Who Is the Rightful Heir?

Chapter 9

Questioning and a Test

Voldemort's POV

"What day is it today, Draco?" I asked the boy after one of my weekly meetings.

"It's Friday, sir." The boy answered before I let him leave.

Friday was the day I went to speak to Meredith or Matthew. Usually I spoke with Matthew. I didn't like speaking with the little liar. She either told me something wrong or didn't speak at all. Matthew had learned a bit about Meredith's past. He knew Meredith was the granddaughter of Morfin Gaunt and a muggle named Suzanna Greenhill. He was also able to get the name of the child they had, Jonathon Greenhill. Suzanna didn't dare name the boy after the man who raped her.

The boy showed no magical ability until he was thirteen. He never went to Hogwarts since there was such a long delay of showing his magical abilities. Even if he was accepted to the school he wouldn't have gone. Jonathon was so afraid of his talent that he ran away to Italy, never seeing his mother again.

Today I was planning on learning more of Meredith's past. I was quite surprised at how much she had told the Outer Circle Death Eater. The girl was always so protective of her past, but she let this cowardly boy hear it all.

I found Matthew patrolling outside of the castle. When I approached he bowed to me and immediately followed me inside. Our meetings were so usual now that he wasn't surprised to see me.

"Matthew, did she ever tell you her mother's name?" I asked him.

"I believe it was Veronica Grakshaw, a muggle. Her father was too embarrassed to have her take his name so she took Grakshaw. Apparently he jumped off a cliff when Meredith was three because she had started to show magical abilities. He was ashamed of giving her the gift. Veronica and Meredith moved to America and stayed until her mother died of cancer. Meredith lived in foster care until she was sixteen and ran away back to Europe. That's when she heard of you and joined."

"Is there anything else of importance that you could tell me?"

"Not that I recall at this moment, Master. Is it alright if I go back to my patrolling?" The boy had clearly gotten more comfortable with me. He had the courage to ask me a question.

I nodded and let him leave then walked to the room I had put the girl in.

Every time I stepped into the room I saw my mother. I always wanted it to be, but then I reminded myself it was only a girl with the same genetics as her.

"I see you've come again to question me." She spoke in a cool voice, exactly like my mother's.

I ignored her comment and conjured myself a chair. The girl stayed standing; there was nothing to sit on. I had taken out the bed when she yelled at me a few weeks back. All she had was concrete walls and a thin sheet.

"What was your mother's name?" I asked slowly.

"Veronica Grakshaw."

"Who was your father?"

"A retched man who abused me and had no consideration to me except to be his servant until he left and died." When she said this, a quick flash of fear showed in her eyes.

The visit was quick. I only had the two questions for her. Her answers weren't much help though.

Salazar's POV

"Do you think you can let it out by yourself now?" Father asked me at the beginning of my lesson. "Do you need me to coach you through it?"

I shook my head. I was waiting for this moment. I'd been getting stronger and it'd been easier each day to climb the wall and let my pain slowly drain. All I needed was this chance to prove to him that I was strong.

Father went into a corner in the room, his eyes always on me. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the walls again. I climbed one to the top and focused on the pain kept inside of it. Then, I made a small hole in the stone. I watched as a stream of pain escaped from its barrier and fell into oblivion. My body ached as I felt the pain take its course then disappear.

When I was finished I opened my eyes and looked at my father who hadn't moved an inch. "How was that?" I asked him.

"You twitched." It was all he said before he left. Was he disappointed in me? How could I have twitched? I'd been practicing for weeks, trying to make him proud, and all I do is disappoint him?

Slowly, I walked back to my room, my head down the whole time. Inside my room Draco was sitting, waiting for me like he did everyday. I took off my robe and shirt and cleaned my HP with the alcohol I had sitting on my dresser. Then Draco gave me a black t-shirt, my usual black zip-up, and a pair of black baggy chain jeans. I changed out of my training clothes into the clean ones and sat across from my friend.

"Want to go eat?" Draco asked. "I'm starving."

I shook my head.

"How about we go practice some more Quidditch?"

I shook my head.

"Want to terrorize a few muggles, or punish some lowly house-elf?"

I shook my head again.

"What do you want to do then?"

"I'm going to study for awhile. Then I'll take a nap if I have some time." I answered his question then went to my bookshelf, looking for something I wanted to read for today.

"You're not going to have any time." Draco mumbled as he started to leave the room. I never got to yell at him though because he already had slammed the door behind him.

A/N: I know it took me awhile to update and then you get disappointed because it's so short…but I've been so busy. Right now I hate April because I'm always so busy…I almost want to scream…okay, maybe not

XcrimsonroseX: Thank you for reviewing… I don't remember you reviewing before, but maybe I'm mistaken

power214063: No, Voldemort is not going to make Salazar take sleeping potions…see, he's already tried to make Salazar better multiple times, but the boy has never been able to stay better…now he's letting him do it on his own…perhaps he'll help if Salazar gets worse…I don't know