Author's Note: What happened to Leiko? Let's find out...

Admissions: HP chars belong to J. K. Rowling, Leiko to me, and Ravindra to my soul-sister Rave.

Section 17: Fatal Masquerade

Leiko groaned as she rolled onto her side. She felt as if she'd been hit by a bus. Her body ached, her head was pounding, and she was quite certain that her right arm was broken. She blinked in the darkness, realizing that she was lying on a bed. How did she get there? Last thing the gryffin remembered was walking away from Lucius.

Her eyes snapped open. Lucius. He must have used his wand and taken her. Why hadn't Snape stopped him? She was sure a good reason would eventually be revealed, but for the moment Leiko was content to be angry at both males. She growled, after which she heard footsteps approaching. A door opened, flooding the room with light and blinding her eyes.

"Awake, are we? Good. Someone wants to have a word with you."

"Get out."

Lucius frowned in annoyance. Usually when he was ordered to kidnap someone, they were frightened of him. He was used to begging and tears, not indifferent hostility. Leiko wanted him gone, but she wasn't cursing his name or trying to escape. She had rolled over and pulled a pillow over her head, ignoring him. Lucius strode to the bed and yanked it off as the female hissed at him.

"Come now, we mustn't keep the Dark Lord waiting."

Lucius grabbed Leiko's arm to pull her off the bed and was surprised to hear a cry of pain. Looking closer, he saw that something was wrong with her arm.

"How did that happen? Never mind, I'll soon fix it. My Lord wants you whole, not broken."

The blond wizard took out his wand and cast a simple healing spell. Leiko whimpered and glared at him, but the arm did not mend. He tried several other spells, each one a bit stronger than the last, but still the arm did not heal. Strange, he thought. Realizing he didn't have time to stand about healing an arm, Lucius conjured up a sling and carefully helped the gryffin into it.

Lucius escorted his captive through what appeared to be an abandoned castle until they came to a large room lit by hundreds of candles. Leiko knew without being told which of the occupants was Voldemort. She could feel his dark energy emanating from the hooded figure in the center of the room. As Lucius pushed her closer, she noticed that the man seemed to be part snake. She'd been thinking of him as a great, repulsive serpent but had had no idea that he actually resembled one. Normally she wouldn't be surprised, but snake-men did not seem to be normal amongst the wizards.

"Welcome, my pet."

"I am not your pet, Tom. Nor to I appreciate being abducted before I have a chance to consider a proposal."

"I anticipated your responssse and ordered Malfoy to bring you here, unharmed. It would appear he did not follow my orders."

The Dark Lord was staring at Leiko's broken arm. Strange how he noticed the arm but ignored her use of his old name. She saw the look in Voldemort's eyes and felt the fear from Lucius. Something was about to happen, and Leiko did not think she'd like it.

"I was careful, my Lord. I have no idea how she broke the arm..."

"Ssssilence!"

Voldemort cast a spell on Lucius, sending the proud man to his knees. The screams of agony grated on Leiko's nerves. She couldn't help but glare disdainfully at Malfoy for being so weak. She looked up and noticed that 'Tom' was giving her an amused look.

"Not tolerant of weaknessss, hrm? I think we ssshall get along just fine, if you obey."

"I obey myself above all, dark one. I will not kill unless provoked, and I will not serve the unworthy while I still draw breath."

"Then I ssshall have to prove myself worthy."

Leiko was liking this less and less. From what she had heard, what she had felt, Tom Riddle was a man filled with hate and contempt. He should have cursed her at her first show of disrespect, but instead he seemed to be trying to impress her. The gryffin wondered what Voldemort was plotting for her. Whatever it was, she was sure it would not be good.