Innocence

Chapter 59

CAMILLA'S POV

"Harry!" I yelled as I ran into Gryffindor frantically. Ginny and Hermione were sitting in the common and they looked up at me. "What's wrong?" Ginny asked. "Is everything ok?" Hermione added. "I- I don't know. Where's Harry?" I asked. "I don't know." Hermione said. I ran upstairs and knocked on his dorm door. Ron opened it with a bag of crisps in his hand. "Hey Cam, want a crisp? They are-" he started. "Not now Ron, sorry. Where's Harry?" I asked. "His lessons with Snape. What's wrong?" he asked. "I'm not sure yet." I said. I left Gryffindor and headed down to Snape's room. I knocked on the door a hundred times and finally a very annoyed Snape opened it. "Not now Miss Riddle, I'm-" he started. "I need to see Harry." I said. He looked surprised that I knew. "He's busy," he said. "I would ask if it wasn't important. Please, Nathan is planning something." I said. He sighed and let me in. Harry sat in a chair sweating. He looked exhausted. "Camilla? What are you doing here?" he asked. "What is happening in your dreams?" I asked. "I'm sorry?" he said. "Your dreams Harry. What happens?" I asked. He looked puzzled but answered anyway. "It's like a corridor or a hallway. The worst one was when Mr. Weasley was attacked by a snake. But otherwise they are just jumbled." he said. I nodded. "What is this about Miss Riddle?" he asked. "Nathan. He was gone today. I asked him why. He was taunting me. Telling me how fun it would be to watch us scramble to try and figure out what was going to happen. He thinks we won't figure it out in time. His clue was to ask you about your dreams." I said. "How did he know about my dreams?" Harry said. "Probably because you keep letting Voldemort in." Snape grumbled. "I told you I'm trying my best!" Harry exclaimed. "Your best isn't good enough!" Snape yelled back. I stared at them. "You are done for today. We'll try again in a few days." Snape said. Harry nodded, grabbed his bag, and walked out.

Snape leaned on the desk and sighed. "You don't have to be so hard on him." I said. He turned around to face me and gave me a look. "Do you need something Camilla?" he asked. I shrugged. "Sir, I know it's really none of my business but- well if you're a death eater, shouldn't you be in Azkaban?" I asked. He just looked at me. "Things aren't always what they seem, Camilla. You of all people should know that." he said. He turned back around and began to fiddle with the items on his desk.

Things aren't always what they seem.

"You aren't loyal to him, my father. Are you?" I asked. His head whipped around to look at me. "I have the mark of a death eater Camilla, of course I am loyal to him. I have been one of his-" he started. "I don't believe you." I said. He glared at me. "That's your decision. But your father knows I am loyal to him." he said. I nodded and walked over to his desk. I pulled over a piece of parchment and a quill. Looking away so my eyes didn't see what I wrote, I scribbled out a note.

I knew a while ago. When you took me and Nathan in. If I was going to tell my father, I would have done it already. He rarely looks in my head anymore but even if he does he won't see this. It's alright Sir. I think I know what you're doing. He needs to think you're loyal, it's the only way.

I kept my eyes averted as I slid the paper over to him. Then I stepped back and stared at the floor as he read it. He seemed surprised. I rubbed my arm as it burned again and he slipped the parchment into his robes. "You should be getti-" he started. Then he stopped as his eyes landed on my arm. "What?" I asked. He walked over and reached for my arm. I pulled it away on instinct and he looked at me. "It's alright. Just let me see." he said. I nodded and held out my arm. He lifted my sleeve and revealed my dark mark. He stared at the deep red scratches, the splotches, all of it. "Is it always like this?" he asked. "Yeah." I said. 'Does it hurt even when you aren't being summoned?" he asked. I nodded. "Why are you asking these questions? What's wrong?" I asked. "You- You're rejecting the mark." he said. I looked at him with confusion. "What? What does that mean?" I asked. "It means your body is refusing to accept the dark mark, and the dark magic that goes with it. It's like an infection and your body is fighting it." he said. "Sir, there's no way to remove the mark. We both know that. I even thought about cutting off my arm. But if I tried that, the mark would cause my body to hemorrhage. I would bleed out within minutes." I said. "I know. But there are ways to at least soothe the pain." he said. "How?" I asked. "There's a spell I can teach you," he said. I nodded. He pointed his wand at my arm. "Repeat after me. Commulceo, Commulceo, Commulceo." he said. A coolness covered my arm and the pain ceased. "Bloody hell." I said as I sighed of relief. "Do that whenever the pain becomes too much."he said. I nodded. "Thank you professor." I said. He nodded. "Remember, this won't fix the mark. It simply helps with the pain from the rejection." he said. "How do I heal the rejection?" I asked. He looked at me with concern. "You can't." he said. "What will happen to me? Will my body just keep fighting it?" I asked. "Yes, but you can't win. Eventually, you will-" he stopped. "I'll what? What will happen?" I asked. He sighed. "Your body will stop fighting." he said. I stared at him as my mind tried to process it.

"You'll die." he repeated.