The Truth Revealed [Sequel to The Malfoy's Secret]

Chapter 1

I don't own any of the characters apart from Melanie Malfoy. All of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
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I guess I should start explaining how I got to this point. Well, it all started about two weeks after the funeral. The funeral that no one in my family or the Death Eater group knows I went to. Even the Dark Lord seemed oblivious to the fact I had snuck back into Hogwarts, for which I was very grateful.

The outburst I had with the twins has been stuck in the back of my mind ever since it happened. Even now, it still sticks out as something that confuses me. I don't know why I even tried to retaliate to them, it was such a stupid move.

If you was meant to be keeping a low profile, would you go and do something like that? No, exactly, because it's a risky move. You should see a reoccurring pattern throughout my story of the year. I didn't exactly think a lot before I acted on a lot of things. It did get me to here though, so I guess I must have been doing something right.

Anyway, nothing got back to the Dark Lord's followers, which means nothing got back to him. My cover was still safe and I never told anyone I had returned to see the funeral of the greatest wizard of all time. Not even Draco. He'd probably skin me alive if he knew. Oh, he's also become a lot more protective over me, but that's another story.

Two weeks after the funeral, the Dark Lord held a meeting to discuss how he was going to, and I quote, 'rid the world of Harry Potter'. It was a very cheery meeting, if you couldn't tell...

Everyone was gathered around the table. To be honest, it would have been like any other meeting, apart from the fact that this one had a body hanging over the top. Yeah, you understand how this was weird. It was an old Hogwarts professor who I saw from my time there. Charity Burbage, I think her name was.

We were waiting for Snape, Yaxley and the Dark Lord himself to turn up so that we could start the meeting. Unlike usual, the whispers that travelled around the table were even quieter and more subdued that they normally were. They knew something big/terrifying was going to happen.

The Dark Lord was yet to grace us with his presence. I couldn't take my eyes away from the door, waiting to see who was going to come through it. My mind was still at an unease, as it always was around the Dark Lord. I had also been learning Occlumency from Draco while we'd been off. Luckily, I'd picked it up quite quickly, otherwise I might not have dared to go to that meeting.

Draco, I had noticed, couldn't take his eyes off of his old professor. Even though she was the Muggle Studies teacher, I knew he would have still felt kind of attached to her. Not closely, but no matter how many barriers he put up, I knew he didn't like seeing people getting hurt. Even if he didn't particularly like them.

When the Dark Lord finally entered the room, the uneasy atmosphere became even tenser. If that was even possible. The eerie silence that hovered over us was pretty much unbearable from the beginning, but the Dark Lord either didn't notice this, or found it entertaining how uncomfortable we all were.

He took his seat slowly, making sure every eye was on him as he did so. I'm not even over-exaggerating when I say you could cut the tension with a knife. It was clear he wanted to say something, but was waiting for something to happen before doing so.

"Yaxley. Snape," he said, his voice echoing around the silent hall, "You are very nearly late."

The two walked forward, glancing quickly at the body above us as they did. It was clear they didn't know where to sit even though you could see there was only two seats left. No one should defy the Dark Lord though, even when it comes to messing up his seating arrangements, he can be pretty touchy.

"Severus, here," the Dark Lord said, indicating to the seat in his right, "Yaxley, in between Dolohov and Melanie."

My blood ran cold when he said my name. I was almost expecting him to start shouting at me and firing curses at my head or something. Nobody seemed to realise I nearly had a panic attack though, as they were too busy watching Snape take his seat.

I tuned out as they started a conversation about Potter. Every time I'd heard his name since the night on the Astronomy Tower, I felt a wave of guilt crash into me. From what I'd heard, he wasn't looking for me though, he had his attention solely focused on Snape.

I couldn't help but feel scared though. I had played a part in taking the man who he admired away from him. That's the only thing I can think of when I think of Potter now, he was pretty much without someone to look up to.

"My Lord, I have heard differently," Yaxley said from my side. I jumped, unaware of the close proximity of us before this point. Lesson to learn: never zone out of Death Eater meetings, you can easily suffer heart attacks. I heard a snort of laughter from Draco, but he quickly managed to pass it off as a cough. Don't even ask me how...

While I tried to calm my racing heart, I briefly heard the Dark Lord question whatever Yaxley was talking about. As you might be able to tell, we weren't really briefed on what the meeting was going to be on before we got here, only selected Death Eaters were trusted to find out information.

A calm argument had begun between Yaxley and Snape. Not to be biased towards my old professor, and the guy who stopped me doing the thing that could have ruined my life, but Snape looked to be winning. Everything Yaxley said just got thrown back at him.

"My Lord, I have good news on that score. I have - with difficulty, and after great effort - succeeded in placing the Imperius Curse upon Pius Thicknesse."

This sparked the attention of everyone on the table. Everyone apart from Draco and I that is. In fairness, I hadn't been listening to a word that had been said, so I didn't understand anything, and Draco was still solely focused on the body floating clearly above our heads. I think he'd gone into a deep sleep with his eyes open, he'd hardly moved in about half an hour.

The Dark Lord started addressing my father, and even though I hate the man, the look of pure horror on his face made me want to run up and hug him. Mother reached her hand across to his under the table as he slowly pulled his wand out of his pocket and passed it down the table. The Dark Lord held it up to his eyes and examined it closely.

"What is it?"

A stream of panic raced through me. I wasn't completely sure what was happening, but the tone of his voice, including the slight hiss, made me feel like he had something bad in mind when it came to my family. Nevertheless, my father answered him; "Elm, my Lord."

After a few seconds, I saw a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye. The second the Dark Lord held his wand up, my father's hand twitched, almost as if he was expecting to receive that one in return. I rolled my eyes and looked down at the table, how could my family be so stupid? Sometimes it felt like I was the only sane one.

Mind you, I am currently sat in a Death Eater meeting, so others would probably disagree...

"Why do the Malfoys look so unhappy with their lot?" the Dark Lord whispered menacingly. My head shot up to look in his direction, scared of what he was going to say next, "Is my return, my rise to power, not the very thing they professed to desire for so many years?"

"Of course my Lord," father said, nervously wringing his hands together. "We did desire it - we do."

Mother stiffly nodded her head, pulling her hand away from father's. Draco's eyes were looking everywhere but at the Dark Lord, scared to make eye contact or even look at him.

The rest of the meeting passed in a blur after that. I vaguely remember seeing the professor be killed in front of us all after being jeered at. Then the snake heading towards her, but Draco pulled me closer and made sure I had covered my eyes so I didn't have to see anything. Everything was pretty much going in my favour, I hadn't been picked on or had any attention brought on myself, at least that's what I thought.

The Dark Lord dismissed us all, waving his hands in a care-free gesture, willing us all out of his sights. I, personally, was more than happy to oblige, but just as I reached the huge doors that lead out of our dining room, I heard the voice I least wanted to hear.

"Melanie, Severus, would you mind staying back please? I need to have a word with you." His words sounded polite, and if I hadn't turned around to look at him before he finished his sentence, I wouldn't have guessed it was him.

I slowly waked back, avoiding looking at the many eyes that were trained so carefully on me. Within seconds, Draco was at my side, his hand in a death lock around my arm. Since I had come home after the funeral, Draco had been stuck to me like glue. The only time he ever let me out of his sight was when I needed to use the bathroom, even then he was just sat outside the door.

He was taking the term 'protective older brother' to a whole new level.

"Draco, this doesn't concern you. Melanie is a big girl now, I'm sure she will be just fine on her own," the Dark Lord said, still keeping up the politeness in his voice. Draco glanced at me, and I gave him a small nod, telling him I would be fine. Reluctantly, he let go of my arm and stiffly walked out the room.

"To what do we owe the pleasure my Lord?" Snape asked, his voice calm as he looked at the snake-like man in front of us.

"I have some news about your beloved school," he said, all pretence in his voice gone, "Severus, you will be acting as head teacher this year, making sure the measurements we talked about are placed and kept to."

I didn't have to know what they were talking about to know this was a bad thing. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach, and the urge to throw up was so strong I didn't think I could manage to keep it down.

"Now Melanie, you also have an important job at Hogwarts this year," he said calmly, turning his red eyes to look at me. I squirmed under his look but didn't turn away from him. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

"This might sound like I'm questioning you, my Lord, but I thought you said I wouldn't be returning back to Hogwarts this year?" my voice was barely above a whisper, but I was scared to speak any louder in case my voice started to shake.

"Well, you're not wrong Melanie, we've just had a change of plan. You and Draco will both be remaining in Hogwarts for the beginning of this year. That much is definite as things stand at the moment. Depending on what happens in the first few months, will determine how much longer you stay there."

I nodded, scared to say anything that would cause him to either laugh at me or hex me. In all honesty, with the Dark Lord, he could easily do one and then the other. He continued to sit and stare at me though, so I swallowed and then forced the words out of my throat.

"What will I be doing at Hogwarts that's different to last year?" I asked, my voice cracking mid way through. I coughed nervously, trying not to give away the fact that I felt like I could faint at any moment.

"You will be the Head Girl this year. As you may have heard, we are installing some new, rules. You will make sure that every student is obeying them and not going against the new measures we are putting in. No one else can know I've given you this job, if anyone asks, Severus was the one that appointed you."

"Okay," I nodded, placing my hands behind my back. They were shaking madly, I'm surprised no one had noticed yet. "Erm, what are these new rules?"

"There are a lot of them, so we're going to wait until you arrive to brief you in on them all. Just know that if the other students aren't following the rules, you need to make sure they get given a suitable punishment," he smiled at me, sending shivers down my spine. It was a very sadistic smile that suddenly made me worry for all the children that would be joining or returning to the place I love.

"Like, I give them the punishment? Or take them to someone who will?"

"You will give them the punishment if it's in the corridor or common rooms. If it's in a classroom, then you have to make sure that the teacher gives the suitable punishment. The teachers will now of your powers before you arrive," the Dark Lord told me, the sadistic smile still in place.

"Okay, great?" I replied, glad my answer came out more as a question than a sarcastic remark, which was what I had been expecting.

"Oh, and one thing before we leave. You will be travelling to Hogwarts with Severus a month before the school year starts."

"Isn't that...?"

"Miss Malfoy, I will meet you at the gates to Malfoy Manor in three days. Eight o'clock sharp. I don't expect you to be late for you first day on the job," Snape said. Quickly after, he pulled him cloak around him and flowed out of the room.

I stared after him, mouth open in shock, hoping he would come back and possibly yell: "psych!" I was wishing with pretty much all my heart, but I was forgetting one thing. This was Severus Snape, he doesn't do joking around.

"Well, if that's all..." I trailed off, walking towards the big doors for the second time that evening. And for the second time, I was stopped before I could even reach forward for the door handle.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you Melianie, don't let me down."

I nodded, avoiding looking in his eyes so he couldn't see the pure terror I knew was held there. I finally managed to reach the door handle and pulled it open and sprained out without even bothering to look back.

At least I get t go back to the place I love. Yeah, that was my thought before I actually arrived. You would have loved to have seen my face when I finally got here. How wrong I was, and that was only the beginning.
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Hi guys! I know it's took me forever, and I really am sorry, I've been working on this chapter in small chunks for the past few weeks, but because if sixthform I've just had no time. But you should be happy, I'm meant to be writing a history essay right, but I felt like I owed you a chapter.

I know it's pretty crap, but it's only getting started. Not every single detail abut her seventh year will be in the book either, just the most important things that matter to Mel. So, I hope you like it anyway.

I will try and get the next chapter up a lot quicker than this one. I only have one more week of this term left and then am off for a week, so I will have more time to work on the next chapter. But, remember to vote and comment and let people know about the story.

Until next time,
C x