Dark Lady

by Yelene-ryudream

Many years before Harry's battles against the Dark Lord, a group of teenagers were faced with the first rising of the terrible Lord Voldemort and the girl that held all the answers.

4. Chapter 4

Dark Lady

By: Yelene-ryudream

AN: Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. Thanks very much to lebebe, White Foam, Lady-Isowen and my ever faithful DarkElf6. 'hands out Padfoot plushies'

Here is the long-awaited chapter (well, I hope it was long-awaited anyway) – Kirra's going to Hogwarts!

Disclaimer: You know the drill…or if you don't, check the last chapter.

(Me: Does anyone even read these?

Backstage Crew and Muses: shrug

Me: ; On with the show!)

… … … … …

Chapter 4: Not As It Seems

Locked away in stone shadows

My heart longs to be free

But one reaps what one sows

My own deeds hold the key

Oh, a moment to see the sky

To feel someone's arms melt the ice inside

I could sprout wings and fly

I would no longer have to hide

Gasping, sobbing, the dream shatters

Hope fades away in my sad song

The will of the Darkness is all that matters

Waking, I find I've been alone all along

- Yelene-ryudream

I'm sulking. Yes, I'm sulking. I can't believe that madman insists on dressing me up like a FREAKING CHINA DOLL!

Well, at least I get to wear black.

You think I'm kidding? I'm not kidding! Look at me! I'm wearing LACE and FRILLS! My hair is tied up in RIBBONS!

All for the traditional pure-blood customs of dress! BLAH! I'm not pure-blood (and right now I'm thanking God) and neither is he, although he loves to pretend he is. Oh, well! It's like most things, concerning the Almighty Dark Lord – inevitable. Why fight it? Even though I am going to be leaving for the station today and am going to completely humiliate myself in front of thousands upon thousands of students, of which I had originally intended to make friends.

He does this to me on purpose. It is a new twisted scheme of torture.

"My Lady, it is time to leave," someone calls. I turn to the door and smile inwardly. It's Orestes. I could think of worse people to have to go to the train station with dressed like a blow-up fairy tale princess. I think he can see the disgust of my situation in my face. I really must hide that better. I think my defenses are slipping and at a very inopportune time.

He comes over and smiles warmly at me. He tenderly kisses the crown of my head.

"You look beautiful, no matter what you are wearing." Am I blushing? I think I'm blushing! Oh drat! I'm not supposed to be blushing. I'm not supposed to show emotion! Darn you, Orestes! Sometimes you are just too charming for your own good. I embarrassedly twirl one of my midnight black curls around my finger.

"We should be going," I say when I finally regain my normally alabaster pale complexion. He lifts my trunk and floats it before him.

"Come, Delos! It's time to go!" I call my raven down from the rafters. He flies down and lands on my outstretched hand. I kiss his beak and put him in his cage. He looks rather affronted that I have locked him up. "I'm sorry, my friend. It's just for the trip. Soon you will be set free to fly again," I whisper softly and I see the acceptance in his bottomless black eyes. Handing Delos' cage to Orestes, I grab my cloak and follow him out of my room.

"The Dark Lord is busy, so he will be unable to see you off, my Lady," Orestes tells me as we walk down the stairs towards the front hall. Part of me feels rather disappointed, but the other part is counting my blessings.

… … … … …

I swear that my master is paranoid! I mean I understand caution. After all, he has Albus Dumbledore, the Order, the Aurors, AND the ministry breathing down his neck, but to put the apparition barrier 135 kilometers (84 miles) away from the citadel when the citadel sits on the tippy-top of a ginormous (yes, I said ginormous!) cliff! What's he scared of? The Light using the cover of the trees to scale the cliffs and pass through the steel walls? For one, there isn't a forest for almost 34 kilometers (almost 21 miles). Second, the Light are not ghosts; they cannot just float through walls. Last, if they even survive all the booby-traps that the Dark Lord has place around the area, they will surely die of the long walk from the barrier. After all, you have to travel the distance to and from the apparition barrier on foot, don't you know? It's a complicated and downright paranoid spell my master came up with, so that if one tries to take any other locomotion, whether it be a horse, broom, or go-cart it will die/explode! Solves the problem of seeing your enemy before they reach your walls; you could always spot the skeleton trying to crawl towards the citadel after days of traveling from the barrier. You could practical call the Dark Lord's land its own country by how isolated we are.

As I'm sure you can tell by now, I'm a bit cranky. But I wasn't joking about the whole several days' trip to the apparition barrier. Orestes and I had to leave a week before September 1st just so we could get to the end of the apparition wards in time to catch the train. My feet are killing me! I knew I should have insisted that the Dark Lord allow me to take daily walks on the terrain around the castle. Maybe then my feet would not be painfully pounding from all the blood that has emptied into them over the days of walking and sleeping in randomly hidden and supplied caverns all over this damn land. Honestly! Up at four, bathe in a freezing cold river (sometimes we get lucky and find a hot-spring), eat stale travel rations, walk for hours upon hours, short rest at noon, more walking, hopefully find the cave before sunset or else we will have to find it by moonlight or sleep on the ground with all those horrible creepy crawlies, gather firewood, eat more stale rations and raw meat (eck!), go to sleep by about ten, and then start all over again. I am seriously starting to miss that castle.

But I'll admit, it's not all bad. I barely ever get to see the sunlight, because I'm usually locked inside and the Dark Lord keeps his lands eternally clouded over. I haven't heard a bird sing in…oh, I don't know how long! It's actually really nice out here, and despite my best efforts, Orestes has kept me laughing this entire trip. Delos is pretty mad at me, though. I let him out when we rest and when we sleep, but he's still mad that I keep locking him up when we travel. It's not my fault that the Dark Lord's spell isn't choosy! As long as humans are walking, any other creature nearby can be killed in suspicion of helping the travelers. Told you he was paranoid!

… … … … …

Finally! September 1st has arrived and we have reached the edge of the barrier. I even got to bathe in a hot-spring rather than a freezing cold river. I guess I'm ready to get on the train to Hogwarts. Unfortunately, I have to wear that idiotic dress. Somebody just kill me. It will be all the better for everyone.

"My Lady, we have to leave or we'll be late!" Orestes calls from outside my room in the small cabin. What! But I thought that we still had three more hours! I look at the clock on the wall and realize that it isn't working. Oh crud! Quickly locating my watch, I see that the time is…10:42! OH MY FREAKING MERLIN! I'm gonna be late! On my first day! I have to do my hair and put on that damn dress and, oh my, I have to repack! Where's my shoes? What did I do with those earrings! Oh gawd, what did I do to deserve this! Uh…besides the usual serving the Dark Lord, tormenting innocents, and eating poor defenseless little animals thing?

Oh! Uh oh! And she trips over the carpet and takes a face-plant right to the hard wood floor! Oh excellent! 10 points for the takeoff! 0.1 point for the landing! Ouch! Oooo, I do hope that vase is replaceable.

"My Lady! Are you alright? I heard a crash!"

"Fine! Fine! I'm just fine! Don't worry. I have everything under control!" I shout back as I try to untangle myself from the pile of clothes that I just dumped off my bed and right onto me.

"Uh…alright. If you're sure…"

"Positive! Just go on. I'll be out in a minute…or two." Oh if the Dark Lord could see me now! He'd have a hissy fit! Do Dark Lord's have hissy fits? Well, he's certainly got the hissing down.

… … … … … …

Five minutes later, I walk out of the room, hair perfectly curled, cursed dress without a wrinkle and bags perfectly ordered and situated.

"Er…ready to go?" Orestes asks when he sees me come out, cool as a cucumber with a satisfied smirk on my face.

"Ready when you are," I reply. Yes, I am ready and the room is spotless. It was actually quite simple when after the Dark Lord comment I realized that I could do magic and that it was positively idiotic for me to rush around trying to do things the muggle way when I just had to wave my wand a couple times and the magic would take care of the rest. Silly me. Thank Merlin that my brain finally kicked in.

… … … … … …

We are now at King's Cross Station, with six minutes to spare…and everyone is staring at me…

What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a life-size, moving china doll before? Oh the humanity!

Orestes chuckles at my obvious distress, and I cannot help giving him a very cold death-glare. What do you think you're laughing at, bodyguard?

Now the only problem is to get these stupid muggles to stop looking at me long enough for me to make it through the barrier. Duh! What have I been thinking! Am I a witch or not? Quietly I cast the notice-me-not charm and the muggles return to whatever they were doing before, completely forgetting that they had ever seen the strange girl in an insanely overly-dressy black dress with a raven in a cage on top of her luggage. With a satisfied sigh I look at Orestes, who is looking at me with a proud glint in his light green eyes. The sun is making his golden hair around his head look like a halo more deserving of a heavenly being than one of the Dark Lord's loyal subjects. Turning around, I good-naturedly roll my eyes. My personal bodyguard is absolutely crazy, but I love him nonetheless.

Silently I walk towards the barrier and disappear, followed soon by Orestes with my luggage. He helps me load my stuff on the train and then to my utter surprise he gives me a tight hug like one you would get from close relatives.

"Take care, Kiddo, and have fun," he whispers softly to me before pulling away. "Be safe, my Lady," he says more loudly. Temporarily forgetting all my training in the cold and heartless mask, I give him a genuinely loving smile, my first in many, many years.

Then, without a word, I climb onto the train and give a short wave good-bye. He smiles back and with a wave and wink he disappears from sight in the hustle and bustle of the other people on the platform. Fortunately, I found an empty compartment near the back of the train and settled in to read The Recorded History of Magical Development by Jove Windstorm. Losing myself in the words of the page, I didn't even hear the compartment door slid open until suddenly someone cleared their voice. I look over the top of my book and see a pretty girl with large and very expressive emerald green eyes and long dark red hair in a braid over her shoulder standing nervously in the doorway.

"Hi…um…I was wondering if I could sit here. Everywhere else is full," the girl asks with a nervous smile. Looking at her, I try to determine what type of person this girl is and if her intentions are truthful. It seems that I am making her more nervous, however, and I can easily perceive that this girl is no threat, at least to me. I sense that she probably has quite a scalding temper and a great deal of magical potential. Nodding silently with a small smile to calm her shaking nerves, I return to my book. I feel her put one of her bags in the rack above the seat and sit down next to me. I get the feeling that she is anxious to talk to me but is still too nervous to try. I'll let her work up the courage, though. The girl will never be able to handle going to Hogwarts if she doesn't grow a backbone.

"Hello, my name is Lily Evans. What's yours?" she asks holding out her hand to me. Again I look up from my book to her. Maybe she is not as spineless as I thought.

"Kirra Wynsong, pleasure to meet you." I place my hand in hers and we give a firm and warm shake. She smiles brightly. Maybe I should have worn sunglasses.

"The pleasure is mine," she replies. "So are you excited about going to Hogwarts?" I smile. Her enthusiasm may be contagious or it may be my own suppressed excitement.

"Very much," I say but my voice does not exactly reflect the verity of that statement.

"I was quite surprised when I got my letter. I never even knew it existed!" she says with a laugh. That started me, though.

"You're muggleborn?" I ask and I could kick myself for the surprise in my tone.

"Yeah, is that a problem?" she asks nervously. Poor girl. She will suffer a great deal if my master ever finds out about her. I, myself, never understood his beliefs. I find it very hypocritical that, he, being a half-blood, would support the pure-blooded wizarding folk as the dominate race and demand the total annihilation of impure blood.

"Not for me," I reply calmly. "Heritage matters little to me or anything else in the long run." She smiles. I wonder if her face has ever stuck that way, with all the smiling she does. My master would be furious if he could hear me now. Still, she seems kind enough, and I think I might try to get to know her if nothing more than to spite the Dark Lord a bit.

"What house do you want to be in?" I ask her.

"I don't know, but they all sound really great from what I read in Hogwarts, A History," Lily answers excitedly.

"Really? You've read Hogwarts, A History?" I question.

"Only seven times since I bought it. Do you like it?"

"Indeed. I've read it over thirty times, since I was old enough to read," I reply with a coy smile. (AN: Now all we need now is Hermione and we can have a Hogwarts, A History party! 'thumped over the head with a Hogwarts, A History by Mione' Ouch!) Laughing happily (a very rare thing for me, in any case), Lily and I discuss things from our commonly favorite book to our plans for school. We are temporarily interrupted about four minutes after the train began to move by the compartment door sliding open and the appearance of two boys. (AN: I'll give you three guesses. Haven't guessed it yet? Too late!)

A boy with messy black hair, laughing hazel eyes, and horn-rimmed glasses steps into our compartment, followed by a very handsome boy with wavy black hair almost to his shoulders and deep, mischief-filled black eyes.

"Excuse us, fair ladies," the jet black-eyed boy says in a fairly good imitation of a knight of old as he bows, "but I'm afraid we have no where else to sit. May we sit with you?"

Lily and I exchange looks, but then silently nod our heads in acceptance. The boys grin.

"Thank you, fair ones," the boy who spoke earlier continues. "My name is Sirius Black, and my companion here is James Potter." Black and Potter? They are both pure-blood; that is for certain. But I never thought that I would see a Black and a Potter hanging out together as friends. I have never met a Potter before now, but I remember my master complaining about how the Potters are a nuisance to him, always such loyal lap-dogs to Dumbledore.

However, I have met the Blacks before, or at least some of them. One is a very loyal member of my master's inner circle. She is a horrid woman by the name of Bellatrix Black, fiancée to Rodolphus Lestrange. They had only joined the Dark Lord's ranks two years ago, but they have quickly moved up the lines of the Death Eaters power circle. Bellatrix is a wretched woman, and she has often tried to do anything to rile me up or embarrass me away from the eyes of the Dark Lord. I despise the woman with a passion, and if this Sirius is anything like his relative, then there is not much I can say for him. However, he must be somewhat different than the rest of his family if he's friends with the Potter boy. The Blacks and the Potters are not exactly bitter rivals, but they most certainly don't get along.

"My name is Lily Evans," Lily answers, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Hello, I am Kirra Wynsong," I add with a very small smile. It seems that they have noticed my wretched dress. Sirius is quite obviously trying and failing to stifle his laughter. James at least has managed to keep a straight face, but his eyes are dancing with humor. I glare coldly at Sirius. He chokes as he tries to make laughs sound more like coughs. Really, I doubt the Dark Lord will have to worry about Dumbledore: I just might kill him myself the next time I see him.

"I beg your pardon, most lovely ice-eyed maiden," Sirius apologizes after his laugh-cough fit has subsided, and he kisses my gloved hand. I thank my lucky stars; at least, I can always burn the glove. James and Sirius sit down in the seats across from ours, James across from Lily and Sirius across from me. Oh lucky me! To be honored by the constant eyesore of a total git! Now where did I put my book? By Lily's tenseness, it would seem that she is not comfortable with the playful stare of the messy-haired boy across from her either. The trolley witch comes by moments later and thankfully raises the blanket of awkwardness that has descended on the compartment. James, Sirius, Lily and I begin talking about Hogwarts and soon Quidditch after James and Sirius explain Quidditch to Lily in great and bantering detail. Lily scolds the boys for talking with their mouths full.

And soon Sirius and James get into an argument over which is the better Quidditch Team. It commences with either boy playing rather hilarious prank spells on the other, until Sirius looks like and arm-less clown, all colors included and James is flying body-bound close to the ceiling by his Dumbo-sized ears. Lily collapses onto the floor rolling around in her laughter. Even I have to clutch my stomach in pain from how hard and how much I am laughing. I cannot remember the last time I laughed like this, if ever I did. Soon, James and Sirius can't help but join in. Together, we drown half the train in laughter, most likely dreadfully confusing other students nearby.

I gradually gain control of my composure. The Dark Lord would punish me so severely if he could see me, but by Merlin, laughing feels so very good. Chuckling a little as I watch James bob up and down as he laughs and hear Sirius's giant red nose squeak with each laugh, I return James and Sirius to the way they should be. Finally calming down, Lily and I return to discussing one of our textbooks, and Sirius and James decide to play Gobstones.

I can't help but laugh when the first Gobstone explodes all over Sirius's face, covering him in blue goo. I can't believe how much I have laughed, just today!

Suddenly a very loud explosion and screaming reverberate outside the compartment, and all four of us leap out of our seats to find out what is happening.

… … … … … …

AN: Oh! A Cliffhanger! Wow, and my very first in this story. Unless you count Chapter 2 as a cliffhanger. Can anyone guess what happened? If Kirra may seem a bit different than the previous chapters, it may have something to do with her being away from that dark, leeching castle and out from under the chilling serpentine eyes of the Dark Lord. Well, you know my bill. Drop a review, get a new chapter. Ciao!