DISCLAIMER: See previous chapters.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
CHAPTER FORTY SIX
Melody stared at Peter, her eyes locking on his metal hand with a child's curiosity. "Whazz dat?" She pointed at his hand, giving him a shy smile. "Iz pwetty."
Peter snorted, his round face filling with disgust. "Shut up brat!" He took a threatening step toward her.
"You won't lay a hand on the girl, Pettigrew." A cold voice stopped him in his tracks. A dark-haired man stepped out of the shadows, his gaunt face twisted in a smirk, his dark eyes unreadable. "She is to be untouched, you know that."
"You know nothing you insignificant twit." Peter fumed, though he backed up into a corner. "If it wasn't for that wife of yours, you wouldn't even be allowed in the Inner Circle."
The man shrugged. "That is of little consequence, what matters is the fact you were about to go against a direct order from Lord Voldemort." The man stepped forward, his hand dropping to the girl's shoulder. "I think that your shift is up, Pettigrew, and I would suggest you dance attendance on our Lord."
Peter hissed, but hurriedly rushed to do as the man bade, exiting the room with a nervous twitch.
"And you." The man turned her, setting her up on the bed. "You would do well to get some rest." His voice softened as he stared at her. "Little One, as long as I am by your side, none would dare hurt you."
Melody looked up at the man, her cobalt eyes wide. "Uncle Woddy."
The man gave her a lopsided smile, then tucked the covers about her. "Don't listen to him, I am not like him."
Elizabeth collapsed, her skin a faint luminescence in the darkness. The green magic about her flickered into nothingness, her chest heaving as she drew deep breaths of the cool air of the dungeons. "I. . .can't." She whispered, her head lolling back on her shoulders. "Go. . .any further."
Immediately, Charlie was by her side. "Beth." His whisper echoed in the silence. He looked up at the group. "Go on. . .I'll stay and make sure she's alright, and then I'll catch up." His tone brooked no argument.
"Be careful." Was Bill's warning as they continued, his eyes locking with Charlie's, an unspoken declaration of brotherly love.
"And you."
The shuffling of the group continued down the corridor, lessening the further they drew away.
"Are you alright, love?" Charlie's voice was thick with emotion.
"I'm fine." She answered, her voice breathy. "I just need to rest."
"Okay." He pulled her to him, cradling her in the strength of his arms. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'd find someone else." Her tired voice was barely distinguishable from the distant shuffling of feet.
"I couldn't."
"Awww. . .how utterly nauseating!" The voice caused Charlie to jerk reflexively, pulling Elizabeth tighter in his embrace.
A woman stepped from the darkness, revealing herself. She had once been beautiful, and still was striking, though gaunt and just on this side of death. "Too bad I have to end it now."
Charlie recognized her from an old paper clipping his father had kept. "Bellatrix Lestrange."
"At your service." She hissed, gracing him with a mock-curtsy. "And I would think that you are obviously the paramour of our little errant Mudblood." Her face twisted into a rather sardonic smile. "Did you know she's pregnant? And not with your child."
"Shut up!" Elizabeth demanded forcefully, struggling to right herself. "You have no right!"
"Oh, so you didn't tell him. Pity. He's a keeper."
Elizabeth glared at the woman, before detaching herself from Charlie's protective circle. "Why don't you. . ."
"What? Die?" Bellatrix shrugged. "I'm harder to kill than that. Dorothy, are you going to tap your heels together?"
Elizabeth growled lowly, climbing to her feet with a feline grace that startled both Charlie and Bellatrix. She eyed Bellatrix like prey, the low growl moving up in pitch to a rather low roar. Elizabeth's eyes slowly hooded as she regarded the gaunt woman, a feral smile lighting up her face.
A sprightly green fire danced in her eyes, the low flickering of emerald flames clinging to her body in a tight circle of protection. She placed a hand on her swollen stomach, as if reassuring herself that there was indeed a tiny life forming in her very body. "You do not scare me, Bella." The older woman winced at the shortening of her name. "I know who you are, and where you come from."
Bellatrix shook her head, raven hair flying as she refuted this statement. Her hand tightened on her wand, but her lips her pressed together in an almost look of terror.
"I've lived your life, Bella, I am your life. If I so wish, I can take it from you. Dust you are, and to dust you shall return." Elizabeth raised a hand, the calm eye in a brewing storm, a whining wind whipping through the tunnel, the floor bucking heavily beneath her feet, as if trying to get her to take flight. "I am the Mother. . ."
They stood staring at the three tunnels.
"Which do we take?" Harry murmured, trying to deduce which one to take.
Pansy sighed. "One leads to the Dungeons, one to the House Proper, and one to the front grounds." She gestured. "I would suggest we split up."
Bill frowned, "No. . .that's not such a good idea."
"How about this. . ." Draco strode forward, grabbing Pansy by the hand. "Lupin, on to the grounds with Raya, Bill and Danielle to the Dungeons, and Sirius and Skylar into the House. Fred, George, Ginny. . .go with Lupin. Vince, Greg, Lavender, with Bill. And the rest of us with Sirius."
"But. . ." All adults present protested.
"Tis much safer." A hissing voice pointed out, and Harry turned, startled. "Much much safer than the route that should be taken, wouldn't you agree, Harry of the Potters?"
Nagini slithered out of a dark corner, undulating slowly across the floor towards Harry.
"Yes, I would." Harry replied, spitting and hissing in the snake's own tongue. "But what would a low-belly like you be doing offering us two-legs advice, especially the pet of the Big Snake?"
"Advice, even from the venomous fangs, should not go overlooked, young Potter." She replied, staring at him evenly, her tail twitching slightly in a lazy fashion. "You do not know whom you address Youngling. I will overlook your impudence this moment only."
Harry cocked his head to the side, as if trying to make sense of what the Snake was saying. "But. . ."
"Tis much you still have to learn, Harry of the Potters, much that I twould teach you, if only time was ours to spare. You have great potential, at least you know how to listen. . ." The snake gave an irritated twitch of it's tail, it's head striking forward, smacking the ground. "But I do not ill-speak others."
"And how do I know I can trust a. . .Snake?"
Nagini raised herself up, her black eyes locking on his emerald ones, a hood he hadn't noticed unfurling as she spit in savage intensity. "I am NOT just ANY Snake!" The low hiss reverberated in the hall, startling the others, but they kept their distance, watching the almost conversation. "I am an Elder, and you would do well to learn some respect, Hatchling!"
Harry had the grace to look contrite. "Well, you are the familiar of. . ."
"I am NO ONE'S pet!" Nagini's hood flared, her upper lip drawing back over wicked fangs, her tail thrashing about in anger, her body undulating in an aggressive rhythm. "I act my own, Youngling, and you would do well to remember that. I act on my own commands, and I will not see one such as you go to waste. You are far too valuable for that fool to kill off. You speak fluently. . ."
His eyebrows drew over his eyes, as he stared at the agitated Snake in consternation. "But, I got this ability. . ."
"Dumbledore. . .old fool, wise beyond anyone's imagining, but he has no common sense. Yes, that scar does connect the two of you, but there was no transference of power, you are powerful in your own right, Heir of Slytherin. . ."
Harry's face contorted in shock, and Ron almost flung himself at the Snake, thinking it had somehow mesmerized his best friend.
Nagini, acting on instinct, struck forward, her head hitting the boy's outstretched arm, her fangs sinking into his unprotected flesh, the sickly sweet poison that was her own slowly dribbled down into the wound.
No one moved for a moment, blood welling up on Ron's arm, Nagini thrashing slightly as she tried, rather unsuccessfully, to release herself. Once she tore herself away, she slunk over to the wall, her fangs retracting, her eyes hooded and cold.
Ron stumbled back, a look of shock and pain crossing his face before it settled on a sickly green, tinged with a white pallor. Blood congealed on the wound in a matter of moments, the skin about the bite mark turning a strange grey.
"Ron!" Lavender ran over to her boyfriend, her hand raised to touch his face.
"NO!" Harry startled out of his stupor, blood spattered across his face, cooling rapidly in the air. "Don't touch him!"
"Are you insane?!" Ginny whirled about on Harry. . ."We have to get him help! Or he'll die. . . "
"He will not die. . ." Nagini trembled slightly, before slinking back across the floor, approaching a rather distressed Lavender and a sick Ron. . ."He is ill, I must attend him."
"But. . ." Harry quirked a brow, blinking rapidly, "You can't. . ."
"I can."
AN: Heh, a good place as any to leave it, I suppose. . .sorry about not updating sooner, but I got a new job, and all sorts of things have been going on. But hey, at least I'm updating. . .and the next update will be much sooner. . .lol! Anyway, see that little button down there. . .yeah, that one. . right there! Okay, clickie and tell me what you think!
Love,
Liz
DOUBLE TROUBLE
CHAPTER FORTY SIX
Melody stared at Peter, her eyes locking on his metal hand with a child's curiosity. "Whazz dat?" She pointed at his hand, giving him a shy smile. "Iz pwetty."
Peter snorted, his round face filling with disgust. "Shut up brat!" He took a threatening step toward her.
"You won't lay a hand on the girl, Pettigrew." A cold voice stopped him in his tracks. A dark-haired man stepped out of the shadows, his gaunt face twisted in a smirk, his dark eyes unreadable. "She is to be untouched, you know that."
"You know nothing you insignificant twit." Peter fumed, though he backed up into a corner. "If it wasn't for that wife of yours, you wouldn't even be allowed in the Inner Circle."
The man shrugged. "That is of little consequence, what matters is the fact you were about to go against a direct order from Lord Voldemort." The man stepped forward, his hand dropping to the girl's shoulder. "I think that your shift is up, Pettigrew, and I would suggest you dance attendance on our Lord."
Peter hissed, but hurriedly rushed to do as the man bade, exiting the room with a nervous twitch.
"And you." The man turned her, setting her up on the bed. "You would do well to get some rest." His voice softened as he stared at her. "Little One, as long as I am by your side, none would dare hurt you."
Melody looked up at the man, her cobalt eyes wide. "Uncle Woddy."
The man gave her a lopsided smile, then tucked the covers about her. "Don't listen to him, I am not like him."
Elizabeth collapsed, her skin a faint luminescence in the darkness. The green magic about her flickered into nothingness, her chest heaving as she drew deep breaths of the cool air of the dungeons. "I. . .can't." She whispered, her head lolling back on her shoulders. "Go. . .any further."
Immediately, Charlie was by her side. "Beth." His whisper echoed in the silence. He looked up at the group. "Go on. . .I'll stay and make sure she's alright, and then I'll catch up." His tone brooked no argument.
"Be careful." Was Bill's warning as they continued, his eyes locking with Charlie's, an unspoken declaration of brotherly love.
"And you."
The shuffling of the group continued down the corridor, lessening the further they drew away.
"Are you alright, love?" Charlie's voice was thick with emotion.
"I'm fine." She answered, her voice breathy. "I just need to rest."
"Okay." He pulled her to him, cradling her in the strength of his arms. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'd find someone else." Her tired voice was barely distinguishable from the distant shuffling of feet.
"I couldn't."
"Awww. . .how utterly nauseating!" The voice caused Charlie to jerk reflexively, pulling Elizabeth tighter in his embrace.
A woman stepped from the darkness, revealing herself. She had once been beautiful, and still was striking, though gaunt and just on this side of death. "Too bad I have to end it now."
Charlie recognized her from an old paper clipping his father had kept. "Bellatrix Lestrange."
"At your service." She hissed, gracing him with a mock-curtsy. "And I would think that you are obviously the paramour of our little errant Mudblood." Her face twisted into a rather sardonic smile. "Did you know she's pregnant? And not with your child."
"Shut up!" Elizabeth demanded forcefully, struggling to right herself. "You have no right!"
"Oh, so you didn't tell him. Pity. He's a keeper."
Elizabeth glared at the woman, before detaching herself from Charlie's protective circle. "Why don't you. . ."
"What? Die?" Bellatrix shrugged. "I'm harder to kill than that. Dorothy, are you going to tap your heels together?"
Elizabeth growled lowly, climbing to her feet with a feline grace that startled both Charlie and Bellatrix. She eyed Bellatrix like prey, the low growl moving up in pitch to a rather low roar. Elizabeth's eyes slowly hooded as she regarded the gaunt woman, a feral smile lighting up her face.
A sprightly green fire danced in her eyes, the low flickering of emerald flames clinging to her body in a tight circle of protection. She placed a hand on her swollen stomach, as if reassuring herself that there was indeed a tiny life forming in her very body. "You do not scare me, Bella." The older woman winced at the shortening of her name. "I know who you are, and where you come from."
Bellatrix shook her head, raven hair flying as she refuted this statement. Her hand tightened on her wand, but her lips her pressed together in an almost look of terror.
"I've lived your life, Bella, I am your life. If I so wish, I can take it from you. Dust you are, and to dust you shall return." Elizabeth raised a hand, the calm eye in a brewing storm, a whining wind whipping through the tunnel, the floor bucking heavily beneath her feet, as if trying to get her to take flight. "I am the Mother. . ."
They stood staring at the three tunnels.
"Which do we take?" Harry murmured, trying to deduce which one to take.
Pansy sighed. "One leads to the Dungeons, one to the House Proper, and one to the front grounds." She gestured. "I would suggest we split up."
Bill frowned, "No. . .that's not such a good idea."
"How about this. . ." Draco strode forward, grabbing Pansy by the hand. "Lupin, on to the grounds with Raya, Bill and Danielle to the Dungeons, and Sirius and Skylar into the House. Fred, George, Ginny. . .go with Lupin. Vince, Greg, Lavender, with Bill. And the rest of us with Sirius."
"But. . ." All adults present protested.
"Tis much safer." A hissing voice pointed out, and Harry turned, startled. "Much much safer than the route that should be taken, wouldn't you agree, Harry of the Potters?"
Nagini slithered out of a dark corner, undulating slowly across the floor towards Harry.
"Yes, I would." Harry replied, spitting and hissing in the snake's own tongue. "But what would a low-belly like you be doing offering us two-legs advice, especially the pet of the Big Snake?"
"Advice, even from the venomous fangs, should not go overlooked, young Potter." She replied, staring at him evenly, her tail twitching slightly in a lazy fashion. "You do not know whom you address Youngling. I will overlook your impudence this moment only."
Harry cocked his head to the side, as if trying to make sense of what the Snake was saying. "But. . ."
"Tis much you still have to learn, Harry of the Potters, much that I twould teach you, if only time was ours to spare. You have great potential, at least you know how to listen. . ." The snake gave an irritated twitch of it's tail, it's head striking forward, smacking the ground. "But I do not ill-speak others."
"And how do I know I can trust a. . .Snake?"
Nagini raised herself up, her black eyes locking on his emerald ones, a hood he hadn't noticed unfurling as she spit in savage intensity. "I am NOT just ANY Snake!" The low hiss reverberated in the hall, startling the others, but they kept their distance, watching the almost conversation. "I am an Elder, and you would do well to learn some respect, Hatchling!"
Harry had the grace to look contrite. "Well, you are the familiar of. . ."
"I am NO ONE'S pet!" Nagini's hood flared, her upper lip drawing back over wicked fangs, her tail thrashing about in anger, her body undulating in an aggressive rhythm. "I act my own, Youngling, and you would do well to remember that. I act on my own commands, and I will not see one such as you go to waste. You are far too valuable for that fool to kill off. You speak fluently. . ."
His eyebrows drew over his eyes, as he stared at the agitated Snake in consternation. "But, I got this ability. . ."
"Dumbledore. . .old fool, wise beyond anyone's imagining, but he has no common sense. Yes, that scar does connect the two of you, but there was no transference of power, you are powerful in your own right, Heir of Slytherin. . ."
Harry's face contorted in shock, and Ron almost flung himself at the Snake, thinking it had somehow mesmerized his best friend.
Nagini, acting on instinct, struck forward, her head hitting the boy's outstretched arm, her fangs sinking into his unprotected flesh, the sickly sweet poison that was her own slowly dribbled down into the wound.
No one moved for a moment, blood welling up on Ron's arm, Nagini thrashing slightly as she tried, rather unsuccessfully, to release herself. Once she tore herself away, she slunk over to the wall, her fangs retracting, her eyes hooded and cold.
Ron stumbled back, a look of shock and pain crossing his face before it settled on a sickly green, tinged with a white pallor. Blood congealed on the wound in a matter of moments, the skin about the bite mark turning a strange grey.
"Ron!" Lavender ran over to her boyfriend, her hand raised to touch his face.
"NO!" Harry startled out of his stupor, blood spattered across his face, cooling rapidly in the air. "Don't touch him!"
"Are you insane?!" Ginny whirled about on Harry. . ."We have to get him help! Or he'll die. . . "
"He will not die. . ." Nagini trembled slightly, before slinking back across the floor, approaching a rather distressed Lavender and a sick Ron. . ."He is ill, I must attend him."
"But. . ." Harry quirked a brow, blinking rapidly, "You can't. . ."
"I can."
AN: Heh, a good place as any to leave it, I suppose. . .sorry about not updating sooner, but I got a new job, and all sorts of things have been going on. But hey, at least I'm updating. . .and the next update will be much sooner. . .lol! Anyway, see that little button down there. . .yeah, that one. . right there! Okay, clickie and tell me what you think!
Love,
Liz
