The Forgotten Riddle: Darkness Descending

Chapter 20: Advice Not Taken

A/n: I know I'm the worst person ever and I have nothing but excuses all the time. I can't even explain wh I haven't uploaded, it's just been lower on the totem pole after all the things I have to do. Mini life update which may or may not affect uploads: I went to prom, I have finals next week, I graduate in two weeks and have work the next to weekends and every day starting the 24th. Ill figure out a decent schedule so I can get the sequel up in a timely manner. Enjoy!

Elizabeth's POV

"What's wrong with your arm, then?" Ron asked through a mouthful of eggs the next morning, as I had hissed in pain and clutched my arm as the Mark burned. It was practically invisible, and to a muggle they would probably think it was an oddly shaped birth mark, but to anyone at Hogwarts, especially Dumbledore or Snape, they would know exactly what it was. So would Draco.

"Nothing," I murmured, rubbing the spot absently. "I fell in the lavatory and caught my arm on the faucet." Ron like at me for a moment unsure as to whether it not he should believe me, but then he shrugged and continued in with his breakfast.

"What's the matter, Neville?" Dean Thomas was asking as Hermione, sitting next to me, paid the owl that delivered the Daily Prophet. I turned towards Neville to ask what his problem was, but before I could Hermione gasped and slammed the paper onto the table, rattling the goblets and plates around her. Ron, Harry, and I stared at the front page; in large letters MASS AZKABAN BREAKOUT stared back at us, and underneath showcased a picture of the prison with a huge chunk missing from the stone wall that seemed to have exploded and the faces of the 9 escaped Death Eaters.

Harry and Ron listened attentively as Hermione read the article, making animated comments here and there. I, however, was more intrigued by the photo of the only female Death Eater in the page: Bellatrix Lestrange. She looked very thin, emaciated almost, and her teeth looked rotted and broken. Her eyes were sunken in and wild looking as well as her hair which was a mass of black curls. Her face looked incredibly familiar, but I didn't know why.

Reading the caption under her photo, I suddenly understood what was wrong with Neville; "Bellatrix Lestrange-known Death Eater and convicted if the tortures of the Aurors, Frank and Alice Longbottom." She was the reason Neville's parents were stuck in St. Mungo's, insane (when my family had visited my dad we had run into Neville and his grandmother visiting his parents).

Hermione close the paper, shaking her head in disgust, as Harry whispered something to Neville. I looked around as the news of what had happened slowly seeped throughout the Great Hall and people started talking about it. I caught Draco's eye across the room and he looked back at me sadly. He tried to hold my gaze but I looked away, focusing on what Harry and Hermione were talking about.

Draco and I hadn't really spoken since Hogsmeade. We were both angry with each other about the others behavior. I wasn't sure if we were still together or not and I didn't know if he even wanted to be.

"Don't worry, Harry. When Luna's father puts out your interview everyone will know the truth and the Ministry won't be able to blame Sirius," Hermione was saying. Oh, so the Ministry of Magic was suggesting that Sirius had something to do with the breakout, not that it was true. Harry looked up at the main table, and I followed his gaze, noting how all the teachers were either reading or talking about the story. Well, all except for two.

Umbridge was staring, very angrily into her bowl of porridge, obviously livid that her precious Minister is probably under fire for the disaster. Snape was staring at me, a weird look on his face. He caught my eye and frowned, then nodded at the doors. I sighed and got up, waving away questions, and left, standing by the Great Stairs to wait for my teacher.

"Come," Snape said as he swept passed me and walked down the stairs towards the dungeons. I followed him, reluctantly, into his office and plopped down into the rickety chair in front of his desk while he shut the door.