My Immortal: ReVamped

Chapter 15

The Death Eaters had very little to reveal, which annoyed me. They'd somehow had the memories of the person who outranked them removed, and this proved to be an effective strategy against the veritaserum.

They were now in Azkaban and I still had the same questions.

The snow had settled around the castle creating a small little winter wonderland for us. When I was younger, the snow elicited all kinds of joy from me, thoughts of a untouched youth on an icey playground and warm tea in front of a fire with a book.

But the snow meant something different for me now.

I watched everyone go, one by one, back home for Christmas break. I stayed behind, being one of the few who didn't really have a home to go back to.

The castle was my home now.

But it was also the last Christmas of my schooling career. After all, it meant that by this time next year, I would no longer be a minor and I would have to rejoin society.

I hadn't yet had much time to have the difficult conversations with myself. What I'd do after I'd graduated. I supposed I could be an Auror, or work for the ministry, or get a General Education Degree. Perhaps I'd do my A-levels and try get into a prestigious muggle university.

And honestly, muggle society might be more accepting of me than the wizard society.

But it was also a difficult year to be asking those questions. The Dark Lord had returned and as much as we tried to continue normal life, there was a storm over the horizon. We could all feel it coming. Disappearances, attacks, murders, hate-crimes... It was all so much and I felt myself getting overwhelmed and then I... Well, I... To be honest, I just couldn't think about it any longer.

I put it out of my mind for the time being.

It was my last Christmas break as a student of Hogwarts. I was going to enjoy it.

For a stretch of time... Nothing happened. Things became routine. I started my day by going to the Great Hall, then I'd eat breakfast, visit the library and do some studying for the morning, I'd come back up for lunch and then waste time until dinner.

Out of boredom one weekend I went into a muggle town and snuck into a drivethrough screening of Space Jam. Simple pleasures, you know? At some point someone snuck a TV and VHS player in, and I ended up watching Empire Records like, twelve times, I kind of had a crush on Liv Tyler.

I borrowed someone's Walkman and listened to my copy of Green Day's Dookie that I shoplifted when I was sixteen (speaking of, When I Come Around? Their best song, fight me, let's meet in the parking lot with a couple broken beer bottles, fight me, it's their best song) and just walked through the castle. When it was empty and you had it all to yourself, you could really enjoy the magic of the place, really take it all in. I walked past the paintings who all gave me something of a look. At the end of the day, after dinner, I'd turn into a bat, take the Walkman high up and just... Listen to music and look out over the world.

It really did seem like the last moments of peace in the world before it'd all go to shit.

But then everyone started coming back, and I had to admit that I was going to miss having Hogwarts all to myself.

The first thing I noticed was how... Weird Britney was starting to be. Usually she'd have some snide remark but these days she just... Said nothing. Glared at me. Not that I was complaining, we'd never once had a pleasant conversation but this was different.

I'd meant to scare her a little before break but... If I was being honest, it was starting to wig me out.

Willow and Colin came back as well and I decided that perhaps now was as good a time as any to find somewhere for ourselves to eat away from people. There was a little spot in the courtyards, where the sun was always blocked off by a tree and I invited the two of them there one day.

"Who's this?" Willow asked, giving Colin something of a glare.

"This is Colin McIntyre. Colin, this is my best friend, Willow. She can be scary but she's all heart."

"Nice to meet you." Colin smiled, extending a hand. Willow reluctantly shook it.

"Anyway, I thought we could start having lunch here! To be honest, it's just an excuse to get away from Britney, she's been giving me weird looks, but this way I can keep an eye on you, Colin." I smiled.

"Well, I guess if it gets me away from the annoying seventh year boys, I'm okay with it." Willow sighed, and sat down.

"As long as Crabbe and Goyle don't find me." Colin shuddered.

"So, what happened between you and Britney?" Willow asked.

"She saw me bite into some death eater disguised as a student and now she thinks I'm the Anti-Christ or something. I'm glad she's leaving me alone, but it also creeps me out a little." I shook my head.

"Just watch your back." Willow warned.

"Doubt she's got the stomach to try anything, but will do." I shrugged.

"What happened to those Death Eaters we fought, by the way?" Colin asked.

"Azkaban. Aurors tried to get something out of them, but they'd had a lot of their memories removed. I suppose it's a tactic they're using now. To keep people from saying the wrong things."

"That's clever." Willow said.

"Still, a Death Eater attack in school? That's worrying." Colin said.

"The staff will probably be trying to keep it quiet. Hogwarts is starting to lose its reputation for being safe. Some kids didn't come back this year, I think even less will come back next year." I shook my head.

"Guess we should all prepare for what's coming." Willow said, staring off into the distance.

After lunch, we all headed to class. The day proceeded as usual for the most part.

But then...

Then it happened.

It was after dinner, Willow was studying and I was walking back to the Slytherin common room when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone raise a wand.

"Incarcerous Argentum!" Britney yelled, chains of silver springing from the tip of her wand and wrapping themselves around me. Britney's friend's, Alice and Jess, clamped pad locks on the chains.

That's when they had me, chains of silver sizzling against my very flesh. Britney had a portkey prepared, in the form of a large brass pocketwatch. She pressed the pocketwatch to my forehead, and the other girls each put a finger on it.

The world spun and shrank around us, until the portkey spat us out in the Forbidden Forest, near the spider den.

Willow was right, it seemed. I should have watched out.

Now I was in real danger.