Hi! Quick update this time! I always hope to make fast uploads the norm buuut life comes atcha fast, huh. Anyway! Wanted to get this small plotty chap out of the way because GUYS. I am so excited about the next chapter. I think it's what everyone has been waiting for. ;)
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- CHAPTER 14: THE FIRST BATTLE OF DIAGON ALLEY -
"I think that just leaves…" I scoured the list in front of me.
The names on the it were mostly crossed off, having gathered presents for those individuals already. Currently, I stood in front of the sign that led to Knockturn Alley, desperately trying to avoid following the direction it's wooden fingers pointed. Lucius and I were spending the morning shopping for Christmas presents, him off with his own list and me with mine. Our mothers thought it would be a good bonding experience but they hadn't expected us to separate at the first chance we got. Beside me, Dobby, the Malfoy's house-elf, held the sack that carried the gifts we had already purchased.
"Ah," I couldn't hold back the sneer as I spoke, "we just need something for Bellatrix."
Dobby shuffled uncomfortably, maybe from a bad memory with the witch in question. I could relate. So far, none of my interactions with her had been very pleasant. Looking down Diagon Alley, wizards in bright garb flocked around with the spirit of the season palpable in the air. There were cloaks of the brightest colors that reflected the joy they were feeling. Snow was falling in graceful heaps that, by some sort of magic, piled themselves out of the way and to the sides.
Then, I took a look down Knockturn Alley. Dark, dank, and utterly depressing. It was a black hole of misery that I didn't want to traverse. But it seemed like the time had finally come. While I had been able to get away with getting everyone else on the list something from the more cheerful side of town, Bellatrix was a different beast. She required a… special kind of gift. One that could strike fear in the hearts of other wizards. So, with a great sigh and apologetic look towards Dobby, I stepped into the darkness.
I pulled my cloak over my head, trying to conceal my face as much as I could. Nevertheless, I heard the catcalls from the different nooks within the decrepit brick walls and made eye contact with no less than four witches who were surely trying to hex me with their eyes. The place was dreary and utterly unsavory. But still, I continued on in the hopes that something would catch my eye.
Finally, we stumbled across what was labelled an oddities shop.'Borgin & Burkes' read the crusty old sign hanging above the just as decrepit doorway. It sounded familiar, like my dad had mentioned it at some point. Finding no other worthy options, I opened the creepy, creaky door to the shop. A bell that somehow seemed offkey chimed as I entered.
If the outside was frightening, the interior was absolutely spine-chilling. All around me were forbidden objects of every sort. I peered about and saw bones or other various pickled body parts, torture devices of all sizes and functionality, items that were most definitely cursed, and everything between and beyond. Maybe this wasn't the shop for me. Maybe Bellatrix would actually be just fine with a comb to brush her hair. Something, anything far away from here.
Turning to leave, I crashed into a body that had the rank of old onions. "Hello, miss," came the hair-raising drawl of what I presumed - hoped to Merlin - was the shopkeep. He almost seemed dusty, like he was an old piece of ceramic ripe for a pass with the duster. "Finding what you're looking for?"
"Well," I said meekly, stepping backward and accidentally bumping a large cabinet, "I was actually just about to leave -"
With a wave, he pushed passed and beckoned for me to follow him further into the store. Dobby glanced at me worriedly with his giant, tennis ball green eyes but I couldn't find anything to say that would reassure him. We could just make a run for it but I wasn't keen on getting on the creepy wizard's bad side. Especially if he was somehow connected to my father.
"And what might you be looking for today, Ms. Ledoux?" Shivers ran down my spine at his words. I hadn't told him my name so that was all the confirmation I needed that there was some connection between him and my family.
"Well," I began, swallowing the fear before it could fully reach the surface, "I'm looking for a Christmas present. Something uncommon for an… uncommon witch."
He seemed to understand without me having to say it explicitly. Immediately, he began shuffling around the shop, pulling objects from various hiding places with varying degrees of caution. He wouldn't even touch an opal necklace but rather made it float over with his wand. Finally, he returned back to the counter where we stood back carefully, him beaming over his possessions with pride.
"We have quite a few pieces that may fit your needs," he began. "But if you're looking for something more large-scale, I'm happy to lead you around the shop."
I shuddered at the thought of walking any further into the depths of this cursed place.
"I think something around this size should suffice," came my meek voice as I indicated to everything he put in front of me.
"Excellent." He smiled to show rotten teeth. "Well firstly, we have this luxurious pillow. Can't tell you why, but anyone who sleeps on it is said to… pass away suddenly within a week."
Cursed, definitely cursed. And so he went on through various bits and bobs of definitely illegal artifacts. It made me wonder how no one had closed the place down. But maybe even the Ministry didn't like to come down Knockturn Alley. Out of sight, out of mind and all that. There could be no way for me to alert them either. Given he knew who I was and taking into account that I definitely wasn't his usual clientele, it would be oddly suspicious if Aurors came knocking on his door anytime soon.
"What do you think, Dobby?" By the time he had gone through every piece, I was at a loss for words. He talked about these horrid things, things that had actually killed people, like they were nothing. As if they were just everyday objects. It made me want to vomit.
The house-elf looked shocked at my question, like he'd never been asked to give an opinion before. "Dobby does not think he would be helpful in picking out a present."
"I don't think that's true… There must be one that strikes your eye. Plus, you're around Bellatrix much more than I am so you must know her better than me."
Still supremely hesitant, the little elf hobbled over and used what was hopefully just an empty box to prop himself up for a closer look. After assessing everything closely, he finally paused and pointed to the glistening object right in front of him.
"She does like pretty things…" He began meekly. "And Dobby thinks this is quite pretty."
Beyond his outstretched finger was an intricate dagger made of an obsidian black handle and bright silver. Along both the hilt and the blade itself was an intricate filigree pattern that made it seem like more of an art piece than a weapon of destruction. Flashy, yet deadly. Just up Belltrix's alley.
"It's not cursed or anything, right?" I asked the shopkeep. "Just to make sure I shouldn't gift it without any warnings attached or anything."
"This particular piece is famous not for what it can do but for what it has done." I raised my eyes at his riddling words. He sighed. "No, it is not cursed. It's just ended the lives of some individuals prematurely, that's all."
"Well, we'll take it then." Passing over the money, he wrapped it up delicately in a black box before passing it to the elf beside me. "Well done, Dobby. I'm sure she'll love it." He placed it in the sack with the other presents as I shot him a smile.
You would swear I was trying out for the Quidditch team by the pace at which I sped out of Knockturn Alley. With my shopping list complete, I was in the mood to relax before meeting back up with Lucius. Maybe I would grab a quick snack or some warm butterbeer. Anything that could help me wash away the bad taste this dreary place had left in my mouth. Finally, I reached the opening and it immediately felt like I was breathing fresh air once more.
"Shoot, is that the time?" I looked towards the big clock tower positioned at the center of where a majority of the different alleys met. We were meant to meet Lucius back in front of the Leaky Cauldron nearly an hour ago now. "We're so late… Must have spent more time meandering than I thought."
"It's alright, ma'am," the house-elf said cheerfully, adjusting the bag of presents. "Dobby knows a shortcut -"
"Beth?" An urgent voice rang from behind me. "Beth!"
The terror in my brother's voice became more apparent as he stepped into view. Coming from the direction of Knockturn Alley, he was flanked by a couple men I didn't really recognize besides one. The imposing form of Fenrir Greyback looked so out of place anywhere near the bright streets of Diagon Alley, and his permanent snarl corrupted any joy that radiated from the pleasant shops that surrounded us. He gazed at me like someone who was sizing up their steak as it was being prepared, unnerving me to the core. There was something wrong here.
Thankfully, Byron broke my attention from him with two firm hands on the shoulders. "What in the name of Salazar are you doing here?" His voice was panicked, almost unhinged.
"Shopping for presents…?" I'm sure the utter confusion was evident on my face.
"You were supposed to be gone a while ago!" His hands got tighter, his voice more aggressive but not from anger at me. He was clearly frustrated, the cogs in his brain working overtime to figure something out.
"Yes, well, I got lost a little when we went down Knockturn Alley. Took a little while longer than I thought. I'm just going to meet Lucius now -"
"No, you can't." He frowned. "He's already in position… Of course the twat said nothing about you still being here."
He was so quiet by the end that I wasn't sure I was making out the words correctly. "What? 'In position'?" I looked around me now, unease engulfing me entirely. That's when I noticed them. Unsavory looking wizards, ones dressed in depressing robes and clearly not belonging, casually walking around in the crowds or standing off in the shadows. "Byron," my voice was shaking as I turned back to him nervously, "what's going on?"
"Listen, Beth," he brought me over to the side of the street, out of sight, as he spoke, "go and take this." He gave me his Ledoux family ring, an heirloom given to him by our father on his seventeenth birthday. "Hide. Hide anywhere. And if anyone from… our side tries to do anything, show them that. Then they'll know who you're with and to bugger off. When the dust settles, meet me in front of Gringotts."
"W-what?" The ring felt too heavy in my palm. "What are you talking about?"
"Best run off, princess," Fenrir's deep voice mocked me. He stepped behind Byron, towering over my tall brother by at least a foot. "The festivities are about to begin and I'd hate for that pretty little face to get hurt."
I had a sickening feeling he wasn't talking about a party. Looking around at all the shoppers naively walking alongside what were clearly Death Eaters, my stomach became queasy with the thought of what I knew was about to happen. "Byron, don't be stupid." My voice was weak despite my attempts to make it authoritative. "There's so many people here."
His heart broke through his eyes. "I know… That's how He wants it." And then he gave out a deep sigh, rubbing his eyes and steeling his face. "Go."
Without a word, I grabbed Dobby by the shoulder and rushed into the crowd. Unsure of how much time I had, my voyage was clumsy, with several wizards shooting me dark looks as I bumped their shoulders to hurry by. I was doing pretty well for myself until just in front of Flourish and Blotts. The wizard in front of me seemed like he was going to swerve left but instead remained right and I crashed right into him, my elbow going to his stomach as I tried to course-correct.
"Shite!" I exclaimed, bending to meet him from his hunched-over position. "Are you okay?"
He stood to his full height and I gasped when I noticed it was another Death Eater. One I'd seen a couple times at our house... Goyle was his last name, I believed. He smiled in realization.
"Ms. Ledoux," his smile was like spiders crawling up my arms and into my ears. "Ruby cloak, black boots, hair down… noted." And with that ominous comment, he stomped away.
"That can't be good," I shot a worried look at Dobby which he mirrored.
We continued on, albeit a little more carefully now to avoid any other run-ins. I was at a loss for anywhere that would be even remotely safe when they decided to start their siege. Were they going to target anywhere in particular or was it just a random attack? Too late, I realized I should have gotten just a wee bit more information from my brother. Anything that could have helped me understand where I should go or, better, where I should avoid.
And then the thought occurred to me that maybe I should be telling people. I didn't know the extent of the damage they wanted to inflict but I did know that there was the potential for people to get hurt today. Very possibly even killed. If I was a normal witch, held down by normal circumstances, I would be screaming for everyone to run and hide right now. But I wasn't your usual witch and that wasn't the reality I lived in. And the thought of what Voldemort would do to me, to my family, if he knew I had been the one to warn anyone was enough to silence my tongue. So I kept my mouth shut.
It was so lost in my thoughts that I ran into yet another wizard just outside Fortescue's. My elbow collided with another stomach shortly thereafter.
"Oof!" Came the expulsion of breath from the hunched over wizard, his ice cream toppling to the ground.
"Shite, shite!" Please don't be another one, I prayed. "I'm so sorry, I didn't -" The wizard stood. "Wait, Remus?"
"Hello, Beth," he smiled as he spoke. "Why is it I always get hurt when you're around these days? Also, you owe me an ice cream."
"So sorry! I really didn't mean to-" But I stopped, reality abruptly returning. "Remus! What are you doing here?"
"Well I was going to be enjoying some ice cream on this wonderful December day but -" He stopped short when he saw the panic on my face. "Beth? What's going on?"
My lips pursed in thought for a couple of moments. Then I slapped myself mentally for even having to consider it. Voldemort be damned, I wasn't going to let him get caught up in this mess. "You have to leave. Are you alone?"
"What?" He was wiping some ice cream off of his cloak. "And no, the boys and Lily are in the shop paying. I stepped out because it was getting too hot. With all the bodies crowding and then the waffles being made, it overheats quite quickly."
"Fascinating, really," I said flatly. "I need you to march back in there and get them. Then, immediately go. Doesn't matter where so long as it's far away from here."
"Honestly, what are you on about -"
"There's really no time to explain," I groaned as Dobby began to pull on my cloak in apprehension. He was clearly eager to not be in the streets any longer. "Promise me?"
He still looked utterly perplexed but nodded his head. "Alright, yeah. I'll go grab them."
"Thank you… And Remus, please -"
But I was interrupted by the thundering boom of the clock tower as it tolled to signal the arrival of noon.
And then the screams began. First from a group of older witches outside Madame Malkins as the lights of hexes flickered in my peripheral. One of the witches fell to the ground, deathly still and my body went into panic mode. Madness ensued shortly after, with jinxes and curses flying off the walls as wizards and witches who were previously enjoying a nice shopping day now running for their lives.
A hoard of wizards ran in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron, the others further toward the direction of the shops. No one was apparating though it was clear some tried. Multiple times, I saw some wizards freeze as their faces contorted in concentration, only for it to quickly turn into baffled frustration from the lack of anything happening. But it seemed to work as intended, as it gave the Death Eaters ample to strike down the unmoving targets. Sometimes they attacked with lesser spells, other times with the killing blow of green light. Only a few great wizards had the power to trap us like this, without the ability to apparate, and I had a sickening feeling of who it was now.
"He's here," I hissed at Remus, him frozen to the spot much like me. "GO! Get out. Dobby, let's -" I turned just in time to see the little house elf get swooped up by a flurry of black robes. "DOBBY!" I screamed out.
He heard me and looked back with petrified eyes. I swooped after him, pushing anyone out of my way. Remus was yelling something from where I left him but I couldn't hear him through all the commotion. Pulling out my wand, I dodged and ducked through hexes, sometimes having to leap over what I hoped were just petrified bodies. My legs stiffened up in the cold and I began to intensely regret my mother forcing me to wear a dress with nothing but sheer tights today. With each step through the frigid air, the adrenaline was having trouble catching up and keeping my body at a decent temperature.
"Dobby!" I yelled out at a crossroad, having lost sight of him. "Dobby!" With a flick of my wand, I repelled a hex back into the chest of a nearby Death Eater. Twat.
"Missus!" I heard the faint cry of the house-elf.
It came from a side alley to my right, dark and damp from the looks of it. It was ominous and something in my gut told me it would be better to just walk away. But I couldn't well leave behind Dobby to face whatever horrors currently ensnared him, so with a heavy sigh I stormed into the darkness. My eyes took only a second to adjust and I scowled at the sight in front of me.
"Are you really that big of a baby?" I asked Goyle from his position at the other end of the alley. He had a death grip on Dobby's neck, the poor thing clearly having trouble breathing. "Can't take a pat to the stomach?"
"What's so special about you?" He growled, his voice full of rage and cutting to the chase. "Your family? So high and mighty and leaving the rest of us in the dark."
"Is that what this is about?"
"I work my arse off and what does my family get? Nothin'! Must be nice to be able to kiss the ring and reap the benefits."
If only he knew how wrong he was.
"Do you want to trade?" My voice was calm but my insides were trembling. "I'm happy to let you… Feel free to marry Lucius and take whatever position of power you think I have." My mocking tone clearly didn't please him as he shot a hex my way. The red light was repelled by my wand at the last second but I still felt the slight burn as it twinged my fingers. "Are you seriously trying to duel a teenage girl right now?"
A scoff. "Don't act all innocent. We all know there's more to you than meets the eye."
"Can't imagine what you mean." My tone was flat. "I'm just me. And I would really like my soon-to-be house-elf back."
But he wasn't having it. In rapid succession, he shot hex after hex my way. I recognized some of them by color but given he was clearly versed in nonverbal spell casting, I wasn't able to differentiate them all. Finally, one got past me and hit my shoulder. It lit up in pins and needles, the pain radiating through my right side. A couple tears slipped down as I bit back the pain but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of listening to me scream.
"What do you want?!" I hissed loudly as I rubbed the part where the hex hit. My cloak was singed. Awesome. "If you've got a problem with my family, you should take it up with my father."
"Or with me," came a voice from behind.
Byron, removing the mask he had put on since I last saw him, stood at the entry of the alley way. His face was twisted in unrecognizable rage. He didn't look like my brother, didn't stand like him. The battle had clearly already roughed him up, with scratches all across his face and a healthy bruise forming on his left eye. Mother wouldn't be happy, he had more engagement photos in a couple days.
He approached slowly, flanked by all the men that had surrounded him previously. They were all masked now as well, with the exception of Fenrir who eyed me up like his next meal once more. I found that I would rather fight Goyle to the death than stand in the werewolf's presence for another second. He was a horrid creature, his wolf form clearly melding with his human form. Wouldn't be long before he was more beast than man… And who knew what power that would give him. Goyle's strong facade cracked at the sight of them.
"I thought I told you to leave," Byron seethed at me.
"Alright, watch your tone," I said sternly. "I was working on it but letting me know that all this shit was happening in a matter of minutes would have been helpful." I pointed a thumb at Goyle. "And then this prick took my house elf."
"Goyle!" Byron said with authority in his voice, not even blessing the wizard with his gaze.
Without needing to hear another word, Goyle released Dobby and the house-elf sprinted towards me. How was Byron able to do that with just a word? He was more important in all this than I had previously believed. The thought scared me but I couldn't focus on it now.
"Off you go, then," Byron tilted his chin down the alley. He and his goons turned back to Goyle, advancing on him slowly. I imagine they weren't going to just chat. "And try not to cause any more trouble."
"See you later, princess," Fenrir said lowly with a wink.
Not wanting to spend a second longer in their presence, I sprinted away. The streets were still in chaos, the number of bodies on the ground having increased exponentially. However, now there were others fighting back. Various wizards in bright robes were combating the Death Eaters and herding bystanders to hidden locations and out of the way of the fight. Focusing too intently on them, I wasn't paying attention and a Death Eater caught me by my injured shoulder, cornering me against a wall.
"Ouch!" I squeaked before remembering the ring. Practically shoving it in his face, I sneered at him. Through his mask, I saw his eyebrows raise significantly as he quickly released me and scurried away. "Arsehole…"
Dobby reached for my hand, ready to squirm away but I soon overpowered him in speed. Not to be slowed down, I picked him up like a toddler and we wove through the crowd. His face lit up with something akin to a blush but now was no time for modesty. While I hadn't seen him yet, Voldemort was here and I didn't want to meet him as he carried out his carnage.
Finally, I found a nook in the wall outside Globus Mundi, practically dropping Dobby to catch my breath. It's not that he was heavy, it was more that the absolute panic of the situation suddenly hit me like a brick. Tears were falling from my eyes like a river, drawing lines through the layer of grime that I felt all over my face and body. My shoulder ached from the hex and I had to use the wall for support as I felt the threat of my knees buckling.
"Elsebeth?" I heard a panicked shriek but I didn't look up from where my head was buried in my hands. Someone grabbed my shoulders and hoisted me up. The bright green eyes of Lily met mine. "There you are! Remus told us you were here and we've been looking for you everywhere."
"W-what?" I was trying to comprehend her words through the fog. "Why?"
"Um, because there's a battle going on?" She looked at me as though I had lost it. "Did someone hit your head?" My eyes focused and I saw that her face was covered in dirt, her cloak singed in various places. But otherwise, she was taking this a lot better than I was.
"Oh, you found her. Brilliant." A groan escaped from my lips in reaction to that cocky voice I knew so well. James, glasses broken and looking just as worse for wear as Lily, sauntered up after sending a well-aimed hex towards a Death Eater. "Alright, Ledoux?"
I sent him a glare that said it all.
"C'mon," Lily hoisted me up, "we've got to get out of here."
"No," I pushed her off, adrenaline overtaking me. "You all need to get out of here. He's here and you don't want to stick around for him to pop up." Another twinge from my shoulder as if in confirmation of how bad this entire mess was. "Where're the other idiots, anyway?"
"Dumbledore's having them cover another street." Lily was staring at Dobby's terrified form with pity as she spoke.
"Dumbledore? He's here?"
"Yeah," James shrugged, not seeming very surprised by it. "Was here right after the first shot. Like he knew it was going to happen but was running late."
"And he's having you all - his students - fight?"
"Yeah… That's what being in the Order is about -" He wasn't able to finish his thought before Lily elbowed him in the gut. Clearly, this 'Order' wasn't something I should know about. Though, I had a nagging feeling I already had a clue as to what it was.
None of us were able to get another word out before we heard a giant explosion from a couple streets over. Exchanging shocking looks amongst one another, we ran in the direction of the noise, Dobby once again hoisted up on my hip.
We turned a couple of corners before coming to an abrupt halt, all of our mouths dropping open in shock. A hole the size of a small planet gaped at the front of Gringotts, the mangled interior now visible from the streets. Its magnificent pillars sat in shambles, the ones remaining struggling to keep whatever was left of the walls afloat. Through the gap, the giant chandeliers sat in ruins, their crystals strewn across the floor and casting an out of place sparkle around the alleyway. Inside, hexes still bounced, no doubt from the goblins trying to ward off the descending Death Eaters.
Only a few moments ticked by before we heard a blood-curdling shout coming from deep within the bank. The caverns below made it reverberate violently, even shuffling the debris in the alley from the force of it. My heart stopped completely for a few seconds before I remembered that it needed to pump for me to live.
"Fall back!" Dumbledore's commanding voice erupted as he stepped out from the bank. Unlike everyone else, he barely looked scathed with the exception of a missing button on his vest. "Fall back!" He repeated.
"That's our cue, Lil," James grabbed her hand but she paused to look at me.
"Come with us," she held out a hand.
Oh, how I was so completely tempted to reach my hand out. My fingers even twitched from their supportive position on Dobby's back. Dumbledore was fast approaching us, clearly their key out of here, so I had to make my decision fast. What was the point of living in this world if those that were supposed to be with me were cornering me in alleyways? No matter the promises, the social height at which I found myself, there was no guarantee of safety. Subconsciously, I watched as my hand raised to meet hers.
And then Sirius sped out of a nearby alley, Remus and Peter closely behind him, and I was reminded again as to why this would never work. The overwhelming happiness that had blossomed on his face from seeing my outstretched hand quickly faded when I yanked it back.
"I can't," I whispered, just as Dumbledore reached them.
With one last withering look in my direction from Lily, they all huddled around their headmaster. With a whoosh of the air, they were gone.
"Beth!" My brother ran up to me, throwing his mask to the side and engulfing me in a hug. "Oh, thank Salazar." His aura from earlier to now was like night turning into day and, as I grabbed him back with my free arm, the tears flowed from the comfort of it. Another act to survive, it seemed. Or at least that is what I would tell myself for now. He leaned back and kissed me on the forehead. "You're alright, then? I can't believe you got caught up in this mess."
"Speaking of which," I murmured as Lucius emerged from the shadows. His long hair was ruffled a bit but otherwise, he looked unbothered. I wondered how many times he actually raised his wand during this. With determined movements, I stormed over.
"Why are you holding that?" He sneered at Dobby as I planted myself right in front of him.
Quickly, but gently, I placed the worried-looking elf to the side. Then, I lunged. "You. Complete. Fucking. Twat." Every word was punctuated with a hit or smack somewhere on his person. Clearly caught off guard, he took the blows harshly. He wouldn't be leaving this skirmish with that pretty face in tact if I had anything to say about it. "Such. An. Absolute. Git."
Just as he was about to reach up and grab my hands - or maybe even retaliate in his own way - strong arms accompanied by a foul stench wrapped around me and lifted me off the ground.
"Calm down, princess," Fenrir's voice was too close to my ear and I started squirming violently.
"Please, Elsbeth," Lucius said maliciously, "do get yourself together -"
Byron punched him in the jaw. "You area git though, Malfoy," he spat at a now floored Lucius. "You were supposed to send her off before this went down. That was a direct order."
"From you." With help from his goons, Lucius was back on his feet. "I don't really take orders from that far down the food chain… Even if we are on the same rung. Plus, it's not my fault you can't keep," his nose wrinkled at me, "her contained."
With all my force, I fought against the werewolf. But with each shove, he held me tighter, low growls of joy entering my ears and sending chills down my body. Turns out I didn't need to contribute much as Byron was able to land another blow, sending Lucius to the ground just as he got up. Now his porcelain face was stained from the blood that rushed out of his nose.
"ENOUGH." Came the cavernous voice of Voldemort from his position atop the rubble at the foot of Gringotts. Looking around, the alley was dead quiet now, with any remaining bystanders herding themselves into the darkest of corners. All that remained were those of us on his side and the destruction that we left behind.
To say he looked displeased would be an understatement. Never in my life had I seen him so furious, his brows scrunched in such displeasure that I was sure would lead to death if anyone crossed him. The only explanation for bombarding Gringotts like this would be to retrieve something that wasn't his. Something that he clearly hadn't been able to find. He was an emotional man - thing? - to begin with, so this failure seemed to put him over the edge.
He glided across the ruins towards me, my body's flight instincts kicking into full gear from his stare. Even Fenrir's arms tensed around me as he ascended upon us.
"Down," he just said cooly, not addressing the werewolf but linking eyes with me. I plummeted to the ground, not able to recognize what was going on before my knees scraped the cobblestone. He pulled my chin, my neck stretching at an odd angle to face him. "Where did he go?"
"Who?" I whispered out, his red eyes, even more vibrant now, staring into mine.
"'Who?'" He mocked. "Dumbledore!"
"I don't know… They apparated." Tears threatened my eyes once more.
He shoved my head away, fuming. But at least I didn't think this particular fit of rage was towards me in particular. Maybe Dumbledore had been the one to prevent him from getting what he wanted. He stalked around and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to get up until Byron rushed over to lend me a hand. Suddenly I felt faint, as if all the happiness had been sucked from me. Was this - the absolute terror of Voldemort's crippling rage - similar to what it was like to be kissed by a Dementor? No, I imagined this was probably so much worse.
"Did no one acquire it?" He seethed, marching up to all of his troops, one by one, and breathing into their faces. Most were able to stay their ground while he was looking them in the eyes but then crumpled emotionally as soon as he moved on.
"Our resources are telling us that it may not have been there at all, my Lord," came a meek voice from a Death Eater I had never seen before. He was older than us but really couldn't be that many years ahead of my brother. His body was visibly shaking at the realization of who he had just addressed.
"Resource?" He turned on the man abruptly. "Which?"
The Death Eater pushed forward a goblin from the bank, the thing stumbling a few steps before tripping. He didn't look up, even as Voldemort approached. It was like an animal giving up, knowing it was heading straight for the slaughter.
"Ah, Forthorn," Voldemort sneered, standing right next to the creature. With a bare foot, he shoved the goblin on the shoulder, pushing him back so aggressively that he was now lying on his back. "If memory serves me well, and it usually does, it was you who told us it would be here." The goblin remained quiet, staring straight into the air. His lips were sealed as he stared blankly up at the sky. "Did you lead him here tonight?"
Finally, Forthorn moved, staring him dead in the eyes. "No one escapes their fate. You'll be beaten in the end, one way or another. And I hope Dumbledore's the one to do it."
Voldemort hissed and then there was a flash of green. The goblin's eyes remained open but they saw no more.
After the events in Diagon Alley three days ago, the last thing I wanted to do was attend a party. Yet here I was, clad in a luxurious green velvet gown as I prepared in one of Malfoy Manor's many dressing rooms getting ready for their annual Christmas Ball. My face was painted, any scratches from the skirmish wiped away over the past few days with some sort of magical creams my mother acquired. She, dressed and ready hours ago, stood behind me as she helped place my hair. In the mirror, it looked like I was staring at a lifeless corpse rather than myself. At least the corpse looked decent.
The plan was never for me to witness any of what had occurred the day Voldemort stormed Gringotts. And in the days after, the details started to come together and I learned that I had indeed been correct. He was looking for something he didn't find. Worse still, he had been led there as a trap, Dumbledore and his forces hoping to get the upper hand but failing. The only win on their end was the publicization of Voldemort and his efforts. While we had to act more shrewdly now, smarter so as to not give away our ranks, everyone was pleased by the newly instilled terror that was sweeping the nation. The world, even.
Which made my anxiety level surrounding Byron's upcoming mission elevate significantly. They were set to head out tomorrow night, landing in some Muggle town up north and wreaking havoc. My mind had already become numb to the thought that Voldemort wouldn't even keep this time of year, one that was supposed to be filled with joy, sacred. Every time any of the plans were mentioned, I felt my soul leave my body, roaming far away as if that would somehow shield me from what I knew to be true.
"And the final touch," my mother smiled, lacing the delicate pearl necklace around my neck. "Stunning!"
But I gasped immediately at how alone the pearl was, leaping to my feet and grabbing for my neck. "Where's the key?" I practically shouted. She gave me a confused look. "The key!"
"Oh!" Realization dawned on her face and she waved me off as if I were being overdramatic. She walked over to a nightstand and opened a delicate wooden box. After rummaging around for a moment, she held up a piece of metal. "Right here. All safe and sound." I breathed a sigh of relief as it was placed back in the box and secured. "What's so special about that old hunk of metal anyhow?"
"It's the key to Aunt Karin's journal…" My hand absentmindedly stroked the pearl at my collarbone.
"I've been meaning to ask!" She was back at my hair, pulling a little too tightly as she readjusted the curls once more. She could always find something wrong with me. "What was in that thing anyhow?"
"Oh. Nothing much," I tried to act nonchalant. "Just old research… Mostly about plants."
"Hmm." She mused. Good, she was no longer interested. "Okay!" One last bobby pin poked my head. "Now we're really done! What do you think?"
I looked fine, probably pretty in some regard. But I didn't feel like me which made the face staring back at me in the mirror look distorted. "Great," I said simply and she frowned, clearly expecting a much more grand reaction.
Her mouth opened to speak but the door interrupted her. The scrawny form of Dobby stepped in. Despite the occasion, he still looked as pathetic as he usually did, his too-large sack of a gown hanging loosely on his frame.
"Missus," he bowed to my mom. "And Missus," he bowed to me.
"Yes, what is it?" My mother quipped unkindly. Instead of directing the question towards him, she went about fixing her lipstick. I smiled a sad apology to the elf but he seemed to be used to the treatment.
"The Missus' family and the Malfoys are wanting to call upon her…" He hesitated. "As well as the Dark Lord."
That made my mother tense up, me along with her. As the message sank in, I began to feel it again. My soul, leaving me once more. My body left as a sacrifice for the taking.
"Well," my mother closed her lipstick with a tight click. "Can't keep them waiting then! Bring them in at the Dark Lord's leisure."
Dobby wasn't even out of the room before she was dragging me over to the velour sofa in front of the fireplace. She placed me firmly in the center, adjusting the regal collar of my dress before taking position beside me. I didn't like the sensation of my own velvet dress material against that of the couch, the touch of it giving me goosebumps. My eyes focused on the flames within the giant fireplace dancing in front of me, willing for whatever this meeting was to be painless. Or maybe for the room to catch fire. Whichever was easier to accomplish.
"Sit straight, Elsbeth," my mother quipped with a poke to my lower back. "You hunch like a hag."
Straightening just in time, Abraxas burst through the door, looking as though this was more of an inconvenience than anything. Lucius and Serpentina followed closely behind, practically slamming the door on my father and Byron. We all placed ourselves accordingly, family facing family like we were in some sort of stand-off. All we were missing was the referee, the guest of honor.
"What's this about?" I asked Byron quietly. He gave me a nervous shrug.
The lights seemed to dim, the room sinking into a cluster of unforgiving shadows. The window to our right flew open with grace, a cloud of smoke filling the space. From the depths emerged the lanky figure of Voldemort. He was dressed exactly as he was in Diagon Alley, clearly not one to change outfits for the occasion. The part of my brain that avoided all this was considering if he had any other clothing items at all. What would he look like in a suit, I wondered?
Without a word he glided over to us, stopping only to pick up a copy of the Prophet off of a side table. Mentally, I groaned, knowing exactly what graced the front page. He looked at it momentarily, a proud but devious smirk growing on his face. Finally, he stopped in front of us - Lucius, Byron, and me all on a row on the couch - and held it out.
"Lovely pictures," he simply said.
I was forced to look at them then as he shoved the paper close to our faces. The front page was split in half, the top covering the nuptials of Byron and Andromeda, the bottom going into elaborate detail about Lucius and mine's engagement. We took them just yesterday and I still wasn't over the embarrassment of it all. My smile looked so natural but with every flash of the camera, I had felt my will chip away further.
"Why is it," he continued as he folded the paper, "that the only time I see any of you acting with any decency is through the papers?" We all remained silent, my fingers already twitching to pick at one another. So this conversation was happening now. "It's embarrassing," he spat. "How is anyone supposed to take us seriously with you all going around acting like infants?"
"My Lord," Abraxas schmoozed, "take them as they are - the actions of children. If Baptiste could just wrangle in that daughter of his -"
"Beg your pardon?" My father's voice rose. But I couldn't even find the emotional energy to be shocked or hurt.
"You heard about yesterday, dear chap. She was unhinged. Can't go around representing the purity of our lines if she's going to -"
Voldemort released a large hiss that echoed around the large space, quieting the bickering patriarchs. "True, dear Elsbeth's actions as of late but especially yesterday have been… rash." He stopped in front of me, red eyes boring holes in my head as I avoided eye contact by staring at the paper in his grasp. His fingers moved and I flinched, half expecting him to strike but he merely rested his hand gently on the top of my head. My mother tensed beside me, her hand on my knee going tight. "But for good reason," he said with bone-chilling calm. "You see, I always thought Elsbeth was the one ripe with secrets but alas," he moved away and stood in front of Lucius. "It turns out she isn't the only one." He leered down at the boy. "Well?"
"My Lord?" Lucius just asked quietly. It probably didn't hurt as much as it should have, but the whack on his head from Voldemort swinging the paper down caught us all by surprise. Despite its minimal physical infliction, it had been a quick and merciless act on someone who was supposed to be one of his most loyal and trusted followers.
"Narcissa Black?" Voldemort sneered. "You've been lying to me, boy. And I hate being lied to." Another thwack of the paper. "Did you think that making Elsbeth look less savory was going to allow me to let you run to her?" Lucius said nothing. "Well, did you? Speak!" The last word was a bellow.
"Well… We just -" He finally began, looking to his father for any sort of help.
"My Lord," Abraxas stood, daring to approach one of the darkest wizards of all time like a good acquaintance. "Surely you would agree that Narcissa is the better, more well-tempered," a pointed glare in my direction, "option for someone like Lucius?"
My father scoffed at the dumb blonde's words. They'd never been friends, sure, but this definitely felt like a betrayal.
"And surely you, Abraxas," Voldemort's words seeped with venom, "would know to stop questioning me on the matter." So it'd come up more than once, then? I mean, if they were looking for my permission, I was happy to give it. "Lucius will marry Elsbeth and everything will continue as planned. All the pieces in the right place… And you," finally the attention turned to my brother as he spoke, "your only fault is not trying hard enough. Unlike the other two, you're not standing out in a negative light. Just not grabbing my attention as you should be." His smile could rot fresh fruit with how sickly it was. "Maybe you should apply the same gusto you show on the field to your relationship."
"Yes, my Lord," Byron said politely.
"Good, good," he threw the paper into the fire before turning back to our fathers. "It looks like we may indeed have to speed things up as discussed."
"But my Lord," my father pleaded. "Elsbeth can't just drop out of school. She'll never be able to get a position at the Ministry without finishing her education."
It was as if my heartbeat suddenly returned from a long pause, sending a sharp pain through my chest and now chugging along at a rapid pace. Surely, they wouldn't actually remove me from Hogwarts? I thought I had at least a little more time but it looked like that was being ripped away from me as well.
"By this time next year, the Ministry will be mine." His snake eyes turned to slits of suspicion. "Or do you doubt that to be true?"
"Of course not, my Lord," my father quickly backpedaled both in conversation and physicality. "We will most certainly control the Ministry by then."
"Then it's settled." He smiled, actually somewhat genuinely, at me. "We'll plan for a Christmas wedding. It'll be a splendid year considering it'll follow shortly after what is to surely be a beautiful summer ceremony." He looked to Byron with some semblance of pride and I wondered again what my brother had done to make him revere him as such. "Does anyone have anything else to say on the matter? Excellent." He hadn't even given us the time to respond. "I hope this is the last little chat I need to have with any of you. Minus Baptiste and Abraxas, you're dismissed. We have to… have a little chat with our friend Goyle about loyalty."
It took my mom tugging on my arm for me to unfreeze from his malicious tone. Surely, not many words would be exchanged in that upcoming conversation. My feelings only proved true when we passed by the physically terrified form of Goyle on our way out. He was flanked by two other Death Eaters and this time, instead of a leary glare, he pleaded at me through his eyes for some sort of mercy. He was led in and the doors hadn't even closed before we heard the screams.
Music rose from the ballroom as we neared the giant stairway that would lead us downstairs. So hard to believe that just below us were witches and wizards drinking and dancing the night away. Another world completely that I was supposed to integrate with like none of the past half hour had ever happened. Mind numb in preparation, I was just on the first step when a rough hand clasped around my elbow.
"A word," Lucius didn't pose it as a question. He stalked off, not waiting for me to follow but expecting I would. I played with the idea of not doing so but, preferring a chat with him over the tipsy purebloods below, I walked after him.
He led us down the next hall a bit until finally opening the door to his bedroom and ushering us in. It was somehow full of things and dull at the same time. Everything that occupied the space would be described as typical for his upbringing: the state of the art training broom from his youth, a plethora of name brand magical products, literal silver spoons… It was a disgusting wonderland for the spoiled child.
We didn't bother getting cozy before he turned on me with crazed eyes. "You told him?"
"What?" My voice turned putrid. "Told him what?" I knew what, I just wanted to finally hear him admit it.
"Oh don't play coy with me right now." He was pacing furiously, hand reaching up to mess up his hair.
"Dear Merlin," I said, exasperated. "After that, how is your head still so far up your own arse that you can't admit to your wrongdoing? Just say it already!"
"Fine!" He bellowed, red face planting itself in front of mine. "You want me to say it? I've been snogging Narcissa. Sometimes more than that! Happy?" It wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be so I just remained quiet. "And you want to know why?"
"Why?" I bit out but knew the answer.
"Because I can't stand you." His voice was a hiss, striking me to the bone. Too bad for him this was something I already knew and something I didn't care about. "I absolutely loathe you."
"Yeah, big surprise!" I yelled at his back as hot tears welled in my eyes. Not from sadness but pure mania. "What I don't get is why. We both got dealt these shitty cards and we're both supremely unhappy about it. But what have I ever done to you to make you despise me so much?! So much that you would embarrass me and even put my life in danger?"
He scowled as he retreated from me yelling in his face. In a rapid movement, he picked up a Quaffle, signed by the Chudley Cannons, and threw it out a window. It crashed into a million pieces but it would surely be fixed by the house elves before he went to bed tonight.
"Why does he care about you so much?"
"Who are you talking about?"
"You-Know-Who. You're precious to him for some reason. So much so that he'll never let me break free from you no matter how much I try or what I do. It'll be the death of me!"
I scoffed. For the second time in a week, someone was upset with my supposed grand position in this regime. In all honesty, my status according to Voldemort was actually very surprising news to me but I wouldn't let it show right now. I pulled something off the cuff as a response. "Maybe it's because he knows I'll do what I'm told when the time comes. I'll play my little Ministry part perfectly. Unlike you, who'll just sink to the shadows like the coward you are."
He let out an angry yell, the truest to himself I had ever seen him. Never had I seen him lose his cool like this but I was too ill-tempered to focus on the thought. "Salazar, you're insufferable!" He groaned.
"ME?" I jabbed a thumb in my chest so hard that I thought it might bruise later. "You're the one who promised to try harder! When I was working so hard to be the doting wife sitting bedside in the Hospital Wing. You promised to try and at least be decent! What happened to those lies?"
"I met someone better, someone more respectable, someone -"
"Someone you could control," I stepped back in front of him, realizing the thoughts he didn't want to say aloud. "Narcissa is soft, clearly in love with you. I bet she'd do anything you say!"
"You better watch your tone." His eyes were black.
"I will NOT." Jabbing a finger in his chest, I continued on. "You need someone like her because you can't control anything else in your life. Because you're weak, a coward -"
His hand met my cheek in a flash, the warmth spreading across my face very soon thereafter. I realized then, despite the limited amount of times it happened, I was really over men laying their hands on me like this. And Merlin be damned if I'd let it happen anymore. When I finally turned to glare at him, his hand was still raised as if he were considering doing it again. But after a quick look at the fury on my face, he must have thought better of it and lowered his arm. See? Coward.
"I told you to watch your mouth." He breathed, rage fueling his dark tone. I just continued to glare at him, not allowing myself to get upset. "You don't speak to me like that, you disgusting little -"
"ENOUGH." My mother's voice rang out from the doorway. The light of the hallway lit her from behind, turning her into a silhouette looming before the dark room. "You will not speak that way to a woman," she marched in, placing a comforting arm around my shoulders. "Most especially my daughter." Lucius said nothing, even had the audacity to stare her down as he had me. She wouldn't budge. "Off with you. Now."
"Fine," he set his jaw as he straightened his coat and flattened his hair. If only I could punch that pompous look right off his face. "I'm sure mother will be expecting me anyhow."
With one last repulsed glance at me, he began to move past us but not before my mother placed a vice-like grip on his wrist. "If you ever lay a hand on my daughter again," her voice was low, like a lioness corning her prey, "I will make sure it's removed from the rest of your miserable body."
Lucius didn't say a word. Instead, he yanked his arm free and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
I was able to hold my composure, not looking as he left but focusing on the moon just outside the broken window. It was almost full, and my mind had the audacity to wander off and consider if Remus had been taking his potion. But as soon as the door shut, my emotions crashed down on me and I collapsed to the floor. Tears ran from my eyes, my hair twisted into knots. There was no way I was party-ready any longer. Not that I could bear seeing anyone after everything that had happened tonight anyway.
My mother didn't chide me or attempt to fix me back up into the perfect image of a pureblood princess. Instead, she sat beside me, arms wrapping around my upper body as she cradled me in her lap while her head rested on my own. We sat there in silence until I had no tears left to cry.