The Dark Mark | Death Eater

5- In Pursuit of Truth

TWO MOTNHS HAD ALMOST PASSED SINCE Alta's return to the orphanage for the summer holidays. Two months had almost passed since the return of Lord Voldemort. For the entire summer Alta had been trying to get information about the matter, sneaking to the Owl Post Office in Diagon Alley to letter Hayes and Coral, hoping they could spare her with knowledge.

Lucius Malfoy and Xanthos Avery had been present at the rebirth of the Dark Lord and he had granted them with his forgiveness, along with every Death Eater who had turned up to the call of their master. However it seemed they refused to tell their children anything regarding the plans of the Dark Lord or their duties as Death Eaters.

Hayes had been keeping an observant eye on Mr Malfoy during summer and informed about his goings to Alta in his letters. She had come to the conclusion that there must be something important in the Ministry of Magic as according to Hayes, Lucius Malfoy had started to spend noticeably more time there by meeting people and making financial contributions more than ever.

Alta turned to her side on the thin mattress, the strings of the bed creaking. She laid awake in her thoughts.

It seemed only a handful of people knew Lord Voldemort had returned. The Ministry of Magic had failed to believe Albus Dumbledore about Harry Potter facing off the Dark Lord in June and since they controlled the Daily Prophet they had made it their mission to make the pair seem as unreliable and mad as possible with snide comments in articles.

Alta had found out on the night of his return, the Dark Lord had promised the Death Eaters who had shown their loyalty by going to Azkaban would be rewarded. Alta thought that if the Ministry would continue ignoring the matter and claim he wasn't back, it would only be a matter of time until Lord Voldemort would break out the imprisoned Death Eaters which would make her vision become true.

Alta wasn't sure what the return of Lord Voldemort would mean for her. She didn't care for the whole blood purity mania. However, Alatea had always been treated like a criminal by everyone else except those affiliated with Death Eaters which was why she couldn't bring herself to care what would happen to those on the opposite side. It was hard for her to see the downsides of Lord Voldemort raising to power if it would only mean good things happening for her.

When the sunrise finally shone through the cracks in the curtains, lighting the room, Alta decided to get up. She was to head to Diagon Alley again. Alta had some shopping to do as the list of supplies she needed for the upcoming term had arrived the previous day. She had also agreed to meet Hayes and Draco in Diagon Alley at twelve o'clock in front of Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions as they were travelling to London to get their school supplies as well. Hayes was returning to Durmstrang for his final year.

Alta spend the morning reading the Daily Prophet. There wasn't anything particularly interesting in it. She arrived slightly earlier to Diagon Alley than she had agreed to meet Hayes and Draco, so Alta decided to get some gold from her vault in Gringotts. Rosalie Vipera had possessed a fair amount of gold before being imprisoned which had since been left to Alatea. It was nothing compared to the fortunes of the Malfoy family, but it was more than enough for Alta to buy herself anything she needed for school.

By the time Alta exited the bank, she realised it was time for her to meet Hayes and Draco. She made her way down the cobblestoned shopping street to where Madam Malkin's shop was located and sure enough she spotted a tall, dark haired, handsome boy who omitted an air of elegancy and arrogance, waiting for her in front of it. As Hayes noticed her, a haughty smirk curved on his lips.

When Alta reached Hayes, he towered over her intensely. Hayes lowered his face enough to lean in to kiss her cheek. Alta couldn't figure out if he did this as a formal greeting or because he wanted to. Perhaps it was a mixture of both.