The Mark of a Death Eater

I'd Avoid Astronomy Towers if I Were You

The weeks drew on, and it became colder. Malfoy was sitting with us again. Homework gained, especially for me. I spent more and more time reading Tom Riddle’s diary. Tom soon became sinister, and I stopped liking him as I used to. He was evil. Extremely evil. He hungered for power. He’d opened the chamber of secrets in his fifth year. He’d killed a girl. And he thought nothing of it. He described the chamber in exquisite detail, leaving out only it’s location. Where was this book when it could have benefitted us, in the second year? Tom was honestly the worst person you could think of. He’d framed Hagrid for it, for which Hagrid was sent to Azkaban. tom became addicted to the dark arts, and I soon hated him. Despite all, I felt compelled to keep reading the wretched book, because it really might have been of use. The only person worse than Tom Marvolo Riddle that I could think of would be You-Know-Who. That was certainly not a happy thought. Despite all, I still went to the library and found his picture. He was in the old prefect and head boy records as well as in an article of him receiving a trophy for ‘awards to the school’ which on his diary I found out he’d gotten for framing Hagrid. Fraud. 

Malfoy, on the other hand looked worse and worse. He kept looking at me like he needed to tell me something but would every time he opened his mouth, Pansy Parkinson would cut him off with an insignificant piece of gossip or random comment. I felt like hexing her until she was dumb.

At another Hogsmeade weekend, since Daphne went again with Rudolph, I went alone. Since it was mine and Zayn’s birthday soon, I resolved to buy him a gift as well as something for myself. I bought for Zayn a big art case containing quills, coloured inks, parchment, a large sketch book, drawing charcoal and a few other cool stuff in it. I bought vitamin drops for Asteria and a new quill and parchment for me. I considered taking a really pretty gold and red one but it reminded me of the Gryffindor colours, so I chose an Eagle feather one that was much better suited.

I had just finished off at Honeydukes when a shop caught my attention. It was seriously small, and if I hadn’t been looking at a poster announcing some escapees from Azkaban on the window, I would have never noticed the ring on display there. It was simple, a snake that wound around your finger, ending with it’s tail in it’s mouth, made of gold with rubies for eyes. So I entered the shop (manned by an old lady) to ask the price of it. As it was, the ring was fairly priced (the lady explained it as having it due to no-one ever visiting her shop) and I even saw a pair of ornate earrings that immediately made me think of Daphne. I got them for her, since I’d been a lousy friend to her recently. 

When I went back, freezing cold, I spotted Malfoy at the far end of the common room, talking in hushed tones to Crabbe and Goyle. When they saw me coming, they stood and after giving Malfoy a warning look, left. I took a seat opposite him. “Want one?” I asked, offering him a chocolate. “What do you want?” he asked, but he took a piece anyway. “What I want,” I said, “Is to talk to you, because every time I want to, I get interrupted by that stupid, irritating-” “Hi!” A cheery voice cut me off. I growled under my breath and resisted the urge to smack the huge book on Malfoy’s table on Pansy’s fat head. Instead, I smiled sweetly up at her. Malfoy knew me well enough to know that I certainly would not under any circumstances be smiling at Pansy Parkinson. He had a kind of oh-no look on his face. “So, what are you guys doing here?” she asked brightly. I smiled again. “Oh nothing much.” I said. Pansy looked suspicious the second she saw the smile on my face as well and glanced at me apprehensively. “Well, what are you two talking about?” she asked. “Oh, Draco and I were just plotting a way to get rid of this really pesky little brat that’s been tormenting me lately.” I said. “Really? Who?” she asked. “Oh, I can’t tell you. That might ruin the plan.” Malfoy groaned and put his head in his hands. “Emma, please don’t,” he mumbled. I grinned. “We were thinking of dropping her off the Astronomy Tower.” “Ouch,” Pansy said. “You know, you could at least give me a clue to who she is,” she said. “Well, she’s ugly, annoying and as it seems, exceedingly stupid,” I said. “Who-” Pansy cut off and growled at me. “I’d avoid Astronomy for the next week, if I were you.” I said in a confiding whisper to her. She stood up and walked off in a huff. Malfoy raised his head up from the table. “You are terrible,” he said. “Don’t pretend you weren’t happy to see her go.” I said. Malfoy rolled his eyes but he was smiling. I leaned forward on the table and dropped my voice. “You need to tell me something, don’t you?” “No, why do you ask?” Malfoy acted nonchalant. I sighed. “Please don’t lie to me. I thought we agreed we weren’t going to keep secrets from each other. Not about that,” I said. Malfoy stood up. “I have to go. Nice ring.” And once again, he walked off, leaving completely confused.