"Enter," a high cold voice sounded from within and my hand dropped to turn the shiny door handle.
I nervously crept into the room and shut the door behind me the click of the lock shutting sounding obnoxiously loud in my head as I turned to face Lord Voldemort who was standing with his back facing me in front of a warm fire roaring away. I used the ruse of scratching at my neck to slide my grasp over my father's old half burnt coin which I had attached to my neck with an enchanted chain. The man had only motioned for me to come forwards so after a small breath I had obliged and stopped when I thought that I was a respectable enough distance away. He had turned around to face me and my heart thudded painfully in my chest as I took in his face. The last time I had seen him was when I was cooked out on sleep deprivation and was behaving rather strange so I was terrified about the repercussions for my bizarre courage.
"Have a seat, I don't desire for you to pass out onto the floor," he motioned to one of the arm chairs in the room so I quickly and wordlessly moved to sit down not intent on disobeying him thus incurring his wrath. "Are you aware on why you are here?"
"I can't be too sure." I began slowly and cautiously. "I have a vague idea that my aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, desires for me to become one of your followers and take your mark, but after this afternoon's lack of any information I assumed that something has changed."
"Yes, I see now why you were placed in Ravenclaw despite last year's act of bravery. Indeed, certain pieces of information have been brought to light which thus prevents me from giving you my mark," he positioned himself so that he had a direct position to view me. "I must ask though, what is your experience of the Dark Arts?"
"Well, uh, at first it had started out with a simple comparison between the Restricted Section and the forbidden books that the Room of Requirement had to offer," his eyes had glinted at my mention of the Room, but I continued. "After seeing that the Room had more books to offer than anything I had decided that in light of recent events investing my attention as a distraction method could be very helpful, but as time passed I found myself in the throes of learning that I could hardly spare any time for anything else."
"Interesting," he mused for a bit. "Do you know that you killed four of my followers at the Ministry?"
"I knew that the spell, if cast competently enough, would kill, but I had assumed that seeing as I had gotten no actual practise on the spell I would only have rendered them unconscious and highly feverish for some time," my eyes reflected painfully on that fact.
"You haven't gotten any practise with the killing curse, but you were able to competently kill that muggle all in complete ease," he let the words sink in while green dominated my vision and a vicious voice laughing into my ear: I won! "How curious it is that you lay claim to natural proclivities for the Dark Arts while you are able to remorselessly rip apart your soul."
"I wouldn't say it is all that natural for me to kill," I glanced into the fire while the easier to control explosions flashed across my eyes. "I was murdering in the name of protecting my city and even though I became a monster in order to do so I desired my city's protection above all else."
"Yes, Gotham City; the very reason why you can never take my mark." I frowned at his remark casting my gaze back to him and strongly resisted bashing my head in at his next question. "How much do you know about Gotham's Dark Magic?"
"Nothing, but a fable and a few legends," I shifted while digging my nails into my legs. "There does not seem to be much stock to Gotham having any Dark Magic to speak of as the city hadn't seen a magical person for hundreds of years until my mother arrived."
"You do not believe that your city is teeming with Dark Magic such so that it would suffocate any soul which the city does not deem worthy to enter," he condescendingly told me. "And you truly would die to protect those depraved souls which the city only knows to admit. How fascinating that is."
"I don't believe in the obscure dressed up as a fairy tale and especially when these tales slate my city as an entity which wishes to kill," my eyes were hard as I felt a defensive sensation rise in me at the insults thrown at my city. "Nor am I caught up with how this supposed "Dark Magic" is applicable in any situation concerning me and Britain."
"This Dark Magic is the reason why you were born and why you cannot join my ranks," he started and his eyes glinted dangerously. "The very essence of that city is within your soul and it binds you as you grow stronger; your presence in any link would corrupt the entire chain and destroy it."
"Oh fancy that, then explain my corruptible presence in Britain when I could be keeping an eye on Gotham," I was losing my patience with this insane idea which had sprung up.
"You are an invaluable asset in the field of Dark Magic," my jaw met the floor in my frustrations over Wizarding stupidity. "This is why you shall be sufficiently trained in the Dark Arts while I figure out how to cultivate your power."
"Great," I slumped in the arm chair. "Let's give the volatile monster more powers to completely destroy the world because that is very intelligent."
"I would say so," he said slightly affronted. "Your training starts tomorrow, do be prepared."
"I wouldn't ever dream of not being," I frowned as the screaming laughter sounded slightly too loud to be comfortable.
"Now leave and do not tempt your already tempted family members with mention of that cursed city." I snapped into a straight standing position and walked to the door.
"There really is no rational thinking with the Wizarding World, is there?" I turned to see his back.
"There is plenty of rational thinking, you are simply blinded," his tone sounded final so I swiftly swept out of the room shaking my head at his impudence.
As I made my way back to my room too exhausted to deal with my family members I fumed over Voldemort's words claiming that Gotham City was a place lacking in any moral while being so dark that even he was reticent to enter such a place. I would admit that the city has seen a fair share of atrocities to the human race, but it certainly not corrupted by fairy tale magic intent on murdering anyone not worthy enough in addition to the many great people that the city had raised from the dumps. I definitely was not going to entertain the notion of the city even having magic to begin with and while I was grateful for Voldemort's naive belief in it preventing me from either dying or betraying my inner morals I did not accept it as fact and I would refuse to speak of such blasphemy. I wouldn't even begin to get started on his jab at me at my murdering that I committed even though it was entirely necessary. I was not in the greatest of moods that evening so on my arrival to my room I made sure that the Concealment Charm on the mirror would hold for the span of a week and after readying myself for bed I fell into the covers.
I woke to the darkness of the early hours of the morning and after deciding that sleep was far too overrated for these hours I got up and made my way to the en-suit to ready myself for the day. That was a bit of a challenge in itself as the room was covered in reflective surfaces so after a slight panic attack from running from the room I had determinedly covered my eyes and shot off as many Concealment Charms as I was sure was necessary. Once I was satisfied with my work of a mirror free environment I went about refreshing my appearances and pulling a set of robes over my muggle clothes which I felt was far more practical to wear than anything else. I was disinclined to sit around waiting for something to take me by surprise so I left the room and wandered around the halls my behaviour reminding me of my previous experience with exploring Hogwarts at night. There wasn't much to be said about Malfoy Manor that I hadn't seen before; Hogwarts had its fair share of magic infused into the architecture and while I hadn't been living there long Wayne Manor inspired far more admiration as far as mansions went. All that being said though, it was interesting to find many heirlooms littered proudly about the place as if they actually held any important worth asides for the inevitable event when the family ran out of cash and had to sell off items to keep their living. I had found myself on a high balcony which snapped me out of my aimless drifting and shuddering at the memory of my throwing myself out a two story window at school I shook my head muttering to myself as I made my way down to the dining hall. Breakfast was a subdued affair without Bellatrix who, as Narcissa had told me, had to leave on a mission for Voldemort and that it wasn't all too safe for her to be lurking around when the Ministry was prone to sudden searches of the place. I was quite fine with that as that made it easier to not mention anything pertaining to my city and I was sure that Narcissa did not desire to hear anything which would tug at her conscience. Soon after breakfast which was half eaten and half vanished I was ushered into the same drawing room which was empty with a fire started. I had tensed up expecting a foul play on the first session only to jump back as the fire turned green spitting out professor Snape to my utter surprise. I stood gaping for a while until I was told to pick my jaw off the ground and sit down lest I desired to remain looking like an idiot.
"What are you doing here?" I asked looking around anxiously in case the person who was assigned to train my came in.
"Much like the rest of the school you are probably unaware of my loyalties to the Dark Lord," he started and took my arm dragging me to an arm chair. "Sit! It would be best that you do not acquire a concussion on your first try."
"My what, wait, what?" I flopped down on the arm chair in shock.
"Miss Wayne," he started and I warmed to the fact that he was the first person who had acknowledged my very legal name change. "There are many things you need to learn about war, but the most prominent is that spies become a necessity-"
"Oh yeah, I know all about war. I learnt a whole chapter on World War two about how Hitler was creating a super race although they were actually genetically inferior according to my Biology classes-" I had cut him off in a nervous babble only to be cut off myself by him raising his hand.
"I can see that you are caught up in the basics of war which means that you have to understand that I am a spy which is a very trying role to play," he urged and I nodded my head the gears already ticking slightly. "One of my roles which I am required to play is performing tasks which upkeep appearances so. seeing as the Dark Lord will not touch you and your aunt Bellatrix is not allowed anywhere near your mind, I am delegated the job of gauging your magic and teaching you to control your mind."
"Is he for real?" I asked disgusted at the information that Voldemort had taken such a heavy stance against that fairy tale.
"What are you on about?" the professor asked.
"Oh, honestly, Lord Voldemort is scared of a stupid fairy tale!" Professor Snape's eyes glinted at my use of the name, but I was beyond caring as I launched into a small rant. "You would expect that, seeing as he is leading an army of dark wizards, he wouldn't be terrified over a bunch of fables and horror stories, but no, I get it! I am so obviously dripping with dark magic instead of the factual corruption by a man who by all rights is more evil than him! Yes world, wizards know so much more than our precise and fine art of science!"
"I see," he said curtly. "You are in luck then as the motivating reason for my delegation is that I do not believe in those tales as well, but be that as it may I do not appreciate the use of that name in my presence."
"Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself," I muttered under my breath having heard the quote lost in my mind as I realised that I hadn't gotten over my aversion to referring to his name at all. "I am not going to call him any of the ridiculous misnomers that he carries around so I will call him V."
"Fine," he conceded. "However, we are getting off track so to begin with I will take a look into your mind and observe any changes which are needed to allow you clarity. After I have taught you to organise and shield your mind, I will begin with your magic."
"Okay," I smiled a bit until something occurred to me. "Will it hurt?"
"Of course not," he answered a bit nonplussed and I saw him withdraw his wand from his sleeve. "Now prepare yourself, Legilimens!"
I had disappeared from the room and was flung into my mind. First I was young and walking home from school with my mother and not a second later she had been shot by some errant mugger. Second I was tearfully waving at my father as I walked through an airport on my way to England for my first year. Third I was meeting Luna Lovegood on the train in my second year with us discovering that we were very much the same as each other. Fourth my elation as I discovered my father's promotion and meeting Rachel feeling hopeful that I would finally have a whole family again. Fifth the terror of being torn away from my home by several men wearing clown masks to the jeering news of my father's impending death. Sixth bleeding out onto the lavatories' floor as my face burned and the chemical cocktail streamed through my blood system with my screaming ringing through my ears. Seventh my cold apathy as a jet of green light hit the chest of the purple painted monster as his screaming laughter echoed through my mind. The onslaught of my memories was cut off and I returned to the room crouched over in the foetal position with the resounding I won repeating itself over and over as I shivered desperately holding onto my sanity telling myself that it was for a good cause.
"Miss Wayne," I started at professor Snape's voice and hurriedly brushed away at the tears which had formed while my eyes wildly flew around the room. "Your mind is very fragile so-"
"It was for a good cause!" I shouted desperately. "If, if I didn't kill, if, the city was going to be blown up, everything that I have ever loved would have been destroyed. He didn't win, I swear!"
"I understand," I looked up to see his pale face which was twisted in shock. "I wouldn't have expected anything different, however, it is very important that you speak about this or your mind will be lost to yourself leaving you with nothing of your former self."
"He is the monster! I had to put him down before anything else happened," my tears threatened to flood gate, but I held them in.
"Perhaps we should leave the organisation process well alone for the day," he said more to himself than me which did not matter to my gibbering mind.
"Dad was a wonderful person!" I shouted desperately. "He only killed those people because the monster egged him on!"
"I see that. I think I should get you to Narcissa to calm you down," he gently took me by the arm and led us out of the door.
We walked for a short distance with me not registering much around me in my paranoid hysterics and was handed off to a concerned looking Narcissa who took me to my room and fed me a vial of sleeping potion which effectively knocked me out for the day. I only wished that I was a Dreamless Sleeping Potion which I had enjoyed so much in my stay at the Hospital Wing.
Pipes leaked in the back ground with the sound of the dripping water ominously echoing around the warehouse. I jerked as I realised that I was once again chained by rusty chains to the old rusted steel chair in the middle of the main storage room which was blissfully empty. The sound of vicious laughter and tortured screaming became apparent from behind me and I twisted with my heart rate picking up franticly as I struggled in my bonds which cut through my wrists letting blood run down the chair. I found myself violently ripped from the chair by stronger than real life arms and turned to face a horrifying scene; a blood soaked man was grotesquely bound and looked on the verge of passing out.
"Hello little Emily, long time no see, I almost thought that, uh, you were avoiding me, that, uh, you DIDN'T LIKE ME!" I was thrown to the feet of the monster as it pulled my hair back to spit in my face. "Well, uh, what's your problem? You see what I have to contend with when I am GONE!"
The monster dragged me by the roots of my hair to the grotesquely bound man and shoved my unwilling gaze into his direction only for my heart to stop beating as I recognised the tortured man.
"Dad," I asked hopefully. "Dad, is that really you?"
"Emily, you have to get out and save yourself," my father spoke to me even though it pained him. "Please, Emily, get out."
"Aw, is daddy telling little Emily that she needs to save herself?" the monster laughed and shoved me to the ground. "Daddy needs to realise that little Emily isn't worth saving anymore. Hey! Harvey, do you know that your precious daughter has done some very bad things?"
"Emily, get out now!" my father was becoming hysterical and I crawled to him intent on getting himself out of his bindings. "No! Save yourself and get out!"
"Oh, but little Emily is far beyond the realms of saving herself, I would even say that she is very much like us," the monster stomped down on my wrist and I screamed out in agony as I felt the bones crunch. "No, I tell you what little Emily is going to do. She is going to embrace our dying memories and become us, won't you darling Emily?"
My father yelled loudly as I looked to the monster which had picked me up by the neck and manhandled me into a kneeling position in front of my father who had started crying.
"Dad," I said in growing confusion.
"Oh, the plan has been in motion for quite some time and now YOU ARE GOING TO EMBRACE IT!" the monster had placed something, my wand, into my aching hand from the broken wrist. "So why don't you do that little light show for daddy and take on the world?"
"What?" Everything was becoming so surreal for me that I wasn't aware of my hand rising to point my wand in my father's direction.
"Emily, get out!" my father yelled desperately.
"Yes, you know the words, one second of agony and it is over," the monster laughed into my ear as its repugnant breath washed over my senses churning my stomach. "DO IT!"
"Avada Kedavra!" I had shouted in response and everything warped as I sunk to the bottom of a deep ocean.
"Just so you don't forget," I turned in surprise to see the monster appraising me through gleeful eyes. "I won!"
My scream carried through from the dream waking me up only to have hands push me back down as I struggled to slam my head through the bedside desk. After a frantic panting session I had turned to see Draco perched on the side of the bed regarding me through dubious eyes.
"Need I ask?" he drawled.
"Need I remind you of sleep phobia?" I returned croakily.
"Ouch," he let out a deep breath.
"I gather you are on suicide watch?" I sat up slowly my head painfully protesting the movement.
"I don't know what that is supposed to mean, but mother had me keep an eye on you so that nothing bad ended up happening," I rubbed my face as he said this and winced when my hands grazed over the scars so I quickly put my hands in my lap. "Are you okay?"
"Sure, I'm doing brilliantly, my personal psychopath just dropped in on my nightmares again," I balefully regarded him. "It's nothing serious though, so you needn't worry."
"Mother will have a fit when she finds out," he said nervously.
"She doesn't have to know though," I pointed this out to him. "Besides, the nightmares come and go; this one was just a little extreme."
"How extreme?" he pried.
"Very and that is what you need to know," my stomach growled loudly reminding me that the day must have passed.
"Very well," Draco suddenly stood as if remembering something and I blinked. "Mother said that when you woke I needed to take you to the kitchens to get some food so come on."
"Okay," I swept my legs out of the bed and pulled on my shoes which had been removed. "Take me to the master of food."
Draco had given me a weird look and dragged me off to the kitchens where the House Elves had prepared me a meal which I picked at while we sat in a companionable silence only broken by the occasional remark. After my scant meal we had made our way to the Library which I was elated by its existence and Draco had brushed up on his school work while I walked around scanning through any books which had caught my fancy. When Draco had found that it was time for him to retreat to bed I had trailed into my room and instead of sleeping I had paced around the room organising my possessions for a while until I had gotten bored and set to rearranging the furniture only to move it all back into their original positions and set to organising again. This routine carried on until the stars had faded into non-existence and the sky had taken on a deep purple hue which indicated that the day had begun and that I needed to refresh for the day.
