Chapter Four: Within Desperate Lies
"We haven't found out much from the letter he left, but where have you been these past years, would be a good start!" McGonagall snapped.
Vivian sat with her arms and legs crossed. Her posture showed every bit of her defiance. A scowl was on her brow and her lips were pursed into thin lines.
"I've been to different places... I've met many allies and people that have helped me. You see, I have something of Voldemort's that he wants back–."
"What!" McGonagall's eyes had widened and her mouth opened slightly.
"Yes, I have the locket."
McGonagall's bewilderment turned into apprehension. She eyed her niece as if she were joking.
"A locket?"
"Yes. Here. Look."
Vivian pulled a thin silver chain from under her robes. A silver locket had come up also and she pulled the chain over her head. She placed the locket into her palm. McGonagall looked at it. It had a S carved into it with snakes decorating the sides. It was a handsome locket.
"What is it really if Voldemort wants it so badly?"
"It's Slytherin's locket. Voldemort made it into one of his horcruxes. Part of his soul is hidden in it," she added as she saw her aunt about to question what a horcrux was.
"How did you get it?"
"Well, you do remember that I was sorted into—."
"Slytherin, I know." McGonagall answered with a pained expression.
"One of my close friends was Regulus Black. After I found out he was a deatheater, I lost contact with him. Right before he died, he gave me this saying to never let Voldemort find it. Voldemort was presumed dead in his first downfall but I believed and trusted Albus Dumbledore. I knew he was going to come back someday so I went into hiding."
"I moved around a lot. I met people I could trust, but knew other people didn't like werewolves and vampires who didn't want anything to do with our world. You can say that they are the lost ones. Not registered or anything. The house in which I was staying was suggested to me by the Vampire Sanguini. He was one of the key vampires that Eldred Worple focused on in his book Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires. It really is a good book..."
"Sanguini was at Hogwarts last year!"exclaimed McGonagall.
"I know. He wrote to me that he had been invited to one of Professor Slughorn's parties."
"And you trust him?"
Vivian's eyes darkened and turned into slits. She growled when she answered.
"Of course I do! He has been one of my best allies and protectors. Just because he's a vampire doesn't mean he has lost all of his humanity."
McGonagall bristled at being spoken to in that way. She huffed once and looked the other way. Vivian was suprised when she didn't get a retort. She was itching for a fight in which she could distract her aunt enough to escape. Once she was out of the building she wouldn't be able to see it or find her way back. It was fine with her. She didn't want to be here or apart of their society anyway. She still thought of the Half-Blood Prince. If he was a deatheater, why did he take pity on her of all people? She was on Voldemort's black list; she was sure of it.
"So," said McGonagall slowly, "you have a dangerous magical object in your possession and Voldemort wants to kill you to get it back."
"You've come up with that finally?"
"Come with me."
McGonagall stood up quickly and exited the room. Vivian followed scornfully. Once outside the room, she saw that they were in a rather large house. It was as rundown as the room she had been in. Pictures hung on the walls, looking at her distrustfully. They both walked down two flights of stairs. Vivian's eyes scanned for anyway out. All the windows were charmed closed. There were long blacked hallways, one which had house elf heads mounted on the walls. When they reached the bottom, Vivian saw the front door, but McGonagall blocked her way. She had her wand pointed at Vivian.
"Just walk straight into that door to your left. I'll be right behind you."
"You don't trust me, Aunt?"
"No."
Vivian walked into what was the kitchen. She heard loud voices arguing. There were two people in there; one she recognized immediately, one she didn't.
"I have to go! I'm the only one who can get close enough to talk to them!" said Remus Lupin fiercely. The werewolf looked very haggard. He still wore tattered robes and his hair had more gray in it. Vivian hadn't seen him since his seventh year at Hogwarts. She was two years younger. The young woman he was fighting with had long dark brown hair and dark eyes. Her robes were neat and clean but even from where she stood, Vivian could smell different herbs used in potions.
"They'll kill you if you go back underground!"
"Remus, Mitchell, we have a guest," McGonagall interrupted.
The both of them turned very quickly. Mitchell's eyes were hooded but Remus's face showed his dislike immediately. The werewolf stood in front of Mitchell in a protective stance.
"What is she doing here, Professor?" asked Remus.
"Who is this?" asked Mitchell, too.
"This happens to be my niece," began McGonagall. "Vivian McGonagall."
"She's a suspected deatheater!" Remus said suddenly. He bit his lower lip as if he wished he hadn't blurted it out. Mitchell on the other hand went frantic.
"A deatheater! Take her to the Ministry then! Why is she even here!"
Vivian stood there, silent. She narrowed her eyes at everyone in the room. These people really were disgustingly petty, she thought. The door to the kitchen opened again and two older teenagers walked in. One of them was the same busy haired girl who had inquired about her health. The other was a tall gangly looking boy with freckles and messy red hair.
"Where's Harry?" asked McGonagall sternly.
All there adults ignored Vivian for a moment. It was fine with her. She paid attention though wanting to know where The Chosen One was.
"He's staying at Godric's Hollow," said the boy. "He wanted to study some of his memories alone. We figured we could come and get some rest here."
The teenagers sat down at the wooden table. With a flick of her wand, food appeared in front of both of them.
"What are we going to do with her?" Mitchell nodded toward Vivian.
"I demand to be let go," interrupted Vivian, "I'm not a prisoner of war nor do I intend to be any part of it directly. Let the Dark Lord and Harry bloody Potter duel until they rip the whole of Britain apart."
"You're in it deep from what I can see," said Lupin.
"Shut your muzzle, wolf, or I'll close it for you."
"Don't speak to him that way!" interjected Mitchell.
"I can speak to him however I fucking please."
There was a gasp from the table. Everyone looked at the bitter angry woman.
"Get her out of here, Professor, before anyone does anything drastic," said Lupin.
"I don't know where to put her," answered McGonagall. "We can't house her here."
"Give me my wand. I will leave here of my own violation and —."
"Leave the horcrux here."
There were two crashes. Both chairs the teenagers had been sitting in had toppled over as they stood quickly with wands drawn. They both wore determined looks.
"Leave it with us," said the red head. He looked much older and mature at that moment. Vivian dismissed it as a trick of the light.
"No."
"Don't make us stun or hex you."
"You won't be able to get the chain off my neck if you do."
It was a lie, but no body seemed to notice. She stared back at them with the same dark look. A plan began to form in her mind. She could destroy the horcrux and get the Order Members off her back. She began to pace slowly, the wands following her progress.
"Tell Potter that I will meet him at the Hog's Head three days from now. Only to him, will I surrender the horcrux. After all, its his destiny to have it."
"No," said the red head again. The girl looked more thoughtfull. She glanced at the boy before answering herself.
"How can we trust you?"
"The Dark Lord wants me dead. If your friend were to kill him first, then that will ensure my survival."
Vivian knew the girl was going to let her leave. She would be true to her word and give Potter the locket but that's if no one finds her within that time limit. The girl lowered her wand.
"Hermione! What are you doing?"
The boy looked exasperated but lowered his wand as well. Hermione had a determined look on her face. That's why my aunt was so mad at me; that's one of her precious Gryffindors. The others in the room stared at her openly also.
"Have you lost your mind!" shierked Mitchell.
Vivian smirked and raised her left hand.
"My wand if you please?"
The elder McGonagall glanced again at Hermione before handing over the dark wooded wand. The wand looked battered and old. Vivian pocketed in her robe. Remus Lupin glared at her from the other side of the room. Mitchell looked cross and refused to meet anyone's eye.
"Now before I leave," Vivian said while stepping closer to the door, "who is this Half-Blood Prince?"
The eyes of everyone widened. The room felt humid with dread. Prof. McGonagall looked livid.
"I told you to never mind! Its not important that you know who he is. He's a deatheater and that's all that counts."
Vivian's green eyes scanned the room and saw that no one was going to disagree with her aunt.
"I'll see you two later if you accompany Potter. I give you my word."
Both the teenagers nodded. Remus muttered something about not trusting Slytherins and Mitchell agreed with him. McGonagall looked as stern as ever. At a run, Vivian left the house. That's smart but where are you going? She apparated five times into different locations in case anyone was following her. At the final location, which was an empty muggle car garage, she let herself rest. Apparation was tiring on one's body. She analyzed everything that she heard and saw in the house. They were hiding out in an old pure-blooded family's house. The immensity of the property led her to that. Ironic, that is. The second thing she found out was that they had spies in the lesser communities. Remus Lupin a spy for the werewolves? That was laughable; he's probably the most known as of lately. She already had figured out that Harry and his two friends knew about the horcruxes. It was only a matter of time when they found out she had one.
She took a deep breath and saw it in the air. The garage was frigid. She tried to remember anymore of her hide-outs but it was in vain. An idea then floated into her head.
There's a certain Vampire who owes me one more favor...
Author's Note: Please blame the delay on school and work. Its not like I didn't want to update! Next chapter will be up soon. Thanks to Destiny and Jet for the support!
