[Disclaimer: See Chapter 1]
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The gate outside Malfoy Manor was covered with roses and ivy, while heather surrounded the inside of the fences. Adelaide usually took the time to smell the flowers when she visited the manor. But this time she pushed through the gated with Snape a step behind her, and to her right. She stepped up to the door and knocked. Immediately a house elf opened the door and let them in. Without waiting and without acknowledging the existence of the elf, Adelaide pushed past it and into the parlor she had been as few months ago when Lucius informed her of a new occupation.
"Adelaide. Severus."
Adelaide slipped her mask of, acknowledging Lucius with a dip of her he ad. She assumed Severus did the same, although he was behind her and out of her field of vision.
"Lucius."
She blinked as a thin and elegant woman strolled up with another, malevolent looking man.
"Narcissa." A pause. "MacNair."
Macnair ignored her for a moment, and looked over her shoulder to Snape.
"He will speak with you now."
Snape nodded, and brushed past her to follow Macnair out of the room. Adelaide sat on the low softa near the entrance, lacing her finger together loosely, and setting them on her crossed legs. They waited in silence; she, Lucius, and Narcissa. Narcissa and Lucius tolerated one another at best, and Adelaide didn't want to start a conversation, because it would lead to Lucius asking about..
"Have you found an appropriate suitor, Adelaide?"
Lucius' voice cut through her thoughts. She frowned faintly. The pressure hadn't eased, it had merely been delayed.
"No, I've found it difficult to.."
"You need an heir, Adelaide. And it is highly improper for a Lady such as yourself to be unwed. Our Dark Lord is not happy with the delay."
Adelaide nodded, attempting to look chastened bust till strong. She was about to open her mouth when Snape appeared, tailed not only by Macnair, but Avery and Goyle as well.
"Gentry." Avery bit out, and she stood.
Snape made as if to sit and wait for her, but Lucius shook his head as Adelaide disappeared. The last thing she heard was Lucius saying, "Go, Severus. This could take a very long time."
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The Dark Lord was seated on Lucius' Louis XIV replica throne; an irony that was not lost on Adelaide. Beside him was his sniveling..whatever he was- Wormtail. Peter Pettigrew annoyed her to no end, and she often hoped that he would anger the Dark Lord enough to be killed. But not yet, sadly. Adelaide got down on both knees, and bowed her head.
"My Lord," she murmured.
For a moment, there was silence, and she began to panic. Finally, his voice came creaking out of the shadows.
"Rise, my Death Eater."
Adelaide stood slowly, careful not to meet his slitted eyes.
"Report."
She bowed her head again, and took a breath before starting.
"Malfoy instructed me to befriend the students of Hogwarts, in particular: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Over the past month, I have become one of their favorite teachers, especially amongst the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws." She paused. "The Hufflepuffs in general are too weak for anything except slaughter and the simplest of manipulation. The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors are smarter, and while few may join our ranks someday, there are many that would become excellent pawns. As far as infiltration of the Trio, the only one in my class is Miss Hermione Granger. Miss Granger, of course, leapt at the chance to take my class. Potter and Weasley are too stupid to even attempt it. However, I have had conversations with all three on numerous occasions. By playing their defender against the 'hated' Slytherins, they have come to trust me more."
She smiled faintly.
"While it is Severus' job to find the potential among the Slytherins, he does quite a good job at making the rest of the school despise him. By being his antithesis, I become friendly with the students."
Adelaide paused, waiting for condemnation or approval.
"Very good, Adelaide. Tell me, what of Hermione Granger?"
Adelaide frowned for a moment, lost in thought.
"She is strong, and not easily manipulated. She is, however, quite brilliant. She will never be one of us because she is muggle born, but if she could be 'set' upon the right 'project', she would be a useful though unwitting pawn."
The Dark Lord seemed to take it in.
"Very good. I am pleased with your results for far. However.."
Adelaide's heart dropped into her stomach.
"You have failed me on two fronts, my dear. You have not married and produce an heir. And you have betrayed me."
[Oh gods. No.. no. He couldn't have.. NO!]
Adelaide gasped and fixed on her face a look of shock and anger, despite the panic that was racing through her.
"My Lord! I would not betray you! I have served you as faithfully as my parents once did. I confess, the search for an adequate husband has taken time, but I assure you. I will be married with a year and.."
"SILENCE!"
Adelaide closed her eyes, knowing that soon, she was going to hurt a great deal.
"Crucio."
It took a moment for her register that someone was screaming, though she only dimly understood that it was her.
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Severus Snape arrived back at Hogwarts just before 1 a.m., and in good health. In fact, he had been quite surprised when he was shown directly in, and leg to immediately after his report. But the look on Avery's face, when he and Macnair led Adelaide away chilled him to the bone. And Malfoy's order to return to Hogwarts only confirmed his suspicions that whatever she had done-or not done-Adelaide had somehow angered the Dark Lord. As he knew from past experience, it would be a long night for her, and tomorrow he would bring her something to dull the pain. While the staff knew he was spying for Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix, they knew nothing about their sweet Professor Gentry.
Now, however, he had one more thing to do before getting a few hours of sleep. After stripping off his black robes, Severus made his way to the Headmaster's office.
"Candy corn."
The stairs moved upwards and when Snape reached the study, Dumbledore was waiting for him, Fawkes perched in his lap. The Headmasters and Mistresses from Hogwarts' past were gazing out from their frames with worry on their face.
"Severus, back already?" the Headmaster asked, offering a cup of tea.
Snape nodded, accepting the tea, sliding into a seat.
"And where is Adelaide?"
Snape pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I don't expect her back until morning. She should be thankful it is a Friday-she'll need the weekend to recover."
Dumbledore frowned, leaning forward in his chair, stroking Fawkes gently.
"What has happened?"
Snape passed a hand over his eyes, feeling weary and faintly sick. He knew what Adelaide was going through right now.
"Perhaps she's angered the Dark Lord. Perhaps she's just the random victim of the day. Or perhaps he thinks she hasn't suffered enough in a while. It can be difficult to say.
Dumbledore's face was grave, and he was silent for a long time, until he finally broke the silence.
"Let me know as soon as she gets in. Wake me, if you must. But go, get some sleep. You look exhausted."
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[A/N: Glee! An enormous thanks to Erin, who seems to have become my somewhat sadistic (in a good way) beta! She's as ruthless as I am, but she loves Adelaide too! As always, please R&R. I'm a review-whore. -Happy!Aidenn]
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The gate outside Malfoy Manor was covered with roses and ivy, while heather surrounded the inside of the fences. Adelaide usually took the time to smell the flowers when she visited the manor. But this time she pushed through the gated with Snape a step behind her, and to her right. She stepped up to the door and knocked. Immediately a house elf opened the door and let them in. Without waiting and without acknowledging the existence of the elf, Adelaide pushed past it and into the parlor she had been as few months ago when Lucius informed her of a new occupation.
"Adelaide. Severus."
Adelaide slipped her mask of, acknowledging Lucius with a dip of her he ad. She assumed Severus did the same, although he was behind her and out of her field of vision.
"Lucius."
She blinked as a thin and elegant woman strolled up with another, malevolent looking man.
"Narcissa." A pause. "MacNair."
Macnair ignored her for a moment, and looked over her shoulder to Snape.
"He will speak with you now."
Snape nodded, and brushed past her to follow Macnair out of the room. Adelaide sat on the low softa near the entrance, lacing her finger together loosely, and setting them on her crossed legs. They waited in silence; she, Lucius, and Narcissa. Narcissa and Lucius tolerated one another at best, and Adelaide didn't want to start a conversation, because it would lead to Lucius asking about..
"Have you found an appropriate suitor, Adelaide?"
Lucius' voice cut through her thoughts. She frowned faintly. The pressure hadn't eased, it had merely been delayed.
"No, I've found it difficult to.."
"You need an heir, Adelaide. And it is highly improper for a Lady such as yourself to be unwed. Our Dark Lord is not happy with the delay."
Adelaide nodded, attempting to look chastened bust till strong. She was about to open her mouth when Snape appeared, tailed not only by Macnair, but Avery and Goyle as well.
"Gentry." Avery bit out, and she stood.
Snape made as if to sit and wait for her, but Lucius shook his head as Adelaide disappeared. The last thing she heard was Lucius saying, "Go, Severus. This could take a very long time."
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The Dark Lord was seated on Lucius' Louis XIV replica throne; an irony that was not lost on Adelaide. Beside him was his sniveling..whatever he was- Wormtail. Peter Pettigrew annoyed her to no end, and she often hoped that he would anger the Dark Lord enough to be killed. But not yet, sadly. Adelaide got down on both knees, and bowed her head.
"My Lord," she murmured.
For a moment, there was silence, and she began to panic. Finally, his voice came creaking out of the shadows.
"Rise, my Death Eater."
Adelaide stood slowly, careful not to meet his slitted eyes.
"Report."
She bowed her head again, and took a breath before starting.
"Malfoy instructed me to befriend the students of Hogwarts, in particular: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Over the past month, I have become one of their favorite teachers, especially amongst the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws." She paused. "The Hufflepuffs in general are too weak for anything except slaughter and the simplest of manipulation. The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors are smarter, and while few may join our ranks someday, there are many that would become excellent pawns. As far as infiltration of the Trio, the only one in my class is Miss Hermione Granger. Miss Granger, of course, leapt at the chance to take my class. Potter and Weasley are too stupid to even attempt it. However, I have had conversations with all three on numerous occasions. By playing their defender against the 'hated' Slytherins, they have come to trust me more."
She smiled faintly.
"While it is Severus' job to find the potential among the Slytherins, he does quite a good job at making the rest of the school despise him. By being his antithesis, I become friendly with the students."
Adelaide paused, waiting for condemnation or approval.
"Very good, Adelaide. Tell me, what of Hermione Granger?"
Adelaide frowned for a moment, lost in thought.
"She is strong, and not easily manipulated. She is, however, quite brilliant. She will never be one of us because she is muggle born, but if she could be 'set' upon the right 'project', she would be a useful though unwitting pawn."
The Dark Lord seemed to take it in.
"Very good. I am pleased with your results for far. However.."
Adelaide's heart dropped into her stomach.
"You have failed me on two fronts, my dear. You have not married and produce an heir. And you have betrayed me."
[Oh gods. No.. no. He couldn't have.. NO!]
Adelaide gasped and fixed on her face a look of shock and anger, despite the panic that was racing through her.
"My Lord! I would not betray you! I have served you as faithfully as my parents once did. I confess, the search for an adequate husband has taken time, but I assure you. I will be married with a year and.."
"SILENCE!"
Adelaide closed her eyes, knowing that soon, she was going to hurt a great deal.
"Crucio."
It took a moment for her register that someone was screaming, though she only dimly understood that it was her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Severus Snape arrived back at Hogwarts just before 1 a.m., and in good health. In fact, he had been quite surprised when he was shown directly in, and leg to immediately after his report. But the look on Avery's face, when he and Macnair led Adelaide away chilled him to the bone. And Malfoy's order to return to Hogwarts only confirmed his suspicions that whatever she had done-or not done-Adelaide had somehow angered the Dark Lord. As he knew from past experience, it would be a long night for her, and tomorrow he would bring her something to dull the pain. While the staff knew he was spying for Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix, they knew nothing about their sweet Professor Gentry.
Now, however, he had one more thing to do before getting a few hours of sleep. After stripping off his black robes, Severus made his way to the Headmaster's office.
"Candy corn."
The stairs moved upwards and when Snape reached the study, Dumbledore was waiting for him, Fawkes perched in his lap. The Headmasters and Mistresses from Hogwarts' past were gazing out from their frames with worry on their face.
"Severus, back already?" the Headmaster asked, offering a cup of tea.
Snape nodded, accepting the tea, sliding into a seat.
"And where is Adelaide?"
Snape pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I don't expect her back until morning. She should be thankful it is a Friday-she'll need the weekend to recover."
Dumbledore frowned, leaning forward in his chair, stroking Fawkes gently.
"What has happened?"
Snape passed a hand over his eyes, feeling weary and faintly sick. He knew what Adelaide was going through right now.
"Perhaps she's angered the Dark Lord. Perhaps she's just the random victim of the day. Or perhaps he thinks she hasn't suffered enough in a while. It can be difficult to say.
Dumbledore's face was grave, and he was silent for a long time, until he finally broke the silence.
"Let me know as soon as she gets in. Wake me, if you must. But go, get some sleep. You look exhausted."
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[A/N: Glee! An enormous thanks to Erin, who seems to have become my somewhat sadistic (in a good way) beta! She's as ruthless as I am, but she loves Adelaide too! As always, please R&R. I'm a review-whore. -Happy!Aidenn]
