Watching

I felt an all too familiar burn on my left forearm, but there was nothing I could do about it now. You can't exactly Disapparate from inside the Hogwarts boundaries. I could in no way answer the Dark Lord's call tonight.

In the hall around the corner I heard my brother and his redheaded friend's voices.

"It's Voldemort," he said. The word angered me. How dare he say the Dark Lord's name. He has no right! He should be cowering in fear because my Master is after him. "He's calling for them," he continued. "All of them."

"Do you know what he wants?" Ron asked timidly.

Eavesdropping is such a useful thing.

"No, but he has a plan for getting it."

Damn, he should know these things, having that psychic connection with my Lord and all. Come on Harry, be a useful brother.

They turned the corner and saw me.

"You!" he exclaimed.

"Me," I purred. I love cats. Especially black cats. Black cats with green eyes.... I can turn into such an animal. I love being an Animagus. It's so much fun!

"Is this her? Your sister?" the Mudblood asked. Harry nodded and she turned to me. Holding out her hand she introduced herself and Ron. Like I didn't know already. Puh-lease. Everyone knows who the smartest girl in our year is.

I looked from her outstretched hand to her golden eyes.

"Sorry," I said in mock sorrow. "I just washed my hand, I don't want Mudblood sliming it up."

Stunned, she let her hand drop. How could anyone related to Harry be so cruel? Easy. It is so much easier than being nice. Not having a conscience is really a godsend.

"How can you say that?" Harry demanded. "Our mother was Muggle-born."

"No, your mother was a Mudblood. My mother was a Death Eater."

"SHE WAS NOT A DEATH EATER!"

"Then she may as well have been." I shouted. "You don't know what she did to my father. You don't know what it's like being us. You didn't lose her when you were only three months old. I lost her the day you were born! You don't have to listen to your father scream at night because your mother left him and died. You don't understand what happened to us."

I've stunned him. Good.

My father came up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. (I hope he didn't hear me.) He stared at Harry, the Mudblood and the Traitor. Damn Weasleys. Damn them all.

"Go back to your common room," he ordered. "Now, all of you," he insisted when they didn't move.

His fingers dug into my flesh so hard it was almost painful. Which says a lot as I very rarely feel pain. I've had a few broken bones and never felt the pain. Sure, I felt it, but it didn't hurt. Nothing really fazes me.

"We need to leave," he said softly steering me down the hall towards the dungeons. "He wants us all. I've already spoken to Dumbledore about brining you, Mr. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle with me for the weekend to help me at a Potion Convention in Wales. As you and Mr. Malfoy are my best students, I requested you join me. Crabbe and Goyle are coming for muscle power."

He gave the password at the entrance and we walked in. Draco, Vincent, and Gregory were sitting alone in the common room waiting for the word on whether or not we were going.

"Let's go."

"You mean we're actually going?" Draco asked in disbelief.

I caught his eye and smiled. Four months had passed and I loved him--my steel-eyed wonder....

"Yes," my father answered. "The Dark Lord wants all of his Death Eaters present tonight."

He led us out of the common room and the dungeons. Draco and I were sure to stay a little ways behind him while Vincent and Gregory walked even further behind. Draco slipped his hand in mine as we walked out of the castle to the Whomping Willow.

"Athena," my father prompted.

I changed into the sleek black cat with the green eyes and slipped passed the flailing branches of the willow to press a claw into the appropriate knot. The tree froze. This was the reason I had become an Animagus. Every time we were all to go to the Dark Lord's castle, we came to the Shrieking Shack to Apparate.

They slipped into the passage way and I let the tree go so I could slip in myself. I caught up to Draco and he stooped to pick me up. He scratched my neck and behind my ears while I purred just for him.

My father waited for Crabbe and Goyle to climb through the trap door before he turned to us.

"What is this?" he demanded.

"What do you mean, sir?" Draco asked tactfully. I purred louder and liked the hand that held me.

"Put her down," he ordered.

I meowed in protest as he complied with the demand, and then changed again. "What does it matter, Father," I asked.

"I am your father, and therefore I have the right to know. Tell me now."

"I don't know," I lied. I knew. I knew I loved Draco, and I knew I couldn't tell my father this. He was too protective and would keep me away from Draco as long as he could.

My answer seemed to satisfy him, as he merely turned and climbed out of the tunnel.

"You don't know?" Draco asked sounding hurt.

"No, I don't know." I continued to lie. I wanted to hear what he thought of us before I told him the truth. "Do you?" I asked.

"I thought I did."

"Then tell me, what do we have? What is it that makes me care so much about you?"

He looked into my dark green eyes. "I love you, Athena," he whispered.