dedicated to: samz_ Oliveira   for commenting and voting on my story

I love the way your eyes light up when someone says "It might be dangerous"

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   Eva's pov

No matter how hard I was rubbing it, the mark was not leaving. My arm was becoming red, but the black snake was still there. I didn't want this to happen. I wanted to participate in something different from school. I just wanted to be a normal teenage witch.

    I didn't know why I agreed to do this. Maybe it was Tom. He has gained my trust years ago. His charming personality made me ignore all the red flags. And they were a lot, damn it!.

   He made me feel awful about myself. He was rude to everyone that wasn't in a high position or didn't have the power her wanted. Everyone is afraid of him. He almost killed a first-year girl, in our third year, because she was laughing and Tom thought she was laughing about him.

    The morning sun came in the bedroom from the window. The two other girls were still sleeping, but I couldn't fall asleep all night. Memories from that moment in the woods were still playing in my mind. I tried to hide the mark with makeup but it wasn't working. It was still visible.

   The light made me open my eyes. The time was 6:32, so I decided to get up and go to breakfast. I wore my white shirt and plaid skirt. I tied my tie and put my shoes and robe on. I took my bag and got out of the room.

 The common room was empty. Usually, no one is awake that early. I opened the big door and left.

Freyja's pov

       The light coming through the curtains blinded my eyes making me wake up. I opened my eyes and looked around the room. Eva was not on her bed. I decided to ignore it. I have had enough with her.

     The day was extremely warm. The sky was clear, not even a single cloud in the sky. 

      Bella was already awake. She is a morning person. I hardly wake up before 10 at the weekends. I heard the water running, meaning Bella was taking a shower.

    I got up from my warm bed. My bare feet touched the cold ground. I left my bed unmade and got my uniform from my trunk. I took off my nightgown and wore my clothes. I got my wand from my nightstand and put it in my pocket. I picked my bag from the floor and sat on my bed, waiting for Bella.

     We still hang out. She is more logical than her sister, thankfully. 

 A while after I heard that the water stopped running, Bella came out from the bathroom fully clothed.

"Good morning Freyja. "

"Morning. Are you sure you want to wear the robe? I am already hot with the vest. "

"I don't, but that's the rule. You have to wear it. You will get yourself in trouble if you don't "

I scoffed at the thought of the overprotective rules this school has. Isn't the uniform already enough?

   I wore my robe and tied my hair up. I was already sweating.
 
  

   The day passed by quickly. Just a regular day at Hogwarts. Magic, classes and drama. That Raven claw girl again. Her name... Myrtle, I believe. She is getting bullied every day and every night she ends up crying in the girls' lavatory. She is a little too sensitive if you want my opinion. But, who am I to judge?

     It was time for the last class of the day. Potions. Not Slughorn again... 
He is one of my least favourite professors, even though I am one of his favourite students. He is a very nice person. Kind, true, always smiling and willing to help you, but I just don't like him. I pretend I do, so I can get a good grade.

  I noticed Tom does it too. With every professor.

   I entered the classroom a couple of minutes later. The lesson has already begun.

"Miss O'lone. You are late"

"My apologies, professor. I didn't intended to be late, I was at the restroom. It won't happen again. I promise."

"It is fine. Take a seat next to one of your classmates. "

    I got closer to the usual desk that I share with Tom, Darius and Eva. The three of them turned and looked at me. Eva rolled her eyes and turned her head in the other direction. Her nails dig into the wooden desk and she started to tap her foot fast.

  A small smile was shaped on my face, after seeing her reaction to my presence.

I made her angry... Nice...

  " Open your books to page 3" The professor announced to the class, so he can start teaching today's lesson.

~~~

   Today's potion was quite hard. I was paired with Eva and we didn't even share a word. The potion wasn't successful. It was supposed to be blue and cold, but instead, it was green and boiling. The steams coming out of the pot and the really hot weather was such a bad combination. Warm sweat was running from my forehead as I unbuttoned my robe.
 
    I looked over at the other side at the table where Tom and Darius stood. Their potion was blue and cold, meaning it was ready.  How does this man manage to be perfect in every single aspect? His blue eyes met mine. He smirked at me after seeing that I was a mess. I was never good at potions. It is my weakest spot.

  I looked at my pot. The green liquid looked ugly and it seemed really bad. I let out a breath and then read the book again. I examined every line, but I still couldn't find what I was doing wrong. 

  I turned around and looked at what the rest of my classmates were doing. Almost none of them had made it. Sixth year potions are hard.

   I turned and looked at Eva. Her eyes were glued to the book and her sweaty hair were falling in front of her forehead. She was hot too. She took off her robe and rolled her shirt sleeves up, revealing her arms.

   There was something unusual about her. She seemed sad today. Lost in her thoughts. I watched her as she rolled her left sleeve up. Once the fabric was in her elbow, you could see something dark in her arm. I looked closer. It was a snake. Adrian has the same thing but he told me he drew it in class because he was bored. I also saw it at Abraxas, one night we were relaxing in the common room, but I didn't question him about it. I just thought it was a coincidence.

   It looked oddly familiar. Like I've seen it before but not on an arm. But where have I seen it?

"Eva, may I ask you a question?" I asked the girl next to me. She turned around surprised, and so did the boys across from us.

"Go on"

"what is that on your arm?" She quickly rolled her sleeves back down, looking at Tom. His jaw clenched, slightly. My eyes were stuck at hers. 

"None of your business. "She looked me up and down and picked her books and left the class quickly.

  I turned and looked at Tom. Fake surprise in my face. Of course, she would react like that. My eyes travelled to the books in front of him.
Tom Riddle diary. Of course. That's where I've seen it before!

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Bella and Freyja walked into the Slytherin dorm after their dinner. Eva didn't show up and no one knows where she is. again.

   Bella sat on the leather sofa, closing her eyes.

"care to join me Freyja?"

"I have to do something first. If you excuse me ..." Freyja answered and walked to the boys' dormitory

"Our room it is not there..."

"My destination it is not our dorm."

"You can't go there. It's the rules!

"I know the rules... i just like to break them. "

"The stairs transform into a slide so you can't get in"

"Bold of you to assume that I don't know what spell to use.. "

Bella looked at her best friend worried about what she wanted to do, but she didn't move. Nothing could ruin her night. She decided to spend her night with a sweet, hot cup of tea and an old book of classic literature.

Freyja, on the other hand, was going to spend her night in a completely different way.

It was Abraxas turn on doing rounds and Lestrange was with a random girl somewhere in the castle. But, luckily, Tom was nowhere to be seen.

Freyja opened the door, slowly. The room was empty. If she was lucky, no one would catch her.

She started going through Tom's stuff. His trunk, bed, underneath the bed, in his drawers, his bag, hoping that she would find what she was looking for. Tom's Riddle diary.

She looked everywhere but without a positive outcome. She turned at the clock in the middle of the wall. 10 o'clock. She should get going. Tom probably has the notebook with him.

She left the room and went to the common room, to sit with her friend, but she has already gone to sleep. There were very few kids in the room, only some seventy years studying.

Freyja sat in the armchair and opened her book. She needed that notebook as soon as possible. And if that meant that she would stay up all night, waiting for him, she would do it.

3 hours later...

The time is 01:00 am and Tom hasn't shown up yet. The common room was empty. Lestrange and Malfoy were back, one hour ago. It is weird, he would normally return by eleven.

Suddenly, the big door opened and Tom walked in.

   Freyja slowly got up, trying not to seem suspicious. She walked towards him, trying not to make eye contact.

  She used to steal things from her siblings all the time, without them realising. She was really good at that. Hopefully, Tom won't notice either.

   When the distance between them was almost zero, she fell on him. He looked annoyed and she faked embarrassment. A simple stealing technique. You fell on the other person "on accident" and you take their stuff.

  Tom sat in his armchair, holding his books. What he didn't notice was that he was missing a notebook. A black one.

    The notebook wasn't missing, to be exact. It was in Freyja's arms

She opened the door of her dorm. The lights were off and her two roommates were sleeping. Freyja sat in her bed and opened the diary. "Lumos!" 

  She started going through the pages. She saw Tom drawing the snake multiple times. It was the same he was drawing during class. The same he was drawing when he ruined her date with Malfoy. Is that what he is doing? Drawing snakes on his friend's arm? Correction. Followers arm.

 At first, it sounds innocent. But it is way more twisted.

   Exactly in the middle of the notebook, she found it. The same snake that it is on Eva's, Abraxas' and Adryan's forearm. She started examining the drawing. He is really talented. It is really detailed.

     The door suddenly opened and he walked in. She rushed to hide the diary before he saw it

"You are not allowed to be here"

"You have something of mine... I'd like it back..."

"I am afraid I do not understand what are you talking about..."

"Oh, but you do. I can see it behind you pillow. "

"I am asking you kindly to leave."

"And I am asking for my notebook back"

"I do not have it"

"Your stubbornes will kill you one day. Give me the notebook !"

"Stop yelling, you will wake them up."

"Come outside. And bring my notebook"

  He left, leaving the door open. Freyja got up and followed him to the common room. They both sat in the leather sofas.

"Now, can I have my notebook back?" Freyja passed the diary to his owner. "Thank you"

  The room was quiet. They were talking with their eyes. Tom was sitting across from Freyja. His arms close to his body, resting on his lap. His right leg was on top of his left. A small smirk on his face. This was his own way of expressing happiness, or pleasure. Like he wanted to have this conversation. His eyes stuck on hers. Blinking few times.

 Freyja was sitting still. She has crossed her legs. She has leaned back. Her arms crossed, close to her chest. She seemed dissatisfied. Her foot tapping quickly the floor.

"Why ?" She asked with curiosity in her eyes

"It is a sign of loyalty"

"Matching tattoos ?"

"Matching marks. "

"Why serpent? Why not any other animal?"

"Slytherin."

  Freyja leaned closer, resting her chin in her palm.

"It is also related to me. I am the heir of Slytherin and a parselmouth."

"Does any body else know that you are the heir ?"

"You are the only one"

   She raised her eyebrow. Suddenly, the conversation seemed more interesting.

"The symbol entered Western culture via the Greek Magical Tradition and was adopted in Dnosticism and Hermeticism, notably in alchemy. "Tom's smile grew slowly bigger, as he watched Freyja listening to him. He wanted her to ask him. He gave her the diary on purpose.

    He liked how she admired what he was saying without talking.

    She seemed sceptical. Confused.

"As you noticed, the snake eats its own tail. There is no begining or end. It is about overcoming death. The snake eats its own end. Ceasing death from being a possibility."

    Freyja sat more comfortable in her seat. "Defeating death... Immortality..."

 Tom nodded. He was really satisfied with what he was seeing. Freyja created a small smile. Now, she was truly enjoying the conversation.

"The shape the snake has... It is creating an infinity within itself." She said, her eyes never leaving Tom's. "A death eater ..."

"Exactly"

  Tom was happy with their conversation. He wanted to prove to her that he was smart. No. intelligent. Evil. He wanted to prove it to her, even though she already knew.

"Brilliant"

 At the hearing of the word, coming out of Freyja's mouth, he smiled. A true smile this time.

 "So, we are talking about a team, which the members get a matching mark with the leader, the leader, in our case, you and the team members, your followers."

     Freyja was lost in her thoughts, trying to connect the pieces together.

"The mark is a death eater, which means that the followers are also called that... am I correct?"

"Yes... continue ..."

"Now we are not talking about just an after school club... we are talking about something darker. Much darker"

 Tom was feeling well pleased that she understood. He was right. They weren't different. They had the same thirst for power.

"I don't understand. Why would you make something like that? Something so dark and evil?"

"There is no good and evil. There is only power and those too weak to seek it."

"So, that's your goal? Power?"

"I told you, Freyja. We are not different from each other. We want the same thing. To be valued. Admired. We want people to think of us and say how great we are. But you can't see that. Your mind is vague. Think about it.

  You were always feeling less than the others but you are special. Your skills in dark magic are extraordinary.

   Everyone sees you as a small girl but you want to show the world that you are far more than that.

  You want justice for your family, so you gave the same pain to the person you did it. He killed your father, you killed his daughter. You want revenge.

   And when you get it you will not stop. Because murder is like sweets. No one can stop with only one. 

  Mary Wollstonecraft once said: No man chooses evil because it is evil. He only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks. My happiness is my death eaters. Yours is that "

"What are you talking about?"

"People are vulnerable when asleep. You can easily get in their mind or steal a memory"

"You saw my nightmare!'

"You saw your uncle murder his own brother. He didn't used magic. He used muggle ways. He then murder your siblings. Tortured them and killed them. The same way you killed his daughter."

  Freyja laid back on the sofa. She knitted her eyebrows and looked at him suspiciously.

"I know what you did Freyja. And because of that I want your help. "

"What do you want from me? Can't you just leave me alone. Let me live my life? "

"What life, darling? Killing your family and then killing mudbloods? "

"I am afraid I do not understand what you are talking about... "

"Oh, but you do. Your cousin wasn't the only person. After that incident, some mudbloods disappeared from Beaux batons. I saw at a newspaper. "

"Why are you doing this? "

"I want you on my team.

  Being on different sides is not going to help anyone. "

"I am not going to team up with you. "

"I did some research on Salazar Slytherin. "Freyja lifted her head up, knowing what Tom was about to say. It would be foolish of him not to do any research. "Of course you did"

"Turned out, Salazar Slytherin had built a hidden chamber. The chamber of secrets. I guess you already acknowledge it. "

"I do. What do you suggest? "

"Help me find the chamber. "A shocked expression took the place of her calm one. "Are you mad? Do you seriously want to release a basilisk on muggle borns?"

"Why not? I don't see the problem. "

"There are a lot of reasons not to. What if the find out it was you? What if you can't open it? What if you can't find it? "

"That's why I want your help! I have to admit. You are really smart. Almost smarter than me. And I have a plan. I am not an idiot. I know what to do if someone is suspecting us! "

" Us?"

"So what do you think, miss O'lone? Would you like to help me? "

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Stay tuned because big things are coming ... ;)