The living nightmare continued. Voldemort took hold of Harry's slim, pink, wrist and forced it up like a butcher would a piglet, or a slave-owner would to present his bondsman to an eerily-joyful company. Harry struggled, but he couldn't break the hold. Voldemort's cheshire smile and the chill of the night made Harry shudder.
"My dear friends, I have here, The Boy Who Lived, soon to be my most loyal death eater."
"No!" Harry yelled and tried to wrench his hand.
Voldemort ignored him and continued "Who among you is worthy enough to be Harry's mentor, shaping him like clay, endearing him to our most noble cause…"
"Let me, my Lord. I will help little baby Potter. A few Crucios ought to do the trick," the deranged beauty, Bellatrix Black exclaimed while clapping her hands.
Before Voldemort could speak, Severus Snape stepped up. "My Lord, I don't believe something so delicate as Potter's conversion should be left in the hands of someone like Bellatrix. I know Potter personally. Allow me some time with him…"
Voldemort smiled and declared "A duel shall pronounce the victor," With that terrifying statement he dragged a resisting Harry, away from the middle of the circle.
In stepped Severus, elegantly and purposefully.
Bellatrix smirked, cartwheeled into the fighting ring, landing swiftly on her feet, before making 'come at me' gestures with her finger.
Severus raised an eyebrow. That was all it took for Bellatrix to shout "Crucio!". Severus however stood his ground and chanted rapidly "Protego!"
Harry didn't know whom to root for, after all, all options looked bad. At least Bellatrix wouldn't give him a detention.
Bellatrix and Snape started circling each other, looking like two crafty predators, about to have a serious scruffle. However one could see that while Bellatrix was amused, Severus only showed an iron will on his face.
The moonlight illuminated the two opponents, basking them in its beautiful rays. Bellatrix ran towards him at full speed, shouting "Confrigo!", Severus managed to duck the exploding curse this time, landing quite painfully on his knees. Yet scrapped, bloody knees were the least of his problems to him, so he quickly got up, not even wincing.
This time he took the offensive, while the witch was laughing at his misfortune.
"Expelliarmus!"
Bellatrix moved quickly out of the way of the spell.
"Is that all you can do, Snape? Expelliarmus?" she mocked.
"I seem to remember you using much complicated, darker spells yet still not winning? Are you feeling off today?"
"Are you on your period?" a juvenile, idiot of a death eater inquired.
"Concerned about my health?" she asked while putting a hand on her heart.
"I wouldn't want an illness to do you in before I get to you," Severus answered.
Bellatrix scoffed before chanting "Petrificus Totalus!"
"Protego!"
Then an array of spells and curses were cast, quickly, one after the other, starting from Bellatrix.
"Expulso!"
"Protego!, Furnunculus!"
"Protego! Incendio!"
"Aguamenti!"
The duel went on, for at least thirty minutes. It only stopped when Severus began to make the wand movements for Incendio, with Bellatrix thinking he was doing wordless magic and started to shout the countercharm "Aguamenti " again.
Unfortunately for her, she didn't get past "Agua-", as the beginning of Severus's wand movements were only a ruse, he quickly let his wand down and nonverbally used the spell "Obscuro!"
While Bellatrix was blinded he quickly cast an "Expelliarmus!", knocking her down, her wand flying out of her hand.
Voldemort smiled while whispering to Harry "Isn't it nice, Harry? Your new handler is your favorite potions professor."
'Yeah. Everyone's dream,' Harry thought sarcastically.
Voldemort stepped into the middle of the circle, half-dragging Harry, while Bellatrix was being helped by her husband Rodolphus who used the countercharm for "Obscuro" while helping his wife to sit up and find her wand. He was also passively glaring at Severus.
"A fine duel, Severus," The Dark Lord congratulated him "Harry Potter is yours to handle."
Severus bowed and took hold of the frightened child, guiding him towards a nearby hideout which worked as a sort of fortress. The inside was macabre, and the walls were in Slytherin color, forest green, and sparkling silver, There was a large, looming chandelier, adorned with diamonds. They quickly went up a flight of stairs into a simple-looking room.
He closed the door behind him, muttered "Muffliato", turned towards Harry and said, "Potter what the hell happened to you?"
Harry was scared and distrustful of his potions professor. But he was also agonizing internally and wanting to vent, to scream…a shoulder to cry on.
"Professor, I, I don't remember," Harry babbled.
"Dammit, Potter, you shouldn't remember what you ate yesterday for breakfast, not what happened these past three weeks."
"I don't think I've had breakfast, professor. I'm starving," He admitted while rolling his eyes.
Snape rubbed his temples, looking puzzlingly at the dark mark, still not quite computing the fact that it was placed on the hand of an innocent child with a saving-people thing.
Harry saw where Snape's look had wondered and said "I didn't take it willingly, Professor. You have to believe me! Even Voldemort said so!"
"Potter…I believe you," Severus.
"What should we do, Snape? Do we have a portkey to go back to Hogwarts?"
"Unfortunately, not. And even with a portkey, once you left, the Dark Lord could cause you immeasurable pain through the dark mark, eventually giving you the same fate as Longbottom's parents, I'm afraid."
"But, then how are we going to escape?" Harry asked.
"I don't know, Mr. Potter. I truly don't know," Severus responded.
"Great," Harry said while crossing his arms.
"Potter we have to play this really carefully. We don't have the advantage so for now, try to be respectful to the Dark Lord and his followers. Just until we find a solution, do not break rules or cause fights."
"Why do you always single me out? I wouldn't do that" Harry said softly.
Severus shook his head and said "My role as a spy also hangs in the balance of your act now, Mr. Potter. If you do not pretend to act respectfully, they might question my loyalties. He who must not be named might also give you to another death eater to help your 'conversion'. Potter, do everything I say."
"Fine," Harry said reluctantly.
The dark grandfather clock, sitting in the middle of Severus's room showed that it was dinner time. Severus guided Harry to the dining room.
Harry went inside the room where pictures of several muggles, all guillotined or experimented on, were shown on the walls. Talk about killing his appetite. Harry observed the death eaters at the long table, and concluded that the inner circle must all be here.
He took a seat next to Severus and couldn't help but notice that no one was eating yet, most likely waiting for Voldemort.
Bellatrix was, unfortunately, right in front of him.
"Baby Potter! Sad we didn't get to have our mentor-mentee relationship?"
"Not particularly, no," Harry answered.
"No? You must not like pain. Neither did Sirius, your godfather."
Harry's hands tightened, shaking in rage.
"Remember dear cousin Sirius?" She asked between laughter "He died like a disgusting, mudblood lover should. I only regret not causing him more pain."
"You bitch!" Harry said while getting on the table and trying to strangle Bellatrix.
He was stopped by Severus who, for the sake of his cover, and for Harry not getting mauled by Voldemort for harming his most loyal, held him back.
"Hmm, why so sad, little boy?" she asked mockingly.
"Why so insane, Bellatrix? Never heard of psychiatric help?" Harry retorted.
"Hold your tongue, boy. Unless you want me to cut it out," retorted Rodolphus Lestrange, Bella's husband who sat near her.
"I realize that truth hurts, Rodolphus, but there's no need to threaten Mr. Potter over it," Snape chimed in, taking hold of Harry's hand and squeezing it in support.
Rodolphus's reply was cut short with the arrival of Voldemort with Nagini in tow. He sat at the head of the table, looking jubilantly at every death eater, including Harry.
Lucius Malfoy watched the proceeding events and said, without caring one bit about Bellatrix "My Lord, it appears Potter is in dire need of soap to wash his mouth, he called my sister-in-law an appalling name ."
"It wasn't false, was it? And speaking of washing products, Lucius, I'm curious, do you take more than five hours to wash your hair?"
"Why, Potter, you must have noticed my lusciousness and sparkling clean locks,"
"More like your girly hair and ginormous ego," Harry said, then smirked "Did you know that over shampooing makes it dry?"
Lucius tried to look indifferent while seething on the inside, and was about to make a comment on Harry's bird-nest hair.
Voldemort watched the spectacle in an indulgent manner, his eyes never leaving Harry.
"You've insulted Bellatrix, Harry Potter? Severus, make the child behave," Voldemort said, red-wine eyes dancing slightly.
"Harry, apologize," Severus told him.
"SORRY!" Harry spat out venomously.
From Bella's right, Fenrir Grayback, the infamous werewolf said mockingly "What an obedient little pup."
Harry observed the civilized manner in which Fenrir ate, his respect for Voldemort and his fear of him , all showing in his submission, even though he would have liked nothing else than infect everyone in this room
"So said the 'ferocious' werewolf, while bowing down to a madman, being tame as a kitten."
Fenrir growled.
"My Lord, clearly Snape isn't doing his duty, let me teach him a lesson," he insisted.
"Do you want to be a werewolf, child? I have heard the transformation is thoroughly…painful." Voldemort asked sweetly.
"No," Harry grumbled.
"Then apologize," he said while tilting his head, and smiling slightly.
"Sorry, you're phobic to the truth, Grayback."
Voldemort laughed.
Antonin Dolohov chimed in "The correct term is alethophobic"
Voldemort shook his head, being a bit exasperated with Antonin's expertise in phobias, muggle medicine and dark creatures.
Harry tried to get back to his food, lamb chops with spinach, yet he couldn't. He found himself examining the death eaters. Many of them stared back at him and one of them winked,
Corban Yaxley interrupted the silence "Is Fenrir really alethophobic, or is he merely in denial about being so tame, losing his edge."
Fenrir enraged, got out of his seat, intent on murder.
"Enough!" Voldemort said, " This is what the dueling room is for, not battling at the breakfast table over a few childish japes."
"Besides," he said while grinning "Think about what ghastly impression are you making to Harry Potter here!"
Harry was forced to attend the duel. They gathered in a wide arena, looking a bit Spartan in appearance. The seats looked like a colosseum, there was a certain lack of pink in the room that would have given Umbridge a heart attack. Harry liked it. Once again he sat with Severus, who was looking at him like a parent would recalcitrant child.
Out of the blue two Amycus and his younger sister, Alecto sat uncomfortably near Harry.
"You don't mind, do you Potter?" Amycus asked.
"Oh, no. I'm used to pests," Harry replied, thinking on his spider-infested cupboard at his relatives' house. He misses it and he even misses Dudley right now.
"I'm sure you are, " Amycus responded and Harry felt like he was looking right into his soul, trying to pry his secrets. He quickly looked away.
The duel began but Harry couldn't concentrate on it because of Amycus's comments "Fenrir is violent and more physically powerful. Plus he is immune to most spells. On the other hand, Yaxley is quick with a wand…"
"Had to be, to make up for his lack of lasting long and his monotony," Alecto added, while crossing her legs.
Harry understood the meaning of her words and blushed bright red.
He averted his eyes, Alecto continued joking.
"Dear sister, you are forgetting Corban's most useful ability"
"Shutting up?" She asked and Harry suppressed a snort.
All of a sudden Voldemort entered the room, not batting an eyelash about the two duelists, looking at Severus, who understood what he meant as he scooped a bit away from Harry to make room for Voldemort on the bench.
"How do you like the proceeding events Harry?" Voldemort asked, interested.
"It's a lousy show. I want my money back" Harry says, feigning disinterest.
It took a while but Fenrir finally managed to have Corban into a chokehold, choking the life out of him.
Harry's felt goose bombs around him
"Stop, you're killing him!" he shouted.
"I'm surprised, Harry. I thought you wanted to kill all of the mean old death eaters," Voldemort asked mockingly.
"Let him have a fair trial, give him the dementor's kiss if he deserves it. This is just…senseless cruelty."
"Say please, my Lord," Voldemort instructed him.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Please, my Lord," The Dark Lord repeated as if talking to an imbecile.
"No need to call me Lord, Tom," Harry responded.
"My Lord, forgive him, he didn't mean that. Apologize, Potter!" Snape hissed.
"No," Harry answered.
Voldemort glared then took hold of Harry's left arm, dragged him to someplace dark and said "I see a lesson in respect is in order."