Wendy started at Remus for several seconds. He just didn't understand. Of course, he couldn't understand. He wasn't wearing the ring. "I can't give you the ring. I'll take the necklace, but I can't face them without the ring."
He placed his hands on hers, planning on removing the ring, and suddenly found a wand pointed at him. "You would attack me?"
"Do not touch the ring," she said in low, menacing voice.
Remus let go of her hand. "Wendy, think about what you are doing."
"I have thought about what I'm doing. The Dark Lord tore apart my family last time. I'm not going to let him gain power and do it again. They don't play fair, and neither will I. With this ring, I can do great things. I can gain the advantage for our side. This is the only way we can get an advantage. The Ministry refuses to even admit that the Dark Lord has returned." She slowly lowered her wand and put it away. "I'll take the necklace, but I really do have to get going. If I wait too long, they will assume I'm not interested and the opportunity will be lost." She turned and climbed the stairs.
By the time Remus arrived in the bedroom, she was pulling on a set of everyday robes. He went over to his dresser, pulled the necklace he had charmed out of the drawer, and placed it on her dressing table. While his feelings were hurt by her actions, he reminded himself that it was the ring that was altering her behavior. "I'll go gather as many members of the Order as I can," he said before leaving. He had hoped she would have said something in return, but she didn't stop him from leaving.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
As soon as he arrived at Grimmauld Place, he sent messages to everyone he thought might be available.
"What are you doing here?" asked Sirius.
"Wendy has been invited to a Death Eater meeting. I gave her a necklace that will allow me to track her. I'm going to assemble as many members of the Order as I can and we're going to crash the meeting and see how many we can capture."
"That's a rather bold plan. How do you know that they won't recognize the necklace for what it is?"
"I don't, but I would be very surprised if they did. I've learned that a lot of the books she has are one of a kind."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Over the next ten minutes, Kingsley, Tonks and Emmeline arrived. They waited a few more minutes and Dedalus Diggle and Moody arrived.
"What's going on?" asked Moody.
Remus explained, "Wendy has found a way to infiltrate a Death Eater meeting. I've given her a necklace that will allow me to track her. Right now, she is still at Malfoy's manor, but once she moves, we'll know where the Death Eaters are meeting. The dinner she attended this evening had several suspected Death Eaters that will also be attending this meeting."
"How many can we expect?"
"She estimated about a dozen, but that wasn't counting anyone they might be meeting there."
"All right then. Let's go over some offensive strategy."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Wendy returned to Malfoy's manor and found him waiting for her. "Ah, Wendy. I was beginning to think you wouldn't come back."
"Sorry. I had something come up that I just had to take care of before I could return." She saw that he had picked up a black robe. "What's this?"
He gave her a knowing grin. "Come now, you're an intelligent woman. If you didn't know what this was, you wouldn't be here."
She took the black robe from him and donned it. "So, you have finally deemed me worthy?"
"Yes, well, that was a rather large oversight on our part. Bella had wanted to recruit you, but Edgar wished to keep you safe. Now that you are free of the Ministry, we can correct that oversight." He handed her a mask and watched her don it. He then took hold of her arm. "Hold tight," he ordered before Apparating them to the meeting.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Remus froze during the planning session and looked to the west. "They've moved." He dug through the paper on the table, looking for the map. Pointing at a desolate area northwest of London, he announced, "They are here."
"You're sure of that?" asked Moody.
"Positive. Before she moved, I could have pointed you straight at Malfoy's manor in Wiltshire."
"All right." Moody pointed his wand and the map and a three-dimensional image of the area Remus had indicated was before them on the table. "We can assume they have set up temporary anti-Apparition wards. Since they are temporary, that's good because it allows us to come in closer." He pointed to a part of the map. "This looks like a good Apparition point. It's uphill from the gathering, which will give us the advantage. I would expect this meeting to take some time, so we'll wait another five minutes or so to ensure that everyone has arrived before us. Any questions?"
"Five minutes? Should we really wait that long?" Remus was concerned that the longer it took, the more likely Wendy was to do something irrational. He hadn't discussed there being a delay in the arrival of help. She was likely to believe that no one was coming and act on her own.
"Since you told us how you delayed her, it is unlikely that the others wouldn't already be assembled, but I'd like to wait and be sure."
Remus knew the others would defer to Moody and remained silent.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Wendy looked around as best she could while wearing the mask and not looking too obvious. A couple of the Death Eaters she could identify by height and build, but the others had not exhibited enough behavior for her to identify them. She wondered how long it would be before Remus and the others would arrive. That, of course, assumed that he had been able to get any of the others together. She thought that was unlikely on such short notice and was fully prepared to take matters into her own hands.
"You bring our new recruit?" asked an unrecognizable voice.
Lucius replied in an equally altered voice, "I do. This recruit is worthy and shares our views."
The speaker addressed her. "Are you ready to become one of us? To preserve the Wizarding way of life?"
Quickly, she masked her own voice and replied, "I am."
"Are you prepared to prove your loyalty to our ways?"
She knew that she had to answer 'yes' and that she couldn't hesitate, even though a part of her wondered how quickly they would expect her to prove her loyalty. "Yes." She clenched her hand, feeling the reassuring presence of the ring, ready to go on the offensive. She could feel the eyes of the others upon her and she wondered how many of them knew who she was.
The speaker circled around her and she noticed that Lucius had fallen back into the ring with the others. "We ask each that seeks to join us to prove their worthiness. You will be given a mission to complete. It may or may not be easy to you. There is a small Muggle village nearby. Living in that village is a blood traitor. You are to bring that blood traitor here for judgment and sentencing." The speaker held out a photograph.
Wendy took the picture. "It shall be done." She would give Remus a few more minutes if she could. If not, she would act to subdue as many of them as she could. The ring was powerful, but she didn't know if she could take them all down.
She was just leaving the circle to carry out her mission when a series of hexes flew into the circle. Those still standing ran for cover. Wendy knew there were at least four or five of the Order there and managed to dislodge her mask so they knew not to hex her. She did her best to look like she was putting up a fight without actually hitting anyone from Order. If the opportunity arose, she would throw a hex at one of the Death Eaters. With members of the Order nearby, she feared using the ring, suspecting that its powers were indiscriminant.
Death Eaters were fleeing and she was about to join them when she felt and arm wrap around her quickly followed by the sensation of Portkey activation. If not for the arm wrapped around her waist, she would have fallen when the motion stopped. She fought to free herself from her captor.
"Easy. We're safe," came Lucius reassuring voice. He released her and removed his mask.
"Where are we?" she asked as she examined her surroundings. It was obviously not Malfoy's manor.
"Somewhere safe. And I think you should remain here. I believe some of the attackers may have seen your face."
"And what of it? We can hunt them down."
"What of it is that they are affiliated with the Ministry. I recognized one of them as Moody."
"He's not part of the Ministry anymore. He's actually become a bit of a joke with the Aurors. You do know they made him retire because his behavior was…erratic, to say the least."
"Nonetheless, he will surely report you to the Ministry. I suspect that Aurors will be at your home within the hour. It won't be safe for you to return."
This was a completely unexpected turn of events, one she did not want to experience. "Of course." Surveying the room closer, she noticed that it was quite rundown. "Should I expect better accommodations?"
He brushed the hair away from her face. "I thought you were above such things?"
"I'm not asking for luxury. I am asking for something that does not smell quite so bad."
"Of course. I will see that wards are set up at a better location." He pulled her close. "You know, I think we can find a way to make the best of this bad situation."
She really wanted nothing more than to knock him across the room and run. Instead, she said, "Oh? How so?"
"Well, I see it as my duty to come here and make sure you aren't too lonely during your involuntary exile." He leaned down and kissed her.
She forced herself to return the kiss. "What of your plan to set me up with someone else?"
"Well, that will be much harder to do since you won't be able to be seen in society."
"I suppose that is an added bonus." It was a nightmare. As soon as he was gone, she would leave. It would mean that she would have to hide at Grimmauld Place with Sirius, but anything was better than being trapped here at Malfoy's beck and call.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
When the members of the Order arrived, they quickly ran downhill to attack the Death Eaters before they could react. At one point, Remus saw Wendy flailing around with the other Death Eaters, but in the ensuing melee he lost track of her. They had managed to stun five of the Death Eaters, but most of the rest had fled into the trees and were able to escape. He felt the sudden shift that indicated Wendy had Apparated elsewhere. Strangely, she was now somewhere to the north.
Once they were sure that the area was secure, Kingsley left to arrange for Aurors to pick up the prisoners.
"Where's Wendy?" asked Moody.
"Somewhere to the north. She left near the end of the battle. I don't think she left willingly, though. I mean, she made sure that we knew who she was. I think we should go after her."
"I think we should wait on this. Undercover work is one of her specialties. If we go in after her, it will let them know that she's on our side."
"But, Alastor, what if they suspect that she gave away the meeting location? She could be in grave danger."
"Could be, but that isn't a definite. Let's figure out where she is and come up with a solid plan. She's well trained and can take care of herself."
Remus found that he didn't completely believe this. He had no idea what situation she had gotten herself into, but he felt that she was definitely in over her head. Unfortunately, he knew this was something he couldn't do on his own. He would have to follow Moody's advice for at least a little while longer.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Wendy was about to make her escape when she heard a sibilant voice behind her say, "Lucius, I had not expected visitors. Introduce your guest to me."
Lucius bowed his head. "Yes, my lord." He led Wendy closer to the speaker. "This is Wendy Westin, who we have told you about."
"Wessstin, the former Auror. Has she passed her test?"
"Not yet, my lord. We were…interrupted."
"Interrupted?"
Bella joined them. "What my dear brother-in-law means is that we were followed. Those meddlers from the Order attacked us."
Wendy could almost feel the accusatory stare Bella was giving her. She forced herself to meet Bella's gaze, refusing to be the first to look away. The periphery of her mind was giddy that she had the Dark Lord a mere pace from her, and she had an incredible power that could destroy him. She squeezed her hand, trying to determine when would be the best time to attack. Unfortunately, she had little idea what would be the outcome of channeling power through the ring for that purpose. She was drawn from her reverie when the Dark Lord began to speak again.
"So, you have brought someone to my presence that has not proven her loyalty?"
Bella chimed in. "Yes, how do you know that she wasn't the one that brought the Order?"
Wendy was about to answer, but Lucius spoke first. "She had no opportunity. I brought her straight to the gathering from my manor. I trust her completely. She was about to leave to fetch the blood traitor when the attack began."
Voldemort turned his penetrating eyes on Wendy. "Is this true?"
She forced herself to meet his gaze, only Occluding the small part of her mind that would get her in trouble. She could feel a slimy presence moving through her mind. Never before had being probed by a Legilimens felt like this. "Yes, my lord."
"A former Auror would be quite useful," he mused. "If she can be trusted."
"I have no love of the Ministry or their policies. The restriction of those policies is what got me fired."
"Yesss, but you were harassing some of my Death Eaters when you violated those policies. That makes you untrustworthy in my estimation."
"My lord, if I may explain? I actually protected Lucius during the Ministry raid. I knew where he would be hiding things and ensured my partner would not search those areas. As for my brother, well… It has been quite some time since the two of us have gotten along well."
"Do I make you nervousss?" he asked as he walked around her.
She knew he was looking for an answer that would feed his ego. "Not so much nervous, my lord. Awed would be a better word."
"Why?"
She knew she was being tested. "I am rarely in the presence of such a great wizard. I know that you will do great things for Wizard-kind."
"Yet you share your roof with a Muggle-lover," he countered.
"That is true, but I hope to reform him. He has been a friend for a number of years." She desperately hoped that he couldn't see through the lies. Even though he was not looking into her eyes, she could still feel his presence in her mind. He had truly sunk deeply into the world of Dark magic.
He leaned close to her and took her hand in his. She tried not to look visibly nervous. "This is a very interesting ring."
"An old family heirloom I found after Edgar's death. I wore it to dinner this evening and forgot to take it off."
He could feel the power emanating from the ring. "It is quite the family heirloom." He reached to remove it from her finger and was thrown back by a burst of magic.
Lucius and Bella both immediately had their wands pointed at Wendy.
"That is quite a powerful ring. And I see that it is not what it first appeared to be." He maintained a respectful distance.
Wendy looked down at her hand and saw that the charm was gone.
Bella's eyes widened when she saw the ring. "How did you…? Master, that ring has been in the Black family for centuries."
"And you never brought it to my attention before?"
Wendy tried to Disapparate and found herself knocked to the floor.
Voldemort sneered at her. "Oh, you won't be getting away from here, my dear. Only those who are loyal to me have that power. Bellatrix, the ring?"
Bella had a cruel grin on her face. "I wonder how you got that ring? I always knew you were the brilliant one when it came to obscure magic, but that doesn't explain how you got into the house and got the ring." She stepped closer to Wendy. "Now, I think you should prove your loyalty by giving me the ring."
Wendy had been considering her options. They were very limited. She had no idea how far she would have to go in order to Disapparate, and she was no longer entirely sure the ring would be able to stun everyone for her to escape. "There is some magic that interferes with the ring, some of the interference could be fatal. I know that it is safe for me to use the ring. My lord, the ring was only defending itself when you tried to remove it. I had no idea that would happen to you."
He almost believed her. "Then why would you try to run?"
"For protection, my lord. I know that your anger can be great and I did not want you to react over a misunderstanding. I only desired time to be allowed to explain." She hoped that he would believe it. It sounded plausible to her.
"Now that we have that misunderstanding cleared up, hand me the ring."
Bella held her wand menacingly. "I can cut her hand off."
Wendy did not like the crazed glint in Bella's eyes. She knew that statement was not a joke. She momentarily considered activating her Portkey, but that would require her to use her wand, which was still tucked in her sleeve. Besides, she wasn't sure that would work either. At this point, she could either try to flee – which would undoubtedly lead to horrible torture if she were captured, which was very likely – or she could continue lying. "My lord, if I could give it to you, I would, but I can feel the ring melding with me. I'm not sure I can remove it."
Voldemort turned his attention to Bella. "Is what she says true?"
"I-I don't know. We were never allowed to touch the ring. My aunt was very proud of it and we could hear her telling visitors about it, but it was kept locked in the library." She turned her attention back to Wendy. "How did you get that ring anyway?"
"Come now, Bella. You know there were very few magical wards that could keep me out. I already knew how to break into the library. It wasn't that hard to figure out how to get the ring out of the case."
"When did you do this?" She had already tried to get into the Black house, but found it was unplottable.
"Oh, some time back. I forget exactly when. I'm really surprised that your family never turned over the ring, given the fact they openly supported the cause." She was trying to deflect attention away from her.
"Enough!" shouted Voldemort. "We have plenty of time to figure out how to get the ring off since Wendy will be our guest."
Wendy tried to control her fear. "Of course, my lord. Though if I might suggest, I have numerous books at my house that could provide more information about the ring."
Lucius stepped forward. "I would advise against that. During the attack, her mask came off, and it is highly probable she was recognized. I would not be surprised if Aurors were waiting at her house."
"I can Apparate directly inside. My house is protected against intruders. I doubt that even the Aurors could break through my protection."
"That is not a risk I am willing to take. We will wait. After a week or so, they will conclude that you are not returning and turn their attention to something more important," Voldemort replied.
"Of course, my lord," she replied meekly. This was not turning out at all like she had anticipated. And with the news that their current location was warded against transportation spells, she wondered if the others would mount a rescue.