I've been wanting to write about Voldemort for some time and I've been thinking a lot about what he would've thought about Delphi. So here is some Voldemort for Halloween.
Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling.
There was a large storm in Wiltshire and a heavy downpour flooded the nearby fields and country lanes. The rain lashed the windows of Malfoy Manor and Narcissa Malfoy stared out of the window feeling utterly miserable.
A bone chilling cold hung in the air and it was no doubt due to the stray Dementors that were wandering about. Narcissa knew that she should've been happy, yet it was the furthest thing from her mind.
Her Sister, Bellatrix had given birth to a girl named Delphini. Yet it wasn't Rodolphus who was the father; It was the Dark Lord himself. Narcissa knew that she should feel deeply honoured that Voldemort was the father of her niece but a deep feeling of terror overcame her as she gazed out of the window- This child's parents were two of the most powerful sorcerers in the world and the thought that she could become just as powerful as her parents scared her senseless.
Narcissa snapped out of her depressing thoughts turned away from the miserable scene at the window and looked at what was taking place before her. A flash of lightning illuminated the dark room, revealing to Narcissa the events that were taking place.
The Dark Lord himself stood illuminated by the lightning at the foot of a grand bed, looking at the tiny baby held in the palm of his outstretched hand.
As the lightning subsided, Narcissa lit the lamps with her wand to see Voldemort regarding itwith his fathomless red eyes as Bellatrix lay in the bed, still exhausted after her labour.
"I was hoping for- a Boy," Voldemort, said finally, his high cold voice making the hairs on the back of Narcissa's neck stand on their ends and terror flooded her; The Dark Lord was known to be very unpredictable.
"Yet, It - Will do," Voldemort continued and Narcissa had to suppress her sigh of relief. "It has a lot of potential, Bella. It will be far more useful than the utter disappointment that Draco is proving." Voldemort said, an angry edge to his voice.
Bellatrix laughed derisively as there was another flash of lightning and Narcissa felt angry tears prick at her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. She dare not show any emotion in the presence of the Dark Lord.
"With the blood of Salazar Slytherin running through its veins, it will have a potential that no Wizard shall match," Voldemort said softly, his gaze set firmly on the little girl.
"My Lord," Bellatrix panted, her chest rising and falling. "It is my absolute honour to have provided you an heir who will continue the noble bloodline of Salazar Slytherin and help us in our noble work of purifying all of Wizardkind."
"This child, Delphini, will be my legacy," Voldemort said. "In time, she will be my right hand and I will teach her all of my secrets, all the methods I used to gain immortality. She will know them all and she will be a match for any wizard. Together, we will push the boundaries of known magic even further. Once she is ready, she will strike fear into the hearts of my enemies and all of the Mudbloods, the Blood Traitors, the Muggle filth, they will all be swept aside and once I take control of the Ministry of Magic, nothing will dare stop me - not even Harry Potter. But before all that transpires, we need Draco to come through for us."
Voldemort turned his gaze to Narcissa and she felt her insides freeze up in fear as another rumble of thunder cracked overhead.
"My Lord, Draco will not let us down," She said automatically and she heard Bellatrix snort with derisiveness.
"The boy lacks the stomach to do the deed, My Lord," She spat, no doubt deranged from all the pain she endured from her labour. "And he is weak. Weak like his Father. He lacks the spine and the motivation. Let me do it, master. It will be one of my greatest honours to carry out the deed and rid you of one of your most hated enemies."
"There, there, Bella," Voldemort said with a smirk as he placed the child down on the bed. "You are in no fit state to do anything at the moment and the boy is not entirely useless. There was one failed attack already- A cursed neckless. I admire his resourcefulness, but I grow impatient. Lord Voldemort wants results."
Narcissa flinched involuntarily at the sound of the Dark Lord's name, a feeling of utter terror sweeping across her as Voldemort slowly walked towards her.
"Draco has until the end of the year, Narcissa," Voldemort hissed menacingly. "If the deed is not done then, you, Lucius and Draco will suffer my wrath."
"Y-yes, My Lord," Narcissa gulped as Voldemort towered over her and another flash of lightning illuminated the room.
A cry issued from Delphini and Voldemort's body went ridged and his hand twitched as if he were about to draw his wand. Narcissa saw his eyes flash dangerously and Bellatrix regarded her daughter with irritation as she covered her ears with her hands.
"Why does it cry, Narcissa?" Voldemort hissed, glaring at the child.
"It's the storm, My Lord," Narcissa said over Delphini's wails. "It's frightening her."
Narcissa gently picked up Delphini and whispered comforting words to her whilst rocking her gently. Delphini's cries subsided and she slowly went to sleep.
Narcissa looked up to see Voldemort and Bellatrix both regarding her with something akin to astonishment.
"How did you calm the child?" Voldemort asked finally, his eyes boring into her skull.
"Mother's instinct, My Lord," Narcissa said, instinctively closing her mind. "She needs to be wrapped up in a blanket."
"Cissy was always the one to play with dolls, master," Bellatrix said.
"Make sure it does not cry in my presence again," Voldemort said. "Wormtail?"
Voldemort raised a hand and the door flew open and the man who was with Snape in Spinner's End fell into the room with a cry of pain.
"Listening at the door again, Wormtail?" Voldemort smirked as Wormtail picked himself up, muttering a string of incoherent words.
"I have a task for you and it is something that only you can accomplish." Voldemort said and Wormtail steeled himself as if he were getting ready to fight a Dragon.
"I want you to fetch a blanket." Voldemort said after a pause.
Wormtail looked dumbfounded and seemed to deflate on the spot, his face going through a range of emotions before he frowned and blinked.
"A blanket, My Lord?" He asked with a sulky edge to his voice.
"Yes, Wormtail. A blanket," Voldemort snapped, causing Wormtail to recoil. "It is a simple task that even someone like you can accomplish."
"Y-yes My Lord," Wormtail said, bowing and retreating out of the room with his head bowed and his shoulders slumped. Voldemort withdrew his wand from his robes and gave it a little flick.
"Try not to trip over your enthusiasm, Wormtail," He said lazily as Wormtail fell face forward onto the landing floor and Bellatrix laughed derisively at him as he picked himself off the floor again and made his way out, a lot quicker this time.
There was a strained silence as Voldemort made his way to the rain splattered window and surveyed the gardens below, his back to Narcissa, Delphini and Bellatrix who reached across to the bedside table and took the bottle of Sleeping Draught and downed it in one gulp.
It didn't take long for Bellatrix to succumb to the effects of the potion and she was sound asleep as Wormtail came shuffling back in with a blanket for Delphini.
"Your blanket, My Lord," Wormtail said, bowing to Voldemort whose back was still turned.
"Have you met my daughter, Wormtail?" Voldemort asked, turning to face Wormtail.
"D-daughter?" Wormtail choked, and Narcissa was certain that all of the colour had drained from his face.
"Yes Wormtail," Voldemort said, the impatience in his voice clearly evident and a loud clap of thunder and flash of lightning illuminated the room again. "My daughter. She may be new to this world, but she is already a much more adequate servant than you are proving to be."
Voldemort looked at Narcissa expectantly and Narcissa tentatively carried Delphini towards the window. Wormtail turned and spotted Narcissa, recognition flickering in his watery eyes.
"Narcissa," He simpered. "What a lovely home you have."
Narcissa ignored him and continued to gently rock the sleeping baby whilst avoiding Wormtail's watery gaze.
"This is my daughter Delphini, Wormtail," Voldemort said, gesturing to the baby in Narcissa's arms. "She is my heir and legacy. She shall continue the noble bloodline of Salazar Slytherin and ensure that all that is tainted will be purged."
Narcissa chanced a glance at Wormtail and saw a look of utmost terror on his face as he stared at Delphini.
"Congratulations, My Lord," He gasped. "Such a wonderful baby you have!"
"Such lies," Voldemort hissed venomously, causing Wormtail to jump back in shock. "You were never any good at hiding your thoughts from me, Wormtail. I can see the fear in your eyes. You fear my heir Wormtail, as you should; She will become more powerful than your sorry self and she will not tolerate your mistakes as I have."
"I don't know what you mean, Master," Wormtail muttered, shifting the weight between his feet.
"Lord Voldemort knows, Wormtail," Voldemort said dangerously. "He always knows. Now hand Narcissa the blanket."
Wormtail hesitated for a moment before reaching out with his silver hand and handing the moth-eaten blanket to Narcissa who wrapped it around the sleeping baby just as a scream echoed from downstairs.
"Wormtail, it appears that you have failed to keep our prisoner quiet," Voldemort said lazily. "Go and silence him!"
"Y-yes, My Lord," Wormtail stuttered and in a flash of silver, he scurried from the room like a rat.
"It appears that Bella has decided to no longer be with us," Voldemort said after Wormtail had left the room. "I have business elsewhere, Narcissa. I will leave you to tend to my daughter until Euphemia Rowle arrives. You will tell no one of her existence otherwise you will suffer my full wrath."
Voldemort swept from the room leaving Narcissa with a snoring Bellatrix and a sleeping Delphini.
Narcissa silently crept from the room and went down the hallway and to the Nursery that was prepared for Delphini. Strong winds rattled the window as she gently placed Delphini in the cot and observed her.
A strange shiver went up her spine as the realisation fully hit her that this little girl was the Dark Lord's daughter. She looked a lot like Bella did in her baby photos and if she squinted, she could see some hints of Andromeda.
Narcissa silently cursed herself when she thought that; She had not seen Andromeda since she married that Mudblood and as far as she and Bellatrix were concerned, she was no sister of theirs.
Or at least that's what Bella had said. Sometimes, Narcissa had doubts on whether it was worth it; cutting ties with her Sister. But it was too late to turn back now. She made her decision and there was no way that she could contact Andromeda now.
Narcissa silently cast some charms to notify her when Delphini woke up and made her way to Draco's room, thankful that she didn't have to spend more time in Delphini's presence because there was something eerie about the girl and it made Narcissa feel uneasy.
The storm was still raging, but as Narcissa looked out of the window, she could see a silver lining in the horizon.
If only she had a silver lining in her life; Lucius in Azkaban, Draco being tasked with the impossible, her home being host to the Dark Lord, The Dark Lord's daughter in her house. These things weighed down on Narcissa's mind every day and it stopped her from sleeping at night and after today's events, Narcissa wanted nothing more than to take a forgetfulness potion and forget the whole thing.
Narcissa looked around Draco's room, a thick layer of dust was on all the surfaces and his bed was unmade. A powerful sense of longing washed over Narcissa as she stared at Draco's bed and she found herself missing her son more than she would normally miss him.
She looked at his bedside table and saw a photo of him that was taken when he was eleven showing Draco in his Hogwarts robes. He looked so confident in his robes- his posture mirroring Lucius's.
Narcissa yearned for these days again when there was no war to worry about.
"Stay safe, Draco," Narcissa whispered as she picked the photo frame up and clutched it to her chest and shedding the tears that she had long been holding back.
Once she had finished, she looked up and gazed out the window again and saw that the storm was gradually clearing and saw an Augurey flying towards the horizon, a mournful cry issuing from its beak. Narcissa knew, with a shudder, that her troubles were far from over.
Thank you for reading.