"I Can't Let You Love Me" Chapter 7



It didn't take long for Lucius Malfoy to come for Phoebe. She doubted it would, one way or another. She knew she would "check out." She had no real connection to Dumbledore outside of her relationship to him as both student and teacher. Her parents had been cruel and evil Bastards so it wouldn't be hard for Voldemort or Malfoy to fathom her affinity for the Dark Side. Her parents would finally do her a favor by providing plausible motivation for her to want to be the one administering the pain rather than the one receiving it.

She received an owl the next evening with a note instructing her to meet Lucius Malfoy in the Forbidden Forest at midnight. For the first time she allowed herself to feel the cold thrill of fear but then ruthlessly pushed the fear away with the cold hand of experience. Snape was avoiding her and that suited her just fine. She simply needed to get through the day...



Malfoy's skin and hair glowed eerily in the thin beam of light from Phoebe's wand.

"The Dark Lord is intrigued by your offer," he said.

"Good. When shall I bring Snape to you?"

"Not so fast, not so fast. Our lord still believes Snape to be both loyal and useful."

Phoebe snorted but said nothing, carefully gauging Malfoy's behavior.

"If you wish to serve the Dark Lord, you will learn not to question him. If he feels Snape has his uses here it is not for us to judge. Do you understand?"

Phoebe narrowed her eyes slightly then lowered her head, "Yes. I understand."

"Your study of ancient runes and languages makes you quite useful to our lord for he desires to gain more knowledge of the old magic. But," He said raising a hand, "He will not remove you from Hogwarts just yet."

"What?!" Phoebe hissed, concentrating on being indignant.

"Having two Death Eaters keeping an eye on Dumbledore AND one another is too good an arrangement to pass up."

"He intends to leave me here? He expects me to feign loyalty to the champion of Mudbloods and Muggles?" Phoebe said, letting a horrified note enter her voice.

"YES I DO." The voice was not Malfoys but a higher, colder one coming from the trees somewhere behind him. Phoebe narrowed her eyes and scanned the dark trees, finally spotting the reflection of .... red eyes. They moved and a thin yet imposing figure began to emerge and move into the circle of wandlight. Lord Voldemort. Phoebe felt a chill run up her spine as she felt a thrill of fear. Almost too late she quashed the feeling and concentrated on how she should feel. Thrilled, yes thrilled. A little frightened perhaps, but thrilled and excited. Yes.

"My Lord," she breathed as his horrific snake-like face moved into the wandlight.

"Walk with me," Voldemort intoned imperiously as he swept off into the heart of the forest without bothering to light his wand. The place Malfoy had chosen for their meeting was on the very edge of the grounds of Hogwarts so that it took little time to emerge from them into the surrounding countryside. As soon as they were a distance away from the grounds Voldemort stopped and turned, waiting.

When Malfoy and Phoebe stopped next to him he swung his wand and the countryside around Phoebe dissapeared.



Back at the castle Ron Weasley, Dean, Seamus, and Neville had just managed to shake Harry Potter back into consciousness. Harry's hand's flew to his scar and he pressed his forehead as if he were fighting to keep it from splitting wide open.

"The Scar," he said hoarsely, struggling to speak, "Pain. Bad. Passed out."

The boys who shared his dorm didn't need to be told. Harry had awoken them with a blood curdling scream just before falling, unconscious from his bed.

"Dumbledore," Harry continued, "Tell Dumbledore. Quick."

Ron stood. "Dean, Seamus, stay with Harry. Neville, go get Madam Pomfrey. I'm going to get Dumbledore."

As he moved toward the door it flew open to admit Fred and George followed closely by Professor McGonagall and Hermione Granger. Fred and George insisted on helping Harry to the hospital wing while Ron ran to get word to Dumbledore to meet Harry there. A grim faced McGonagall ordered Harry's dorm mates to bed before she turned to walk with Fred, George, and Harry. She wasn't letting Harry out of her sight. Neither was Hermione.

It seemed clear to Dumbledore that Voldemort had been very near... perhaps even on the grounds. Although it also seemed clear, based on the considerable reduction of pain in Harry's scar, that he was no longer present. Still, Dumbledore insisted on a search of the grounds and castle.

The faculty were roused to assist Hagrid and Flitwick in this task. It was then Severus Snape realized they had another, very serious problem. Professor Taylor was missing and he had a horrible sick feeling there was a connection between Voldemort's brief appearance and her sudden absence.