Who Is the Rightful Heir?
Chapter 8
Beginning to Learn
Salazar's POV
I was supposed to let it out. I couldn't keep it in. My walls had to break. The steel had to rust away and let my pain bleed out. Father said the pain would make me insane if I kept it in. Insanity would prevent me from ruling. I needed to rule. I couldn't let the privilege slip from my grasp again.
"Concentrate, Salazar. You need to concentrate." Father was trying to coach me, helping me let go of some pain.
"I'm trying!" I exclaimed as I rubbed my temples. "It's hard to do this without getting angry!" My fists clenched tightly. I had to take a deep breath to help myself calm down and unclench them.
Father went behind me and slowly massaged my shoulders like I was getting ready for a fight. "Overpower the walls. Climb over them and free your pain." Father hissed into my ear softly.
I closed my eyes and pictured four walls put together like a fort. Then I walked towards them and grasped the first stone that jutted out of the nearest wall. With all of my strength I climbed the wall, careful not to fall back down.
Sure, the whole scene was in my head, but it took energy. I couldn't risk my chances with something as stupid as this. I had to concentrate. I had to climb the wall. Pain couldn't be a setback.
"Father, I reached the top."
"Good. Now slowly take out the pain."
I tried to unleash the pain. Everything was going perfectly, but then I screamed and fell to the ground in a heap.
"Salazar! Get up! Push the pain back into the walls. Don't take so much out." I could hear Father's voice hiss into my ear. His tone was strict and harsh. "You need to try and stand. Take the pain away, but do it slowly. It needs to leak, not gush."
I nodded. My eyes were still closed, but I could feel my father looming over me. His face was stern and almost disappointed. I couldn't let him down.
Voldemort's POV
When Salazar fell to the floor, I didn't think he would be able to get up. To my surprise, after telling him what he should do, the boy picked himself up, stayed silent for a few moments, and then slowly opened his red/hazel eyes. Finally, after staring at nothing in particular for awhile, his smirk formed.
Draco's POV
"So, how was your training today?" I asked Salazar as I watched him, from a chair, take off his robe and shirt.
"I accomplished most of what I was supposed to do, but I had a bit of trouble in the beginning." Salazar said as he took a bottle and a rag that were sitting on top of his dresser. He poured some of the liquid that was in the bottle onto the rag and gently set it onto his side, covering his slowly healing cut. A hiss escaped his clenched teeth.
"Explain why you won't just drink a potion?" I went over and helped him put on a plain white t-shirt and a black zip-up to go over it. Then he changed from his black training pants into a pair of black baggy chain jeans. The outfit reminded me of when I saw him the first day of Hogwarts when he had changed his look.
"I'm sick of drinking potions. Once you've drank as many as I have, you'll understand… believe me." He didn't bother to put his robe back on. Then he sat across from me in the other armchair. His hand went to his mouth like he was going to sneeze or yawn, but I knew he was popping a pill or two. Aspirin was what he called it. I had no idea what the stuff was.
We talked about multiple things. Salazar was keeping up with his studies as well as his training, but the studies were only theory. He didn't want to actually try anything new. It was as if he was scared to. We also talked about Quidditch. It had been awhile since we actually talked about the sport, probably a few months. Most of the professional teams had been on the Light Side and they couldn't keep up the team because either they had gone into hiding or they had been killed.
"We should go flying." Salazar said suddenly. "We should go right now." He stood up, grabbed what seemed to be two brand-new brooms from his closet and handed one to me.
I looked at the broom that was in my hand. It felt like it belonged, but I didn't know what to do. Clearly, it was better than a Firebolt and it begged me to mount it. But, what would Master say?
"Don't worry. I'll handle it if Father disapproves. He's more worried about Meredith Grakshaw right now anyway. Father's had to try and fix everything she ruined in his plans. Most of the time he's to busy to bother with yelling at me for having fun." Salazar walked out the door.
I couldn't refuse. Salazar would curse me if I did. Lately, he had somewhat of a temper. I think it was partially because of all the pressure put on him and the little amount of sleep he got from working so hard. The boy didn't want to be pushed aside again and he didn't want to make his father ashamed. Salazar had changed, but I didn't know if it was for the better or for the worse.
Salazar's POV
Outside of the castle, a few hundred yards away, I had cleared an area of trees. Now six goalposts stood on opposite sides of the clearing, three on each side. In a small shed next to the field was all of my equipment. It held Bludgers, Quaffles, and three Snitches. Six beater clubs hung on a wall. Quidditch robes for me, Draco, and more than two teams were in lockers along another wall. A book of plays was on a table sitting in the middle of the room.
"Took you long enough to get here." I told my platinum blond haired friend.
"I'm sorry, Sal. I tripped over a log on the way." Draco was a bit dirty on the front. His robe held a few leaves and bits of dirt.
I grinned at him then mounted my broom, a Quaffle in hand. Draco followed soon after; I knew he wouldn't miss a quick Chaser practice. Actually, I only had an hour before I had to get back to my lessons. Everyday I studied in my room for five hours straight. Then I would have a Death Eater quiz me on what I had just studied. If I aced it, I would reward myself with a quick dinner and a good sleep. If I didn't, I would chug down a nourishing potion, giving me the daily amount of vitamins and minerals a person needs, then study the same stuff for another five hours. Another Death Eater would quiz me and if I didn't ace it again, I'd go through the whole process again. At least twice a week, I'd have to make a batch of twenty nourishing potions.
The two of us flew around a bit, passing each other the Quaffle, pretending we were actually being chased. It wasn't even close to the real thing, but it had to do. The other Death Eaters weren't allowed to have a long break like Draco. When both of us got bored, and ten minutes were left before I had to leave, we played a small game against each other.
"You beat me." Draco came down after me, a little breathless. His usually slicked back hair was askew and a little wet with sweat. I probably looked the same.
"You let me win." I replied as I put back the Quaffle.
"No I didn't!" My friend protested. "Why would I do that?"
"Because I'm your master's son. Because I've been under a lot of stress and had a lot of problems ever since I joined the Dark Side. Because you think it would make me feel better. Because it's practically a rule to let me win." Draco bit his lip, telling me that I was right. "Draco, you weren't any competition to me. It seems like you got worse ever since Hogwarts, and I know you're not the type to let yourself get worse."
We walked the rest of the way back in silence. Draco would give me unsure glances every few seconds. I kept my eyes looking in front of me. Once we reached the door to the castle, I gave the blond a final look before heading inside. He stayed outside for a moment before running in front of me, stopping me from going to my room.
"You can't go and study."
"And why not?" I asked him, almost amazed at his actions.
"Salazar, you're killing yourself. If you keep going on like this, all of this studying and practically no sleep, something bad is going to happen. I can feel it already."
I studied the teen that was in front of me. His expression was of caring and concern, but then there was a flash of pain. Pain, the thing that made us all humane. I couldn't bear to look at his gray eyes, they were too powerful. If I did, I would clearly break under his gaze, like I almost did when I was with Father.
Before I broke, I walked past him and down the hall to my room. I had to study for five hours and already I was five minutes behind schedule.
Draco's POV
I couldn't take the guy anymore. There had to be something that I could do for him. I saw his look, his eyes. They weren't the usual gleaming red/hazel that they usually were when he was okay. The red and hazel were dull and distant. The bags under them were visible if you actually looked. The make-up he used was from the muggle world. Then, you add his almost all black look and he looks nearly depressed.
At first, I was thinking about actually following him, but I knew better. Following him would just get him madder. There didn't need to be any more anger than already. Instead, I walked to Master's office. Surely he would know how to solve the problem, at least partially.
Softly, I knocked on the door. "Come in." The familiar voice called from behind it.
I opened the door and walked into the dimly lit room. The rest of the castle had always been lit brightly, but his office never had a lot of light. About ten candles were actually in the room, lighting the place. Five of them were on his desk and the rest scattered around the room. There was no window in the place.
"Sir, may I speak with you?" I humbly asked.
The man who was changing, not mentally but physically, nodded to me. He motioned me to sit down. Before I spoke, I made sure to place enough silencing wards and a locking spell so no one could overhear or interrupt us. Master raised an eyebrow.
"Salazar…he's…different…" I slowly spoke. Inside I knew what I wanted to say, but outside I couldn't say it. Nothing would come out.
"How do you mean?" He set down the quill he had been writing with and listened. Lately, when the conversation had to do with his son, he always listened. He didn't want anything pertaining Salazar to go past him. Right now, he was trying to be a father but also a solid leader and teacher.
"Did you know he's been studying?"
"Of course, I told him to study, it'll help him recover. He's been doing so much better in his lessons with me."
"I know that, my lord, but do you know his schedule?" I asked.
"Why do you ask this?"
"Salazar doesn't start his schedule in the morning, Master. He starts it about now. He'll study for five hours, all theory from books. Then he'll have a Death Eater that is roaming the halls quiz him. If he does not get every single question right, he'll drink a nourishing potion and study again for five more hours. Again and again he'll do this until he gets every question a Death Eater asks him."
"But he always comes to my lessons."
"If he hasn't aced the quiz and it is time for his lesson, he'll take a break and go. My lord, what your son is doing… it's killing him, slowly. He refuses anything pertaining to the wizarding world except for the nourishing potions and Quidditch.
"But my lessons…"
"Your lessons are something a psychologist would do in the muggle world."
Voldemort's POV
If what Draco was telling me was true, Salazar was falling, again. I had told him once before that if he screwed up again I would give the place to Draco, but I wasn't going to let myself do that. Plus, with Meredith still staying in her concrete room, I had enough to worry about.
I stared at the letter I had started to write to the leader of the Mafia in Mexico. The words were blurring and soon all I could see was splotches of black. At first I didn't know why I couldn't read them, but then I realized that my tears were in my way of sight. I couldn't see Draco, but I knew he left after I heard the door open and close softly.
The tears fell down my cheeks as I sat silently and alone in my office. What was I supposed to do? Was I supposed to confront the boy like I had every time before? Salazar had just gotten madder at me each time I did it. I didn't need another mess.
Instead, I decided on not doing anything about it. All I did was sit there, unmoving, and cried. I couldn't help the tears from flowing so I didn't bother wiping them away. What was the point?
Salazar's POV
"How many did I get wrong?" I asked the Outer Circle Death Eater that had been quizzing me for the past hour.
"T-two, sir." The man was clearly afraid of me. I didn't care. My ten hours of studying had just gone to waste. Now I needed to do it all over again. I was going to get this right. Sure, it was going to be my third time, but I was going to ace it. Father would be disappointed if I didn't.
"You may leave now, get some rest, you've deserved it." I told him.
The man handed me my book with shaking hands, bowed, and quickly left without a word. I shook my head, went to my desk, and opened the book again to the first page.
A/N: I'm sorry to all who hoped that Meredith Grakshaw would be in this chapter. Also, I was planning on having Matthew in it, but then my plot went a little astray and I focused on Salazar more than I wanted. I promise that the next chapter will probably be more of Meredith and Matthew.
power214063: Yeah, Meredith was pretty much trying to frame Salazar. But, she was too stupid to notice the obvious so she got caught. Her tactics were sort of pathetic as well, don't you think?
Marry Hiwatarie: Yes, Meredith really speaks Parseltounge. You'll understand more later on because actually there's one whole piece missing to the story. Parts of it should come into the story in the next chapter, but the rest will come later.
Kamorie: Nope, it's not the end of the story! Meredith is still stuck in her concrete cell. Salazar's pain was just all the pain he received and then kept inside of him, ignoring it. Yeah, I thought Meredith was an idiot for stabbing herself. As you read, it didn't solve anything and only made her weaker. Guess the girl actually isn't all that smart as she thought she was. Voldemort will be talking to the insane person in the next chapter though, I promise you that.
TuxedoKamenLuver: Pain is inescapable. You can't ever escape but it can slowly leave you on its own accord. My friend is going through the process right now and for her it's extremely hard under all of the circumstances. But I've been by her side the whole time, helping her out with every problem. It helps when you have people to stand by you.
& & …Make-up doesn't always cover everything up… & &