The Illusion of Hope

Chapter Two - Tainted Light

Draco Malfoy tapped his foot impatiently. He wished Professor Snape would hurry up already and get to common room so he could get back to his work. He had important business to attend to. He looked contemptuously at his fellow Slytherins, many of whom were also tapping their feet or glancing at watches. They were a snivelling lot, and Draco pondered what the great Salazar Slytherin would say if he came back and saw the bunch of filthy idiots now tainting the Slytherin name. He wondered what happened to the Slytherin qualities of cunning and craft. The only people actually worthy to be in the Slytherin house had graduated by now. They had known where their loyalties belonged...

Draco's frown deepened as his thoughts had turned to the Dark Lord's defeat last spring. His father had been killed, along with many others, but no matter. He had never loved his father. Respected him, most assuredly; but never, ever loved him. His father's death had presented a problem for Voldemort's remaining supporters, most of whom were students at magical schools were supposedly still young enough to be turned to the good side. Lucius Malfoy had been Voldemort's right-hand man, and everyone knew that if Voldemort fell, Lucius would take his place. Lucius had been the only living person privy to a few of Voldemort's secrets. Unfortunately, those secrets had died with him. Draco knew that most of these students would gather under him if he commanded them to do so, but the few Death Eaters still alive and hidden would not. The fact remained that although he was of age, he was still a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and therefore beneath them.

The question was, if not him, who would the Death Eaters recognize as their leader? For although all of the Death Eaters were united by a common thirst for bloodshed, they also thirsted for power. The only thing that had kept them from killing each other or turning others in was the desire to keep their existence secret for as long as possible until they could fully regroup and organize themselves.

Draco's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the common room door opening. The room immediately fell silent.

Finally, he thought to himself.

Professor Snape walked in, accompanied by an unfamiliar girl. Draco's interest was piqued. For one thing, the girl was quite pretty, with her pale hair, icy blue eyes, and high cheekbones. Her figure was nice, too. He made a mental note to see how she was in bed. But it was her presence that made him take a second look. She had an air of defiance about her, with a haughty countenance to rival that of his late father. She did not flinch or look away from the open stares of his fellow Slytherins, but held her head high. Her presence commanded respect. Her eyes met his, and she raised an eyebrow. Draco smirked at her. So, she was challenging him... Interesting. Perhaps she would not be another "dunderhead," to use the favorite word of the Potions master.. But he noticed other things in her gaze besides a challenge: the pain and anger hidden in there did not escape his perception. He grinned maliciously. She might prove to be quite valuable, for pain and anger could easily be turned into hate...

Snape introduced the girl with his usual lack of ceremony. "This is Livia Sorenson. She is to be your new classmate. Treat her well." He said. With that remark, he turned on his heel and exited, cloak billowing out behind him.

The room was silent for a split second following Snape's departure, then Livia was quickly surrounded by a group of his more curious classmates. He sneered at their backs and made his way back up to the boy's dormitory. His work could wait no longer. She would still be here tomorrow.

***

Livia stood next to Professor Snape and looked at her new classmates. Many were staring openly at her, but she kept her head high. Her gaze was drawn to a lone boy in the back. He was good looking, with silver-blonde hair and piercing grey eyes, but his proud stance caught her attention. She raised an eyebrow as she met his gaze, and he smirked at her. She grinned inwardly. He was challenging her! Interesting...

Snape finished introducing her and left, and she was immediately surrounded by a group of curious Slytherins, all wanting to know where she had come from and the like. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the haughty blonde boy head up some stairs. Oh well. She could find out more about him tomorrow. He would still be here. She turned her attention to answering all the questions of her new classmates and the image of the boy's smirk faded to the back of her mind.

***

Over the next few days, Livia talked little and listened a lot. She learned many things, like which teachers were lenient and which weren't; which staircases had vanishing steps and which didn't; which ghosts hated Slytherins and which didn't; and which people to avoid and which people were nice. She also learned about the blonde boy. She learned his name was Draco Malfoy, and that he was fabulously rich and extremely cunning. He was the unofficial "lord" of the Slytherin house. One did not cross Draco Malfoy. No one seemed to really know him, though. It was up to her to discover the meaning behind his challenge.

She got her chance one Tuesday morning during Advanced Potions when both of their partners were sick and they were forced to work together. She joined him at his usual table, where his cauldron and supplies were already set up.

"Hi," she said, making a stab at conversation as she took out her things.

Draco regarded her silently for a moment before he spoke. "Can you brew a potion?" he drawled.

Liv raised her eyebrows. "If I couldn't, would I be in the N.E.W.T. Potions class?" she quipped.

"The standards of... other schools," he said, voice dripping with disdain, "are not on the same level as ours. One can never be sure." His grey eyes glittered, daring her to comment.

Liv smirked. "I know. They are higher," she said, lighting a fire under her cauldron and emptying her bottle of chimera tears into it.

The flush heightened in Draco's cheeks and his eyes narrowed. "I would watch what you say if I were you," he hissed, taking out his knife and chopping his bloodroot.

She feigned innocence, looking at him with rounded eyes. "Or what?"

Draco longed to throw a vitriolic retort at her, but he bit his tongue. He had to get her on his side! He just hadn't planned on her being so infuriating. Oh well. At least victory would be all the sweeter once she was his...

He carefully pulled all traces of anger out of his expression, and kept his tone nonchalant. "You might anger someone..." he said, twirling his wand in his fingers.

Liv did not reply, but merely dumped a spoonful of lacewing flies into her bubbling cauldron. So much for challenging him on just one count, she thought to herself. He is a walking challenge...

They did not speak again to each other for the rest of the period. As Draco worked silently beside her, Liv could not help but dwell on thoughts of him. She was at once incensed and intrigued by him. His arrogance annoyed her and sparked her sarcasm, but she was drawn to him not only by his good looks, but by his presence that commanded her esteem. He was so cold, yet he was of the light. But his was a tainted light, an evil light. He appealed to the side of her that was immersed in pain and anger. She started to wonder what it would be like to turn to Evil, for Good had certainly turned its back on her when her parents were murdered. She caught herself. It was evil that had caused her parents' deaths. She would not condone it by turning to it. She was still above that. She just had to keep telling herself that...

The problem was, how much longer could she stand it?