PART 31

PANSY Parkinson had never anticipated the outcomes of the gamble she was risking.

She had never expected herself to carefully maneuver herself out of a web , before falling prey to the claws of the spider. She disguised herself as one of the muggles , dressing in an ordinary black coat fit for a rainy day. The skies were overcast , reflecting the brewing storm Pansy felt within her heart.

Her arm was bare of any mark - her heart a little relieved at that. Her family had been pressuring her yes , but - did Pansy really wish to join the Death-Eaters ? She wanted to be much more than a follower , she wanted a slice of the world someone else would conquer.

And that thirst was only quenched when Evanna came along. But the price she payed was the same. Even today , she still felt as though it were only some time ago when the seemingly innocent Ravenclaw had first befriended them - before using their greed as her leverage , their ambition as a means of manipulation.

Although she did not have to bear a mark as one of the disciples - she did have to swear on her family , pledge her loyalty to the Frey heir. But her ambition had always gotten the best of her. Besides , if she did help Evanna in her quest - there was still a greater chance of her being able to pursue her subdued , forbidden affections for a certain bushy-haired Gryffindor.

She apparated herself from the corner of the London streets , marred by puddles filled with grey waters - to the mercury hued village of Little Hangleton. Inwardly , she felt herself slightly envious of Draco. Evanna's love for the boy had outdone her rationality , and she had taken his place as the Dark Lord's second-in-command.

A soft sigh escaped her lips - and she traversed through the bustling cobblestone streets of the muggle village. A stale air hung low over the shingles that were coated in dust , poor children dressed in worn rags running past her , barefoot as they chased a cat down the street. Shops lined either sides of the streets , occasional cars passing by in  a flurry - a manor looming in the distance , brushing against the opal cirrus upon the heavens.

The Riddle Manor.

Pansy weaved her way through the crowds , eyeing the shops she passed by - a local pub , tailoring shops as well as shops filled with clothes , ornamental stores and an apothecary embellished with jars of muggle pills the girl scrunched her nose at. Momentarily , her olive irises caught onto a beautiful piece of jewellery , hanging on a small mannequin inside a small shop that sold trinkets.

It was a chain fashioned out of rose gold , the tiniest of diamonds engraved upon a leaf of fine gold that hung as the locket of the chain. Even in the dim flames of the dismal shack in which it somehow stood , the chain irradiated the warmth similar to what the Slytherin felt when she was in the presence of Hermione Granger.

Shaking her head , her breath leaving a trail of mist in it's wake - she trudged down her path - rounding the corners adorned by the bushes of verdant , pointed leaves ; sharpened nettle leaves strewn upon the path. Before long , she found herself at the fork in the road - one meandering up to the affluent Riddle Manor , the other leading into the outskirts of the woods that lined the village.

She took the second path , obviously , she was expected at the cottage where the Dark Lord's mother had lived. Weaving her way through the trees , her eyes searched frantically for the cottage - until her stare found a tiny shackle.

It was almost in shambles , the walls caving in to form a shape which was , by no means , geometric. Rubbing her hands together , she searched her pocket for her wand.

"Homenum revelio", She whispered , her breath melting into the air - as the tiniest of amber spheres floated from the tip of her wand , into the zephyr. She waited , for a minute - for some kind of sensation to warn her of any humans hiding nearby - but she felt nothing.

So , no one is around.

"You're here early", Pansy heard a lofty voice say - alerting herself as she immediately jumped to the side , lifting her wand up in a defensive pose. She relaxed upon seeing a grinning Evanna , hands tucked into the pockets of her fur lined coat - pulchitrudinous irises fixated upon Pansy , copper hair whipping gently in the wind.

Evanna did not seem threatened , at all , by Pansy's defensive stance - or the fact that the Slytherin's wand was mere inches away from the former.

"Oh , it's you", Was all the Slytherin said , as she lowered her wand , tucking it back into her pocket. A moment of silence passed , before Pansy could not tame her curiousity any longer.

"Did you ..... get the mark ?", She enquired , and Evanna nodded solemnly - both falling into step as they walked towards the cottage surrounded by broken picket fences.

"I did. You ?"

"Not yet. Mother wants me to have the mark , but I have delayed it."

"Good", Evanna praised , and for some odd reason - Pansy felt proud , even if it were such a meaningless compliment. In her life of almost two decades - people had hardly ever complimented her , after all.

A tepid air of stale zephyr crept upon the duo - consuming them whole , as they found themselves finally inside the four walls of the rambling cottage. The ceiling was arched , floor strewn with speckles of dust , dried leaves - obsidian walls crumbling , caving , bent with age. Broken furniture littered the corners , no personal belongings whatsoever. The glass windows were stained , so blurry that it was difficult to see outside through them. An epitome of an abandoned house.

It was sparse , empty. No sign of any horcrux - especially the celebrated Gaunt ring.

"Revelare", Evanna whispered - hands still inside her pockets. A low brontide crawled into their senses , and before long they found themselves facing a basin carved out of stone , as though it had materialised out of thin air. An amethyst reflection , coming straight from the basin - illuminated a part of the ceiling that was slowly being eaten away by moths.

They stalked closer , and Evanna spoke softly ,"The ring is cursed. Don't touch it at any cost." Pansy merely nodded.

Alas , as Pansy peeped into the stone basin , coruscating within with it's crystalline insides , she found only an amaranthine liquid inside it. Minimal waves rippled through the liquid of pure violet - there faces reflecting within the pool of purple.

"Shit", Evanna mumbled under her breath. She should have known.

"The Drink Of Despair", Pansy inferred , worry lacing her tone ,"Who will drink it ?"

She desperately hoped it wasn't her.

A small sigh escaped the cranberry lips of Evanna , and she would have moved away from the basin - had her eyes not found a strange creature lurking upon the carved ceiling of the cottage. It was dark , as though encased in onyx velveteen , watching them with bright eyes. It was so well concealed , so well camouflaged that the Ravenclaw had failed to locate it.

"Pansy", She murmured , catching the attention of the Slytherin. "Someone is watching us."

She had barely finished the sentence , when a blinding flash of green illuminated the walls , and the duo sprang apart to save themselves. A loud crack followed , enunciated by the noise of shattering glass. Pansy's fingers curled around the cracks between the bricks , as she stood up slowly - the emerald flash having died down , her feet careful to not step upon the glass.

Her vision cleared, and she saw Evanna two feet away from her - eyes staring at the circle of five Death-Eaters that had surrounded them.

"Oh look", One of them chimed , faux cheeriness in their tone ,"It's Frey. The most trusted of the Dark Lord's followers. And what is she doing here ?"

"None of your business , Astley", She smirked tauntingly at the man named Astley ; hands still within the depths of her pockets , shoulders relaxed in a terrifyingly calm way. "Shouldn't you be - I don't know - sweeping the floor at the Malfoy Manor ?"

"Not playing nice , are we ?", He tutted , a vein popping on his pallid hands. The others too , assumed defensive stances - as Pansy cautioned herself from behind Evanna.

"I am not playing. I only spoke the truth."

"Enough !", He yelled , frustration lacing his voice as the tip of his wand dug into Evanna's neck  pushing her back onto the wall.

"I am here to show you that you are simply the Dark Lord's mistake. A mere sixteen year old who is incapable of serving him", He sneered.

"I will not guarantee your survival , Astley", Evanna retorted solemnly - a ghost of an infuriating smirk playing at her lips even as she was practically on the brink of a fatal injury.

"I don't care."

And with that , a sonorous crack followed - flares of emerald , scarlet and amber irradiating the dreary room. A loud ringing echoed in Pansy's ear - as she defended herself with various incantations - keeping the Death-Eaters at bay. Evanna used a non-verbal curse , making Astley ram back into the wall.

The scenarios blurred together , her heart beating out of her chest - as Pansy attacked and defended , the frantic urge to survive greater than any other in the spur of the moment.

Only once she looked over her shoulder , to see Evanna dueling against Astley - looking bored to death. As if everything was simply an amusement. 

Pansy directed her attention to dueling two of them at once , their strength together equaling the one Evanna was fighting against. Both Pansy and Evanna defended themselves at the same time , two against one - and in no way , was it a fair fight - but the latter fared better.

"Avada Kedavra !", Pansy heard someone say a few feet away from her - and she tilted her harsh stare towards one Death-Eater who was aiming at Evanna with her back turned towards him. Without a second thought , Pansy's own wand was pointed towards him - a peridot flash escaping the tip of the ebony wood as the Death-eater dropped to the floor , the mas he wore loosening to reveal matted hair.

With horror , she looked at her hand.

She had killed someone.

                                                                    ______________________

Pansy leaned against the bricked wall of the alleyways that diverged into the darkness of the backstreets of Little Hangleton. Her hands rummaged through the pockets of her coat , curling around a box she had familiarised herself with. She pulled it out , her fingers grasping one of the cigarettes that she put to her lips - lighting it with an 'Incendio.'

It had started out as a casual habit to calm her nerves during the OWLs - when she had come across one box at the apothecary at Hogsmeade.

Just one time , she had told herself - in a futile attempt to convince herself that she won't find it too hard to quit later one. Oh what a bad habit Evanna had given to her -

and smoking wasn't the only one.

A clouds of smoke floated through the zephyr to morph into a crown atop her head - the sensation burning down her lungs to provide temporary relief. She waited for Evanna to make an appearance.

The duel had etched on , even as Pansy's innards crumbled - and spells were shot , and screams were heard in the vicinity. A low rumble had been heard - the signal that the roof may fall and the walls will cave in , and Evanna had yelled at Pansy to apparate. Without a further word , she had apparated - to save herself. And although , a part of her wished that the roof falling in would kill them all , another part of her wished Evanna would arrive at the alley soon. Atleast to tell the anxious girl that she had survived.

But of course , no living force had yet taken birth in their wretched world that could kill Evanna Frey at her own sickening game of chess.

She was alerted slightly by the noise of a crack next to her , and her head tilted to regard the figure of Evanna Frey The Ravenclaw's lower lips was slightly bruised - a grin knitted across her hauntingly lovely features.

Pansy extinguished the cigarette , crushing it into a stub as it burned up in the flames her hand emitted due to the effects of a nonverbal spell. She straightened herself , asking ,"Did you get the ring ?"

Evanna nodded , holding her hand up to show a plastic bag she was clutching , fingers tightened around the opening - an almost rusted , gold encrusted ring resting within. But instead of taking in the ring , Pansy could not help but notice how drying blood coated Evanna's fingers , seeping into her nails like the fresh sanguine of one's arteries.

With considerable courage , she tried to stop her voice from wavering as she asked ,"And .... what did you do with them ?"

Evanna chuckled , pocketing the ring.

"I repaired the house , of course. Before it could completely fall - I wanted one of us out , so I asked you to leave. I followed moments after - just as it was about to fall and crumble us. Two of them were unconscious , Astley died after I made him have the Drink Of Despair , one died from mere shock , and the last -"

The grin on her cherry lips widened into a genuine smile.

"You killed him. Thank you for saving me"

And although , Pansy felt herself drowned by her conscious for having the blood of someone on her hands , a beacon of pride was lit alight in her soul. Atleast , someone appreciated her.

Pansy only smiled  - a little forced - shuffling on her feet as she asked ,"But ... I killed him. What if the Ministry finds out ?"

"The Ministry won't sue a non-Death-Eater for killing a Death-Eater. That's how the world works nowadays". Evanna said , dusting her clothes.

"Besides , he would have killed me if you wouldn't have finished him. Wouldn't have wanted that , hm ? One measly human won't be missed , all of them were low-ranking Death-Eaters who acted as second house-elves."

Pansy nodded tightly , and before long the duo had melted into the streets of Little Hangleton once more. Just two normal girls , keeping up with matters of everyday life - just for the sake driving away suspicion.

But Pansy could not restraint herself as her gaze was once again drawn to the same piece of jewellery.

She hadn't realised she had come to a stop , until Evanna chimed ,"You should buy that."

"Huh ?", Pansy enquired , as her stare connected with the Ravenclaw's cerulean optics.

"Buy that necklace. I have seen the way you look at Granger. You can always pursue your adoration for her anonymously , girls love secret admirers", Evanna said through a lovely smile.

[ A/N : I WAS NOT VERY SATISFIED WITH THE PREVIOUS RELEASE. SO I DECIDED TO TAKE IT DOWN AND EDIT A LITTLE. THANK YOU FOR 1.5K READS AND ALL THE SUPPORT ! 

THANK YOU , 

ORPHIC_MOON ]