~Chapter 8~
Stupid doxies... Stupid Voldemort... Stupid Moody... With every squirt of the Doxycide Sonea had found something else to call stupid until all the doxies were gone. After waking up she had wandered down to the drawing room where everyone was spraying the curtains to rid them of doxies. Stupid Kreacher...
The annoying house elf wouldn't quit muttering to himself. Sirius had come in and scolded him before making him leave. Kreacher had been looking at an old tapestry. It was Sirius' family tree, minus Sirius. He had been blasted off when he ran away from home at sixteen. It was after Mrs. Weasley brought in lunch that Harry pointed out something that caught Sonea's attention.
"You're related to the Malfoys!" Sonea looked closely at the tapestry where Harry was pointing. There, she saw Draco's name in gold letters. Grabbing a sandwich from Mrs. Weasley, Sonea sat on the ground to think. It would make sense that he was a pure blood; his father was a Death Eater. But did Draco want to become a Death Eater as well? She began to wonder who he was, why Voldemort wanted her to meet him. Had he talked to him as well? Weren't there other children of Death Eaters that she could meet? Why him?
After lunch they emptied the glass cabinets in the room. Everyone seemed to get at least a scratch from it. For three more days they cleaned up the drawing room. After that they began in the dinning room. A few hard working days later, Sonea was so tried that she couldn't wait to get some sleep. Every night since her dream she had slept lightly but it felt like she didn't get a wink of sleep. Luckily for everyone else, she wasn't irritable. But she did wish Lupin were around. She couldn't tell Harry about her dream and she needed someone to talk to. However, Lupin and Moody had left after that night and hadn't returned to headquarters since.
It was Tuesday night that some relief came for Sonea. She was lying in bed hoping for sleep to come at almost eleven o'clock when there was a knock at her door.
"Come in," she muttered. Whoever it was opened the door and shut it behind them.
Sonea didn't want to look up at first. But when the person said, "Hello, Sonea," she had to. Dumbledore was standing in her room dressed in a blue suit.
"Oh. Hello, Professor. Wonderful night, isn't it?" The note of false cheer rang clearly in her voice.
"It is actually. Very clear night out. But not many stars," said Dumbledore. He sighed and shook his head. "However, the weather is not what I'm here to discuss. Tell me about your dream." A chair suddenly appeared and he sat down about five feet from where Sonea was laying on the bed. Figuring that she should have some manners, she sat up and ran her fingers through her hair.
"You've probably heard it all already," she stated. "I was just sitting there and suddenly he walked into my dream. He looked like how he did before referring to himself as Voldemort. Dark hair and eyes. He said some stuff about me being his child and how I should work for him. Asked me what I knew about his plans. I told him but that wasn't what he really wanted to know. It was more of what I wanted in return for joining up with him." Sonea didn't want to bring Draco into this. Not yet. Voldemort was right. She did want to meet him now.
"What did he offer you?" Dumbledore asked while watching her closely.
"Umm... power, recognition, invincibility, and control. The usual bad guy bribe." Dumbledore looked at a spot on the wall behind her and fell silent. Because he was so quiet, Sonea decided to ask a question. "Professor, why are you concerned about me? I'm Voldemort's child. It doesn't make sense. Most people here are wary of me but you aren't. Why?" His gaze came back to her. The only thing that she could see in his eyes was a deep understanding.
"You never asked to be Voldemort's child. Unlike your father, you have a good heart. Now that you know the pain involved with being his child, you wouldn't wish it on anyone else."
"How do you know that? Who says I wouldn't change my parents if I could?"
"Your asking silly questions," Dumbledore scolded her gently. Sonea looked at the ground. He was right. She wouldn't change who she was. Never wish the curse of having the Dark Lord as a father on anyone else.
Dumbledore stood up. "Harry's trial is in two days. You should go with Mr. Weasley and Harry. I may call on you as a witness." The chair disappeared as he walked to the door.
"Professor?" Dumbledore stopped and turned around. "What's my name? They're going to ask for my name. Which one do I give them?" As much as Sonea didn't want to admit that her surname was Riddle, she couldn't avoid it if they needed her real name. But it might ruffle them up if she used it and they figured it out
As Sonea looked into his eyes she saw a mischievous twinkle in them. He seemed to be thinking the same as her.
"I'll let you decide," was all he said. Sonea smiled. "Good night, Sonea."
"Good night, Professor."
