Chapter 7 The Traitor Revealed

A lone hooded, cloaked figure made its way into Riddle Manor, Lord Voldemort's headquarters. All anyone could tell was that the figure was a woman and that she was in a hurry.

Her Master would be very pleased with the information that she had gathered. She knew that her master's forces had taken heavy hits, thanks to Lord Potter. With the deaths of Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix LeStrange and the loss of magic of several of his followers. She went into the main chamber where her master sat upon a throne. Severus Snape and young Malfoy stood off to the side.

"Lady Nicola, a pleasure to see your lovely face again."

"My Master," she answered bowing gracefully. "I have some information for you, my Lord."

"It must be important for you to personally come and share it with me."

She smiled in an evil sort of way before dropping her first bomb shell. "The clan Potter is now in control of my cousin Harry Potter." Not a sound was heard after that statement was said.

"Interesting" said Voldemort looking closely at Severus. "It is very interesting that Potter chose to embrace his 'inheritance'. Something that his father had refused to do, correct, Severus?"

Severus Snape only nodded but didn't speak. Draco looked at his godfather for an explanation. All returned their attention back to the lady in the room.

"Is this the only thing you have to tell me, my Lady?"

"No my Lord. Father, with the werewolf, searched the entire castle and village for the Dark Mark."

Voldemort laughed and Snape sneered. He really didn't like this woman. He didn't trust her. "Obviously he didn't search hard enough."

Nicola turned her eyes towards Snape. "He only checked the left arms and since my 'mark' is not on my arm there was no need to worry."

"You do have a mark then?"

"Of course I do, Severus. I simply have it in another location, somewhere where my father would never look." She pushed down the sleeve of her gown and pulled the fabric of her bodice down slightly. The edge of her mark was seen on the top of her left breast, above her heart. Never had Severus seen anyone have their mark placed there. It had been painful when placed on the arm. He couldn't imagine the pain in placing it there.

"They are worried about traitors", said Voldemort with a laugh. Nicola nodded with a smile on her face.

"My cousin has banished my mother from the castle."

Three sets of eyebrows rose at that news. "Why did he do that", asked Draco, speaking for the first time.

She looked at the young Malfoy. He looked delicious. "Because she undermined his mate's authority in the castle. My father did not protest, although I would have been surprised if he had."

"Who is his mate?"

Nicola returned her attention back to her Lord who had asked that question. "The Mudblood. They have already bonded. They are also planning to return to Hogwarts for their final year."

Surprise again showed on all three faces. Many assumed that the Weasley girl would be the one that would marry Harry. Not one had thought that it would be Granger filling that role.

"So he bonded with the Mudblood? We might be able to use that to our advantage."

Nicola braced herself for the next piece of news. This would upset her Lord a great deal. "My cousin is responsible for Bella's death." How right she was. Lord Voldemort proved why he was to be feared. A look of pure hatred filled his face and his whole body began to shake. She knew that he desperately wanted to curse someone and she was not afraid. He had never use a single curse on her and he never would. She had too many protections for him to do that. It was a rush of pure pleasure in her body to know that he wanted to hurt her so much. No one else would even think about doing something like that.

"What did he do", whispered Voldemort. He was still shaking. Bella was a devoted follower. She should still be at his side, not dead.

"I am not sure how exactly it was accomplished but I understand from listening to my brothers talking that Father 'drained' Lucius of his magic after the others had been 'drained'. Then my cousin did the honors of 'draining' Bella's magic and then 'draining' her blood, allowing her to bleed to death. Then when Lucius led the attack in Diagon Alley and was captured again, my cousin allowed my brother Nathaniel to drain Lucius of his life."

"Potter, dares to kill my followers? How is he draining their magic?"

"I understand that it is an incantation that is said by a vampire witch or wizard. Father found it in an ancient text and told my cousin. He has also issued orders for the capture of any of your followers in particular Severus, young Malfoy, and Pettigrew. All are to be caught and held until my cousin can pass judgment, but he wants the focus on the three I named."

"He wants revenge", stated Voldemort looking again at Severus. "We might be able to use that to our advantage. Do you have any other news for me?"

"No my Lord, but I have an idea that might work if Severus and young Malfoy are captured."

"What idea is that?"

"I will claim them as my mates. Even if my cousin finds them guilty he will not kill them for they will be family, something that he holds to dear to destroy."

"Young Malfoy could be accepted in that role but I fear that too many would know that Severus could not. Too many know that he was unclaimed by a mate of your clan."

"True but since he was unclaimed I may make a secondary claim by simply stating that I had the lesser claim. Since I was not physically there when it happened, I didn't know. The law of the clan states that if a mate is unclaimed another may do so and although rare, women of the clan have had more than one mate. I see no problem with it."

Draco looked at the beautiful woman who was talking about him and Severus being her mates. Is that even possible? Part of him hoped so.

"Surely in all the time that has passed you have found your mate", sneered Severus. He really didn't like the way this conversation was going. He wanted nothing to do with the clan Potter anymore and had since he hadn't been so humiliated in front of the entire clan.

"Yes Severus, I had found my true mate but he did not live up to my standards, so I killed him before anyone else was aware of what he was. It was one of the most pleasurable things I have ever done." The look of horror on both Severus and young Malfoy made her smile. Her Lord looked like he wanted to laugh. "Do not worry mates of mine I will not kill you. You have my solemn word." A wisp of vapor left her body, split in two and entered both men, sealing her promise.

"Why are you doing this", asked Draco. Those beautiful blue eyes looked at him again causing his body to react. Maybe being bonded to her wouldn't be so bad.

"One, you two would displease my father, brothers, and most especially my cousin. They will be hard pressed not to say or do anything. Two, as suspected Deatheaters they will watch the two of you like a hawk, allowing me to continue to spy for our Lord. And three, the Malfoy name still commands some respect and they have a great deal of money which I am fond of and have no wish to be poor. The Ministry cannot stop the bonding and cannot interfere with any judgments that my cousin hands down and once he hands down a judgment it is final. Your passed deeds cannot be held against you. Just look at what he has done so far. The Ministry has been actively trying to get him to release our comrades into their hands but he has already passed judgment. There is nothing that they can do."

Voldemort was smiling. He truly loved this woman even though she would never be his. She was almost his equal. "I believe that I have underestimated, you, my Lady. I think that I can arrange for Severus and young Malfoy to be 'captured' around Christmas."

"That would be a beautiful time of year for a bonding, my lord."