Authors note: A ray of hope. I put off working on this chapter for a couple
of days, because I wasn't sure what to do with it. (Still not sure…don't
tell!) But since I just got kicked off the Internet, and since I've got
nothing better (or worse) to do, here goes nothing! I'm also going to try
and inject a bit of humor into this chapter. All in very bad taste, I'm
sure, but I've just taken a look at a couple of lines I wrote (after
reading a really hilarious fanfic…) and realized that I'm going to have to
admit it, they were feeble jokes in the worst of taste.
Thanks to: neshomeh, for reviewing my story. Sorry about not being able to bring Este or Jenni really into this story, but they can be in my next story – which slots onto the end of this one – 'A Summer of Secrets'. I can't give away too much about SoS, because it might give away stuff about how this ends. That and I've only just started the damn thing anyway. I can tell you that it's a first person POV story, though.
Dedicated to: forget the damn cat. I'm dedicating this to my siblings, Janice, Sorcha, and Tyler. And to Dad, wherever the hell he is. Yay for family.
-
Chapter Nine: A Question of Loyalty
-
Draco had been let out of the Hospital Wing, and he had gone straight to Dumbledore's office
"Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore greeted him.
"Is it true?" Draco blurted.
"I am assuming that you are referring to the situation with Miss Snape? Yes, Mr. Malfoy, it is true. For the most part – I suspect Miss Blake was not entirely honest with you."
"How did you know it was her who told me?" he looked puzzled.
"Who else would?" Dumbledore replied cryptically. Or perhaps it's not that cryptic.
"I suppose you're right, Professor." Draco shrugged. "She said…she said Morag was manipulating me. That she never even liked me." He didn't know why he was telling Dumbledore this, but telling someone – anyone – seemed to help.
"The first part, I am afraid, is true. The second, only Morag knows for sure." Dumbledore was about to continue, when Professor Snape burst in.
"Why isn't anyone doing anything?" he demanded. "Everyone's just, sitting around! My family is in the hands of a powerful madman, and nobody even moves!"
"Calm down, Severus." Dumbledore said patiently. "We are working to find a plan. Miss Blake has been confined, as have the other children of the Death Eaters. She will tell us what we need to know. You have the Veritaserum, I trust?"
"Yes." Snape muttered, pacing. "I hate this – this waiting! The thought of…of…" he faltered, not knowing how to say what it was he felt.
"Go and get the Veritaserum. Bring it here, and then go and lie down." The aging professor instructed.
"I want to be there when you question her." Snape insisted.
"You need—" Dumbledore stopped. "All right. But now, get the Veritaserum."
Snape nodded curtly and turned on his heel.
Draco watched him go, then resumed his conversation with Dumbledore.
-
Kieran was shocked.
He sat in the Gryffindor Common Room with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. He'd told them all about how Morag was his half-sister – glossing over most of the details, since he wasn't altogether sure himself – and how he'd only found out this week. Hermione had thought it odd that she went into Slytherin and he in Gryffindor – all the Weasleys were in the same house, weren't they?
Harry pointed out that Kieran and Morag were only half-siblings, and that Morag had been brought up with Slytherin parents.
Hermione argued that Kieran's parents were Slytherin too. It was true; Jonathan and Kathryn had been Slytherin.
Kieran stopped listening about then.
Ron and Ginny hadn't said a word the entire time – Ginny had held Kieran's hand, while Ron just sat next to Hermione, looking astounded.
"Kieran?" it was Hermione. He wondered absently who won the argument. Probably Hermione, he decided.
"Yes?" he felt like he was in a daydream. No – a nightmare. That's right Kieran, he thought to himself, any moment now, you're going to wake up, and Morag will be laughing at you for falling asleep at the ball.
"Kieran, are you all right?" Hermione bit her lip as she realized what an incredibly stupid question that was. Voldemort had just kidnapped his sister, to be used as a tool to rule the world, and she asked him if he was all right? Was she high?
"I'm fine, Mione." He attempted a smile, but it really wasn't working. He gave up.
"Okay, but if you aren't…" she hesitated.
"I'll let you know." He assured her. It was odd, he thought, that he was so readily accepted into their circle. He knew Ginny better than the rest of them, but making friends hadn't exactly been difficult.
-
**Morag's POV**
Urgh.
Voldemort was the singularly most disgusting thing I'd ever seen.
I was scared, of course I was scared, but I was also revolted and left wondering if he'd fallen down the Ugly Tree and hit every damn branch.
The thought made me laugh.
A mistake.
"Miss Snape, do you find your situation amusing?" Voldemort asked me. I shuddered, and shook my heard.
"No." I very pointedly didn't add 'sir', 'master', or even 'Lord Voldemort'. My opinion of the 'Dark Lord' was decidedly low, no matter what power he had. Probably not very smart, but I couldn't help it.
"I can, if you wish, demonstrate the seriousness of your situation. Your mother doesn't really need all her fingers, does she?"
That woke me up. No matter what I thought of him, he was powerful, and my mother and myself were in his power. Not a time to be poking fun at him. I fought to regain my composure as it struck me how very unlikely it was that anyone would be able to rescue us. How, exactly, were they to find us? Or get past all the Death Eaters? And then find specifically where we were? And get to us before Voldemort had Mother plunge that dagger into her heart?
I shuddered again as the world tumbled down around my ears.
I had no choice.
I would summon the Keeper of Secrets.
I would command it, and Voldemort would command me.
My eyes filled with tears that I dared not shed.
-
**Back to third person**
A tiny part of Morganna's mind was still her own, and it screamed at her. Memories floated by…
**flashback**
Morganna wasn't at the Slytherin table at dinner. She sat instead with Lily and James at the Gryffindor table. Lily was her closest friend, and James had always been kind to her.
She wanted to go back to France, escape having to see Severus every day. But her father had denied her request, and Lily talked her out of sending a second one.
She wished that she could hate Severus, but it was like wishing that the sky would turn purple. He was engaged! How could she have missed that rather important fact? She berated herself for her idiocy – why would he even look twice at her, anyway?
Lily looked at her friend concerned. "James and I are going to go for a walk, do you want to come?"
"No, no, you go ahead. I'd just be in the way." Morganna faked a bright smile.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Lily hesitated.
"Yes, I'm sure. Go on, enjoy your walk." Morganna insisted.
James paused as he and Lily went to walk away. "Do you still love him?" there was no question about who he was referring to.
"No." Morganna said firmly. If she repeated it often enough, she might just fool herself into believing it, too.
It was fairly obvious James didn't believe it any more than she did, but he shrugged and walked away.
A tall Slytherin man, one she hadn't paid much attention to, but now realized was quite attractive in a suave sort of way, approached her.
"Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked, before introducing himself. "I'm Jonathan, Jonathan O'Connell."
She beamed at him. "I'd love to. Maria Montaque."
**end of flashback**
Now, of course, Morganna had mixed feelings about what happened with O'Connell. She had Morag, and she wouldn't give her up for the world. But O'Connell had turned her world upside down, and then walked out of it. And now, that tiny part of her brain screamed, if she didn't wake up, she and her daughter would both be yesterday's news, and she'd never see her husband again.
-
**Back at Hogwarts**
"Miss Blake, what is your master planning?"
They'd given her the Veritaserum, and she'd answered all their questions – lacing her answers with insults and sneers. Dumbledore had ignored that, but it had ignited Professor Snape's already smoldering temper.
"Voldemort intends to use Morag's power to take over the world, destroy the muggles first, then the mudbloods, then the muggle-lovers. He will place the purebloods in their rightful place, as the only people in our world. Hogwarts will be the first institution to be destroyed or revamped. You foolish muggle-lovers will be put to death or tortured – both! And the pureblood students who resist will die with their mudblood friends." Thamala laughed. She wasn't insane, just evil. "With the Keeper of Secrets at his command – or rather, at Morag's, who is at his – he will be unstoppable. Run while you still can, but it won't get you anywhere."
Dumbledore wisely confiscated Severus's wand.
-
"What, exactly, do you think you're going to do?"
Hermione was exasperated. Harry wanted to do something – anything – and she felt that there really wasn't anything he could do.
"I've defeated Voldemort before." He argued.
"Yes, and this time he has the Keeper of Secrets, something you can barely comprehend, let alone fight – and fighting it is not an option, Harry – and he has hostages. You think he's going to hand over the Snapes just because you ask?" Hermione's voice showed her utter scorn and derision for his ill- advised plan – or rather, lack thereof.
Harry glared at her. Mostly because she was right, and he knew it.
"Harry, Hermione, quit it." Ron said irritably. "Harry – Hermione is right, so shut up and go talk to Dumbledore or something. Hermione, I understand what you're saying, but please, couldn't you be a little gentler?"
Harry and Hermione glowered at one another, but both nodded shortly, acceding that Ron was right.
"Good." Ron clapped his hands together. "Now, why don't we all go and talk to a professor about something to distract Harry. Or knock him out. Either works."
Ron's lighthearted take on the situation (which was somewhat inappropriate, but however) made them all laugh, and for a moment, everything was back to normal.
-
It was, Draco realized, just a question of loyalties.
And the answer was staring him in the face.
-
-
A/N: You can wait for chapter ten. I'm certainly not telling you what Draco decides until then.
Thanks to: neshomeh, for reviewing my story. Sorry about not being able to bring Este or Jenni really into this story, but they can be in my next story – which slots onto the end of this one – 'A Summer of Secrets'. I can't give away too much about SoS, because it might give away stuff about how this ends. That and I've only just started the damn thing anyway. I can tell you that it's a first person POV story, though.
Dedicated to: forget the damn cat. I'm dedicating this to my siblings, Janice, Sorcha, and Tyler. And to Dad, wherever the hell he is. Yay for family.
-
Chapter Nine: A Question of Loyalty
-
Draco had been let out of the Hospital Wing, and he had gone straight to Dumbledore's office
"Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore greeted him.
"Is it true?" Draco blurted.
"I am assuming that you are referring to the situation with Miss Snape? Yes, Mr. Malfoy, it is true. For the most part – I suspect Miss Blake was not entirely honest with you."
"How did you know it was her who told me?" he looked puzzled.
"Who else would?" Dumbledore replied cryptically. Or perhaps it's not that cryptic.
"I suppose you're right, Professor." Draco shrugged. "She said…she said Morag was manipulating me. That she never even liked me." He didn't know why he was telling Dumbledore this, but telling someone – anyone – seemed to help.
"The first part, I am afraid, is true. The second, only Morag knows for sure." Dumbledore was about to continue, when Professor Snape burst in.
"Why isn't anyone doing anything?" he demanded. "Everyone's just, sitting around! My family is in the hands of a powerful madman, and nobody even moves!"
"Calm down, Severus." Dumbledore said patiently. "We are working to find a plan. Miss Blake has been confined, as have the other children of the Death Eaters. She will tell us what we need to know. You have the Veritaserum, I trust?"
"Yes." Snape muttered, pacing. "I hate this – this waiting! The thought of…of…" he faltered, not knowing how to say what it was he felt.
"Go and get the Veritaserum. Bring it here, and then go and lie down." The aging professor instructed.
"I want to be there when you question her." Snape insisted.
"You need—" Dumbledore stopped. "All right. But now, get the Veritaserum."
Snape nodded curtly and turned on his heel.
Draco watched him go, then resumed his conversation with Dumbledore.
-
Kieran was shocked.
He sat in the Gryffindor Common Room with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. He'd told them all about how Morag was his half-sister – glossing over most of the details, since he wasn't altogether sure himself – and how he'd only found out this week. Hermione had thought it odd that she went into Slytherin and he in Gryffindor – all the Weasleys were in the same house, weren't they?
Harry pointed out that Kieran and Morag were only half-siblings, and that Morag had been brought up with Slytherin parents.
Hermione argued that Kieran's parents were Slytherin too. It was true; Jonathan and Kathryn had been Slytherin.
Kieran stopped listening about then.
Ron and Ginny hadn't said a word the entire time – Ginny had held Kieran's hand, while Ron just sat next to Hermione, looking astounded.
"Kieran?" it was Hermione. He wondered absently who won the argument. Probably Hermione, he decided.
"Yes?" he felt like he was in a daydream. No – a nightmare. That's right Kieran, he thought to himself, any moment now, you're going to wake up, and Morag will be laughing at you for falling asleep at the ball.
"Kieran, are you all right?" Hermione bit her lip as she realized what an incredibly stupid question that was. Voldemort had just kidnapped his sister, to be used as a tool to rule the world, and she asked him if he was all right? Was she high?
"I'm fine, Mione." He attempted a smile, but it really wasn't working. He gave up.
"Okay, but if you aren't…" she hesitated.
"I'll let you know." He assured her. It was odd, he thought, that he was so readily accepted into their circle. He knew Ginny better than the rest of them, but making friends hadn't exactly been difficult.
-
**Morag's POV**
Urgh.
Voldemort was the singularly most disgusting thing I'd ever seen.
I was scared, of course I was scared, but I was also revolted and left wondering if he'd fallen down the Ugly Tree and hit every damn branch.
The thought made me laugh.
A mistake.
"Miss Snape, do you find your situation amusing?" Voldemort asked me. I shuddered, and shook my heard.
"No." I very pointedly didn't add 'sir', 'master', or even 'Lord Voldemort'. My opinion of the 'Dark Lord' was decidedly low, no matter what power he had. Probably not very smart, but I couldn't help it.
"I can, if you wish, demonstrate the seriousness of your situation. Your mother doesn't really need all her fingers, does she?"
That woke me up. No matter what I thought of him, he was powerful, and my mother and myself were in his power. Not a time to be poking fun at him. I fought to regain my composure as it struck me how very unlikely it was that anyone would be able to rescue us. How, exactly, were they to find us? Or get past all the Death Eaters? And then find specifically where we were? And get to us before Voldemort had Mother plunge that dagger into her heart?
I shuddered again as the world tumbled down around my ears.
I had no choice.
I would summon the Keeper of Secrets.
I would command it, and Voldemort would command me.
My eyes filled with tears that I dared not shed.
-
**Back to third person**
A tiny part of Morganna's mind was still her own, and it screamed at her. Memories floated by…
**flashback**
Morganna wasn't at the Slytherin table at dinner. She sat instead with Lily and James at the Gryffindor table. Lily was her closest friend, and James had always been kind to her.
She wanted to go back to France, escape having to see Severus every day. But her father had denied her request, and Lily talked her out of sending a second one.
She wished that she could hate Severus, but it was like wishing that the sky would turn purple. He was engaged! How could she have missed that rather important fact? She berated herself for her idiocy – why would he even look twice at her, anyway?
Lily looked at her friend concerned. "James and I are going to go for a walk, do you want to come?"
"No, no, you go ahead. I'd just be in the way." Morganna faked a bright smile.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Lily hesitated.
"Yes, I'm sure. Go on, enjoy your walk." Morganna insisted.
James paused as he and Lily went to walk away. "Do you still love him?" there was no question about who he was referring to.
"No." Morganna said firmly. If she repeated it often enough, she might just fool herself into believing it, too.
It was fairly obvious James didn't believe it any more than she did, but he shrugged and walked away.
A tall Slytherin man, one she hadn't paid much attention to, but now realized was quite attractive in a suave sort of way, approached her.
"Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked, before introducing himself. "I'm Jonathan, Jonathan O'Connell."
She beamed at him. "I'd love to. Maria Montaque."
**end of flashback**
Now, of course, Morganna had mixed feelings about what happened with O'Connell. She had Morag, and she wouldn't give her up for the world. But O'Connell had turned her world upside down, and then walked out of it. And now, that tiny part of her brain screamed, if she didn't wake up, she and her daughter would both be yesterday's news, and she'd never see her husband again.
-
**Back at Hogwarts**
"Miss Blake, what is your master planning?"
They'd given her the Veritaserum, and she'd answered all their questions – lacing her answers with insults and sneers. Dumbledore had ignored that, but it had ignited Professor Snape's already smoldering temper.
"Voldemort intends to use Morag's power to take over the world, destroy the muggles first, then the mudbloods, then the muggle-lovers. He will place the purebloods in their rightful place, as the only people in our world. Hogwarts will be the first institution to be destroyed or revamped. You foolish muggle-lovers will be put to death or tortured – both! And the pureblood students who resist will die with their mudblood friends." Thamala laughed. She wasn't insane, just evil. "With the Keeper of Secrets at his command – or rather, at Morag's, who is at his – he will be unstoppable. Run while you still can, but it won't get you anywhere."
Dumbledore wisely confiscated Severus's wand.
-
"What, exactly, do you think you're going to do?"
Hermione was exasperated. Harry wanted to do something – anything – and she felt that there really wasn't anything he could do.
"I've defeated Voldemort before." He argued.
"Yes, and this time he has the Keeper of Secrets, something you can barely comprehend, let alone fight – and fighting it is not an option, Harry – and he has hostages. You think he's going to hand over the Snapes just because you ask?" Hermione's voice showed her utter scorn and derision for his ill- advised plan – or rather, lack thereof.
Harry glared at her. Mostly because she was right, and he knew it.
"Harry, Hermione, quit it." Ron said irritably. "Harry – Hermione is right, so shut up and go talk to Dumbledore or something. Hermione, I understand what you're saying, but please, couldn't you be a little gentler?"
Harry and Hermione glowered at one another, but both nodded shortly, acceding that Ron was right.
"Good." Ron clapped his hands together. "Now, why don't we all go and talk to a professor about something to distract Harry. Or knock him out. Either works."
Ron's lighthearted take on the situation (which was somewhat inappropriate, but however) made them all laugh, and for a moment, everything was back to normal.
-
It was, Draco realized, just a question of loyalties.
And the answer was staring him in the face.
-
-
A/N: You can wait for chapter ten. I'm certainly not telling you what Draco decides until then.