A Flurry Of Crimson

Chapter 10 | Massacre

The Dark Lord has been being furious, I've heard whispers here and there about him losing something powerful enough to make him vulnerable. He sweeps in the great hall of the estate, between dead corpses of his victims, feet glistening in traces of crimson blood, his black cloak slithering after him into the pool of what his evilness has caused.

His large serpent coils into the corpses in pursuing him as he talks what I assume is Parseltongue. It all looks like some scene of a huge massacre.

He turns towards me, his eyes like red stone forging into some roaring fire as they lay upon me. Heat floods in my cheeks as I suck in a breath.

"I'm afraid it's you who can help me develop more power, you," he speaks, towering over me.

My head lowered down, "Anything-"is the only word that comes out of my mouth.

I look up at the corners of my eyes to see his eyes narrowing at the blond behind me, "Soon enough, it'll be done, only when I demand to."

He takes his hand, clads off the sleeve of his black shirt, a smile creeping on his lips in pleasure to see the Dark Mark.

I have no idea of what is the point of it.
At night, I stay awake, waiting for Ethan to come. Today is another day of practicing Occlumency. I have taken about six sessions with him, and he's quite an expert in the subject.

I'm entirely trusted by them, for foremost battles between the DE and DA have been awared of, and we've been able to fight and win because of me.

But that has made me disloyal to the Dark Lord.

I descend the stairs carefully after cladding myself with a black cloak to make it harder for anyone to spot me.
I see him already next to the large fence to the entry of the Malfoys' boundaries. Ethan looks all around, not aware of my presence. I take the hood covering halfway down my face for a mere moment and whisper,"Hey, it's me."

"Astoria, finally. It's quite horrifying here," he says in return. I stretch my arm into the space between the black rails to catch up with his hand.

Opening my eyes, I find myself at Grimmaud's Place. There are a few members of the DA, packing their trunks to go to Hogwarts. They wear their uniforms of different houses, mostly Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs over some Ravenclaws. No one is in Slytherin house except Hermiabel.

When she sees me, she runs up to my embrace then climb my back. We giggle wildly, and I drop her.

"Are you returning to Hogwarts?" I ask her, frowning at how amazing my memories there were, and now there's no way to return.

"Yes, we have heard news that Snape's headmaster, he may let them access the castle. There are already some DEs in there, destroying. We're going for one reason, to fight. Many are dying and we can't stay here doing nothing to help them."

A strong wave of emotion creates tears in my eyes with how badly I miss home.

The smell of heavy parchment and old wood in the air, the noise that filled up each corner of the halls and staircases bring me nostalgia, and the grounds of Hogwarts beating with jaunty laughs and giggles of students.

The serenity of the Astronomy tower being an extreme relaxation at night, the wind dancing up there causing my brain to calm and discard aching thoughts every time I was having a bad day.

I want to go to Hogwarts again and admire the joyful spirits of everyone genuinely feeling at home. Or even waking up early in the morning and getting dressed with house uniforms to attend our lectures.

Nothing will be how it was before.

I hug her tightly, "Stay safe, please."

"Don't worry," she says, the warmth of her arms around me.