Chapter 4
With a swirling of robes, Lucius Malfoy returned home to Malfoy manor. He tore off his cloak, throwing it at a hapless house elf waiting in the corner. The little creature disappeared with a pop knowing it was best to stay out of his master's way when he was in a mood.
"Damn it!" Lucius spat. He turned to his well appointed bar and poured himself three fingers of Firewhiskey.
"He Who Shall Fucking Well Not Be Named changes the agenda again!" Lucius downed his drink in two swallows, grimacing as the burning liquid seared his throat.
Never one to appreciate being made to look foolish by anyone, Lucius pondered his next move. 'What is his game? How is his new Pawn to be played?'
Steepling his fingers in front of his face, Lucius sat thinking, turning possibilities over in his mind. It became clearer and more brilliant as the pieces of the puzzle came together.
"A weapon." he thought. "He's going to use the girl as a weapon to bring down Dumbledore'.
Lucius laughed aloud at the sheer genius of the idea and the simplicity of its execution.
'Train her, brainwash her and set her loose to do her worst. Brilliant.' Lucius rose and went back to the bar pouring himself another measure of firewhiskey. He raised his glass in a silent toast to his Master.
"To a glorious victory…and all its rewards." He threw back the drink in one swallow and went in search of some rewards to be had in his home.
Walking out to the hall, he entered the doorway to his dungeons. Some new 'entertainment' had arrived this morning.
The man called Wormtail escorted Claire to a suite, which, she had been told, would be her quarters during her visit. She surveyed the room. All was in black and dark green, tasteless! However, a two-room suite, with every convenience she might need, even a bathroom!
"Well, this is an improvement over that damn cell! Now, let's see…" Claire started a plan in her head.
"First a shower" she thought "to get rid of the stench of the dungeon."
Then some serious thinking about what she had been told and how it fit with what her mother had raised her to believe.
"I'm going to survive all this!" thought Claire. For the first time since she woke up in the cell, she felt her usual optimism return.
The bathroom was archaic but it did have a running shower with hot water and that was all that Claire wanted for the time being. She stepped into the running water letting it clean her body and refresh her spirit.
After a long time in the shower, and still in her towel, Claire went in search of some clothes in an old wardrobe. She found all kinds of strange clothes, finally deciding on what looked like pyjamas that had seen better days. The pyjamas were in some kind of dark material that was similar to silk.
"Well at least the underwear is new and cotton!!" She thought trying to resist the temptation to burst out laughing.
"This is ridiculous," she thought. "I don't understand half of what is going on. I am being held, supposedly for my protection, because my father is trying to kill me, even though we have never met. He is a dark wizard, a thing I never knew existed and he killed my mother!' She carried the clothes she had selected over to the bed.
"All of this information coming from a creature that smells like rotten meat, who treats servants like trash and looks like a snake! Beautiful, can a girl ask for more?" Claire began to dress finally giving in to the laughter as she pulled on the cotton knickers.
"What next? Santa Claus exists too and he eats children for breakfast? Calm down Claire, don't panic, you want to live, you have to think!" Claire gasped for air, pulling in calming lungful's while wiping away the tears that had started to fall.
"I must be careful around them. I'll play along. I'll learn as much as I can, then I'll decide what to do with this father I suddenly have!"
Her first plan made, Claire went to the four-poster bed and lay down. She fell asleep, exhausted, a little after 3:00 am…. a small smile on her lips.
Too soon, the morning came and Claire was awakened by a knock on her door.
The same man who had shown Claire her rooms; she had come to think of him as 'Roedor' Rodent; had brought her breakfast. He told her that Lord Voldemort was expecting her in the living room when she had finished and dressed.
Rising from bed, Claire ate sparingly from the pastries provided but drank all the coffee. She wanted to be alert for whatever happened today. Going to the bathroom she quickly washed her face and cleaned her teeth. Crossing to the wardrobe, Claire selected some dark unstylish black dress that looked like it belonged in another century and dressed.
"All I need is a pointed hat and broom' she thought, catching a view of herself in the wardrobe mirror.
"How cliché" she murmured to herself before turning to see what the new day had brought her. Before leaving her room, she took a deep breath and thought, "Get a grip on your self Claire. Empty your mind and play the role of the damsel in distress. This guy is a wizard and he may be able to read your mind."
I will survive!!!!" She kept repeating this in her mind like a mantra to block all other negative thoughts.
Claire went out of the room, and swiftly walked the short black corridor into the living room.
"Good morning Lord Voldemort" said Claire
"Good morning my dear. Did you sleep well?" asked Voldemort, in a sweet tone.
"Quite well, sir. What are we going to do today? Will you take me to see this dark wizard?" asked Claire, in an even voice.
"No, no my dear" said Voldemort with a small laugh. "Today, we will see if I can find what magic Dumbledore used to block your power and if I can counter it. Then, I'm going to train you in the arts of magic personally, so that you may be prepared for what ever you may face." Voldemort's voice was both patronizing and commanding though he couched it in fatherly tones.
"Yes sir," replied Claire. "I will do as you say. After all, I owe you my life. I'd be dead by now if it wasn't for you." Claire smiled and looked at the serpentine face as a child would look at a favourite uncle. At least, that's what she hoped.
"Well yes my dear, you probably would be, but let us not speak of sad things." Voldermort motioned her to follow him. "First of all, let's go to my library. I've been doing some research."
"Of course, My Lord." Demurred Claire in her most condescending voice.
Claire felt her nervousness return, "He can control me if he chooses," she thought. "Oh my God. Stay calm girl. you can do it. Breathe. Oh mother, please help me! I will survive." She backed down her panic again
"I will survive" her little voice inside kept repeating itself.
They entered the library and Voldemort moved to a pile of books. He opened a small leather book, which had a pentacle drawn on the front cover and read something that was written there.
Calmly, he said, "My dear, I will now try a spell. It's an old spell that is meant to reveal if you have magic power within you, and, if so, what is blocking you from using it."
Voldemort moved Claire to the centre of the room. "Now child, I need you to close your eyes and stay perfectly still."
Voldemort pulled a wooden stick from within his robes. Claire realized with a start that this must be a magic wand.
"I will do as you say My Lord but please, will it hurt? Asked Claire, clearly afraid of what would happen next.
"No my dear, it will not hurt! Now close your eyes!" The last words, out of Voldemort's mouth, were a mere hiss. He was loosing his patience.
Claire closed her eyes immediately, and thought "Oh mother, help me! Please". Claire was afraid. She heard a murmur and felt something cold and damp engulfed her. She held still and kept thinking of her mother.
Voldemort wasn't happy. The girl had an enormous amount of magic. That much was patently clear in the strong blue light she emitted as soon as the spell hit her. Well, no need to let the little chit in on just how powerful she was, that secret would remain with him.
Interestingly enough, the central colour of her magic was blue, which meant that primarily her magic was white, not black, as he would have wished. The unexpected part was that he didn't recognise the yellow and pink aura that was emitted also.
"What kind of spell was this? She's too powerful to have her powers held in check by anything as simple as a binding spell," thought Voldemort, obviously troubled by what he had seen.
"You may open your eyes, my dear."Voldemort whispered.
"Thank you. Lord Voldemort." Breathed Claire, relieved the test was over.
"How was it? Do I have magic?" she asked anxiously.
"Yes my dear you do have magic," Voldemort averred, "not very strong magic however. I can't yet break the spell that is blocking your power. It seems it's a very dark and complex spell. I must do some more research."
Voldemort gestured Claire towards the doors. "Now, I must ask you to return to your quarters and stay there." stated Voldemort with some asperity. His voice betrayed how annoyed he was.
Claire, noting the dark lord's preoccupation, asked "May I take some books to read sir?" No time like the present to start learning.
"Yes of course my dear, it may be some time before I request your presence again. Here take these ones; they are about spells and potions. They are complex books; you probably will not understand any of them!" said Voldemort becoming angrier by the moment.
Claire quickly gathered up the tomes and began to leave. "Thank you sir." said Claire on her way out of the library.
On her way back to her quarters, Claire was startled with sounds coming from a dark corner near her door. She saw something move toward her causing her drop the books and cry out. A few seconds later Lord Voldemort was by her side looking none too pleased.
"What happened girl?" demanded Voldemort.
"There is a thing there in the corner!" Said Claire tremulously, while pointing at the dark corner.
"That is my pet Nagini, she's there to take care of you, so no unwanted visitors may disturb you!" said Voldemort in a threatening voice.
Slowly the huge snake came in to Claire's line of vision. Bending quickly to retrieve the fallen books, Claire opened the door to her room and went inside.
"Oh my God that guy is totally crazy!!!!!!!!" thought Claire just before she threw
herself onto the chair. If she had any thoughts to the contrary, the presence of that reptile confirmed the fact she was as much a prisoner in this gilded cage as she was in the dungeon.
Harry had spent part of that night thinking about what could be troubling Dumbledore.
Clearly, something major had happened leaving the elder wizard in an unusual state of preoccupation. But what? What could be wrong? There hadn't been any attacks from Voldemort lately. "I must find out what is wrong," thought Harry "he seems so vulnerable like this...ever since that owl."
Cursed with these thoughts, Harry finally fell asleep in the early hours of the morning.
The rest of the night was an unsettling one, with terrible nightmares of Voldemort. It seemed the Dark Lords emotions were running the full gamut from dizzying highs of sheer happiness to pure fury. Harry awoke exhausted in the morning.
"Something is definitely happening, I have to talk to Hermione, we must find out." Thought Harry.
"G'morning 'Mione"said Harry coming down the stairs with Ron on his tail.
"Good morning guys" said Hermione cheerfully.
"Let's hurry to breakfast, I'm starving!!" said Ron.
"Wait! I have to speak to you two! It's important," said Harry in an urgent voice.
"What's up Harry? You kook worried! Dreams again?" said Hermione, truly concerned about her friend.
"Yes, Hermione. Something is wrong, Dumbledore is a shadow of himself, and Voldemort is going from sheer happiness to pure fury in the temper department. His emotions are running high! He is up to something major!" said Harry in a desperate tone.
Ron flinched at the name Voldemort, but Harry was too nervous to pay any attention.
"But what exactly did you dream Harry?" asked Hermione becoming more worried by the minute.
"You didn't say anything to me mate!" exclaimed Ron.
"Voldemort is searching for something, I could see him scanning book after book, and being furious at not finding anything." Said Harry, remembering his dream.
"Oh! Stop flinching at his name Ron, you twit!! He was thinking what a prize that girl was, but I don't know what girl, I couldn't see her. It was all very confusing….. with so many emotions. The last I remember is - he was thinking, was that only a potion could be the answer, but to what I don't know!" said a truly desperate Harry looking at his friends.
"Harry, we have to go to Dumbledore!! We have to tell him. It's important!" Stated Hermione. "And we must tell Professor Snape. If the Dark Lord wants a potion, then he will be the one that has to make it." said Hermione urgently.
"I don't know if that is a good idea Hermione. We don't know Dumbledore's password, and he isn't looking too good, maybe we shouldn't worry him anymore than he already is," said Ron in a shaky voice.
"I don't know what to do! Maybe Ron's right Hermione" said Harry weakly.
"Come on you guys! We must tell Dumbledore." Hermione grabbed both their arms and began dragging them through the portrait hole. "It is important! We must go and tell him right now!" said Hermione in a voice that brooked no argument.
"What about breakfast? Ok Hermione, put the daggers in your eyes away, you don't have to look like that at me!" said Ron.
The band of friends ran through the corridors as fast as their legs would take them. Upon reaching the gargoyle, the trio recited every kind of sweet they could think of but nothing worked. Desperation was beginning to settle in when an icy baritone voice came from behind them.
"Well, well! What is the Dream Team doing here?" said Snape in a dangerous voice, his dark eyes peering at them closely.
Hermione recovered before any of them and hurriedly said "Professor Snape, we must speak to the Headmaster. It's important! Harry had another dream! Please Professor."
Snape looked hard in the eyes of Hermione Granger and could see the worry and the determination in them. "Gryffindor's" he thought.
"Very well Miss Granger! However you and Mr Weasley will go to classes. Now!!"
he commanded. Turning to the gargoyle Snape uttered " Ashes. Come Mr Potter let us hear your dreams."
Hermione and Ron looked at each other at hearing the password. Something was definitely wrong. With that in their minds off they went to their Charms class.
Following Professor Snape, Harry went up the spiral stairs and entered the office of the Headmaster.
"Severus, good morning! Ah! Harry, you're here?" said Dumbledore in a strong voice.
The Headmaster sat behind his desk. He was wearing a dark red and black robe. His face showed concern and there was no twinkling in his eyes.
"Headmaster! I just found Mr Potter downstairs. It appears he has been dreaming again." Said Snape, in a voice laden with contempt towards the younger man.
"Please, have a seat Harry. You too Severus. Tell me Harry, what have you dreamt about?" said Dumbledore.
"Well Sir it was a very confusing dream. Voldemort was either extremely happy or in deep fury. I could see him searching in strange books for something and he was getting angrier by the minute." Harry paused remembering his dream. "He seemed to come across something in his search and thought something like Only a portion can do it! Then he began to think of a girl. I couldn't see her, but while thinking of her he was extremely happy, almost laughing. He kept thinking that girl would be your end, and how ironic things were."
Harry paused once again, clearly trying to regain his composure.
He resumed his story. "Then a sound came from behind him and I could hear Wormtail saying something. I could feel the fury in Voldemort. He cast a Crucio curse on him, and told him to leave him alone and to keep an eye on the girl. I think that was all, Sir," said Harry truly worried.
"Well that is interesting! Could you see the surroundings Harry? Were you looking through Voldemort eyes?" asked Dumbledore, in a concerned voice.
"Yes, Sir. I was looking through Voldemort eyes, and he was in what looked like a library, with stone walls, all very dark.," said Harry.
"Could you see what he was searching Harry? asked Dumbledore eagerly.
"Well the books were strange; they looked like they were made of skin and the ink on them changed colours." Replied Harry. " The language the books were written in was also strange but there was part of it I could somehow understand. It looked like he was looking for spells to release sealed magic in humans. But you can't seal someone's magic can you, sir?" asked Harry.
"Yes, that is very interesting. Can you tell me some of the name of the books Harry?" asked Dumbledore neatly deflecting Harry's question.
"Well sir, they all had some strange symbol on the front page, something like a snake wound around a tree surrounded by a circle of fire." Said Harry, trying to remember every detail.
"But I really couldn't read the name of any of them. Only…. after a while I could understand parts of them. Something like when Voldemort read and thought about it I could understand it. Does that make sense, Sir?" asked Harry.
"Yes Harry it does. Moreover, you said he thought that only a potion would do it, but do what? And that was after or before the books?" asked Dumbledore lost in thought.
"Voldemort thought of the potion after he searched all of the books and he was very angry. It was then that he thought that all the spells and rituals he had seen would harm the girl, would kill her, and that he still needed her." said Harry.
"So the books were of spells and rituals for releasing someone's sealed magic and he thought that a potion could do it. Tell me Harry, can you tell if he has researched the potion?" asked Dumbledore.
"I don't know sir, I woke up after he thought of the potion and that he needed the girl. He thought that the girl would be your downfall. I'm sorry, sir, it became too painful." Answered Harry, disappointed that he could not give his mentor the information he so desperately needed.
"You've done well Harry. It's far more information than I had expected. Thank you. Now, you should go Harry, you have classes." said Dumbledore softly.
"But sir, what is going on? Why is this girl your downfall?" demanded Harry.
"Potter! You heard the Headmaster, now leave! Don't you dare to question him!" hissed Professor Snape.
Harry jumped at the sound of Professor Snape's voice; he had forgotten he was there. Harry felt all the fury and hate for that man bubble up within his chest and was about to spit out a venomous answer back when Dumbledore spoke.
"Harry, thank you. You should leave now. I understand your curiosity but these are private matters. Please, if you have anymore dreams come and tell me right away.
Harry didn't dare to rebut that. Instead, he just nodded and left the Headmasters office, still truly concerned.
"Severus what do you make of this?" asked Dumbledore.
"Sir, I think that the Dark Lord will call me soon. He can't successfully make the simplest potion let alone one as complex as to remove the seal on someone's magic. As for the books, I think they are the Books of Life, a very dark and dangerous collection that was created by one the darkest wizards of all times: Jebetz." Snape stood and walked to the window.
"He had very dark spells and specific rituals for the removal and expansion of one's magic, in certain conditions. Supposedly they were lost to the world." said a concerned Snape.
"Yes, Severus, I see what you mean. I've heard of such a collection. The question is what is it Voldemort wants? It seems he's trying to unseal the girls' magic, but who is this girl? Do you think there is such potion as to unseal one's magic?" asked a very concerned Dumbledore.
"Yes in certain cases. If a certain kind of spell or ritual were applied before birth, then only a Potion of the Five can be useful. However this potion is not widely known and is extremely difficult to brew. I sincerely doubt that the Dark Lord has any knowledge of it," said Snape extremely worried
"If brewed wrongly, this potion kills the person, scattering their soul."
"Severus, if Voldemort requests you to brew it, try to stall it as long as you can. We have to know more." said Dumbledore.
"Headmaster, do you think the girl that Potter was speaking of could be Maria? Could she have had her magic tampered with in some way? You said she was extremely sensitive." asked Snape.
"I don't think so Severus. She would be in her mid forties now, hardly a girl anymore, in muggle terms, of course. No. she had no magic in her, I would have felt it." Dumbledore sat back in his chair, stroking his beard pensively.
"However, it is strange, that her necklace was sent to me. That along with Voldemort's strong emotions, both joy and fury triggering Harry's dreams, and the part about the girl being my downfall. Something has come up to cause Tom to change tactics in this war."
Turning to Snape, Dumbledore's face held a look that had been missing for a while. The old man was back!
"Try to find out what's happening, Severus. This is no longer just my private business!" said Dumbledore with a twinkling in his blue eyes.
For the remainder of the day, Claire stayed in her rooms not daring to leave them, afraid of that thing the crazy man called a pet. She had her meals served by that repulsive being, Roedor, the one the crazy man called Wormtail. And she read. She read all three books she had brought from the library.
"Very interesting books, all right." she thought "That was a mistake you just made Voldy baby. Legi1imency, interesting! So you can read minds if the person looks you in the eyes, old snake breath. Must remember to avoid that!" Claire drank in the new information, as a thirsty man would consume water.
"And the only protection is clearing the mind and pushing the person out. Hmm interesting." She went on summarising her reading of the day, and making mental notes of what she should and shouldn't do.
Finally, her dinner was delivered to her rooms along with the terse instructions to be sure to stay in her rooms no matter what noises she might hear outside. This did little to resolve the questions her studies had raised or to lessen her fears.
After a while, she could hear Lord Voldemort, hissing in fury at other people in the sitting room, and finally came the screams. Horrifying, inhuman screams that were so terrible that she thought all the demons of hell had descended upon the house.
"Torture, it can only be torture." She thought "Oh! by the Gods he's laughing. He is not human." She trembled in fear and tried to cover her ears. The sound still got through.
With those thoughts, Claire went to bed trying desperately to close her mind to sounds that were coming from living room, and praying for sleep to come. "I will survive" she sobbed "ai mãe ajuda-me a sobreviver!"
Back at Hogwarts, students and teachers alike were gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. Harry looked up to the Headmaster seated at the head table. He was relieved to see the old man looking more like himself and said as much to Ron and Hermione.
Hermione let her eyes roam across the head table to the dark figure so solitary among his peers. Not for the first time she felt an affinity for this man. She would give anything to have a real conversation with him. To discuss and debate any number of subjects with someone who would challenge her mind.
"Not in your dreams, Hermione." She sighed. "I'm just a silly little girl to him. One more annoyance."
Meanwhile, Snape was finishing his dinner, taking a drink from his goblet. Looking up at the students, he felt someone was looking at him. Casting his gaze around, he came upon the tawny brown eyes of Hermione Granger. He felt that little prick of the something he felt when she was involved. He couldn't (or wouldn't) give it a name and was about to deliver her one of his patented scowls when a surge of pain ripped through his arm.
Hermione watched as he gasped and grabbed his arm.
He looked at her one last time as she nodded her understanding and mouthed "Please be careful" - a silent plea.
He nodded to her tersely as he stood to leave. Marching out briskly after a word to the Headmaster, Severus walked to the apparation point and made his way to his other master.
Dumbledore had not missed the interaction between Hermione and Severus. He wished fervently for the time when they might become more than student and professor. He wished fervently for every child, the teachers and students alike; he regarded them all as his children; to find love. So mote it be.
Hello everyone, we are sorry for the time it took us to up date. This chapter was a very difficult one to write, we hope you will like it. Thank you all for leaving the reviews, they are so important to us.
I hope this chapter will have cleared some doubts or inconsistencies you would have thought about Claire.
Once again please give us your opinions and ideas, they are welcomed and praised.
I thought you might want to know that:
ai mãe ajuda-me a sobreviver means Oh mother help me to survive!
We have avoid writing Claire's thoughts in Portuguese, just to keep it simple but there are certain nicknames and situations were that can not be avoided, however there will be always a translation at the end of the chapter.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Stay well
Love
Cearrae27 and vsev