Chapter 13

A New Fantastic Point of View

October 31st, 1998

1:47 AM

Adalyn's eyes fluttered open, but she quickly closed them again for the bright light was blinding. The last thing she remembered was beginning to walk out of the Chamber of Secrets. The Chamber of Secrets…

As Adalyn jolted up quickly, her body screamed in protest. Her right ankle was throbbing and her head felt like it was hit with a hammer. She looked around – taking in her surroundings. She was obviously still in the Chamber, but her location had changed. Instead of the large, open area that she was last in, Adalyn was now lying in the dirty muck of a sewer. How did I move? Did someone move me? Riddle was the only one down here. Riddle…

Adalyn heard a soft cough come from behind her. She gripped her wand tightly and whirled around. Riddle let out a small yelp of surprise when the tip of her wand touched his neck. "Audet, would you lower your wand?"

"How did I get here?" she questioned, pressing the wand harder against his throat.

"After you collapsed in the middle of the Chamber, I had to carry you through the sewers towards a more accessible exit. Heaven forbid, my arms get tired so I set you down for a moment. Of course, you decide to wake up now," he explained. Adalyn lowered her wand sheepishly. She looked down and brushed off her shirt and shorts.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions," she apologized swiftly. The witch leaned against the wall to support herself. "I thought there was a giant snake living down here."

"I believe your hero Potter killed it."

"Oh, right." The silence seemed louder than anything Adalyn had ever heard as she studied Riddle.

Riddle looked as clean and proper as ever. His hair was slightly messed up, but still in the perfect finger wave, not to mention, all of his clothes were spotless. Except for the sweat dripping down his face from carrying her, he looked rather picturesque. Adalyn blushes as he studied her – knowing that she probably looked like someone threw her into a pile of horse crap.

"Let's go," Riddle said sharply, breaking Adalyn out of her trance. He began walking to the right as she tried to follow behind him. After two steps, her ankle caved and caused her to collapse to the ground. The noise made Riddle turn around and see her on the ground in a rather pathetic state.

"Riddle…I can't…,"Adalyn said forcefully. She hated feeling so weak and useless, especially in front of Riddle. "I can't walk…"

"And?"

"Would you carry me?"

Reluctantly, Riddle threw her over his shoulder. Adalyn wrapped her legs around his waist and gripped his neck tightly. She mentally laughed at the situation. If someone had told her that Tom Riddle would be giving her a piggy-back ride through the Chamber of Secrets, she would have checked them into a mental hospital, but here they were, trotting through the humid Chamber at…what time was it?

"Riddle, what time is it?" Adalyn asked. Riddle pushed her body up as it began to slip. He moved his head slightly back as he tried to address her face – as opposed to the Chamber walls. "I believe it is around 1-2 A.M."

"What are we going to say?"

"What do you mean?"

"What is our story?" she asked again rephrasing the question. "I can't walk into the Hospital Wing and say 'I followed Tom Riddle into the Chamber of Secrets – a place completely off limits to students and staff – and broke my ankle falling down rocks'. I'm sure that would go over well."

"You can't walk into the Hospital Wing – your ankle is broken," Riddle pointed out.

Adalyn gave him a withering look. "Do you always have to be right?"

"Every minute of every day, but how about this: while you were dancing at the ball, someone put some prank liquid in your drink. I found you roaming around the Grand Stairwell with a broken ankle – you were already…dirty when I found you. I'll say you are awake, but groggy and out of it. Madame Pomfrey will have to knock you out when she fixes your ankle."

"Excellent plan, but I must add on," Adalyn said as they began to walk up stairs. "When I wake up, I will have no memory of the night before. That way, we won't have to make up a story about what I was doing."

"You are a scheming little Slytherin."

"I did deceive Lord Voldemort for a year. This is one of my areas of expertise," she bragged. The air became thick with the mention of Voldemort, it was tricky subject for both of them. Riddle climbed up a ladder with Adalyn clinging onto his back, in fear that she may plummet to her death at any minute. They emerged behind the huge statue of the hog, right outside of the Great Hall. Riddle carried her up to the Hospital Wing.

"Pretend to be groggy," he hissed to her. Adalyn let her body go limp and she shut her eyes. She heard Riddle open the door and call out, "Madame Pomfrey!"

"Oh, Mr. Riddle! What happened?"

Adalyn felt her body being set down onto a bed. She let out a small groan – trying to play her part in the plan convincingly.

"Is that Adalyn?" Abbot's soft voice called out. She's here? Great. "What happened to her?"

"I believe someone spiked her drink with a fowl potion at the ball. I found her roaming through the halls – nursing a broken ankle. I don't know how she got so filthy." Riddle sounded very convincing, even Adalyn had to remind herself that he was faking it. "She is awake, but is completely out of it."

Adalyn groaned loudly and muttered for effect. "Oh dear. Hannah, stay here with Miss Audet. I will go fetch the required potions."

She heard the click of Madame Pomfrey's hurried heels fade away.

"Curious," Abbot said. "Adalyn is usually so observant of those things."

"Like I said before, I believe someone spiked her drink with a potion without her noticing," Riddle lied.

"But wouldn't she taste it?"

The room was silent so Adalyn let out a soft moan and curled up in a ball. The older witch's staccato steps echoed through the Hospital Wing. The mediwitch leaned over the side of the bed. "Miss Audet, I do have to warn you, you will be very sore in the morning."

Adalyn felt the warm liquid run down her throat and through her veins. She relaxed and let the potion take over her body. In only a few seconds, the witch had drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

November 1st, 1998

8:30 AM

"Psst! Adalyn! Psst!"

Adalyn blinked away the darkness to find a certain blonde friend peering over her. She groaned and shoved the fluffy white pillow over her face. Her entire leg was sore and she was in no mood to talk. Nevertheless, her petite female friend was persistent.

"Adalyn Audet! Get up! I know you are awake!" Isabelle demanded.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Adalyn muttered sarcastically. She propped the pillow up behind her and pushed her body up. "What is new?"

"What is new?" her blonde friend screeched like a banshee. "I wake up and you have disappeared! No one has seen you! Then I find out you are in the Hospital Wing! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

"A lot?"

"Yes! How are you feeling?"

"I feel like a thousand butterflies have carried me away to a wonderful new world of happiness and cake," she answered with the familiar underlying tone of sarcasm.

"This is not a laughing matter!" Isabelle exclaimed exasperatedly. "What happened?"

"I can't remember," Adalyn lied. "I will tell you if I remember anything."

The other witch got the message. It was not safe to talk about it here. Madame Pomfrey came bustling in. "Your turn is up! Time for the other one to come in!"

"Good luck," Isabelle whispered as she was rushed out of the curtained section. Adalyn had a strong hunch of who 'the other one' was, and she was not disappointed. The tall figure of Draco Malfoy appeared at the foot of her bed.

"Addie -"

Adalyn held a single finger up before he could finish. "I have confidence that my social experiment entitled 'dating you' has brusquely ended due to your widespread ignorance. I expect you to be impeached from your House Head position for persistent sexual harassment by the time I recover. I also recommend that you do not come within a ten foot radius of me for I may attack you with multiple years' worth of built up aggression. In simpler terms, come near me again and I will wipe that foolish smirk off your silly little face."

Malfoy nodded quickly and scurried out of the room. Madame Pomfrey came in moments later with her eyebrows raised with suspicion, but said nothing of the matter. Instead, she poured another warm liquid down Adalyn's throat and whispered, "You should feel better soon."

November 1st, 1998

7:58 PM

This time when she woke up, no one was there to greet her. Adalyn nestled her head into the fluffy whiteness of her pillow. After a few minutes of doing nothing, she became utterly bored. In an attempt to entertain herself, she began to sing every song she had in her repertoire. Around her third song, an unexpected visitor entered her section.

"I'm on the Highway to Hell!" she rocked out. "I'm on the Highway to – Riddle?"

"No, it's the Queen," the tall Slytherin said. "I didn't expect you to be awake."

"I didn't expect you to come bursting through my solitary fortress of curtains."

"Touché."

The pregnant silence hung over the two. Riddle fiddled with something in his pocket with a conflicted expression on his face, making him look like a confused toddler.

Adalyn cleared her throat. "Is there something you wanted? Or did you just come to watch me sleep?"

The slightest bit of pink appeared on Riddle's high cheekbones. Riddle blushing? Is the world ending? How many more minutes do I have left? He dug into the pocket of his robes and pulled out a small white flower. "I heard it is customary to bring someone a flower when they are injured."

"Aw, and you got me a lily. The flower used to symbolize death. I am truly touched."

"If you don't want it, give it back."

"No." Adalyn hugged the flower possessively. "I will cherish the flower forever. Thank you, Riddle."

He turned to leave, but Adalyn called out before he could. "Riddle! I never did thank you properly. You could have left me in the Chamber with a broken ankle and no means to find my way out."

"You're welcome," he said curtly and tried to leave once more.

"I'm not done with you yet," Adalyn said. Riddle unwillingly twisted around, once more, to face her. "I am making the reasonable assumption that you do not have plans for the Hogsmeade trip on Saturday."

"I do not."

"Would you care to join me on a much needed stroll through Hogmeade's village?"

"Why?"

"Because I think there is a love spark that only needs a bit of hard work to turn into a fire."

Riddle rolled his eyes and let out a small chuckle. "Now that you have filled your sarcasm requirement, why would you take me?"

Adalyn sighed. "We are going to be spending a lot of time together, whether we like it or not. I would rather not spend my entire last year of Hogwarts bickering with you. And though I cannot not explain why, I have a feeling that fate is not going to let us stay from one another for too long."

Riddle was silent for a long time. He stared into Adalyn's green eyes, and she stared right back into his grey ones. She could feel him trying to pick apart her guarded walls and try to decipher whether or not she was telling the truth. Still looking into her eyes, he asked, "Hogsmeade is at 12:00, correct?"

"Correct."

"Try not to be late."

"I make no promises," Adalyn smirked with pleasure.

Riddle began to say something, but was cut off by Madame Pomfrey rushing into her curtained section. "Miss Audet, you should be free to go. Mister Riddle, please escort Miss Audet back to your Common Room."

"Common Room?" Adalyn inquired. But it is only –

"It's 8:00 P.M. You have been here all day."

Riddle lifted her off the bed. She clung onto his shoulder for support. By now, most of the pain had gone away, though it still hurt to apply some pressure. He helped her down the halls – ready to catch her if she happened to fall. Adalyn cleared her throat. "What were you going to say?"

"I cannot wait for the rumor that we are a couple to spread around Hogwarts," Riddle answered.

"I'm sure Isabelle will be the one to start it," Adalyn laughed. "I will add to the fiery gossip by saying that you are having an affair with Slughorn at the same time."

"Thanks," he drawled sarcastically.

"You're very welcome," she smiled proudly. The stairs were beginning to become a lovely challenge. Adalyn barely hobbled up the first flight before becoming impatient. "This isn't working. Accio Malfoy's broom!"

It was not long before the shiny Nimbus 2001 came whizzing through the air towards the pair. Adalyn snatched it out of the air and mounted it. She ushered for Riddle to hop on the back. Reluctantly, he sat down behind her. "Do you even know how to fly this thing?"

"We will find out shortly," she called behind her. With a slight push, they jolted off the ground and started flying through the air. The broom abruptly dropped – plummeting towards the ground. Adalyn screamed with fear and joy as she managed to steady the broom. "This isn't so bad!"

"You almost killed us!" Riddle cried out as she whirled around the Stairwell.

"But I didn't!" she argued. Adalyn realized that the two of them looked like Aladdin and Jasmine flying through the air on the Magic Carpet. Unable to resist, she started singing, "I can show you the world! Shining, shimmering, splendid! Tell me, princess, now when did you last let your heart decide!"

"What in the name of sanity are you doing?" Riddle asked.

"I forgot, you are socially deprived and have not experienced the glorious things called Disney movies. They are made for young children, but I still enjoy them," Adalyn explained. "A whole new woooorld! A new fantastic point of view! No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we are only dreaming!"

"For the sake of my eardrums, could you please refrain yourself from singing?" complained Riddle.

"Part of this friendship deal means we are not allowed to insult one another," she said as she landed the broom horribly and entered the common room.

She was halfway up the stairwell when Riddle called out, "Friendship?"

It was only then that Adalyn realized what she and said. She had just called Tom Riddle her friend, something kids who had known her for years had failed to become, yet he had somehow managed to do it in only a matter of months. How could she have let a boy get so dangerously close? He had, after all, practically tortured her, but that could have been Lord Voldemort. Of course, she had chosen the single most complex person in all of Hogwarts, beside herself, to befriend.

Though, she could have chosen someone much worse. Looking back, her and Riddle may have butted heads like two angry goats, but they were never mean or cruel with each other. Both had been told that they were too smart for their own good, and, quite frankly, Adalyn needed someone who she could talk to without lowering her IQ. Isabelle was a great friend, but when it came to anything that required analytical thinking, she was helplessly lost.

In a truly spontaneous moment, Adalyn stuck out her hand for Riddle to shake. "I, Adalyn Aquila Audet, have decided to extend the rare form of friendship I own to Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Riddle eyed the outstretched hand warily, and Adalyn did not blame him. After months of bickering, she had extemporaneously decided to extend a wary friendship with him. Gently, Riddle lowered her hand, "I will accept your friendship after tomorrow, if all goes well."

Adalyn raised an eyebrow. "Are you rejecting me?"

"No, I am simply postponing your…invitation until I can observe tomorrow's events," he answered. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Aquila?"

"It's an old family name," she replied.

"I figured."

"I will give you three guesses as to what it means."

"And if I guess correctly?" Riddle asked.

Adalyn smirked. "I have to buy you a Butterbear tomorrow."

"I am making the reasonable assumption that this deal is reversible. If I do not guess correctly, I must buy you a Butterbear."

"That would be correct."

Riddle studied her for a moment before he said, "Perfect."

Adalyn snorted. "Far from it."

"Friendly."

"Oh, now you are just being cruel," she laughed. "One last guess, make it a good one."

"Powerful," he whispered, suddenly dangerously close to Adalyn's face.

"No," she smirked, returning his strong gaze. "It means eagle."

"I don't believe you."

"Look it up. You will find that I am correct."

"You have a slight obsession with being right," Riddle said.

"That is slightly hypocritical, coming from you," Adalyn pointed out.

"Very true, Audet."

Before turning into her room, she said, "Adalyn."

"What?"

Adalyn gave him a small smile. "My friends call me Adalyn."

Though he looked slightly alarmed, Riddle nodded and the two retired to their rooms for the night. Adalyn sighed and collapsed onto her lush bed. Tom Riddle, Heir of Slytherin, ex-Dark Lord, was her almost friend. Out of everyone in all of Hogwarts, she chose the one person who was more of a secret than herself, but maybe that was why she was drawn to him. The odd string that metaphorically tied their lives together seemed to be pulling hard, and Adalyn was not one to mess with fate.

Accidentally, Adalyn glanced down at the Dark Mark on her arm, and nightmares clouded her vision.

Adalyn and Snape apperated to the front of Malfoy Manor. Another man appeared out of thin air right beside them and both parties sprung out their wands. After a moment, they recognized each other, lowered their wands, and removed their hoods. The two groups both started walking in the direction of the gates.

"News?" Yaxley asked.

"The best," Snape replied.

They continued walking through the neatly manicured hedge. Yaxley turned to Adalyn and asked, "Good evening, Miss."

"As to you," she responded politely. Among the Death Eaters, only the most formal manner of speaking would do when you were young. You were expected to be obedient and follow orders, unless you were among his top ranks. Then, occasionally, you were allowed to give the orders.

Adalyn always hated when Voldemort allowed her to make the plans. Then there was no way to put the blame on another.

They briskly walked through the maze of hedges. Yaxley, once again, broke the silence. "Thought I might be late. It was a little trickier than I expected. But I hope he will be satisfied. You sound confident that your reception will be good?"

They both nodded, but did not elaborate. They turned another corner when they heard a rustling. Yaxley and Adalyn both drew their wands again, but the sound was nothing but a white peacock. Adalyn rolled her eyes at the Malfoys' stupid pet.

Yaxley snorted. "He always did himself well, Lucius. Peacocks…"

The cold exterior of Malfoy Manor never seemed to grow on Adalyn. Though it was a handsome house, if one could call it that, it lacked a certain warm appeal. The front door swung open, though no one had visibly opened it, and the three strolled in.

They continued up a dimly lit stairwell until they appeared in front of the drawing room. Adalyn hesitantly opened the door and held it open for her elders. The two men walked in and she quietly closed the door behind her.

"Yaxley, Snape, and dear Adalyn," Voldemort said from the head of the table. "You are nearly late."

"My apologies, My Lord," Adalyn answered.

"Severus and Adalyn, here," the pale man said, paying no heave to her comment as he motioned to the two seats to his right and left. "Yaxley – beside Dolohov."

The many eyes followed Adalyn as she took a seat on Voldemort's right. He turned to Snape and asked, "So?"

Snape nodded to Adalyn to relay the information. "My Lord, the Order of the Phoenix intends to move Harry Potter from his current place of safety on Saturday next, at nightfall."

Everyone in the room clung onto Adalyn's words with glee. Now that Potter was moving from his protected childhood home, they had a chance to strike. Voldemort studied her with interest. "Saturday…at nightfall."

He glared into Adalyn's green eyes with the ferocity that would make a man tremble in fear, but Adalyn was a woman. A woman who knew how to handle herself. She calmly stared back into his slanted red eyes with a gaze that was all her own. Voldemort's mouth twisted up into a shape that could be a smile. "Good. Very good. And this information comes -"

"—from the source we discussed," Snape interrupted.

"My Lord," Yaxley spoke up. All faces turned to him. "My Lord, I have heard differently. Dawlish, the Auror, let slip that the Potter boy will not be transferred until the thirtieth, the night before the boy turns seventeen."

Snape and Adalyn exchanged a smile.

"Our source told me that there are plans to lay a false trail; this must be it," Snape said.

"No doubt a Confundus Charm has been placed upon Dawlish. It would not be the first time, he is known to be susceptible," Adalyn said. She was growing intolerant for Yaxley's need for praise.

"I assure you, my Lord, Dawlish seemed quite certain," Yaxley said.

"If he has been Confunded, naturally he is certain," Adalyn snapped.

Snape gave her a pointed look and Adalyn stopped before she said something nastier. Snape said, "I assure you, Yaxley, the Auror Office will play no further part in the protection of Harry Potter. The Order believes we have infiltrated the Ministry."

"The Order's got one thing right, then, eh?" a squat man said from the opposite end of the table. His laughter wheezed and echoed against the silence of the room.

Only a few chuckled with him, none of them being Voldemort, Snape, or Adalyn. The Dark Lord looked upwards, becoming lost in thought.

"My Lord," Yaxley continued, "Dawlish believes an entire party of Aurors will be used to transfer the boy -"

Voldemort held up a cold white hand and Yaxley immediately quieted. The evil man turned to Snape and asked, "Where are they going to hide the boy next?"

"At the home of one of the Order," Snape answered. "The place, according to the source, has been given every protection that the Order and Ministry together would provide. I think there is little chance of taking him once he is there, my Lord, unless, of course, the Ministry has fallen before next Saturday, which might give us the opportunity to discover and undo enough of the enchantments to break through the rest."

"Well, Yaxley?" Voldemort asked. "Will the Ministry have fallen by next Saturday?"

"My Lord, I have good news on that score. I have – with difficulty, and after great effort – succeeded in placing in Imperius Curse upon Pius Thinknesse."

Many people looked impressed. Dolohov even clapped him on the back, but Adalyn was not as proud. Casting the Imperius Curse, even on a Ministry official, was hardly a hard task. One that she could have easily done in a short manner of time.

Voldemort was thinking along the same lines she was. "It is a start. But Thicknesse is only one man. Scrimgeour must be surrounded by our people before I can act. One failed attempt on the Minister's life will send me back a long way."

"Yes – my Lord, that is true – but you know, as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Thicknesse has regular contact not only with the Minister himself, but also with the Heads of all the Ministry departments. It will, I think, be easy now that we have such a high-ranking official under our control, to subjugate the others, and then they can work together to bring Scrimgeour down."

"Do not sound so pleased with yourself, Yaxley. The only reason why you are assigned this job is because Adalyn must remain in school to avoid getting discovered and to gather more information. I am certain that Scrimgeour would be dead by now if I had her available," Voldemort retorted.

The 'praise' made Adalyn sick. She hated that the man thought so highly of her.

When no one spoke, Voldemort continued. "As long as our friend Thicknesse is not discovered before he has converted the rest, there is hope. At any rate, it remains unlikely that the Ministry will be mine by next Saturday. If we cannot touch the boy at his destination, then it must be done while he travels."

Yaxley seemed determined to receive even the smallest manner of praise. "We are at the advantage there, my Lord. We now have several people planted within the Department of Magical Transport. If Potter Apperates or uses the Floo Network, we shall know immediately."

"He will not do either," Snape said. "The Order is eschewing any form of transport that is controlled or regulated by the Ministry; they mistrust everything to do with the place."

"All the better. He will have to move in the open. Easier to take, by far," Voldemort grinned. "I shall attend to the boy in person. There have been too many mistakes where Harry Potter is concerned. Some of them have been my own. That Potter lives is due more to my errors than to his triumphs. I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers have all but the best-laid plans. But I know better now. I understand those things that I did not understand before. I must be the one to kill Harry Potter, and I shall be."

Suddenly, a wail of misery and pain came from the room below. Adalyn looked down, in terror of what was happening below. Voldemort remained in his quiet tone and said, "Wormtail, have I not spoken to you about keeping our guest quiet?"

"Yes, m-my Lord," Wormtail said as he scurried down to the room below.

"As I was saying," Voldemort continued, "I understand better now. I shall need, for instance, to borrow a wand from one of you before I go to kill Potter."

Everyone immediately dropped their eyes away from the Dark Lord. Voldemort sighed. "Adalyn, would you be so kind as to lend me your wand?"

Adalyn tensed slightly, but quickly thought of a valid excuse as to why she must hold onto her wand. "I am honored, my Lord, I truly am, but I must keep my wand for school. Without it, I cannot continue on with my studies."

"Of course, how foolish of me," Voldemort said as he looked around his table of followers once more. "No volunteers? Let's see…Lucius, I see no reason for you to have a wand anymore."

The poor man looked up. His sickly pale skin glowed in the firelight, much like Adalyn suspected hers looked as the moment. Malnutrition and exhaustion were beginning to take their toll on her. "My Lord?"

"Your wand, Lucius. I require your wand."

"I…"

He cast a sideways glance to his wife, who was staring straight ahead. Lucius put his hand into his dark robes and pulled out a thin stick. He handed it to the man standing above him.

Voldemort eyed it carefully. "What is it?"

"Elm, my Lord," whispered Lucius.

"And the core?"

"Dragon – dragon heartstring."

"Good." Voldemort drew out his wand to compare their lengths. At the sight of Voldemort's wand, Lucius flinched forward slightly, as if he was to be handed Voldemort's wand. The snake man did not miss this small motion. "Give you my wand, Lucius? My wand?"

Some people snickered.

"I have given you your liberty, Lucius, is that not enough for you? But I have noticed that you and your family seem less than happy of late…What is it about my presence in your home that displeases you, Lucius?"

Adalyn felt pity on the Malfoy family. She could only imagine how terrifying it must be to be playing host to the Dark Lord.

"Nothing – nothing, my Lord."

"Such lies, Lucius…"

Voldemort started softly hissing as he sat back down in his chair. Adalyn knew the pattern of hisses well, he was calling for Nagini. She heard the pet snake slither from beneath the table until it reached her master. She climbed up and around the arm and back of the chair until she hung from around her master's shoulders. Voldemort stroked her head as he continued to stare at Lucius. "Why do the Malfoys look so unhappy with their lot? Is my return, my rise to power, not the very thing they professed to desire for so many years?"

"Of course, my Lord. We did desire it – we do," Lucius answered. Narcissa gave a sharp nod while Draco refused to make eye contact with Voldemort or Adalyn. He kept his gaze glued to the wooden table at which they sat.

"My Lord," Bellatrix spoke up, "it is an honor to have you here, in our, family's house. There can be no higher honor."

Adalyn had to refrain herself from making a sarcastic comment or rolling her eyes. The woman's constant praise for Voldemort was nauseating and quite annoying, but he obviously enjoyed it. "No higher pleasure. That means a great deal, Bellatrix, from you."

"My Lord knows I speak nothing but the truth!" she exclaimed with her eyes filled with tears of delight.

Voldemort repeated. "No higher pleasure…even compared with the happy event that, I hear, has taken place in your family this week?"

"I don't know what you mean, my Lord."

"I'm talking about your niece, Bellatrix. And yours, Lucius and Narcissa. She has just married the werewolf, Remus Lupin. You must be so proud.

The Death Eaters jeered with laughter. Bellatrix's face flushed a blotchy red. "She is no niece of ours, my Lord. We – Narcissa and I – have never set eyes on our sister since she married the Mudblood. This brat has nothing to do with either of us, nor any beast she marries."

"What can you say, Draco?" Voldemort asked. "Will you babysit the cubs?"

Draco looked over in terror at his father as the laughter continued.

"Enough," Voldemort said as his snake hissed from the loud noise. "Enough."

The laughter died down immediately. Adalyn made eye contact and gave Draco a sympathetic look. He gave her the smallest of smiles back and returned his stare to the table.

Voldemort continued. "Many of our oldest family trees have become a little diseased over time. You must prune yours, must you not, to keep it healthy? Cut away those parts that threaten the health of the rest."

Bellatrix whispered, "Yes, my Lord. At the first chance!"

"You shall have it. And in your family, so in the world… we shall cut away the canker that infects us until only those of the true blood remain…."

Voldemort raised Lucius's wand and a floating body came out of the dark corner of the room. Adalyn recognized her immediately. It was the Muggle Studies teacher, Charity Burbage. Though Adalyn had never taken Muggle Studies, she had allowed the teacher to interview her about being raised in a Muggle orphanage. She flinched microscopically as the woman was levitated above the center of the table.

"Do you recognize our guest, Severus?" Voldemort asked.

"Ah, yes."

"And you, Adalyn and Draco?"

Draco looked away from Professor Burbage and shook his head. Adalyn gave an acute nod, and despite her dire urge to, she did not break her gaze away.

"But you would not have taken her classes," Voldemort said, as though it was a solid fact. "For those of you who do not know, we are joined today by Charity Burbage who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

A collective grumble of recognition arose from the table.

"Yes…Professor Burbage taught the children of witches and wizards all about Muggles…how they are not so different from us…"

A loud cackle echoed throughout the Death Eaters at the announcement of her profession. Adalyn half-heartedly joined in.

Professor Burbage looked over at Snape. "Severus…please…please…"

Adalyn could not see why the woman would have any more desire to live. It was obvious that she had been tortured and it was a dangerous world for a Muggle Studies teacher. If Adalyn were in her shoes, she would be begging for death.

"Silence," Voldemort demanded and with a twitch of his new wand, she silenced. "Not content with corrupting and polluting the minds of Wizarding children, last week Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defense of Mudblood in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of purebloods is, says Professor Burbage, a most desirable circumstance…She would have us all mate with Muggles…or, no doubt, werewolves…"

The anger of Voldemort's words silenced the crowd of Death Eaters. Professor Burbage gave Adalyn a last pleading look, as if she could save her. Adalyn mouthed the smallest 'sorry' before Voldemort hissed, "Avada Kedavra!"

When Death Eaters flinched back as the woman fell dead onto the table with a loud thud, Draco even fell from his seat. But Adalyn remained strong, she had to. Showing that the death displeased her would give herself away. She had to remain impartial to the death.

Nagini slithered up onto the table. Voldemort formed, which out of context, could be considered a smile. "Dinner, Nagini."

2/22/16 - Wow, look at me. I actually updated on time today! To be honest, my boyfriend reminded me to so you have him to thank xD (thanks darling!). Well, not much has happened since yesterday so I will keep this short, please follow, favorite, and review. Hope you have a wonderful evening!

Fun fact: It's my sixteenth birthday tomorrow!

- KC