As always, thanks to kmoaton for betaing. Enjoy!
The next morning, Heinrich awoke with a sense of foreboding. It was well before dawn, earlier than he would normally be awoken, but he couldn't fall back asleep. Idly, he cast the moon-tracking spell and his green eyes widened minutely when he saw that the full moon was upon them.
So that was probably what had woken him.
Heinrich wasn't sure if he wanted to deal with anyone today. The last two times it had been a full moon, he had ended up nearly dead. It would have made sense if those attacks had been by transformed werewolves, considering whom he had been living with, but the attempted murders had been done using distinctly Muggle techniques. There were probably a number of reasons why a wizard or witch wouldn't use magic to kill but it made Heinrich to trust anyone, even Libby.
After deliberating for a few moments, Heinrich cast locking spells on all of his doors and windows. Those were quickly followed by wards that would prevent wizards and witches of average power from getting past the doors and windows.
It wasn't much, but it was all Heinrich could really hope to do. A stronger witch or wizard would be able to shatter his defenses and he could only pray that no one would want to. He had no idea about how to keep out house elves and hoped that it wasn't part of Libby's duties to force him to go to his lessons.
A few hours later, Libby popped inside and was surprised to see Heinrich sitting up in his bed, reading.
"Libby has brought the young sir, breakfast," she announced.
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry," Heinrich said calmly. The house elf stared at him, ears twitching. Clearly she was deciding what to do.
In the end, Libby said nothing about Heinrich's lack of hunger, despite that was the first meal he had refused, and pulled out his clothes for the day. Heinrich watched silently, unsure if he should tell her that he didn't plan to go out of his quarters that day. He inwardly cringed when she left a pair of black robes and his red mask on one of the chairs. There was a large meeting that he was missing tonight. Lord Voldemort would not be happy. At least Heinrich could take comfort in the fact that he was not the only Death Eater that would be missing. He knew of at least three others that would refuse to attend.
Heinrich was silently relieved when Libby didn't return in the late morning to force him to go to some of his lessons. Her eyes were wider than normal when he refused lunch and he wondered just how guilty she was feeling. He couldn't help but take note of her bandaged ears.
"Tell my lord I will gladly accept whatever punishment I deserve for missing this afternoon as long as he allows me to remain in my quarters until the full moon has passed," Heinrich informed the house elf. Libby nodded but the look on her face made it clear that she was scared to deliver the news.
Immediately after delivering the refused lunch back to the kitchens, the terrified house elf went to face Lord Voldemort. The man was within the privacy of his office, alone.
Lord Voldemort stared at the house elf in slight disdain. Normally he didn't deal with the creatures and they stayed far away from him.
"Young sir Heinrich is refusing to leave his quarters," the house elf squeaked. "Young sir Heinrich is saying that he will gladly take the Master's punishment for missing this afternoon and tomorrow's afternoon if Master is allowing him to stay in his quarters until after the full moon is being passed."
Until the full moon had passed? Lord Voldemort stiffened at the insinuation. Fenrir had assured him that the boy hadn't been bitten but now he wasn't so sure that he could accept the werewolf's word. Ignoring the quivering elf, the Dark Lord chose instead to sweep out of his office and demand from the boy himself what was going on. He would not have a transformed werewolf that hadn't taken any sort of wolfsbane potion in this manor and if need be, he would put the boy down himself.
Heinrich felt the wards and barriers around his quarters fall with one well-placed spell. The door flung open and he had barely made it out of his bed before Lord Voldemort appeared in the doorway. The green-eyed teen barely had time to register the man's presence before he tumbled to the floor. Heinrich bit his lip in an attempt not to scream but it was difficult to manage when his limbs were twisting into unnatural positions and it felt like every cell in his body was on fire. The pain seemed to last for hours but when it eased, Heinrich glanced at the clock hanging above the doorframe. The minute hand hadn't even moved.
"Explain," Lord Voldemort ordered. The teen attempted to gather his words and fight to find his voice through the pain but apparently it wasn't fast enough for his lord. His limbs began to seize and shudder again as the fire returned.
"The moon," he gasped out, ignoring the taste of blood in his mouth. "Always been isolated during the moon." The pain eased somewhat and he was able to formulate longer sentences. "The past two full moons someone's attempted to kill me. Figured it was safer to keep myself locked away."
Then the pain was gone entirely. Heinrich knew better than to attempt to sit up. He would just be cursed again and he had a feeling that his body wouldn't let him move to that extent.
"It's also the summer," Heinrich heard himself saying. "I don't know why but it feels more comfortable to lock myself away this summer, like I'm more used to it now than I would be during the other parts of the year."
His chest lifted off the ground as the pain returned. Heinrich was sure that he wouldn't be eat without pain for the next few days. He was surprised that his lips weren't torn to shreds yet but he refused to cry out.
"I don't remember why it feels that way," he said when the pain subsided. "It just feels right to be isolated right now."
Lord Voldemort regarded the teen in front of him. With the sweat dripping down his face, his body heaving in an effort to get enough air into his lungs, and his lips swollen and bloody from his teeth, the Dark Lord couldn't deny that it made a pleasing sight.
Knowing for sure that the boy wasn't bitten and knowing that he would do something he would maybe regret if he remained in the room any longer, the Dark Lord turned on his heel and swept away. Heinrich could only see the hem of his robes as he left and held in a sigh of relief. He didn't release that sigh until he heard the door to his living area close.
He had fully expected to be punished for his actions but he couldn't help but wonder if that was just the start. Three Cruciatus curses seemed too light a punishment for outright defying the Dark Lord's orders.
The teen sat up after a few minutes, wincing at the pain the movement caused. His wince soon turned into a cringe as he smelled the air. Some of the effects of the Cruciatus curse were often forgotten or ignored. Unsurprisingly, losing control of one's bowels was such a side effect.
"Libby," Heinrich called. It looked like he would need the clothes the house elf laid out after all. He grimaced at the mess on the floor and glanced at the house elf that had appeared and was wringing her small hands nervously. "Clean this up," the teen ordered as he shakily got to his feet. When he was positive that he could stand on his own accord and walk across the room to the bathroom, he stumbled and grabbed the robes off the chair, along with the underclothes Libby had set out.
A bath had never felt so good, he imagined. The warm water soothed his aching joints and he was able to relax and get his bearings back. When he was able to think clearly again, Heinrich began to wonder about the next few days. Would he be punished again tomorrow when he refused to leave his quarters? Or had that been the end of their discussion about the subject? Lord Voldemort hadn't left any clues as to what Heinrich might be able to expect.
Lord Voldemort took advantage of the time spent away from his former enemy to get some research done. He had struggled to find a task that would prove the boy's loyalties to him and that his memories were truly lost. Lord Voldemort didn't trust words alone and he knew that his inner circle Death Eaters refused to accept the boy without some sort of test. They had all completed a test to prove their loyalty and it irritated them to see a boy half their age be placed above them without doing the same. The Dark Lord didn't normally go out of his way to fulfill their wishes but he felt that it was necessary in this case.
That led him to the subjects of his current research—the inhabitants of number 4, Privet Drive.
He had always known where Harry Potter had lived but he hadn't been able to get within a few blocks of the residence. He had no idea how the boy had been treated when he lived among his relatives but if his need for isolation meant anything, Lord Voldemort could believe that the boy hadn't been treated very well. He could work that to his advantage.
It would also be the perfect task for the boy. None of his Death Eaters would contest the boy's loyalty to their lord if Harry Potter killed his only living relatives, the very people he had been raised by.
Thin lips twisted into a cruel smile. Yes, it would be perfect.
The next two days passed peacefully, much to the relief of everyone inhabiting Malfoy Manor. Heinrich still didn't believe that he had been fully punished but he wouldn't bring it up to the Dark Lord. Lord Voldemort appreciated the quietness that the boy's absence had brought. The sixteen year old had never really been noisy as he tried to learn what he would be doing for the next few years but Lord Voldemort had always been acutely aware of his presence. Just the act of breathing had drawn his attention away from his work and to the boy.
Once the full moon passed, Heinrich resumed his lessons. No one said a word about his absence and Heinrich wasn't about to give his tutors the opportunity to criticize his actions to his face. He wouldn't allow it.
The month of September crawled by slowly. Heinrich noticed the lack of meetings to take up their time but didn't bring it up for fear of saying something that the Dark Lord wouldn't approve of. His mood changed hourly and what was once an acceptable topic could suddenly become taboo in a minute's time. Heinrich had suffered enough for not picking up on some of the clues that would inform him of the Dark Lord's mood. It was best to keep silent in times of uncertainty.
Despite the slow pace of the month, Heinrich was slowly growing more comfortable and accustomed to life in Malfoy Manor. While he still feared the Dark Lord, it was no longer the pure fear that he had felt when he had first arrived at the manor. Instead, it was more of a respectful fear.
Just as September came and went, so did October. Lord Voldemort kept a close eye on the date, having planned the perfect date for Heinrich's test.
Every other Halloween had been eventful for the boy. He didn't dare break tradition.
On the night of October 30, Lord Voldemort summoned thirty of his best Death Eaters. He made sure to summon Severus Snape. He didn't trust the man but he needed Dumbledore to believe that he still did. He took a sick enjoyment in manipulating the dark-haired Potions Master and watching him try and walk the line between his two duties.
"Tomorrow is an important raid," he hissed. "Important enough that I will go to ensure that things are done correctly. Your orders are to kill as many as you can. Don't spare anyone, not that I'd imagine you'd want to. Your targets are all Muggles."
There was a mixture between disgruntled mutterings and cruel laughter at the entertainment certain Death Eaters would take from such a reign. Lord Voldemort's followers always enjoyed a no restraint order on killing, especially when Muggles were involved.
"Tomorrow," Lord Voldemort hissed. "A neighborhood called Little Whinging. Expect your summons."
With those words, he waved his wand to dismiss the Death Eaters in the large room. Severus Snape quickly apparated back to Hogsmeade, before using the Floo to enter the headmaster's office.
Dumbledore didn't look surprised to see him. He had been aware of his spy's summons. The fact that Severus had come immediately to him made him fear the worst.
"Harry?" he asked. Severus Snape shook his head.
"No mention of the boy," he said. "But another raid has been planned."
"The first one since June, is it not?" Albus asked knowingly. Severus nodded.
"It's going to be the neighborhood of Little Whinging, Albus," he said. "I fear that this means that the Dark Lord has found out about where Harry has been staying for the past few summers."
"The wards will ensure that he won't be able to get inside the Dursley's home. They shouldn't allow him to even get onto the street."
"The Dark Lord must have found a way around them," Severus snapped.
"We're missing the bigger question here, Severus," the headmaster mentioned. "The question isn't if he'll be able to get to the Dursley home but rather why he's targeted Little Whinging in the first place. Why target the neighborhood now, when Harry is no longer in the area?"
The Potions professor shrugged and began to pace around the room.
"To prove that he can get close to the boy's home?" he suggested. "He didn't give any reasons for the location of the raid. He rarely does."
"Is there any chance that it's to cover up another plan being carried out?" Dumbledore asked. "Have any Death Eaters been given a task that you know of?"
Severus Snape shook his head in irritation. "I know barely anything," he said. "I fear the Dark Lord no longer trusts me as much as he has in the past."
"I'll inform the Order and have them waiting to defend the residents of Little Whinging," Albus decided. "How many Death Eaters are expected to be there?"
"Thirty, maybe forty?" Severus guessed. "But Albus, the Dark Lord himself will be there and I suspect his new follower will be there as well."
"New follower?" the headmaster questioned and Severus hissed at his slip-up.
"I don't know who it is," he said. "I've never seen their face and they never attend the inner circle meetings that I've been summoned to. I suspect a few of the other inner circle members know but they refuse to say or hint to who it is, even Lucius. This new Death Eater is clearly different from other Death Eaters. They wear a red mask and stand at the Dark Lord's side."
The twinkle in Albus's blue eyes was gone for once.
"How long has this Death Eater been around?" the headmaster asked.
"I first saw them in August," Severus said. "But as far as I know, they haven't gone on any raids yet. Tomorrow's would be the first if they go."
"The Order will be prepared," Albus said confidently. "When will you be summoned?"
Severus shook his head. "There was nothing said about a time," he said. "Just to wait for a summons."
"We'll have plans for Halloween night, then," Albus said. "I can't imagine that Voldemort would be so foolish to attack in the daylight, not when all of his other attacks have been at night."
"But it may very well be in the day, to be unexpected," Severus warned.
"That's a risk we'll have to take then."
Lord Voldemort stared at the neighborhood in front of him. The quaintness of it was disgusting and he loathed the everyday normality of it. Every inch of the place made his skin crawl with disgust.
The sun was just touching the sky and the residents of the neighborhood were beginning to move, not aware of what was about to happen.
"It's disgusting," he heard one of the Lestrange brothers mutter. Bellatrix cackled her agreement and the Dark Lord noticed that the red-masked Death Eater beside him barely held back a flinch at the high-pitched noise.
"Remember your orders," he hissed to his Death Eaters. "Kill."
With that order, he released his followers upon the neighborhood. He prevented the boy beside him from following after the more experienced Death Eaters.
"I have a special task for you," he said.
"What sort of task?" Heinrich asked, his voice muffled by the mask.
"In Number Four Privet Drive, there's a family. If you want to prove you are truly loyal to me and only me, you will kill every single member of that household."
Heinrich nodded. It sounded like an easy enough task.
"If you fail, you won't be the only one to suffer," Lord Voldemort whispered. "More than your life is at stake."
Heinrich's green eyes hardened. Saskia and the rest of the pack. He had no doubts that the Dark Lord would kill every single member of the pack if he failed.
The teen stepped forward. After he had gone a few steps, he noticed that the Dark Lord wasn't following him.
"You aren't going to watch my performance?" he asked, feeling slightly disappointed.
The Dark Lord sneered. "I have better things to accomplish than to watch over you," he snapped. "If you want to remain in your position, you'll have to start doing things without me."
So this was more than a test, Heinrich realized. If he succeeded this morning, then he would be able to take on more tasks and do things more independently than what he had been allowed before. His freedom would return.
Well, parts of it anyways. Heinrich was marked for life and he would never truly be free from the Dark Lord again. However, he didn't wish for that sort of freedom. He was happy enough as it was.
Heinrich nodded and continued making his way toward the street sign that read Privet Drive. He idly noticed on his journey that this was close to where he had been found the night he had taken his memories. Was there more significance to this place than he realized?
It didn't matter. He had a task to complete and he would not fail, no matter what the cost.
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