginny blinked at me in astonishment than turned wary. "How do I know this isn't another one of your tricks?" she asked. I shrugged a solder. "I guess you don't. I know, I wouldn't trust me either." Ginny smiled and at that moment, I had the sense that we weren't going to fight anymore. "Thanks," she said. "No problem." I glanced at my watch and realised I was going to miss the beginning of my first period if I didn't run. "Uh, I have to go." I said, feeling awkward. She nodded. "See you." she said. It was only when I rushed out of the owlery that I realised I might have just befriended Ginny Weasley. My mind was obviously becoming addled.