Chapter 3: So This is Him.

Folly helped Kayla put on the red dress, amazingly, it fit perfectly. "You look very pretty, miss. Much like your mother," squeaked the little elf. Kayla had never thought of herself as pretty but as she looked through the mirror, she found herself agreeing with Folly. Her hair seemed longer than usual and shimmered nicely in the light. The lighting in the room had also seemed to cause her blemishes to disappear. Her eyes were a dark, dark brown instead of the usual hazel color.

A knock at the door brought her back to reality. Lucius had come to take her down to dinner. He looked quite nice in a white tux. They walked down the three flights of stairs and into the dinning hall. Sitting at the table already was Sambucus Malfoy, his wife, Arachni, Patricia Letstrange, her husband, Icarus, there sons, Rodulphus and Rabastan and another man. This man was of a scary type. His face was flat and his eyes a blood red. He looked at her and his thin mouth crept into a smile.

"So this must be my father," she thought and trying not to shudder, smiled shyly back. Lucius led her over to a chair right at the end of the table and she sat down, while he took a place beside her and his dad. It was silent for a while. Kayla expected to start hearing crickets. After a moment or two later the silence was broken as Folly and another house elf came out of the kitchen carrying bowls of salad. "Please tell me I don't have to eat that!" she panicked in her mind. She hated salads! Folly came by with the bowl...

"Would miss like some salads?"

"No thanks." Folly nodded and went over to Lucius who also declined. "At least I'm not the only one who does like salad."

To start some conversion, Kayla's father spoke up. "So Kayla," his voice was as scary as his looks and it sent chills down her back. "What do you think about going to a new school?"

"Um, nervous I guess. I don't really know what it's like there." She found her voice growing quieter with ever word.

"Well they have four houses there that a hat sorts you into."

"Sounds interesting. What's the difference between houses?"

"There's Hufflepuff, they're the house of idiots. Ravenclaw holds the most intelligent and snotty kids. Gryffindor is just full of gits and Slytherin has all the cool, sly and sneaky kids," replied Rodulphus grinning stupidly.
"I'm guessing you're in Slytherin?"

"I am and quite proud, too!"

"What an idiot!" She thought to herself.

"Now, now Rodulphus," said Mr. Lestrange turning to look at Kayla. "Gryffindor are for the brave and strong," he made a face which clearly showed he didn't really believe this. "Ravenclaw is for the intelligent children. Hufflepuff are loyal and true and Slytherin, which is the best, is for the cunning and sly.

"Were you also a Slytherin?"

"Yes, in fact, we all were."

"All of you? Wow!" They grinned. The houselfs brought out the main meal of mashed potatoes and steak.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" asked Mrs. Malfoy.

"Hopefully not Slytherin," thought Kayla, but of course, didn't say that. "Well, if I'm lucky, Slytherin but if not then I guess Hufflepuff.

"Hufflepuff!?" questioned Lucius. "Why Hufflepuff?" he continued with a sneer on his face.

"God I hate him, cute or not!" "Well I hope that I'm loyal and true to others," Kayla sneered back at him. They finished the rest of their meal in silence. Finally the Lestranges said their goodbyes and left and the Malfoy's went up to bed. Kayla and her father were left sitting alone.

"So, you don't want to be in Slytherin?" he asked.

"What? How'd you know what I was thinking?"

"I read," he started. "He reads minds," Panicked Kayla. "your facial expression," he continued. Kayla sighed in relief

"So, you don't want to be in Slytherin?" he repeated.

"Well, no...I don't know."

"Why not?"

"Cause if people like the Malfoys and Rodulphus and Mr. Lestrange were in it, the people in it can't be very good. But Patricia is really nice and she was in Slytherin.

"It's your choice, dear." Kayla smiled slightly.

"Umm, could I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"What do you want me to call you?" He looked quite shocked at this question.

"Whatever you feel like calling me at the time I guess," he smiled his smile which was kind a scary but Kayla was still able to loosen up a bit.

"Why do the Malfoys and Lestranges call you master? Are they servants?"

Her dad seemed a bit uncomfortable. "My houselfs are my servants. The others are my Followers. To them I am the Dark Lord."

"Dark?" she thought suspiciously. "Oh." There was a small silence on which Kayla wondered if her father's words were true.

He coughed slightly. "That Rodulphus is a bit of an idiot isn't he."

"Um, yeah, I guess so. He's definitely arrogant but his brother is really quiet." Kayla was getting a bit tired and uncomfortable and really wished she could go to bed but sat determinedly still in her chair. Then as if knowing again what she was thinking Voldemort looked at his watch and stood up.

"It's well past midnight; you should probably get to bed." Kayla nodded and also stood up. She walked nervously over to him and hugged him around the middle. Underneath his robes he felt frail and skinny.

"Goodnight...Dad." She turned and walked out of the room. She lay in her bed for quite a long time after that, thinking about this evening.