Chapter 15
Dinner rolls around. Blinky tried to talk to me a couple times, but I sent him away to do something else. I'm mad at that stupid elf. I know he didn't mean anything by it, but I want to be petty.
I walk into the dinning room. The table was already covered in food. Looks like Blinky had a somewhat eventful day while he wasn't bothering me.
Narcissa was sitting by Draco this time around, so I got to sit closer to Father. Which after our little conversation a while ago, I'm okay with.
I pull out the chair and sit down, everyone waiting so we can begin our dinner. I will admit, I'm usually late. I get so wrapped up in reading the books that I forget the time.
Father was the first one to grab food, signaling for us to start eating. I grab some of the precut turkey before taking some mashed potatoes. That stupid elf does know how to make some good mashed potatoes.
"So," Father starts, "what would you like to know?"
I take a sip of my water, thinking long and hard for some questions. I don't want anything too difficult that he isn't going to want to answer at first, but I don't want a simple question that can be answered in one go.
"The group is The Nightshade Circle?" I ask.
Father nods. "They derived from some sisterhood hundreds of years ago. Their purpose is to wait and take over the magic world." He takes a bite. I wait patiently for him to continue.
"They believe that a witch or wizard needs to rule over them all," he starts again. "But not just any witch or wizard, a powerful one, born with natural, ancient magic. Doesn't need a wand to help concentrate their magic, can block very important spells with a blink of an eye, only needs to be taught a spell once before they have it down." This time he takes a sip of his drink. I take this moment to shove some turkey into my mouth. “Even believe they can bring back the dead.”
My eyes widened at that. Bring back the dead? Surely there were already spells to do that. If there was, why would this secret society be looking for the one that could?
"There are hundreds of people in this order," he says. "All waiting for the day their queen or king is born to take over the Ministry."
I look over at Narcissa and Draco. They seem to have heard this tale a lot.
"What does this have to do with me?" I ask.
"When you were a baby," Narcissa starts, "you had these moments of magic. Not uncommon or strange, but you were doing some things that people normally don't do as a baby."
"Like what?" I ask.
"Well, sometimes I would walk into your nursery in the morning and you were levitating. Made a bottle appear in your hand, even though I already had one."
"This is the kind of thing The Nightshade Circle looks for," Father says. "We didn't think anything of the group until we noticed people following us around. At one point Draco came home with a letter -"
"What did it say?" I cut in.
"'The time is almost here," Father says. "As I was saying, we started looking into the group and the stuff they believed in. We believed in some messed up things but they were willing to go further."
"We couldn't let the Nightshade Circle know about you," Narcissa said. "Who knows what they would've done. What Voldemort would've done…"
I slowly nod my head. All of this is starting to make sense. If this group was around for hundreds of years, they would be willing to wait a hundred more. That's also why they concealed my magic. Even if they would've sent me away, the Nightshade Circle would've just found me again and actually kidnapped me. I wouldn't have the protection of my family.
"How bad is the group?" I ask.
Mum and father stare at each other. The wheels turn inside their heads.
"The Nightshade Circle are religiously loyal to the king or queen," Narcissa says. "They will stop at nothing, and I stress, nothing to make sure the king or queen is safe, powerful, and evil."
"They have been known to kill families," Father says. "Muggles, purebloods, half-bloods. Everyone. Who knows what will happen when they find their ruler. This group is not someone you want to pick a fight with. Someone to sass or mock. You'd be dead before you get the sentence out."
My heart speeds up. If they are willing to kill at the drop of a hat, are loyal through thick and thin, what isn't this group capable of? How has no one actually stopped them? Or put an end to the group? Surely someone has knowledge about them.
"It's said," Draco chimes it, "that the ruler is the most evil person in the world. Worse the Grindelwald, and Voldemort, combined. The ruler is pure evil and will stop at nothing to gain the Ministry. That power."
I let out a half hearted laugh. "Well that certainly isn't me. I couldn't kill a small animal if my life depended on it. I could kill spiders though. I hate those things…"
Everyone started to laugh. The conversation of the Nightshade Circle dwindled after that, though I can't help but feel deep down that maybe the group was after me. That if I grew up here at home, I would be a completely different person. Could I be that evil? Desire power?
The idea of power does interest me. Being able to hold fear in others just by a name, or by a look. The idea to block spells by one blink of an eye is very intriguing. Barley having to lift a finger for that. Or simply hexing someone because they said something a little too loud or annoying just by the wave of a hand.
But with that kind of power, comes great evilness. I'm not like that. But maybe, just maybe, evilness can be learned. What if somewhere in life, a very big event, like a loss of family or friends by someone you trust could help turn that person evil. Because they have seen the evil in other people, that it won't matter how hard you try, people won't listen out of pure will.
Sometimes you have to make them listen...