The Missing Link
Prologue
By Jade Shadow
A/N: Here's my third fic for this site. I'm not sure how
long it's going to be, and there will probably be sequels. Told from Harry's
sister's POV. PLEASE R/R so I know if I should continue this. No flames, please.
I don't appreciate those. And I know this is short; hopefully the rest will be
better.
Disclaimer: Lily Elizabeth Potter is mine, but everything
else probably belongs to JK Rowling.
I sat in my
room. It was dark in the cellar, but I didn't want to light a lamp for another
hour, in case one of the Malfoys woke up. I would probably be punished and,
though I was used to it, it was not pleasant. Not that it was meant to be
pleasant or anything.
I heard
footsteps above. In the past few months, Lucius and Narcissa's mood had been
highly agitated. I wasn't sure what made them like this and, of course, I asked
no questions. Instead I kept to myself and continued life as a good little
servant girl. It wasn't much, but this life was all I knew and I doubted that
I'd have any other place to go. At least, I had never been told of any other
place I could go. Not that the Malfoy's ever talked to me much. Mostly, they
treated me like a house-elf, although I did do the laundry. Unlike Dobby, the
house-elf who had been my only companion. But he had been freed under
mysterious circumstances two years earlier. I was all alone now.
More footsteps
and an agitated voice that sounded like Narcissa. I sighed and got out of bed,
pulled off my threadbare nightgown and changed into my servant uniform-much
like the pillowcases the house-elf wore, although mine was long enough and had
a waist. It was stained from two years of work. I needed a larger one, but I
did not dare ask for one. I was due a new one in three years anyway. I pulled
my long red hair back with a string and sat back down.
It was then I
heard a new voice. Not Draco's-he was still at Hogwarts, obviously-but a cold,
high-pitched voice I didn't recognize. Then it was gone, replaced by Lucius.
The footsteps were louder, and I could hear his voice.
"We've kept
her down here, sir, in the cellar."
The voice
stopped right above me, and suddenly I heard the creak of the door opening. I
stood, smoothed my dress, turned on my lamp, and waited.
First Narcissa
came in, looking nervous, and checked me over. Then she practically jumped out
of the way, as Lucius came in, followed by his strange guest. The guest was
tall, with slick black hair and pale, clear skin. His face was cut open by a
thin slit for his mouth and two nostrils, like those of a snake. His red eyes
glowed as the warm coals glowed in the morning.
"So," he said
softly, and the scar on my forehead hurt. I pushed the pain away and watched,
though the more he looked at me the more my head throbbed. "So. This is the
Potter girl."
His mouth
curved upward in a cruel, amused smile. "Yes, I am," I said, standing up as
straight as I could. "What's it to you?"
Narcissa and
Lucius looked horrified, but the man laughed. "Feisty, are we? I should think
thirteen years of slavery would have broken you."
I narrowed my
green eyes. "Why should it?"
He smiled
again. "Do you not know who I am?" He reached out with a pale, spidery finger
and stroked my cheek.
I pulled back
and glared. "Don't. Do. That."
He laughed and
pulled on a strand of my hair. "You did not answer my question…Lily."
When he said
my name I felt cold all over. My scar went from throbbing to burning, and I
knew he had power over me. I fought my urge to shrink back and pulled my hair
out of his fingers. "No, I don't. Should I?"
"Why, my dear,
loyal servant…" I jerked back and winced at this, and a cunning look gleamed in
his eyes, "I am…Lord Voldemort."
Shock rippled
through me, but I refused to let it show. "Lord Voldemort, huh?" I ran an
appraising eye over him. "Not too impressive, although you are supposed
to be this bodiless spirit floating throughout Albania…"
He laughed
again, a laugh I soon learned to ignore. "Yes, well…my loyal servants have
aided me in my quest for my powers…and Harry Potter." He spat the name out like
a curse.
"So you killed
him?" I tried to keep my emotions at a minimum.
Any mirth,
cruel or otherwise, disappeared from his face. "I would have, had there not
been unforeseen side affects…Priori Incatatem, for one…and the total
incompetence of my Death Eaters…"
Out of the
corner of my eye, I saw Lucius narrow his eyes and Narcissa frown. Voldemort
didn't notice. "So," I said, "been nice meeting you. Good night."
An eyebrow
raised. "Good night?" he echoed. "But…my dear, the night is young, and there is
much work to do."
I narrowed my
eyes. "Work?"
"Of course.
Your training for your upcoming job as my spy." He sounded pleased with
himself.
I almost closed
my eyes, but I could still see those burning red cat's eyes burning holes into
my head. Literally. "What makes you think I'll be your spy?"
"The fact, my
dear, that you'll be able to watch Harry."
I stiffened.
The one thing I'd wanted over the years, besides a giant clock with which to
rewind time and change the past, was to meet Harry. One of my last living
relatives…my brother. And now, here, I was being offered the chance to do
that…by the man who killed my parents and had made my life a living hell.
Voldemort
watched me closely as I struggled. Finally, though, my maturity melted away.
"What," I said softly, trembling, "do you want me to do?"
"Watch
Dumbledore and Mr. Potter," he said simply. "Inform me of what they seem to be
doing."
"And I would…"
I trailed off, unwilling to finish my question.
"Be in my
favor."
"So?"
He leaned in
close. "So, when I achieve my goal, you won't be a causality. Assuming, of
course, that I don't kill you first."
"Is that a
threat?" I asked.
"If you
interpret it that way," he said quietly.
"Fine," I
said. "I'll give you my answer tomorrow."
He nodded.
"Agreed. Good night, Miss Potter."
I watched him
leave, followed by Lucius and Narcissa, who turned off my lamp. I changed back
into my nightgown and lay down.
So. He had
finally returned. It was strange, but deep down, I knew it had to happen. And I
knew I had to serve him, too. It was my destiny or something. Oh, well. I had
all of tomorrow to dwell on it. I rolled over and was instantly asleep,
dreaming of Harry, my parents, and our last night together.
A/N: That was shorter than it should have been. SORRY! The
next chapter will explain my concept of Lily and how exactly she manages to
exist…PLEASE R/R!!!!!
