Secret Behind The Mask

Chapter Six-Real...or Just a Dream?

"Okay...Settle down! Time to get to work with your new friends! Everyone, do I have all your attention?" Professor Trelawny looked around at the many faces of the seventh year Gryffindor students. "Okay, everyone get with your friends, and you two will pair up with another pair of friends, and you'll all learn about each other. Yes, Miss Avalon?"

Melly had raised her hand. "What does this have to do with fortune telling?" she asked, sounding quite annoyed and bored at the same time.

"This class isn't all future telling. This project will have a meaning later this year." She looked around at the students. "I'm going to trust you all to find a new pair to share your weekly activities. If there are any problems, I will pick your partners next time."

Melly groaned, and stood up and walked to Ron, who had already paired them up with Harry and Neville. She smiled, lazily, and sat down next to Ron.

"I swear, can this class get anymore pointless?" she asked them.

Ron chuckled. Neville and Harry looked at her, like she was the president of the world. So, they weren't the only ones who thought so.

She sighed, and leaned back in her chair. "So, let's get this over and done with, shall we? How was your week so far, Neville?"

Neville blanched. Why did she have to pick him first? He really hated being put on the spot. "I-uh, well, I..."

"Wow! Great week, Neville!" she pushed. She then smiled at Ron. "Your turn."

Ron looked back at her, suspiciously. "Neville didn't say what he did this week."

"Well, you and Harry aren't exactly on the truthful side in this class either," Melly said accusingly. "How was your week? Good? Bad? Don't want to talk about it?"

"It was good, I guess," Ron said, a little unsure.

Melly nodded, and then she turned to Harry. "What 'bout you?"

Harry shrugged. "Good?"

Melly smiled. "My week was rubbish. I'm really glad that Hogsmeade is tomorrow. I swear. I'm going to die if I don't get out with normal people." She emphasized normal she cocked her head towards Professor Trelawny.

Neville nodded, agreeing with her. Although, he wasn't allowed to go to Hogsmeade, he still would like to be by himself, and not have to worry about something bad happening.

"Well, we're done," Melly muttered to herself. "Now what?"

"Talk about yourselves to your partners," Professor Trelawny said, scaring Melly, making her jump and fall off her chair.

She got up, with all the boys at the table staring at her, none of them laughing. Ron and Neville were going to, but she looked like she was ready fit to kill. Harry gulped as he saw her bite lip and give him the ugliest, deadliest glare that anyone had ever given him. Her nostrils flared, and her eyes seemed to have a red tint to them. Seeing her like this, he thought she reminded him of someone, but whom?

She blinked her eyes a couple times, her eyes returning to their original color. She glanced around her, and was relieved to see that Professor Trelawny had gone off to help some other students.

She got back on her chair, and glanced at the three boys. Ron and Neville were smiling controllably, occasionally looking at her, or Harry. Harry looked at her, concerned.

What had happened to her in the past minute? She felt her mind go fuzzy, and her skin grow cold. She looked down at her hands, and saw that they were pale, and rubbed them together. She winced as she felt her hands had grown so cold, they felt like ice.

Melly? Are you busy right now? She heard Snape's voice in her head.

Not that I know of, no.

What happened?

What do you mean? What are you doing right now?

I'm sitting at my desk, watching the Hufflepuffs make a potion, and pretending to grade essays. So, what happened?

I don't know. I said something; Trelawny sneaked up on me, causing me to fall off my chair. The next thing I know, everything around me is red, and I hear my father's voice in my head. I look at Harry, and I just want to rip his head off.

No surprise there.

What's going on?

Snape sighed, heavily, and pinched the bridge of his nose. I honestly don't know.

"Melly? Melly!" Ron waved his hand in front of her eyes, but she just kept staring out of the window.

I hear someone calling me. She thought. But, I don't know who it is...

---

"It's almost time, Melly," he said.

She looked around her. She was now in a clearing of a forest, surrounded by many cloaked figures.

She looked down at her clothes. She, too, was wearing a cloak that covered her entire body, except she had her hood down, and saw everything around her.

"Are you ready?"

She looked at the black figure in front of her. All she could see of him were scarlet red eyes, bearing into her soul. His eyes moved to look at someone; he nodded his head, then looked back at her.

She watched him closely, keeping her chin high, not showing any sign of fear, though she was trembling all over.

A hand was placed on her right shoulder, making her flinch. She looked at the hand, and just as she did so, another hand was placed on her left shoulder.

She looked at the tall, dark figure before her. He started walking closer to her. She didn't know how long she would be able to hold out. She felt like breaking out any minute. The closer he got to her, the more terrified she felt.

He stopped only inches in front of her. Her breathing speeding up, and shaking by terror that she felt.

He placed a hand on her wrist and slid up her left sleeve to reveal a long, slender, pale arm. Perfectly smooth skin.

He massaged a small part of her upper arm, and smiled at her, although she couldn't see the smile. His hand was ice cold. It was wrinkled, and paled like a skeleton hand. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, trying not cry.

This man scared her, and the massaging of her arm didn't help much. She knew what he wanted of her. She knew now. Since when did she agree to it? She was only seventeen, after all.

He raised his wand to her skin, not seizing his touch. The person, who had a grip on her left shoulder, raised her arm.

She watched her arm, a single tear escaping her eye. She tightened her fist, and just then saw the two bracelets that her mother had given her before she died.

One bracelet was a small chain of crosses. Each cross was black, blue, green, and purple. Her mother had said that this bracelet would protect her from any harm.

The second was a silver chain, with a silver cross dangling down from it. In the middle of this cross, a diamond shone in the moonlight. Her mother told her that she got that diamond from Melly's true father. It was supposed to symbolize love.

She was so concentrated on her two bracelets, that she didn't hear the Dark Lord mutter something. She did, however, feel the pain that shot through her arm.

She cried out, throwing her head back. The two men held onto her tight, trying to not have her move so much, but she was slowly giving way.

Her knees were about to collapse. Just as her knees buckled, the man who had her right shoulder, held onto her waist, holding her up.

Tears ran down her eyes, as the pain wouldn't seize from her arm. She could feel blood trickle down. She glanced at her arm, just in time to see a river of blood flow onto the grass.

The Dark Lord raised his wand, uplifting the curse.

Melly's eyes were closed tight, tears falling nonstop. One of the men still had a hold on her arm, and the other still held onto her waist, holding her up. She felt weak, probably from the loss of blood. Her eyes opened just a little bit, just in time to see the man who was holding her arm smirk. She fell onto the other, her head hanging now.

"That wasn't so bad, was it, Melly, dear?" the Dark Lord asked.

Melly picked up her head, just barely. Her eyes fluttered, her head aching. She started to feel light-headed.

"Now, you are one of us. As soon as we win this war, you will rule by my side. We will demolish all muggles and mudbloods. And, maybe cast the halfbloods as slaves, or something of the sort. Does that sound promising?"

She looked at carving in her arm. She was now, officially, a Death Eater. With the snake and skull, and all.

"Severus, take her back to the school."

"Yes, my Lord," the man who had her right shoulder and waist said, bowing his head.

With a flash and a pop, Melly jerked her head forward, screaming, her eyes wide with horror, and sweat dripping down her forehead.

She looked around her. She was in the Hospital Wing, in one of the beds. How did she end up there?

She felt a stinging pain in her left arm. She gasped, and lifted her shirt's left sleeve. Nothing but perfect, pale, soft skin.

She sighed, and placed her right hand on her forehead. She was burning up.

What have you gotten yourself into, Melly? She asked herself.

She lay back down, and slowly drifted into a dreamless sleep, thankfully.

---

"Melly!"

She picked up her head, and saw Ron come running to her. He stopped, breathlessly next to her bed.

"Are you okay?" he asked her urgently.

Melly nodded. "What am I doing here?" she asked.

"Yesterday, in Divination, you passed out," he gasped. "And then, later, you started screaming and tossing and turning. What on Earth is wrong?"

Melly looked at him like he had just grown two, maybe three extra heads. "Are you serious?"

Ron nodded. ""If you hurry, you can still go to Hogsmeade."

Melly nodded, slowly, getting up from the bed.

Madam Pomfry walked in, humming to herself. She spotted Melly, and quickly walked to her. "Well, Miss Avalon. I see you are awake." She placed a hand to Melly's forehead. "Your fever has gone down dramatically. I will allow you to go to Hogsmeade today, but you must promise to come back as soon as you get back, understand? Okay then. Mr. Weasley, if you please. She needs privacy getting ready. Don't fret, she'll be out in a jiffy."

She pushed Ron out, and gave Melly her clothes. Melly slowly got out of her nightdress, and put on her uniform.

She was screaming? In her dream? Well, the only person she has ever known to have visions of the sort was none other than the black haired, scar head kid, Harry Potter.

She walked out of the infirmary, mindlessly rubbing her upper left arm. Was that real? Or was it just a dream?

---

Down in his private room, Snape was pacing, back and forth. He had to talk aloud to keep his thoughts private and out of hearing distance from Melly.

"That dream...what triggered her to it?" he mumbled, still pacing. Then, he stopped. "And...why was I able to see it?"