Hope

Hope

The young man looked down at his adversary. His pale skin was marred by cuts and bruises, his clothing covered in stains of long dried blood. The young man sniffed in contempt and walked over to look out the slim castle window. Outside there were figures scurrying around, preparing some platform that the prisoner would be sacrificed on.

"They're building the alter now," the haughty young man informed the prisoner. "How do you like that Potter? About to be the sacrifice that gives the Dark Lord immortality. Must be a blow, dedicating your life to destroying him and all."

"Shut up, Malfoy," the prisoner said in deadly tones.

"Oh, and what are you going to do if I don't. Glare at me?" Draco Malfoy asked in contempt.

He turned to stare out the window again. A moment later he resumed talking. "It didn't have to be this way, Potter. And I'm not talking about joining the Dark Lord. One simple action sealed your fate. How do you like that? An innocent gesture made in boyhood resulted in you and I becoming enemies, and eventually in me turning you into the Dark Lord.

Simple really, all you had to do was shake my hand when we were on the train in first year. Do you remember that Potter? I told you I'd get you back, and I most certainly did. And you know shaking my hand wouldn't have made you evil. Children can't be evil. And if you shook hands with me maybe I wouldn't have turned to the Dark Lord. How's that for the ripple effect?

You know being a Slytherin doesn't make you evil. We're ambitious and sly certainly, but never in any song did the Sorting Hat say Slytherin was the same as Death Eater. We had plenty of decent sorts. Hard working, loyal people can do evil and harmful acts as easily as the ambitious can, Gods forbid it but so can the courageous people too. So don't judge people by what house they're sorted into. Of course this lesson is certainly being taught too late for you.

But hell, Potter, you didn't believe us Slytherins' could be good, no one really did. So what was the point of trying? Every action was looked at for an ulterior motive, we couldn't be nice or caring, because who ever heard of a nice Slytherin? So no one trusts us, well if we can't be great and good, we can certainly be great and bad. See what bigotry and prejudice gets you Potter, dead!

I'd been warned about this though, and if it hadn't been for one other thing maybe I wouldn't be what I am now. Certainly you hated me for being Slytherin, and I wasn't the nicest fellow, so maybe I deserved it. But there was one person, Jessica. She was the little sister to us all, the Hope of Slytherin. She was nice and caring, ambitious yes, but she would never purposely hurt anyone. She helped Madam Pomfry in the hospital wing and was the listener of ills to all of us in Slytherin. If anyone could raise the name of Slytherin it would have been her.

Jessica was smart, a genius really. Artistic, brilliant, not like Granger though, it wasn't book smarts. She really understood things and had amazing theories, things no one else could understand. She was only a year younger than us, would have graduated two years ago. Now are you wondering why you've never heard of Jessica? Surely someone that brilliant would have risen to prominence.

Well Jessica would have, if she hadn't been murdered in her sixth year. Remember that, Potter? When the Death Eaters attacked Hogsmeade and killed five students. Yes the death toll was six, but it wasn't the Death Eaters that killed Jessica. It was your Warriors of Light, the Aurors. It was in the Three Broomsticks. Jessica was trying to heal some of the wounded after the Death Eaters had moved on to other areas. She was standing over Ginny Weasley, she saved her life. But the Aurors didn't stop to see what spells Jessica was casting. They just saw the Slytherin colors and that she was standing over a Gryffindor and casting a spell. They cast Expelliarmus and Jessica got flung into a fire. She died a day later from burnt lungs.

It was then I realized that it doesn't matter how you act. You Gryffindors and your Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw comrades only look as far as a persons' house. If Jessica could be killed for being evil, than what was the point of being good? So that's why I joined Voldemort, Potter. I thought you'd like to know. Oh, surprised I called him Voldemort? Well I'm not really afraid of him. We had a bargain; I'd get him you, and he would give me the one thing I can't get for myself.

You'll be wondering what that is now. Well it isn't revenge, or to be better than you. Maybe when I was younger I wanted to one up you. But not anymore Potter. Voldemort will bring back Jessica. She didn't deserve to die, and Slytherin will get its Hope back. So you see Potter, your death won't be such a bad thing. After all it's only the demented, pure blood idiots, like my father, and the people with no hope that join Voldemort. So don't worry, you'll be striking Voldemort a blow. And Jessica deserves to live a hell of a lot more than you do, Potter."

With that Malfoy turned away from his old enemy and resumed his looking out the window. The moon was starting to rise as two faceless minions came to take Potter down to the platform outside. Malfoy didn't turn around. He watched all through the ceremony. He watched the final struggles of Potter as Voldemort slashed his throat with a silver blade. He watched as the life blood poured out of Potter and was caught in a bowl. He watched as Voldemort cast the final spell that would make him immortal.

"Soon," Malfoy murmured. "Just a little longer, Jessica and we'll have you back. Slytherin will regain its Hope."