The Moonlight Noon Chateau
By Hippy
Gypsy
Disclaimer: I'm back! Bwahaha! Okay. Don't look so surprised. Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, that lucky woman her. The Moonlight Noon people belong to me… [looks at Sammy out of the corner of eye, frowns, sarcastic] Lucky me…anyways, new chapter! Enjoy!
After that
night, it became quite obvious that Severus and Carlotta were in love, so there
was no use in hiding it from everyone. But by the next night, everyone had pushed it to the back of there
minds. Monsieur Eldder "Voldemort"
would be returning that night to the Moonlight Noon, and most likely, bringing
his Death Eaters with him. Dumbledore
had his whole crew gathered around the bar area. Antonio, Oliver, and Carlotta joined them.
"Do you
really think it's wise enough just to show ourselves like this?" Trelawney was
asking Dumbledore. "What if he sees us
right off and panics? It could be total
chaos in a matter of seconds!"
Dumbledore
grinned. "He won't. If there's anything I know about him, it's
two things. First of all, he can stay
remarkably patient when something unexpected happens. And secondly, he wouldn't dare do anything to cause commotion
when I'm around." He fiddled with his
wand and his eyes twinkled with anticipation.
"So what's
your plan for action Albus?" Antonio asked.
"Here's
what I'd like to have done. Carlotta,
you said the other night that you knew pretty much all of the Diamond Dogs,
yes?"
Carlotta
nodded. "Oui Monsieur."
"Good. I'd like you to be the waitress at his table
tonight. Report back to me who's at his
table. Monsieur Safrin, I'd like
someone on your staff to find out who else of his crew is around. I don't want an unexpected henchman to show up."
Antonio
nodded. "I'll get Sammy out to do some
snooping."
"Sammy?"
Snape said with an eyebrow raised.
"Do you
think that's wise?" Minerva asked Antonio.
Antonio's
face became serious. "Trust me. Sammy Boy can sure act immature, but he can
be serious when he wants to."
Dumbledore
nodded. "That'll work. No one will suspect him. Oliver, I want you behind the bar to let me
know if any news comes through you."
Oliver
nodded. "Ay ay captain."
"Since I want
to know who we're up against before we do anything, that means Carlotta is
first up tonight."
Carlotta
took a deep breath for comfort and Severus held her hand. "You'll be okay. He's not going to do anything. He doesn't even know you know about him being a fraud."
"I
know. I'm just not much of an
actress…that's all…"
Oliver
shook his head at her. "You just don't
get it, do you sweet pea? You have a
wonderful stage voice and your looks aren't bad either. You are such a little actress in the
making…"
"Oh my
heavens," Trelawney breathed. "There he
is."
Everyone
turned around, and there, descending the staircase, was Lord Voldemort,
surrounded by his Death Eaters. He had
gone through so many transformations in his life that not one of them could
recognize him as Tom Riddle, the long lost head boy. His face was very pale, tight, and deep ruby red eyes gleamed
from their sockets. He was dressed in
deep midnight black robes and a top hat sat on his head. He took no notice of the bar area and he and
the Death Eaters took a booth to the side of the stage.
Carlotta
swallowed. "Well, guess that's my
cue." She picked up her tray and began
to head towards the table, but Snape caught her by the shoulders.
"No fear,"
he whispered.
"None at
all," she replied and went on towards the dark Lord. She put on her best smile when they looked up when she finally
broke through the heavy crowd. "Good
evening Monsieur Eldder, gentlemen. Glad to see you have returned."
Voldemort
looked up at her with his red eyes and smiled, if it could've been called a
smile. "Good evening fair Carlotta."
"How was your trip?"
"Not too well, I'm afraid, my
dear."
"Might I
ask why not Monsieur?"
"It seems
an old acquaintance is seeking me out, and I'm not too fond of hearing from him
ever again."
Carlotta
tried not to shiver. "I'm sorry to hear
that. Do you know what you would like
to drink this evening?"
As she took
each person's drink order, she also wrote down who the Death Eaters were seated
with Voldemort.
Crabbe-brandy
Malfoy-white wine
Goyle-bourbon
She went back to the bar area and slammed the list down on the top of the counter. Her hands were shaking with fright. Severus took them into his and began to massage them. "They're there. Four of them. Avery, Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy," she said.
Oliver
looked at the list, blinked twice, and began mixing drinks. It was at that point that Sammy showed up.
"What's up
Sammy?" said Antonio. "Give me good
news."
"News has
been quiet Antonio. But I did find
another member of Riddle's band here."
"Oh
really?"
"Yeah. Drove the carriage. It's that short, bald guy…I can't think of
his name at the moment."
"Peter
Pettigrew?" said Carlotta.
"Yeah. That's him."
"Pettigrew?"
Dumbledore said his eyes lighting up.
"That's
what I said," Sammy said taking a seat. "Ya know him?"
Dumbledore
turned and found his whole group smiling in a way that could only be described
as evil. He looked at Minerva. "Shall we have some fun?"
"Oh, lets!"
Good ol'
Wormtail was waiting outside with the carriage. He tried to imitate the horses and stomped his feet trying to
keep warm in the cool night. He longed
to make a break for it right then and there, but he knew if he did, somehow,
somewhere, good ol' Mr. Riddle would find him. And if not him, Dumbledore would.
He paced
around the carriage and turned to find a tabby cat sitting at his feet. It looked up at him with it's square shaped
eyes. He glared at it, but it just
plain glared back. Finally, he said to
it, "What do you want?"
The cat
seemed to smile and remarkably said, "The free reign of true love and a utopian
society."
Wormtail
jumped back and screamed. "Animagi!!" He stumbled into something big, but
human. He looked up in terror to find
Hagrid standing with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Wormtail jumped up and ran, but he was
suddenly blocked by the cat (who had turned back into Minerva McGonagall) and
Trelawney (who jumped out from behind the carriage). Wormtail's arms were suddenly pinned and a hand slapped across
his mouth. He shivered as the venomous
voice of Severus Snape whispered in his ear. "Hello Peter. Long time, no
see."
Albus
Dumbledore stepped out of the darkness. Peter trembled, trapped in Severus' grip. He began to think this was the beginning of the end.
Dumbledore
neither scowled nor smiled. "Hello
Peter."
Peter
whimpered in response.
"Still
following Voldemort are you?"
Peter
shivered and said something, but it was muffled by Severus' hand.
"Hold him,
but let him talk Severus," said Dumbledore.
Severus
removed his hand and Peter said, "Do you think I want to stay with
him? It's horrible!"
"So leave
why don't you," said Minerva.
"Excuse me
Kitty!" Peter spat at her. "But he'll
kill me if he finds out! Haven't you
noticed?!"
Minerva got
up and swung her hand back. "What
did you call me?!!"
Peter
coward again. "Sorry Professor!"
"Lay off
him Min," said Trelawney. "He's not
worth hitting. He's too pathetic."
Dumbledore
stood in front of him. "Peter, it's not
too late. You can still change. It's never too late until you're dead. And as far as I can see, you're still
alive."
"But that
can change all too quickly," Severus sneered into his ear. Peter shivered in terror.
"I…I…I
can't…"
Dumbledore
sighed deeply. "In that case, pray that
you've chosen the right side. Release
him Severus."
Severus
pushed Peter to the ground. All five of
them began to gather around him. "Good
luck in this game Peter. May whoever is
guarding the gates of heaven have mercy on your soul."
Peter shook
with fright as they just stood there glaring at him. But a moment later, Trelawney looked up. "Oh Peter, isn't that your carriage?"
Within the few moments that Peter had spent shaking in fright on the ground, Voldemort's carriage had gotten away from him. He got up and ran after it, forgetting his worst enemies were behind him. But in the next minute that he turned around, they had vanished from sight. They were nowhere to be seen at all.
Peter
decided he was safer chasing the horses and ran after them. "Stupid horses! Wait for me!"
Antonio looked
up from his conversation with Oliver as Dumbledore and his crew returned to the
bar. "How'd it go?" he asked.
Dumbledore
smiled. "You should reward Sammy when
he returns. He seems to be a natural in
stealing carriages when the driver isn't looking."
Everyone
sniggered to the floor.
"I knew
that boy would one day come in handy," said Antonio in an off-handed way. "So Dumbledore, what happens now?"
Dumbledore
glanced across the dance floor to see Carlotta further serving Voldemort's
table. "I think it's time you went and
met up with your partner, don't you?"
Voldemort
had just taken another sip of wine when he noticed Antonio coming his way. He stood up and greeted him as if he were an
old friend. "Care to sit with us
Antonio? Wonderful turn out tonight,"
he said smoothly.
Antonio
sat, but replied, "Can't stay long Thomas. I've business elsewhere tonight." He turned to Carlotta. "I'll
have what he's having." Carlotta
hurried off in a bit of a rush.
Voldemort
lifted a very pale eyebrow. "She seems
a bit distracted tonight."
"She's
always distracted about something," Malfoy said into his drink. "She's different from the rest of them."
Antonio
nodded. "A family secret she's never
revealed to anyone I'm afraid. She's rather
quiet sometimes."
"But that
doesn't explain why tonight would be any different," responded Voldemort.
"Well like
I said, maybe it's her secret." Antonio
gained a crooked smile. "We all have
our secrets…don't we…Thomas 'Voldemort' Riddle?"
Voldemort
and all of his Death Eaters jumped up at once. Not fast enough to attract attention, but enough to show they were
alarmed. Voldemort's eyes burned fire
and he whispered, "How do you know me?"
Antonio
smiled. "Got a bit of a secret
myself." He pointed across to the bar
area.
Malfoy
sneered. "Shit."
Dumbledore
and his whole crew sat on the bar top, smiled, and waved merrily to Voldemort
across the dance floor. Voldemort went
a bit paler than he was before (if it was possible). "Come on. We'll see to
this," he whispered. He left Antonio
where he was and swept past Carlotta as he and his Death Eaters made their way
to the bar.
Dumbledore
rose from the bar top and stood high on two feet. When Voldemort reached them, each one of each group stood in
front of each other, nearly nose to nose. Malfoy stood in front of Snape. "How
goes it Severus?" he sneered, smiling.
"Screw you,"
Severus replied in an evil whisper.
"What do
you want old man?" Voldemort asked rather commonly.
"You gone,
but I somehow don't see that happening anytime soon I'm afraid. Now what I want to know is what you are
doing here?"
Voldemort
stepped back and spread his arms wide. He chuckled deeply. "Can't a man
come out for a night and have a drink with his friends in peace?"
"You call
yourself a man?" Minerva said.
Crabbe
shoved her into the bar top, but Oliver came up from behind the counter and
pointed the tip of his wand at Crabbe's throat. "Watch it how you treat ladies around here. You'll regret it if you don't."
Dumbledore
turned back to Voldemort. "I don't know
what you're trying to pull off Thomas Riddle, but I'm telling you right now you're
not going to get away with it. I'm
watching you and so is the rest of the Moonlight Noon Chateau."
Voldemort
stepped back and motioned for his Death Eaters to follow him. "Very well gramps!" he said walking
backwards. "But I still own one half of
the Moonlight Noon, and tomorrow, it shall be business as usual! You can't catch me for anything, if I've
done nothing wrong! And the next time
we meet like this, it may be our last!" He smiled and turned for the stairs. With the Diamond Dogs/Death Eaters in tow, Voldemort walked out the
doors of the Moonlight Noon Chateau.
Everyone
straightened and Minerva groaned in pain. "That bastard. He bruised my
shoulder I think."
Snape
glanced at Dumbledore. "It's never over,
is it?"
"Never in
our lifetime at least."
Note from the Hippy Gypsy: Dun dun dun!!! Voldemort's
here now everything is gonna pick up! Weeeee! More to come soon! J
