::::::-------------
Chapter Six: The Dark Lord is Pleased
::::::-------------
"My Lord!" said Malfoy breathlessly.
"What now, Malfoy?" sighed the Dark Lord. "Has your son fulfilled his duty?"
"Yes, my Lord, he has! The Granger girl is under his total control. She didn't even try to fight."
The Dark Lord steepled his long fingers. "Good, very good," he muttered. "Then it is time." The Dark Lord rose from his chair and cried, "Accio Floo Powder!" Blue dust was in his fist. He flung it onto the fire and shouted, "The Slytherin Common Room!" And he was gone.
*****
In Gryffindor Tower, a sleeping sixth-year sat up. It felt as though a red- hot axe had cloven his head at his scar. "He's here." But when he woke up, he didn't remember it.
*****
Lord Voldemort emerged from the fireplace in the cold Slytherin Common Room. He looked around, taking in the stone floor, the green armchairs - he had spent seven years calling this place home. Scurrying down a long, draughty passage, he checked each dormitory for young Malfoy. The end bedroom held his youngest servant. One icy-cold finger touched the boy's face and he woke up. The sight he beheld almost made him scream. "This will not hurt," said Voldemort and he stepped right through the barely- awake youth, then disappeared.
"Excellent," said the Dark Lord in Draco's body. He sent a mental message to the Mudblood. She was now dreaming about being Harry Potter's girlfriend. Just for security.
The electricity of youth crackled through Draco, and he could not get back to sleep. Instead, he spent the morning reading Lucius' letters. A truly evil smile played on his face. "Do as you are told . . . we cannot afford to lose his favour . . . always show alliance to the strongest side . . . he sees all . . ." read Draco. "We shall see."
*****
At around six o'clock, Hermione woke unexpectedly. She had had the most peculiar dream. She was strolling through Hogsmeade with Harry - as in WITH Harry, if you catch my drift. She had woken up just as they were about to kiss. What did that mean? Was she in love with Harry? Why else would she dream about him? Hermione resolved to borrow a book on dream analysis from the library.
She waited in the Common Room for the boys to get up. She felt funny. Sometimes she could control herself, other times it felt like there was another person living in her head, taking command. Did it have something to do with Malfoy? She remembered meeting him after class, but after that it was all a blur until she came into Transfiguration, all out of breath.
*****
There he was, just sitting at the Gryffindor table, chatting to his little friends. Draco could not help but feel overcome with wrath. It was just a simple spell - one little curse - no! Stick to the plan. Destroy him from within first.
'Tell him that Voldemort can't be all that bad,' Draco telepathically said.
"You know, Voldemort can't be all that bad," said Hermione.
"What!?" cried Harry and Ron together.
"Yeah - he was really smart, and good-looking. How do we know if he wasn't doing the right thing, killing of Mudbl- Muggle-borns?"
"Because he was evil," said Ron slowly, as if explaining why two and two make four to an inquisitive youngster.
"Yeah, but-"
"He killed my parents!" cried Harry, shaking.
"Yeah, but-"
"Hermione, you're not yourself," said Ron, shaking his head and frowning.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, it's like there's someone else speaking with your mouth."
"Voldemort did that to me last year, at the Ministry," noted Harry.
Alarmed, Malfoy quickly went back to his own actions and left Hermione alone. Rage reddened his cheeks. How dare that boy speak his name! Either way, the plan was coming along smoothly enough. She was not resisting . . . yet.
Chapter Six: The Dark Lord is Pleased
::::::-------------
"My Lord!" said Malfoy breathlessly.
"What now, Malfoy?" sighed the Dark Lord. "Has your son fulfilled his duty?"
"Yes, my Lord, he has! The Granger girl is under his total control. She didn't even try to fight."
The Dark Lord steepled his long fingers. "Good, very good," he muttered. "Then it is time." The Dark Lord rose from his chair and cried, "Accio Floo Powder!" Blue dust was in his fist. He flung it onto the fire and shouted, "The Slytherin Common Room!" And he was gone.
*****
In Gryffindor Tower, a sleeping sixth-year sat up. It felt as though a red- hot axe had cloven his head at his scar. "He's here." But when he woke up, he didn't remember it.
*****
Lord Voldemort emerged from the fireplace in the cold Slytherin Common Room. He looked around, taking in the stone floor, the green armchairs - he had spent seven years calling this place home. Scurrying down a long, draughty passage, he checked each dormitory for young Malfoy. The end bedroom held his youngest servant. One icy-cold finger touched the boy's face and he woke up. The sight he beheld almost made him scream. "This will not hurt," said Voldemort and he stepped right through the barely- awake youth, then disappeared.
"Excellent," said the Dark Lord in Draco's body. He sent a mental message to the Mudblood. She was now dreaming about being Harry Potter's girlfriend. Just for security.
The electricity of youth crackled through Draco, and he could not get back to sleep. Instead, he spent the morning reading Lucius' letters. A truly evil smile played on his face. "Do as you are told . . . we cannot afford to lose his favour . . . always show alliance to the strongest side . . . he sees all . . ." read Draco. "We shall see."
*****
At around six o'clock, Hermione woke unexpectedly. She had had the most peculiar dream. She was strolling through Hogsmeade with Harry - as in WITH Harry, if you catch my drift. She had woken up just as they were about to kiss. What did that mean? Was she in love with Harry? Why else would she dream about him? Hermione resolved to borrow a book on dream analysis from the library.
She waited in the Common Room for the boys to get up. She felt funny. Sometimes she could control herself, other times it felt like there was another person living in her head, taking command. Did it have something to do with Malfoy? She remembered meeting him after class, but after that it was all a blur until she came into Transfiguration, all out of breath.
*****
There he was, just sitting at the Gryffindor table, chatting to his little friends. Draco could not help but feel overcome with wrath. It was just a simple spell - one little curse - no! Stick to the plan. Destroy him from within first.
'Tell him that Voldemort can't be all that bad,' Draco telepathically said.
"You know, Voldemort can't be all that bad," said Hermione.
"What!?" cried Harry and Ron together.
"Yeah - he was really smart, and good-looking. How do we know if he wasn't doing the right thing, killing of Mudbl- Muggle-borns?"
"Because he was evil," said Ron slowly, as if explaining why two and two make four to an inquisitive youngster.
"Yeah, but-"
"He killed my parents!" cried Harry, shaking.
"Yeah, but-"
"Hermione, you're not yourself," said Ron, shaking his head and frowning.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, it's like there's someone else speaking with your mouth."
"Voldemort did that to me last year, at the Ministry," noted Harry.
Alarmed, Malfoy quickly went back to his own actions and left Hermione alone. Rage reddened his cheeks. How dare that boy speak his name! Either way, the plan was coming along smoothly enough. She was not resisting . . . yet.