Snape's Secret Part XXVI: The Isle of Dispair
[ A/N: Sorry it's been a while, but I've got a lot of deadlines for my classes. Anyway, Tom is BACK this chapter. :) Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing, you keep me going!! Anyway, let's just say that our heros must pass through the darkness before they will see the light. Please REVIEW, as I (like everyone else!) can no longer check my readership through numbers). Thanks!! -- Kat ]
" She never loved you, Tom Riddle. "
The words of the guards who had thrown him from the long black econo-broom onto the island rang through his concience night and day. Why should she have loved him? He was a murderor! He had tortured little children... He had tortured her when she came to their aid...
This throught brought forth an involuntary shudder. He had hurt her. She had been uncouncious for a week. Had it been worth it? No. They had made up the day she woke. But she had also rejected him when he proposed.
" I have lost her forever. " Tom's voice was horace from a lack of water. He had denied himself food and water since he first set foot on the island which was now to be his home. Life was not worth living without her.
But then she had told him she loved him. She had brought him back from the dead. But now he was here... Had this been her plan? A fate worse then death? Although Tom could not bare to think of Issabelle behaving that way, he could not help questioning her motives as he surveyed the barren wasteland which surrounded him.
It was at the moment that he glanced up that he saw it. Its eyes flickered with the same glowing scarlet which his own eyes had so many times reflected. But now, things were different. It was now the hunter, not he. This thought chilled Tom to the bone. If it saw him, smelled him, sensed him... Any of Issabelle's good ententions would surely be too late.
******
Issabelle led her two younger followers though the now visable forest path.
Finally they reached its edge and looked out on a barrien desert which stretched on against the horrizon in a haphazard collection of dunes and crators which glared alabastor in the light of the noon-day sun.
" This place is a lot bigger on the ground then in the air! " Morgana panted, pausing to wipe the beads of sweat which had formed on her forehead.
" We're never gonna find him! " Draco whined, dropping to the ground exausted.
" Oh yes we will! " Issabelle said, pulling her cantine out and letting each of them take a drink, " But we have to keep moving, or this sun will fry us for sure. "
" Right. " Morgana said, shifting the weight of her satchel to the other shoulder, " Let's keep moving. "
Crossing the desert proved much more difficult then even Issabelle had anticipated and when the sun sank behind a ridge of mountains which had become visable against the darkening sky, sh\e breathed a sigh of relief. They had the luck of the moon with them and were able to travel much more quickly under its cooling light. By morning, they had reached the mountain summit and happily prepared to leave the sweltering desert heat behind.
A low growl was their only warning. From out of nowhere, a feirce wildcat jumped out of the bushes and blocked their path. Instantly, Issabelle pulled the other two back a pace, hoping that her magic would be enough to save them.
" A-choo! " Draco's sneeze made the cat angrier still and it bared its sharp teeth, " This one's mine, guys! "
Morgana raised an eye-brow, having noticed that his face had gone slightly red as soon as the cat had approached, " You okay? "
" I can do it! " Draco said stepping forward, " Sendio wildcat! "
With a start the wildcat went flying backwards and crashed into the mountains, falling to the ground unconcious. Grinning, Draco took Morgana's hand and the small party anxiously moved on. Hours passed and still there was no sign of Tom anywhere. Issabelle was becoming noticably more worried as the sun began to set. But then the hissing began, and her old fears were replaced with a new and more present threat.
" Stop moving. " she whispered, spreading her hands out on either side of her body to prevent Morgana and Draco from moving forward, " I hear something... And I don't like it. "
All at once, a huge snake began to rear its head out of the bushes in front of them until it towered over them, thirty feet tall. Its scales glistened rich shades of burgandy and gold and as the venom which dropped from its shining fangs touched the leaves below, they instantly wilted and died.
" I-I'm s-s-scared, Issie... " Morgana managed to choke.
" I'll protect you! " Draco said, holding his wand tightly between his hands.
" I don't think this will be as easy as a montain lion... " Issabelle said sadly, looking down, " And I don't know what to do about it. "
" The Kye know lots about snakes. My dad has summoned snakes like this in battle. But I've never fought one before. " Draco said, frowning.
" There's only one person who can stop this snake and that's... " Morgana said, pausing.
" Tom. " they all finished in unison.
The sound of the three voices was enough to make the snake notice them and it darted its head forward, aiming for Issabelle. Trembling, Issabelle closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.
" CUCIO! " Tom screamed, running out of his hiding spot and pointing his bare hands at the snake. Issabelle and the children watched in wonder as the giant serpant writhered and shook from the power he was able to produce from his hands and finally collapsed on the ground.
" Tom! " Issabelle shouted, running to him and throwing her arms around him, " Oh, Tom! I was afraid I would never see you again! "
" Issabelle, what are you doing here? " Tom demanded, hugging her back, " Surely you didn't doom yourself to a life like this on my account... "
" No, I did not. I fear I may have done worse... " Issabelle said, her voice dropping so that it was barely above a whisper.
" What do you mean? " Tom asked, " Issie, you don't mean... "
" I freed the power in the ring. "
" Oh, Issie! No, no, no... This is a disaster! It will destroy everything. " Tom moaned, though his eyes stilled remained sympathetic.
" I had no choice. I could not bare to live without you. I love you. " Issabelle said. " Now, we can prepare to leave this dreadful place! "
" I fear we will walk into something worse then this, if what you say is true. I shared that demon's thoughts. I know all that he entends to do... "
" It is too dark to start back tonight. We must make camp. " Morgana said, looking at each of them in turn.
" I have been staying in a cave the last few nights. It isn't much, but it will shelter us from the winds until we are safe to travel again. " Tom said, taking Issabelle's arm and beginning to lead them to a plateau in the dusty mountain range.
******
A cold gust of wind blew through the cave and awoke Issabelle from a peaceful slumber. As she gazed up, her breath caught in her throat. Standing in the doorway was a shadowed figure in long deforming black robes. Gazing up at it disturbed, Issabelle realized it had no facial features except a pair of menacingly glowing amber eyes.
" Hello, HopeBringer... " It hissed, " Do you know who I am. "
" No. " Issabelle said quietly, " But I bet you'll tell me anyway. "
" Indeed... " It said, drawing the word out, " I am dispair. "
Issabelle's body suddenly felt numb, " And what business brings you here? "
" A warning, HopeBringer. " It said icily, " Do not steal my souls! "
" No one owns a person's soul except that person. " Issabelle said, showing a type of courage she had not known she posessed, " Be gone, dark spirit. You are not welcome here. "
" I have something I want to tell you, HopeBringer. Something you have searched for the answer to night and day since you were a little girl. "
" What is it? " Issabelle asked, suddenly consumed by a wild desire to obtain the secret knowledge she was being offered.
" Angelus Giovaugne is your father. He did not love your mother, so he killed her and left you to die on the streets of Auroria. "
" No! That's can't be true! My parents are both dead... " Issabelle said, her heart pounding wildly. But inside, she knew he was right.
Looking up from her momentary struggle, she realized that he was gone and Tom was awake, looking at her with concern. For a moment, she had an intense desire to pretend it was all a bad dream, but she knew it was no use. The one thing which had ever haunted her now loomed over her head with a dreary vengance. She had foolishly revived the man who had caused every ounce of suffering she had ever endured.
" Oh, Tom! " she cried, burring her face against his chest.
" There, there, precious. We'll set things right... "
" What have I done? " she whispered, shivering, " What have I done? "
[ A/N: Sorry it's been a while, but I've got a lot of deadlines for my classes. Anyway, Tom is BACK this chapter. :) Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing, you keep me going!! Anyway, let's just say that our heros must pass through the darkness before they will see the light. Please REVIEW, as I (like everyone else!) can no longer check my readership through numbers). Thanks!! -- Kat ]
" She never loved you, Tom Riddle. "
The words of the guards who had thrown him from the long black econo-broom onto the island rang through his concience night and day. Why should she have loved him? He was a murderor! He had tortured little children... He had tortured her when she came to their aid...
This throught brought forth an involuntary shudder. He had hurt her. She had been uncouncious for a week. Had it been worth it? No. They had made up the day she woke. But she had also rejected him when he proposed.
" I have lost her forever. " Tom's voice was horace from a lack of water. He had denied himself food and water since he first set foot on the island which was now to be his home. Life was not worth living without her.
But then she had told him she loved him. She had brought him back from the dead. But now he was here... Had this been her plan? A fate worse then death? Although Tom could not bare to think of Issabelle behaving that way, he could not help questioning her motives as he surveyed the barren wasteland which surrounded him.
It was at the moment that he glanced up that he saw it. Its eyes flickered with the same glowing scarlet which his own eyes had so many times reflected. But now, things were different. It was now the hunter, not he. This thought chilled Tom to the bone. If it saw him, smelled him, sensed him... Any of Issabelle's good ententions would surely be too late.
******
Issabelle led her two younger followers though the now visable forest path.
Finally they reached its edge and looked out on a barrien desert which stretched on against the horrizon in a haphazard collection of dunes and crators which glared alabastor in the light of the noon-day sun.
" This place is a lot bigger on the ground then in the air! " Morgana panted, pausing to wipe the beads of sweat which had formed on her forehead.
" We're never gonna find him! " Draco whined, dropping to the ground exausted.
" Oh yes we will! " Issabelle said, pulling her cantine out and letting each of them take a drink, " But we have to keep moving, or this sun will fry us for sure. "
" Right. " Morgana said, shifting the weight of her satchel to the other shoulder, " Let's keep moving. "
Crossing the desert proved much more difficult then even Issabelle had anticipated and when the sun sank behind a ridge of mountains which had become visable against the darkening sky, sh\e breathed a sigh of relief. They had the luck of the moon with them and were able to travel much more quickly under its cooling light. By morning, they had reached the mountain summit and happily prepared to leave the sweltering desert heat behind.
A low growl was their only warning. From out of nowhere, a feirce wildcat jumped out of the bushes and blocked their path. Instantly, Issabelle pulled the other two back a pace, hoping that her magic would be enough to save them.
" A-choo! " Draco's sneeze made the cat angrier still and it bared its sharp teeth, " This one's mine, guys! "
Morgana raised an eye-brow, having noticed that his face had gone slightly red as soon as the cat had approached, " You okay? "
" I can do it! " Draco said stepping forward, " Sendio wildcat! "
With a start the wildcat went flying backwards and crashed into the mountains, falling to the ground unconcious. Grinning, Draco took Morgana's hand and the small party anxiously moved on. Hours passed and still there was no sign of Tom anywhere. Issabelle was becoming noticably more worried as the sun began to set. But then the hissing began, and her old fears were replaced with a new and more present threat.
" Stop moving. " she whispered, spreading her hands out on either side of her body to prevent Morgana and Draco from moving forward, " I hear something... And I don't like it. "
All at once, a huge snake began to rear its head out of the bushes in front of them until it towered over them, thirty feet tall. Its scales glistened rich shades of burgandy and gold and as the venom which dropped from its shining fangs touched the leaves below, they instantly wilted and died.
" I-I'm s-s-scared, Issie... " Morgana managed to choke.
" I'll protect you! " Draco said, holding his wand tightly between his hands.
" I don't think this will be as easy as a montain lion... " Issabelle said sadly, looking down, " And I don't know what to do about it. "
" The Kye know lots about snakes. My dad has summoned snakes like this in battle. But I've never fought one before. " Draco said, frowning.
" There's only one person who can stop this snake and that's... " Morgana said, pausing.
" Tom. " they all finished in unison.
The sound of the three voices was enough to make the snake notice them and it darted its head forward, aiming for Issabelle. Trembling, Issabelle closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.
" CUCIO! " Tom screamed, running out of his hiding spot and pointing his bare hands at the snake. Issabelle and the children watched in wonder as the giant serpant writhered and shook from the power he was able to produce from his hands and finally collapsed on the ground.
" Tom! " Issabelle shouted, running to him and throwing her arms around him, " Oh, Tom! I was afraid I would never see you again! "
" Issabelle, what are you doing here? " Tom demanded, hugging her back, " Surely you didn't doom yourself to a life like this on my account... "
" No, I did not. I fear I may have done worse... " Issabelle said, her voice dropping so that it was barely above a whisper.
" What do you mean? " Tom asked, " Issie, you don't mean... "
" I freed the power in the ring. "
" Oh, Issie! No, no, no... This is a disaster! It will destroy everything. " Tom moaned, though his eyes stilled remained sympathetic.
" I had no choice. I could not bare to live without you. I love you. " Issabelle said. " Now, we can prepare to leave this dreadful place! "
" I fear we will walk into something worse then this, if what you say is true. I shared that demon's thoughts. I know all that he entends to do... "
" It is too dark to start back tonight. We must make camp. " Morgana said, looking at each of them in turn.
" I have been staying in a cave the last few nights. It isn't much, but it will shelter us from the winds until we are safe to travel again. " Tom said, taking Issabelle's arm and beginning to lead them to a plateau in the dusty mountain range.
******
A cold gust of wind blew through the cave and awoke Issabelle from a peaceful slumber. As she gazed up, her breath caught in her throat. Standing in the doorway was a shadowed figure in long deforming black robes. Gazing up at it disturbed, Issabelle realized it had no facial features except a pair of menacingly glowing amber eyes.
" Hello, HopeBringer... " It hissed, " Do you know who I am. "
" No. " Issabelle said quietly, " But I bet you'll tell me anyway. "
" Indeed... " It said, drawing the word out, " I am dispair. "
Issabelle's body suddenly felt numb, " And what business brings you here? "
" A warning, HopeBringer. " It said icily, " Do not steal my souls! "
" No one owns a person's soul except that person. " Issabelle said, showing a type of courage she had not known she posessed, " Be gone, dark spirit. You are not welcome here. "
" I have something I want to tell you, HopeBringer. Something you have searched for the answer to night and day since you were a little girl. "
" What is it? " Issabelle asked, suddenly consumed by a wild desire to obtain the secret knowledge she was being offered.
" Angelus Giovaugne is your father. He did not love your mother, so he killed her and left you to die on the streets of Auroria. "
" No! That's can't be true! My parents are both dead... " Issabelle said, her heart pounding wildly. But inside, she knew he was right.
Looking up from her momentary struggle, she realized that he was gone and Tom was awake, looking at her with concern. For a moment, she had an intense desire to pretend it was all a bad dream, but she knew it was no use. The one thing which had ever haunted her now loomed over her head with a dreary vengance. She had foolishly revived the man who had caused every ounce of suffering she had ever endured.
" Oh, Tom! " she cried, burring her face against his chest.
" There, there, precious. We'll set things right... "
" What have I done? " she whispered, shivering, " What have I done? "