PURSUE THAT WHICH YOU TREASURE
CHAPTER 3: IT'S EASIER TO RUN
"So… you think that you're the right…" Lucius Malfoy eyed the young man in front of him up and down, an eyebrow raised, "…person for this job?"
"Yes, sir!" Marcus Flint answered, his voice and composure slightly crumbling under the uncomfortable scrutiny of the Death Eater.
"Well… we'll have to see about that."
Lucius turned around and walked away briskly with Flint at his heels.
"This task is fairly simple… even you should be able to fulfil it. You have to sit in front of a door… that's all… don't touch the door, don't look at the door… I don't even want you to think of the door. Just see to it that no one gets near that door. The door is charmed shut so there is now way it could be opened from the inside."
By now the two men had reached the top of stairs leading into the cellar of Malfoy Manor. Without stopping Lucius hurried down the steps.
"Who is behind the door, sir?"
Lucius stopped abruptly, startling Marcus Flint immensely. He could keep himself from colliding with his new boss just in time so that he was face to face with him, staring into those intense eyes.
"That… is something you don't have to know… and… don't ask any questions. If you are supposed to know something… you can be sure that you're going to be told."
"But sir…"
Flint saw something flash in Lucius' eyes, indicating that he had crossed a line, so he clamped his mouth shut.
"What did I just tell you?"
"No questions, sir."
"From now on you keep that in mind. When I say something I mean it, do you understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good."
He turned around and they continued descending the stairs in silence. Once down in the cellar Lucius hurried through the ramified corridors, passing by many gloomy rooms, some barred with heavy wooden doors, some with grilles, some bore the crest of the Malfoy Family others the Slytherin serpent. Torches clinging to the walls provided the little light that illuminated the dark passageway yet only flaring up when someone passed. After a while they reached another heavy wooden door with a small trellised window in it. The room was considerably separated from all the others. A brawny man who was obviously irritated by something or someone was sitting in front of it and looked rather relieved when Lucius Malfoy and the novice approached.
"Everything alright here?" Lucius asked the man.
"Certainly, sir. Just the usual sauciness from her."
"Well, I think it would be best to change that considerably soon."
The man inclined his head and then left swiftly. Suddenly a face appeared at the small foramen of the door.
"Aaah, new recruit, dear cousin?"
It was the slightly raspy voice of a woman who was obviously born in Scotland as this very accent seemed to come out naturally.
"Shut up!"
"Tut - tut! Is that any way to treat your own flesh and blood?"
She had obviously pinched a nerve because Lucius angrily charged forth towards the door and struck the bars with his walking stick. When he didn't get the desired effect… the woman inside was laughing… he unsheathed his wand and put it to the keyhole muttering a curse whereupon the woman began screaming in agony.
"I told you to shut the fuck up. That's what you get when you don't listen."
He looked over at Flint, raising his eyebrow again.
"So, there you are, Flint. Do you still think you're equal to the task?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good, so here's some last piece of advice for…"
Lucius clamped his left hand over his right forearm, hissing almost inaudibly.
"Sir?"
"Well, you'll manage. Remember what I told you. I don't tolerate failure." Lucius took a last glance at the door and at Flint then turned around briskly and hurried away even faster than the other guard before.
- - -
June woke up with a start. Her right hand was clenching her left wrist, as it was burning like hell. She wasn't used to the pain anymore not having felt it for several years. But she didn't need to look at her wrist to know what was happening. The dark mark was burning brightly. He was calling for her, for all of them.
As much as June had been looking forward for her master to return, she now hesitated to answer his call immediately. Officially she was dead. If she didn't return, nobody would wonder. She wouldn't put her children into any danger especially not into the danger of losing their mother. June scowled at herself.
The only reason, you are suddenly avoiding returning, is him. Dawn and Bronwyn have been growing up without any privileges so far. Do you really want to deny them the right to live in the wizarding society above those who are holding sway unjustifiably right now? Are you going to stand aside watching your kin being neglected and mistreated? Are you going to forget about everything you believe in, just because you are uneasy to see your former fiancé again? If he even shows up. It's highly unlikely that he will. He might be a traitor, but he's not a half-wit. He wouldn't risk returning, when he knows that I… hold on… he doesn't know… he might actually come and my first possibility to show my devotion to the dark Lord will be to tell him the truth. He will be punished for all the wrongs he did to me.
Slightly smiling she got up and went to an old oak trunk standing underneath the window. She opened it and threw the clothes inside onto her bed. Then she changed quickly. When she was done, she scrutinized herself in the mirror.
Everything she was wearing had been made of black leather except for her dark purple pants and the low cut long sleeve shirt of the same colour. Over said shirt she was wearing a waistcoat whose front parts did not meet in the middle but were adorned by four silver snakes on each side. Shin-guards were attached to her boots and gloves leaving her fingertips free were visible under her protectors for her forearms. A belt fastened around her waist was holding her wand and an 11 inches long knife.
June threw her cloak around her shoulders, and then frowned at herself, as she thought, that she suddenly was looking old… maybe too old to fight. When the grandfather clock in the living room downstairs struck nine times, she instantly remembered the last time, when she had worn these clothes…
- - -
flashback
The grandfather clock in the living room downstairs struck nine times, when June freed herself gently out of her fiancé's arms and got up. While she was dressing, he stirred slightly and opened his eyes.
"Where are you going?" he asked drowsily.
"On business."
He suddenly looked very alarmed and ill at ease.
"Don't worry! Nothing I can't handle."
June tried to calm him down.
"For once in your life June listen to me. I've got a bad feeling about this, whatever it is. Stay here! Let the others do the job."
"What's wrong, dear? You've been acting strangely the last couple of days… rather weeks." She laughed his worries off.
"I just don't want to loose you. That's all."
"Listen," June answered, "it's the easiest job in the world. Two old people, very old people… not much resistance. Almost no risk at all."
He sighed with resignation.
"Be careful, you understand? If there's any sign of a problem, get the hell away!"
"Don't worry. I'll be back before you can say "Philosopher Stone". And then, you're in for a surprise."
June leaned forward and kissed him.
"A big surprise! Love you."
Having said this she whirled out of the room.
End flashback
- - - -
June shook her head to get out of the trance she was in.
Get yourself together, girl. You have to do this now for Dawn, for Bronwyn!
With that thought on her mind she apparated to the graveyard. Only seconds later she was standing among many others who advanced towards their former master cautiously. Latter had, as June had expected, returned to his body. Like every other Death Eater June dropped to her knees, crawled towards the dark Lord and kissed the hem of his robes. Then they all backed away again and formed the traditional circle around him. When June looked around, she saw that the circle had huge gaps. She had known of a lot who had been sent to Azkaban prison, but there were more missing.
Slimy, mangy coward! June's face was full of loathing for the man she was thinking of.
"Welcome, Death Eaters," The dark Lord said and she refocused on him.
Though he probably just had performed the ritual, he didn't seem weak at all. His cruelty shone from his red eyes, while he was giving his speech. He punished Avery for asking for forgiveness; he rewarded Wormtail for his help and approached several Death Eaters to confront them about their lack of loyalty and faith. June was surprised, when he just passed her without saying a word whereas others got the full blast of his anger.
Wouldn't it be logical to confront the person, who you believe has betrayed you, first? Maybe he already knows the truth.
Having reached the largest gap of all, the dark Lord gazed at it a short while, as though he could see people standing there. Then he turned around and announced:
"One, too cowardly to return… he will pay. One, who I believe has left me for ever… he will be killed, of course… and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already re-entered my service. He's at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and it was through his efforts that our young friend arrived tonight."
While the dark Lord went on talking to his followers, June's thoughts trailed off. By the time her cousin Lucius asked how the dark Lord had managed to return to his body, June wasn't paying attention at all anymore.
Who is too cowardly to return, who has left forever and who is the most faithful servant? Severus is at Hogwarts, but it can't be him. Why would he have pretended to be on the other side?
- - -
Flashback
While fighting Sirius, June saw her fellow Death Eaters being stunned and one even killed. She let out a howl of wrath, seized her knife and lashed out at Sirius, who jumped back just in time, so that she only pierced his skin a little. June turned around, wanting to run, as she saw that the others were superior in numbers, but she found herself face to face with her sister Kaelin, who had stunned her opponent and left him in the care of another Auror, so that she was free to help Sirius.
"June, give me your wand and the knife!" Kaelin said.
"Why don't you come and get them?" June replied, but Kaelin didn't move. Instead she kept looking at June steadily, who raised her left eyebrow and grinned slightly, daring her sister to make a move.
"Sucks, doesn't it?"
June whirled around.
"What are you talking about Black? I've never had more fun in my life!"
"Do you think we just happen to be here?"
June shot him a confused look, when a hooded figure moved to her right side, so that she now was almost encircled.
"Black, shut up! June, give me your wand and your knife!"
June jerked, lost her footing and bumped into Sirius, who immediately seized her wand and knife, then pushed her towards the hooded man. He caught her before she fell to the ground, but she freed herself at once. By now everybody, who was not watching the prisoners, had stepped closer, forming a circle, from which June couldn't escape. The man took off his hood and said:
"June, please don't put up any resistance!"
"No", she whispered, "it can't be you!"
Snape took a step towards her, extending his hand to her.
"June, calm down! I don't want to hurt you…"
"Don't touch me!"
She yelled, hitting his outstretched hand. Then she ran toward him and started beating his chest.
"How long, Severus, how long? And why? Why? WHY? You destroyed everything: You just signed my death warrant!"
"June, calm down! Nobody is going to hurt you. You will have to face justice, yes, but you are not going to die!" Kaelin tried to interfere. "I am going to help you as much as I can, if you change sides!"
"Change sides? I'd rather rot in Azkaban than deceive my real family, like he did!"
June hissed pointing her head in Snape's direction.
"Kaelin, I told you; once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater! She's not worth the effort! Let's bring her and the others to the Ministry, so they can get what they deserve!" Mad Eye Moody snarled.
"I never said I would go with you!" June said slightly grinning again.
"As we've got your wand and since you are outnumbered I don't see how you could possibly resist." Mad Eye Moody answered smiling smugly, but June had already turned to Snape. "Severus, I curse the day we met!" And with that she was gone, leaving her clothes on the ground in a small pile.
End flashback
- - -
The dark Lord's assertion, "Now untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand!" made June snap out of her pondering. This was certainly going to be amusing.
The dark Lord was playing with the boy for a while using the Cruciatus curse. Up to this point June had been laughing quite a bit, but her smirk froze on her face, when the boy managed to resist the Imperio curse. When the dark Lord wanted to teach him a lesson in obedience, the boy jumped behind a gravestone hiding.
June sniggered about the dark Lord's comments and the boy's pathetic behaviour. As she saw it one was supposed to face death standing when it came and not crawl on the ground before it. It was a huge surprise for her, when the boy just did that. He threw himself around the gravestone attacking the dark Lord with a minor disarming spell, whereas the latter used the killing curse. June was already about to acclaim the final triumph over the boy, when she saw that the two spells connected in mid-air.
The other Death Eaters were confused just like June and their confusion was on the edge of turning into panic when the two opponents suddenly were lifted into the air and glided away from the graveyard towards a piece of ground that was without graves. There a golden light surrounding the two made it impossible for June to see what exactly was going on, so she was yelling like everybody else to the dark Lord to tell her what to do.
It seemed like a lifetime until the connection was finally broken and the boy was running away. June followed him right away sending curses after him, but he knocked her out using the impedimenta curse and thus making her collide with a gravestone.
Author's Note (by Kaelin):
Finally some action... or dialogue. Any comments? Please Read and Review our story... take a minute as we also take some time to write it.