TRIGGER WARNING; Contains violence and mild gore. Please take care if you are sensitive to such things.
"Oi." said Blaze. "Someone pass me the salt, please?"
Draco grabbed the salt shaker from the middle of the table and tossed it down to him. Blaze leapt for it, coming up out of his seat and his elbow finding a home in the mashed potatoes as he sat back down.
"Damn it, bloody hell!" Blaze cursed, scrambling to find something to wipe it away with.
Leah laughed hysterically as always, being no help to him. Draco and Liam barely glanced at Blaze or each other but shared a high five. Valentine wasn't looking either. She was too preoccupied to even remember that she was supposed to be eating.
So, the plan is, I get out of the castle, meet Snape at the decided time, we walk down to Hogsmeade, disapparate to Knockturn Alley and I get what I need. Then I meet him in the same spot where we part ways, disapparate and get back to school hopefully in time for a quick nap before the next day starts. Simple yet complicated. And likely to go horribly wrong in any myriad of ways.
She had not doubted it would happen at one junction or another. Something was just bound to go wrong but all she could do was try and be ready for it when it did. The problem with being ready for it was that she had no idea what setback to prepare for.
She glanced up at the teachers table. Snape was watching the hall with his usual glare that darkened when his eyes met hers. She raised her goblet just high enough for him to recognise her doing so before taking a swig. He raised a brow at her action and then his attention was stolen when Professor McGonagall turned to him and started to speak.
Meanwhile, Leah was still cackling at Blaze's folly.
"I can't believe you did that! Again! This is like the fourth time this year!"
"Hey, Val." Blaze growled. "If I ever lose it and decide to kill them all, you'll help me right?"
"Her help is the only help you'd manage." Liam scoffed.
"And we all know what you're like when it comes to spells." Draco added. "Any of us could take you out with barely the slightest effort."
"Who said anything about spells?" Blaze gritted his teeth. "Maybe I'd rather do it with my bare hands."
Draco and Liam just laughed at that like Blaze had told a very funny joke. Students in the seats around then shared annoyed looks. Hogwarts' resident group of bullies also happened to be their resident group of obnoxious weirdos. Blaze crossed his arms with his chest with a huff, smearing the mashed potato further.
"Aw, come on Blazie!" Leah poked at his cheek.
"No."
"Don't be boring."
"I hate you all."
"Blazieeeeee."
"And I hate you, in particular, a whole freaking lot."
"What are you going to do?" Liam gave him a lopsided smirk, "Tell Val on us?"
"She's not even listening." Said Draco, waving his hand in front of Valentine's face.
She growled under her breath and battered his hand away with her fork.
"Leave me out of this childishness." She tried to focus on her dinner.
"You heard her." Liam related to Blaze. "You're on your own."
"How about we talk about Jane Philips instead?" Blaze gave Liam the most innocent expression he could muster.
"What about her?" Liam asked slowly, suddenly realising he was about to be backed into a corner.
"Yeah!" Leah exclaimed, attention now diverted. "What's up with that? Are you like a thing? Has she done anything crazy yet?"
"What are you on about?"
"Remember? I told you guys that she might be secretly nuts!" Leah leaned forward as if she was meant to whisper and then forgot what exactly whispering entailed and shouted instead.
"Look, I've spent more time around her than any of you." Liam bristled slightly. "She's not crazy. Those are all just stupid rumours."
"Well, if she's not crazy, then what are you guys?" Asked Draco.
"What?" Liam balked.
"Are you deaf? Have you told her that you like her or what?" Draco rolled his eyes.
"I mean...not technically."
"Either you have or you haven't."
"Then I haven't."
"Seriously?" Draco groaned and gestured over at Blaze and Leah. "Even those two have gotten together."
"Wait, what?" Said Leah, spoon paused halfway to her mouth.
"You and Blaze." Draco frowned, speaking slowly. "Girlfriend. Boyfriend. Together. Relationship."
"We're what!" Leah dropped her spoon with a clatter.
They're not?
This caught Valentine's attention and she matched the others actions and turned her head to stare at Leah in confusion.
"Wait, wait, wait! Hold everything!" Blaze jumped in, equally uncertain now. "We're not?"
"No one ever said anything about that stuff!"
Ugh. Why is she like this?
"Well, we all just assumed." Liam said. "You told each other you like one another, you were each other's Yule Ball dates and have been joined at the hip ever since."
"Oh, right..." Leah nodded. "I guess that did happen."
"You guess?" Blaze threw his arms up in frustration. "What goes on in that head of yours? You were there when it happened!"
"So...we are girlfriend and boyfriend, then?" Leah asked attentively, voice uncharacteristically soft.
"Well, uh," Blaze slowly lowered his arms. "...do you want to be?"
"I suppose. I could think of worse things."
"That's really not encouraging, Leah."
"Fine. We're girlfriend and boyfriend. Happy?"
"Kind of, yeah. Well, I think so. Honestly, I'm still a little confused by all of this." Blaze glanced about him as if looking for an answer.
"Don't look at me." Draco shook his head. "There are no reasonable explanations for Leah."
"That is really, really not encouraging."
--Pretending To Live--
"You have to be cheating." Said Blaze.
"I am not cheating." Said Liam. "I'm telling the truth, Leah asked for tens and I don't have any tens."
"But you have to be!"
"We've had this conversation before, Blaze. How the hell does one cheat during a game of go fish beyond pretending not to have cards that they are asked for?"
"I don't know, but I don't trust you." Blaze narrowed his eyes darkly.
"Just hurry up and take your turn already." Leah whined, nudging him in the ribs.
"Fine, fine." Blaze huffed, looking down at his cards. "Draco...do you have any...threes?"
"Go fish."
"Now, you're both cheating!"
Valentine was honestly impressed by how they managed to get away with this, sitting in the back row during Magical History playing cards like nobody's business. It probably has something to do with the fact that Professor Binns was stuck somewhere back in the seventh century. At least that's what he had been talking about for the last forty minutes. Even for students like Valentine or Hermione that found the subject to be of interest were teetering on the edge of boredom-induced madness.
The drollness did nothing to keep Valentine from wondering about all the many things that could go wrong tonight. What if Snape had had a false lead to begin with and the vendor didn't have what they needed? What if they did have it but just chose not to tell her? What if, worst-case scenario, she ran into Lucius lurking around Knockturn Alley up to no good himself?
Stop it. There's nothing I can do about any of that until it actually happens. This is the black market. It's already illegal so if I use some less than friendly means to get my way than it's only fitting.
When the bell finally rang out for lunch, the entire class gave a small collective cheer. Professor Binns was rattling off their homework, barely heard over the sound of the students gathering their things and bolting for the door.
Valentine's friends put the cards back into their deck and waited for the crowd to dissipate a little before shoving their way through the remainders.
They were down the hall and heading down a short flight of stairs when a voice called out Valentine's name.
"Lestrange!"
Valentine and her friends all stopped and looked to the source, not caring that the hall was busy and that they were becoming quite the roadblock. It was a small Slytherin girl that Valentine placed in second year from her memory. She had pleasant features, dark hair and eyes and walked in a manner that Narcissa would have approved of, which of course, was part of the reason why Valentine recognised her. She was part of the noble and Pureblooded Greengrass family and was in equal stature with any of them. She had an older sister in Valentine's year named Daphne and although Valentine had never spoken to either girl, she knew her friends had on various occasions.
"Hi, Astoria!" Leah grinned with a wave.
"Hi." Astoria greeted with a smile of her own as she approached, her gaze mostly on Valentine. "Uh, Lestrange. I was wondering if we could speak privately? Just for a moment?"
Valentine looked the girl up and down as if assessing her worth.
"Fine." She finally sighed. "Just make it quick."
"We'll be in the Great Hall." Said Draco.
She nodded and gestured for them to get going and they did so.
Astoria led her out of the busy corridor and into a less crowded one. She didn't take them far, stopping in an alcove out of the way of any passersby.
"Well?" Valentine prompted tersely.
Suddenly the young girl that had seemed so composed before appeared much less so. She fiddled with the end of her tie nervously. A particular reason as to this change was hard to pin down when Valentine Lestrange was standing so close to her.
"I don't have all day here, Greengrass."
"Yes, I know." The girl sucked in her breath and looked Valentine dead in the eyes. "It's about Nayden Andonov."
Valentine's gaze sharpened at the mere mention of his name.
"What about that foul excuse for a human being?"
"I wanted to thank you." Said Astoria. "For what you did."
"And why would you do that?"
"He, um..." She faltered for a moment, having to steady herself again. "He did the same to me as he did to you. He...touched me, I mean."
"When?" Valentine hissed through gritted teeth, remembering her promise to hunt him down if she heard that he'd hurt anyone else.
"One month and seven days." Said Astoria, words not missing a beat but eyes becoming slightly unfocused. "I was watching the Slytherin Quidditch practise and he sat beside me...he...that pervert put his hands up my skirt but I was able to get away since we were in public and he couldn't really make a scene out of it. He found me the next day and threatened to do worse if I told anyone so I didn't. Then I heard what happened at the Yule Ball. What you did to him. So, I wanted to thank you for that. I just wish I'd done it myself a month ago."
Valentine didn't have words for this. Speechless was not something she often was, but how could she respond to this? A grateful thank you? She found there was nothing to do but stand there in silence, schooling her features into her usual indifferent scowl.
"I told my sister and my parents." Said Astoria. "My father said he was going to get into contact with your uncle and handle things together, not that I think that vermin will ever try anything again. I just- wanted to thank you, Lestrange. For doing what you did."
"Well, what else was I supposed to do?" Valentine snorted, finally finding her voice. "Are we done here now?"
"Uh, yes." Astoria nodded like she wasn't sure what else to expect.
"Good." Valentine turned to walk away but then paused. She glanced slightly over her shoulder. "Greengrass. If a man ever tries anything like that again, don't hesitate. Don't be afraid to make a scene. Make him regret ever even looking in your direction."
"I won't. I promise you that."
"Hmm." Valentine simply grunted in reply and continued on her way.
--Pretending To Live--
Valentine sighed as she pulled the brush through Leah's hair. This had been Olivia's job for three years and when Leah had asked her to do it Valentine couldn't muster a 'no'. Instead, she just rolled her eyes and grunted like it was all some great imposition on her part. She would do it but she wouldn't seem happy to do so. Anything but turning Leah away for something so simple, yet meant so much.
In truth, Leah didn't really need to brush her hair before bed like she'd done before with her waist-length locks. Now, they just barely brushed her shoulders but Leah's nightly routine was easily the only stable structure in her chaotic mess of a life and Valentine figured that some was better than none.
She sat on Leah's bed with Leah on the floor in between her knees, stuffed animal on her lap. Valentine was glad this hadn't been her task previously when Leah's hair had been long. Even with her growth spurt, Leah still had several inches on her and it would have been awkward to carry out physically.
Valentine paused the brush to work her fingers through a rather large knot in Leah's hair. Sure, it looked smooth and shiny but all that flailing and running around had to do some damage.
"-he spilled the tea all over himself! It was hilarious." Leah laughed heartily. The moment they'd gotten into the dorm room, Leah had been talking about Blaze non-stop. Nothing particularly nice but that was hardly out of the ordinary. "He didn't think so though and Professor Trelawney looked so fed up. I could have died, it was so funny!"
"And I'm sure Blaze wishes you had."
"That's so weird! He actually did say that!" Leah gasped, jumping up onto her knees.
"Leah!" Valentine grabbed her shoulder and shoved her back down. "Sit still or I won't do this at all. Besides. I was there, you know. What's the point in telling me what happened in Divination if I was sitting two feet away from you the whole time?"
"Uh...recalling fond memories?"
Valentine scoffed.
"Right. As if any of my fond memories have you in them."
"Oh, come on!" Leah cooed, unperturbed by Valentine's word. "Youuuu loooove meeeee."
"Uh-huh."
"You doooo. I know you love me, Vallllll."
An unrestrained smile stretched across Valentine's face, warm and amused. She really did love Leah.
She didn't speak, not wanting Leah to hear the smile in her voice. Instead, she tugged hard on a strand of Leah's hair.
"Ouch!"
"Hush or next time it'll be a handful." Said Valentine.
"You're so mean." Leah grumbled, hugging her toy to her chest and whimpering like a kicked dog. "
"Oh, stop it." Valentine scolded without any real annoyance. "Did you want a braid or a ponytail?"
"Um, braid please!" Leah decided, seamlessly moving on from her previous turmoil without a second thought.
Valentine separated the caramel locks into three parts and began to weave them together.
Leah was the only reason she even knew how to do this, she certainly never braided her own hair. As children, Leah would arrive at Malfoy Manor for a day of childlike adventure, hair done up prettily with ribbons by her mother. Of course, it didn't take much tree climbing, pretend sword fights or physical altercations with Draco before it was something akin to a birds nest. And once Leah saw this, she would throw a tantrum to rival an angry elephant.
They'd have to run and get Narcissa before she would start breaking things and eventually, after a first two dozen or so times, Narcissa decided that the children themselves should learn how to put Leah's hair back into order. Valentine picked it up the quickest but Draco had enjoyed it more. Leah had learnt as well but still preferred to be pampered and have someone do it for hair.
Up until recently, she'd worn her hair down, saying that it made her feel like if you got a willow tree and a princess and mixed them together. Valentine doubted she got that same feeling with her new hair cut but didn't question it any further. Olivia had worn her hair the same way and if this is what Leah wanted than that was that.
The braiding didn't take long, certainly not as long as it used to do.
"I'm finished." She said, dropping the brush over Leah's shoulder.
"Yay!"
"Move." Valentine nudged her with her knee.
Leah rolled out of the way, on to the floor where Olivia's bed had sat before.
"You know. You could always let me do your hair." Leah prompted, stretching her limbs out like a starfish. "You'd look so cute with pigtails."
"And you'd look so cute hanging from the Astronomy Tower by your toes."
"Okay, so not that then. Buns maybe?"
Valentine rolled her eyes and sat on her own bed.
"It's getting late." She said. "Go to sleep."
Leah pouted at that.
"I'm not tired. I don't-" Her words intercepted by a loud yawn.
"You were saying?"
"Okay. So, I'm a little sleepy. Like, the tiniest bit."
"Bed." Valentine ordered as she flung a stray stuffed dog that had found its way onto her bed across the room.
"Milly!" Leah exclaimed and rushed to save it. "Val! How could you!"
"There's more where that came from if you don't get into bed."
Leah scowled and Valentine only stared back blankly until Leah slowly began to move. Once she was tucked in under the sheets, face buried by her mountain of colourful stuffed animals she relaxed, giving in to her own fatigue.
"Night, Val." She yawned again, blowing out the candle on her bedside.
"Goodnight, Leah." Valentine blew out her own.
Valentine laid in her bed and waited until she heard Leah's breathing fall at a steady rhythm. She waited a little longer and then she leaned over the edge of the bed and slipped her hand underneath. When she pulled it back, she had her finger clasped around a glass vial.
She glanced at Leah, making sure she was asleep before removing the stopper and taking a sip. Her face screwed up in disgust. She may have gotten used to the taste but it never seemed to get less foul or bitter. Then she put the vial back where she'd stashed it and moved over to the other side of the bed to check that the small bottle was still there as well.
The potion Snape had designed to curb her random emotional outbursts was taken in the morning but she always checked that it was still there regardless. So far, in her opinion, it had worked just fine. She definitely hadn't had any more 'outbursts' that she could recognise and they were rather hard to miss.
Finding the bottle still there, she sat back up in her bed, glancing at Leah once more. How would she cope if she lost Valentine after only just having lost Olivia? How would she live never really knowing what happened to either of them? Would Blaze be strong enough to help her? Would anyone be strong enough to help Draco?
Draco.
Without her, the only thing standing between him and his father was Narcissa and the fact that she was still intent on playing happy families spoke volumes.
She needed to live for them, for Harry, for all the people that could lose their lives in a world where Voldemort walked again.
Silently, she changed from her nightgown to her standard fair; a simple black dress, stockings and her boots. She grabbed her coat on the way out and slid through the common room like a shadow. It wasn't all that late but everyone was seemingly in bed.
She came up through the dungeons and moved about the school as she always did at night, unseen, unheard, unhindered. She exited out onto the main courtyard and suddenly paused when she heard the murmurs of distant talking rapidly growing louder. It was coming from inside the castle she realised. Shut the door quickly but quietly, she backed up slowly into the courtyard, eyes trained on the door. She was all ready to run, hide. Attack even. She doubted whoever it was knew she was out here but wasn't willing to take any chances. A minute passed and she relaxed.
Then she felt a hand cover her mouth from behind.
Valentine instantly lashed out, trying to jerk herself forward as she reached for the wand in her pocket. Her elbow connected with a solid body and a pained grunt followed.
"Calm down you fool." A familiar voice growled and she snarled, fighting back hard.
Snape shoved her away, nearly sending her off her feet.
"Why do you always have to sneak up on people?" She hissed at him.
"Why is your first response always aggression?" Snape rubbed at his ribs in irritation.
Valentine almost laughed.
"Rich coming from the man who's always grabbing me and dragging me everywhere by my arm."
Snape just glared darkly and reached for her.
"See!" She leapt back at the last second. "How am I the more aggressive of us two?"
"Time to move." He spat, ignoring her.
Valentine sent him a cold glare of her own and took care to hit him with her shoulder as she pushed past him.
"Immature brat." She heard him grumble bitterly but just rolled her eyes.
They left the school grounds without issue, heading down towards Hogsmeade. It was dark but the moon shone brightly and lit the way, not that either of them really needed it.
As the village came into view, Valentine spoke up.
"You're certain you can make the potion so long as you have this particular ingredient?"
"Of course." Snape appeared to be unshockingly offended.
"Good."
"Although it will take several weeks to complete the potion itself." He added.
Valentine paused for a moment and almost kicked him.
"Fantastic." She groaned. "As if my days weren't already numbered. You couldn't have mentioned this sooner?"
"You're welcome to take the incomplete concoction, Lestrange. I hope you enjoy the feeling of your organs rupturing one by one."
"As compared to your company? It's not a bad trade." She scoffed. "On a different note, be ready for this night to go to hell somewhere along the way. Things like this never go exactly to plan."
"You don't have to tell me that." Snape drawled sourly.
"Well, then Professor, what will happen if we're caught? 'Hogwarts student and teacher make black market deal to procure five-hundred-year-old giants' blood'. Rita Skeeter would be all over that headline."
"You want to live?" Snape hissed. "This is how you do it."
"Bloody parasite." Valentine cursed to herself. "Look. We both know there's more on the line then just my life. Like it or not, you need me and if we get caught tonight then not only will we come under fire for it but so will Dumbledore. You know how many people already question his judgement, having an ex Death Eater on his staff and all. This would be a nail in the coffin for all three of us and not to mention the entire wizarding world."
"I'm aware, Lestrange." Snape spat through gritted teeth.
"Good. Then we're on the same page."
"Hardly."
"Whatever."
The two fell silent as they reached the outskirts of the village. Despite the late hour, several windows were still lit with signs of life. A dog barked somewhere in the distance but Valentine couldn't find it with her eyes alone.
"The station platform." Said, Snape. "Stick to the shadows."
As if he needs to tell me of all people that.
Together they crept through the village, ever the unseen figures, moving in tandem with the shadows cast by shops and houses. It took them several minutes longer then it would have if they'd been able to walk out in the open, but they needed it to seem like they'd never been here tonight.
They broke away from the town and slid between the trees. A twig snapped under Snape's weight and she served him an arched brow and a smug tilt of her lips. He snarled at her in silence, teeth bared as he gestured for her to keep moving. She shook her head at him and did so, wishing she could have laughed and goaded him out loud.
Valentine could see the train tracks just ahead of her, partnered by the station. She broke through the tree line and out into the open she glanced around at her surroundings. The platform was still and silent. She looked over her shoulder to motion to Snape but he was already coming up behind her.
"It's clear." She told him.
"Yes. Thank you. I couldn't see that myself."
"You can stop being a jerk anytime now."
"Whatever." He threw his own words back at her.
"Let's get this over with." She glared, planting a hand on one hip.
Snape glared back at her and grabbed her upper arm in a firm grip.
She would have tried to shrug him off if it wasn't necessary that they be in physical contact.
"Sir, one day I'm going to cut off your hand and beat you with it."
Valentine had barely gotten her words out before they disappeared from the station. She felt herself being pulled in all directions and then compressed and then stretched out again. It was as familiar as it was uncomfortable. It lasted but a few seconds but the feeling lingered in her gut. Now they were standing in a dark, damp and grimy alleyway.
Valentine slapped Snape's hand off her and recoiled with a look of 'the feeling of disgust is mutual'. She brushed off her shoulder as if he had dirtied it and as she did this, Snape threw a bundle of black cloth over her face. She growled and she ripped it off her head.
"Put it on." He told her before she could snap at him. "A Polyjuice Potion would have been perfectly suited to this but with my supply dwindling, you'll have to make do."
"Perhaps you should do some shopping of your own while I'm gone then." Valentine grumbled and held out the hooded cloak before her in observation.
"That will not solve my problem. I have not simply run out. Someone has been stealing from my personal stores."
"Tragic."
"It will be for the culprit when I get my hands on them." Snape's black eyes glowered down at her.
"Don't give me that look. I didn't take anything."
Snape was utterly unconvinced.
"Only two parties have ever stolen from my stores previously. Potter and his little friends, and you and yours."
"In both instances, we had good reason too, but seeing as we currently do not, you'll need to look for your tragic culprit elsewhere." Valentine pulled the cloak over her head and shoulders, it was large and swallowed her whole. "What was taken anyway?"
"Boomslang skin, fluxweed, knotgrass-"
Valentine frowned.
"It sounds like someone is brewing a Polyjuice Potion."
"Indeed."
"Great." She sighed. "I seriously doubt it's Harry again but I'll check into it. Don't worry your greasy little head, Professor."
"Shall I remind you that we came here for a reason?" He growled.
"No need, no need." Valentine waved him off.
She pulled down the hood and shook her curls out from around her neck. She tied the string at her throat and yanked the hood back up. She tried her best at shoving her unruly locks inside.
"This is probably the most suspicious I've ever appeared." she said. "And I've looked pretty suspicious."
"This is Knockturn Alley. Everyone looks suspicious. Now get going."
"Right." Valentine took a step towards the narrow street, she looked over her shoulder at the Potions Master and gave a lazy salute. "So long, Professor."
His only response was a scoff buried deep in the back of his throat.
Valentine moved the cloak aside to retrieve the piece of parchment from her pocket. Then she ghosted her hand over her wand, reassuring herself it was there. The streets were completely desolate and unlike Hogsmeade, there wasn't a single window lit. She could hear each of her footsteps echo in the silence. They didn't falter. She had her mission and the objection was clear.
She glanced down at the yellowed parchment in her hand, reading the shop name and directions by the moonlight.
She'd been there in the past. Which if she'd remembered correctly, had been seven years ago, when she'd only been seven herself. She didn't remember much of it. Draco hated it. He said it smelled like the dungeons at Malfoy Manor. Damp, dusty and disturbing. So, naturally, Lucius had fit right in. It hadn't seemed, on appearance alone, to be any stranger or more dubious than any of the other stores in Knockturn Alley, but there had been a feeling that encased the entire place. This feeling like they weren't supposed to be there.
We stuck together the whole time. Side by side like always. Draco didn't feel safe in there, to say the least. And uncle brought something. I can't remember what it was.
As she rounded a corner the sounds of music and laughter floated to her from a distance. She saw the light spilling out from what was a pub, into the street. The door burst open and a man was thrown out.
Crap!
Valentine dived into the narrow space between the pub and the building beside it.
"And don't come back!" A gruff voice spat at the man.
The pub's door slammed shut and the laughter grew louder. Valentine sunk into the shadows, taking a step back. The sides of the buildings brushed her shoulders.
The man wasn't moving. He lay curled up in the street, breathing heavily and grunting in pain. She could do nothing but wait. If she moved she would be in clear view of the man and he would know she'd been hiding. Of course, there was the chance that he would be too disorientated and likely drunk to notice or even care, but despite that, she took slow, deliberate breaths and waited. Several minutes passed and the man rolled on to his back and struggled to his feet. He cursed aloud at nothing and hobbled down the street, the way Valentine had come.
She waited until his footsteps were swallowed by the night and then stepped out from her hiding place. She sucked in a deep breath and looked down at the page she had crumpled in her hand. She glanced at the closed pub door.
Time to keep moving.
She hurried on past and didn't slow her steps until the music and laughter faded away to silence.
--Pretending To Live--
When Valentine reached Mr Mulpepper's Apothecary she paused. She looked up at the sign, swinging slightly in the gentle breeze that whistled through the narrow alleyways. It hadn't changed since the last time she'd walked past it just a few years ago.
Okay. I'm here. Now, what?
She looked up the empty street and then down the way she'd come. It was as devoid of life now as when she'd arrived. She could have done anything she wanted and no one would have ever known.
She stepped up to the store's front window. A shelf was pushed up against it from the inside. She squinted in the dim light to see through to the questionable merchandise. The glass was covered with a layer of age and dirt. Valentine bundled up the sleeve of the cloak in her hand and rubbed at the window. After some scrubbing, the grime gave way to the smooth surface and she brought her face up as close as she dared.
Inside, the shop almost seemed abandoned. It was filled with clutter and dust. Then the movement of light caught her eye in the doorway behind the counter. It passed back and forth several times and then an old man appeared, easily as filthy as his shop. His eyes met with hers and Valentine choked down a gasp. She stepped back from the window, saw the light shift.
He saw me.
Valentine heard the old man stumbling around inside, mumbling incoherently as he knocked something over.
Her heart attacked the inside of her chest and she swallowed the shock of being caught down. She was so used to being unseen when she intended so, that being seen was like getting struck by lightning.
Well, there's no point in hiding now.
She came right up to the door and when it was yanked open she didn't even flinch.
"Do you know what time it is?" The old man gave a feral growl, yellow light from his lantern illuminating his crooked, gnarled features. "What do you want?"
She studied him for a moment. He was short. Shorter than her and hunched over slightly. His head was shaved completely and his face was creased with age, appearing ghoulish in the lantern light. He had a long wiry beard and wild brows. She wasn't sure if his beard was naturally the odd green-grey that it was or if the man just had no interest in bathing. From the smell, she supposed the latter.
"Speak up or get lost!" He snarled.
Heh. He reminds me of another cranky old man.
"I'm here to do business." Valentine's voice was steady and easy, but still that of a child. She stared down at his decrepit slippers as she spoke. He had yet to see her face.
"Business? You don't sound like you're old enough to even be out at this time of night." The old man held the light out closer to see her beneath the hood. "What business would I have with a little-?"
The man paused, words trapped in his throat. She lifted her eyes to look at him. Sharp electric blue meeting watery slate grey. The old man stumbled back several steps inside his shop, colliding with a shelf loudly.
"You...you're..." He stuttered, teeth chattering as he gaped in disbelief.
Valentine simply stared at him indifferently.
Okay, I'm not that scary.
The old man stood up and collected himself with haste.
"Quick. Get inside." He stood back out of the way, motioning for her to enter and watching her wearily. "Hurry up. I don't have all night."
Valentine did as she was told. The man stuck his head out into the street, looking about frantically before slamming the door shut.
"It's been a very, very long time...but it's hard to forget eyes like that." The old man turned to her slowly. "Lestrange."
"I'm afraid you're not so memorable yourself." Said Valentine.
"Heh, heh." The old wizard gave a weak, insincere chuckle. "Very funny, Missy. But you didn't come here to make jokes. What business was it you were wanting?"
"I need something I've heard you have in your possession."
"Yes?" He leered at her curiously as he passed her, moving behind the counter. "That's a line I've heard often. I need details, Missy."
"Giants' blood."
The man watched her with a strange look in his eye for a moment before flicking his wrist and filling the room with light as each candle was lit.
"Age?"
"Five-hundred-years."
"And where would you have heard that I sold such an item?"
Valentine allowed herself to smile, sleek and sly.
"Oh. Around."
"And what if I was to tell you that I didn't have what you were looking for?"
"Then I suppose I would call you a liar and leave this store in ashes." Valentine smiled wider as she said this. "Not that I could make it much more the shambles than it already is. Let's just say, doing as I ask is the smart thing to do.
"Hmm." The man hummed thoughtfully, unaffected by her threat. He probably got similar ones three times a day. "Well, then, Missy, follow me."
He turned away from her and went through the doorway behind him. Valentine rounded the counter to follow.
This room, unlike the front of the store, was organised and clean. Everything had a place and in that place it was. The man flicked his wrist and this room too was filled with light.
"This is where my more... interesting wares are kept." He chuckled to himself.
He shuffled off to one side of the room and lovingly stroked the top of an ornate chest, painted brightly with birds and trees that swayed in a non-existent breeze. He pulled a key from his ragged coat and unceremoniously stabbed it into the chests brass padlock. He twisted it once and- nothing. He tried it again- nothing. He removed the key from the lock altogether, spat on it like that would help and tried again. This time, the lid sprung open violently, almost smacking him in the chin.
"Damn temperamental thing!" The old man huffed and then began to rummage through the wild assortment of objects. "Rare stuff. Giants blood. The Ministry hasn't even bothered banning it seeing how almost no one has it."
"Almost." Valentine pointed out.
"Yes. Almost." The man threw a feral grin over his hunched shoulder. "You'll have a hard enough time finding giants old of any age, but five hundred years old? You're looking at less than a handful of wizards who've managed to get their hands on it. It's cause they're so violent, you see. Can't get near one to even take any blood."
Valentine rolled her eyes as he prattled on, still looking through the chest that was much deeper inside then could be supposed from the outside.
"Ah-ha!" He suddenly exclaimed and pulled forth a wooden box, no bigger than a shoe. Plain and unmarked.
He held it out and waited for her to step forward. As she did, he opened it, revealing a small glass bottle filled with a dark red liquid, nestled in worn, stained black velvet.
That's interesting.
"Not sure what you want with it, but it's my policy not to ask. Or to care for that matter. As long as I get payment and you keep your mouth shut we'll have no problems. You noble ones have always made good business with me."
Valentine grabbed the box and felt the man's resistance to let it go. She lowered her eyes into a viperous glare and ripped it from his grip. The old man stared back at her sourly.
Valentine took the bottle from its fixed place in the box and held it up in examination.
"You won't find this anywhere else in the country." The man added.
What does he take me for?
"That depends." Valentine said and tore away the cork.
"Hey! What are you doing!" The man shouted in alarm.
Valentine held the bottle up to her nose and breathed in.
"I believe you could find this anywhere. In fact even in this room." Valentine dropped the bottle and didn't blink as it shattered against the hard stone floor.
The old man was shaking with rage.
"How dare you!" He screamed, looking down at the large red pool in shock.
"Oh, shut up!" Valentine screamed back.
He was mad. But she was furious.
All I'm trying to do is survive.
"Humans blood." She spat viciously. "You thought I could be fooled by human's blood?"
"I told you what was in that bottle, Lestrange." He hissed at her. "Do you know the price I paid for that!"
"Price?" Valentine looked at him incredulously. "For all I know it could be your own blood."
"Get out!" The old man seethed, eyes burning with hatred. "Get out of my store!"
Valentine's wand was in her hand and pointed at the man before he could open his mouth again. She felt her anger fading, replaced by a raw instinctual need to live.
"I shouldn't have lost my temper, but you see I really do need that blood." Valentine pulled an innocent, almost guilty face. Brows drawn down sullenly, but her eyes slicing thought him. She approached him slowly, like a predator stalking its prey. "So. You can give me what I asked for, or you can find out what happens to people that get in my way."
The old man stood, frozen. All his anger was gone and replaced with genuine fear. He knew all the stories of her parents. He knew he'd made a mistake trying to deceive the daughter of murderers.
"I'm many things sir, but I am not patient." Valentine took another step forward. The man opened his mouth cautiously and slowly raised his hands. "Now. The blood."
"O-over there." The old man nodded shakily over to a shelf against the room's back wall.
Valentine gestured with her head for him to move and he made haste to follow through.
He hurried over to the wall, walking through the blood and glass without care. The shelf was neatly stacked and he found the blood instantly. He opened a small silver jewellery box and lifted out a silver chain. On it was a tiny vial, filled with the blood.
"Y-you know. I like you, Lestrange." The old man smiled feebly, holding the necklace put to her. "You get what you want. I couldn't have done that at your age."
"Shut up." She snapped and he immediately obliged. She took the necklace from him, not bothering to examine it closely, she pocketed it. She knew it was real. "Well. It's late. I really should get back."
"But...but what about payment?" The man choked out.
"I'm sorry." Valentine blinked at him sweetly. "What was that?"
"It-it's just that giants' blood is expensive. Extremely expensive. One must make a living." He eyed her cautiously.
"Hmm. That's nice. But no. I'm going to walk out of here and you're going to let me. We'll consider it a gift, shall we? A consolation for your attempt to deceive me." Valentine still had her wand held tight and pointed towards him.
The old man nodded pitifully for a second and then leapt at her like a wild, frenzied animal. He scrambled to get the necklace from her.
Valentine backed away but he followed her, trying to grab her hands as she tried to push him away. He battered her wand away and she heard it clatter to the floor.
The old man jabbed her hard in the side and she cried out in pain. The man made a grab for the cloak, the hood falling back from her head. She shot out a hand towards his face, going for the eyes. What she didn't expect was teeth.
The old man bit down hard on her forearm. Valentine didn't feel the pain through the now surging adrenaline as she brought her knee up into his stomach.
The man immediately let go, her flesh wrenched apart in his mouth. He backed away coughing and spluttering.
"You see." He spoke between gags. "I know you're not allowed to do magic outside of school until you're seventeen. And you're definitely not seventeen."
Damn it.
Valentine kept her eyes trained on him as she knelt and collected her wand off the ground. As she straightened she noticed a decorative walking stick only several feet away, leaning up against the wall.
The idea that she would die without this blood suddenly seemed so real and overbearing. She'd always known and she'd never denied it, perhaps only because it seemed so distant. She didn't have the time to worry about herself. Not with Harry on death row every year. Not with Olivia's death and Leah's pain. Her own impending doom was an afterthought. It was something Dumbledore would remind her of once they finished discussing Harry and whatever trouble he'd gotten himself into this time. Now, it was right in front of her in the form of an old man who was stronger then he looked.
She could feel the fear. It was in her head and her lungs and her knees. Fear, like being seen when she wanted to remain otherwise, was something she was unaccustomed to. It was something she was inexperienced with and the closest thing this she could place this akin to, was having a werewolf hot on the heels.
The old man shifted, raptor eyes on her. She wasn't afraid of him. She was afraid of death. She was afraid of leaving this world, her mission incomplete.
"That may be so. But now you've made me mad." Valentine's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm giving you one last chance to let me walk away."
His mouth twisted into a manic grin, showing her the blood in his teeth and Valentine felt her insides twist with it.
I'm just trying to survive.
She left her wand and lunged for the cane as he lunged for her.
I will survive.
She dodged him by a hair and snatched up the walking stick, her back crushed up against a shelving unit.
He came at her again, teeth gritted. Up close she was able to see the chunks of her arm wedged in his teeth, twisted skin and flesh pressing against his lips.
She raised the cane and struck him hard down over the shoulder. She struck him again and this time on the side of his head. The cry of pain he gave when he started to go down was her signal to move.
It won't end here. I still have a job to do. I'm still needed.
Valentine turned, risking a second to snatch her wand up off the floor. There was no way she was leaving without it.
She tried to swerve around the old man, heading for the open door, but he was already back on his feet.
He blocked her path, a hand clapped over his injured shoulder.
She didn't leave him a second to breathe and charged at him. On instinct, he threw his arms up to protect his face and Valentine heard a loud crack as the walking stick made contact with him.
The old man howled in pain and she threw her body weight forwards, shoulder first.
They burst through into the front store. She felt the walking stick fall from her grip but kept onto her wand for dear life.
The old man was bent over the counter groaning in pain.
Valentine grabbed the first thing her hand could find. A glass jar filled with shimmering black rocks. She brought it down over the man's head and instantly her vision went dark.
Valentine stumbled back against the wall in surprise and then she realised what it was.
Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder.
She saw her chance and leapt forward, arms stretched out in front of her to feel around the counter. Within three strides she was at the exit, tucking her wand away. She threw it open and practically fell out the door.
Then, without looking back, she tugged the hood back over her head, not bothering with her curls, she ran up the street as if the devil was on her tail.
--Pretending To Live--
Valentine returned to the alley where she and Snape had arrived as fast as she could without being spotted. Honestly, she was willing to risk being seen as a dark hooded figure in the night if it might she could leave as soon as possible.
"What in the world took you so long?" Snape snarled at her the moment she was in earshot.
"This!" Valentine hissed back at him, thrusting her bloody forearm into his face.
Snape grabbed it and held her arm still long enough to examine the damage under the mess.
"That's a bite mark." He said with a look of very real confusion.
"Oh, really? I couldn't tell." Valentine yanked her arm back. "That old man is crazy."
"He bit you?" Snape stared at her incredulously.
"Yes. Look it's a long bloody story." Valentine sighed. "Can we just get back to school?"
Snape touched her shoulder and suddenly they were no longer in an alleyway. Now they were in woods bordering Hogsmeade.
"...I'm going to assume it didn't go to plan." Snape surmised.
"Obviously!" Valentine shoved her still bleeding forearm back into his face.
He grabbed her arm and looked at the bite closely again. It wasn't just some teeth marks. An entire mouth-sized portion of her arm had been bitten off.
"Are you sure he was just an old man and not a werewolf?" He asked, poking at the spot where she'd once had a normal amount of flesh.
She yanked her arm back and growled in pain.
"Honestly? I'm pretty sure that guy was part wolverine."
"Did you at least get what we need?"
Valentine paused and her hand went to her pocket. Nothing.
Please, no.
She felt for her other pocket and could have kissed the ground in joy. Valentine pulled it out carefully. There, on the silver chain, hung the tiny vial, filled with five-hundred-years-old giants' blood. She handed it to Snape
"Damn madman. He must have thought I was completely dull in the head." Valentine scoffed, watching the vial glint at her in the moonlight. "Everyone knows giants' blood is black.