The Mudblood

Chapter 95 : Year 5

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Lainey,
I was thrilled to hear from Dumbledore that you returned to Hogwarts for the new term, but I'm still curious as to where you were in August. Madam Malkin said she hadn't seen you recently, and Tonks and I are worried about you. Are you doing all right? We miss you and hope the best for you in school. We will see you over the winter holiday.
Also, I've enclosed a small gift that I'm supposed to say is from me, but really it's from a "secret" admirer—I think you know who.
Stay safe.
Love, Uncle Remus

My lips twisted as I read over my uncle's words. His letter didn't tie my stomach in a knot the way that Fred's had, but I still felt overwhelming guilt when I glossed over words like "worried" and "love". I never wanted Lupin to feel so concerned about my well-being, especially when I was not doing well at all. And certainly, the last thing I needed right now was for people to love me. The concept that anyone could love me when I had this Mark on my arm was unfathomable. And then, when I removed the "gift" that he'd stuffed into the envelope, an entirely new wave of nausea ensued.

It was a gummy candy wrapped in a clear, unlabeled plastic wrap, through which I could see that it was a green-colored Dark Mark. My skin grew hot and itchy at the thought that Fred—who was, no doubt, my "secret admirer"—knew about the real Dark Mark on my arm. He couldn't know, could he? But then why else would he send me this candy over any of the others? They had so many candy products and he'd sent me an Edible Dark Mark. He was accusing me—he had to be accusing me—but then, I noticed, on the back of the plastic wrapper, a small note in black ink: For whichever Slytherin is irking you most.

I knew it was a personal message from Fred to myself. It had to be; there was no way they were that explicit on the candies that the sold to the public. And, as I suddenly remembered the sign in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes above the Edible Dark Marks, I felt the faint hatching of a smirk on my lips.

"Did you get another letter from your precious Weaselbee?" Draco Malfoy sneered as he peered over my shoulder. We were sitting in the Great Hall, actually, at the Slytherin table, eating breakfast before the second day of classes commenced. I hadn't eaten much of anything, as usual, since I was too preoccupied by my uncle's letter, which Malfoy was now trying to read. I crumpled up the parchment in my hand before he could read more than "Lainey".

"Are you really still with him, then?" he prompted with irritation. "I thought you broke up with him?"

"I did break up with Fred," I retorted exasperatedly. "I don't get letters from him anymore, and if I do, I don't read them." I glanced over in Pansy's direction, as she sat chatting with Daphne on Malfoy's other side, and then lowered my voice. "All of my attention has to go into the task, I'm sure you know."

He narrowed his grey eyes at me but before he could make a sassy retort, Pansy was tugging on his arm.

"Draco, tell us how you were able to do those nonverbal spells so easily in Defense yesterday," she urged, staring up at him with starry eyes. "You were just magnificent."

Malfoy glowed in the attention that his fellow sixth years' gave him. "Well, naturally. Growing up in a pureblood home, you can imagine that I've been taught a fair deal of powerful magic. I'm obviously more advanced than those of tainted blood, especially the Mudbloods."

His comment was clearly directed at me, and as his friends all snickered, I simply rolled my eyes and began to regret not sitting on the other side of Melody. Sitting next to annoying Carl Vaisey and his snooty friend Noah Palmer was certainly better than sitting anywhere near Malfoy and his goons. But, unfortunately, I was now the main target of their mockery, and I couldn't try to wiggle my way out, as my only Slytherin friends present were Astoria, who was crying into her elbow, and Melody, who was reading and not to be disturbed. Ashley had Prefect duty, Harper and Anderson were with Smellfoy, and I was stuck here, resisting the violent urge to steal Melody's Target Knife and stab someone.