What was she going to do? She needed to get out of here! If they caught her, she was as good as dead!
Aurora McFadden was hidden behind a couch in the Slytherin common room. She had followed Pansy Parkinson up from the girl’s dormitory. Pansy had gone down to meet with Draco Malfoy…and Aurora had over heard their discussion about the Dark Lord. Could it really be true that Draco was a Death Eater now? How she longed for power like that, but she still did not want to be found lurking behind the couch. She turned to head back down to her dorm when a hand wrapped around her neck.
Without thinking Aurora raised her wand and thought, “Levicorpus.” It was then that she realized she had given herself away. Aurora had always gone into panic mode when something was near the front of her neck…and seeing Goyle hanging upside down at the edge of the common room wasn’t exactly inconspicuous.
Draco and Pansy were soon across the room, anger written across their faces. “What have we here, a curious 4th year? What are you doing back there?”
“I was just, ah…, couldn’t sleep and, ah…was coming down to sit by the fire, but heard voices,” replied Aurora.
“Can someone please get me down from here!” yelled Goyle from the ceiling.
Draco waved his wand and Goyle fell to the ground. “Snooping 4th years can find themselves in a lot of trouble if they over hear the wrong conversations.” Draco said with anger in his voice.
“I didn’t hear anything, really! I just got here; I was just going to go back to my dorm when Goyle there scared me!” Aurora said as she backed into the corner of the common room.
“Well, you over heard the wrong conversation Aurora McFadden. Yes, I know who you are and who your father is. Arthur McFadden, president of Magicians Against Dark Magic, otherwise known as MADaM. How his daughter ended up in Slytherin is a mystery to me. Guess a little accident is going to occur tonight in the 4th years dormitory.” Draco sneered. “Pansy, I’m going to need your help with this.”
“Wait, I’m not going to tell anyone! Your secret is safe with me! I don’t know why my Dad has to be so blind to the powers of the Dark Lord! Dark Arts are so fascinating! I wish that Mom hadn’t died before she could show me more!” Aurora pleaded with Draco.
“That’s right; your mother was Alexa Black McFadden, one of Mom’s cousins. Too bad she chose to marry such a loser as your father, even if he is pure blood. How can I trust that you are telling me the truth? Your mother was an avid supporter of the Dark Lord, which led to her death…at your father’s hands wasn’t it?”
“Yes, Dad turned her in to the authorities when he learned that she was a Death Eater. I was an infant when they came to arrest her. She fought and was killed by an Auror who used the Avada Kedavra spell to capture her. I will never forgive Dad for turning her in.”
“How can I be sure that I can trust you Aurora McFadden?” asked Draco of the trembling girl.
“Cast the truth telling spell upon me. While it is upon me ask me what you will! You can also make me say an unbreakable vow if you like. Make me promise to tell no one about what I heard tonight. You could do that anyway.”
“Either you are too stupid to lie, or you are telling the truth Aurora. Come here.” Draco said as he moved to the center of the common room. “Pansy take her wand.”
“Why does she need to take my wand?” whispered Aurora as she moved to stand in front of Draco.
“Because I’m going to practice a bit of Dark Magic I learned while with the Dark Lord this summer.”
“Silencio,” said Draco while pointing his wand at Aurora. “Now no one will be able to hear your screams as I teach you not to deceive me. Crucio!” Aurora fell to the ground at Draco’s feet, her screams silenced so that none could hear. After a few moments Draco stopped his torturing. Aurora just lay there, not moving. “Stand up, now!” Draco commanded of the exhausted girl.
Aurora climbed to her feet. “Kneel in front of me girl,” Draco commanded. Aurora knelt at Draco’s feet. “Now to do a bit of tongue-tying so that you speak of this to no one.” Draco cast the tongue-tying spell, with a twist. Aurora could talk, but just could not mention the events of that night. Her fear of Draco had increased, but now she found herself in his inner circle.
