The Day of the Draw at Hogwarts

Winter is turning to spring, and the weather in Hogwarts is getting warmer day by day. At this time, everything is flourishing and full of vitality, and the little wizards are also enjoying their last leisure time.

It is indeed the last moment of leisure.

After the Easter holiday, 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 is eclipsed.

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 the students who were eligible to go flocked to Hogsmeade, wanting to relax there.

"How do Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students prepare for their final exams? I mean, after all, they live on boats and carriages." Hermione looked forward with some confusion. There were several Germans not far away. Students from Armstrong and Beauxbatons were shopping.

"Their carriage and ship 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 You shouldn’t get involved in the question setting process of the final exam, right?”

Hermione put it more tactfully, but she actually 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 simple 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 the 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 wizards in the magic world, wherever they go, they look like they are wearing special spotlights, attracting everyone's attention. 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 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. Spring is just right, and it’s great to feel the cool spring breeze under the trees and have some cold meals.

After getting the approval of Tom and Hermione, Dumbledore waved and got a basket full of food from nowhere. He carried the basket and walked with the two of them to a hillside near Hogsmeade.

"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 them during the exam. Anyway, they are not worn to show to the invigilator. Besides, by the time of the final exam, these socks will probably be worn out and can no longer be worn.

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. Of course she looks 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 Philosopher's Stone is almost ready. When the time comes, you can 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 ice-cold pumpkin juice in the spring breeze.

While the three of them had a happy picnic in the sun, there were also sneaky shadows wandering in some corners of Hogsmeade.

Draco Malfoy, wearing a hood, came to the Hog's Head pub. He looked around, and after making sure no one was paying attention to him, he opened the door and entered the dirty tavern.

Normally Malfoy wouldn't even come close to a place like this, but today he walked in. This was not a whim, but the Death Eaters contacted him and asked him to meet here.

Although he was somewhat reluctant, he still came.

There weren't 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 dirty!

The old dust 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 customers in the bar turned around, looked at him, and then turned away to continue doing their own things. Only a witch whose whole body was shrouded in black veil stood up from her seat, walked to Malfoy, and motioned for him to go with her.

Malfoy followed her upstairs. As he walked, his hand under his robe held the handle of the wand, and he secretly became more vigilant. He was ready to run away if things 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 would choose to live in a bar that smells like goat.

Smelling the stench in the air that was almost as strong as substance, Malfoy felt like he was suffocating.

"You can take off your hood now." A female voice came from under the black gauze.

"Aunt Bella?" Even with the heavy 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 and shiny black hair. The man 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 from prison, she only left a psychological shadow on her good nephew.

At this time, Malfoy looked weak, helpless and pitiful.

"Glory? What glory?" He was a little confused.

Belacritus 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 certainly refuse.

"This doesn't seem good, does it?" He said coyly: "I haven't made any contribution, so being rashly given the Dark Mark like this may make other people feel unfair."

When these words came out of Malfoy's mouth, it felt extremely inconsistent. When did Draco Malfoy become fair? He really wants to be fair now.

It's nothing to join the Death Eaters verbally, but if your arm is branded with the Dark Mark, you'll be in big trouble! This means that he is deeply bound to the Death Eaters, which will cause him a lot of trouble in the future.

After hearing his nephew's words, Bellatrix 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 this is not his nephew, so 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 hardship for you in Azkaban, you can just enjoy the happiness!"

Well, from Bellacritus' point of view, Malfoy is a standard "second-generation eater" and can use the back door. Those Death Eaters without heels need to gain the trust of other Death Eaters bit by bit, and finally can be given the Dark Mark after being recognized by Voldemort. With the Dark Mark, you are officially a Death Eater.

Without the Dark Mark, he would 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 the werewolves and let them join the Death Eaters' camp. However, even the leader of the werewolves, Fenrir, did not get the Dark Mark... and 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?

Another point worth noting is that if you are not a pure-blood wizard, this mark will most likely not be available to you. Snape is an extremely rare Death Eater who obtained the Dark Mark as a mixed-blood wizard. Only a mixed-blood wizard like him can possess the Dark Mark. You can imagine how difficult it is to obtain the mark.

But Malfoy didn't need to go through these procedures. He could join the group at the front of the line, and be given the Dark Mark the same time he joined the Death Eaters. Why, you ask? His father was Lucius and his aunt was Belacrites, and that was 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 ignited. Wherever the flames hit, bright red patterns appeared on Malfoy's arms.

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 her 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 the master is calling. 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 it may not be convenient for you to be in Hogwarts, 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 job is to bring it into Hogwarts and get it into some student's hands."

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 small accident, and I definitely couldn't post it anyway, so I put the original manuscript in the group.