Dark On Rise
Over the next few days, Juliet kept her ear to the ground. It wasn't difficult for her to slip into conversations and overhear whispers about the Ministry. With her status as one of the most popular girls in Slytherin, people spoke freely around her, assuming that she wasn't interested in anything serious. After all, Juliet Van Der Hart was only known for her wild parties, not for paying attention to politics or her surroundings.
But Juliet was sharper than most realized, and she knew how to navigate the school's social circles. She started with the usual suspects — the older students from families with ties to the Ministry. They often gossiped during study sessions in the library or when they were lounging in the common room, and Juliet just had to be in the right place at the right time.
One evening, she overheard Wayne Hopkins talking in low tones to a group of Slytherins about a meeting his father had attended. Apparently, there was growing unrest in the Ministry, with some officials worried about dark wizards gaining influence again. The name "Malfoy" had been mentioned, though the details were vague. That was enough for Juliet to connect the dots — Draco wanted information about his father, and it seemed there was something brewing behind the scenes.
The next day, Juliet sat near Daphne Greengrass and a few other girls as they talked about their families. Daphne casually mentioned how her father had been at the Ministry recently, and while she didn't care about the details, she let slip that Lucius Malfoy had been seen leaving a closed-door meeting with several high-ranking officials. The whispers were enough to suggest something serious was happening.
Armed with this information, Juliet debated whether or not to tell Draco. Part of her wanted to withhold it, to make him wait and suffer like she had been, but she knew that wasn't an option. Draco was holding too much over her, and she couldn't afford for him to go to Snape with what he knew.
She found Draco in the library the next evening, seated in the far corner, his face buried in a book as usual. Juliet took a deep breath before approaching him, knowing this conversation would be anything but pleasant.
"Malfoy," she said, leaning on the edge of the table. "I've got your information."
Draco glanced up, a smirk forming on his lips. "Took you long enough. Let's hear it."
Juliet lowered her voice, not wanting to be overheard. "Your father's name has come up in a few conversations. It seems like something's happening at the Ministry — people are worried about dark wizards gaining power again. I heard Lucius Malfoy's been seen at some closed-door meetings with Ministry officials. That's all I've got, but it sounds serious."
Draco's smirk faltered for a split second before he masked it with his usual cold demeanor. "Of course it's serious," he muttered, as if he had already expected this. "Anything else?"
Juliet shook her head. "That's all I've got for now. If you want more, you'll have to dig deeper on your own."
Draco leaned back in his chair, studying her with a calculating expression. "You've done well, Van Der Hart," he said, his voice smoother now, less hostile. "But don't think this means we're done."
Juliet narrowed her eyes. "We had a deal, Draco."
"We did," Draco agreed, his tone almost patronizing. "But deals can change. Especially if I need more information in the future."
Juliet gritted her teeth. "I'm not your informant."
"You are as long as I say you are," Draco replied coolly, standing up and gathering his things. "But don't worry, I won't need you for much longer. Just a little more cooperation, and we'll both get what we want."
As he turned to leave, Juliet called after him. "What exactly do you want, Draco?"
Draco paused for a moment, his back still to her. "I want control," he said simply before walking away.
Juliet stood there, seething. She had given him the information he wanted, yet it felt like Draco still held all the cards. And worse, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wouldn't be the last time he'd come to her for help — or the last time she'd feel trapped by him.
For now, though, she had done her part. The question was: what would Draco do with the knowledge she'd handed over? And how long before she found herself tangled up in another one of his schemes?