-1

Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Harry Potter. If I did, I would be an insanely rich Scottish lady by the name of J.K. Rowling, instead of a slightly insane girl from Kansas.

Chapter 1 Dead Batteries

"Wormtail!"

A short, pudgy man scurried into the Throne Room of the most feared Dark Lord of history. He bowed low before the frightful man, almost groveling on the floor.

"Yes, master? What can I get for master?"

"Give me your arm, Wormtail. I wish to summon my faithful followers."

Trembling, the man rose to a kneeling position before Voldemort. This revealed his rat-like face. Holding out his left arm, he pulled back the sleeve to reveal a tattoo of a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. The Dark Mark.

The Dark Lord removed his wand from where it had been hidden somewhere in the voluminous robes. The pale yew stick blended in perfectly with the owner's fingers, looking almost like a bone amongst the long, emaciated, and skeletal fingers.

Poking the wand forcefully against his servant's mark, he thought about those he wished to summon. And frowned. Something was wrong. Wormtail was not making those delightful whimpers of pain from being used to summon the others. He tried it again. Nothing!

"Wormtail!"

"Yes, master?"

"Why is this not working?"

"I do not know, my master."

"Hmmm…" Pressing the wand even more forcefully against Wormtail's flesh, he gathered all of his anger and used it to make the summoning more forceful. Again, nothing. But when he removed the wand, there was such a pretty bruise already forming on Wormtail's arm.

"M-m-master?" Wormtail stuttered.

"Yes?" the frightening man ground out.

"P-perhaps the batteries have died?"

A moment's silence.

"I believe one of your tasks is to make sure my wand is fully charged each night?" Voldemort questioned.

"I'm s-sorry master, but you went to sleep with your wand again and you've told me not to disturb you then."

"That is no excuse! Crucio!"

Nothing, no glorious light to mark the casting of the curse. No delightful screams of pain, although the rat animagus was making the most delicious whimpers at the thought of being punished.

"Give me your wand."

"Master?"

"NOW!"

A short, thick, stubby wand was thrust into sight. Voldemort snatched it out of Wormtail's hand and looked at it distastefully. It was covered in tooth marks. Both human and rat. And covered in hair. What has the man been to doing to his wand?

"Wormtail, what have you been doing to your wand?"

The man opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off.

"Nevermind. I do not wish to know."

Pressing the wand against his servant's mark once more, he tried to summon his followers once more. This time, Wormtail did whimper in pain, but the snake-like man could tell that it was again unsuccessful.

He looked at the disgusting wand, wondering. Waving the wand at a rather ugly looking vase, he snarled when it failed to lift when he cast Wingardium Leviosa at it. Instead, it wobbled slightly and fell to the side, shattering as it hit the floor. He smirked in satisfaction. Bellatrix truly had the most awful taste.

Turning back to the sniveling man before him, he said, "Wormtail. This is most upsetting."

"Yes master."

"Did you by any chance forget to charge your wand also?"

"P-perhaps master."

"Is there any wand in this manor that is in working order!" Voldemort yelled.

"I-I'm s-sorry master!"

Growling, Voldemort threw the wand at Wormtail and was slightly mollified when it hit the man in the forehead.

Stalking around the man laying on the floor, he left to put his wand on the charger. As he left, Voldemort tossed over his shoulder, "Remind me to Crucio you later."