Author's Note - March 19 2020 - This is not the length I wanted. I wanted to include Voldemort in it. But I am not feeling so good...so I wanted to release this as is. I am working right away on the next chapter which involves Voldemort. Please forgive me as my health has been poor.

This chapter is dedicated to my friend who passed away from a massive heart attack, r.i.p. Mellissa, you'll be missed.


Silence hung in the air as Lightning and Tom crept forward in the dark. They clung to the shadows even with the Invisibility Cloak aiding in hiding them and various charms. They were taking no chances of being seen. It was not like this wizard and witch were upstanding citizens and if anything, they were quite the opposite. The two slipped between the two houses and came to a stop.

Lightning pulls the cloak off and tucks it away into her small bag. Tom began to wave his wand around to test the wards. He turns to face her with a sharp grin, blue eyes meeting gray ones that sparkled with mischief.

"The wards are easy to dismantle," Tom hisses at her in parseltongue. The snake tongue is familiar and beautiful, low and earthy. It's perfect for tonight, for their mission.

"Then get to it," Lightning hisses back, and she rolls her eyes. Tom huffs at this and gets to work. His magic right now is subtle and dark, like starlight at night. Lightning could almost giggle as the muggle lullaby played in her head.

"I am beginning to find you annoying," Tom hissed in-between taking down another ward.

"All set," Tom hissed lowly. The two stealthy entered into Dumbledore's home. Lightning closed the door quietly, and they both paused staring around. The house was not terrible thought it did remind her of Dumbledore's office back at Hogwarts before his removal. Perhaps this was where all the little objects went to? Still, the parlor was cozy with what she could see in the darkness and despite the peeling wallpaper in certain parts. The chairs were in good condition and the fireplace look like it was clean and ready to use at any time. It was just the knick-knacks that was over the fireplace mantle and the tables that was very distracting because they were crammed everywhere. Did Albus ever entertain here? Probably not.

"Lightning," Tom hissed at her. Lightning flashed Tom an apologetic smile.

"Expiscor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," Lightning said and drew a chevron with a quick flick of her wand and let her wand rest in her palm limply. The spell only worked within close proximity of the target. It moved and pointed towards a hallway to the right.

"I didn't think he would be here," Tom hissed.

"Me neither," Lightning agreed. Then she quickly raised a ward, her magic humming through her veins. Tom's magic and wards quickly intertwined with hers and then it settled into the house heavily and quietly. They paused and waited and yet Dumbledore did not seem to stir. Tom moved first with wand at the ready. Despite their steps being muffled a board still creaked as Tom crossed it making Tom and Lightning both freeze. Tom moved forward after a bit and Lightning followed, being careful to avoid the creaky wooden floorboard.

Tom and Lightning moved through the house carefully despite the ticking time. It brought a vicious joy to Lightning's heart when they finally came upon a sleeping Albus Dumbledore. It made her tremble, but she did not move or cast a spell. She just watched Tom. It was his move.

"Gebind balocræft," Tom hissed in parseltongue with a flick of his wand. It was a flash of dark purple and a sick feeling hung in the air as it hit Dumbledore. There was no visible evidence for the spell. Lightning had to wonder though, why did Tom cast the spell in parseltongue? Dumbledore would not have been able to undo it either way.

"Incarcerous," Tom spat next. This caused Dumbledore to wake up as the ropes bound the man. Blue eyes blinked for a moment, staring up confused. There was a spark of fear as the old man realized he could not reach his magic.

"Tom," Dumbledore said and then his gazed shifted to Lightning. "I don't know you, but you look like a Black."

"Hello, Dumbledore. I am Lightning Black...most days," Lightning said with a wild laugh. "Not that you'll remember."

"What are you planning to do?" Dumbledore looked at the two of him. His eyes did not sparkle. The way Dumbledore was studying her, Lightning wondered if he realized there was a touch of the Black Madness running through her. She highly doubted he knew she was the journalist Laura Ingram. She had never interacted with him before in that persona and there was enough differences he should not know her.

"Where is the ring?" Tom's voice was dangerous with a slight hiss to it. Dumbledore studied Tom in silence. Tom began to get agitated.

"You are not Voldemort," Dumbledore said and there was slight awe in his voice but fear in his eyes.

"Crucio," Lightning cast before Tom could. Her smile was unhinged as she watches Dumbledore scream under the Unforgivable Curse. Tom's own smirk is dark and cruel to match Lightning's.

"Lightning," Tom said in a warning tone and Lightning canceled and the spell with a sigh.

"I needed that you know, for all his wrong doing," Lightning said.

"I know my dear," Tom said with a cruel smile and eyes to match. "But I promise you in the future, he will have his comeuppance at our hands."

"Oh dearest Dumbledore, tell us, where is the ring," Lightning singsonged. She was happy, so delighted. Her revenge was near and excitement thrummed through her veins. Lightning twirled her wand around in her right hand. Oh, the curses she wishes she could perform from the Black Grimoires. There were even some in the old Potter Grimoires she had inherited from when the Potter's were a dark family. They were descendants of the Peverell's and necromancy had run through their veins even if the family had grown distant from their roots. Family magic was family magic after all, much like the Gaunts who are descendants of Salazar Slytherin. Family magic she also had access to. How she itched for the dark magic that thrummed in the core of her being.

Dumbledore looked between the two, "The ring was a fake."

"A fake?" Tom muttered to himself and Lightning glanced over at him.

"This complicates things greatly for both of us. If it was a fake, then surely it had to have been placed by Him which means he is probably aware that you are missing…" Lightning hisses in parseltongue.

"Yes, it does. He will, I am sure track me down and by association…" Tom looks distant for a moment.

"Me," Lightning answers. She swallows the thick feeling in her throat but keeps her expression still. She won't let Dumbledore know she is afraid. Her freedom is too important to her, and she had not fought so hard to free herself to become imprisoned once more.

"You speak parseltongue," Dumbledore remarks looking completely fascinated.

"Let me have my fun now. When his trial is over it will probably be in our best interests to get far away," Lighting said ignoring Dumbledore. Tom's hand comes up and grips her jaw in a near bruising grip. They stand like this for a moment with dark eyes peering into lighter ones.

"Darling, that is very Gryffindor of you. No."

"I want him to know, I won. Tom, I beat the old goat. I am the one who has destroyed his life and his reputation." Tom's fingers released her jaw and his fingers trailed down her cheek to her arm with a fierce expression.

"No." It was final. Or it should be but Lightning always had a dash of boldness. Tom always said it was down to familial history of being Gryffindors and Lightning always insisted it was just her philosophy of carpe diem.

"Please," Lightning said with a breathless air of desperation. Tom gazed at her, a calculated look in his eyes. Lightning bit her lip and she waited. She knew if her said no once more that was it, there was no going back.

"Be fast and then I will Obliviate him," Tom said. Her smile is brilliant and feral as gray eyes began to turn to poison green eyes as she turned to face Dumbledore. The eyes were always the easiest for her to change. Lightning could see Dumbledore's confusion and it made her smirk. It took a moment for her black curly hair settled into a loose wave that shortened to her shoulders. The lighting bolt scar that she kept hidden moved from its location to her forehead as the features of her face shifted. The dawning realization upon the old man's face was exquisite to Lightning.

"Hello Dumbledore, I won," Lightning taunted in English, and then she cackles. There in the laughter and in the wildness of her green eyes is that touch of wildness once more. Maybe it was a mix of all Lightning's different emotions, the wealth of anger, hatred, passion, and joy.

"Lotus…how..." and Albus was completely flabbergasted. Tom could not help but smile at the expression. Lighting casts a quick crucio before Tom could stop her. Dumbledore's scream of pain is music to Lightning's ear. Tom gives her a dark glare but it doesn't stop the bright smile or the way Lightning looks at Tom through half-closed eyes.

"What have you done to her?" Tom pauses for a moment at the old man who shakes a little from the after effects of Lightning's crucio. Lightning knows it isn't enough to stay. It'll be gone by the morning. She'll pay for her bit of fun, but she deserves it. Her life had been ruined because of Dumbledore.

"Nothing, Lotus is such a delight all by herself."

"Thank you dearest."

"You are welcome. Obliviate," Tom cast. Dumblebore's eyes glazed over and his face slackened as Tom modified the old man's memories. Lightning transformed herself back from Lotus Potter's features. It was a familiar enough practice to slip into Lighting Black just as it was to become Laura Ingram. She had not been Lotus Potter in far to longer.

"Are you satisfied now?"

"I am marginally appeased now," Lightning admitted glancing over at the sleeping Dumbledore. She still wanted to murder Dumbledore in a hundred different ways but that would not be helpful to their cause. "Being able to torture him for several hours would have distinctly made me feel better but I realize at this stage it is impossible."

"I wish we both had that pleasure," Tom said. He undid the Gebind balocræft and he vanished the rope bindings. Tom cast several more spells, two which was related to memory but the rest she was unsure of. Lightning glanced between Tom and Dumbledore. "Don't worry, Dumbledore will sleep till the morning."

"Fine. Let's go home. The trial only has three more days."

"I did not expect it to go as long as it has."

"There is a lot of evidence to go through and Minister Fudge and Auror Bones are set on going through every piece of it. I believe it is to make sure there is no rescue attempt. Or perhaps to burn out any possible Dumbledore supporters with the realization that the old man is wretched," Lightning remarked. The two walked down the hallway not worrying about being quiet.

"Wretched or not he still has a lot of power magically."

"It won't matter if he is considered a pariah. If he ends up on the run or forced to become a hermit that does not seem to suit Dumbledore." Lighting paused in the hallway and Tom looked at her thoughtfully.

"Either or is conceivable if it would suit Dumbledore's needs, but since Grindelwald's in powers of position but more so his focus has been-"

"Leaving a legacy." Tom gives Lightning a sharp pointed look.

"You have destroyed that as Lotus Potter," Tom said quietly.

"It's not like he can destroy the memory of Lotus Potter, Girl-Who-Lived who committed suicide during the First Task of the Tournament because her life has been manipulated and ruined by an old man on a power trip who believes he is the second coming of Merlin," Lightning rambled and then smiles once more at Tom's pointed look. She rolls her eyes at this.

"What? You know it's true Tom."

"Let's go." The two quickly cast the necessary charms. They were ready to leave house filled with knick-knacks and little wonders behind. That is, if they were little wonders, who knew what was really behind Albus Dumbledore's mind and the unique creations that he seemed to fill his life with.

They stepped out through the back door. With a quick flick of Tom's wrist, the door was locked once more. Tom took the wards Lightning, and he had set up down and replaced them with wards used earlier. Lightning remained a silent partner with keen gray eyes peering into the cool dark night. The moon had hidden behind the clouds and had deepened the night. The lack of movement was a relief for Lightning as Tom finished the last of the wards.

"Finally," Lightning hissed at him.

"You were the one who wished to reveal herself," Tom hissed back at her.

"Not sorry, but I am ready to rest," Lightning hissed back. Tom said nothing and started walking away with an impassive face. Lightning sighed and trailed after him quietly with muffled footsteps. They walked in silence and clung to the shadows until they were of a distance away before they Apparated away.