Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The First Chapter

Ch. 4 - Death Eaters

5 Years Later

It had been five long years, each day even more grueling than the last. However, for the past week there had been screams, crashes, yells, clangs and other horrific noises coming from below me, Jenny and James up in the attic.

We had learned to survive on our own. I had taught myself how to catch mice, rats and the occasional bat; James had taught himself how to start a fire without burning us all alive and finally; Jenny had taught herself how to calm both of us down, cook food over James' fires and take care of all of us with a sense of absolute reassurance.

We worked as a unit, and had come to trust each other with our lives. We had all grown up together and knew one another inside out, to the last hair on my tail to the bottom of Jenny's long, dark hair. People said (in the books, at least) 'the water's sweet but the blood is thicker' but not for us. Though, we were all forced to be independent at such a young age that it almost overwhelmed us all. Each of us were one another's salvation and sanity.

I was munching hungrily on the wing of a freshly-hunted bat. There was no shortage of food, nor liquid as the milk given to us five years back was enchanted with a refillable water spell. Every time one bottle was finished, the other would be full up with water. Anyway, I heard the familiar crack of bones as I broke the bat in half, huffing gently when I got blood on my muzzle. Despite the dust and grime in the attic, I despised getting my fur dirty - still do. By then, my wings had started to grow. They were small and I couldn't use them yet, though I was hopeful that one day I would be able to fly away from this place with my two best friends on my back. It wasn't painful at all, in fact, it felt a bit weird. The perks of being a Shadow Claw, I guessed.

James was sitting by the small, circular window that he cleaned every day. It became a habit of his, as he liked to stare out and overlook the world outside. He spoke up, "Can you hear that?" He asked quietly. I peered over at Jenny who was drinking some water; she nodded and looked at me. I nodded too, getting up from my eating place on top of a dusty, old box and padded up to James. The three of us met in a small circle and an ear-splitting silence echoed through the attic as we waited for something, anything.

A loud scream, louder than any we'd heard before, shattered the atmosphere. I winced, flicking my ears painfully. "They're in the house." Jenny whispered, clapping a hand over her mouth to avoid gasping. James nodded, "But that's not all."

See, James had like a sixth sense. He had certain senses that even I, being a feline, did not have. "They're Death Eaters." He said, his eyes fearful. He, out of all of us, knew more about Death Eaters than me and Jenny combined, though Jenny did read all the books stored away in the boxes scattered across the attic.

We froze as the forever-locked attic door clicked as it... unlocked. "Hide. Now." I ordered, managing to get control over my legs again. James scattered back to his bed, hidden behind a mound of books, boxes, dirty rags and broken pieces of furniture. I grabbed the back of Jenny's shirt and tugged her into the safest place I knew; the broom storage cupboard. It may have been dark, quite cold and rather damp but I valued Jenny and James' lives over mine, and for all of us vice versa.

Jenny opened her mouth to protest, but I slammed the trapdoor shut and darted behind a set of pots and sacks filled with who-knows-what just as the attic door creaked open and footsteps sounded through the area.

"I know you're here. I can smell you little pests." A female, crazed voice came, yet from the steps on the creaking floorboards, I noted that there were about six or seven Death Eaters. I allowed myself a peek over the debris and then lowered my head again, seeing seven people. I racked my brain for something Jenny had told me about Death Eaters in the books. Ah! I memorized that the voice came from a woman known as Bellatrix Lestrange. She had wavy locks of raven hair, wild eyes and pale skin.

I also noted that all Death Eaters were dangerous and had history of raids when their leader, Lord Voldemort (He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named), needed something... or someone.