One Young Heart
Chapter 22: Of Meetings and Murders
Rain poured down in droves, trees cracked, lightning flashed. Death Eaters ran towards the tents arranged in a miserable huddle, slipping and sliding through the mud, passed their superior's tents without so much as a bow, running from the weather. A flash of light fell directly before a single tent, creating a ring of flames around it. A dark hood, a tall shape, a face as calm as glass in the face of the storm, feet that walked unconcerned through the flaming circle. A cowering white figure, condemned to serve as vassal to a creature he hated, a token of trust betrayed, following his life and his death. The Dark Lord walked abroad.
Severus, inside the tent he had reached far before the others, watched as Voldermort left his tent, let it be consigned to the flames, a pointless waste, but on that must have spoken volumes about power and intimidation to the two boys tied to a stake next to the grand fire. He watched the fear and horror of a night that had no chance of dawn, the rise of evil across the world. The grand fire sprang to life, illuminating his dark eyes with eerie red light.
The tall snakelike man paced back and forth before the two boys, chained back to back and pacing. Harry Potter shuddered with a pain beyond imagining, wincing with each of his captor's steps, scar glowing red. Ronald Weasly did not shake, but merely stood, pale beneath his freckles. With a smirk on his flat features, Voldermort raised a hand, and the lightning abruptly stopped. Nice parlor trick, Snape thought coldly, trying not to be impressed. "Eaters". The word was a hiss, hypnotic and seductive, a man reveling in his power. Carefully, each of the servants of evil slipped out, and walked forward to their places in the circle. "Look what Lucius has caught me! A pair of little rats. They were awfully lost, but we'll help them find their way home, won't we?" Cruel eyes focused sharply on Harry. "Are you lost, little rat? Can't you find your little hole? Won't your keepers come and find you? Dumbleodre must be terrified, you are the best weapon he is. If I kill you, he'll have to resort to throwing rocks at the big, bad bullies." The boy moaned, dark circles visible beneath his eyes, the green in their depths hidden beneath huge pupils, trying to see, trying to escape his reality.
"And you, Wesley. What are you thinking right now, hmm? I bet you always did think that you'd always be safe, that Potter would do all the work, and you would just be the backup. I bet that when you get back, they will get all mad at you for endangering Potter's precious life, and forget to ask if you are hurt. Well, don't worry," His voiced changed from condescending to cold. "We won't be giving you back with Potter. We have another little weasel to catch first. If anyone in your family is brave enough to crawl out of their hole!" The death eaters laughed, and Snape was careful to laugh with them, careful to keep his eyes straight ahead, fixed on the boys. Malfoy was watching. It would not do to fall behind on his cues. "Severus! Come, tell me about the look on that old fool's face when he got the message!" The Dark Lord rose, removed his hand from Ron's shoulder, walked back into his instantly repaired tent. One by one, his servants drifted off, leaving Harry and Ron to sit out the rain together, prisoners of the faceless storm.
Chapter 22: Of Meetings and Murders
Rain poured down in droves, trees cracked, lightning flashed. Death Eaters ran towards the tents arranged in a miserable huddle, slipping and sliding through the mud, passed their superior's tents without so much as a bow, running from the weather. A flash of light fell directly before a single tent, creating a ring of flames around it. A dark hood, a tall shape, a face as calm as glass in the face of the storm, feet that walked unconcerned through the flaming circle. A cowering white figure, condemned to serve as vassal to a creature he hated, a token of trust betrayed, following his life and his death. The Dark Lord walked abroad.
Severus, inside the tent he had reached far before the others, watched as Voldermort left his tent, let it be consigned to the flames, a pointless waste, but on that must have spoken volumes about power and intimidation to the two boys tied to a stake next to the grand fire. He watched the fear and horror of a night that had no chance of dawn, the rise of evil across the world. The grand fire sprang to life, illuminating his dark eyes with eerie red light.
The tall snakelike man paced back and forth before the two boys, chained back to back and pacing. Harry Potter shuddered with a pain beyond imagining, wincing with each of his captor's steps, scar glowing red. Ronald Weasly did not shake, but merely stood, pale beneath his freckles. With a smirk on his flat features, Voldermort raised a hand, and the lightning abruptly stopped. Nice parlor trick, Snape thought coldly, trying not to be impressed. "Eaters". The word was a hiss, hypnotic and seductive, a man reveling in his power. Carefully, each of the servants of evil slipped out, and walked forward to their places in the circle. "Look what Lucius has caught me! A pair of little rats. They were awfully lost, but we'll help them find their way home, won't we?" Cruel eyes focused sharply on Harry. "Are you lost, little rat? Can't you find your little hole? Won't your keepers come and find you? Dumbleodre must be terrified, you are the best weapon he is. If I kill you, he'll have to resort to throwing rocks at the big, bad bullies." The boy moaned, dark circles visible beneath his eyes, the green in their depths hidden beneath huge pupils, trying to see, trying to escape his reality.
"And you, Wesley. What are you thinking right now, hmm? I bet you always did think that you'd always be safe, that Potter would do all the work, and you would just be the backup. I bet that when you get back, they will get all mad at you for endangering Potter's precious life, and forget to ask if you are hurt. Well, don't worry," His voiced changed from condescending to cold. "We won't be giving you back with Potter. We have another little weasel to catch first. If anyone in your family is brave enough to crawl out of their hole!" The death eaters laughed, and Snape was careful to laugh with them, careful to keep his eyes straight ahead, fixed on the boys. Malfoy was watching. It would not do to fall behind on his cues. "Severus! Come, tell me about the look on that old fool's face when he got the message!" The Dark Lord rose, removed his hand from Ron's shoulder, walked back into his instantly repaired tent. One by one, his servants drifted off, leaving Harry and Ron to sit out the rain together, prisoners of the faceless storm.