The Dark Angel

Chapter 63- Father's Victory

(STELLA P.O.V)

Every day when I would open my eyes, I would look at my ceiling in my dorm. The twinkling stars of my favourite constellation Carina would greet me, but today they seemed to be warning me. The despair and doom of the last night was still fresh on my mind- my father’s capture by me nonetheless, Sirius’s petrification, the tweaking of the potion- how could it get worse? Guess, I shouldn’t have jinxed it!

I came down to the Great Hall for lunch, having practically slept through the morning. As I descended down the stairs, I was yet again greeted by ominous stares and whispers. Ignoring the unsettling feeling in my stomach, I looked for my friends. Astoria and Daphene were giving me dirty looks, which promptly held me back from talking to them. I couldn’t find Draco, Crabbe or Goyle anywhere. Blaise was also nowhere to be seen. Frowning, I left the common room to go to the Great Hall alone.

As soon as I entered the hall, it hushed. People yet again started whispering and pointing at me. The members of DA were giving me pitying looks, unlike the glaring looks of the rest. I sat by myself and ate my lunch quietly, ignoring the feeling. I glanced up and caught the eye my new reinstated headmaster. He nodded to a paper lying on the table.

“May I borrow this?” I asked to a second year. The boy whimpered in fear and ran away without a word. Now, I was definitely confused. Do I have some fangs or what?

Shrugging, I read the headline- “HE- WHO- MUST- NOT- BE- NAMED RETURNS”

As I read the lines that followed the paper, the more tensed and upset did I get.

“… a number of Death Eaters have been apprehended in the Ministry of Magic by the Order of the Phoenix. One of them was the notable, so-called ‘philanthropist’, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. He was judged to be working with Him during the first war, but he convinced people to be under the influence of the Imperius Curse…”

Okay! Now I know why people have been running away from me and glaring at me! They thought I was my father- well, with my reputation I could care less about.

What hurt me was how the Greengrasses looked at me- like I was some contaminated criminal! News flash people- I turned him in!

Sighing with disappointment, I continued reading, “… Lucius Malfoy was brought down by a twenty-year-old French witch. Nobody knows the name of our saviour, except for the members of the Order of the Phoenix who have refused to share any knowledge. However, before being carried away to the Azkaban, Mr Malfoy did make a startling comment, ‘Her name is Armonia and she claimed to be Dumbledore’s grand-daughter. She also works in some sort of school.’ The words of the deranged and cunning Death Eater have caused some commotion in the wizarding world. Albus Dumbledore has refused to give any comment on the matter…”

Oh! my Merlin! This is bad, very bad! My truth is out! What will I do now? What about Dumbledore?

I started shaking and my hair was starting to turn green in its tips. People were now staring at my hair as though it would detonate like a bomb. I was going to give away another secret of mine to the world and I couldn’t control it.

“Relax my grand-daughter, relax! Nothing is going to happen. Please believe me,” Dumbledore soothingly said in my mind. How he got through my walls in occumulency is beyond me! “Take a deep breath. Nothing will happen. The Death Eater will try to look for you but when Armonia Diligitis doesn’t exist, they won’t find anyone. You will be safe.”

His words made sense and I gradually calmed down. My hair that had attracted loads of attention was still green in its tips. Deciding to take the matters in my hand, I cast the Dark Angel’s sign and made my body green.

People started laughing and jeering at me, some whispering that I deserved it but without a word, I walked off the Great Hall with the same elegance as I always had. As soon as I stepped on the grounds of my school, I undid the appearance. I sat under a tree facing the Black Lake. I dipped my hand in the cool water and let it’s calming feeling go through me.

“I knew you would be here,” came the voice of my boyfriend, Blaise Zabini. I jumped in surprise and turned around. In front of me was the angry looking man I liked. Looking at his face, I knew that we were over- he didn’t want to be associated with people who supported the Kraken. That day in the common room his expressions were as clear as water.

He continued standing, his expressions aloof but his eyes showed pain. “Last night, I was thinking of proclaiming my love for you, but when you came back you were hexed. I banged on your door to let me in that I didn’t care about your looks but you remained adamant. I let you go thinking that it was probably for the best. Believe me, when I saw the paper today, I was more than glad about it.”

He said it all in a casual tone but I could hear the anger and disappointment underneath it.

“I believe you,” I said in a futile manner to lighten up things but his glare shut me up. For the first time in my life, I was feeling pain- the pain of love and emptiness. I felt the pain for my father- for what both of us had done. Now, I saw I cared for Blaise- a lot. And his rejection was shooting waves of pain throughout my system.

“You are a daughter of a Death Eater. You knew Potter wasn’t lying but you didn’t tell me. Why? Why give me false assurance that you won’t go to the Dark side. Why?” Blaise asked desperately. A drop of tear fell from his eyes. I didn't know he cared that much. Shocked, I made my way to him and tried to take his hands into mine but he backed off.

My eyes were brimming with tears as well but I held them back. If he cared about me and as he said loved me, then he would understand. I was not my father. He wouldn't care about his reputation and still accept me. 

“I was scared. I was scared you would leave me if you knew the truth,” I whispered softly, looking at the ground.

A minute of silence passed by but it felt like an eternity to me. My eyes never left the ground afraid of the emotions of pain I would see in his eyes- the ones I was the reason to.

“You are right! I don’t want to be with a liar and moreover, a Death Eater’s daughter. You know what I think Potter was right- maybe you have been lying to me since the whole time.” his voice rose with each word.

My silence was the only answer I was greeted with. I could see him shaking and this time I couldn't do anything to hold him back. 

"We are done!" he shouted at my face. He walked off without another glance in my direction- never seeing my shaking body or my brown hair of sadness or the tears that silently slipped from my eyes.