Yours for Mine ~ Sequel Edmund x Reader Hogwarts AU

A Dark Mark

(Image not mine)

Strange things were beginning to happen around Hogwarts. They weren't very noticeable, but noticeable enough that I realized something was amiss in the shadows.

First, the two small birds that took residence in a cage in one of the corridors disappeared one after the other. They haven't returned. Then there were the voices late at night. On multiple occasions, I've heard two voices from the other side of the walls when I used the secret passageways late at night. When I looked out to see who was there, they were gone.

Finally, the most disturbing of them all. For the first time since I'd known him, Draco looked scared. Fragile and tired, it was obvious his mind was elsewhere. And if the dark circles under his eyes weren't enough proof, I could tell by his fidgety tendencies that he was very anxious about something.

Edmund was similar, but not as bad. He was anxious and tired, but not in an overly concerning way. It was hard to observe him at all since I wasn't supposed to be paying attention to him. But it was hard not to.

I had a feeling Draco and Edmund were wrapped up in something far more dangerous than their other Slytherin buddies were doing. I wanted to know what it was, but I also knew that I had promised Ed to stay away.

That is why Lucy and I distracted ourselves by attending Slughorn's parties. They were never the best, but they always had good food, which meant Lucy and I attended fairly often. Thankfully, Susan had mailed a couple of evening gowns back from their manor for us to wear to these events. Otherwise, we would be completely out of place. Everyone wore fine evening dresses and dress robes as they flitted about the room, socializing and taking pictures with Slughorn.

I'm pretty sure Slughorn was collecting our pictures like baseball cards, which is why he so eagerly fought to get photos with us every time we attended. We'd managed to escape him this time and took shelter by the food tables. Ginny was already there, clad in an emerald green dress that made her hair pop.

With a mouthful of tarts, she said, "My date's left me for a group of girls over there,"

I followed her finger to a corner where a few guys stood chatting with a group of giggling girls. I cringed and turned back to her to pick up a tart as well, "You're date's an ass,"

She shrugged in agreement, "Just a random Gryffindor I took pity on. Guess I shouldn't have. He didn't deserve me anyway."

"Never heard truer words," Lucy laughed, "I say we spend the night stuffing ourselves to the brim."

"I can't," Ginny groaned, "I've got a match tomorrow. I don't want to hurl all over the audience, do I?"

I dropped my tart, "Oh, no. I'm the one you're playing against! I can't eat too much either."

Lucy laughed at our disappointed expressions. We shook it off and allowed ourselves a few treats as we chatted. Ginny retired early to get some rest before the game while I stayed with Lucy. We had to duck away a few times to avoid Slughorn, but overall the evening was a success.

It was chilly when we left the party. The sun had fallen behind the horizon and storm clouds gathered overhead, threatening to spill rain at any moment. Lucy and I held onto each other's arms as we crossed through the courtyard with a couple of other people from Slughorn's party.

"Go to your houses," McGonagall shouted from the edge of the courtyard, ushering a few people inside. She looked unsettled as she looked up at the sky for a second, "No dawdling!

Lucy and I quickened our pace, feeling the darkness too. There was something brewing in those clouds, something evil.

"Look," Lucy whispered, pointing at the astronomy tower, "Did you see that? Someone just apparated."