Short chapter, I'm exhausted. We came second at nationals! Whoop! Pretty good for a B crew.

I'm thinking that this is getting dull - yet I don't want to not finish it. What do you think? Maybe I just have writer's block?

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"Now, England…" Voldemort smiled. "You will have to pay me for my hospitality."

Arthur tugged at the loop of leather encircling his neck.

"Yeah, right. What hospitality? Keeping me locked up? A collar around my neck like a filthy dog? You disgust me. "

Voldemort clenched his fist. The collar tightened around Arthur's neck. England let out a strangled cry, the primitive fear of suffocation taking over. He clawed frantically at the warm leather turning pleading eyes on Voldemort, who laughed, red eyes dilating with pleasure. He let go and allowed England to fall to his knees gasping in great lungfuls of air.

"Do you recognize our guest, England?" asked Voldemort. His snake had entered the room and was entwining herself around his skeletal form.

Arthur raised his eyes to a large birdcage like device in the far left hand corner of the room. As the prisoner turned to face the firelight, the woman said in a cracked and terrified voice, "Arthur! Help me!"

"Yes," said Arthur shortly.

"And you, Oliver? Did you meet her during your time at Hogwarts?" asked Voldemort, stroking his snake's snout with his wand-free hand. Oliver shook his head jerkily. Now that the woman had woken, he seemed unable to look at her.

"But you would not have known her," said Voldemort. "We are joined here tonight by Sybil Trelawney who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yes ... Professor Trelawney taught the children of witches and wizards all about fortune telling... but refused to tell me what her only decent prophesy said..."

"Arthur... please... please..." Arthur didn't look her in the eyes.

"Silence," said Voldemort, with another twitch of his wand, and Trelawney fell silent as if gagged. There was no mistaking the anger and contempt in Voldemort's voice. Tears were pouring from Trelawney's eyes into her frizzy hair. Arthur looked back at her, silent, as she fell to the floor of her cage.

"You will have the honour of killing her for me, Arthur." Voldemort sneered. "For do not forget what the old magic says, a promise is not a promise if it isn't made with blood."

Oliver had taken a seat next to Voldemort's desk and looked conflicted as he gazed at Trelawney. Arthur looked at the woman in horror.

"No. I-I can't."

"You will." Said Voldemort simply, handing him his own wand. "When you have killed her with my own wand then you will know the meaning of true loyalty. If you don't kill her now then I'll tell my 2Ps to go out into Covent Garden and have some 'fun'."

Arthur took the wand, feeling the power building behind it. He pointed it at Trelawney and, hesitantly, closing his eyes said,

"Avada Kedavra"

There was a flash of green light that lit up the room. The teacher slumped to the floor, eyes closed as if she were sleeping.

"Dinner, Nagini," said Voldemort softly, and the great snake swayed and slithered from his shoulders onto the polished wooden floor.

Arthur stood there in silence, still holding the wand. Voldemort walked up to him and took the wood from his hand.

"How do you feel, Arthur?" He asked, gently sinister.

"Powerful." Arthur said before he could stop himself. "In control."

"Different?"

"Very. I'm not alone – or afraid anymore."

"No need to feel afraid now you're with the Dark Lord."

"I'm safe?"

"You are safe." Voldemort hissed, tongue flicking slightly, like a snake. "You will serve me well. But, to business. There is one person standing in my way to greatness. They've been in the public eye for almost… what is it? 15 years? How time flies. I want you to kill them."

"What? Who?" Asked Arthur.

"I cannot tell you their name. They are under Dumbledore's constant supervision. The Namus charm which the old man erected is too strong. I'll tell you this, though. There were many rotten apples that needed pruning from that family tree."

He gave a short, sharp laugh. The sound of it made the hairs on the back of Arthur's neck stand up.

"You will realise, in time, who this is. However, I will tell you this. This person's death will mean the fall of the Order of the Phoenix."

Voldemort swept from the room.