A.N. Thanks for all of you that reviewed alerted or favoured, you're the best. As for the rest of you, thanks for your time too, I love feedback, but just knowing my work is being followed is already a great compensation. Like always, any doubts or questions P.M. Me, I WILL answer.
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55 Trickery
Green eyes blinked a couple of times as if to make sure they were seeing well, Serena tilted her head to the side in surprise for her surroundings. A foggy mist covered every inch of space available making Serena hesitate about moving anywhere, she was barely able to see her own legs. Legs; she was in her human body again. So, was she dead; was that twirling fog around her the afterlife? That sucked, she was already contemplating an eternity of maddening boredom when a high pitch laughter echoed from somewhere in the mist. "What's the matter little Gryffindor, isn't this realm appealing to you," a soft voice sounded from behind her. Serena turned in her heels, but the young witch wasn't fast enough, whoever had been there had already disappeared into the mist. "Not very good reflexes, I'm afraid," the voice sounded again at her back. Serena twirled over herself, but failed again, she was met with only more nothingness.
A chuckle rippled through the fog, "you not even really tryin.. oh," the seemingly ethereal being exclaimed when a hand had pounce from somewhere on the hidden ground clutching her ankle. She threw her head back and let out a mirthful laughter, "very well done little one," she said as the fog dissipated around them.
Serena looked above her to the laughing woman hovering above the ground where she laid sprawled.
"Well thought young one, if I might add," the unknown woman said as her laughter lessened to mere chuckles.
"I needed to do something if I..," the teenage witch raised with lightning speed as her mouth formed a large O shape, "your ears," she literally pointed out, "their, pointy!"
"Really," the woman said rather cynically as she rolled her eyes at the girl in front of her, "I have never notice it before."
"Don't need to be sarcastic, you know, I was just surprised," Serena huffed as she tried to squash down the guilt she felt for her obvious lack of tact concerning the woman's physical appearance, she undoubtedly would have reacted the same way had they parts been reversed. "I'm sorry okay," she mumbled apologetic.
"It's okay, I guess you haven't seen very Helphidien before," the woman shrug off.
Helphidien, that name struck a chord in her mind, she knew she had read about such beings before, but it had been hardly more than a few lines at best. They were beings of great power that had mastered the use of an entirely different branch of magic from the one the human beings used, nearly immortal and there were many that deeply believed they were, in fact, incapable of dying. But contacts between them and humans were rare if not completely non-existent. Helphidien were a proud race that looked upon humankind with distaste at what they thought to be a race that all but craved power and would eventually destroy itself in the process. Serena had read that efforts had been made to counter act such ideas and forge an alliance with them, but any attempt to do so had failed miserably. All who had been sent to the deep forests where it was known for such beings to reside in, had been unable to even catch a glimpse of such beings.
Serena watched attentively the woman for the first time since she had found herself in... wherever she was. The Helphidien's skin seemed to glow in chocolate hues as the newly appeared sun shone above them both, piercing lilac eyes mimicked her own perusing green ones as she continued scanning the other being's form. A mane of red hair had been let loose over her back, but contrary to the distinctive coppery tone of the Weasley family kin the Helphidien's was a dark blood red. High cheek bones, a tiny perky nose and plump lips gave her a sensuality few could hope to match. A voluptuous and thin body could be guessed below clothes, Serena was sure, wouldn't be out of place in any palace of the Ancient Egyptian long disappeared civilisation. All in all, the exotic Helphidien had the looks that made her a turn-heads beauty.
"How about I introduce myself," the elder woman said, "I'm more commonly known by Sekmet, but you, little one, can call me Sek.
"Serena," the Gryffindor offered. "Where are we anyway," Serena inquired looking around the now visible large cleaning that seemed to stretch over for endless miles, the ankle length grass that undulated in the soft breeze the only live thing, apart from them both, she could perceive in that strange place.
"Your mind."
"I beg your pardon!"
"We're in your mind," Sek informed, "a little bit to the empty side," she opinionated looking around.
"What's that supposed to mean," she growled, a thunder rumbling somewhere near them. Serena tried to calm herself, there wasn't any reason for her to get her knickers in a twist. Sek couldn't be having fun at her expense, she was just commenting about their surroundings, she had just misunderstood. "That isn't very nice of you to say, you know. It could lead to wrong assumptions."
"It's not my fault you're an empty headed," the exotic woman gloated.
That did it; the storm formed in seconds, thunders ripped the dark grey sky as the ice cold rain burst upon the two beings. Serena suck in a breath as her dripping robes started clinging to her shaking form, "OH! COME ON? SERIOUSLY?"
"Too easy," Sek sniggered.
"How come you're completely dry," Serena asked with a note of accusation noticeable in her voice.
"Easy, this isn't real. Nothing of it is!"
"Huh!" Serena let out as everything surrounding them stopped just like as if someone had pressed the pause button, she raised a hand and lightly pressed a finger into one of the suspended raindrops. It felt like jelly under her finger tip, "amazing."
Serena looked at the amused Helphidien and grinned; the suspended raindrops started raising to the skies again. Slowly at first, but gaining momentum as if, somehow, the gravity had started pushing instead of pulling, the little droplets ascended as the sun shred his light through the earth once more. The golden glow clashed against the crystalline droplets making the entire place shine as each and every one of them shone like a shining star all around the two beings.
"Breath-taking," Sekmet realised as she gapped before such magnificent spectacle.
From the ground, roots raised and thickened, intertwining themselves to form two armchairs beside them. With the satisfied look of someone who did a work well done, Serena slumped on the nearest of the two armchairs.
"You're quite the fast learner," Sek praised before following the Gryffindor's example.
"After I grasp a concept, it isn't all that difficult. Now, if we're in my mind, how did youget in here, and who are you" Serena asked in a tone that didn't admitted any kind of deceit.
"I already told you who I am."
"You told me your name not… wait a minute. Sekmet, like in THE Sekmet, Egyptian goddess of war and healing and protector of the royal family, that Sekmet?"
"Yes."
"A goddess uh ,"Serena said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"It's not my fault the humans were so simple minded back then, is it, "the Helphidien said shrugging it off.
Serena sighed before simply staring at Sek for a moment before stating, "nice anti-age cream, I wouldn't have given you more than twenty eight, twenty nine at most," she concluded taping her finger on her lower lip. "I guess all that suppositions about Helphidien being immortals were in fact true."
"It isn't true, we do live very long lives, but we are not in any way immortals. And besides, you shouldn't take me as an example," Sek told her, a sour tinge more than noticeable on her voice.
"Why not?"
"Because, I'm not really, me. I'm just a fragment of the true Sekmet, not all that different from the pictures the wizard and witches leave behind after their deaths."
"So Sekmet is..." The blond witch let it hanging before deciding to let go of the obviously painful subject and take on another approach. "But I still don't get how you're in my mind."
Sek smiled grateful for the girl's empathy before answering her, "your necklace."
"My necklace," she questioned closing her hand around the cobalt blue piece, "what about it?"
"It's the object where the fragment of Sekhmet's essence had been tied to."
"Oh, okay," Serena accepted, "but if so, why hadn't you made yourself known before," she inquired, brows frowning in confusion.
"Your mind isn't properly an 'open book' as you well know."
The Gryffindor sniggered at being reminded of such enjoyable trait, the flushed and, ultimately, pissed off features of the Slytherin Head of House flashed in her mind. The scene repeating itself every time the Potions Master had tried to breach her mental barriers. Of course, the fact she managed to do it without breaking a sweat didn't help matters either. Good times! Even if he wiped the floor with me later, she thought grudgingly. "But you managed to do it now," Serena said more calmly.
"Indeed I did, but I'm only brushing the external layer," Sekmet informed, "and only because you were so near death that the exterior barriers of your mind weakened."
"Were," the young witch asked.
"The dark wizard seems dead set in making you regain your health."
Serena huffed as she leaned back in her seat, "a pity he didn't forgot the 'set' and isn't just dead," she mumbled under her breath. "For an intelligent wizard he sure doesn't know how to take a hint."
"The worst kind of blind is the one who don't wish to see."
"Tell me about it."
"Don't give up; things always become batter with time."
"Well, as long as I'm unconscious I don't really need to endure him."
"Oh," Sekmet let out with a saddened face.
"What's happening" Serena screeched jumping to her feet and rushing towards the Helphidien's disappearing frame.
"You are awaking," Sekhmet's voice lingered after she had already disappeared.
The Gryffindor badly had time to feel her conciseness being pulled upwards before disappearing too.
…...
Serena's eyes fluttered open the moment she felt her consciousness being slammed, hard, into her body. From her parted lips was shed a whine as every cell of her body seemed to burn, consequence of the heat returning to her body after the cold's numbing bite.
"Hush now," Voldemort softly said to the obvious distressed witch, "all will be well soon enough," he advised her as he stroked her golden locks.
The Gryffindor glowered at him irate when she noticed her current predicament; she was draped all over the demented wizard's lap. Shock and ire marred her features as she found herself stuck in such awkward situation, literally! She could not move, as she soon discovered, her body just continued laying there, lifeless, regardless of her many attempts to the contrary. Petrificus Totalus! Raising blazing eyes to the silent Dark Lord, she locked eyes with him. Her fury increasing teen fold as every attempt from her part to give him a piece of her mind did nothing more than prolong the reigning silence. Silencio? The bloody wanker,Serena thought fuming, her glare capable of open a hole in the middle of the wizard's face, how darehe?
"Now now love, what kind of gratefulness is that," he taunted as he continued patting the golden tresses languidly, its softness enticing him at each of his caresses, "and after I saved your life no less.
After a, failed, last attempt to move away from his touch, Serena decided to bid her time and let her body relax in the Dark Lord's arms.
Noticing the change in the young witch demeanour, Voldemort rearranged the immobilized Gryffindor. With her back leaning on his chest and her head lying in his left shoulder, he reached for a side table. Moments after, he was pressing a spoon, filled to the brim with some orange liquid, to her lips. Carefully, he titled its contents into her mouth. It was broth, she soon found out, as a wordless spell took over the swallowing part. "I would have preferred to feed you something a little bit more substantial, it would have speeded up your recovery," the snake-like wizard sighed as he brushed her bags away from her eyes, " but I fear in your weakened state your body wouldn't have dealt very well with it," he told her as he repeated the same action time and time again until he found the plate in the side table completely empty.
She was right down pissed; it was his entirefault, for everything. She was hurting all over the place and, as if that wasn't enough, he had immobilized and silenced her too,bastard.She was furious at him, but mostly at herself. How could she have wasted her opportunity like that, how could she? And now what, she was sure after two tries, Voldemort wouldn't even remotely allow for any kind of chance at escape to present itself at her again. MERLIN, she screamed inside her head in frustration. She wanted to lunge at him and gorge his eyes off their sockets, and bang his sickly pale bald head against that side table over and over and over again, not stopping until that so prized brain of his was completely smudged over it. Yes, that definitively would have lightened her spirits.
"Something in your mind? I would love to know what," he said wishful, "but I can't can I", he finished, ire rising in his voice. "You could change that", he told her looking her in the eyes.
Serena stared blackly at him, he thinks I can control my mind-barriers, she thought astonished. The Gryffindor made sure to store that information to muse about later.
Voldemort growled at her twinkling eyes, enraged by the similarity between father and daughter, she is tauntingme! "I will eventually manage to enter your mind," he snapped fisting her tresses and slamming his lips to hers in a smouldering kiss, his tongue, taking advantage of her parted lips, invaded her mouth with consuming hunger. Spider-like fingers intertwined further into the golden mane forcing her head against his, her lips crushed under his voracious ones.
Wrath and horror blend together granting the teen a burst of pure untamed power, reacting on impulse, she broke the immobilizing spell, her hand darting forward mere moments after.
It never make contact with its intended target, Voldemort's free hand streaked to hers catching her wrist half-way. He smiled against her lips as a fearful Serena saw as he deepened the kiss, his senses lost in the sweet ambrosia he collected with each stroke of his tongue. Delight filled his body as he leaned further against the girl, crushing her small frame under his much larger one.
"ARGH," he howled backing away from Serena's mouth. Her lips puffy and bruised by the kiss' intensity, her breath raged as she desperately tried to regains her composure. Her lips quivered when noticing the ruby trickle running down Voldemort's lower lip, not knowing the garment liquid had end up being smudged on her lips too. Teeth tiny marks were visible on his thin lip. Malevolent eyes fixated on her, " you," he growled fisting the tresses in his hand, "two can play that game," he said grinning wickedly. In a fluid motion, Voldemort jerked her head back by the hair he was holding to, exposing the smooth skin of her neck to his lustful eyes. Before Serena could react, he longed forward sinking his teeth on the pearly skin under his lips.
…...
Delicate fingers moved over milk-like skin, stopping above the foul-looking bluish bruise blemishing the, otherwise, perfect skin. Serena hissed when she tentatively poked the throbbing stain, pain flashing all over her neck. She glared at her reflection, what had been his idea, marking her like that. She sighed as she rearranged her dress-robe's collar to try to at least cover the biggest part of the contusion resulted of her suffered 'attack'. Movement behind her caught her attention and in the corner of her eyes, she saw Nagini eyeing her carefully. Green eyes narrowed; although Voldemort's familiar had never been less than respectable and cordial to her, she knew it wasn't more than Voldemort's watchdog... err watchsnake. The serpent had not left her side a single moment since that morning, when Voldemort had left after making sure she had eaten a light breakfast, wherever she gone the serpent was there. It was as if it had turned into her constant shadow. It was unnerving.
The sound of the door being slammed open made her turn her back to the full length mirror in the bathroom and go to the bedroom, she furrowed her brow in the door's direction where Voldemort now stood in front of the already closed door. It was still too soon for lunch, why had the wizard returned so early, something that had rarely happened before. He strode briskly towards her, only stopping when his figure hovered above her smaller one.
#Nagini,# he interpolated, #in absolutely NOcircumstances, can she leave my chambers. Is that understood? I'm counting on you Nagini!#
Serena raised a hand to her chest as if trying to hold her fluttering hearth, did she just understood Paseltongue, without being in her reptilian form? How was it even possible, was it an after-effect of the curse, was that the reason why Voldemort hadn't turn her back into a snake the moment she woke up? She eyed him carefully as he continued instructing Nagini, he didn't seem to be aware of her new attribute. She bit her lip, but that was far from meaning anything, the wizard was a proficient liar as well as a well-known actor, he could be very well faking it all. She returned her attention to the current conversation in hopes of finding out something that could help her figure what was really going on.
#I understand Master and I would do as you've instructed, but why such caution?#
#Intruders,# Voldemort simply stated, #but nothing I can't handle. Before Serena could digest this new development Voldemort returned his sight towards the tensed girl, he took another step forward making the young witch back away, her back hitting the wall. He smirked at her scared-rabbit look, his body responding to her nearness.
The Gryffindor stifled the yelp that had threatened to escape her mouth the moment her back hit solid matter behind her, stupid, STUPID,STUPID. How could you have let yourself be cornered so easily? Professor Snape would have snared disgusted by such poor judgement. Serena's eyes run over her surrounding frantically in search of a way out of the predicament she had gotten herself into. She plastered herself against the wall as Voldemort closed the remaining distance between them. Serena could not help herself, the young witch squealed as the grown wizard shoved his body against hers, her head hitting the wall painfully. She pushed against the chest his robe left exposed as she started to feel smothered by such situation. Trying to get out of such unwanted embrace, she started squiming off his arms, but her tries stopped as soon as Voldemort ground his erection against her.
"Do not tempt me, you vixen," Voldemort said in a strangled voice, his non-existent nose submerged in the golden mane, "I already have problems to keep my self-control without you rubbing yourself all over me," he warned with an husky voice as he sniffed lightly.
The girl stifled at his words, fear creeping at her, she felt truly terrorized as shock kept her from moving. But suddenly something seemed to change, Voldemort jerked off her, his look lost in the distance. His mood took an hundred and eighty degrees turn, "behave girl, "he warned coolly, "or I'm afraid you will force me to 'reprimand' you," he finished threateningly before stomping out.
The door had barely clicked shut and Serena was already sprinting forward, her feet as weightless as her hearth had become by the news. She had told herself time and time again, ever since she had been captured, that she should not just laid seated on her ass waiting to be saved, that any rescue attempt would be dam foolish and that her father could not risk the light side's small numbers in such a risky and stupid stunt. But she could not deny it to herself, as time gone by without any try of her father to set her free, she had felted deeply hurt and betrayed, she just couldn't help herself. Sometimes her hearth was more powerful than her mind. Now that she knew she had misjudged her father, a little twinge of guilt squeezed her belly, what if anyone got hurt because of this craziness, what if they... The Gryffindor shrug the pessimists thoughts out of her mind, if she wanted to make sure the risks they had taken hadn't been in vain then she needed to concentrate and get the hell out of that dammed place, once and for all.
Stopping right in front of the wall, she started feeling along the area, she knew, the exit was located. As always it had disappeared seconds after Voldemort's departure only to reappear at his return, but she wasn't counting on sticking around for that. Nervously, she started pushing her magic against the deceivingly solid wall, just like Professor Snape and once taught her to do. Serena soon found out what she was looking for when she felt the magic wards at the edge of her mind, she sighed desolated, they were far too strong for her. She couldn't bear any hopes of breaking them on her own, not when she was wandless and so, unable to channel her powers properly. There had to be a way around it, there always was, Professor Snape had said so. The proverbial bulb light up above her head as a mischievous grin spread across her face.
An harsh tug on her ankle made her look down where Nagini's tail laid tightly coiled around it, #you must stop,# the serpent hissed menacingly.
"Showing your true colours huh," Serena remarked snidely.
The massive beast choose to simply tug again, more harshly this time, #you will stay put human.#
The Gryffindor smirked, #no, I won't!#
#How...# The serpent didn't managed to end her sentence, all strength rapidly leaving it the moment the young witch latched her arms around the serpent's bulk frame.
Serena let go of the serpents frame as it slid to the floor with a shallow thud, she probably shouldn't have 'spilled' her little secret to it, but a part of her couldn't help herself, the shocked look on the serpent's face had been priceless. Returning her attention to the matter at hand, the cunning Gryffindor pushed against the wards, but this time she didn't limit herself to probe them. With apprehension, she summoned the ill-feeling magic she just 'borrowed' to surround her magic core, greatly dilapidating it in the process. It was a major risk she was taking, but if there was a time for her to play all her cards that was it. Certain it was cloaked as best as it would ever be, she pressed on intently.
Sweat was trailing down her back and she couldn't be certain how long had it been when she finally saw the door materializing back. She gloated over her small victory; she had beaten Voldemort's wards. Okay maybe those wards had been essentially made to keep people out and not inside and maybe she had been lucky the wizard hadn't been able to found out how she had managed to put Greyback out of commission back when and maybe if she had not disguised her identity (magic core) with one that was allowed to pass through she would have probably failed miserably, but she sure as hell would not look a dragon by his teeth (for the more than obvious reasons).
Carefully, she cracked the door open and peeked outside. She was able to recognise her surroundings from the times she had been allowed to leave her 'golden cage', it wasn't a trick. She had really made it. The Gryffindor stretched her ears; someone was playing havoc somewhere downstairs. Grinning she dashed towards its source. She wanted to play too.
