The Dark Mark

The Dark Mark

Amaya shot up from her pillows, a cold sweat filtered over her flesh and she glanced around the room, searching the shadows of the night for an unknown fear. Her arm burned with searing pain. Pulling back the loose sleeve of her night shirt, she looked upon the black skull and studied it as a snake appeared form it's mouth; she bit her lip as it burned into her skin. It had happened each night, each time she laid her head for rest and she knew he called her, she knew he needed her. She fell back into the pillows, clenching her arm and trying to forget the pain that felt as though a knife carved her skin. It soon soothed itself, and she fell back into a restless sleep.

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The day was cloudy as the students disembarked from Hogwarts Express. Amaya stood besides her best friend Zeva and they gazed up at the giant, Hagrid. He ushered the students to the awaiting horseless carriages and Amaya soon found herself seated across from Draco Malfoy. She groaned.

"What are you complaining about? I'm the one who has to ride with a traitor." His voice was sulky and he crossed his arms.

Amaya's eyes narrowed. "Traitor, am I? Has your family sought him out? I haven't seen you running to his aide."

Zeva sat up in her seat, and focused on the blonde rat that sat before them.

"You're just jealous that he chose Amaya when she was so young."

Draco's eyes shot forward and Amaya saw his knuckles whiten as his fingers grasped something beneath his robes.

"Watch yourself, Malfoy."

The pair silenced themselves as Crabbe and Goyle stepped in, sliding in on opposite sides of Malfoy.

He glowered at Amaya but his grip loosened and his eyes fell back to the window. Amaya's black eyes soon followed and as she watched carriages fall behind, one passed by. She met with the green eyes of Harry Potter and she felt her jaw lock, her jaw muscles began to twitch.

"Potter." Draco's hate of the boy's name was unanimous in emotion throughout the carriage and Amaya's own fingers now flittered to her wand, but she kept it still. The carriage soon passed by and the student's eyes returned to the passing dreary scenes. Hogwarts' warm lights soon came to view and Amaya sighed heavily. Though she clashed greatly with Headmaster Dumbledore's ways, she could not deny that Hogwarts' was a sanctuary for her and it was here she felt safest from His beckoning. The carriages soon slowed to a halt and Amaya pushed past Draco, as Zeva pushed past Crabbe to be the first to disembark. The pair straightened their robes as they gazed over the returning and new arrivals, and a short ginger haired girl caught Amaya's eye.

"Another Weasley. They're like rats, overunning the school."

Zeva snickered besides her and the pair moved into line as the students were ushered into the building. They took their seats and waited for the Sorting Ceremony to begin.

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Amaya threw her black cloak on the maroon leather chair and pointed her wand to the fireplace.

"Damned house-elves. I don't know why they're here, can't even start a bloody fire on time."

She levitated her luggage, carrying it up the stairs and dropped it neatly at the end of her bed. She let loose an exasperated sigh as she fell into the blood red comforter and brought her still shoed feet upon the bed, her eyes staring at the clothed canopy. She folded her hands across her chest and clasped them together, when the door opened, bringing her attention away from the ceiling . Zeva entered, lugging her suitcases and Amaya laughed.

"Why are you carrying them, Zeva? Just levitate them." With a flick of her wrist, Amaya had the luggage floating in the air and Zeva let loose a relieved sigh.

"Yes well, you try doing that when your wand is packed away in your luggage." Amaya laughed as she laid the luggage softly at the end of Zeva's bed and turned to her own. Amaya began to charm her clothes to fold themselves and placed them neatly in the ready drawers.

"Amaya?"

Amaya turned her black eyes upon Zeva who was searching for her wand.

"Why did Draco call you a traitor?"

Amaya sighed. "It's nothing, he's just jealous like you said."

Zeva stopped and brought her eyes upon her best friend of nearly eight years. "Amaya, are you alright?"

Amaya laughed, nodding. "Yes, of course, Zeva. Now please, I've lost my favorite scarf."

Zeva silenced herself and resorted to the bottom trunk. "Ah, here we are." A brown wand was held up and Zeva disappeared downstairs to find her other trunks.

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The black robes billowed out behind Amaya as she made her way down the hall, silently bearing the searing pain in her arm. Her eyes searched the empty halls for any sign of life, but no one was awake at this hour. She reached the door she sought and raised her fist, knocking softly but firmly against it. There was no answer, so she knocked again. A heavy sigh was heard from behind it.

"Who is it?" His sharp tone filtered out through the large oak door, and Amaya gave a last look around the empty hall.

"Amaya, sir." Another sigh, and then footsteps, the door was thrust open. Professor Snape's glittering coal eyes peered outside, but she was far too preoccupied to feel nervous under that cold gaze.

"Well? What is it?"

Amaya brought her sleeve up and showed the now prominent black skull, looking up to him. Snape stared upon it, then grabbed hold of her shoulder and dragged her into his chambers, shutting the door quickly. "How long has this been happening?"

Amaya looked to him, quizzical. "Haven't you felt it?"

Snape raised his sleeve and Amaya saw no mark upon his, she stared still though. "Why is it only on mine?" Amaya looked back down to the mark and then back to Snape.

"How long, Amaya?"

Amaya stared at her own arm now. "Nearly all summer, I've ignored it for the most part--but I can't stand the pain of it anymore."

Snape fished through his great collection of bottles, found something and turned back to her. "Take this, it will numb it slightly. Have you told anyone about this?"

Amaya faithfully downed the concoction and shook her head. "None, though Malfoy seemed to know something."

Snape shook his head, pushing the bottle back on the shelf, and turning his eyes back to her again. "I will not have you insulting your fellow Slytherins." His eyes glowered on her and she pulled the sleeve back down.

"If you cannot tell me why it's only me with this damn mark, I'll be leaving." She turned on her heel but his hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"He wants only you, Amaya. You know this, why else did you come here for confirmation? He calls no one else, for you are the one he picked to do his most secret bidding...a girl of only sixteen."

Amaya looked to him, she knew the jealousy that hid in his heart. "You think I want this? You think I want to have this bloody searing pain in my arm, the suspicious eyes constantly on my back and my future clouded by death, by torture? One misstep and I'll be signing my death certificate! I hate this; I want to be done with it! I am sick of his biddings!"

Snape seemed to bear down on her faster than she could recover from and grabbed hold of her arm. "It'd be in your best interest to not ignore his bidding and stop acting like a spoiled brat. You cannot ignore him, he picked you and he is the reason you're still alive. He would have killed you had it not been for that one thing of which cannot be said. You must go to him, Amaya. The Dark Lord shall not be ignored."

He released Amaya, she stumbled back and clutched the arm he had just held onto, rubbing it.

"Now go. I will not have my house loosing points because you can't handle a little pain."

Amaya stood for a moment but began backing away, the door was slammed in her face. She turned heel and returned to the Slytherin dungeons, the mark still searing beneath her sleeve.