Any flaws you may find from this chapter on are in no way attributable to my beta. Eider Down and I both have life, work, and other stories taking our energy and focus. We will get around to editing these chapters later.
Fidelissima
"My most faithful followers," her Lord was saying, her wonderful Lord, the great and powerful and incredible—
Oh, but he was talking, and she should listen. She was his Bella, after all. The most loyal, even amongst these others. They had also been loyal, of course, but not as loyal.
Barty was alright though.
"...suffered for me, and now we will seek our revenge!"
"Yes!" Bella heard her voice cry. Yes. Good. He should know. They all should know. She was most loyal, after all.
"We will wage a war of terror and blood! The complacent masses can remain so no longer! The Muggles must die!"
"Yes!" She cried again, intentionally this time. Barty shushed her, but he was Barty, and Barty was alright, so she didn't hex him.
At the very back of the room she could see the impostor, the little Lord who called himself Tom Marvolo. He was frowning faintly. Oh, but he was not loyal, not at all! Bella could not understand why her Lord kept him around, but who was she to question him? She was his most faithful after all. But her Lord was so magnificent, spitting his fury while they hung on his every word.
Her fellow Death Eaters, though none so loyal as herself, were still recovering from Azkaban. Or drifting back from their cushy lives into their rightful place as servants to the most wonderful, the greatest—
"The Muggles will learn to fear us! They will cower before us, and never again will a mere Muggle be able to…"
Her Lord was wonderful.
Someone nudged her—she drew her wand—oh, but it was only Barty—
The meeting was over.
—Barty was alright. He was loyal. Not as loyal as Bella, of course.
She was the most loyal, after all.
… …
The summer was hot and terrible. Hudley and Severus' Outstandings for their Potions OWLs were entirely overshadowed by the utter chaos running rampant in Muggle Great Britain.
Two shopping malls had been set on fire. The London Eye was charmed to glow Avada green. A suspension bridge snapped, sending dozens plummeting for a final swim.
And everywhere hung a pervasive air of despair.
Anyone with any competence at all had been recruited to join the Obliviators, and even with Time-Turners their department was running itself ragged trying to stop the Wizarding World from being discovered.
This could not go on, and yet Severus was utterly helpless. His OWL-year was coming up, he should, like any normal child, be worrying about exams rather than worrying his guardians might take the wrong train on the wrong day and wind up—
"Why is He doing this?" Hudley whispered, limbs too long to properly curl up two-to-a-bed but trying anyway.
"I don't know," Severus was forced to admit. "I don't know."
… …
MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN DISCOVERED—WAS IT THE HUMDINGERS?
Perhaps it's time for a reformation-oriented prison system, rather than barbaric torture.
An exploration of nonsense by Xenophilius Lovegood, featuring quotes from Stubby Boardman.
… …
Minister Fudge was praised for introducing new security measures to the Ministry, an attempt to weed the Death Eaters out from amongst their number. Several people suddenly stopped showing up to work.
The Muggles were convinced Irish terrorism was at an all-time high.
The Magicals muddled through their daily lives, terrified of their neighbours, their friends—even family members regarding one another with suspicion.
Hudley and Severus were kissed good-bye and sent off to school, wishing they knew how to fix this.
… …
Nagini had been basking outside in the rare afternoon sun when her Lord and his little Lord bothered her.
They were shouting, again. In Parseltongue. From opposite ends of the courtyard.
Nagini yawned, pleased when she saw a peacock scuttling away in fear. She had rather magnificent fangs, after all. Her Lord and even the little Lord said so often.
:At least she has nice fangs: they would agree. Then they would switch to human language, which Nagini could not understand, and leave her in peace to preen. Or to eat a rabbit—it depended on her mood.
If only they would stop bickering now.
:This is a terrible idea: the little Lord was saying. :You have already been discovered. Your plots are too obvious. We need a plan that is viable. We need to seize the Ministry from within and reform it slowly, carefully. This can only end in disaster.:
Both Lord and little Lord were prone to long speeches. Nagini assumed it was because they enjoyed hearing themselves talk.
Nagini also enjoyed hearing them talk. Sometimes. When she wasn't taking a nap.
(Nagini was usually taking a nap.)
:The mud-men will learn to fear us!: Lord said, and drew breath for what sounded like another long speech.
:Silence: Nagini said. :Lie down in the sun and get along like normal snakes or go somewhere else.:
Then she curled back in on herself and returned to her nap.
… …