Dear Fellow,
Since you are the only person who reviewed me for the fifth one this is completely dedicated to you! I have chps. 7&8 already typed up just send me a review and I will post the next chp. Thanks seerofsorrow!
Obviously I do not own Harry Potter.
The carriage was covered in a deep red velvety cloth with dim reading lights inside. There were no windows just some padding on the bottom of the door and a gold handle for the door. The seats were quite comfortable and she was able to curl in them quite easily.
She rode in the quaint carriage for many hours and let her mind wonder trying to reassure herself that she would be safe and that Voldemort would treat her kindly. It was the first time she had even allowed herself to go that far in her mind. Closing everything down before made everything worse now, and yet she couldn't stop thinking about what was in front of her.
She wondered what he would want with her? That thought in itself frightened her beyond all compared and she shivered. What would she be subjected to? She shuddered at the thought of going to a Dark Mark meeting. The carriage was a bit bumpy, but was very relaxing. She was full of worry not just for herself, but her friends. Would he really let them all go? Ms. Weasly being tortured flickered across her eyes and tears trickled down her eyes. She shook in her boots when she thought of meeting Lord Voldermort for the first time.
She felt irritated with herself she couldn't worry about the future or else she would driver herself nuts. She breathed in deeply trying to clear her mind and focus it away from the shadowed future. With a trembling, uncaring hand she wiped off her tears. The carriage really was very comfortable as she rode along. Her head drooped as she grew groggy in the carriage and soon fell asleep.
She woke up back in the carriage and felt that it was still moving beneath her she yawned and looked at her watch. It was nearly eight o clock at night, where was she going that was taking this long to get to? As soon as she asked the question the carriage pulled to a halt and she leeched forward a little.
Hermione slowly took in a breath and exhaled to try to calm her nerves, which were overpowering her. Well here it goes, she thought to herself, it's time to face the music. Her hand was trembling when she reached for the latch and her heart was pounding in her ears.
She opened the door and looked out to see a giant castle in front of her. It was almost the size of Hogwarts and was beautiful in the moonlight. There was a long walk up to the castle etched in blood red roses.
She didn't think when she stepped out because the castle ensnared her senses and nearly fell over when she tried to step out of the carriage. Cursing herself for being so clumsy, she got out finally and stepped up to the walk and the front gates that surrounded the house. There was a crest in the front door. The crest was composed of a large snake in a circle eating its tail with a D in the middle. The D had vines woven over it and a rose was leaning in the middle of the D.
She reached the gate and saw a figure standing at the gates looking at her through slits in a white mask. The Death Eater was fairly tall and had magnificent blue eyes. His frame was subtle in his cloak. Hermione shook about but she tried to ignore it. Her heart was pounding in her head again making it impossible to hear anything but her fear. She came closer to the gate and stared at the person behind the mask.
"Hello." She said, trying to sound as polite as she could.
"Hello," said the person. He or she had a foggy rifting voice. "You are I assume our masters daughter."
Hermione started to sweat. She shook like a leaf, she was so afraid what would happen to her behind these gates that she wished she could run away and never return because she knew that that was not an option.
"Y—Yes," She stumbled through the answer partly because she was so afraid and partly because she didn't know if she wanted to answer the question that way at all. She wanted to deny anything to do with this place.
"Then come in." Hermione opened the gates and stepped in. She had to take her time in order to make sure that she didn't break down or fall into a ball. The large castle would now be her prison. Her hands shook so when she finished closing the gate she held her hands together so that they wouldn't shake so much. She clenched her hands trying to make them obey, but they wouldn't stay still. Her head hammered with her looming doom, which lay just inside the castle. The clink of the gate sealed her fate inside this place. Thinking of the theory of Antidotes she turned around and forced herself to put one foot in front of the other.
She walked with the death eater up the walk in silence, the only sound made was the click of his boots.
They were quickly approaching the castle as he asked her, "What do you make of the castle?"
Hermione knew she had to break the silence and said in a shaky voice, "I think it looks very pretty I especially love the roses in the front."
Hermione knew she sounded like a child saying this but it was the only thing that came into mind. The death eater soon opened the door for Hermione and said, "Welcome to The Dark Manor."
He opened one of the double doors with the crest on it again and followed her inside. She had to contain her shock when she entered the parlor. It had beautiful marble flooring with luxuries tables and shadowed mirrors. The walls were a forest green color and didn't have a blemish on them. He lead them past this room and to the right going straight down a long corridor with lots of ancient pictures and knights of armor. She observed all the old dark lords, which rested on these walls. She was soon lead to the left and then to the right again.
They stopped in front of a door, which was made out of dark red cherry and gold letters. He led them into the room and she saw the bed first which was directly to the left and had a small bed stand beside it. Across from this wall was a bureau and above it was a large mirror. Also on this wall was the fireplace, which was roaring. There were a few bookcases on the left wall and a huge desk to her right. The room felt huge and unwelcoming. She swore she could feel a strange wind blowing through her room. The death eater shifted to let her pass him and she did so out of instinct only. She hated the room that was for sure.
"This is your room, make yourself comfortable and all of your clothing is in the bureau. If you need anything else Ella, your house elf, will be in soon." He closed the door behind him. She slumped onto the bed and puffed out. She supposed it could be worse, but she felt so unwelcome in this room. She looked at the bureau and decided she had better look at the type of clothing they had picked out for her. She crossed the room and it took too much time in her opinion. She opened the first drawer and saw different colored robes of blood red, dark green, and just black. She opened another drawer and saw her undergarments all lined up.
She sighed, "Okay well obviously what I'm not used to, but they will probably be extremely comfortable."
She heard a knock at the door and she heard the door crack open. Hermione looked down and saw a small house elf with great big blue eyes.
Hermione smiled and said, "Hello, are you Ella?"
The house elf nodded and said, "What would mistress like for dinner?" It was all said in a very high out of tune squeak.
Hermione hadn't even thought about dinner, "Ummm… You don't have some cheese and ham sandwiches do you?"
The house elf smiled and nodded, "Yes we do mistress."
Hermione smiled and said, "Please don't call me mistress, I'm Hermione."
Ella just smiled and said, "Okay." Ella bowed low and darted out of the room closing the door behind her.
Hermione was alone again without anything to do. She sighed at her reflection in the mirror wondering what she was going to do for fun. She sure couldn't think about what was going on or she'd drive herself nuts. She looked at the bookcase and saw the many books just lying there.
She took a closer look at the titles and saw some titles, 550 uses for blood Dark Creatures, Parseltounge throughout the ages, etc. Hermione frowned at the titles wishing there was something else to read other than dark arts. She sighed knowing that there wouldn't be anything fitting into that category for quite a while.
Ella came in with Hermione's food and put it on the bed stand. Then darted quickly out just as Hermione said, "Thank You."
Ella just bowed out and said, "T'was no problem Mis--Hermione." Ella left in a flash. Hermione ate her food as she took down the 550 uses for blood and began to read chapters 1 through 10. Thoroughly disgusted by the topic of another's blood she fell asleep quickly trying to take in all of the castle, the book, her room, and her emotions. As she fell asleep the first thought that went through Hermione's head was, okay I can get through tomorrow and let everything go just as Dumbledore said.
She nodded awake the next morning by Ella. She was standing over her and Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Ella's great big eyes.
Ella backed up looking worried, "Did I scare Mis--Hermione?"
"No. I am awake Ella. What time is it?"
"Tis 5:20 mistress."
Hermione yawned heavily and said, "Ella, where are we going so early in the morning?"
"Miss has to go somewhere, I is not knowing where Hermione."
Hermione nodded her head clearing her mind and made her brain form around Ella's high-pitched words. Hermione got up and said,
"I need to be changed and I'll be ready to go downstairs."
"Misses the bathroom is right here." Ella pointed to a door on Hermione's right. Hermione hadn't noticed it the night before because it blended straight into the wall except for the golden handle sprouting out from the wall.
Hermione yawned and got out of bed, grabbed a pair of clean clothing, went into the bathroom and changed. She came back in robes that fit her quite well but they were a bit long, but that might just be the style.
She stepped out to Ella cleaning her plates from last night and putting breakfast on her bedside table.
"Miss has ten minutes to eat."
Hermione saw all the food laid out before her and squirmed, she couldn't possibly eat that much food that early in the morning.
She sighed and said, "Ella I can't possibly eat all this food. Next time just bring up a stack of toast or something."
Ella just nodded her head and passed Hermione the toast from the tray. Hermione munched on them happily and finished her breakfast fairly quickly. Soon she was staring around wondering what she should do next.
She looked at Ella and said, "Where are we going Ella?"
Ella just shook her head and said, "I is not saying Miss."
Hermione sighed and said, "Alright."
She knew that she wouldn't be able to get any information out of Ella and it was pointless in trying. It was obvious that Ella was loyal to her master and wasn't going to give up information as easily as say Dobby. She stood and waited for them to go. Then she realized Ella was a good house elf and wouldn't go anywhere without being told to first. She didn't want to have to face this but she knew she was going to have to at some point in time, she shook with uncertainty, but she made herself stop thinking about it.
Her body filled with worry as she said, "Okay let's go Ella."
Ella looked up at Hermione and said, "Follow me please."
Ella led them out of Hermione's room and into the dark early morning corridor. As she heard the door close behind her she knew that in front of her laid her doom. She continued walking down the hall with Ella's shadow bobbing along. They went through what seemed to be a maze of hallways until they stopped in front of a double door room.
Ella stepped back and said, "Here you go mistress." Hermione tried not to think and just let go as Dumbledore suggested when she opened the doors. She was panting and her hand was shaking so bad that she could hear the handle rattling a bit. Hermione exhaled shallowly as she opened the door.
Ha. Isn't that a great cliffhanger? Hee. Hee. Well review and I will post the next one. If you love me review, if you hate me review, if you can type and are reading this review. Please!
