Chapter Twelve: Vengeance
The maid's room was completely black save for one blood-red candle flickering away on the side table. The manor was silent, the two Malfoys having fallen into an unshakeable slumber over an hour ago. Rose approached the black box slowly on the balls of her feet as if afraid of what she'd find therein.
Inhaling deeply, once, she removed Alex's black trousers and blouse, and pictured the crowd gathered around Nina's shop, the ugly glow of the hovering dark mark highlighting their stunned faces.
She released the breath.
On the second, she brought out Alex's knife coated now with Severus' most deadly poison instead of the sleeping draught she'd always used before. She placed it beside the clothes, picturing in great detail the wreckage of Nina's store.
She released the second breath.
The third breath found Alex's silent boots and saw in grotesque detail, Nina's body, covered in blood on the newly-shined floor.
Rose's jaw tightened.
She released the breath.
Retrieving the gloves, her mind brought forth the damning words daubed in her friend's blood on the wall: FOR ALEX
Her breath quickened with her heartbeat.
Reaching up to the tip of her left ear she removed a tiny, almost completely inconspicuous silver hoop and her body began to shift. Rapidly, her hair lightened and lengthened. Her skin lost it's sultry color and was replaced with a fading tan. Her eyes lightened from deep brown to golden amber and took on a deadly spark.
Alex Borgin shrugged the black dressing gown from her shoulders and began to prepare.
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The place was warded just as Severus had written it would be, but not heavily. The arrogant bastards thought they were untouchable, that no one of import even knew where they were. There were four of them hiding here after escaping Azkaban, one of them would be on guard and the rest were most likely sleeping in the upper chambers of the dilapidated old manor.
Alex crept silently toward the old house.
Crouching at the side of the enormous terrace, and eyeing a window high above, she quickly slid her climbing gloves over steady hands, and began to ascend the wall. The attic window, three stories above was her intended destination and she struggled even with the gloves to achieve her goal. Actually, she thought ruefully, I'm quiet enough. What I need is a pair of enchanted climbing boots. Just as the thought flashed through her mind, her right boot slipped on a slick stone and she dangled helplessly, her feet scrambling for purchase on the worn rock. After much slipping and silent cursing, she located a chink and settled her foot deep inside, her other foot found a hold in a spot just to the left and up. It was awkward, but she obstinately continued her climb.
When she reached the attic window, she was finally able to rest on the sill which jutted out just far enough for her to perch precariously. Shaking from exertion, she removed a curious-looking golden sphere from one of her side pockets, placed it on the window where it magically adhered to the frame, and pressed a tiny lever on the side. The little ball shivered for a moment, then began to pulsate with a tiny blue light, no brighter than a firefly. She hid this carefully with her hands while the magic of the miniscule globe worked. With a barely-audible click it split itself in half and opened up just a fraction, the pieces hovering over one another.
She could almost feel the power of the object grow as it absorbed the magical energy from the window, negating the warding spell and allowing her to enter without setting off an alarm. Having passed through the window undetected she removed a withered hand from yet another pocket, the fabled Hand of Glory, and inserted a small candle. The room was suddenly illuminated as brightly as if she'd cast a 'Lumos' spell, but allowing only her eyes to see.
I love this thing, she though with a wicked smile.
The stairs leading to the second floor were in the center of the room and she navigated old traveling trunks covered in dust, huge chests of drawers with bits of odd clothing sticking out, and piles of papers stacked several feet high. Finally, she reached the stone steps and began to descend holding the Hand aloft to illuminate the way.
Obviously, no one ever found it necessary to come up these stairs as they were covered in dust so thick that her boots made imprints on the steps. For a passing moment, she had the urge to giggle, wondering what Mr. Malfoy would think if she ever let his house begin to look like this.
The thought of Mr. Malfoy brought to Alex a realization that made her absolutely sick. Had she acquired a polyjuice potion from a dealer and one of Lucius Malfoy's platinum hairs, she could have just walked in the front door of this place. She rolled her eyes at her own shortsightedness.
Idiot!
Oh, well. Hindsight was always flawless. No time to curse herself now. There was work to be done.
Out of another pocket came a black scarf which she tied tightly over her nose and mouth, double-checking to make sure that it was secure. It was enchanted to seal itself against leaks, but if it slid off, she was doomed. Out of the same pocket, she drew several small yellow pellets, rather jolly-looking, actually, like candy.
Well, they're pretty sweet tricks, she thought, giving them a quick smile.
The stairs that connected the first and second floor were off-center, leaving two doors on her left and one at the far end of the hall on her right. Casually, she tossed a handful of the pellets down the steps, down both sides of the hall which she occupied, and at her own feet, the satisfying hiss announcing that they had broken open, their toxic fume spreading rapidly.
She chuckled silently. How could the Order find these Death Eaters so difficult? This was a piece of cake. In a matter of moments, everyone in this house excluding her would be dead.
Muffled steps from below announced that someone had heard the pellets snap open and was coming to investigate. As he entered the invisible field of enchanted smoke, he began to choke violently, but not before giving a strangled cry of rage.
He died before the echo could.
Unfortunately, the warning had done it's work. Answering shouts and protective spells were heard up and down the hall.
Damn! This was not going to go as smoothly as she'd hoped.
Don't panic, she reminded herself. You have the upper hand and the element of surprise.
From down the hall on the right appeared a witch who looked for all the world like the traditional muggle depiction: stringy hair, overly sharp features, sunken cheeks, and a sallow, almost green-tinged complexion. She was out the door in an instant, wand pointed more or less at Alex's head. How she could see her in the near pitch black was a mystery.
"Avada Kedavra!" she screamed. Alex just barely dodged the killing curse by diving back onto the attic stairway, silently thanking Draco for the practice of dodging that bludger in the garden as she heard the window on the far end of the hall explode from the force of the spell.
Mother of Mab, that was close!
Several frantic curses came from the woman, Bellatrix Lestrange, Alex assumed, and a lumos spell from a masculine voice on the other end of the hall. Harsh chanting came from Bellatrix's end and Alex felt a powerful gust of wind pass her by.
Damn that woman! She was forcing the fumes out of the hall by way of the hole she'd just made.
On the other hand, two strangled cries from her comrades announced that she had doomed them to death with the spell. The light from one of their wands sputtered and died just as Bellatrix lit her own.
Alex could not go back up. The only exit up there would take too much time to navigate, but she was a sitting duck on these stairs. It had been a long time since she'd attempted a stage dive, but she had little choice. Padding her body with a whispered spell, she dove for the stairs.
"Stupefy!" A jet of light from Lestrange's wand illuminated the hall in a violent red glow.
Ha! Missed me, bitch!
But, not by much, she was forced to admit.
Gaining her feet and leaping the railing to the floor below, she lunged for the nearest cover, a wall separating the sitting room from the foyer. Quietly replacing the Hand of Glory, she drew her knife with one hand and a handful of choking smoke pellets in the other. She left her wand in it's pocket, hoping to Merlin that it wouldn't come down to a duel. This woman was as dangerous as Severus, maybe even more so, and Alex had never come close to defeating him in magical combat.
According to Severus' information, this Bellatrix woman was an absolute demon in a duel. In his scroll about Bella, he had expressly warned Alex against allowing her to ever draw her wand.
So, essentially, I've made a very big mistake.
Hoping that mistake wouldn't be the death of her, she crouched low and peered around the corner. The light from Bellatrix's wand as she descended the stairs cautiously, muttering defensive charms all the way, cast her gaunt form into sharp relief against the darkness beyond. Alex rolled the pellets in her hand, wondering how in the world Lestrange was surviving the remaining poison that now clouded the air about her. Must be part of defensive aura she's building with those damn spells.
If she could walk through the poison unharmed, then it was probable that the smoke pellets would have no effect either. She'd have to try something else. Pocketing the pellets, she withdrew in their place a tiny dementor, perfect in every aspect. One clawed hand was sharpened to a razor's edge and on this Alex sliced her palm and clutched the figurine tightly, biting back a whimper of pain as she covered it in blood. This completed, she balanced the statue on her outstretched hand and blew gently. Tattered black robes, solid only an instant before, moved with the warmth of her breath as the full-sized specter took shape before her, awaiting direction.
Alex wasted no time sending it after Bellatrix who had reached the base of the stairs and stepped over her fallen comrade without a glance. As the older witch sized up this new enemy Alex crept around the room, back to the wall and hiding in the shadows.
"Expecto Patronum!" Bellatrix shouted, grinning wickedly in an anticipation as an enormous silver werewolf sprang from her wand, charged the dementor-- and passed right through its body. Bellatrix's grin faltered as her patronus dissolved into thin air. What was this? Some illusionist's game? Who would be foolish enough to attack Bellatrix Lestrange with illusions?
The question was answered almost an instant later as Alex dove for the distracted woman from the shadows, snatching her wand and sweeping her from her feet in one graceful motion. Alex promptly snapped the woman's wand and drew her own, turning rather more slowly than she would have otherwise, underestimating the older witch. By the time she realized Bella was up, it was too late. The witch had her by the throat. It was all she could do to throw herself into a roll, taking her nemesis with her.
Thrown off only for an instant, Bella leapt on her again with a wild cry, struggling ferociously to reach her wand. Alex first thought to throw her off, then realized that the other three Death Eaters were armed also, the first to die was laying at the foot the stairs, his wand likely still clutched in his hand. Bella was far from helpless in this place. The two witches seemed to realize this at the same time and Alex wrapped her legs around her enemy's just as she tried to spring away. The vice enraged Bellatrix and she redoubled her effort's to reach Alex's wand.
Alex, with a patience that surprised her, systematically searched for an opening in the woman's defenses.
She would never have expected such a scrawny woman to be so strong, but the power in her wiry limbs came from the most dangerous source-- absolute desperation. Rolling about the floor in a violent struggle for the upper hand, the two were quickly enmeshed in a ferocious brawl; kicking, biting, and clawing. Bella fighting to avoid Alex's blade and obtain her wand. Alex desperate to find any opening at all that would allow her to even scratch the woman with the poisoned blade without being nicked in the process, but her hand was slick with blood and the cut on her palm was stinging wickedly.
An accident would prove fatal as Severus had never brewed an antidote for this concoction. It would have been moot, really. Such was the potency of the poison that the subject would be dead before they could even reach for a second vial.
"Who are you?" the older witch suddenly shrieked into Alex's face. "Are you one of Dumbledore's pets?" Alex was trying desperately to not be frightened by the mad gleam in her enemy's eyes as she spoke. She seemed to have no fear of her at all, just a fierce determination to win. "All this skulking about-- it isn't like him." The last word was spat out as she slammed Alex's hand against the stone floor, trying to loosen her grip on the coveted wand, eliciting a cry of pain from the younger witch.
Alex countered quickly, kneeing the other woman in the ribs causing her to gasp in pain, but she recovered unbelievably quickly, nearly succeeding in prying the wand from fingers which were slippery with sweat. Bellatrix's face was inches from Alex's, strained with the effort of their struggle, her eyes gleaming with a feverish light.
Suddenly, Alex had a revelation: Bellatrix was not going to give up. She was completely out of her mind, and her insanity provided her the strength and stamina of a woman half her age. Possibly more, Alex thought, as Bellatrix resumed smashing her hand against the floor. The fiery barbs shooting up her arm were becoming unbearable and she didn't know how much longer she'd be able to last. Already she trembled with the effort. Bellatrix was at least panting for breath, but seemed ready to fight to the bitter end.
There was no way Alex would be able to best her.
It was a humiliating realization; all that knowledge from Cimino and this was the best she could do. There was one option left open to her; utter deception. She'd just have to be really quick. Cimino had been unbelievably good at this. If he could do it, she could it.
Hopefully.
The next time her hand came slamming down on the stone, she feigned a swoon-- and released the wand.
"Yes!" came Bellatrix's triumphant shout as she rolled away, wand in hand and a killing curse already on her lips.
It died there as Bellatrix died, the poisoned blade protruding from her throat, her body crumpling in slow motion to the ground, and Alex's arm still drawing back from a perfect throw.
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Four bodies lay neatly stretched side by side in front of Nina's pastries. Alex stood above them, cloaked and silent, contemplating her task.
She had done what she set out to do, avenged her friend and then some, but it wasn't enough. It wouldn't be enough until they were all dead.
She pulled a scroll, a carefully-worded letter to the Daily Prophet, out of her inner pocket and dropped it on the corpse of Bellatrix Lestrange, enchanting it to stay there until picked up by a human hand. Soon, the Death Eaters would know their time was coming, that this was only the beginning.
Alex Borgin would be coming for them, too.
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Author's note: Thanks, everybody, for being patient. Things have been really complicated in the ol' personal life lately. I'm pulled together and ready to get moving again, though-- Sorry to slow us down. On an up-note, I have most of the next few chapters written roughly in the notebook I keep at work, so the updates should come fairly quickly.
PPP: I didn't think of that. Poor Lucius needs some lovin'! And, yeah, Severus makes everything difficult.
Intel Ewok: Yes. I suppose Rose is feeling someone maternal toward Drac, but who can blame her? Thank you for appreciating my characterization of Lucius. I see him as being a very complicated bad guy. He's not easy to pin down.
Rycca: I understand your reluctance to let Alex/Rose sleep with Lucius, but could you really blame the girl? She is awfully crazy about Sev, but things are about to get even messier between them. Sorry.
Lady Jenilyn: I cringe to think that Draco would ever find out about Rose. Knowing that he'd been fooled twice would probably send him into a murderous frenzy! Poor Alex! As to Sev getting a grip, who knows? Things are about to get a little worse, but maybe they'll work out in the end.