Riddles in the Dark
1
The sun cut through the curtains and hit her eyes painfully. She rolled over trying to hide from the burning glare but found it too hard. She groaned and sat up.
"No fair. The sun always rises far too early." She grumbled still half asleep.
She opened her eyes slowly and looked around her small dark bedroom. The heavy curtains did little to hold back the sun this early in the morning. She threw off the heavy black velvet comforter that covered her four poster bed. She thrust her feet out and put them on the cold cherry wood floors.
"There is sun, but no heat. Typical," she muttered to herself, "Come on Dante. It's time to get up."
She went over to the rat that was asleep on the pillow in a basket. She had made the bed and rat always slept in it. She poked the rat gently to wake it up. The rat just sighed as if it was almost human and rolled over waking slowly. Next she went to the large bay window and threw the heavy black curtains aside. Her golden blonde hair glittered in the sunlight as it softly fell around her shoulders. Her bright blue eyes with their silver flakes took in the small town before her.
"Such a pity father never wants me to go down there," she sighed, "I bet there are tons of kids my age. And I bet there would be plenty of things for you to eat, Dante. Oh wouldn't it be great to go down there just for a little while?"
The rat stood up and shook itself. It climbed out of its bed and scampered over to her and climbed up to sit on her shoulder. It looked out the window with a look of slight longing. She sighed again,
"Father won't permit it though. I'm still going to try though. I'll try to get him to send me to Hogwarts this year." She smiled.
She knew it would be a task to get her father to agree to let her go to Hogwarts, but she had to try. She didn't see what was so bad about the school her own father had gone to. She didn't completely understand why he said there were bad people there that would only hurt her.
She had never come to know pain in her life. She knew about it but didn't ever have the chance to experience. Other than the loss of her mother she had no reason to cry or feel sad or hurt. All the sudden there was a knock on the door and she turned quickly. It must be late and someone must think she was still asleep.
No one came to her rooms but her. No one was allowed. Unless she was sick and there was a need.
"Who's there?" She demanded.
"It's me. Let me in." A voice like a hiss came through the door and she had to lean to hear it.
"Oh! Father!" She ran to the door and threw open the heavy oak door.
"Sorry. I'm not use to people coming to my bedroom door."
Voldemort smiled down at his daughter. "It's no problem. I admit I've been lax in tucking you in at night."
She blushed, "I'm not a child father."
"I know. I know. I came to talk to you though."
He didn't seem so happy. He never really did though.
"About what? Are you going away again?" She asked only half interested.
"I might. Some people might come to the door today. Don't answer it. If they come; hide. Do you understand? The people are not good people. They will take you and force you to hate me for what I have done." He explained in his usual dramatic self.
"I see. Are these people like the boy named Potter and that old crazy man named Dumbledore?" She implored. She was more interested now.
"Yes, they are. Only we have no need to worry about Albus Dumbledore anymore. Snape saw to it that he was taken care of." He sneered.
He was glad his daughter was still innocent enough at sixteen to believe what ever he told her.
"Then if he is dead let me go to Hogwarts. Surely I can take care of a boy only a little older than I am." She offered.
"No! You will not go to that horrid school," he protested, "My daughter will only have the best that there is."
"But interaction with other students is vital to a students learning." She said defiantly.
"If you want interaction I'll have young Master Malfoy come over. I'll have some of my friends bring their children and you can interact with them. There will be no need for a school setting. I don't want to see you hurt."
"I can take care of myself. I really can. You've taught me a lot and so have Snape, Wormtail, and Bellatrix. All I want is to incorporate what I've learnt with that of other students. Father, can I please?" She was begging now.
She knew how to work her father, but lately it had been failing.
"No. You will not go. Not as long as I am still here to stop you from going. Now, if those people come what do you do?"
He didn't want her to change the subject on him. It was important that she know what to do. He wouldn't have his only daughter thinking bad things of him no matter how true they were.
"I hide." She said sounding sad and plain.
"Good. And where do you hide?" He asked.
They had gone over this quite a few times so he was sure she knew but he had to be positive that she knew.
"Over there in the wardrobe that Draco gave us." She pointed only half interested again.
"Good. And when you get to the other side what do you do?" He sounded as if he was giving her a quiz.
"I go down the hill to the small house that's there and stay hidden in the closet at the back of the room. And if they find me there I don't give them my real name. I tell them I'm a run away from the town just up ahead. Then ask how to get to London and claim I know nothing about your whereabouts if they ask"
He smiled. "Good." He said again. He was pleased with her answers.
"Is it too late for breakfast?" She asked hoping it wasn't.
"Of course not. There is always something for you to eat when you wake up. You know that."
"Yes, I do, but I still like to ask. I'll change and be right down." She smiled.
"All right." He nodded.
He turned and quickly left and the room started to warm back up. It always seemed colder when her father was around. She went to her wardrobe and pulled out a tank-top and a pair of jeans to wear. She quickly changed and headed down stairs.
They creaked every step of the way. The house always creaked. She was use to and glad she was. She didn't want to be freaked out in her own house. The creaks were comforting. She felt the old wood banister that ran along the stairs not knowing it would be the last time that she did so.
When she came down into the dinning area her father was already there. She smiled at him sweetly and took a seat next to him. She saw that they had some guests which was normal. Her father usually had a few of his friends around. Draco was here though. She smiled at Draco. He had grown since the last time she had seen him. From what her father told her he was a pure blood wizard as well. His hair had grown longer. She liked it longer it made him look older.
Draco smiled back at her aware that Voldemort was watching his and her every move. Voldemort was the reason he was here at all. If it had been his choice he would be at home terrorizing someone or something. The whole room waited for her to sit down. Voldemort had quickly taught them all to put his daughter above themselves like they did for their master. He had also taught them not to say a word of his true nature to his daughter.
"It's good to see you could join us, Pegasus." Draco said with his usual smirk. He stood up to help her into her chair by pulling it out for her.
"And it's good to see you here as well, Draco. You've been away for a while. I had hoped you would come visit soon." She smiled and sat down.
Voldemort smiled, "Well, my daughter, you know everyone here don't you?" he asked trying to keep her from getting too friendly with Draco.
Pegasus looked around. "Yes, father, I do know everyone," she smiled, "And it's great to see that you all have joined us as well."
Her father although lax in most places of fatherhood had at least managed to teach her how to look and act like a lady. She had been a quick learner. Rarely did she ever struggle with learning something though. She had been told that she was ahead in her studies than most students at Hogwarts were.
She liked the idea of being ahead. She was like her father in that way, but for the most part she was very unlike him. She was innocent, pretty, sweet, kind, caring, nurturing, helpful, graceful, and good hearted. He was cruel, unjust, grotesque, rotting, and a wanted man.
Both were powerful, strong in their own ways, and stubborn. They had just started to eat when there was a loud bang from the front door. They all looked up in alarm. Snape came running in.
"Master, they are coming!" Snape said hurriedly.
"What?! You said that they shouldn't be here until the afternoon!" Voldemort stood up outraged.
"I know, my lord. They must have changed their minds and decided to come in the morning. What do we do?" Snape didn't want to get caught as a Death Eater.
Voldemort turned to his daughter, "Pegasus go hide," he turned back to Snape and the rest of his men, "How many do they have?"
Pegasus stayed right where she was. She had no intention of hiding. Hiding would mean cowardice. And she was no coward. Or so she hoped.
"Ten." Snape said quickly, "Ten Aurors."
Voldemort looked around the room. Five. He counted only five and that included Pegasus. Why was she still here? Why did she not run like he had told her too? All the sudden the answer came to him. She was too much like her mother to run. She wouldn't run from his side. That's how he had lost his wife. She died in his arms. The day was a bloody one.
He had been up to his usual business and she had jumped up beside him unaware of a knife flying right at them. The knife hit his wife instead and killed her. It pierced her through a lung and she died quickly even though it was filled with pain. Their daughter had only been just born and was a couple months old.
Then he had went into the limbo just a while after when she was one and he was attacking Harry Potter. Pegasus had grown up alone. It wasn't until just last year that Pegasus knew her father. She had accepted him wholly like her mother had. She had accepted him with a smile.
He looked over at her in what appeared to be a trance. She looked like her mother so much. The only thing she had gotten from him was the slits for pupils and his pale coloring. Otherwise she was purely her mother. He knew she would not hide, even though he wanted her to run and go to safety.
He sighed. He knew his followers would want to know what to do. He shook his head to get out of the trance and found Pegasus was standing ready to fight. She looked at the door not showing what she was thinking or feeling.
"We will fight. Fight as much as we can, but don't do anything that would scar my daughter." He warned them.
He didn't want to see tears fall from Pegasus's eyes. She cast a glance at him. Why was he not telling her to run? Did he know she wouldn't? She stiffened as thoughts ran through her head. She had only known her father for such a short time.
If these men wanted to take him away from her then she wasn't about the let it happen. She needed her father now. She didn't want to give him up. She was still trying to convince him to let her go to Hogwarts. She was still trying to convince him that he loved her. She was still trying to convince him that she loved him.
The whole room tensed as the front door broke down then the strangers started the assault on the door to the dining room. She forced herself to remain calm and focus. She knew they were outnumbered and couldn't win. Her father had told her about these men and the things they do.
She had no idea that it was all lies. That he had been the one to do all those horrible things. She wasn't about to see her father fall to such a fate. She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat but nothing wanted to move. Her lungs hurt.
That's odd. My lungs only hurt when they are filled with smoke...
She looked around and saw the others frightened. They were setting the house on fire. Her home was on fire. She turned back to the door and the men trying to get through it. She felt alone. One woman in a world of men. She wasn't strong like they were physically. Mentally probably stronger.
The door shattered showering them with shards of wood. One man cried out. He had been hit by a sharp shard and was now bleeding. His rage filled him. He started to attack without care or thought only fury. She shook her head slightly. That man had made a mistake. She had always known losing ones temper never did one good.
A man who fought in rage fought only for death. She looked at the men filling into the room. There were more than ten. There were at least fifty. Snape had lied to them. Voldemort saw the lie and was outraged even farther. He saw that his daughter stood to fight no matter what.
It hurt him to see that she would probably see him die then die herself. He did not want to lose her. He saw her mother in her. No matter how evil he was Allora had been his love and he did not feel like losing her a second time. He could protect Pegasus. If they did not kill him on the spot he might be able to buy her a way out of this.
It hurt him to think that this might be the end, but when he saw the number of men he knew it had ended before it had started and they were fighting only to prolong their inevitable deaths. He started shoot off curses only half hoping that his men would heed his word and not kill anyone or use an unforgivable curse in front of his daughter. That had been his downfall.
His daughter was one of his many weaknesses. His men followed his lead and started their attacks. Pegasus fought along side them. She thought she was fighting the right people when a big man stepped up behind her and grabbed her. She screamed. Voldemort turned to look at his daughter fighting a large black man.
He knew she would lose that fight. His side was on the losing end. He was trying frantically to think of a way to save his daughter. He didn't want to see harm come to her. No matter how evil and cruel he had been his daughter was one source of goodness in him. Then everything went black. He couldn't see, feel, or even breath. Had they killed him? Had they just killed him in front of his daughter?
He felt himself falling and hitting the floor. They hadn't killed him just knocked him out. Meanwhile, Pegasus struggled against the strong man. She stopped momentarily when she saw her father fall to the floor unconscious. Once he hit the floor her strength seemed to be renewed. She struggled harder.
Kingsley Shacklebolt was having a hard time keeping hold on Pegasus. She was struggling and putting up a good fight. She was smaller than he thought she would be. He thought that a woman on He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named side would be a lot bigger. She was strong in her way though.
"Get her out of here! Get the girl out of here! She shouldn't see this!" Some was yelling at Kingsley. They were right, Pegasus shouldn't be seeing this, but she was being so difficult. He finally managed to drag her out of the dining room and into the front hall. She kept kicking and fighting. She wanted to be by her father's side. She had to be by his side. He needed her.
"Pegasus!"
Voldemort yelled her name when he saw his daughter being drug out of the room. He couldn't believe that they managed to get a hold of her and get her out the door. All the things they might do to her kept spinning around in his head making him dizzy. He couldn't let them hurt his only child.
Not when he still had things to teach her. Not when he still wanted to show he did love her and that he was sorry for those years he was gone. Not when she still had a chance at being able to better herself. Not when she could become stronger than he was.
All the sudden Harry was there. The main reason this was happening was there. Right in front of him.
Kill him. A voice in his head sounded off like lightening. Kill the boy. He is the reason they are here. He is the reason your daughter was taken from you. Kill him!
The voice was being persistent. Harry was the one he truly wanted to kill. The minute he saw Harry it became clear to him. All he ever wanted was to kill Harry Potter. Voldemort lunged for Harry, but Harry was too quick. They both knew they would have to fight. Everyone in the room seemed to slow down as Harry and Voldemort prepared to attack each other.
The prophecy rang in Harry's ears. He had only come for the girl. He wanted to make sure she was alright. That's the only reason anyone let him come. They had seen the concern for the girl in his eyes. It was because of him that they were finally here and no one could stop him from coming.
It didn't matter what they said he still insisted on coming and no one could stop him. They had asked him to stay out of the house and just suffice with whatever came his way to attack him, but he had forced his way into the house and lead them to the room where Voldemort had sat with some followers and the girl.
No one knew who the girl was only that she was magic and valuable to Voldemort. They figured she was one of his follower's daughters, but couldn't find out whose she was. They only knew her first name and what she looked like. And that hadn't been enough. There had been no record of a Pegasus being born to a wizard or muggle family.
They had searched everywhere to find out who the girl had been, but only found dead ends. Harry had been so distraught about the girl. The only way he found out about was because she appeared in the dream he had. That same dream was what lead them here. That's how they found the place. That's how they knew where Voldemort would be. In the dream Harry had seen the girl eating with him at a meal with some of his Death Eaters.
When he woke up and told the rest of the Order they had decided to act at once. When Harry heard of the plan he became concerned about the girl. He didn't think someone like her could be evil and in the ranks of Voldemort. He had asked what would happen to the girl.
It was then that they took notice to the strange girl. They tried to track her down but it was impossible to find anything about her. She wasn't even supposed to exist. Every one but Harry passed her off as a fake person. A person the dream had created to fill up space. When they stormed the room and saw her they were taken aback. That girl was not supposed to be here.
Everyone in the room knew immediately that Harry was right and that the girl was innocent of anything that Voldemort or his Death Eaters had done. The way she jumped to defend Voldemort rather than flee before the Aurors or beg for mercy. She didn't fight like they did.
She fought like a student did while learning. They knew they had to get the girl out of here and they knew Harry had to fight Voldemort. Someone was going to die in this room. They were certain of that as well. They just didn't know if it was Harry or Voldemort that would be the one to die.
They hoped Harry still had some of the effects of the old magic his mother had used still with him. Harry and Voldemort squared off each other. Sizing each other up. Voldemort was fighting out of cold blood. Harry was fighting out of loyalty to his family and to Dumbledore and to Sirius. He was fighting for their memory to avenge their deaths.
To avenge what Voldemort had done to all those innocent people. Everyone in the room froze. Pegasus had managed to get free of her captor and ran back into the room expecting a fight, but none met her. She stopped and looked at her father preparing to attack a boy about her age. She wondered who this boy was and why he was here only briefly.
She had no chance to ask. The attacks started. Neither Harry nor Voldemort waited for proper things to be done first. No one bowed, they just started attacking. Their spells made such a racket no one knew what either of them were doing. Dust lifted and debris flew.
Pegasus threw her arms up to protect her face and was hit by a beam that had fallen from the roof during all the fighting. She was thrown against the wall. Her breath left her and so did her sight. All she remembered was seeing her father fall to the ground and lay not moving, before she passed into unconsciousness.