Chained to You
By Sharte
*~Chapter 1~*
Crazy World
Rydhel sat with her chin in her hands, her long black hair falling over her face. She looked up as three Aurors walked into the little room she was being kept in. The tallest one stood directly in front of her, and she looked up at him. She could see nothing of his face except for his coal black eyes glaring maliciously. Shuddering, she turned from him to look at the other two Aurors.
One of them, it seemed, was short and fat, which was very un-Aurourish. The other was of average height, and he was turned away from her, facing the window. She sighed, wishing they would take off the annoying concealer cloaks. To her great amazement, the tall one did. Now that she could see him, she found he was completely creepy.
He smiled, a tight-lipped smile, and motioned for her to stand up. Seeing as there was nothing else she could do, she did, and he motioned for her to stand against the wall. When he spoke, it was in a raspy voice. "You are Rydhel Lestrange, correct?" he asked, and she nodded. "Do you know why you are here?"
"I have a theory." She said, and he nodded, allowing her to voice it. "It is because my brother and sister-in-law are both Death Eaters who now reside in Azkaban, and you lot think I am one of them too, as my entire family has been."
"That is correct." He said, nodding. "You have been missing for over fifteen years, and now you show up. We need you to explain your absence." He looked at her, his gaze piercing into her soul.
She sighed. "I was in America." The Auror looked at her strangely.
"And why were you in America?" He said, with a you-are-an-idiot-if-you-think-I-believe-you tone.
Wincing at his harsh tone, she continued. "I refused to become a Death Eater, and I feared for my life, so I left." He looked at her, not believing a word.
"And why, then, are you here now. I am sure you think he is back, especially since you were seen with Dumbleore." He said, glaring.
She glared right back. "I know he is back!" She snapped. "I came back because Albus contacted me and wanted to know if I would teach Potionalis this year at Hogwarts, as there is no professor for that anymore." Potionalis is the Healing Potions course, which is taken by Witches and Wizards who wanted to become healers.
Still looking like he didn't believe her, he grabbed her left arm. "Ow!" she cried out. He was gripping her wrist unnecissarily hard. Grinning like a madman, he pulled up the sleeve of her robe, and she saw disapointment pass over his face.
"You are free to go, until further notice," he said, sounding like Christmas had been cancelled. She stood up, and swept past him, leaving him with the other two Aurors, swearing under his breath.
As soon as she reached the front entrance of the building, she Apparated. She sighed as she appeared in the livng room of her small flat, and sunk down onto the couch. She couldn't believe they let her go, though she knew she wasn't a Death Eater, there really wasn't any way to prove it. Sure, she didn't have the dark mark, but neither did Sirius Black and he had been sent to Azkaban anyways.
She got up, and went into the kitchen. Upon opening the freezer, she found three frozen muggle dinners. She picked one up, and grimaced. They were all Salisbary Steak and peas. She hated peas. Rydhel was renting the flat, and it's previous owner was a muggle, whom she thought had little decorative sense. The walls were pink, and the carpet was an olive green. Both colors were really pretty, but when mixed, they were horrid.
After throwing the frozen dinner into the microwave, she sat down, and picked up the Daily Prophet. Dumbledore had told her all about Voldemort's return, and how Fudge was refusing to believe it. The headline story was about an unregistered animagi. Frowing, she stood up, and threw he paper into the fireplae, where it burst into flames.
The microwave beeped, and she pulled her dinner from it, sat down, and started eating. When she finished, she threw the peas away, and went into the bedroom, where she lay down on the bed, and fell asleep, not even bothering to take her clothing off.
She was awoken sometime in the early morning, when she heard a thump coming from the front room. She stiffened, and quietly pulled her wand out from underneath her pillow. Slowly and silently, she crept out of her bed, and walked over to her desk, and she crouched down low, waiting for the intruder to come into her room.
She tensed as the door creeped open, but sagged with relief when she saw the long silver hair. Her relief immediately turned to anger, as she stood up, glaring at him. Albus Dumbledore smiled at her.
"Hello, Ms. Lestrange." He said, pleasantly, ignoring her glare. "I just wanted to let you know that a staff meeting will be held this afternoon at 3:00 PM. I suggest you go to Diagon Alley to do your shopping before then. You know how to get there, correct?" she nodded, still too annoyed to speak.
When she finally found her missing vocabulary, she snapped at Dumbledore. "Albus, it is 2:30 in the morning. Couldn't you have come when I was actually awake?"
"Well, my dear, I just thought I would warn you that Voldemort is coming up the hill, I believe he is planning on killing you." He smiled like he just told her he was on the Quiditch team. "Pack swiftly and come to Hogwarts, your quarters are awaiting you." And with that, he disapparated.
Frowning, she did as Dumbledore said. She threw her clothes into a trunk, and grabbed the rest of her personal belongings. She stepped into the fireplace and called out "Hogwarts' just as Voldemort and his Death Eaters burst through the front door..
She and her trunk fell out of the fireplace in Dumbledore's office. She brushed the soot off her robes, and looked up, to see a grim looking Albus. "Come along, Ms. Lestrange, and I will show you to your rooms. He started out the door, and she followed after him, her trunk floating beside her.
Dumbledore lead her down into the dungeons. The deeper they went, the colder it got, and she started to shiver. He stopped in front of a statue of a woman who looked like a Veela. "This is the entrance to your private rooms. The password right now is 'lifius' and you are free to change it." As he said the password, the Veela statue slid over, smiling at them both.
Rydhel walked into the room, and smiled. Instead of the gloomy dungeon like room she assumed she was getting, was a very Rydhel-like room. There was a fire crackling in the fireplace, and the furniture was beautiful, ll of it was balck and green.
She walked over to a door, and opened it. She looked in, and her jaw dropped. It was the bedroom, a very large bedroom at that. It had a gigantic four-poster bed, which, to her enjoyment, had silver hangings and black silky sheets. She turned around, and smiled at Dumbledore.
"You like it, I presume?" he asked, smiling. She just nodded. "The bathroom is through that way," he said, pointing to a door on his right, "and your private office is through that way," he said, pointing towards the door on his left."
"Wow, thank you Albus. I never even knew these rooms existed." He smiled at her.
"That is because they didn't, until a few minutes ago." He said, and she frownerd. He sighed, and continued. "Whenever we get a new professor, a room appears that fits their taste. That is why this room is exactly what you like." She looked at him, curiously.
"How did you know where it would be, then?"
"Ah, because that Veela statue appeared just before you arrived. She came into my office, and told me she was to be the entrance of Rydhel Lestranges roon, and then told me where it would be." Rydhel looked at him, mouth open.
"Wow, I never knew that. Hogwarts is just full surprises." She said, more to herself than anyone else. He nodded.
"Yes, it is. Tomorrow, you should find your classroom. You may choose whichever one you want, as long as it is empty. Now," he said, smiling brightly, "Why don't you get some sleep? An Elf will awake you up at whichever time you like."
"I get my own house elf?" she asked in amazement.
"Yes and no, it isn't really a house elf, just a relative. One will show up at the time you want to wake up, and he or she will become your personal Elf." Seeing her frown, he added, "Most professor's become friends with their elves, and anyway, these ones are paid."
"Okay, well, as long as she or he is paid, I won't mind. 'Night, Albus," she mumbled, throwing herself into the bed. Dumbledore smiled, and left, careful to be quiet, so as not to wake the already asleep Rydhel.
Later that morning, at precisely 8:00, Rydhel was shaken awake by an elf. She turned over, and looked at her wizardwatch. It was exactly the time she had wanted to wake up. She sat up, and pulled the hangings open. An elf, a bit taller than the common House Elf, was bringing her a glass of water and half of a red grapefruit.
She curtsied. "Hello, Lady Lestrange, I am Emily." She said, presenting her the tray.
"How did you know what time I wanted to wake up, and then know what I like to eat for breakfast?"
The Elf smiled mysteriously. "I have my ways. If you need anything, just call me." She said, and with a small pop, she disapeared. Rydhel stared at the spot where Emily had been, and then shook her head, and ate her grapefruit.
When she finished, she got up, and went into the bathroom. It was rather large, with both a bathtub and a shower, a large mirror, and a big porcealin sink. "Perfect," she said aloud. Smiling, she turned on the shower, and grabbed a fluffy green bath towel from under the sink.
Twenty minutes later, she walked out of her bathroom, wrapped in the green towel, humming to herself. She went over to her trunk and pulled out a pair of dark green robes. Slipping them on, she preformed a drying charm to dry her long hair, and she left the room, eager to get to Diagon Alley.
Walking down the corridors, her memory of Hogwarts came back to her, and she was able to make it into the Great Hall easily. She looked up at the staff table, and all the teachers smiled at her. All of them but one. One of them, with shoulder length black hair, and cold black eyes, was glaring at her. She smiled. After saying hello to Albus and being introduced to all the professors, she went over, and sat next the glaring one.
He looked at her, amazed just for an instant, before sneering and glaring at her at the same time. Rydhel thought the facial expression was funny, and she smirked. He glared, and she smiled at him.
Realizing he couldn't send her away, he turned back to his plate. She looked down the table, and noticed all the teachers staring at her in amusement. She smiled at them, and poured herself a glass of orange juice.
Grinning, she turned to face the man beside her, and poked his shoulder. He looked at her, still sneering. "I am Rydhel, who are you?" he glared at her again, and turned back to his plate. The grin left her face, and she closed her navy blue eyes, concentrating.
'Damn you. Why are you being such a jerk, I was just trying to be friendly!' The black haired man looked up, his sneer gone, replaced by a dumbstruck expresion. "You...you... you are a... telepath." He said, turning ghostly white.
"Yes, I am, now what the hell is your name, don't make me dig through your brain for the answer to that." She said, her eyes blazing. She really wasn't mad, just playing with him.
"Severus. Severus Snape." He muttered, before getting up, and leaving the room. She stood up, smiling at the other professor's, all of them were staring at her.
"I am going to Diagon Alley. Anyone else need to come?" The professor's all shook their heads, except for a black haired witch, who stood up. "You are Professor Sinistra, right?" the witch nodded. "Do you want to come?"
"Yes, if you don't mind."
"Not at all," Rydhel said, and she started for the door, the other professor right behind her. Once they were in the front entryway, Rydhel stopped. "How do we get there?"
"I thought you have been there before?" she asked, curiously.
"I have, I took the muggle underground though."
"Oh, well, then let's take Floo Powder." Rydhel grimaced. "What?"
"I don't like Floo Powder that much, but let's use it anyways." She started a fire in the fireplace near the door. She threw some Floo Powder in, the flames turned green, and she stepped in, and called "Diagon Alley."
A couple seconds later, she was thrown out of the fireplace. She shook her head, and brushed the soot off her robes. Professor Sinistra appeared seconds later, though she landed much more gracefully that Rydhel. Rydhel turned to face her. "What is your first name, by the way? I don't recall you ever mentioning it."
"Terra. Are you, by any chance, related to Jareth and Leah Lestrange?" Rydhel grimaced.
"The Death Eaters?" Terra nodded. "Unfortunatly, yes. But I am nothing like them. It isn't my fault I am related to them..." Terra nodded. "So, what are we allowed to wear?"
Terra smiled. "Whatever you want, as long as it is a robe. Most of the teachers where their favourite colors. Minerva wears scarlet and black robes. Sara Sprout usually wears green or yellow. I usually wear blue, as I am the head of Ravenclaw."
Rydhel smiled. "So, basically, the heads of houses wear their House colors?" Terra shook her head.
"Nope. Severus wears nothing but black. And he is Head of Slytherin."
"Oh, he is?" Terra nodded. "Damn... I was going to ask Albus if that position was taken."
"Sorry, well, here is Madam Malkins, she will get you whatever robes you want. I will be at Alga's Astronomy Area... meet you in the Apothecary in an hour." And she walked off, leaving her in front of the robe shop. The door opened, and a small litle witch waved her in.
Rydhel walked over to the robes on display (their was a lot of them) and started looking at the different designs. She stopped in front of one that caught her eye. It had a low neck, with a weird four pointed collar and it had long billowing sleeves.
She turned to Madam Malkin. "Can I get this one?"
"What color, m'dear?" Madam Malkin asked her.
"Can I get it in black, I would like three of them."
"Is that it." Rydhel shook her head no. "Well then, just keep looking, tell me when you are ready.
Rydhel continued looking. She found another she liked, this one would fit her tighter and had a vampire-like collar, and she got that in dark green. Deciding that that would be enough, she went over to Madam Malkin.
"Are you a Hogwarts teacher?" she asked her. Rydhel nodded. "Then you will be wanting to get some dress robes for the Ball." Rydhel looked around, not seeing anything to interest her. Madam Malkin noticed, and she said. "I will be right back."
Five minutes later, she came back with a tight, strapless robe (E/N Is that even possible? To have a strapless robe?) Rydhel smiled when she saw it. "This is a special one dearie, it is an old style robe.I love the design." Madam Malkin said, smiling fondly at it.
"Do you think it is possible I could get that robe, but with sleeves?" she nodded. "Great, I want it in navy blue then..."
"I will see what I can do, I must take your measurments first, and then it will take me a day or so to get them done. I can have them sent to the school." Madam Malkin took her into a back room, and took her emasurments. Five minutes later, she was standing outside of the Apothecary, waiting for Terra.
Deciding she could wait no longer, she walked into the shop. It smelled of herbs and potions ingrediants. While sifting through some beetle eyes, she heard someone talking behind her.
"What are you doing here?" the voice sneered. Rydhel smiled, it was Severus Snape. She turned around. Terra was standing in front of him, cowering slightly.
"She is looking for me, Severus." She said, smiling bightly when he flinched. He turned around to face her, glaring.
"What are you doing here?" he snapped.
"Shopping for Potion ingrediants, Sevi." He scowled at the nickname. Behind him, Terra was shaking her head and mouthing 'no, don't.' She ignored her, and continued. "So, have you heard who is teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year?" she asked, knowing fully well that he wanted the job.
He sneered darkly, and behind him, Terra had her mouth open in shock. "I heard it will be Remus Lupin. You know, the werewolf." She said conversationally. He didn't say anything, just scowled. She threw a couple galleons onto the counter, where the owner was staring at her. Picking up her pruchases, she smiled to Severus, grabbed Terra by the hand, and walked out the door.
They returned to Hogwarts, via Floo Powder, and they were nearing the entrance to Rydhel's rooms when Terra finally got her voice back. "I can't believe you did that." She said in an awed voice. "No one has ever stood up to him, or made him at loss for words."
"Why is that?" she asked, grinning.
"Because, most of us are afraid of him. For that matter, I am terrifed of him. He used to be a Death Eater, you know." Terra said, before slapping her hand over her mouth.
"Hey, it isn't like I was one." Terra looked at her like she didn't believe her. Mumbling "This is the second time I have done this since I returned,' she lifter her sleeve up, showing Terra the unmarked skin.
"Oh, sorry," she mumbled, embarassed.
"No problem, Bye." She said. Terra walked off, and Rydhel turned to the Veela statue. "Lifius" she said, the statue moved aside, and she entered her room, the statue closing behind her.
A/N - That was my first fic... I think it I pretty good, son does my BETA reader.... So, I hope you guys like it. I will try to pot the next chapter sometime next week. I haven't written all of it yet, so Please just be patient. F.O.E. and I will also be doing an A/U fic, and that should be out sometime after this, under my account. Review please! C/C is appreciated.
Oh, and the title, 'Chained to You' comes from Savage Garden, and the Chapter Title 'Crazy World,' is a Scorpions song.