"There's increasing reports of resistance fighters ambushing Death Eaters. I don't want them to become a problem."
"We've been working on it. It seems that some of them were Aurors who broke away from the newly structured Ministry," said Bella.
"And their leader?"
"We don't know yet but Dumbledore is probably involved."
"Of course. He's always involved, that meddling old fool.
"Get rid of them discreetly. I don't want any uprising to upset the new balance."
"Yes, my Lord," she said, but didn't seem inclined to leave just yet.
"Is there anything else?" Voldemort raised an eyebrow.
"I was wondering if you intend to send Aiden to school when he turns 11," she said hesitantly.
Voldemort leaned back in his chair. "School yes. I just haven't decided which one. Perhaps Beauxbatons."
"Aiden doesn't speak French."
Voldemort was amused at Bella's objection, albeit a subtle one. "He'll learn. It'll be good to cultivate ties with other nationalities."
"Won't it seem like running from Hogwarts and Dumbledore when you reject the placing?"
Voldemort stiffened at the insinuation, and Bella seemed to realise her bad choice of words. "There will be no Hogwarts letter," he said coolly. "I've put an Anti-owl charm on Aiden. Any more questions?"
"No, my Lord," she murmured, and, sensing that she had overstepped her boundaries, quickly retreated.
He needn't send Aiden to school actually, since he's already well ahead in his studies. But Aiden needs to interact with other children his age, to learn to make friends, develop social skills and survival skills. He was too sheltered and Voldemort didn't want it to be his downfall.
Beauxbatons' a good place to start, being rather neutral in the war and wizarding politics. Aiden will be exposed to both sides of the issues there, unlike at Hogwarts where the whole atmosphere leaned towards Muggles and Mudbloods and Gryffindors.
As for Durmstrung, he didn't want to throw Aiden off the deep end of those treacherous waters so soon. The wrong information about the less favourable side of him could slip. Besides, it's too far from home. Maybe he'll transfer Aiden there after a few years, to let him get a feel of the different schools and culture.
Yes, Hogwarts can wait.
--oO--
It was a sort of birthday gift for turning eleven, he supposed. Eleven was special. Eleven was when he had to leave Father and go to school, meet other wizards and witches, be more independent. That's why Father allowed him two wishes, though he had called them 'requests' instead. Two was a weird number too, for wishes (or 'requests' as Father had said), but Aiden didn't care because he got to choose and two was enough…
"The meetings are quite boring really."
"Just let me sit in and watch for once. I'll be very quiet," Aiden promised.
"If you fall asleep and snore…"
"I do not snore!" Aiden said indignantly.
Father laughed and hissed, "Does he snore, Nagini?"
"I will not be a part of your squabbles," the snake replied, seeming amused.
"What? Don't look at me like that. I may be domesticated but I haven't lost my sense of self-preservation yet." With that, she slithered off.
Aiden folded his arms over his chest. "I do not snore."
"If you say so." Father has the most infuriating way of conceding arguments yet still seem to be able to imply the opposite.
"Of course," Aiden agreed blithely. "So when do I get to attend the meeting?"
After much concession on both sides, it was decided that Aiden would attend the next meeting in his invisibility cloak, accompanied by Nagini, and he would not do anything that would draw attention to his presence.
So that's why he's here now, sitting by Father's throne in his invisibility cloak, quiet as a mouse, occasionally stroking Nagini who was draped around the arm of the seat closest to him. The Death Eaters started coming in and Aiden watched them avidly.
All of them looked the same, hooded black cloak and bone-white masks a part of their ensemble, but the air around each varied. Some seemed more confident, their steps sure and unfaltering, but still respectful as they bowed to Father and waited for the rest to arrive. They did not fidget, did not flinch.
Others were more fearful, he thinks, their shoulders and back a little hunched to appear smaller and less noticeable. They were too twitchy, trying to hide their nervousness and failing. Still others had an air of eagerness about them, impatient to please, like adoring servants in awe of their master. Exceptions to this would be those who looked to have a penchant for cruelty, seeming almost hungry for an excuse to indulge.
Aiden shivered.
It's a good thing that he isn't the enemy. He wouldn't want to end up in their hands and at their mercy, those of the last category.
"Cold, child?" Nagini hissed.
Father looked towards Nagini, towards where he was.
"No, I'm fine," he hissed hurriedly. He didn't want to get thrown out before the meeting had even started just because he shivered and was thought to be cold.
"Can you tell who are behind those masks?" Aiden asked Nagini.
"I'm only close enough to identify a few of those in the front," she hissed, turning her head to the side, staring at some of the Death Eaters.
"… increasing attacks on Death Eaters by resistance fighters. Dumbledore..."
"The one in the middle is Lestrange. Black is to her right, Malfoy, to her left. The spy is in the third row, behind Malfoy, and Macnair-"
"… capture the attackers back for questioning if possible. Otherwise dispatch them without evidence."
"And you know that just by looking?" Aiden was impressed.
"…have gotten used to the peace bought about by the treaty two years…"
"I know by smelling. Honestly, living with me for years and you overlook such minor things." Nagini sounded just a little miffed.
"… time we actually bring some changes to the Wizarding World and its laws…"
"Sorry. I was distracted and forgot."
The Death Eaters were murmuring in agreement.
"So what do they smell like?" Aiden asked curiously.
"…are eager, but we cannot be careless."
Her eyes gleamed. "Well, Lestrange smells like Dark Arts and devotion. Black is tainted with dementors, an echoing emptiness with traces of suppressed anger."
"… convince people of the rational behind these changes…"
"Malfoy tastes like soft silk with underlying steel, and arrogance."
"… minority will have no power to oppose the laws."
"And the spy, he ranks of the potions you're so fond of tinkering with and damp dungeons air."
"Make the Wizarding populace see that we've been right all along and there'll be no protests when we cleanse..."
"What about me?"
"You?" Nagini flicked out her tongue. "Strawberries and cream," she proclaimed wickedly.
"Nagini!"
She was tickled by the exchange, producing a spate of hissing that sounded suspiciously like laughter.
"As amusing as this is, do you mind continuing this elsewhere? You're distracting me," Father hissed.
"The meeting's over?" Aiden asked as the Death Eaters started leaving the hall.
"I still have a few matters to settle."
"I'll go back first then."
Father leaned back, pale fingers lazily sliding across Nagini's scales. "I warned you it would be boring."
Father was right. It was rather boring, but at least his curiosity had been satisfied.
"Well, you wouldn't let me in before, so I thought I'd see what's the big fuss about."
Father smiled. Aiden didn't really like that smileHe supposed that's because it's more of a 'Lord Voldemort' smile than a 'Father' smile.
"Power. And politics. But I doubt you are aware of it."
Aiden tilted his head to the side, thinking. He should have paid more attention to the meeting. "Explain?"
"Later. Now be good and go with Nagini."
"Yes, Father."
Nagini slithered off the arm of the throne and towards the wall at the end of the platform. Aiden glanced at the three Death Eaters left behind – Bella, Mr Black and Mr Malfoy; there's no need for masks among family.
Ministry business, he thought, as he walked through the wall, taking the secret corridors leading back to their rooms.
--oO--
Diagon Alley.
Aiden breathed in the clear air, relishing in the sights and smells of the busy street. Much had changed since he came here three years ago to get his wand. There were no more burnt or caved-in buildings, no more board-up shops; no more grey fog. People still seemed a little cautious but were no longer paranoid and fearful to be in the open. There were children, laughing, excited children, heedless of the strained smiles and wistful looks of their parents, tugging at them to hurry.
"Where do you want to go?" Bella asked, looking around.
"I want to visit all the shops."
"Well, that'll take a while."
She guided him with a hand on his back towards a shop – 'Slug & Jiggers Apothecary'. "The Apothecary," she announced sarcastically as they stepped in.
Aiden muffled a giggle and Bella raised her eyebrow, then her lips softened in a small smile.
Aiden wrinkled his nose at the smell, a mixture of rotten eggs and cabbages, or perhaps just hydrogen sulphide. He looked around and saw barrels of slimy stuff lined up on the floor. Bubotuber pus, frog brains, gillyweed, horned toads, horned slugs, leeches, tubeworms and some other gross but common ingredients in potions. Jars of all sorts of powders, herbs, and liquids lined the walls; bundles of feathers, fangs, and claws hung from the ceiling.
There was nothing unusual and he could identify most of the ingredients, having used them in potions before.
Something shiny caught his eye.
Moonstones. In a myriad of colours. Definitely prettier than its powdered form.
Few potions required whole moonstones though.
"Do you remember what they're used for?" Bella asked, picking up a clear blue one and turning it from side to side.
"A quiz, Bella?"
"Of a sort."
Aiden tried to recall. "Moonstone… balances emotions, restores harmony… has calming effects. Some calming draughts?"
"Draught of Peace," she said, replacing the moonstone in the clear cylindrical container. "Induces peace and calm but also makes one susceptible to suggestions in its hazy peace-induced state."
She smiled and continued, "Sort of like the Imperius Curse. Except it isn't illegal. Whole moonstones make it stronger because the effects are not dispersed."
"But it's not a dark potion."
"No. It just has the potential to be abused, like everything else."
"Of course," he murmured, "of course."
They moved on, visiting the cauldron shop, Eeylops Owl Emporium – 'that snowy one's beautiful'-, some magical instruments shop – 'fascinating!'-, Quality Quidditch Supplies – 'do you think I'll be good at flying?'-, Flourish and Blotts – 'can I get some books?'-, Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasion – 'erm, just looking. No, not shopping for robes, thanks.'-, Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor – 'chocolate and raspberry ice cream with chopped nuts, please.'-, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Magical Menagerie – 'the snakes said they prefer live rats.'-, Gambol and Japes – 'nose-biting teacup?'-.
Aiden's face felt slightly flush, though whether it was from the laughing or from the sun, he didn't know. But it had been fun, and he guessed he wouldn't mind getting a little sunburned in the process.
"Where are we going now?"
"It's your choice: home or Knockturn Alley."
"Knockturn Alley," Aiden said promptly, not wanting to pass up an opportunity to explore the sinister alley, with its surrounding rumours of evil magic and monsters in the dark.
"I hope you don't scare easily. Some things down there are rather… macabre." Bella had that particular gleam in her eyes and a wicked smile.
"I'm not scared." He linked his hand with hers and smiled. "You'll protect me."
Bella laughed softly to herself, "And I'm supposed to be the damsel in distress?"
Faintly amused, she ruffled his hair and said dryly, "Fear not fair child. I will protect you with my life."
"Bella…"
But his protest of her mock dramatics was slightly ruined by the small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Although it seemed to be an act, Aiden detected some truth in it and felt oddly touched.
"Hush, and stay close."
They wandered down the darker alley, Aiden instinctively moving closer to Bella. It was cooler, and more deserted. There were few street vendors, old witches and hags, peddling their wares, which ranged from whole human fingernails and withered body parts to… well, he didn't want to think about it.
"Pretty child, pretty child, won't you come and play?" came a high singsong voice. "Such pretty, pretty eyes you have."
Aiden tensed and looked around cautiously. The person sounded slightly mad.
"Don't bother us with your games," Bella snapped, though at whom, Aiden couldn't see.
"Ah, the Dark Mistress is here too. Is pretty child another gift for me?" she – Aiden was sure it was a she- was half-hopeful, half-gleeful.
Do they know each other?
"No. Now leave before I banish you."
"Mistress is in a bad mood, mistress is. Go, pretty child. We will play when we will play."
The lilting voice ended in laughter that echoed off the walls, and a faint shadow passed over them.
"Annoying, crazy harpy," Bella muttered, herding Aiden towards a door.
Aiden half-expected the door to creak ominously but it was well oiled and swung inwards without a sound. The lighting was dim, except at spots showcasing precious artifacts in glass cases.
A thin, slightly balding man approached them. "Good evening Mrs Lestrange. You looked well." His lips stretched to something resembling a smile. "And who is this lovely boy?"
Aiden suddenly disliked polite conversation. And the proprietor's fawning manner.
Bella inclined her head minutely. "Mr Borgin. We'll just be looking around."
Well, that was a way of saying 'it doesn't concern you'.
"Ah, feel free. If I may help by introducing a few of our more interesting artifacts and books-"
"We'll call you," Bella said smoothly.
"Yes, yes, of course. Excuse me then." He gave another false smile and disappeared into a corner in the back.
"Go ahead. I know you're dying to look around. Just be careful not to touch things."
Aiden nodded. It was common sense after all, since one can be jinxed or worse just by touching some cursed objects.
He saw a greyish wrinkled hand, dried and almost skeletal, with long fingers and yellowish nails. He moved closer. It was too detailed, too real, to have been an elaborately created item. A real human hand. He tilted his head. It moved. He blinked. The fingers… a little more curled now, almost seemed poised to pounce. He slowly moved away from the hand, keeping his eyes on it in case it really-
A breath of air tickled his ear, "Boo."
He whirled around, tensed. Then scowled when he saw who it was.
"Don't do that!" Aiden hissed.
Bella laughed. "I think you're more wary of the Hand of Glory than of Death Eaters."
He sniffed. "I don't know the Hand of Glory. I know Death Eaters."
"Oh, drop the haughty act. You're too sweet to pull it off."
Aiden sighed. "No one takes me seriously."
The corners of her lips curled, and her blue eyes glittered. "You say it like it's a bad thing," she drawled.
"It is."
Bella looked him over and murmured, "Pity."
Aiden suspected her comment wasn't meant for no one taking him seriously but for something else. "What?"
"You must learn to think in different ways," she said, and started towards the door.
Aiden followed, frowning to himself. Her answer seemed a bit irrelevant to his question. 'Pity' and 'thinking in different ways'… not such a bad thing that no one takes him seriously…
"I hate it when you talk in riddles," he groused.
"I shall get you a book of riddles for Christmas then."
"Bella!"
She laughed, and ruffled his already messy hair.
"For you." Bella handed him a small black box, smooth, with velvet covering. It reminded him of a jewelry box. Aiden gave her a questioning look.
"Why the sudden gift?"
Bella shrugged and said off-handedly, "For being a good student; for turning eleven; for going away to school."
Aiden gave her another look then opened the box. The gift obviously belied her careless attitude. It was exquisite – two thin silver chains when separate, twined around each other intermittently to form nest-like pockets that encased one selected charm each; the clasp was of a serpent, delicately carved, with emerald eyes, and animated, he realised, as a forked tongue flicked out, its head turning curiously towards him. Purple and black crystals set at the right and left positions nearest the clasp, and there were three miniature flowers between the crystals along the chain, one suspended in each nest-like pocket.
Amethyst and black onyx, Aiden recognised. But the flowers… one of them was curious. The small yellow, tubular flowers clustered in leaning globular flower-heads, and greenish grey leaves with fine, silky silvery white hair underneath was of wormwood; another – hardy stem and dark green, glossy leaves, deeply divided in palmate manner with flowers in erect clusters of a dark blue colour and purple sepals – was aconite. The last, set in the middle of the chain of charms, was a single trumpet shaped flower, showy like all lilies, except no lily he had seen before was white, with darkening blue tips, almost black at the ends, on alternating petals.
Mostly protection and calm, poison and invisibility.
Aiden looked at her and smiled, a warm feeling rising in his chest. "Thank you. It's beautiful. Can I wear it now?"
Bella tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "What's the use of a charm bracelet if one doesn't wear it?"
Aiden grinned and put the bracelet around his wrist. The snake nipped him; a flick of its tongue licked away the tiny drops of blood, barely seen. A soft white glow, and the chain was fastened, the snake sliding through the loop at the other end and biting its tail.
"This lily is special, isn't it?" he asked thoughtfully.
"It's a Portkey. Say toujours pur and it'll transport you to the House of Black. Beyond that, you'll have to do your own research."
"Do you have to be so secretive?"
Bella smirked. "Where's the fun if I provide you with all the answers?"
Aiden made a face. And almost didn't duck Bella's hand on the back of his head. His laughter was cut off by the sight of a dark figure hiding behind some crates down the alley.
"Bella-"
"Stupefy!" A bolt of red light flashed past them.
Suddenly there were more, three- no- four, slowly advancing.
"Imperio!" Bella aimed at one, and another, "Avada Kedavra!"
One rolled out of the way, barely avoiding the green curse, while the other started attacking his partner but was quickly disarmed and bound.
"Use the Portkey and go first, I'll-"
The fourth had disappeared-
"Crucio!"
She collapsed and screamed.
"Bella!" Aiden cried, horrified.
Break the curse, break the curse-
"Expelliarmus!"
The man seemed confused as his wand flew out of his hands, wondering who had disarmed him. Aiden then realised that he was invisible. It must be the bracelet. Belatedly, he cursed himself; the spell had just given away his position.
"Diffindo!"
Aiden ducked the spell. "Fernunculus!"
He quickly moved from his current spot to the other side, and watched anxiously as spells and curses flew back and forth, centering around Bella. Some were deflected or dissolved with shields while stray spells left scorched marks or ricocheted off surfaces. Aiden bit his lip. Three against one was too unfair.
"Imperio," he whispered, and willed the man to go and knock himself out against the wall.
Aiden crept closer, to get a better aim at one of the two left.
"That idiot won't stop-"
And everything went black.
oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--oO--
Thanks to all reviewers. Some of your comments really warmed my heart. ) : Night-Owl123, Amy (yes. a while more. no), Red Roses2, Shadowface (not really), ladyraebef (not impt.), r (turning 11. not much), chozen1, Fast-Talking Johnny (he acted strongly because he thought it's his fault that Father lost his beloved wife), Pandemonium Fox, omni (he won't. hehz), Lady Phoenix Slytherin, ManicReversed (sorry I don't really have draco in the plot. Will think about it), Asharia, Firestar038, Bilbo-sama, Spezlee, tinkita, japenese-jew (no, no, no gf), Xyverz, HecateDemorte, jouve25, yaukira, Clutchy, mysticruby, x-KawaiiCherry-x, Tarawen, Lerra, RealityIntrovert.
Thanks for being so patient though I really took a long time to get this chapter out. I think it's not as focused as the other chapters. Is the chapter too… frivolous?
Comments and thoughts welcomed. Please review!