Chapter 37: Voldemort's Decision
Several Death Eaters were in the entrance hall when Snape and Amarana came down the stairs. They all stopped talking to stare at them as they approached, their gazes ranging from stern to outright hostile. No one said a word. Amarana tightened her grip on Snape's arm and stared back at them. Snape's chin rose haughtily, a sneer spreading across the corner of his lips. He nodded at the group curtly before gently escorting Amarana towards an arched doorway. To Amarana's surprise, Draco emerged from the room they were headed for, his eyes lighting up as he saw his friend.
"Rana!" he cried, elbowing through a crowd of Death Eaters.
Amarana let go of Snape's arm and ran into Draco's embrace.
"You've got to stop this, Rana," Draco said seriously, holding her at arm's length so he could look her in the eye.
"Stop what?" she asked, confused.
"Stop making me think you're going to die!" Draco said sternly. "Twice is enough." His gaze searched hers hungrily. Amarana averted her eyes, not wanting to answer the question she knew lingered in his expression.
"I quite agree," Snape said as he approached, glaring at Draco, who stepped reluctantly away from Amarana.
Amarana forced a laugh in an attempt to lighten the tension. "I don't try to almost die. Believe me, I'd rather not."
Draco took a deep breath and brightened. "I can't believe we did it!" he said happily, including Snape in his smile. "I still haven't thanked you for everything you did." He reached out and the two men shook hands.
"I told you I would help you," Snape answered curtly. "But I am glad you appreciate my assistance."
"It's over, and we're not dead," Amarana told them in a cheerful tone that was obviously forced. "What was supposed to happen happened. Dumbledore is dead. Obviously it was the will of the gods that our allegiance to the Dark Lord was shown so markedly. Let's just get on with our lives, eh?" She patted both men on the back awkwardly.
Draco and Snape exchanged curious glances before staring down at her oddly. She shrugged at their scrutiny. At that moment, the other Death Eaters had suddenly dropped to their knees. Draco pulled Amarana down with him as Lord Voldemort entered the room.
"You may rise," Voldemort said in his cold voice.
The Death Eaters, as well as Amarana, all stood up slowly. Voldemort came to stand in front of the group. "Draco Malfoy and Amarana Ravinike, come forward."
The two teenagers did as they were told. Voldemort scrutinized them for a long moment. He raised a long, thin finger to touch Amarana on the cheek, almost like a caress. Low gasps were heard from around the room.
"Silence!" Voldemort snapped, his red eyes flickering with irritation. He looked right into Amarana's eyes.
He entered her mind with an ease she knew she couldn't have prevented, even if she had wanted to. It wasn't quite unexpected to her when he used the Ligilimens spell, and she allowed him access to her memories without the slightest hesitation. She saw herself in Voldemort's mind as well, as if he wanted her to know what he was looking for.
He wanted to see what had happened on the day the snake spoke to her. Once he found the memory, she was surprised to watch him view the altercation with Potter and its consequences over and over. He concentrated hardest on the snake slithering out from under the oak tree and speak first to Potter, then to Amarana.
Abruptly and without warning, Voldemort released the memory and turned his attention to a new one. It was when she overheard Granger, Weasley, and Potter talking about Horcruxes. Amarana could feel the anger reverberating off of Voldemort as he listened to the three speak. He listened to Potter's words again and again for what seemed like hours. When he finally released Amarana from the Ligilimens spell, his eyes were full of rage. He tapped her cheek with his forefinger.
"I am lucky indeed," Voldemort said quietly. "I am very lucky to have you here with me, Amarana and Draco. The two of you made the death of Dumbledore possible."
The Death Eaters glanced at each other and began to fidget. Although she had her back to them, Amarana could feel the hostile glares boring into her. She had no idea why Voldemort was showing favoritism toward her . . . she felt that she hardly deserved it, considering that all she had done was help Draco fix the cabinet and ended up severely wounded as a result. It didn't tally at all well with what she had heard about the Dark Lord before, and this knowledge made her anxious. She didn't want the Death Eaters feeling antagonistic towards her from the very beginning.
Voldemort gazed down at Amarana, a meditative gleam in his eyes. Suddenly he jerked up his head, looking at each Death Eater in turn, malevolence evident in his expression. "You will all make Miss Ravinike feel welcome," he ordered coldly. "I have decided she is to be one of you. You will treat her respectfully as well as courteously. She is young, yes, but her blood is purer and more ancient than any of yours. We are returning to the Old Ways, to our old traditions . . . traditions that this young woman's family have been practicing for more thousands years than most of you can comprehend. She and Draco Malfoy represent the new generation of Death Eaters, your successors, and will be raising their children according to my new laws."
He paused and glared around the room.
"Nothing is more important than the return of pureblooded Wizarding families and the preservation of ancient bloodlines. The enslavement and eventual eradication of all Mudbloods and the cleansing of our Houses from all impurities are essential to bringing back the Old Ways! We must ensure that only the purest of Wizarding blood lives for eternity!"
Amarana was stunned at his vehemence. She could sense that the Dark Lord was stressing his views so blatantly for her and Draco's benefit. Stealing a glance at her friend, she saw that Voldemort's words had Draco enthralled.
Voldemort lifted his arms, his red eyes glittering. "We will not stop, not until every Mudblood has been destroyed . . . not until every Muggle is under our control. There will be no more defilement of pure blood! We will enact the old laws making marriage between one of us and a Mudblood or Muggle illegal and punishable by the deaths of both parties and any children from the relationship. It is your duty to return your families to the purest state possible!"
At this, the Death Eaters cheered. Voldemort waved for quiet.
"Draconius Malfoy and Amarana Ravinike, you are the next generation of Death Eaters. Do you promise to uphold our cause until death? Do you swear to raise your children without the tolerance for impurity you yourselves have been forced to grow up with? Do you vow to do whatever it takes to purify your families?"
Amarana and Draco fell to their knees. "We do, My Lord," they said in unison.
Voldemort turned his attention to his followers. "And do you, my Death Eaters, renew your own vows to me? Do you swear to increase your diligence in removing impurities from your own families?"
"Yes, My Lord.
"Of course we do, My Lord."
The group murmured their agreements, silencing only when Voldemort held up a gray-skinned hand.
"You must all do your part," he continued, his voice low and menacing. "Whether the offender is your mother or father, sister or brother, aunt, uncle, cousin, or grandparent . . . even if the offender is your own child . . . if that person even considers marrying a Mudblood or Muggle, he or she must be immediately killed."
The Death Eaters erupted into a burst of applause.
"I want it to also be known that I will not tolerate any dissention within your ranks. Those of you caught fighting amongst one another, or causing problems with fellow Death Eaters will be severely punished. We cannot give the other side the upper hand by allowing weak spots among ourselves. I cannot stress this enough. All of you must work together as a cohesive unit, or suffer my wrath. I will not tolerate squabbling for any reason. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"
Everyone nodded. With a contemptuous glare at the entire group, Voldemort turned and strode out.
Amarana watched him go with apprehension, noticing the perplexed looks of the other Death Eaters. As they turned to each other to discuss the new rules, Amarana looked around for Snape. He shook his head at her questioning look as he approached her and put his hand on her arm possessively.
"That was intense," Draco commented, running his hands through his hair.
Snape glared at him. "Do not think to belittle the Dark Lord's words!" he snapped. "One wrong move, Draco, and the favor you are shown today will disappear in an instant!"
"I know it," Draco answered, stunned. He glanced around to see if anyone was in earshot. "I'm just saying that the way he talked was intense. I agree with everything, and I'm going to obey . . . I'm just commenting on . . . oh Amarana, there's someone I want you to meet!"
With a flustered look, Draco took Amarana's arm, turning her to face a female Death Eater who was eyeing her appraisingly. Amarana knew who the woman was before Draco even introduced them.
She had seen pictures of Bellatrix Lestrange before, although the pictures she had seen showed a gaunt woman with haunted eyes, a face ravaged by misery and made almost ugly. The woman standing before her had long, dark, beautifully groomed hair, her face was fatter and no longer miserable looking, and was pleasing to look at. Her hooded brown eyes were the only part of her that still echoed the horrors of Azkaban. Even still, Amarana could tell that Mrs. Lestrange had once been a very beautiful woman.
"Rana, this is Bellatrix Lestrange, my Aunt Bella," Draco said. "My mother's sister."
"I am honored to meet you, Madam Lestrange," Amarana said, dropping habitually into the little half curtsy her father always insisted she give to her pureblood elders. She curtsied deeper than usual, reminding herself that the woman was a senior Death Eater, her relative, and a very formidable witch who deserved every respect. Mrs. Lestrange nodded at her, seeming pleased with Amarana's deference.
"My nephew is lucky to know you, Miss Ravinike," Mrs. Lestrange said in a soft, yet haughty tone.
Amarana lowered her head respectfully. "Everything we did was Draco's idea, Madam Lestrange. I only helped."
"Don't be ridiculous, Rana," Draco told her under her breath. "You know bloody well I wouldn't have been able to do any of it without you!"
Mrs. Lestrange watched her nephew with a look of indulgent exasperation. "As much as I disapprove of you speaking so lowly of your own abilities, Draco, I am quite glad to know you can find it in you to give credit where it was due." She gave him a tight smile, one that showed she didn't smile often. "You were on your way to becoming a cheeky little braggart!"
Amarana smiled as Draco turned red. Snape nudged her arm as if to remind her that she had once argued against that particular failing of Draco's. She frowned up at him before turning her attention back to Mrs. Lestrange, who was watching with an expression of distaste.
"Snape."
"Bellatrix."
The woman's lips tightened at the sound of her name, said with a sneer. She directed her gaze to Amarana. "Miss Ravinike, I thank you on behalf of our family for your assistance to our Draco. My sister would never have been able to recover if she would have lost him."
"The honor is all mine, Madam Lestrange. I'm proud to have had a part, no matter how small, in helping the Dark Lord's orders come to fruition."
Mrs. Lestrange looked at her approvingly. "You will make an excellent Death Eater, Miss Ravinike. You and Draco, both so young . . ." here she paused and glanced at Snape significantly, ". . . yet showing such promise. I'm sure the Dark Lord will have cause to be constantly pleased with you."
Amarana turned red. "I hope to be of service to him, and to our cause, madam."
"And you, Snape? I suppose I must give you my congratulations on getting rid of Dumbledore."
Snape bowed slightly. "It needed to be done. The Dark Lord knows he can always count on me to serve him to the best of my ability."
Mrs. Lestrange's cheeks burned pink, her black eyes glittered with anger. "Yes. I admit I had my doubts before. I am glad to know I was . . . wrong about you. Killing that old fool will have changed what numerous others have believed about your true loyalties."
Amarana looked from Mrs. Lestrange to Snape in bewilderment. It was clear that Draco's aunt was very angry about something, but she couldn't tell what it was.
"Should we go in to eat?" Draco asked, trying to cut the tension.
"Yes," Mrs. Lestrange agreed, turning towards her nephew. "Yes, we should. Miss Ravinike, it was a pleasure to meet you."
"Please, Madam Lestrange, call me Amarana," Amarana said.
The woman's lips curled up a bit at the ends. "And you may call me Bella. I don't think, since we'll be working together, that it would be appropriate to call me Madam Lestrange. Bella is simpler, and it's what everyone else calls me." With another tight smile and a nod to her nephew, she took her leave.
Snape took Amarana's hand, his mouth pressed into a tight line. "Well? Shall we go?"