Chapter 2

Madaline's P.O.V.

I knocked on the door to my father's quarters and he opened the door. I walked in and closed the door behined me. My father gave me a black box and I gave him a confused look.

"The Dark Lord wishes for you to wear these," he stated.

I nodded and took the parcel into the loo, with me. I opened the parcel and sighed when I saw inside. There was a black dress, a black choker, and black ballet flats. I put on the contents and pinned back my bangs before touching up my make up. I walked back out and my father sighed, heavily, as he pulled me into a hug. I hugged him back and held on tightly.

"You look so much like your mother," he sighed. "You have her hair texture, color, and length... and her eyes."

I sighed, "I'm scared, Father... I don't want to suffer the same fate as Mother."

"I know, Sweetheart..." he held me for a moment, "Now... we must go. The Dark Lord will not tolerate tardiness."

I nodded an dheld onto his arm after slipping on my black cloak. We exited Hogwarts and walked to the gates. After opening the huge gates, we walked to the other side and closed it behind us. I took a deep breath and held onto my father's arm, tightly, as we apperated to Malfoy Manor. We arrived just outside the gates and my father hugged me, tightly, and kissed my forehead. This is routine whenever we are about to meet with Voldemort. My father let me go and I held onto his arm as we strode up the path and walked through the front door. As we walked into the dining room, all the Death Eaters turned and looked at us, including Voldemort.

"Ah, Severus... Madaline..." he sighed, "... how nice of you to join us. Please, sit..."

I let go of my father's arm and we sat down next to each other. Wormtail stood next to Voldemort as he began to review what all of our duties were. Disgusting creature... standing next to Voldemort like some little lap dog, like he has just as much power as him. He's nothing to Voldemort but a pawn... we all are, and will probably be killed off once he does or doesn't get what he wants... it's inevitable. I stopped that line of thought straight away... not even my thoughts are safe. I could very well be getting caught for traitorus crimes, in Voldemort's eyes, in my own head. Nothing is safe here... Voldemort's blue eyes locked on me but I didn't make eye contact. I felt uneasy and Voldemort kept looking at me. He could've been intruding on my thoughts as I was having them, right that very minute.

"Madaline," he started, "Come with me..."

I stood up and followed Voldemort into the living room. He closed the doors with a flick of his wand and I stood in front of the huge window looking over the grounds. If I was in trouble for my thoughts, he would've made my execution public... like my mother's. He walked behind me and I stood up even straighter when I felt his cold fingers on my collar bones. He took off my cloak and I was left in the strapless black dress. He pulled me to the center of the room and kept his hand on my waist as he circled me, looking me over.

"How did such a sensual creation come from parents like yours?" He asked, more to himself than me. "The perfect body and everything... the most beautiful witch I have ever laid eyes on. Truly, exquisite..."

"Is there a reason you wished to speak to me, My Lord?" I asked, never establishing eye contact.

"Yes, there is... your friend, Miss Heaven Leroux, she has promising talent. I wnt you to convince her to join us."

"Of course, My Lord... is there anything else you wish for me to do?"

"Mmm... no, but why don't you join us, tonight. We are going to question Mr. Ollivander about the Elder Wand."

"I would love to, but I have class tomorrow."

"Ah, yes, you teach, as well. Very well, you may go..."

I grabbed my cloak and walked out to my father. I put my cloak back on and took my father's arm. We apperated back to the Hogwarts gate and went through. We walked up to the doors and he walked me back to his quarters. He walked me to a shelf and he took a vial off it. He put some on his first two fingers and then pat it across my collar bone.

"The Dark Lord scratched you, My Dear." he answered my silent question. "Here, take it... just incase he scratched elsewhere. What did he say to you?"

"He just wanted me to convince Heaven to join the Death Eaters."

"Mmm... do you think she will?"

"More than likely..."

"Then your job is easy, this time..."

"Thank, Merlin..."

"Now... off to bed with you. You have classes to start, tomorrow..."

"Good night, Father..."

I kissed his cheek and he kissed mine, then hugged me. I slipped back into the Slytherin common room and shut the door behind me. I went up to the Girls' Dormitory and went over to my bed; I changed into a black tank top and white sweat pants. I grabbed my, small, bag and tiptoed back downstairs, i sat on a couch, close to the fire place, and opened my bag. I pulled out my chocolate bar with the raspberry filling and took a bite, savoring it. It was a shock that my father actually let me ride the train, this year. After years and years of asking, he finally let me. I had heard so much about the mouth watering chocolate bars from the Trolley, from Arianna, and decided to get one, straight away. I watched as the flames danced and started thinking about my mother.

Flashback

My mother ran the brush through my hair as we sat on the her and Father's bed. I gazed into the fire place, but my mother brought me back to reality.

"What are you looking for, Maddie?" asked Mother as she paused brushing my hair, for a moment.

"Nothing..." I sighed, "Just giving in to the feel of the brush combing through my hair."

"Mmm... did you know that fire can tell you things?"

"Really?"

"Well... it can't speak to you, but it can show you stuff."

"Like what, Mother?"

"A variety of things, Darling... For example, it can show you who cares for you the most, a secret admirer, and can give you small hints to what's destined for you. Stuff like that..."

"But... it can't show you the future."

"Sadly, no... but can give you hints. That's why there aren't many Fire Dancers out there. The fire doesn't always give a straight answer, many have gotten frusturated or wasted away in front of the flames. But, if it told you your future, where's the fun in figuring it out and living life? You're supposed to make mistakes and discover..."

"I guess... but you're still a Fire Dancer."

"That I am..." she smiled and kissed my cheek, "but I'm smart and know better than many others. Some day you'll understand, Sweetheart..."

End of Flashback

I sighed deeply and set my things on the couch, next to me. I got on my knees, in front of the fire place, and pulled out my wand. Might as well practice...

"Is anything good going to happen to me, this school year?" I waved the wand in front of the flames.

I looked into the flames and saw the word 'yes'.

"Is someone," I rolled my eyes, "in love with me?"

I already knew that some one was... Bartemius Crouch Junior. I just decided to do it for fun... I waved my wand in front of the fire and it had the number two show up, then extinguished itself. I sighed, frusturated, and started to get up. What the bloody hell does 'two' mean? Two people? Is some one, other than Bartemius, in love with me? Bartemius is in Askaban... there's no life with him, now. Even if I wanted... it wouldn't hurt to start a relationship with someone- No! My life is too dangerous, I wouldn't risk it. It's best just to be alone... I saw something in the log. The white part of the ashes formed two sets of initials... B.C.J. (Bartemius Crouch Junior) and E.C. Now who is E.C.? I flicked my wand and ignited the log, again...

"Who is this E.C. that's in love with me?" I asked as I waved my wand in front of the flames.

All I saw was the face of a wolf before the fire extinguished, again. A wolf... great! I don't want a boyfriend! That's a lie... I only want Bartemius to be my boyfriend. But, if I did date, I don't want a wolf! I don't want to date some one like Professor Lupin! Then again... it wasn't a werewolf face I saw. It was an actual wolf face, an annimangus. I shook my head and gathered up my things, heading up to the Girls' Dormitory. I placed my bag next to my bed, flung back my covers, and threw myself on my bed, waving my wand so the blankets moved to cover my body. I set my wand on my nightstand and let sleep over take me.

I ran through the forest and smiled when I came to a meadow. The grass and flowers where up to my mid-calf; I ran towards a figure and saw that it was a wolf, a gray wolf with black spots on its back. I ran my hands through his fur and he lifted his large head up to look at me.

I opened my eyes, slowly, and stretched out my body. I grabbed my robes, wand, slipped on my shoes, and snuck out of the Girls' Dormitory. I snuck out of the common room and down the hallways, to the Prefects' Bathroom. I flicked my wand and the doors closed behind me, the water turned on, and the torches lit. I cast the silencing spells, at the door, then walked over and sat my things down next to the tub. I stripped off my clothes and stood in front of the mirror... my body is so misshapen... so ugly, so scarred... How can anyone, even Bartemius, stand to be in love with me?

"Madaline," I heard a quiet voice speak.

"Look at me, Myrtle," I sighed.

Myrtle floated next to me and looked in the mirror, "I see nothing wrong with you, Madaline."

"How can you not? Look at all those, ugly, scars..."

"They're not ugly... they're beautiful." she ran a finger over a scar on my shoulder, "They make you seem tough, but also a sign that you're human." she ran her fingers over a scar on my ribs, "Your body is like a book... each scar a different story."

She smiled at me and I gave her a small smile back, if only she knew, "Guess the phrase 'scars on your back' is quite literal for me, huh?"

"Hey, that's okay... at least your body has healed itself to the best of its ability. Just be grateful you're alive... you're a Death Eater-"

"Soon to be..."

"You've survived the Dark Lord's wrath, several times..." so she thinks, "you're strong, Madaline. Stronger than I ever was... don't back down, not just yet."

"I won't, Myrtle..."

"Promise?"

"I promise..."

After I'd finished my bath, I went to breakfast. I sat next to Heaven and started getting food on my plate. I put a piece of toast, scrambled eggs, cinnamon apples, and four pieces of bacon on my plate. Heaven, Arianna, and I all compared our classed; I have, only, Divination with Arianna and, only, Transfiguration with Heaven.

"Madaline," Heaven nudged my shoulder, "That boy keeps staring at you."

I looked up and saw a boy with tan skin and dark brown hair blush, then look back down at his juice. I took a bite of apples and kept staring at him; he would look up then back down with a darker blush than last time at being caught.

"Who is he?" I asked, "I've never seen him before."

"His name is Embry Call," started Arianna, "He's one of those wolves that came from America. I talked to him, last night, he's really sweet..."

"W-wolf?" I squeaked.

I got up from the table and ran out of the Great Hall with my friends calling my name. I ran into the Girls' Lavatory that was left abandoned, due to Myrtle. I leaned back against the wall and started hyperventilating. Embry Call... E.C... wolf... Damn it! Hot tears started streaming down my face and my body started heating up. Th-This can't be happening! I'm dreaming, yeah... this is all just a bad dream. It's too frusturating to be a dream...

"Fuck!" I shouted as I punched a mirror, "Shit..."

I turned on the faucet and hissed in pain as I rinsed my hand off. I turned off the water and ran to the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfry was sitting at her desk and gasped when she saw my bloody hand.

"Merlin's Beard, Dear," she shuffled over to me, "What happened to your hand?"

"Punched a mirror," I grumbled.

She tsked at me, then moved to take care of my hand. After I was all bandaged up, she released me without another quiry of my injury. I went to my potions class and found that I was the only one there. I must be early... I grabbed my book out of my bag and started flipping through as the class started filling up. Professor Slughorn saw me and had me help set the potions out. As I carried te Amortentia to the table, the smells of raspberries, milk chocolate, and pine wafted up to my nose. I shook my head clear and set the culdron on the table. Class began and he had everybody go towards the culdrons, after attendance. I felt eyes on me and looked up... Embry Call. He blushed and cast his eyes down at the realization that he had been caught oggeling. I rolled my eyes and turned back to Slughorn, right when he told us to open our books. I went to my station and Slughorn came over to me and closed my book.

"It wouldn't be fair," started Slughorn, "you've made this potion before. You should help our newest edition..."

"Who?" I asked.

"That young lad, over there..." he pointed to Embry and I tensed, "You should help him catch up..."

"Yes, Professor..."

Slughorn took me over to him, "Mr. Call, this is Madaline Snape; Madaline, this is Embry Call. She is very advanced, so, she will be tutoring you for the next few weeks. Good luck..."

I stood next to him and he blushed, "Hi..."

"Hi..." I responded, sort of hostile, "Let's get to work, okay?"

"Of course..." He nodded.

These next few weeks are going to be long...

Author's Note: I am soooo sorry about the very long wait. I will be trying to post regularly on this story, now that I am wrapping up Lost In Paradise. Please, Review! :3 (Dodges objects being thrown) 0_0 Or... not...