Chapter One – Of a Recording, a House call, and a Mentor
"Franki, are you even listening to me?" I cried after spending 30 minutes trying to explain my thesis paper to my best friend.
"Yep, I am," came her automatic response. Only two things make her space out like that: teachers of most kinds (particularly Spanish teachers, seeing as how she is foreign-language inept . . .) and Johnny Depp.
Keyword there: TRYING!
As a thought struck me, an evil grin graced my face, the one that my friends inch away from, babies cry over, and strangers in the street whisper about. Of course, it also caused my mentor to go giddy with happiness, something about me carrying on the family name or some such nonsense. We aren't even related... as far as I know. However, I 'm on a tangent.
Back in Evil Grin Land, I had snuck a micro-cassette recorder out of my pocket, and was pressing record gently, so as not to alert Franki of my plan. I kept up a steady flow of Spanish words, mostly in grammatical chaos, but she would never notice.
"Do you like spiders?" I asked, in English, to test my theory. I restrained from dancing when it did. Some more murmurings in Spanish prepared Franki for the big blow.
"Do you, Franki Lorraine St. Clair hate Johnny Depp with your life, body and soul?" I asked, knowing her answer before she even opened her mouth.
"Yes, I do," Franki replied, her eyes firmly fixed on something in her lap.
My grin grew as I reclaimed the recorder, rewinding it as her look of horror grew at the thought of what I had just done, and her response to it.
"Lirimaer Kelley! I can't believe that you did that. I'm so telling on you!" she yelled as she attempted to dive out of the door that connected the room to the rest of the house.
I ran to block the door with my arms out spread. "No, you aren't going anywhere unless it is to write the Charms thesis paper that Voldemort wanted from you TWO days ago! Or do you want me to send a copy of this tape to Johnny Depp? I'm sure he'd be depressed to discover that his biggest fan really and truly does hate him. Now, sit and try to learn something, even if it is only to listen to the people that have your best interests in mind," I said coldly, as she slunk back to her seat at the table we were sitting at.
I could hear some of her mutterings, most of which had to do with me sounding like her mother and how I have had a stick up my arse since I was given the responsibility of getting the vampires in Romania to join us. . . Mostly true by the way. Getting the responsibility, I mean. If anyone had a stick up their arse, it would be our 'friend' Percival, as I like to call him. He takes CAULDRON LEAKS as seriously as Lucius Malfoy escaping from Azkaban. Which I had nothing; I say nothing to do with, by the way. Okay. Moving on . . .
Franki had tried to get them involved again, a horrible mistake on her part. She knows that I don't like them getting into our 'domestic squabbles', as our true friend Bill calls them. He's always going on about how we would make a great couple. I think that getting a boyfriend did something to his head.
She was spacing again. All I had to do was look at her and I knew it. I narrowed my eyes, breaking off the lecture. Taking note of the fact that she didn't even look up, I dove over the table, snatching the book out of her lap. One look at the cover told me everything that I needed to know.
"Give it back!" my so-called friend demanded, using her 'authority' voice that all of our friends have learned how to ignore. Including myself.
"No. That tone of voice will get you nowhere with me. If I can control a bunch of Dementors, I'd think that I could control you. But no. You have to be a - a - a child about this whole thing! Don't you want to learn the Dark Arts?" I asked, fed up with the whole situation.
"Of course I do, it's just that, well, that seems to be all we are doing lately. We both know that I can't sit and do one thing for the next couple of months. I need time to do other stuff, not just study study study the Dark Arts." Franki looked at me sadly, turning on the Puppy Eyes that she learned from our friend Sirius. I swear that he should get royalties for them.
"I thought that you wanted this as much as I do. You know that no matter what happens, we will fight in that war and Voldemort is counting on us to help insure his victory." I collapsed in my chair, looking at her with a pleading expression. "Now, let's get back to work, and if you do a good job at listening, I'll help you write your papers and I might take you out somewhere this weekend. How does that sound? Or I can tell Voldemort that you find the face of Morton Rainey to be more entertaining than my lecture on Squib formation?" I asked, reverting back into drill sergeant mode.
"What are you going to tell me?" our mentor asked as he swept into the study of Riddle Mansion.
I stood straighter and bowed slightly, to keep up appearances with the small group of Death Eaters behind him. "It was nothing, milord. Just arguing over a theory of mine," I lied, hoping that he wouldn't dig any deeper into the situation. Thankfully he didn't. "Is there anything that you require of us?" I eyed the entourage, deciding that the tallest robed man was Severus Snape, and the two closest to Voldemort were Lucius Malfoy and his son Draco.
"I came to inquire upon the Romanian state of affairs. How is the letter of truce looking?" the Dark Lord replied, stepping closer to the table and conveniently forgetting Franki. Good, I didn't want to get her into trouble anyways.
"All done, awaiting your viewing and revision if necessary." I reported, taking the letter from my rucksack.
"Very good. I'll owl it as soon as I am done with it. I still don't trust you with my personal seal. Are the two of you prepared for tonight's meeting? We have a few prisoners ready for disposal. I thought that you could demonstrate some of your . . . skills. Does that plan agree with you?" He looked from me to Franki and back again, as if daring us to disagree.
"Yes milord. We both have some new ideas that we would like to try out," I said, answering for the both of us. I glanced once more at the entourage, then at Franki, who looked relieved that she didn't have to answer his questions. She's still on his bad side for joking that she was pregnant with Wormtail's baby. That's right, WORMTAIL. She meant it sarcastically, of course, when he had tried to talk to us about going out and getting boyfriends and the like, saying that he would kill any hellions we produced while under his command. Sorry for the sidetrack, thought that you all reading my mind ought to know that.
"My Lord, if you don't have any pressing matters to attend to, do you think that you could help Franki and I with a few spells we are having trouble with?" I asked, hoping that he would grant my request. I don't ask for a lot of things, which puzzles him to no end. He has this idea that Teenage Girls (when he says that, it sounds like it's in capital letters) always ask for a lot of material items, and if they don't there's something wrong with them.
"I was on my way to discuss the over seas reconnaissance of recruits, but you are welcome to join us. Afterwards we can work on those spells." Voldemort looked thoughtful at this, most likely wondering if I was going to start in on the material items next. I can't help it if I like to buy what I want with my own money. I did have a job before he found me, much to his disbelief!
"My Lord! Surely you aren't going to let them come to the meeting! You almost didn't let Draco come, and he has much more knowledge of this matter than those to chits!" exploded Lucius Malfoy, sounding outraged behind his mask. I was quite sure that he would try to either me or Franki this time, instead of the normal threats that he used.
"If I didn't want your report in full, have no doubt that I would unleash the power of these two 'chits' on to you, then have my own way with you. NEVER forget who is the master and who is the servant, if you want to continue serving me," Voldemort hissed coldly, rounding upon the man, as I cheered silently in my head. Stupid Malfoy!
My inner cheering got even louder as I watched Franki step forward and look Lucius in the eye. I told her that she had grown!
"Next time you insult Lirimaer or I, remember that us chits are going to be stronger than what you could possibly dream to achieve," Franki said in a deadly whisper. She pulled her wand out of her pocket and pointed it at him. "Crucio."
I listened with glee as Lucius' screams filled the room, and he was brought to his knees. I had always known that she had what it took to cast one of the Unforgivables on another human, despite her protests to this fact. All she had needed was a push in the right direction. I made a mental note to get people to insult me more when Franki was around, so that she could get in more practice. Franki lifted it before he went down any further, not wanting to get even deeper into trouble with our mentor.
When she had her wand lowered to the floor, I bounced over to her and wrapped her in a 'couple hug', with one arm around her waist, the other draped across her chest to hook onto the opposite shoulder. My head was on the shoulder with out a hand, and I was grinning in a disturbing manner.
Franki stood there staring at Lucius for a few seconds then turned her head to face me. "Lirimaer, did I just cast an Unforgivable? On Lucius Malfoy?" she asked in a shaky voice.
I gave her a tight squeeze. "Yes you did. I told you that you had what it took to cast it! Now do you believe me? I think that you will be great at this." But not as great as me. NO ONE is as great as me at casting the Unforgivables. Except maybe. . . . Half of the Death Eaters. He he. Never mind.
Draco and Severus had helped Lucius up by at this point, per Voldemort's signal.
"I think that the two of you have had enough practice today at least Franki has," Voldemort announced, a slight smile on his face. "Why don't the two of you take the afternoon off to celebrate? I know that Franki had to work hard to get to where she is now power wise." With that, he swept out of the room, the four Death Eaters in tow.
"So what do you want to do now?" I asked, releasing Franki.
"What ever you want is fine," Franki answered, picking up her book from the table where I had left it and only half listening.
"Knockturn Alley, here we come!" I whispered victoriously. Normally Franki refuses to go through Knockturn, saying it doesn't have as many bookstores as Diagon but that doesn't matter now.
I ran to my bedroom to grab my moneybag, stopping to make sure that no one had entered since I had left. Once that was determined, I unlocked the door and stepped into my haven.
The walls were painted in broad stripes of forest green and amethyst purple, with pinstripes of silver in between. The carpet was the same lush green as the walls. All of the furniture was a deep cherry, including the ceiling-to-floor bookshelf that covered half of one wall. The bed had a huge mattress, the decorative pillows and sheets were green, and the fluffy sleeping pillows and comfortor were purple. Around the bed was a silver dream canopy made of brocade velvet, which blocked most of it from view.
I sighed, soaking in the aura of the room. It was my dream room, something that I had begged Voldemort into helping me with for weeks back when I was still underage.
"Are you still ogling your room?" Franki's voice demanded. I turned and nodded, noticing that she had changed out of her ratty study clothes.
"Do you think that I should change?" I asked, looking over her outfit with approval. She had chosen a blue Chinese style shirt with pink sakura blossoms embroidered on and a pair of dark blue jeans, topped with a midnight blue robe that set off her eyes.
She in turn glanced over the torn jeans and oversized teeshirt I had chosen to study in for that morning. "Hmm. That may be a good idea. Possibly the best one yet today," she said sarcastically.
I blushed at her words and opened the door to my closet. "What to wear, what to wear," I sung quietly to my self as I looked at the racks of eccentric outfits. I spotted one of my favourite outfits, pulling it out and running to my changing curtain before Franki could see what I had.
I yanked off the jeans and tee-shirt, slipping into the cool leather. I grinned as I tied the skirt then stepped out with a flourish for Franki to see my pick.
She grinned and shook her head as I twirled in a circle, displaying the black leather body suit with a V-neck and lacings down the sides of the legs. The short wrap skirt around my waist was also black, and it had miniature Dark Marks scattered across it. I chose a lime green over robe that matched the colour of the pattern perfectly.
"You remember this outfit, right?" I asked as I linked arms with her, tucking my moneybag into the inner pocket of my robe.
"Of course. How could I forget it?" she teased. You see, the last time that I had worn it, I got us into a duel with two Aurors-in-training, fresh out of Hogwarts. Franki and I have been out for a year and a half, by the way. We wiped the Alley with those two, using all clean magic, no Dark Arts at all.
I pulled Franki out of my room and down the stairs to the parlour, which now served as Voldemort's new private study. Now that me a Franki had finally gotten around to redecorating it... I knocked on the door and walked in, ignoring the Death Eaters that glared at us and our conjoined hands. I bowed to our mentor, forcing Franki to do the same.
"My Lord. I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting, but I wanted permission to go to Knockturn Alley, and perhaps into Diagon, without attracting unwanted attention, of course." I stood in front of the throne like chair that Voldemort sat in, forcing him to answer me or not continue with the meeting. This is a little trick that I picked up during my first month here. It annoys him greatly.
"Very well. Be back before supper so that you have time to change into proper clothes for your guests from Germany, to discuss the negotiations for a resurrection of one of the Nazi camps. Now off with you. I need some peace and quiet," Voldemort consented.
"Thank you!" Franki and I chorused in unison. We raced out of the room and down the hall. The front door swung open for us and we nearly ran down the man on the other side.
"Hello, I was wondering if you could help me with something," he said pleasantly.