Chapter nine: Destiny in Detail
A/n: Vacation was horrid, so I cranked out another chapter. Sorry Tina, you're not in this one!
"Avery," said high-pitched, icy voice. Cold, crimson, wicked serpent-like eyes glared down at his faithful death eater from an incensed pale face, whiter than any skull, with a serpent-like flat nose that had slits for nostrils. The tall and lanky Lord Voldermort towered over the kneeling death eater at his feet, Avery Ashcroft.
Avery was in his late 40's, with suave, slicked back shadowy black hair like his daughter's, and charming, yet malicious and bitter dark eyes. The man was tall to say the least, standing at 6'3 and had an intimidating stance and way of speech, which would most certainly give off the air of The Dark Lord's servant, and an affluent, aristocratic ministry governor. Yet for all this Avery possessed, groveling on the floor of his immaculate manor in front of Lord Voldermort, he seemed like an abused puppy.
"Y-yes Master?" Avery stammered, kissing the hem of his robes. Voldermort's thin mouth drew into a revolted sneer and kicked at him. Brandishing his wand he hissed, "Crucio!"
Avery crumpled into himself further, whimpering and begging for his Master's mercy, as his daughter had so often found herself doing to Avery. Though not so dramatically.
"Ashcroft, cease this pathetic plea for forgiveness. I do not wish to think lower o your cheating, two-faced, conniving self than I already do." He hissed, placing more force on his curse. "An exceptionally trustworthy source, Lucius Malfoy, gave me a piece of very unnerving information. By the way, doesn't it just so happen that Malfoy's sun is dating your daughter I believe?" A slow, venomous, sadistic grin dripping with mordacity spread across Voldermort's snake-like face. A grin like this only appeared out of the sheer pleasure he got out of other's pain, or the prospect of a dead Harry Potter.
"Funny thing, love, isn't it?" He continued, amusement also laced into his features. "Lucius tipped me off to quite a few…interesting facts Avery. You think you're stronger than me? You wish to become estranged from your Dark Lord's forces and overthrow me? Overestimating your power these days aren't you Avery? Ministry giving you a bit too much leeway…hmm?" Voldermort spat, a lucid sneer of distaste and disdain for the death eater at his feet replacing his grin from just moments ago.
"You consider me a threat then? And now you plan to kill me I presume? Otherwise, you couldn't care less" Avery managed to stutter throughout his whimpering and cries of pain.
"You overstep! How dare you address your lord and master like so!" The Dark Lord barked, increasing the force on his curse and causing Avery to let out a louder cry of pain. He then continued to rant.
"I will not have you even attempt to do away with me and take my legacy. What, do you consider yourself on Potter's side now? Plan to join up with the order and defeat me so you can rise from my fall and take over? You're nothing but a liar, a thief, and a backstabbing traitor! You think you can take away my years or followers, my power, and earn the same reputation for yourself by selling my secrets and whereabouts to your precious ministry? Think you'll be able to steal my empire from me will you? Think again Ashcroft." Voldermort hissed, kicking Avery with the tow of his boot.
"However, I cannot just let you go now, as you know too much and will most likely continue to betray me. Pity really, you were one of my better Death Eaters. Unfortunately, you will have to die." He stated, another look of amusement across his skull-white face.
"Go ahead and do it. Kill me." Avery stammered through clenched teeth, obviously in quite a lot of pain.
"Conversely, you and I both know there are other, much worse ways to kill a man than simply a curse." Voldermort's grin widened, the utter ecstasy from the thought of torture beyond belief surging through his veins. "What better way to do this than kill you slowly and painfully from the inside out. Starting with the only thing that ensures you have a heart. Your daughter." He chuckled slightly as he paused to let his words sink in.
"NO!" Avery managed to snap, seemingly stronger at the mention of Rhia. True, he didn't care much for his daughter, and abused her when he was drunk, angry, or displeased at her for the smallest offence. But she was his only child, flesh and blood—like it or not. She was his precious china-doll that he could show off at his random formal galas and banquets. As if to say, "look its my daughter! She's a beautiful heiress that does whatever I want her to do because I'm her father!" No matter how hard it was to see it, there was a fatherly love for his dearest and only daughter inside him. He felt a twinge at his heart, and at that moment it dawned on him what his master was going to do, and he deeply regretted how he treated Rhia in the past.
Another slight chuckle escaped the Dark Lord's thin lips. "My my Avery, I see I've struck a soft spot? Mark my words; I am going to cause you so much despair that by the end of it all, you will be begging to die. " He loosened the curse's force slightly for good measure.
"You see Ashcroft, I always knew that Rhianna child of yours was going to be destined for something. It is your daughter's destiny to die at the hands of the Dark Lord, and cause your destruction. And there's no use trying to defy your destiny now is there?" Voldermort laughed, high-pitched and spitefully, malevolence dripping from his tone.
"I must depart now, the show is just about to start as planned. The fourth day is up, eh? I do hope you've reconciled with your daughter, as it would be a shame for her not to think you cared in her final moments of life" He said mockingly. Voldermort increased the strength of his curse drastically, causing a long, shrill, and painful scream to emit from Avery, and the almost as quickly as it came, he relinquished the curse fully. In seconds, Voldermort had disapperated and was gone, the dark mark burned into the floor where he had stood. Off to witness the death of Rhianna Ashcroft.
He had left Avery on the floor of his clean, expensive manor, dejected and desolate. Unsure of where they were coming from; violent sobs racked the man's body as he fully collapsed on the floor. Was one of his only sources of pleasure going to be wiped from the face of the earth on this day? Already, Avery wanted to die himself in the shards of his already starting to shatter life.
a/n: W00t. Short Chapter all the way mon! And all Dramatic-soap opera-ish too! Next chapter is the final chapter, complete with the smecksay Draco Malfoy….CRYING! –Le gasp! – Anywhom, I hafta go watch 'The Ring' now. Fun. Press that little review button in the corner! PRESS IT!