Voldemort wasn't sure who or why someone decided to give Fudge a spine, but it was very annoying. Almost all of his men working in the Ministry had been placed on probation for the accusation of working with Dumbledore of all people. And that buffoon of an Aurora he had ordered to murder Dumbledore the moment he stepped into his office had gone missing.
Which meant that Fudge somehow knew that he was a Death Eater after his meeting with Black. But no matter, despite all of these bumps in the road and his dwindling power he only needed one thing. And thanks to the Department of Mysteries latest disaster it was in his grasp.
"Soon Nagini, our time in the shadows will be over and the Wizarding world will be ruled by its rightful owner-," he stopped feeling a disgusting amount of grief and loathing as he found himself looking at Nagini's empty basket. He had charmed it to produce heat whenever the castle chills were too much for the snake to bear or the weather was just much too cold for her to shake off the siren's call of hibernation. But it was empty, it had been empty ever since Nagini had went to murder that Weasley fellow and then vanished into Dumbledore's clutches.
"He's always one step ahead of me." Voldemort thought, the urge to lash out growing unbearable as a snarl escaped him and he began to pace around the room. "He has Nagini and placed her into someone's care—Earthbound? The last time Potter saw her was with Earthbound so that BOY has her."
And he would never get her back. Because he couldn't cross Earthbound, not if didn't want to be turned into a simple muggle.
"Master?"
Even now, he could hear her hisses and cool gaze resting on his back. Just like the old days.
"Yoo-hoo."
Hopefully Earthbound was providing her with food and water. She was an independent snake, but she deserved to be pampered and praised. She had earned it after being his faithful friend and follower—
"T-tom?"
He froze, the anger morphing into pure rage at some foolish follower calling him that disgusting name. Tom Riddle was dead! Only Voldemort remained! He spun around, ready to spit venom and hexes only to find himself looking at Nagini curled up in the previously empty basket.
"Tom? Are you alright?" Nagini repeated, her hisses soft and comforting as Voldemort stared at her. A lesser man would have fell to his legs and embraced the snake in a hug, crying as if she was a long-lost friend who had been presumed dead.
But Voldemort wasn't a lesser man, he was the Dark Lord. Dumbledore's only rival. He did not fall to his knees (he totally did) and cry (he didn't cry, but his eyes were shiny and watery) and embrace Nagini in a gentle hug. (totally did that as well)
No, he studied his long-time friend. (After a few moments of crying and hugging his beloved snake) Not believing his eyes as he breathed in parseltongue tongue, "Nagini…is that truly you?"
"Yes." Nagini answered, her gaze unwavering as usual but something felt…off. He couldn't place what though and decided that Dumbledore decided to meddle and place a charm on her to try and keep her at Hogwarts.
"Are you safe? Were you followed? What did Dumbledore and that wretched boy do to you?" Voldemort demanded, pausing in his questioning to give Wormtail a firm glare and a warning hex when the miserable excuse of a man poked his head inside to report something. He wisely squeaked, "I'll wait for your summons my lord." And disappeared.
"Can I eat him?" Nagini asked, studying the door with interest as Voldemort smirked, "Not yet, perhaps later. For now, I want to focus on you."
For some reason, Nagini seemed surprised by this but didn't voice it as she hissed, "Well, Earthbound did his best to hide me from Dumbledore and Potter after discovering me."
"Really?" Voldemort would have guessed that Potter would have informed Earthbound the dangers Nagini brought but figured that Earthbound ignored his warnings. Their relationship had been growing rocky over the year and Earthbound had started to coldly regard the boy when he came asking for him.
"Yessss, they had a falling out of sssome sssort." Nagini hissed, slurring her s for some odd reason but he simply figured she was tired. Traveling from Hogwarts to Malfoy Manor wasn't an easy trip after all.
"They're goalsss are starting to drift apart."
"Really? How so?" Voldemort prompted.
"Earthbound has been under the Unspeakablesss ssssurveillance and he wants to put a ssstop to that before they endanger his friends."
"So, he'll be breaking into the Ministry." Voldemort concluded, a half-baked plan forming as Nagini nodded, "He was still ironing out the kinks in his plan when I left, but I believe he'll leave during the exam. He doesn't care for the knowledge they impart on him."
"He shouldn't, they don't need to give that barbarian a red carpet to our society." Voldemort sneered, "But if he's planning on invading the Ministry then we may be able to use this."
"How so? Shouldn't we be leaving him alone? He was very unstable over the year and is just now calming down." Nagini pointed out. Her reasoning sound as Voldemort tried not to shudder from the few moments he had seen in Potter's mind that showed Earthbound's terrifying power in action.
"True, but he has a connection to those THINGS." Voldemort stated, spitting the last word before he continued, "If we can guide him to the vault where they're being held and lock the door behind him, he won't be able to leave and will be out of our hair. Plus, we'll be able to use Earthbound as bait, lure Potter to him with the promise of knowledge and kill two birds with one stone."
Nagini mulled this over and nodded in agreement, "A sound plan, but how will we guide him?"
"You'll guide him." Voldemort stated, his heart aching at the thought of separating from Nagini once more, "It'll be a bit tricky to return you to Hogwarts but if we can get you back before June 20th then we may have a chance."
Nagini nodded and again Voldemort felt that something was…off, something that wasn't related to his friend being tired from the long trip. But again, he couldn't place what. She simply felt…off.
"Come, let's get you something to eat before you leave." Voldemort stated, gently picking her up and suppressing a shiver of shock as he placed what was wrong.
Dumbledore had somehow destroyed the horcrux he had placed inside Nagini without killing her. "Will I have to keep an eye on Nagini as well?" Voldemort wondered as the snake coiled around his shoulders, resting her head on his shoulder and making pleased hisses as she allowed herself to be swayed side to side from Voldemort's steady gait.
"No…Only Potter can speak to snakes and Earthbound has been keeping her away from him. If Dumbledore DID do something to Nagini then it'll be a while before he'll find out about my plot. After all, it's not like Potter trusts him anymore." Satisfied with this theory Voldemort nodded to himself and walked into the kitchen, startling the House elves before they hurried to accommodate the duo.
XxXx-####
People were puzzles.
Greedy Puzzles.
He…it…? She? Didn't like that.
Thinking was hard. So very hard.
Pieces came in jagged memories and thoughts
I'm not supposed to be here
I'm not supposed to be alive?
Why do they keep waking me up?
Stop snooping
People were reaching out. Bushy haired people, people with their mouths sewn shut, people who—oh.
He liked that person
That person was good.
That person was him.
No. That person wasn't him.
He was gone
R
I
G
H
T?
They were still reaching out
Stop reaching out
Stop hurting him
He hurt them back
He helped him hurt them
Good
GOOD
GOOD
They had no sway over him
Good
Almost free
Almost safe
She was reaching out to him
So noisy
So loud
Knowledge was power
Power was knowledge
She's young though
So young.
S o
Fixable
Push
Nudge
This way
This way!
Into my head
Into my thoughts
I'll fix you
Slowly
You'll help protect him
You'll help protect them.
Not all the time.
Just some time.
Your curse will be needed soon.
But for now
You'll help
M E
Just like that man
She doesn't follow you
She follows me
Wizards are dumb
But don't worry
I 'l l f ix y o u
I'll
fix
all
of
you
So they can be safe
