The Brothers Black

Chapter 15

I sat cross-legged at the long oak table of Great Hall, tapping my fingers impatiently on the wooden surface. My long black robes, streaked with deep red silks, swept across the stone floor in unruly piles. The large room was practically empty at this hour, besides a few scrambled students. It was almost 9:00 on a Friday night and everyone had eaten already.

Almost everyone.

I was supposed to meet Bertram in the Great Hall at 8:00, but he still hadn't showed.

Whatever was making him this late had to be very bad. I hoped everything was okay. 

My stomach grumbled for the fifth time. It didn't look like Bertram was coming anytime soon, and I wasn't planning on waiting here forever, so I dove into the chicken pot pie waiting temptingly on the table in front of me. 

When I finished my food, I waited a few more minutes and then begrudgingly started to walk back to my dorm, as disappointed as I could ever be.

"No one must know! You must be sure of it," a voice demanded from across the hall.

I spun around quickly and saw the shadow of an older boy against the dimly lit hallway. A second shadow followed.

"I am sure, Mulciber. Leave me alone," huffed the second voice.

The shadows grew larger and the pair was approaching quickly, so I ducked behind a potted plant and pressed my back against the wall as far as I could, almost morphing myself into the wallpaper to remain out of sight. The conversation continued as the voices rounded the corner. 

"He wants you to do more. If you want the mark, you have to earn it." Mulciber's voice hissed.

The footsteps got closer. I could see the backs of the people talking, one skinny and tall, and the other short and stubby – Mulciber. 

"I've started the new project already. What else does he want me to do?" complained the taller one. At the word "he," his voice dropped to a whisper, as if it was a secret word he was not allowed to be saying.

"He says it's not enough!" Mulciber retorted.

The taller boy wheeled around, obviously aggravated. "It is enough! I can't –" he shouted, but he had just turned directly toward me, and the plant no longer blocked me from this angle. The pitch black eyes of Regulus Black met mine with utter disbelief and fear, emotions I had never seen on him before. 

I bit my tongue to keep from making any noise. He was going to tell Mulciber I was here, and I didn't want to know what Mulciber would do. I had obviously overheard a secret conversation. It was almost after hours, and there was no one here to protect me. Mulciber could finally finish what he started at the Three Broomsticks.

I looked at Black, my hazel eyes begging him to stay silent. As much as I knew he would never help me, I didn't have any other options. 

His scared expression faded into his usual numb demeanor, but he continued to stare straight at me. Mulciber, who had expected Black to say more, threw his hands in the air like he was fed up with the conversation.

"This is the problem, Black. You get distracted too easily. You will never be able to serve him as he needs."

Black still looked my direction. I realized that Mulciber was about to turn around, so I quickly mouthed, "Inlusio,"  tracing my wand in a circle around me. My robes began to melt into the color of my surroundings. If Black was silent, Mulciber would never know I was here. I should have thought of the spell earlier, and I would have been able to avoid the conversation.

"What are you even..." Mulciber turned around, now seeing nothing but a blank wall and a plant.

"Sorry," Black muttered.