"Harry, wake up."I heard Tom say. I groaned and pulled my covers over my head.
"Go away!" I complained. "I'm still tired."
"Today is the last day before you go back to Hogwarts." He replied as my bed suddenly became cold, drenched in water, just as I was. I shivered, awake immediately. I jumped from my bed and shivered again. "Take a bath or a shower, and know that you will be taking a shower tonight. I expect you downstairs in thirty minutes. We are going to visit the Carrows." With that he turned and headed out.
"The Carrows? Who are they? You know, besides evil death eaters."
"There is no such thing as good and evil." Was my only response. I sighed and headed for my bathroom to get ready. When I finished, I went downstairs to see Tom waiting for me. He was seated at the table. He gestured to the breakfast and I sat down on my side before beginning to eat. "Today you will meet the Carrows and my possible future Death Eaters. Every one of my followers has the unspoken duty to have at least one child, so that they might take their place in my inner circle like Draco did."
"I suppose it would be useless if I asked if I had to?"
"Why ask a question you already know the answer to?"
"Because if I just assumed, I'd be an ass."
"You do not start a sentence beginning with because. Now hurry up and eat your breakfast."
When I did finish breakfast, Tom grabbed my arm and we Apparated out of the house and to a door to a mansion. Tom knocked before the door opened. A boy with black hair answered the door as a woman came hurrying toward us.
"Kol, you are supposed to let the house elves answer the door." She snapped before looking at us before bowing. Kol looked at her then back to Tom and bowed too. "My Lord, it is an honour to have you in my gracious home. Come in." Tom, still holding my wrist, dragged me inside.
"Send the children away for a moment will you not, Alecto?"
"Yes My Lord." She replied before ushering the kid away as Tom dragged me to a room where he released me. I heard him start talking to the Carrows as several pets came in. I was surrounded by kneazels, crups, cats, dogs, fire crabs, streelers, among others. I even saw my cruppy and knitten. I was attacked with kisses from the crups and dogs and rubbing from the kneazels and cats. I chuckled as they continued to drown me in affection… Tom usually wouldn't stand for something like this. He's trying to manipulate me.
"Harry sit." He gestured to a seat next to his throne. I stood up and considered my options. But then it's not like I can go anywhere. I grudgingly went to the chair he gestured to. When the pets went to love on Tom, he turned back to them. "Get them out." He ordered.
"Yes My Lord." With that both of them began to lead them out. I stood up and took a few steps closer to the door, unsure of what Tom had planned, but something in my gut said something I wouldn't like was soon going to happen. And something I knew I couldn't refuse seeing as telling Tom 'no' didn't really work.
"I thought I told you to sit." Tom said, looking right at me. I met his gaze, before remembering he could read my mind and dropped his gaze. It's quite frustrating knowing that not meeting his gaze makes me look fearful but also knowing that if I were to meet his gaze, he could read my mind!
"And I did." I replied.
"Perhaps I should have told you to stay seated." He said 'absent mindedly'. "Suit yourself." He walked over to me and grabbed my chin. He forced me to meet his gaze. "I have made a decision Harry. I know you have met quite a lot of my followers. However, you have never met the Carrows. And the Dark Lord thought it would be merciful to at least allow you to meet these two if I am indeed going to instate some of them as your Hogwarts caretakers, you might as well meet them." I glared at him, shoving him away.
"No way in hell are your stupid Death Eaters going to be my 'caretaker'! I refuse and you can't make me accept it!" I strode for the door, just to get away from him, not knowing where to go, I just didn't want to stay near Voldemort and allow him to reply. He snatched my wrist before I could get too far.
"I cannot always be with you, to make sure you stay safe and well behaved. I have only entrusted your care to my most loyal followers-"
"So Bellatrix!" I yelled, outraged. I yanked away from him and headed for the door, faster.
"Harry!" I heard him hiss. "Sit down!" He ordered, clearly angry. I stopped only as the doors opened and the Carrows came back in, they noticed something was wrong and they blocked my path. I brought out my wand and pointed it at them, in my anger forgetting how awful an idea that is. The next millisecond my wand had disappeared as Voldemort took it from me, with the use of the Disarming Charm. "The Dark Lord's patience has ran dry with you Harry." I turned around to see him sitting in his throne. "Let us see if Harry Potter is to be trusted. You made a deal with me did you not? That you would submit yourself to your discipline the next time you misbehaved. Come here."
My rising anger came to a speeding halt, unsure of what to do next. I knew what he wanted. I was torn between obeying, seeing how he might take this chance to hurt my friends, and refusing, knowing submitting was like giving into him and the fact that his two Death Eaters would be watching which would just add to my humiliation!
"I do not like waiting Harry." He said, drumming his fingers on his arm rests. "Perhaps I should start a count down to get you to come over here." I walked toward him and stopped in the middle of the room.
"You can't get everything you want Voldemort!" I snapped at him. He stood up and walked towards me. I dug my heels in, refusing to back off.
"I grow weary of your teenage hormones little boy."
"Screw your teenage hormones!" I yelled at him. He struck fast like a viper. He had my wrist, dragged me to his throne, sat down, and threw me over his lap, lowering both my pants and boxers. "Wait!" I tried just as he brought down his hand. I bit my lip to keep from crying out. I forgot how much this hurts. I need to appeal to him. "I'll allow it." I bit my lip harder.
"You? Allow me? Do not make me laugh child." He said, delivering yet another smack to my bottom. I hissed in a breath.
"Shit. I'm sorry." I tried. He stopped.
"I am sure. Seeing as you have the will to talk and swear, even to try to bargain, I am clearly not getting through to you. Bring me a belt or brush." Voldemort ordered his followers. It took only a second, seeing as they had magic. What I felt next was the leather of a belt on my bottom.
"Ow!" I couldn't hold back my cries of pain as he brought that damned belt down again and again, lower and lower. He made a pattern from the top of my bottom to the lower part of my thighs, overlapping one with the next. I was kicking and struggling to get away in just the second circuit. "Tom! I'm sorry!"
"What exactly would you be sorry for Harry?" He asked.
"For yelling at you!" I cried.
"That is not what caused your punishment Harry. Now hold still, you are only making it worse for yourself." I tried but it hurt so bad, I couldn't handle it… then Tom did something I didn't really didn't want. He used a Sticking Charm. Now I couldn't even move. I just had to lay there and take it. Which only made it worse. I just laid there and cried as he brought the belt down until he finally began to speak. "Harry, do you know why you are over my lap getting a well deserved spanking?"
"D-disobeyed." I cried between my sobs.
"Correct. Whom did you disobey?"
"Y-you."
"That is not the answer I was looking for Harry. Try again."
"V-voldemort."
"Still not the answer I want Harry. Would you like another try?"
"The D-dark L-lord?" I asked, confused. He rubbed my back.
"Close enough for now Harry. Exactly why did you think it would be a good idea to disobey me?" I felt a lump form in my throat.
"I didn't. I was angry." He brought the belt down on my thighs again and I let out a wail.
"Such lies, Harry. You thought you could say no to the Dark Lord, to me. This lesson should fix that misbelief." With that he went back to punishing me, being quiet. Which I hated. At least if he was talking to me, I could concentrate on something else. By the time I was bawling, and thinking I'd never be able to sit again, he stopped. He dropped the belt to the floor, but I was not allowed up yet. "So Harry." He said, dragging it out. "Are you truly sorry now?"
"Yesss sssirr." I sobbed, unable to hold my cries back to try and talk.
"I believe an apology is in order, do you not?" I remember this question.
"Yesss sssirr."
"You will say 'Yes My Lord'." I blushed.
"Nuh uh." I replied, shaking my head.
"I thought we just went over this lesson?" He asked and too late, I realize I should have just said it and get it over with and then Voldemort delivered four swats to my sore thighs. I wailed out at the pain and he stopped. "Try again."
"Y-yes M-my L-lord." It felt so wrong to say! But at least he stopped. He put his hand on my head and ruffled my hair.
"Good boy." I hated the little warmth that spread through me. He must have released me because the next thing I knew, I was sitting up and looking into his face. I quickly looked away from his gaze. He gently, softly grabbed my chin and forced our gaze to meet. "You may apologise."
"I'm sorry Tom." I whispered. He gave a smirk and proceeded to pull me close. I grabbed his robe between my fingers and laid my head on his chest as I cried out my pain. What he did surprised me. He moved my head under his chin.
I was allowed to cry into him, just like the first time… well the first time that was actually for punishment. When I calmed down enough to breathe properly, Tom stood me up and led me to one of the adjacent corners from his throne. He put my hands on top of my head and I realized what was going on. "Tom-"
"Silence. This is only temporary. It is to remind you of next time you wish to defy me. Seven or eight minutes should do it, do you agree?" Not that I have a choice. "Harry?"
"I agree."
"Just remember, corner time means no sound or movement of any sort." With that he turned from me. He walked back to his throne and started talking to his Death Eaters… while my bottom was on display.
In only a short time I went from waiting, to annoyed, to resentful. It didn't help that I wasn't allowed to move for the fact that if I did, my limbs would burn until I moved back into the position Tom put me in. I couldn't even shift from foot to foot.
Then finally I couldn't take it any more. "I'm sorry Tom, okay?" I said, though unable to muster the force I meant to have behind the words.
"Come." I pulled up my pants and trousers before hesitantly making my way over to Tom. When I was within arms reach, he grabbed me and pulled me closer, almost too close. "Have you learned your lesson?"
"Yes sir." He smiled that smile reserved only for me.
"Good boy." He ruffled my hair. "Now sit down. I've called for the children to be ushered in here." I sat down, despite how much the sitting on the hard wood hurt, knowing that Tom wouldn't have any problem with punishing me for disobedience.
I watched as eight kids came in led and followed up by the Carrows. Amycus and Alecto bowed and they followed suit. Tom then proceeded to point to them and explain to me who they were. "Damon Dolohov. /Child to Antonin Dolohov./" He had black hair like his dad and dark brown eyes. "Jaycee Macnair. /Child to Walden Macnair./" She had shoulder length blond hair and green eyes. "May Mulciber. /Child to Marik Mulciber./" She had brown hair and green eyes. "Natalie Nott. /Child to Dwayne Nott./" She had brown hair and brown eyes. "Zane Rookwood. /Child to Augustus Rookwood./" He had brown hair and blue eyes. "Troy Yaxley. /Child to Corban Yaxley./" He had blonde hair and blue eyes. "These two I am really proud of. I was beginning to doubt Bella, but I should have known she would deliver. These two are Catherine-" -she had black hair and green eyes - "- and Kol-" -he had brown hair and brown eyes - "- Lestrange. /Children to Bella and Rodolphus Lestrange./" I looked at the two who seemed to be waiting to have their names said. I bit my lip and pointed at them.
"Who are they?"
"Flora and Hestia, Amycus' children." He said dismissively waving his hand. "Their not first years, their not important for you to meet.
"What do they have to do with me?"
"Future Death Eaters… possibly." He stood and Amycus and Alecto backed off… from an unspoken command from Tom. "If they thrive in Hogwarts, learn to behave properly, and earn great skill, they might be welcomed within my inner circle sooner than later… like Malfoy did." He started talking them up, telling them what they could possibly do. Wait. I know what he's doing. He's charming them. He's manipulating them… and it was working, seeing the look they were giving him. He eventually stopped in the middle, in sight of all of them. "Do you all promise to do your very best?" They all beamed brightly at him. "Very well then. I am sure by now you all have your books for this upcoming school year. Go study and learn." He said as they were all ushered out. He turned his head slightly to me. "Where was I? … Oh yes. I remember. There are only four hand picked followers. You have met Dolohov, Selwyn, and Bella. You have just met Carrow."
…
It was getting dark now. I had walked downstairs to talk to Tom. "So you're really not coming tomorrow?"
"Is it possible you will miss me Harry?"
"No! But dealing with you is easier than dealing with your Death Eaters. What I mean to say is that I'm used to being mad at you, I know better than to attack you. Your Death Eaters, not so much." I replied, angry with myself that he was kind of right. At least a bit.
He transformed a book on the coffee table into a picnic basket and summoned Todd before sending him away with it. He was back quickly. "I was actually planning this for tomorrow morning before I sent you back but now is just as good a time as any." He said, grabbing my wrist and Apparating us to a beach with white sand. We were sitting on the sand. Tom waved his wand and the basket opened and a picnic blanket laid out flat and I was wearing green swimming trunks. "Go swimming, have fun. I will call you when you can eat." He said, going back to his work in the book he was holding.
"You don't want to join me?"
"I am fine, I have work to finish before tomorrow afternoon."
I hesitantly made my way over to the water before stepping in before walking into the water. When I was deep enough, I began to swim, to relax. I enjoyed the swaying back and forth from the waves, the sound the waves made coming to shore, and the slight breeze in the air. I was just floating on the surface when I noticed tonight was a full moon. When I noticed it, I sunk and splashed around to regain my bearings and brought my head to the surface.
I made my way back to shore and began to shiver as my chest came out of the water until I was only ankle deep. I wrapped my arms around myself but the next moment I was just fine. I looked up to see Tom putting his wand down beside him. I smiled.
I made my way over and he waved his hand and the food was set out. "Hungry now?" He asked.
"Did you notice it was a full moon?" I asked, sitting down.
"There are no werewolves here." He simply stated, closing his book and setting it aside.
"I could sleep here. It feels nice."
"Eat." I picked up one of the ham and cheese sandwich triangle and began to eat, noticing that where I had taken one, another appeared. I had my fill before heading back for the water. "Harry." He said, getting my attention.
"Yeah?"
"We are leaving. Otherwise you will not have time to take a shower."
"Thanks… for taking me to the beach." He smiled.
"You are welcome."