Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

AN:

Thanks to all reviewers! This is a short chapter but a very fast update, so I hope you enjoy it and review a lot!


Chapter 52

His body was shaking and he was entangled in the bed covers. Panting heavily, he ripped them off him, and sat up, still panting for breath as the voices, screams, whispers and images still echoed and flashed in his mind.

Orion clutched his bowed head in his hands, closing his eyes, as he shakily whispered, "Merlin help me, what's happening to me?"

His body was trembling but he also felt it powerfully tingling with his dark magic, and that had never happened before. He had never felt that way after having a dream, and he had never remembered so much about one of them.

He had seen Voldemort lying dead, he had seen Draco screaming and twisting in agony, and he had heard a soft whisper… a whisper he always heard in all his dreams but had never before discerned what it said… Was it his mother's voice?... It sounded like her but yet, it was different… and he remembered a cold voice asking Tom why he had done something…

Orion frantically clutched his head tighter because he recognized that voice, it was his own.

What did it mean? Were they truly glimpses of the future? Was Voldemort going to do something which he couldn't forgive? Was the cold voice saying that 'it would always end like this', his own?

Orion shakily rubbed his eyes and looked despondently at his hands. Did it mean that Voldemort died because of him? 'It would always end like this'… Had he said that before killing Voldemort? Did it have something to do with the prophecy?

"But it can't, we're going to stop it," frantically whispered Orion, as he tried to understand.

Voldemort and he had agreed to not let it come true. They had reached a pact of trust to prevent it from happening. But the dreams…. It seemed that Voldemort would do something which broke the trust… Was it somehow related to his suspicions of why Voldemort had captured Ollivander? Was Voldemort going to try to duel against him and thus he killed Voldemort first? But Voldemort had said that he did it for them… Whatever 'it' was…. But it had to be something bad because he had felt furious….

But he was no Seer, Voldemort was right about that… so should he take his dreams seriously? He didn't know what to do… He couldn't tell Voldemort either; he couldn't tell him that in his dreams they confronted each other, as it seemed…

Orion cleared his mind, trying to not think about the dream any longer. There was little he could do; he just had to remain alert and see if there were indications that his dreams held some truth in them. They were so confusing…

He cancelled the silencing spell around his curtains, which he had started casting every night before going into bed, since he always woke up noisily panting and he didn't want to wake up Ron and the other boys; he didn't want to be asked awkward questions.

Orion slowly made his way to the bathroom, his heart beating fast with worries. He pushed them to a side as he splashed cold water on his face. It was early Saturday morning but he had to get ready to floo to Durmstrang, so he needed to be clear-headed and composed.

As he prepared the backpack he always took to Durmstrang, Orion realized that he was alone in the bedroom. The other boys weren't there, which was surprising since none of them were early risers during the weekends.

Clutching his backpack, and determined to not think about the dreams any longer, Orion went down the stairs towards the Gryffindor common room. Much to his surprise, it was bubbling with activity. All the Gryffindors were up and about, boisterously and eagerly talking between themselves.

He spotted Ron and Hermione in the crowd and made a bee-line towards them.

"What's going on?" said Orion, staring at them.

"Oh, we have our first trip of the term to Hogsmeade," said Herimone. She shot him a regretful glance. "It's a pity that you can't come… if only you didn't have to go to Durmstrang during the weekends…"

"Well, I have to," said Orion with a shrug of his shoulders, "because I was the-"

"Yes, the Triwizard winner and representative of Durmstrang," interrupted Hermione with a sigh. "But you're going to miss the trip. Hogsmeade is really interesting."

"It's always good to get out of the castle grounds for a few hours," said Ron cheerfully. "I thought the trips wouldn't be allowed, given the tight security measures around the school."

"Filch is still going to use his Secrecy Sensors when we go out, Ron," said Hermione pointedly.

Ron huffed and said with annoyance, "Well, I don't see the point. What does it matter if we're smuggling Dark stuff OUT? Surely he ought to be checking what we bring back IN?"

"Anyway," said Hermione, ignoring Ron's comment, as they and the other Gryffindors made their way through the portrait hole. "Slughorn's going to have a Christmas party, Orion, and there's no way you'll be able to wriggle out of this one because he actually asked me to check your free evenings, so he could be sure to have it on a week night you can come."

Orion groaned. He had been avoiding those meetings. He really didn't appreciate Rodolphus checking in on him, and he was still only half-way through the translation of Pommel's book. He didn't want to waste his time by attending them.

"And this is another party just for Slughorn's favorites, is it?" said Ron angrily.

"Just for the Slug Club, yes," said Hermione.

"'Slug Club,'" repeated Ron with a sneer. "It's pathetic. Well, I hope you enjoy your party. Why don't you try hooking up with McLaggen, then Slughorn can make you King and Queen Slug -"

"We're allowed to bring guests," said Hermione, who had turned a bright, boiling scarlet, "and I was going to ask you to come, but if you think it's that stupid then I won't bother!"

Orion suddenly wished that the way towards Dumbledore's office didn't lie in the same direction as the way towards Hogwarts' entrance. Seeing Hermione and Ron dallying around each other wasn't something he wanted to witness. He still didn't understand how Hermione could possibly be interested in the stupid red-headed boy.

"You were going to ask me?" asked Ron, in a completely different voice.

"Yes," said Hermione angrily. "But obviously if you'd rather I hooked up with McLaggen…"

There was a pause while Orion continued to silently walk besides them, amongst the crowd of Gryffindors which were eagerly talking about the things they wanted to do in Hogsmeade.

"No, I wouldn't," said Ron, in a very quiet voice, and he remained silent, occasionally glancing at Hermione.

Hermione was avoiding looking at Ron while two rose-tinted blushes appeared on her cheeks.

"Who are you going to invite?" suddenly asked Hermione, glancing at Orion.

A loud giggle interrupted Orion and he saw Parvati and Lavander glancing at him, as they whispered to each other.

Orion shot Lavander a charming smile, making the girl prettily blush and flash him a smile in return, while Parvati giggled besides her. Ever since his lesson with Dumbledore, he had been occasionally smiling back at Lavander, knowing that eventually some rumor would spread through the castle about his interest in her, thus reaching Dumbledore's ears. It would be convenient if the old wizard believed it. And now, the Slug party wasn't looking so bad; he could use it to fuel the rumors.

Orion shot Hermione a small smile, and whispered, "Lavander."

Ron made a choking noise.

"I thought you only liked wizards?" said Hermione, shrewdly inspecting him.

"I only had one boyfriend, so I never had the chance to try a relationship with others," said Orion calmly. "And I find her interesting and appealing."

"Lavander interesting?" said Hermione disbelievingly.

"Well, of course, you have all the girls trailing after you," said Ron, with slight resentfulness. "You could invite anyone in the castle. And Lavander is the prettiest girl in Gryffindor."

"Is she?" snapped Hermione with a dark scowl on her face. She glanced at Orion, and said curtly, "See you on Monday."

Then she swiftly strode forward, mingling with the crowd of Gryffindors.

"Mione, wait!" said Ron, as he trailed after her.

Orion rolled his eyes and broke away from his housemates as he took the corridor towards Dumbledore's office.


"What's wrong, Orion?" said Calypso quietly, glancing at him as she stopped writing her essay for Curse Breaking and Warding.

It was Sunday and they were doing their homework in the boy's sixth year bedroom; since the Hydra common room was full of people enjoying their weekend, and Loki and Viktor were out somewhere.

"Nothing," snapped Orion irritably, as he continued with his essay.

He hadn't seen Voldemort since the time of his encounter with the Dementor, and the wizard hadn't summoned him either, for which he was grateful. After the lesson with Dumbledore, he had become increasingly angry due to his suspicions of why Voldemort had captured Ollivander, which were fueled by the dream he had remembered, and furthermore, due to his discovery that Tom had lied to him about the mistreatment he had received at the orphanage. Orion had been in an increasingly foul temper ever since.

Calypso clutched his arm as she pierced him with her eyes. "Yes, something is bothering you. You are hurt, angry, disappointed, troubled… I know you well, Orion."

Orion jumped to his feet, his essay and quill flying through the air as he hissed angrily, "You want to know what's the matter? I'll tell you, then. Voldemort can burn in the deepest pits of hell as far as I'm concerned!"

"What? Why?" said Calypso, startled and alarmed. "What happened?"

"What happened?" sneered Orion. "That the balance of trust, as you so aptly named it, has been broken. And it's his fault!"

"Then you must do something to mend it," said Calypso sharply. "You can't allow-"

"I can't allow what?" snarled Orion. "He and me to break apart?"

"Exactly," snapped Calypso, piercing him with her eyes. "You've finally reached an alliance with him, on equal terms; you have to do the impossible to maintain it. And you love-"

"I don't love him!" hissed Orion angrily.

Calypso incredulously scoffed. "Please, you most certainly do. I can see it, that's why you're so angry and hurt due to whatever he did."

"Even if I love him –and I'm not saying I do-," spat Orion fiercely. "Do you think that it would deter me from going my own way? Do you think that I would ever allow my feelings to cloud my judgment, risking my own life? If he betrays or harms me, in whatever imaginable way, I wouldn't doubt twice before bringing him down! If I see that he's planning to turn on me, I will certainly turn on him first!"

"Listen to yourself!" said Calypso, deeply alarmed. "I don't know what caused the suspicions you have about him, but I'm sure they are unfounded. He cares for you!"

"Does he?" spat Orion, clenching his jaw. "But he's a consummate actor, isn't he? He manipulates everyone around him; makes them believe what he wants."

"You must discuss this with him," said Calypso sharply. "Ask him for explanations instead of bottling up your anger and suspicions."

"No, I prefer to do what he does," retorted Orion with a sneer. "I'll be just as devious as he is. I won't say a word. I'll keep quiet and then I'll turn on him before he turns on me! Because I-"

Abruptly, he broke off when his finger started burning. Orion looked at his ring disbelievingly, and spat, "Oh, for fuck's sakes! It just had to be now, hadn't it? Perfect bloody timing!"

Orion poppled down on an armchair, inwardly fuming, and looking mutinous.

Calypso smirked at him as she calmly sat down. "It seems you don't have a choice. You'll have to discuss matters with him."

"I'll discuss nothing," snapped Orion, as the burning increased and he ignored the summons. "I'll see what he wants and then leave."

"You won't be able to restrain yourself," said Calypso pleasantly. "Not in the mood you currently are." She shot him a smirk, and added, "I think that your time with the Gryffindors is affecting you… you have less control over your temper and emotions…you have lost your cool…"

Orion darkly scowled at her and crossed his arms over his chest, maintaining a dignified silence while Calypso kept watching him with an amused smile on her face.

"What did he do?" she asked suddenly, looking at him worriedly.

"Besides lie to me, as he usually does?" said Orion angrily, snapping his eyes to hers. He uncrossed his arms and clenched his fists. "He captured Ollivander."

"So I've read," said Calypso with a quirked eyebrow. "And that's bad news for you because?"

"I have another wand besides the one I use here at Durmstrang," said Orion quietly. "I bought it from Ollivander, before our fourth year at Hogwarts." He pierced her with her eyes, and added in low voice, "It's Voldemort's twin Phoenix wand. You portkeyed out of the Department of Mysteries before it happened. Only Dumbledore saw, but Voldemort's wand and mine connected, since they are twins. And they can't be used against each other."

"And you think the Dark Lord is torturing Ollivander to get information on how to prevent that from happening," said Calypso quietly, looking intently at Orion. "Because the Dark Lord can't duel with you if you use the Phoenix wand, therefore, you have an advantage."

"Exactly," snapped Orion.

Calypso sighed and worriedly wriggled her hands. "Perhaps he's just taking a precaution…" She frowned and looked at Orion. "And if you have the Dark Lord's twin wand it must mean that you two are compatible… and you used to have visions about him… it's clear that there's a sort of link between you two… that you belong together-"

Orion snorted, and muttered darkly, as he thought about the little piece of soul inside him, "There's a 'link' between us, the prophecy said he marked me as his equal, as you already know, but that doesn't mean that we belong together."

Calypso huffed in annoyance. "You do."

"And what if I broke from him?" demanded Orion sharply, piercing her with his eyes. "Who would you support, the Dark Lord or me?"

"I think I've given you my answer already, haven't I?" snapped Calypso, shooting him a glare. "I went to the Department of Mysteries with you, confronting both my father and the Dark Lord!"

"Yes, you did," said Orion softly, with an apologetic smile.

"I support you, Orion," said Calypso curtly. "But I would rather support the both of you united. The Dark can't afford to be split in two. And you're part of the Dark Allies, are you saying that you want to break away from them too?"

"No," said Orion sternly. "I'll always support the Dark. But I must think about my survival as well. I can still be an Ally without being by Voldemort's side."

He jerked his hand when the burning around his finger became fiercer.

"You should go," said Calypso, glancing at Orion's ring.

"I'll wait until he activates the portkey himself," said Orion with a snarl. "I won't answer his summons like a groveling little minion."

Calypso rolled her eyes, before shooting Orion a shrewd glance. "You said Vagnarov is making sure that no one can blab about your true allegiance to the Dark. You said it was a Durmstrang secret that he revealed to you, yet you didn't explain why Vagnarov trusted you with it."

"I'll tell you soon," said Orion quietly.

He trusted her and also knew that the mind-web ward wouldn't allow her divulge it to anyone else, so he wanted to tell her about the Hallows and the VA, but not yet.

"It's got something to do with you, and why Vagnarov cherishes you so much," said Calypso, intently looking at him. "He showed his public support when you returned to Durmstrang and he was extremely worried when the thing with the Dementor happened. You mean a lot to him." She frowned and added, "And you're planning something. You're making the DA practice ward-breaking spells and dark curses useful for raids…"

Orion warmly smiled at her. "My little, sharp Calypso. You're right on both accounts."

"I know that," huffed Calypso. "What I want to know is when you're going to explain matters to me."

"Soon, I promise," whispered Orion, as he started feeling the space compressing around his body.


"Why didn't you answer my summons immediately?" hissed Voldemort angrily, standing from his throne. "I tire of having to activate your portkey. Didn't I tell you to answer my summons-"

"What do you want?" interrupted Orion with a hard glint in his eyes, as he inspected his surroundings while he surreptitiously took out his wand from his robes' pocket.

They were at the summoning chamber, and a group of hooded Death Eaters stood circling a shaking and sniveling lump on the floor, though Orion couldn't see who it was.

Voldemort frowned as he reached Orion. Tilting Orion's chin up, he hissed, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," said Orion, with a blank expression on his face, though all his anger was dangerously bubbling inside him.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes as he clutched Orion's face tighter. "Rodolphus told me that you had a meeting with Dumbledore. What did he want?"

Orion clenched his jaw. "To discuss you."

"And?" hissed Voldemort impatiently.

"And nothing," said Orion curtly. "He told me that you were Tom Riddle and he explained who your mother and father had been."

"Did he mention my horcruxes, or gave you any indication that he knew about them?"

"No, he gave no indications at all," said Orion calmly.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at him, before he cleared his expression and took out a long piece of parchment from his robes, as he said pleasantly, "This is the list of bonding rituals which I have researched and selected. Take it and decide which one we will use." He pierced Orion with his eyes, and said in a commanding tone of voice, "We'll bond and become spouses during your Christmas holidays, so you have until then to choose."

Voldemort's imperiousness did it, and Orion's anger finally overcame him.

"Yeah?" spat Orion furiously, violently ripping the piece of parchment from Voldemort's hands. He crumbled it into a tight ball before he threw it straight into the wizard's face. "Well, you can shove it up your ass! Because I have no intention to-"

The Death Eaters muttered and whispered as they uneasily shifted in their places, and Orion could hear Bellatrix fiercely whispering with someone else.

"Don't speak to me like that!" snarled Voldemort angrily, painfully gripping and bending Orion's wrists in his hands. "I put up a lot from you but you won't disrespect me!"

"Won't I?" spit out Orion furiously. "When you consistently do it with your lies and deceits!"

"I don't deceive you," said Voldemort sharply, frowning at Orion. "What has brought this about?"

"You don't deceive me, Tom?" sneered Orion. "Then let's see it!"

Abruptly, he snatched Voldemort's left arm, and violently jerked the sleeve up. Orion's expression turned murderous as he caught sight of the unmarred, smooth skin. He had never inspected it closely, but now it was clear that there were no indication of faded carved letters in the flesh.

"What's the meaning of this?" growled Voldemort, as he lowered his sleeve.

"You fucking lying, manipulating bastard," hissed Orion furiously, looking at Voldemort with an utterly disgusted and contemptuous expression. "I believed all your sob stories about the beatings you had endured at the orphanage. I believed you when you said they had carved 'Abomination' on your arm! And it was all a lie to earn my sympathy and trust! While I told you what my uncle had done to me, you lied about your childhood! Dumbledore never saw evidence of your supposed beatings when he went to the orphanage to give you your Hogwarts letter. You weren't starved and locked in a small, dark room! You weren't mistreated!"

"Ah, so Dumbledore showed you his memory," said Voldemort calmly, not looking remotely abashed. His crimson eyes hardened, and he hissed, "They didn't beat me or carve words on my arm, but I was locked for days on end whenever something unexplainable happened. I didn't lie about the way the other children whispered snidely about me, or how the older ones tried to bully me."

"Oh, that explains everything then," spat Orion scathingly. "Poor you, it sounds like a horrible childhood."

Voldemort angrily clutched Orion's shoulders. "No magical child should endure the contempt of filthy muggles! No child deserves to be locked up because he does magic, or be told that it's unnatural and evil, and that he's mad and dangerous! Or endure the slurs and suspicious glares of an alcoholic and pathetic muggle woman!"

"I agree," snapped Orion angrily. "But that doesn't explain why you lied to me!"

"I told you what you wanted to hear at the time," said Voldemort impassively. "You seemed to need it."

Orion's eyes flashed in anger, and he spat heatedly, "You lied to me because you wanted to gain my sympathy and trust! You told me in order to manipulate me!"

"I did what I thought was needed," said Voldemort unrepentantly. He slowly caressed Orion's cheek, and added quietly, "And I don't see why it's so unforgivable. It shouldn't matter now."

"It matters," snarled Orion, jerking his face away from Voldemort's touch, "because it proves how unreliable you are; how I can never afford to believe a word you say, or trust you!"

Voldemort tightly clutched Orion's face, and sinking his eyes into Orion's, he said fiercely, "You can trust me."

Orion snorted. He tightly clutched his wand by his side, ready and eager for a confrontation, and spat, "Can I? Then explain to me why Ollivander is your prisoner."

Voldemort quirked an eyebrow and smirked. "To learn more about the connection between our wands, of course."

Orion looked up at him startled. He hadn't expected Voldemort to admit it; he had expected a lie.

He narrowed his eyes, and demanded, "For what purpose? To discover a way to break the connection so that you can duel with me if I use my Phoenix wand?"

"I'm simply curious about it and what it might imply about the link between us. I know you are my horcrux, but a having twin wands is something unexpected. I want to learn more about it. I have no intention of ever dueling with you," said Voldemort calmly. He sunk his eyes into Orion's and slowly caressed his cheek, as he hissed softly, "You are my horcrux and future spouse, I would never harm you."

Orion frowned as he closely inspected Voldemort. The wizard seemed to speak with candidness, his crimson eyes bore into his, flashing with sincerity and some undecipherable emotion.

Voldemort wrapped his arms around Orion, and leaned down to silkily whisper against Orion's ear, "You're precious to me, my little serpent."

The hot breath against his neck made Orion shiver as his skin tingled pleasurably. But he didn't return the embrace and he stood uncertainly and stiffly as Voldemort pressed them together while the wizard caressed his hair.

Voldemort slowly broke apart, and rubbed his thumb along Orion's lower lip, as he said quietly, "I summoned you here to give you the list. Will you study it and make a choice?"

"I'll study it," said Orion noncommittally. He flicked his wand and the crumbled piece of parchment came flying towards him. He deftly caught it in mid air and pocketed it.

"Good," said Voldemort with a pleased smirk, as he regarded Orion. "There's another reason why you're here."

Orion slightly tensed. He clutched his wand more firmly, and looked up at Voldemort with a calm expression on his face. "Yes? What is it?"

Voldemort's smirk widened, and he turned towards his Death Eaters, and commanded, "Bring him to us."

The group of six Death Eaters strode forwards, with an air of anticipation and eagerness, as one of them dragged along the stone floor a crumbled, nude, and shaking wizard.

Orion's eyes slightly widened when a Death Eater violently threw Pettigrrew at his feet. The wizard laid whimpering and sniveling, his nude emaciated body was covered in deep gashes and wounds, and he didn't have the muggle contraption attached to his severed wrist. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, and still something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes, which seemed unfocused and unaware.

The Death Eater lowered his hood, and Rabastan said calmly to Orion, with an eager smirk on his face, "For you, Lord Black."

Orion glanced at Rabastan, and then at Voldemort. "You want me to kill him now? I was planning on waiting a bit longer."

"Wormtail's usefulness expired a long time ago, and his health isn't what it used to be," said Voldemort pleasantly. "You should kill him now before he dies from – ah– natural causes."

"If the boy is too weak to do it," sneered Bellatrix, glinting malevolently at Orion, "I'll take pleasure in killing the filthy traitor, Master."

"You'll address Orion as Lord Black, Bella," said Voldemort coldly, giving Bellatrix a deathly glance. "Or do I need to remind you again what we discussed?"

Bellatrix slightly paled and with a nod, she stood to a side.

"Wormtail is your prize, Orion," said Voldemort with a smirk. "As you see, my Death Eaters have already tortured him in punishment; therefore you only need to dispose of him swiftly, with a killing curse."

He approached Orion and gently caressing Orion's cheek, he hissed silkily, "You told me you wanted to kill him. You aren't turning back now, are you?"

"No, I'm not turning back," said Orion sharply, clutching his wand.

Voldemort smirked in satisfaction, and said pleasantly, "This will be your first time."

"I've killed with the killing curse before, remember?" snapped Orion irritably.

"Yes, the muggle girl, but not a wizard," said Voldemort calmly, piercing Orion with his crimson eyes.

"I can do it," bit out Orion. "I want to. That pathetic little traitor is the reason why my father spent years in Azkaban, and why he was Kissed later. He betrayed his friends, my mother and James… You killed them but they were nothing to you, while Pettigrew was their trusted friend. And he betrayed us, telling Dumbledore about my parselmouth ability, which I'm sure is the reason why Dumbledore suspected that I was Harry Potter, and why he suspects now that I'm your horcrux."

Voldemort crimson eyes glinted with satisfaction, and he sharply addressed the Death Eaters, "You can leave us now. I'll summon you later to dispose of Wormtail's body. You'll ditch him at the outskirts of a muggle town, with the Dark Mark hovering above his corpse."

The Death Eaters nodded, though they looked a bit disappointed that they wouldn't witness the demise of the traitor they contemptuously despised, and they swiftly disapparated.

Orion mildly wondered why Voldemort didn't want them around; though maybe it was to make it easier for him, to do it without a crowd of spectators.

Pettigrew seemed unaware of what was happening around him; his bloodied, trembling body was curled up while sobbed whimpers escaped from his dried lips.

Orion aimed his wand forward and strode towards the repulsive wizard, feeling intense hatred bubbling inside him, as his dark magic eagerly swirled.

Suddenly, Pettigrew shifted, and his small, tearful, beady eyes snapped to Orion. His watery eyes widened when he saw Orion's wand aimed at him.

"Orion," squeaked Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, a hand outstretched. "Your mother wouldn't kill me… Lily would have shown me mercy-"

"You dare speak her name? When you betrayed her?" said Orion in deathly cold voice. He mercilessly started at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion. "I would love nothing more than to torture you to insanity and rip your body to pieces. But alas, I can't, I must leave you recognizable. The Aurors will find your body and my father's name will be cleared."

Orion easily brought up all the hatred he felt, and feeling his dark magic roaring in anticipation inside him, he aimed his wand at the wizard.

Pettigrew trembled uncontrollably, cowering and sniveling as he said piteously, "She would have shown me mercy… dear Lily, sweet Lily… so like your mother you are… please…."

"I have nothing else to say to you," spat Orion harshly. Then he roared with extreme hatred, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

An intense beam of bright green light shot from Orion's wand and struck Pettigrew squarely on the chest. With a last squeak, the wizard slumped to the floor, dead and his eyes empty, while Orion felt an intense pleasure coursing through his body, as his dark magic contently swirled inside him. He gasped, as he had never before felt it so powerfully after casting the killing curse in his practices.

He felt Voldemort wrapping his arms around him from behind, as the wizard hissed silkily against his ear, "Well done, my little serpent. Do you feel it, coursing through you, filling you up? The true power of the Dark Arts, the allure of the killing curse…"

"Yesss," breathed out Orion, closing his eyes with a languid smile on his face, as he sagged against Voldemort's chest. "I feel it…"

Voldemort turned him around, and he carded his fingers through Orion's hair until he placed his hands on each side of Orion's forehead. His lips curled into a small smile, and he gently kissed Orion's forehead.

Orion's eyes widened at the tender show of affection.

Voldemort sunk his crimson eyes into Orion's, tightening his grasp, as he hissed with a satisfied and warm smile, "And now, my little serpent, I'll truly make you mine. You won't leave my side, you'll be protected, and you'll bear me an heir."

"What-?" said Orion, startled.

But immediately, Voldemort hissed something under his breath and Orion felt an intense, piercing, savage pain ravaging his body. He let out a shriek of agony, as his body violently convulsed against Voldemort, while he felt waves upon waves of unrelenting pain, such as he had never endured before.

The pain seemed endless as the minutes unmercifully stretched. He couldn't think, he couldn't do anything as agonizing screams tore from his throat, and everything seemed to dim, everything narrowed and turned dark, as his mind withdrew from awareness, trying to escape the immitigable pain…

"Obliviate!"