I was not sure how long I had sat in that chair, all I was aware of was that the hot steaming tea that Snape had conjured up for me lay stone cold and untouched. When I felt as though the sobs had finished and that I had regained composure I stood and aimed to make a beeline for my bedroom. The feeling of grieving was quickly replaced with humiliation at the prospect of being so emotional in front of Bellatrix and Snape. As I hurriedly turned the corner to reach the hallway where my bedroom was located I was astonished to find Draco sat on the floor outside my bedroom. As I approached he stood and a groove of his butt in the plush rug was apparent, signifying that he had been sat there for quite some time. "Draco… what are you doing here?"
"Your father… he requested that I check on you, Bellatrix reported to him what she saw." I inwardly cringe.
"Well as you can see I'm fine." I say curtly and try to reach around him to open my door. He stops me and takes my hand.
"No you're not, you nose is all red from crying and your eyes are puffy, you are not fooling anyone." He states in a soothing tone. One he had not used on me before.
"I'm just embarrassed, I kind of want to be alone right now."
"That's the thing, I wasn't just sent to check on you, I was sent to fetch you. Your father wants an audience with you and every one of his most loyal followers." I feel another lump form in my throat but understand there's no avoiding this.
I agree to go and request a moment to freshen up, in my bathroom I noticed how truly sad I looked, I splash my face with cold water and reminisce about my Hogwarts days, trying to pull happy memories to the forefront of my mind in the hopes it will make me look less like a sad little girl. I think of Fred and me putting exploding poppers in Ron's porridge and laughing so hard when it exploded in his face that I fell in between the gaps of the bench and table in a heap of laughter. I remember Harry and my racing our brooms and feeling the wind whip my hair so fast against my back it hurt, but in a good way, then I remember having to eat Neville's failed potion of the day as a consequence of losing to Harry in the race. I look into the mirror and see a genuine smile on my face. There, I look more presentable already.
When I existed the room Draco stands from leaning on the wall. "Shall we go." I nod and wordlessly I fall into step beside him. When we reach the hall I hesitate opening the door, again I am greeted by the metal basalisk and do not want to feel it wrap its cold dead body around my hand. Thankfully Draco reaches around me and opens the door for me. I give a thankful nod and we part ways on entry, he sits between his parents, I sit beside my father.
Voldemort smiles at me and pats my hand in what would be a loving way, if not for the fact he wanted to eradicate half the wizarding world. "Aria dear, I sent Bellatrix on a mission earlier, when I sent her on this mission I meant for her to leave the grounds and investigate as to who stole your mother from us. What I did not anticipate was that she would dive into your thoughts and see the horrifying scene of your mother being murdered by non other than my own." I gasp audibly.
"Your own?" I stammer.
"Yes, a while ago I sent out my own men to find you, for I wanted nothing more than my dear daughter to be back by my side, for your mother to return to me, I would forgive her treachery and together we would raise you to be the dark heir." I tried so hard to make myself smile before to look presentable but I felt that front slipping slowly.
"I did not expect when I heard the news of her demise it was due my own men killing her." I inhale sharply at his blunt manner of speaking.
"Do not fret child, you may not have recognised him but when Bellatrix saw that day in your mind, she knew instantly who that was." I don't say anything as Voldemort snaps his fingers and a cage manifests itself on the floor before us. Inside is a man with a cloth tied around his mouth and with cuts all over his face and hands. At the bottom of his cage lays a pool of his own blood that he sat in. He whimpers in the presence of all these people.
Voldemort takes my hand and leads me towards the caged man. "This is Samwell Ackerton, he was the man who killed your mother, and took away my precious Melriva." I shudder as I hear the evil creature before me state my mothers name. "I present him to you so you can enact your revenge. I believe it was the cruciatus curse that he first used on her." I stare at him and despite being filled with rage beyond belief I cannot bring myself to use the curse. "Go on my child, it is not often you get to revenge a dead parent."
The man before me starts sobbing. "Please Miss Riddle, it was an accident, I didn't mean to kill her, and I only tortured her so I could bring you back to your father, it was not for my own enjoyment, please you have to believe me please spare me." I watched him whimper and sob and yet I still couldn't bring myself to use the curse.
"I shall demonstrate child, then you shall copy as I do." Voldemort states bluntly, no longer playing the role of a father comforting their child. Wordlessly he begins to torture the man and he screams and writes in pain I hold back tears, aware that over a dozen pair of eyes watch me and my next move.
I want to hurt this man, really I do but I cannot bring myself to use this curse. Voldemort stops and faces me. "My child, I will not ask again, take you revenge."
I know I'm ignoring my father before all his followers and if I continue to do so the consequences would be catastrophic. I whimper inwardly and point my wand towards the man. I hold my wand and utter "Crucio" torturing the man.
"Please miss, Please." He begs between screams and I have to bite down to stop myself from sobbing.
"Yes Aria, a natural, now you may kill him." I gasp and look to him to shake my head. "Dear, it's not hard, here, I'll show you. Avada kedavra." Voldemort shouts. There's a flash of green and instantaneously every candle in the room blows out. The silence in the room is so thick it was almost tangible. My 'father' flicks his wand and all of the candles unanimously light. I look to the cage and there crumpled over is Samwell Ackerton. I take a step back and fight the urge to run. "Next time, I shall let you try." There's more silence before Bellatrix starts laughing from somewhere in the shadows. She comes up to me and gathers me in a hug.
"How fun." She says into my hair. When she takes a step back she breathily says "Your welcome." When I don't smile back she continues. "For bringing Samwell to you. He would have gone the rest of his life running from the fact he betrayed the dark lord."
I feel so stunned by the events of the evening I cannot bring any emotion to my face. Instead I turn to Voldemort. "Father, may I retire to my room, I have a lot to think about."
"Of course dear child, I shall have Draco escort you." Wordlessly Draco stands from between his parents and pulls me towards the door by my elbow.
The walk to my room is silent, I didn't want to speak and Draco didn't want to force me to. When we reach my room I open the door and without turning back close the door on him. I know for a while he stood there. I could see his shadow peeking in through light of the hallway. When I finally see his footsteps shuffle away I curl into a ball under covers and cry, I wale like a baby searching for it's mother except I was searching for my mother. I cry into the night long and hard until my throat is sore, I cry for my mother, I cry for my last shred of innocence gone after torturing a man, I cry because I'm glad that man is dead, I'm glad he suffered and finally I cry because I want to with my friends.