Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything affiliated with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does. I only own Laelia.
Story Notes: This story was Co-Authored by Telepiel, who has been very helpful! :D You rock, Telepiel! ;) I haven't finished the books yet, and she has been the one giving me ideas for the story, helping me with certain subtleties and making sure everything is just right! She's even helped me come up with a birth date for Snape. If either of us has missed something, please let us know! But be nice about it, too…I'd be nice to your story and I only think it's common courtesy. And as always, I appreciate any constructive criticisms you can come up with, as well as any story ideas you may have, so feel free to email me any suggestions! Oh, and it may be a while between updates, but that is only because I want to get this just right!
Plot and Character Notes: I really hope that Laelia doesn't come across as a Mary-Sue - she certainly isn't intended that way. If she does come across that way, suggestions about how to fix it would be greatly appreciated. In this story, Severus Snape is NOT a handsome, seductive man…he's Snape, and I wouldn't write him any other way! If somebody notices something they think is out of character for Snape, or anyone else for that matter, please tell me and, if you can, suggest a way to fix it. I'd really appreciate it! :D Also, this story is going to be spread out over two books, Book 6 and 7, and since I'm sure Rowling won't write them anything like what I write, this is an AU!
Summary: Laelia Wiltshire finally learns the truth of what happened to her parents more than 15 years ago, bringing her loyalty to Voldemort and the Death Eaters into question. While choosing her side she begrudgingly befriends Severus Snape and Remus Lupin. There will be a little bit of everything in this fic - action, drama, romance (does jealousy count as romance? lol), humour, angst, etc. And, yes, this fic is rated R for a reason - adult situations, blood, gore, etc. After all, there will be quite a bit of focus on the Death Eaters, considering that our heroine is one ;)
Anyway, on with the story!
Laelia Wiltshire walked alone down a long dark tunnel that was lit up by only a handful of torches. She had been called again. Reflexively she reached her right hand up and gently rubbed The Dark Mark on her left forearm, something she did subconsciously whenever she thought about its existence. As she realized what she had been doing, she cursed quietly, letting go of her arm, and pulled a small worn old leather strap from her pocket, then reached back and tied her long dark brown hair behind her. Rich as the Death Eaters may be, Laelia had always felt more comfortable with only bare necessities, and as long as something worked, she rarely threw it away. This philosophy was visible to anybody that had seen her modest and cluttered London flat - Laelia tended to be a pack rat.
The dark passageway she was walking down would lead her to where the Dark Lord and the other Death Eaters would be waiting. Their meeting place was a dark, dreary cave underground, the entrance to it hidden by dark magic. The whole area around the entrance to the cave was the type of place one wouldn't want to be lost in either, as it gave anyone a distinctly uneasy feeling.
Suddenly, she heard voices behind her, so she turned her head to see who was approaching. Her grey eyes narrowed at the shadows that the torch light brought up on the cavern wall as she faintly heard one of them say 'Wiltshire.' She pulled her black hood up and swiftly disappeared into the shadows, a skill she had mastered long ago.
The voices grew louder in the passageway as their owners approached, and Laelia closed her eyes, relaxing and bidding every muscle in her body to remain still. In the shadows, she was completely hidden from view and no sound was made that might reveal her location.
She recognized the voices as belonging to Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange .
"I can't believe that the girl still believes her parents were really killed by aurors," Rodolphus chuckled contemptibly. "As though Dumbledore and his 'Order of the Phoenix' would allow such a thing - too noble that lot."
"I can still recall the look in their eyes during the crucio," Bellatrix laughed. "Can you believe they actually thought they stood a chance?"
"And the look of sheer terror when they heard the words 'Avada Kedavra'," he laughed haughtily. "I daresay those traitors deserved it."
The way he spat the word 'traitors' made Laelia's stomach turn. It took every last ounce of willpower in her body not to strike the pair down. Every muscle in her body tensed as the meaning of the words she was hearing slowly sunk in - Lord Voldemort had her parents killed? Her parents were traitors? She didn't want to believe she had been lied to for so long, moreover, she didn't want to believe that she could be so naive. The more she thought about it, the more a blind anger coursed through her veins.
As soon as Bellatrix and Rodolphus were out of sight, and Laelia was certain they wouldn't hear her, she stepped out of the shadows slowly and glared in their wake. After the meeting she would approach Dumbledore and find out the truth. No matter what it took, she wouldn't be made a fool of again. She pulled her silver mask out of the folds of her cloak and slipped it on, then crept toward the cavern where the meeting was to be held.
A few hours later, Laelia had just arrived back in her London flat. With a new found carelessness for her mask and robe, Laelia tossed them onto her couch and scowled at the now offensive items. It was difficult for her to believe that only a few hours ago she had taken such pride in them. But after what she had heard before the meeting, she could never be proud of them again, at least not until she knew the truth.
The entire meeting with Voldemort had been a blur, and she was finding it difficult to remember anything that had happened, having spent the entire time trying plan out her next move.
She looked around her flat and laughed bitterly as she realized that, though she was a bit of a pack rat, she had nothing of value, nothing she wouldn't be willing to leave or lose. The only exception was Damon, her owl. She crossed the room to where Damon sat on his perch and greeted the owl.
"I have a job for you, Damon, my friend," she said happily as she stroked the bird's feathers. At a nearby table was a piece of parchment and some ink. Laelia picked up the quill and began writing her letter to Dumbledore. "I need you to take this to Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts." It was the end of the summer, so she felt certain he would be there getting ready for a new year.
Damon cocked his head and cooed a question.
"When you return, friend," she assured him. She curled up the letter, and attached it to Damon's leg. "Wait for his response before you come back. Now, go."
She watched through her window as Damon flew through the summer air to find Dumbledore, and she prayed for his safe return. With a sigh, she walked to her bedroom and flopped down on the mattress, pulling a book off the bedside table. She flipped to the page she had left off at, and began reading - it would be a long wait before Damon returned.
When Laelia awoke the next morning, she found she had tossed her book on the floor in the middle of the night sometime. That night had proven to be one of the most restless and fitful nights she'd had in years - not since her parents died, actually, had she gotten so little sleep. Though, she had to admit that none of her nights could have been called restful after her parent's deaths. Slowly she pulled herself out of bed and squinted against the morning light, then looked at the clock on the wall as she entered her livingroom: seven o'clock in the morning. Laelia growled and moved to draw her curtains down in an effort to shut out some of the light, when Damon flew back in through the open window.
"Damon!" she exclaimed in shock - she had forgotten all about the errand she had sent him on. The owl flew to her and dropped a small envelope in her hands, then flew back to his perch.
Laelia opened the envelope, expecting some sort of letter, but instead finding a ticket. She read the ticket aloud to herself: "King's Cross station, Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Eleven a.m."
"Plenty of time," she muttered. She ran around her flat grabbing what few valuable possessions she had - something told her she would not be returning to her dreary flat - and threw everything messily into a large bag.
For two hours she ran around the tiny flat as she got ready - most of the time was spent searching for what she needed in the piles of clutter - then, finally, she could wait no longer, lest she be late for the train.
Grabbing Damon's cage, she opened the door and allowed her owl to fly inside. "Come along, Damon," she said, feeling more wide awake than she ever had in the morning. "We've got a train to catch."
She slid on her boots and ran out the door, heading for King's Cross Station, Platform Nine and Three Quarters.