Winter had passed, and spring had arrived, with the weather at Hogwarts growing warmer day by day. It was a time of renewal and vitality, and young wizards were enjoying their last moments of relaxation.
Indeed, it was the last moment of leisure.
After the Easter holidays, lower-grade students would face the formidable antagonist: final exams. Meanwhile, higher-grade students had to prepare for their O.W.L. or N.E.W.T. exams, which overshadowed even the final event of the Triwizard Tournament in importance.
Perhaps only the three champions didn't have to worry about final exams, but they still had to prepare for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament.
Therefore, the Hogsmeade Open Day in mid-March was especially important. All eligible students went to Hogsmeade to enjoy a moment of relaxation.
"How do Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students prepare for final exams? I mean, after all, they live on ships and carriages." Hermione was a bit puzzled as she looked ahead, where some Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students were shopping.
"I suppose their carriages and ships are quite spacious, and they won't lack places to study. Moreover, they can make use of Hogwarts' library if needed! What really intrigues me is how they will conduct the final exams if their headmistress leaves the school." Tom valued another aspect more than how to prepare for final exams.
Hermione pondered for a moment and posed an intriguing question, "Do you think the headmasters affect the final exams? Apparently, Professor Dumbledore doesn't participate in question setting either. So, Madame Maxime and Professor Karkaroff won't get involved in creating the final exams either?"
Hermione put it subtly, but she was actually suggesting that the headmasters didn't have much to do with final exams.
"It seems someone has mentioned my name." Suddenly, an elderly voice came from behind the two, and Tom turned to see that it was Albus Dumbledore.
That day, Professor Dumbledore was wearing a more understated outfit. He wasn't in his robes with embroidered stars and instead opted for a plain-looking gray robe. He wore a wizard's hat of the same tone, giving him the appearance of an ordinary old wizard.
However, this attire gave Tom the impression that he was skilled in one-handed fencing... Wait a moment, the Sword of Gryffindor was also a one-handed sword!
As he looked at Dumbledore's attire, Tom was momentarily puzzled until Dumbledore spoke again, bringing him back to reality.
"Why don't we go to the Three Broomsticks and have a Butterbeer together? I still miss the taste of the one they serve there."
"Of course not!" Tom rejected Dumbledore before Hermione could accept the offer.
Of course, it was Dumbledore! The elite wizard of the magical world who drew all eyes wherever he went, as if he were under a bright spotlight. Tom didn't want to join him in a pub and be observed by everyone.
They had gone out to relax and enjoy, not to be the center of attention.
"Well..." Dumbledore shrugged with some resignation, acknowledging that Tom was right. "Then I'll bring some food. How about we have a picnic on the hill?"
That suggestion wasn't bad. The spring weather was perfect for enjoying the fresh breeze under the trees, and a cold picnic sounded quite appealing.
Once Tom and Hermione agreed, Dumbledore made a gesture, and a basket full of food somehow appeared. Taking the basket, the three of them headed to a small hill near the village of Hogsmeade.
"What do you think of this place?" The sweeping view that suddenly opened before them made Tom feel like it was a good spot for a picnic.
"Nice idea," said Dumbledore as he spread a blanket on the ground and sat down.
Tom and Hermione sat down across from him, facing each other.
"Nice stockings," Dumbledore commented on Hermione's black stockings. "But I must remind you, Miss Granger, that during the final exams, you can't wear stockings with letters, as it might be considered cheating."
Nervously, Hermione slid her hands over the stockings, not expecting Professor Dumbledore to be interested in that particular detail.
It wasn't a big issue; she would simply avoid wearing them during the exams. After all, she wouldn't wear them for the supervisor to see, and they would probably be too worn out to wear during the final exams.
Tom smiled, truly not having imagined that lettered stockings had that function.
Dumbledore didn't press on the topic of Hermione's stockings further. As he picked up the basket full of food, he complimented Hermione on her good looks.
"Every time I see Miss Granger, I find her more radiant than the last time I saw her."
Tom lowered his head: of course, this girl had been well taken care of, and naturally, she would look excellent!
"Are you still taking your medicine on time?" Dumbledore asked.
Hermione nodded.
By now, she had grown accustomed to taking the magical potion that Professor Snape prepared for her every day. But she had good news; Tom had told her that the Philosopher's Stone was almost ready. Once it was ready, she could stop taking that unpleasant potion.
"Why are you in Hogsmeade today?" Tom asked, intrigued by Dumbledore's presence in that place.
Dumbledore made a face that didn't match his age.
"Of course, it's to enjoy the spring scenery while I still can move," he said casually, "I'm not a ghost trapped in Hogwarts Castle, so I can go out and meet with you."
"Alright," Tom believed Dumbledore's words and took it as if he were simply enjoying a spring stroll.
While the three of them happily enjoyed their outdoor picnic, in some corners of Hogsmeade, shadows were lurking.
Draco Malfoy, with his hood up, arrived at the entrance of the Hog's Head Inn. He glanced around and, making sure no one was watching, entered the small, dingy pub.
It was a place that Malfoy would never normally approach, but today he had decided to enter because the Death Eaters had contacted him and arranged to meet there.
Although he wasn't happy and felt reluctant, he had come anyway.
The bar wasn't crowded; everyone was quietly drinking at their tables or passing the time in some other way. Draco frowned: the place was really dirty! Years of accumulated dust and stains on the glasses gave him the creeps.
He would rather die than drink anything from here.
But that was just what he thought. If he really refused to drink at the Hog's Head Inn, he would be doomed. Draco would have to give in.
After entering, the few patrons of the bar glanced at him before returning to their business. Only a witch covered in a black veil stood up from her seat and approached Draco, indicating that he should follow her.
Draco followed the witch, and they climbed the stairs together. As they walked, his hand beneath his robe held his wand, alert. He was already prepared to escape if things didn't go well.
The ground floor of the bar was the drinking place, while on the first floor, there were some run-down rooms available for staying and resting. However, if there were other options, no one would choose to stay in a bar that reeked of goat.
Draco felt like he was suffocating with the almost tangible smell in the air.
"You can take off the hood," said a woman's voice from under the black veil.
"Aunt Bella?" Despite the veil concealing her face, Draco recognized the witch in front of him by her voice.
"Yes," the witch removed the veil, revealing her thick, shiny black hair. The one who had entered Hogsmeade in a disguised appearance was none other than Bellatrix Lestrange, Voldemort's most loyal follower.
"Draco, I come under the orders of the Dark Lord to bestow upon you the greatest honor," Bellatrix said, taking out her wand and showing a somewhat manic smile.
Draco was Bellatrix's nephew, but he had no affinity with his aunt; she had already been imprisoned in Azkaban when he was born. And after she was released from prison, she only left traumas on her good nephew.
At that moment, Draco looked like someone weak and helpless.
"Honor? What honor?" he asked, not understanding.
Bellatrix burst into a strange laugh.
"The symbol of the Death Eaters, of course!" she seemed very pleased, "The Dark Lord has granted a special grace, allowing you to join the Death Eaters directly, and you will be awarded the Dark Mark. Today, I've come to mark you."
Malfoy: ???!!!
If it were possible, he would definitely refuse that.
"Doesn't that seem a bit unfair?" he stammered, "I haven't made any contributions, it's unfair for me to be awarded the Dark Mark like this, others might feel aggrieved."
What Malfoy said sounded extremely strange. When did Draco Malfoy care about fairness? Now, he really wanted to talk about justice.
Verbally joining the Death Eaters wasn't a big deal, but having the Dark Mark engraved on his arm would be a big problem. This meant he would be deeply tied to the Death Eaters, causing him a lot of trouble.
Upon hearing his nephew's words, Bellatrix nodded in approval. Indeed, if Draco weren't her nephew, she would definitely oppose giving the Dark Mark to a newly admitted Death Eater. But as he was her nephew, she could naturally be indulgent.
"Draco, you're right. The Dark Mark is only given to the most loyal Death Eaters to the Dark Lord," Bellatrix said. "Peter, for example, received the mark after the Dark Lord returned to life, but you are different. Your father and I have already paid the price for you in Azkaban, so you just enjoy the benefits!"
From Bellatrix's point of view, Draco was a typical "second-generation Death Eater" and could get privileges. Those Death Eaters who don't have a direct connection to someone important need to gradually earn the trust of other Death Eaters and eventually be recognized by Voldemort to get the Dark Mark. Once they have the Mark, they become official Death Eaters.
Without the Dark Mark, they would always be low-status outsiders on the Death Eater team, like temporary workers in a company. During the Second Wizarding War, Voldemort recruited werewolves and had them join the Death Eaters, but not even the leader of the werewolves, Fenrir, received the Dark Mark... Who knows what the werewolves expected when they joined?
Before Voldemort came to power, they were discriminated against, and when Voldemort returned, they were still discriminated against. Did Voldemort come in vain?
One noteworthy point is that if you're not a pure-blood wizard, you're very unlikely to ever get this mark. Snape is a rare example of a half-blood who got the Dark Mark as a Death Eater, and the difficulty of obtaining it can be imagined.
But Draco didn't need to go through those procedures. He could quickly join the Death Eaters and receive the Dark Mark at the same time. Why? Because his father is Lucius, and his aunt is Bellatrix Lestrange, that's enough.
What Bellatrix said wasn't entirely accurate. Currently, Draco's father, Lucius, has not been sent to Azkaban yet, so he has not paid for Draco in prison.
Faced with his aunt's words, Draco was speechless, not knowing how to refute.
Seeing his nephew so surprised and dazed, Bellatrix smiled, brought him closer, and rolled up the sleeve of his robe.
She aimed her wand at Draco's left arm, and a green flame ignited. As the flame advanced, bright red patterns appeared on Draco's arm.
As one of Voldemort's most trusted followers, Bellatrix had this privilege: she could mark new Death Eaters on behalf of Voldemort.
Quickly, the Dark Mark was engraved. Bellatrix withdrew her wand and looked with satisfaction at the skull and snake symbol on Draco's arm.
"When the Mark burns, it means the Dark Lord is summoning you. Every summoned Death Eater must go to his side quickly, or else it will be considered treason." After marking Malfoy with the Dark Mark, Bellatrix gave him some basic knowledge about it. In the end, she added, "But I also know you're at Hogwarts, which can be inconvenient, so you don't have to go if you feel the call."
Draco's face was pale, and his forehead was covered in large beads of sweat, not knowing whether it was from the pain or the anxiety he felt.
"And there's one last thing: now that you've become a Death Eater, you must carry out the tasks of the Dark Lord." Bellatrix took a box from her pocket. "Here's a cursed accessory, your task is to take it to Hogwarts and have some student pick it up."
Malfoy's eyes widened in surprise; he never expected his task to arrive so quickly, and that it would be so cruel!