The Dark Lady
Chapter 16 – Athena
By gracie5412


Shout outs go to –

Kendra is cheese,
Ice-Pheonix-Tears,
JKIJ,


Draco Malfoy pulled the rim of his robe tighter around his body as he made his way along the muddy path. He had been walking for hours through the freezing winds in the dead of night. He had wanted to fly but the wind had blown the clouds away so there would be no cover. Although this time it was not muggles that he didn't want spotting him, but wizards.

Finally he got to the entrance that he was looking for and pulled out his wand. He tapped it three times against the tree that was before him before drawing it round in a circle along the bark. The trail that his wand made glowed red briefly before a doorway appeared the closed as soon as he stepped through it.

Inside the tree was a passageway that led to a small wooden door that Draco knocked upon. It creaked open by itself and he walked through. The room was small and the only light came from a crackling fire in the centre that threw shadows at the walls casting an eerie feeling to the place. Draco had never actually been in the room before but had heard countless tales from other deatheaters who had braved it. As his eyes slowly adjusted he became aware of another presence in the room. A woman. He turned to face her.

"Malfoy. I was awaiting your arrival. You set off last night it has taken you longer than I expected to get here. How disappointing." She spoke in a slow, dreamy voice.

"Athena." He greeted her with a nod of the head. "I was unable to fly. It is harder to travel by foot." Draco excused.

"Well you didn't come to discuss travel methods. I have heard that there is a new power in the world."

"Yes the Dark Lord transferred his powers to Hermione Granger, a mudblood." Draco went on to tell her a quick story of what had happened.

"So you see that's where you come in." Draco finished off "We need your skills."

"The Devil is not to be played with. If you want me to do this then this Granger will become so powerful that no one on earth could stop her." Athena warned.

I want it done. I shall do anything if you come back with me. Name your price."

"I want magic. Grant me with a wand and I shall perform the ritual for you." She answered instantly.

"Done." Draco replied with a nod. "Come with me and we shall return to the Riddle House."

He started walking towards the door when Athena stopped him. "Boy do you not think a woman who has lived on this earth for over two thousand years would not know an easier way to get around than walking?"

She stood at the fire and held her had over it. After saying a few words in a language that Draco didn't understand a portal opened up and she stepped into it. He quickly followed, not wanting to be left behind.

"I thought you lost your magic?" Draco asked as he stood beside her.

"I gave up my magic, since then I have been collecting powers from the people I kill." She said with a shrug. "It passes the time."

-

Back at the Riddle House Athena was escorted to the room in the top tower where she would be lodging until the full moon, which was when the ritual would take place. A buzz went around the house as her presence was announced.

Draco was sat alone in his room when a knock came upon his door. The person didn't wait to be invited in but just pushed open the door and entered.

"I hope you know what you're doing Malfoy." The person was Blaise Zabini, a recently awoken classmate of Draco's.

"I always know what I'm doing." Draco retorted.

"I don't think you do this time. I think you're out of your depth. She's an immortal Draco. She made a deal with the Devil gave her magic for immortality. If you give her back her magic then she's gonna be a bitch to get rid of." Blaise hissed.

"She knows how to contact the devil meaning that we need her. She's the only one who can do this." Draco pointed out, getting up from the chair where he was sitting and to stood in front of Blaise.

"Listen you really think that the Devil is gonna listen to us? What do we have to offer him? It's a two sided thing we give him something before he gives us something."

"And we will." Draco smiled as he walked past his friend and exited the room.

"What? What are we giving him?" Blaise called after him, but if Malfoy heard him he didn't answer.

-

With only twenty-four hours until the full moon preparations were being made for the ritual. The hall that had been used for celebrations earlier in the week was cleared and filled with rows of pews. A small stage was placed at the front of the hall with a stone table upon it. Candles lined the isles and the back of the stage giving the room a church-like feel to it.

As the day passed people's nerves and excitement levels rose highly, making everyone slightly jittery.

At five-thirty Draco entered the hall and placed a silver chalice upon the stone table along with a golden dagger. A few minutes later the room filled with the deatheaters of high importance that had been permitted to watch the ritual take place. They all stood holding a tall white candle each.

At six o'clock when the moon was fully risen Hermione and Athena were escorted into the room and all the candles lining the hall were extinguished. The only light came from the candles being held. Athena took her place behind the stone table on the stage while Hermione was chained to wall at the back.

A hush filled the room as Athena removed her cloak and picked up the dagger. She started speaking in a dead language that no one understood. As she was speaking she drew the dagger along her wrist and held it over the chalice to catch the blood. She then did the same to Hermione.

A deatheater approached the stage hand in hand with a small girl who she then passed to Athena. The girl was placed upon the table and tied down; she made no noise or protest. Athena stood over the child with the dagger held overhead. After shouting what sounded like a spell she plunged the dagger into the girl's chest.

As she did so each of the deatheaters extinguished the candle they had been holding casting the room into complete black. For a moment there was total silence, which stretched to what seemed like an eternity before a rumbling could be heard.

The rumbling grew louder and louder until it was almost impossible to withstand and the ground began to shake. Deatheaters were throwing each other nervous glances as things began to topple over. Many were wondering how long it would be until the building collapsed on top of them. A crack appeared in the ground by the door and ran all the way along the aisle before stopping just short of the back wall where Hermione was chained.

The crack became wider and wider and smoke began billowing from out of it. Slowly, a dark figure began to ascend from inside its depths. As the figure stepped out from the smoke the rumbling stopped and the crack disappeared.

No one said a thing; no one was able as they looked at the man stood in front of them. He was tall and thin with pointed features, his dark hair was slicked back against his pale face and his eyes were so dark they looked black. Well that's what people said afterwards as no one found themselves able to look him in the eye for long enough to examine the actual colour.

The man looked almost normal, he would have been if it weren't for the horns extruding from his forehead.

Very slowly Athena stepped forward and knelt at the feet of the man.

"My lord." She addressed him, "We, your humble servants, ask for your help."

"You." He hissed, "I dealt with you a long time ago, I took all I needed, you have nothing that I want."

"Not me dear Lucifer, her." She said as she pointed over to where Hermione was chained.

Lucifer walked over to where Hermione was cowering, he examined her closely looking into her eyes and surveying her stature.

"She has great power but she has too much emotion. She has nothing I don't already." He said and turned to walk away.

"Please sir!" Draco pleaded as he stepped forward from where he had been stood. "We'll do anything, all we need is for you to take away her soul. You would have her forever plus whatever it is that you want."

"You boy." Lucifer smiled as he looked toward Draco, he lips curing in an evil manner, "You seem to be the best at bargaining around here. And since you are offering her soul and anything that I want, I shall take you up on the deal. I'm feeling rather generous this decade."

"Name your price." Draco said eager to seal the deal before the Devil's mind could be changed and they would be back to square one.

"Very well, I shall do this on one condition. I will take away her soul for you if you - "


A/N ­– I know it's mean to end it here but I do love a cliffhanger so I couldn't resist. Don't be too mad though as I have already started on the next chapter so I promise it won't be too long until the next chapter. And now I've finished my other fan fic I can concentrate on this one better so they should be being posted more often.