Choice's Curse {d.m.}

Timing

I thought for a moment, chewing on my cheek as I decided how to go about this. My trust in Harry was not fully restored, even if he'd apologized, and my trust in him certainly didn't go far enough to expose everything.

"I will, but I have a few conditions," I began, ignoring the way Harry's eyebrows retreated into his hairline. "First, you can't ask about where I saw the mark. I told you I saw it in a book and you can believe me or not, but that's where I saw it. Secondly, as much as I appreciate your apology, getting over some of the things you said to me is going to take time. Frankly, I don't know if I trust you enough to not insult me, so if you do, even once, that's it. I'm not giving you another chance."

"Deal," Harry said as soon as I'd stopped talking. "As long as you promise not to ask where I found what I was talking to Slughorn about."

"Deal."

Harry nodded, content with our arrangement. "It was...I mean, you heard me telling Slughorn what it looked like. Have you ever heard of the Shadow? I'd barely heard of the Dark Mark at all until our fourth year."

"No, honestly, I haven't. I've been in the dark almost as much as you about a lot of stuff concerning Voldemort since I grew up with the Dursleys. I feel like everyone who grew up with magical parents knows so much about all that," Harry said.

I sighed. "I know how you feel. I went to Slughorn because I was too embarrassed to ask anyone else besides Ron and Hermione, and I didn't want to ask them because..."

"Because they would've told me," Harry finished.

"Yeah. That," I confirmed. "Sorry."

Harry waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. I get it. So...so it's what, a stepping stone to the Dark Mark?"

"Maybe?" I answered, not entirely sure. "Maybe it's an initiation thing? Like if you get the Shadow and prove yourself worthy, then you get the Dark Mark?"

There was really nothing else it could be, but I wanted it to be anything besides that.

"Right, that would make sense," Harry mused. "I just wonder why I've never heard of it before."

"Harry," I started a bit uneasily. "How bad-I mean, are the Death Eaters really as terrible as everyone says? I know that's a stupid question, but no one ever really talks about them and I grew up even more isolated from magic than you."

Harry flinched slightly at my question and I immediately felt remorse. "I'm sorry, Harry. God, what a stupid-"

"No, it's okay," he insisted, but he didn't look like it was. "They are...they're awful, Elaine. They...I mean, you know they killed my parents," Harry said softly. "They killed Sirius, too. And my grandfather. And so many other people."

"Are...have any of them ever..."

"Defected? Snape did," Harry said, and I had to fight my body to keep my reaction hidden.

No, he didn't, I wanted to scream. Even if he were playing double agent, anyone would have a hard time convincing me that his true alliance didn't lie with the Dark Lord.

"Sirius' brother...there's rumors," Harry admitted. "I...I've discovered a lot about him while I've been...researching this year."

"But no one else?"

Harry shook his head. "Not truly, no. After the first war, people claimed they were under the Imperius Curse or something similar, but...I don't believe them for a moment. Besides, anyone who wanted to defect would likely be killed before they even got the chance."