Dealing With The Marauders

Spleen Shenanigans

Chapter 8: Spleen Shenanigans
-Bex p.o.v.-

I was called from my room a little before noon. Rosier knocked and when I answered, he spoke, "your presence is requested for the meeting."

I followed Rosier down to the dining room and took my usual chair at Tom's right. Tom stood behind his chair, gazing into the fire, he seemed to be fascinated with it. Seeing as Tom was looking at the fire, not paying any attention to the Death-Munchers, I watched as they filed in.

Rosier sat on my right. Lucius next to him and Narcissa after. My small ranks having the tattoo. I noticed, now, only the ones with tattoos sat close to Tom. I was the only one without a tattoo that was close to him. And that made me slightly angry.

The tiles told me I was the most important one. I was the one he cared about most. Yet I didn't get a token of his servitude. Other people, below me, got it but I didn't.

Maybe it was jealousy. I was never a jealous person. Though possessive maybe, what was mine stayed mine. I didn't share. It was a new sort of feeling, I wanted to be better than others. I needed to be better than them. I was the ruler of an army, I had followers, I needed to be seen as better than them. Even if that meant a little pain from a tattoo.

Tom started off his meeting with the usual information on missions. I paid no attention to it. I never did.

His meetings were boring, and they involved talking about what he did for a living. And I didn't like thinking of Tom killing people. Of course I knew he did. I hated the fact that he did. But I couldn't change that. And I didn't want to know about it either, because that would only make me feel guilty.

I already felt guilty. Some nights, the guilt ate at me. I wouldn't be able to sleep, I wouldn't be able to do anything but lie awake and think of the poor souls he's ordered to be dead.

I didn't help him make the orders but I didn't stop him from making the orders either. It was partially my fault. It would always be partially my fault. I'd have to live with the fact that I helped kill people. Even without ever casting the spell, I was partially the murderer.

"Rosier." Tom spoke, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Please take Ms. Dumbledore out of the room. You know where to take her. I'll be there shorty with the newest member for you."

Rosier nodded, standing and holding an arm out for me. "This way, Sweetheart."

I followed Rosier's lead, Lucius and Cissy following me. We left the dining room and started down the hall. "Where are we going?"

Rosier walked me along the corridor, stopping in front of a door I hadn't ever entered. "You aren't allowed to be present for the rest of the meeting. You have to come stay in the library until the Dark Lord is done. Then you'll be going to meet your new follower."

"The library?" I asked, looking at the door. Rosier nodded. "I can't go in there."

"Why not?" Lucius asked from behind me.

"I just can't." I insisted, not moving any closer to the door. "I can't go into any library ever again."

"Aria, you have to. That's where we were told to keep you until it's time." Lucius tried to convince me.

I shook my head, holding firm to my word. "I'm not going in there. I can't go in there."

Cissy sighed, "Lucius, she's not going to go in there. Let's take her somewhere else. To the Dark Lord's study."

Rosier agreed begrudgingly, leading us down to Tom's office space. "I'll stand guard. The room is sound proof, so if you need anything, you'll have to come out to get me."