The treaty

Lucy stared at the headmaster, unsure of what she should say, unsure of what she should think, it seemed surreal… Even more surreal than the rest of her absurd and abnormal life…

_You must consider that it's going to be for the good of us all, and it's obviously in your best interest…- Fudge started rambling while he twisted his green hat between his fat hands nervously. Lucy found herself scowling at him in disgust, the Minister had been trying to make a deal with Voldemort since the incident at the ministry in the end of the previous year, he was terrified by the idea of losing his position and utterly afraid of a full blown war.

Now he had finally achieved a treaty with the Dark Lord, who in the course of the past months had taken custody of most the wizarding world, having full control over the Vampire clans, Werewolves tribes, centaurs hordes, even the ones living on the Forbidden Forest, dementors, goblins and every other creature one could think of, besides a great deal of influence inside the ministry itself. People believed that half the Wizengarmot was at his service and all the current Unspeakables were death eaters. It was needless to say that Fudge had all reasons to be scared as had the order, they were losing the war, but still the man's cowardice was disgusting.

_Good of us all? How the hell can this be good? You're giving him power over the whole wizarding world! The whole ministry will be under his control! And don't you dare tell me it's on my best interest! - She snapped at the minister hissing dangerously, as her anger flared up and some small objects blew up with unintentional magic.

Fudge stumbled backwards, sending a nervous look to Dumbledore who looked tired and old, no twinkle in his eyes.

_Please calm down my girl, we need to talk about it. - The headmaster said tiredly, and Lucy forced herself to calm down a bit.

She understood to some level why they wanted a treaty, she understood that they didn't want a replay of the first war, and this one was promising to be even worse than the first, the number of dead was alarming and was increasing with every passing day, the news of muggles being slaughtered were daily by now and had almost become a normal occurrence. She too wanted this to be over… But she couldn't come with terms that they were actually making a deal with him instead of killing the bastard and getting it over with, even if she knew that they didn't have much of a chance anyway.

The terms of the treaty were even more disturbing, Voldemort'd cease the war and even refrain from harming the muggles in exchange for full pardon for himself and all his followers, as well as some high-placed positions for his inner circle inside the ministry, the legalization of some Dark Arts, and the including of the subject on to Hogwarts grade, the reactivation of the Council of the Wise, which consisted on an organization resembling a Senate that had power over all the decisions made by the ministry, it had veto power on the laws and the power to propose new ones too. The ten members composing this council would be chosen by the Wizengarmot as it had been in the past. Also Voldemort'd be allowed to keep his death eaters as a personal guard even if they would be forbidden to take action unless to defend their master from some immediate threat.

All these demands were absurd and would let them at the dark wizard's mercy, but Lucy could see why Fudge, and even Dumbledore, would be willing to accept these conditions, even if it was only to acquire time to reorganize the light forces and manage to fight harder, even if it was to temporarily stop the mindless killings, but there was one last condition that she wouldn't, couldn't accept, a condition that from a political analysis was much harmless than the others, but she'd be dammed if she cared, she was never good with politics anyway, and she was completely selfish on her position on that last condition.

Because beyond all the power he required, Voldemort saw fit to require another prize, one that probably only served to appease his ego, he required her. He wanted the Girl-Who-Lived-To-Have-Her-Life-Screwed for himself, she was to be bonded to him in a very ancient marriage ritual, that would make her his submissive mate, and tie the two of them together for all eternity with the added bonus of giving him, as the Senior mate, complete power over her and the ability to read her emotions and to some extent her thoughts.

_I'm not marrying him. - Lucy said firmly looking at professor Dumbledore, who sighed.

_I know it's hard for you my dear girl…- "No, you do not." Lucy thought bitterly as the old man began talking. - It's hard for me too, and I would never force this situation on you, it's your decision Lucy. I just ask that you give it a bit more of thought, the decision will be completely yours in the end, I won't interfere. But I'd like you to remember that the most amazing things may come from very bad situations.

The girl sighed, and looked at the ceiling, there was no amazing thing that could come from a deal with Voldemort, nothing but death and destruction could come from him. But she wondered idly if perhaps if she sacrificed her own life, her own chance at happiness, as small as it was, she could save her friends from this destruction… from this pain, everyone had suffered so much already, so many people had died… Her parents, Cedric, Moody, Olivanders, Charlie, Oliver… And so many others that she didn't know the names of, so many people had been hurt… Perhaps if she gave away her life she could help them, even if just a little bit.

Lucy looked around the room again, her eyes resting idly on her potions teacher, Snape had been quiet during the whole ordeal, his face as stern as ever the perpetual scowl in place, but she was surprised, she had expected the man to make some biting comment about her arrogance and selfishness, she was after all condemning the whole world to a lost war because she couldn't let go of something as superficial as her freedom. But none came, he stayed there dim and silent, perhaps he was feeling sorry for her? Not likely… But he probably understood what she was feeling, he too had to give up his freedom for the greater good hadn't he? And now look at how he turned out… Green eyes looked back into twinkle-less blue ones.

_I need to think…- Lucy said simply, Dumbledore nodded, a ghost of light passing through his eyes as he watched the girl walking out of his office, he pitied the girl and suffered for her, he loved Lucy as if she was his own, and wished he could do something to protect her. But he had never been good in protecting those he loved, he was a too practical man, too analytical, he knew that in the end he would end up sacrificing her happiness to stop the war, and he felt awful for it.

_You can't be serious Albus! Letting such an important decision in the hands of a child! This is ridiculous! We can't let her choose not to do it! It's simply not an option, this treaty must be signed, our world won't survive much longer if the war continues! - The Minister started to shriek as soon as the girl stepped out of the room.

_Calm down Cornelius, Lucy is a wise child… She'll make the right choice. - The Headmaster said slowly while sucking a lemon drop.

Lucy found both Ron and Hermione sitting by the lake, the bushy-haired girl had her nose buried in a heavy tome that she was reading aloud, but the boy besides her seemed completely unaware of it, choosing to simply watch as the giant squeeze skimmed through the dark waters instead of paying attention. They both looked up as she plopped herself besides them, a gloomy expression on her face.

_So… How did it go mate? - Ron asked.

Lucy took a deep breath and told them everything about the treaty, about the marriage, about everything. Her two best friends listened with silent disbelief and in Ron's case anger. When she finally finished her tale, she was feeling better, talking about it with people she could trust made it easier to digest, even if the decision didn't seem lighter.

_WHAT THE HELL? Why would that bastard want to marry you? Isn't taking over the Ministry enough?! - Ron snapped as soon as Lucy stopped talking.

_He wants a complete victory… - Hermione said biting her lip worriedly.

_What you mean complete victory? - Ron asked hastily.

_Gaining political power and legalizing the Dark Arts isn't enough for him, he wants to show the whole world that he has absolute control over us. That he owns even our only hope…- Hermione said shooting a sad look at Lucy who sighed.

_The hell he will! You won't accept this crap, right mate? You're going to kill that bastard…

_It's not so simple Ron! You can't just brush off an important decision…- Hermione started but the boy cut her in.

_Of course it's simple! There's no way we can let him win so easily, we must fight!

_I don't know Ron…- Lucy said softly, throwing a stone on the lake.

_What? What you mean you don't know? - He asked watching her warily. - You will fight right?

_Hermione is right… It's not so simple… People are dying, innocent people are dying and more will die if this war continue…- Ron's expression went from anger to sadness in a blink, the mention of the deaths reminded him of Charlie who had died not two months ago during a confrontation between the order and the Death Eaters.

_But you're one of those innocent people Lucy, you can't just discard your life without thinking things trough. - Hermione said quickly.

Lucy bit her lip and rubbed her scar, it wasn't hurting but she had the habit to rub it when something was troubling her. That was the whole point, she wasn't one of those innocent people who should be protected, she never was, no one ever saw her as a part of the community, she had always been the-girl-who-lived or the golden girl, always the one who should save the world, but never truly a part of it.

_I know… But… It's not like I'm agreeing to commit suicide and… The war can be stopped by it… I… I don't know what to think. But I don't want people to keep dying. - She whispered. And both her friends stayed silent, neither knew what to say, the prospect of the end of the war was amazing, but they didn't want it to be at expense of their friend's happiness and life… It didn't seem fair.

It took Lucy three days to completely make her mind over the matter. Or maybe it took her three days to realize she had already made up her mind, deep down she had always known what her decision would be, she knew that she wouldn't sacrifice anyone's life if she could help it, but it took her another headline on the Daily Prophet talking about dead muggles and tortured people for her to come to terms with herself and inform the Headmaster of her decision to accept the deal, she had only one exigency though, one piece of justice she wouldn't relent on:

Wormtail was to be delivered to the ministry, a full confession on his lips, and receive his sentence, that'd be most likely a life time spent on Azkaban. She owned that little justice to both her parents, who had been betrayed by the rat, and to Sirius who had been charged with his crimes. Lucy wanted her godfather to be free, he was good man and not a criminal. Voldemort had agreed with this condition easily enough, Lucy wasn't surprised, he hadn't become a dark lord for being loyal to his servants.

And so her fate was sealed, the treaty had been signed and she was to be married on her seventeenth birthday, since the law didn't allow her to marry any time sooner and her future husband didn't want to wait any longer than the strictly necessary. What was troubling her even more was the fact that she probably wouldn't be able to go back to Hogwarts for her seventh year, she doubted that her bastard of a husband would allow her to stay away from him once they were married, and she probably would be schooled at home, if at all.

The other problem was that Dumbledore and the Minister thought it would be best if she stayed with her relatives during the summer until her marriage, they said it'd be safer, that even if Voldemort wasn't trying to kill her anymore, there would be many people who wouldn't agree with this treaty and think she was to blame for it, or resent her for making a deal with the dark lord, and if those people found her she'd be in danger. That made some kind of sense, but she still couldn't grasp why in hell she should go to the Dusleys, it wasn't like she'd be completely unprotected with the Weasleys or with Sirius.

Lucy sighed throwing a stone onto the lake, she had been doing it a lot since this whole treaty ordeal had begun, sitting by the lake sometimes with Ron and Hermione sometimes alone like now, and she threw things into the water wishing she was throwing them at some of her enemies… She really didn't want to go to the Dusleys, she had had enough of it, and the thought of it being the last time wasn't helping because this time she knew that the place she was going afterwards was most likely worse…

As soon as the news of the treaty reached the papers the letters started, she felt like she was living the Triwizard Tournament all over again, most of the correspondence was hateful, people accused her of joining the dark side, of being Voldemort's bitch and betraying them all, others were from people worried with her, asking if she had been cursed or if the Ministry was forcing her to accept it, or simply asking her to back down, and a few were thanking her for what she was doing for the wizarding world.

If possible, she hated the thanking kind most… She had expected the hateful mail, after all, people couldn't just accept that their supposed savior was marrying the man who killed their family and friends, the ones who were concerned with her were touching even if she knew that these same people would end up hating her when they discovered she did that on her own free will. But she couldn't stand the ones who were thanking her, people who were happy because she was sacrificing herself to give them a chance of life, every time she read one of those she wondered if she was doing the right thing by sacrificing herself for those cowards.

Perhaps she wanted people's pity, perhaps she just wanted the attention and play the victim, but she couldn't understand how a person could be all right with someone else suffering in their instead. She definitely preferred the hateful letters, the ones telling her she was coward for running away from the fight, the ones calling her a traitor saying she had turned her back on the dead, because that was how she felt.

Thankfully neither Voldemort nor his servants had contacted her during the remainder of term, and Lucy managed to pretend everything was just fine burying herself on her studies and completely ignoring the rest of the school, Ron and Hermione shielded her from most the outsiders influence, and her others friends kept their distance, it was obvious Lucy didn't want to talk about the issue, and they respected it, and if by chance they didn't and tried to talk about it they'd most likely only hear her hiss in anger and when the nagging was bad enough hex two or three nosy students across a room.