Disclaimer: I do not own any of the HP characters or the Potterverse that was created by JK Rowling.
Fe was hesitant as she approached only what she could guess was the Riddle Mansion. After all she had heard all about it being as Cally had been a fan of the Potter verse. And she hadn't come out in Hogsmead so there was a big indicator.
She sighed as she got nearer the estate, she had a feeling she knew what she was here to do and she wasn't sure she liked the idea. Cally had said HE would get his body in the fourth book so it just made since. And she was here to make sure it went as planned, and then she could leave. No danger there, right?
Ophidian was already here, but where she didn't know. She was certain though he wouldn't be with HIM. He was probably else where causing trouble hoping to screw this up.
"It will be alright," Aria said in her head, "I am here with you." And she knew that otherwise she wouldn't look the way she did.
The long brown hair that swept down her back and the grey eyes, the familiar black trench coat that wrapped around her in a friendly manner was all she needed to know. She was safe.
The mansion was huge up close, its face crowded with ivy vines and the siding with its paint peeling off peaking almost shyly from the room that was left between them. Opening the front door was easy she had thought it would be locked. The entrance way was covered in a layer of dust like no one had been there in ages. And the door squeaked like some do in old B Horror films.
The stairs ahead of her looked dark and ominous but that's where she had to go. Remembering that the old care taker had climbed those stairs and found HIM she began to climb as he had not wanting to touch the dusty banister. AS she climbed she looked for any sign of the snake Nagini but she was no where to be seen.
Half way up she skipped the one squeaky step, the stairs appeared endless. Then… ahead of her a thin beam of light penetrated the darkness. Stepping onto the last landing she was about to continue towards the room issuing the light when she was blinded by a small bright orb.
Blinking rapidly she slapped it away but it was thrust back into her face realizing it was a wand she went to reach for it.
"Who are you?!" a terrified yell met her ears, she knew that voice.
"Wormtail!" she growled. "Get that out of my face or I will slap you into next week!"
"You!" realization came upon him "What do YOU want?!" he demanded.
Fe tensed feeling another wand tip push against her back. "I am here to see Voldemort and offer any assistance I can give."
"You lie!" he shrieked his wand shaking.
She had to admit she didn't sound convincing, her voice betrayed just how much she didn't want to be here. "I swear Wormtail that's all I am here for.", Fe tried again still hearing the bitterness in her voice.
"No! You helped Harry Potter and his friends last year!" The wand at her back jabbed angrily though the words were Wormtails.
Fe snickered, "That wasn't me. Those were my friends. I only helped Black stay in hiding."
"Didn't do a very good job of it, did you. Still on the run, isn't he." Wormtail scoffed, "You just want to help defeat My Lord. Your nothing but….."
"Wormtail!" came a high cold voice, "Why don't you let me be the judge of that! Bring her forward!"
"But My Lord….." he started.
"Do it!" the voice was angry now.
Wormtail gave a whimper and lowered his wand, sideling backwards to the room clearly wanting Fe enter it first. The person behind her gave a ruff push and Fe allowed herself to be moved forward.
The room was medium sized with a wing-backed chair facing the fireplace that was against the far wall. A round tattered rug lay beneath the chair, the mammoth snake, Nagini, curled around its legs. She raised her head to get a better look at the new arrival.
Fe stood a little ways away from the chair and looked around slowly. It was an old drawing room with a desk and a chair, a couch up against the other wall, curtains thick with dust covered the windows. A fire burned in the dark grate casting shadows over the room, a few cracks and hisses coming from the logs.
Fe did not see anyone. She expected some… one …or thing…to be here besides the snake. She was shoved forward again from behind and slightly aggravated by that she moved closer to the chair. What sat in it made her gasp. It wasn't a baby though it slightly resembled one. Well, kinda. The skin was grey and ashen, its eyes were big and red and no nose. But it was flat, like something you'd find under a rock, definitely not human.
It looked her over, a wand clutched tightly in its little fist, the same wand that Wormtail had had just moments before. That must be ITS wand. She didn't want it looking at her. Course that's what it was, an it.
Fe had never seen Voldemort before, she had seen Tom Riddle as a boy in Harry's second year but not Voldemort. And as handsome as Tome had been it seemed Voldemort was Just as ugly.
"You've come to offer me your assistance." It….he hissed. "And just what kind of assistance are you offering?"
Fe stood there in silence still inspecting…..him. But as another jab came from the wand at her back she cleared her throat recovering herself. "Whatever you require, I am here to make sure you get a body."
He laughed a little, "Yet you resent, or detest the idea of what you are offering. Did you help the Potter boy?"
She thought about lying, after all that was the gift that came with her jewel. She could say whatever she wanted and they would believe her. In theory. Instead she said, "I have assisted Harry when he has needed me, but not to defeat you." 'Not yet.' She added in her head.
Voldemort slanted his eyes at her, "Then why are you here? You must have known that in helping the Potter boy you are already my enemy."
"I told you why I am here." She glanced away then looked back at him, giving him her full gaze.
"He will not like this if he finds out. None of them will. You'll be sent to Azkaban if they catch you."
She straitened, "That's my problem."
"Humph. What makes you think I need your help anyway? I have loyal followers doing that already." He looked at Wormtail and Fe glanced behind her identifying the man with the wand at her back as Barty Crouch Jr.
"Unsteady hands, those." she glanced at Wormtail who merely replied with a dirty look. "Besides Ophidian might try to stop you getting your own body. I am here to make sure that doesn't happen."
"Ophidian is like me. Why would he try to stop me?"
"Because that's what he does. He changes the way things are supposed to happen to take over the realm. In this case yours. Once he has the realm he kills everything in it, guts it and uses its power to take over reality." She said.
"You speak oddly. This is reality." Voldemort sighed.
Fe shook her head, "This is your reality, not mine."
Voldemort regarded her quizzically, "Fine. Say I believe you. What are you willing to offer me as collateral? If this goes wrong and you betray me?"
"You think I would betray you?" When he just stared at her she sighed, "There is nothing I can offer you. I have nothing."
An evil smile crept upon his lipless mouth, "And what about that pretty necklace? That would do."
Her right hand twitched as if it would touch the gem around her neck. How could he see it? Wormtail looked at her neck curiously, he could not see it.
She smiled casually, "Why would you want that silly old thing, its not valuab……"
" Nonsense! It makes you powerful. And I don't want you powerful when I am…….at such a disadvantage."
Aria started to panic in her head, 'Tell him no! He cant! We cant be separated!'
"I am sorry. You'll have to choose something else." Fe shook her head.
"No." put simply. "Its that or nothing. And you can go back without this realm you so long to save." He moved a little. "I would of course give it back when I have my body and am able to do so."
Fe hessitated. She had to stay with him… had to make sure…, "Your asking me to do something I jusy cant do."
"Barty show her the way out." he waved her off.
Barty grabbed Fe by the arm and she panicked, pulling her arm out of his grip, she shouted, "Ok!" Aria yelling in her head, 'No! Don't! We cant be apart! You'll make your self vulnerable!'
"I don't have a choice." Fe whispered.
Slowly she knelt in front of Voldemort unclasping the necklace and held it out in front of her. Voldemort reached for it and as soon as the chain slipped through her fingers she felt the change. Her long brown hair was now shoulder length dark brown almost black with bright cherry red chunks in the front. Her dark brown eyes turned blue and the trench coat became loose because of her slighter frame. Where once knelt a woman of at least twenty-six now sat a girl ten years younger.
Voldemort's eyes widened in surprise taking in her new features. Then slowly he started to laugh till his laugh became a cruel high pitched sound. "They sent a girl disguised ass a worrier! How rich! Oh you are good! Pretending to play with the big boys!" The laughter died as the jewel floated into the air. Tapping it with his wand it disappeared. Sighing "These people from your realm make me laugh! A girl! Honestly!"
"Don't judge me by age! That was your mistake last time!" Fe growled.
He slowly stopped smiling. "Oh I needn't worry. One wrong move and any of us in this room could strike you down."
Fe looked at him as if she hadn't heard him. But she had, she was thinking of what James had said. 'Never take these off. If you do and you die it will be true death. But if your wearing them you will only go into a coma in reality. And you wont wake up unless Ophidian is defeated.'
The memory of her two friends "dying" came to her thoughts full force. The man holding a gun to each of their heads, as they knelt in front of him facing her. Everything happening too slowly, and too quickly all at once. She ran towards their pleading faces begging, no, screaming for help. By the time she reached them they were slumping to the floor the shots echoing in her head. Then their peaceful "dead" bodies lying in the glass lidded life-support capsules in one of the rooms of the compound.
Her hands shook, "Fine." she replied through gritted teeth blinking back tears.
Voldemort leaned back regarding her curiously, "Who and where are these friends of yours? How do I know they wont kill me?"
Fe looked away, "They are gone."
"It figures, never send children….."
"You were a child once!" Fe snapped her eyes locking onto his, "You speak so lowly of us, yet you yourself did things that ordinary kids and teenagers cant do! That's the way it is with us!"
Voldemort held up a hand to silence her, "I don't care. You're here to help me. Now get up here. Wormtail! Milk Nagini and give her the bottle."
As she moved picking him up sitting in the chair she had a great urge to throw him into the fire, instead she sat him on her lap.
"What is your name? Unless you want me shouting girl at you all the time?" Nagini slithered out from around the chair and went to Wormtail hissing.
She sighed, "Fe. Felain, but Fe for short." Looking up feeling some one watching her she met a pair of toffee brown eyes. Barty's tongue flicked out to the corner of his mouth wetting his lips. He was watching her as if he'd never seen anything like her. She looked away as Wormtail made a sound of disgust.
"Does a mere girl need to do that for you as well?" Voldemort snapped then gave a low hissing noise and Nagini turned slithering back to Fe and Voldemort. "Give her the bottle."