Winter is turning to spring, and the weather in Hogwarts is getting warmer day by day. At this time, everything is blooming and full of vitality, and the little wizards are also enjoying their last leisure time.
It is indeed the last leisure time.
As soon as the Easter holiday is over, students in the lower grades have to face the big villain of the final exam, while students in the upper grades have to start preparing for O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T. exams. In the face of these exams, the final project of the Triwizard Tournament pales in comparison.
Maybe there are only three warriors who don't have to worry about final exams, but they also have to prepare for the third event of the Triwizard Tournament.
Therefore, the Hogsmeade Open Day in mid-March is particularly important. All students who are eligible to go flock to Hogsmeade, wanting to go there and relax.
"How do students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons prepare for their final exams? I mean, after all, they live on boats and carriages." Hermione looked forward with some confusion. There were several German students not far away.
Students from Armstrong and Beauxbatons are shopping.
"Their carriage and boat should be quite big, with enough room for several study rooms - or even the Hogwarts library! I'm even more curious if their principal has left the school, can the final exams still be held normally?
"Compared with how to prepare for the final exam, Tom values another aspect more.
Hermione pondered for a moment and asked her soul question: "What influence do you think the principal has on the final exam? Professor Dumbledore doesn't seem to be involved in setting the questions! So Mrs. Maxim and Professor Karkaroff
It shouldn’t get involved in the question setting process of the final exam, right?”
Hermione put it mildly, but in fact she felt that principals had little to do with final exams.
"I seem to hear someone saying my name?" An old voice suddenly came from behind the two of them. Tom turned to look, and it turned out to be Albus Dumbledore.
Professor Dumbledore dressed a lot more low-key today. Instead of wearing one of his wizard robes embroidered with stars, he chose a plain gray plain wizard robe and wore a wizard hat of the same color on his head.
Just looking at his appearance, he looks like an ordinary elderly wizard.
It's just that this outfit gave Tom the illusion that he was very good at one-handed swords... Wait, it seems that Gryffindor's sword is also a one-handed sword?!
Looking at Dumbledore's outfit, Tom was briefly distracted. He didn't come back to his senses until Dumbledore spoke again.
"How about we go to Three Broomsticks for a drink? I still miss the smell of butterbeer there."
"Of course not!" Tom refused Dumbledore before Hermione could agree.
Just kidding, that's Dumbledore! The top wizard in the wizarding world would attract everyone's attention wherever he went, just like a special spotlight. He didn't want to go to the pub to drink with such a person.
He and Hermione came out to have fun, not to be watched.
"Okay," Dumbledore spread out his hands regretfully, indicating that what you said Tom makes sense, "How about I bring some food and we go to the hillside for a picnic together?"
This is a good suggestion. The spring weather is just right, and it would be great to feel the cool spring breeze under the trees and have some cold meals.
After getting approval from Tom and Hermione, Dumbledore waved and got a basket filled with food from nowhere. He carried the basket and walked with the two to an area near Hogsmeade.
On a hillside.
"How is it here?" Looking at the suddenly widened view, Tom thought this was a good place for a picnic.
"Good idea." Dumbledore had already spread a tablecloth on the floor and sat down.
Tom and Hermione also sat next to each other opposite Dumbledore.
"Very beautiful socks." Dumbledore saw the black stockings on Hermione's legs and praised him, "But I want to remind Miss Granger not to wear these socks with letters during the final exam, otherwise she may be
It is judged as cheating.”
Hermione's hands slid uneasily on her stockings. She didn't expect that Professor Dumbledore's attention was from such a strange angle.
It’s not a big problem, just don’t wear it during the exam, since it’s not for the invigilator to see anyway – besides, by the time of the final exam, these socks will probably be too damaged to be worn anymore.
Tom smiled. He really didn't expect that the letter stockings had such a function.
Dumbledore did not continue to bother with Hermione's socks. While emptying the basket full of food, he praised Hermione for looking good.
"I feel like every time I see Miss Granger, she is even more radiant than the last time I saw her."
Tom lowered his head: "Isn't that right? This girl has been nourished a lot, and her complexion is certainly better!"
"Are you still taking your medicine on time?" Dumbledore asked.
Hermione nodded.
Now she is used to taking the potion prepared for her by Professor Snape every day. But there is good news, Tom told her that the Sorcerer's Stone is almost ready. By then, she will be able to get rid of this unpleasant potion.
"Why are you in the mood to come to Hogsmeade today?" Tom was a little confused as to why he met Dumbledore here.
Dumbledore made a face befitting his age.
"Of course I can go out for a walk while I can still move and enjoy the spring scenery!" He said matter-of-factly, "I'm not a ghost bound in Hogwarts Castle, so I can naturally go out for a walk, and then I met you.
."
"Okay." Tom believed Dumbledore's words and thought he was out for a spring outing.
The three of them enjoyed bacon sandwiches and iced pumpkin juice in the spring breeze.
While the three of them had a happy picnic in the sun, there were also sneaky shadows lingering in some corners of Hogsmeade.
Draco Malfoy wore a hood and came to the Hog's Head Bar. He looked left and right, and after making sure that no one was paying attention to him, he opened the door and entered the dirty tavern.
Normally, Malfoy would not even approach a place like this, but today he walked in. This was not a whim, but a Death Eater who contacted him and asked him to meet here.
Although he was somewhat reluctant, he still came.
There were not many people in the bar, and they were all quietly drinking wine from their glasses, or passing the time in other ways. Malfoy frowned: This place is really too dirty!
All the old dirt and stains on the cups made his scalp tingle.
Let him drink the stuff here, it would be better to let him die!
But that's how he thought about it. If he really would die if he didn't drink from the Pig's Head Bar, then Malfoy would still give in.
After he came in, the few guests in the bar turned around, looked at him, and then turned away to continue busy with their own affairs. Only a witch whose whole body was shrouded in black veil stood up from her seat.
She walked up to Malfoy and motioned for him to go with her.
Malfoy followed her and walked upstairs. As he walked, his hand under his robes held the handle of his wand, and he secretly became more vigilant. He was already prepared to run away if the situation went wrong.
The first floor of the bar is a place for drinking, and the second floor has several shabby rooms where people can stay and rest. But as long as there are other options, no one will choose to live in such a room that smells like goat.
in the bar.
Smelling the almost physical smell in the air, Malfoy felt like he was suffocating.
"You can take off your hood." A female voice came from under the black veil.
"Aunt Bella?" Even with the thick black veil as a disguise, Malfoy still recognized the identity of the witch in front of him by his voice.
"Yes." The witch took off her black veil, revealing a head of thick, shiny black hair. The person who disguised himself and sneaked into Hogsmeade was none other than Voldemort's most loyal subordinate, Bella Crites.
"Draco, I am ordered by the Dark Lord to give you the highest honor." Bellatrix took out his wand and showed a somewhat crazy smile.
Malfoy is Bellacritus's nephew, but he has no relationship with his aunt - Bellacritus was already imprisoned in Azkaban when he was born. After she escaped (escaped) from prison, she
It only left a psychological shadow on my good nephew.
At this time, Malfoy looked weak, helpless and pitiful.
"Glory? What glory?" He was a little confused.
Bellacritus burst into a strange laugh.
"Of course it's the Dark Mark!" She looked very happy. "The master specifically gave you grace, allowing you to join the Death Eaters as an exception, and you were given the Dark Mark. I'm here to brand you with the mark today."
Malfoy:?!
If possible, he would of course want to refuse.
"This doesn't seem good, does it?" He said coyly: "I haven't made any contribution, so I was rashly given the Dark Mark. I'm afraid it will make other people think it's unfair."
When these words came out of Malfoy's mouth, it felt extremely inconsistent. When did Draco Malfoy insist on fairness? He really wanted to be fair now.
It's nothing to join the Death Eaters verbally. If his arm is branded with the Dark Mark, it will be a big trouble! This means that he is deeply bound to the Death Eaters, and it will bring him a lot of troubles in the future.
trouble.
After hearing her nephew's words, Bellacritus nodded with deep understanding. In fact, if Draco were not her nephew, she would definitely object to awarding the Dark Mark to a rookie who had just joined the Death Eaters. But
If this isn't his nephew, then of course he can be lenient.
"Draco, you are right. Only the Death Eaters who are most loyal to their master can be given the Dark Mark. That guy Peter was also given the mark after resurrecting his master, but you are different! Your father
, and aunt and I have already endured the hardships for you in Azkaban, you can just enjoy the happiness!"
Well, from Bellacritus's point of view, Malfoy is a standard "second-generation eater" who can go through the back door. Those Death Eaters who don't have heels need to gain the skills of other Death Eaters bit by bit.
Trust, and finally be given the Dark Mark after being recognized by Voldemort. Only with the Dark Mark can one be considered an official Death Eater.
Without the Dark Mark, he will always be a low-status outsider in the Death Eater team, equivalent to a dispatch worker in the company. During the Second Wizarding War, Voldemort attracted werewolves and let them join the Death Eaters' camp.
, but even Fenrir, the leader of the werewolves, didn't get the Dark Mark... I don't know what the werewolves were trying to do.
Before Voldemort came, they were discriminated against. After Voldemort came back, they were still discriminated against. Didn't Voldemort come in vain?
It is also worth noting that if you are not a pure-blood wizard, this mark will most likely not be associated with you. Snape is an extremely rare Death Eater who received the Dark Mark as a mixed-blood wizard. A mixed-blood wizard like him
Only in order to possess the Dark Mark can one imagine how difficult it is to obtain the mark.
But Malfoy does not need to go through these procedures. He can join the group and be given the Dark Mark at the same time he joins the Death Eaters. You ask why? His father is Lucius and his aunt is Bella Crites. This is enough.
.
What Bellacritus said was not very rigorous. Draco's father Lucius has not yet been imprisoned in Azkaban, so he has not yet suffered for Draco in Azkaban.
Facing his aunt's words, Malfoy was dumbfounded and really didn't know how to refute.
Seeing her nephew's stunned look of surprise, Bella smiled, pulled Malfoy in front of her, and rolled up the sleeves of his robe.
She pressed her wand against Malfoy's left arm, and a green flame burned. Wherever the flame went, bright red patterns appeared on Malfoy's arm.
As Voldemort's most trusted subordinate, Bellacritus received this honor: she could brand new Death Eaters with the Dark Mark on Voldemort's behalf.
Soon, the Dark Mark was branded. Bella removed the wand and looked at the symbol of a skull and a snake on Malfoy's arm with great satisfaction.
"When the mark burns, it means that the master is summoning. Every summoned Death Eater must rush to the master as soon as possible, otherwise it will be regarded as betrayal." After branding Malfoy with the Dark Mark, Bella Crete
Si gave him some basic knowledge about the Dark Mark. At the end, she added: "But I also know that you are in Hogwarts, which may not be convenient, so you don't have to go when you feel the call.
."
Malfoy's face was pale, and his forehead was covered with large beads of sweat. He didn't know whether it was from pain or from the anxiety in his heart.
"There is one last thing. Since you have become a Death Eater, you must perform the master's mission." Bellacritus took out a box from his arms, "Here is a cursed jewelry, yours
The task is to bring it into Hogwarts and let a student get it."
Malfoy's eyes widened in shock. He really didn't expect that his mission would come so quickly, and the content would be so cruel!
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Four thousand words combined into one chapter. Good night, everyone~
The last chapter... emmm, there was a little accident, and I definitely couldn't post it anyway, so I posted the original manuscript in the group.