"Hello" -Normal speech.

'Hello' -Thoughts

"Hello" -Parseltongue.

Prized Show Horse

"What, are you doing here?"

I feel my insides turn to ice as I face my witness.

I subtly eye him up and down, taking in the harried look of his unkept hair that curls just under his jaw, the winkles in his black robes, and the heavy circles under his eyes.

Obviously he is in zero mood to deal with a lost child, barely hanging onto his sanity and patience in equal measure as it is, even if I disregard his naturally rotten personality.

This is not the first time I've seen him, but it the first we've actually interacted with each other.

I decide to take a risk; "Nothing. I was just hungry," I mutter.

Severus arches a single brow, completely unimpressed with my bold lie. "Is that why you sneaked past the kitchen?" He counters flatly.

I act surprised, glancing over my shoulder. "No I didn't -oh..." I shuffle my feet awkwardly, watching his reaction under my lashes.

Nothing. As cold as stone.

"Who is supposed to be watching you? Where is your Mother?" he demands tiredly.

"She's taking care of all the filthy worms and traitors outside," I recite what she's told me many times before, when she's gone out on raids and other similar things. For good measure, I add, "Mummy says that I'm a princess, and she and all of the Uncles need to clean up so-soci-society so that Daddy can rule it!"

Snape manoeuvres the load in his arms so that he's able to pinch the bridge of his nose, sighing. He mutters something too quietly for me to understand. "Let's go," he commands, and then grabs my arm and all but dragging to towards the kitchen.

Everyone inside stills as soon as Snape clears his throat, staring expectantly between the both of us.

"Can Head Elf Dolly be of service for the Young Miss and Mister Snape?" she demurs, wringing her hands on her pillowcase of a dress.

"Yes. The 'Young Miss'" -Snape's upper lips curls- "needs to be bed back to bed, and watched until she falls asleep."

I can't help but pout, knowing that this is the end of my 'exploration' tonight.

"Of course, Mister Snape. Head Elf Dolly be tucking the Young Miss in bed right away," she bows.

Snape nods sharply, responding, "Do so," before stalking away with only one last glance towards me.

'Well, I suppose that could have ended worse. I just hope he doesn't try to tattle to my 'parents'.'

While he doesn't tell Bella about finding me after dark, he does mentions it to Lucius, who informs Narcissa, and who convinces the Lestrange House Elves to lock the wine cellar with a simple lock when Bella laughs her off, which is basically the Wizarding world's version of a child's lock when everyone else is able to cast Alohomara.

Damn that man. And Narcissa, too, the only true responsible adult figure in this life!

('Alohomara' is then added to my list of spells I try to perform every night.)

It's not until a month shy of my first birthday that Voldemort deigns to visit lowly old me again, and this time of his own free will! I don't know who is more surprised when his personal Elf pops! into the room, explaining that 'The Master' wants to see my devolpment for himself. Narcissa, Bella, or me!

Though I can safely assume that I am the most nervous.

Bella's sharp nails bites into my soft shoulder the entirety of the walk to the office, the smile painted on her lips stretched so wide I wince on her behalf. Bella is about to enter when Narcissa stops her with a hand on her shoulder, a significant, pointed look being exchanged between the two before she -somehow gracefully- crouches down to my level.

Narcissa cups my arms the same time Bella removes her own hold, and Narcissa smiles down at me so softly I feel my chest compressing into itself and a lump form in my throat.

"Now, Hecate, I want you to try your best, but to also remember that it's okay if you make a few mistakes. Your Mother and I will be with you the entire time, alright?"

I immediately feel horrible for every single unkind thought that has ever crossed my mind about her. She might be willfully married to Lucius, and I might gripe about her restricting my freedom when everyone else would be happy to otherwise ignore me, but I honestly can't imagine what I would do without her patience and support.

Draco is a lucky kid to have her as his mother.

(I really hope that, when everything is said and down, she gets custody over me.)

"Please, 'Crissy," Bella scoffs. "Hecate the daughter of our Lord and I! Of course she'll make him proud! Now, come on, we shouldn't keep him waiting!"

She knocks swiftly as Narcissa straightens, holding my tiny hand in her own.

"Come in," Voldemort's chilling voice allows.

I have so many butterflies in my stomach that I feel they threaten to choke me, and I instinctively tighten my grip on Narcissa's hand.

'You wanted this,' I remind myself. 'Gotta show him that I'm worth his while.'

But, oh, if Death ever shows his ugly mug again-!

I entertain vicious thoughts straggling Death's throat with my bare hands as I'm led to the centre of the room, where a teeny tiny desk is placed, different rolls of parchment and a bottle on ink placed on top.

Voldemort is sitting behind his own desk, fingers steepled together as they support his unfairly attractive chin. Next to the foot of the desk, curled up, is Nagini.

I almost wish he was as unsightly as he had been in the movies, so that the heavy sickness in my gut would be that much more justified.

"Sit down, Hecate," he gestures to the teeny tiny desk with one hand.

I risk stealing a moment to steel myself, glancing between me to Narcissa, before doing as ordered.

'Let the examination begin,' I think to myself grimly.

It takes two hours. Two awful, soul crushing hours.

Voldemort has me do everything from solving progressively harder math problems, lady and table etiquette, reciting full-blown novels and textbooks alike out loud, to then painfully slowly (carefully) jotting down the exact same paragraphs until my hand cramps and my palm is covered in black ink.

While perhaps not supposedly difficult with my adult mind, the stress of Voldemort's and everyone else's -but mostly Voldemort's- expectant, unwavering attention boring into me causes my brain to fry itself and my vision begins to swim.

Which, of course, only creates more stress that presses onto my delicate shoulders.

Absolute hell I say!

And, and if that isn't horrible enough, the sadistic man decides to throw in a couple more materials that Narcissa hasn't covered yet! Things that I can only assume are taught in Hogwarts!

(I am not even a year old yet, why is he expecting me to know all of this?!)

I am so far gone that in the two cruel hours spent in the hellish room, everything blurs together. I could not, for the life of me, tell you what exactly Voldemort quizzed me on, only that I surely stumbled and made a complete fool of myself in my attempt to answer them.

I'm guided out of the room by Narcissa, Bella trying to cosy up next to Voldemort, positive that I just majorly blew my shot.

Any small progress I've made so far is surely lost, scattered in the wind.

Thank you to those that favourited and followed, and a big thank you to those who reviewed!

If you'd life to review, but don't know what to say, please answer these questions:

1. How do you think Hecate did on her test(s)? Is it as bad as she thinks?

2. How do you feel about Narcissa?

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4. Do you have a least favourite part?

5. Did you notice any mistakes, and if so, where?

6. Do you have any questions?