Chapter 21
Amy's POV
I skipped down the hallway happily towards my common room. I was really excited about telling Draco - then suddenly I remembered that we weren't friends anymore. I scowled. I hated not being his friend. I opened the door and walked in. People began looking at me. They still were pretty upset with me about what I had said to Pansy and Draco.
I went right up to my dormitory. It was almost Easter. Just another week and I would be off to the Burrow or whatever they called it. I wasn't particularly excited about having to share a house with the Weasleys ... the biggest pack of blood traitors I've ever known. And then I would be in the Order of the Phoenix. Wasn't really looking forward to that either.
I guess, though, that I would be gaining some really good information about the Order. Dad would be proud.
That's all that really matters anyway.
Hermione's POV
I was getting anxious. Harry had told me about what Sirius said. About letting Amelia into the Order of the Phoenix. Well, meeting her, at least.
"Hmmm," I said out loud. I was trying to think of a way to prove to Harry and Ron that she wasn't all that great. Yeah, I guess she was nice ... and she had the looks that I would never have ...
I mentally kicked myself. I couldn't be comparing myself to her. Not now. People were leaving the dormitory for classes. This would be a good time to confront her. We had the same class today. I got my stuff and got ready to leave.
Amy's POV
I stood in the back of Care of Magical Creatures class. Hermione kept shooting me weird glances. I didn't know what they were for. Hopefully it wasn't a serious deal, but I kept an eye out for her nonetheless.
We were paired off in class. I, coincidentally, was paired with Hermione. She smiled when I walked over to her. Her smile, as friendly as it was, was hiding something behind it. Almost smugness. Maybe, even, as if she was about to prove something to the world. Maybe as if she was going to tell everyone about me.
Ha! I thought. Like she knows. She couldn't find out.
"Ready to get to work?" Hermione asked, as if she was the teacher around here. As if she was the boss.
"Sure thing," I said.
We were working on describing the main features of a bowtruckle. They were ugly little things. I found myself annoyed by them. Hermione thought they were interesting. Leave it to a Mudblood to suck up to Hagrid like that.
I guess I was lucky, though, being paired up with Hermione. She was a filthy Mudblood, but she was still smart, and she was gonna get me a good grade. I owed her for that.
After class, I walked back up to the school with Hermione. I decided to talk to her, maybe to see if she was suspicious. At least get a sense of what was freaking her out so much.
"So," I said. "Are you excited for Easter?"
"A little," she replied. "You're gonna be at the Burrow, right?"
"Yeah, are you gonna be there?" I asked.
"I'm going to come a few days late," she answered. "It'll be fun to have you there."
"Thanks," I said. She didn't seem wary. On the contrary, she seemed very friendly. I walked with her for a little while longer.
"Is Slytherin okay?" she asked. "Harry told me that you were kind of sick of them."
"It's fine," I said. "I guess it's okay. I mean, you guys are more of my friends than they are. There are some people who are okay. Like Teddy. He's really nice."
"Yeah, he's always seemed alright," Hermione said. "It's good that you have one person that you can talk to."
Hermione seemed uninterested. Although she looked happy, she seemed to be distracted. Stalling, even. I wasn't sure what was up with her. I decided to play it cool and just keep talking to her. Best not show any weakness in these sorts of circumstances.
"Yeah, it is," I agreed. "Really helpful."
Things got really weird when instead of going through the front doors of the castle, she turned around it.
"Hey, uh, Hermione?" I asked. "Where are you going?"
"Follow me!" she exclaimed. "I want to show you something."
That was odd. Hermione had never come across as the really adventurous, rule-breaking type. And now she was running off into the woods? I was extremely confused. What went on in those Mudbloods' heads I had no clue.
I followed her until she went into the Forbidden Forest. Then I stopped. Not that I was afraid of going into the Forbidden Forest, but I was extremely confused about what was going on.
"Where are you going!" I asked again, louder and a little more forcefully this time.
She turned around and faced me, but there was not friendliness in her eyes, but rage. Hermione glared at me with so much hatred. More hatred than Slytherin vs Gryffindor, I knew. Fury like she's hated me since she was born. Like she knew who I was.
"I know what you're doing," Hermione said. Her voice was confident, unwavering. Her eyes practically shot daggers.
I laughed. "What?" I asked. "Hermione, what are you talking about?"
"I know you're trying to get into the Order of the Phoenix. I'm not stupid," Hermione told me. She took a step closer to me.
"Listen, Hermione," I began. "I have no idea what you're talking about. If I did something ..." I tried to put on my best show of innocence. I shrugged helplessly, keeping my eyes wide and innocent.
"You've got Ron and Harry wrapped around your finger," she said. "I see right through you. Now, I don't know if you're a Death Eater or something -"
"Hey!" I exclaimed. "You can't just go around accusing people of that, now can you? That's kinda really serious."
"If I have good reason," Hermione retorted angrily. "A new student at the school, sorted into Slytherin just happens to hear about the Order of the Phoenix and wants to join. She has the two people in this school - apart from the teachers - who know about the Order the best completely controlled. I don't know, but it sounds suspicious to me."
It was my turn to get mad. "And you thought you ... you could stop me?" I asked. I knew I was telling her who I was, that I was completely giving myself away, but at this point I didn't care.
"I'm the most powerful person you've ever met! That you'll ever meet!" I cried, almost hysterical. It was my turn to advance towards her. "You can't stop me! I'm getting into that Order, and no one can stop me! Not you, not Harry Bloody Potter, not even Dumbledore himself!"
"Who - who are you?" Hermione asked, fear in her voice.
I laughed, my voice cold and empty. "I'm his daughter," I said. I stuck out my hand. "Amy Riddle, nice to meet you."
Hermione's POV
I stepped back in shock. No, I thought. No, she couldn't be. I knew she was suspicious, but not this.
She glared at me with so much defiance. I could see it now. Her dark hair and empty eyes, her pallid complexion, her arrogance and cruel attitude. And if she was who she said she was ... then I couldn't take her in a fight. I could try, but I probably wouldn't win. I didn't know how much power she had. She could be strong enough to compare even to Voldemort himself.
I stepped back a little more. Maybe I could get away if I run, I thought. But I probably wouldn't make it. She could kill me. I didn't doubt that she would try.
But I did what I knew I had to do. I ran. I didn't get very far.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Amy cried.
I felt my limbs snap together. I fell to the ground and was stuck. I couldn't move.
"Nice try," Amy said. The smugness in her voice almost made me sick. "But - like I said - you can't stop me. Me, the daughter of Lord Voldemort himself. As if you could. I'll get into the Order eventually. And there's nothing anyone can do to stop me from doing what I want."
She stared down at me. I did all I could and I glared up at her. I hated her.
"But we can't have you telling people, now can we?" she asked. "Hm, what should I do?" she wondered, mock thoughtfully. "Shall I torture you? Shall I kill you?" She put a finger on her chin as if she was thinking hard. "I'd rather wait for your friends to see you die, so I'll excitedly wait for that day. Oh! I know," she said happily. She pointed her wand at me. I hoped she wouldn't kill me. She seemed to read my thoughts.
"No, I'm not going to kill you," Amy said. "I'm just going to make it so you don't remember a thing. Then you can't get in my way ever again." She laughed a chilling laugh.
"Obliviate!"