A/N: In this chapter, Alexi meets her new family and is given her mission for now. The Malfoys and the Dark Lord are present in this chapter, and are taken from the books. It takes place at Malfoy Manor, which I have described the way I see it, and that may differ from the books or movies.
Chapter 2
She opened her eyes slowly, her head pounding. She seemed to be in the front room of a large house, dark wood floors spreading out from under her, and a chandelier above her. Cream walls with wood paneling made from the same dark wood as the floor. A few doors and a staircase, all the same dark wood, the light brightening things up remarkably. There was a comfortable white rug under her.
A man with long, white blond hair was standing over her, looking at her curiously. She started lifting her head and sitting up, and he backed away to give her room. "Narcissa, there is a girl here, with the port key from the shop in Knockturn Alley!" he called, turning away from her momentarily to call his wife.
Alexi was just wondering what a port key was when a woman hurried into the room, her dark hair greatly contrasting that of her husband's. They talked quickly and quietly, and led her into a sitting room. She told them what happened, and they nodded gravely while she told her story.
She had figured out quickly that they were a magical family, this based on clothes (robes, like the witches and wizards in Knockturn Alley,) a floating tea tray, and the fact that they were completely unsurprised by her story.
Then the man did something completely unexpected. He wrote something down on a piece of parchment and flicked his wand, making an owl appear. He gave the parchment to the owl, which flew off. He sat down again as if this were as normal as talking to someone on the phone.
The answering letter was a bit of a shock to all of them. As it turned out, someone who seemed to be some sort of Lord was coming to see them, and he requested that they take Alexi in so that she could stay there until she came of age.
The Malfoys talked quietly amongst themselves. They seemed to want to follow the orders they were given, but were uneasy on taking in a girl they had hardly met. Mr Malfoy seemed perfectly willing, and his wife wanted to follow orders but was unsure of herself.
Then, there was another surprise- at least for Alexi. A boy walked in, pointy-faced, pale, and just as blond as his father. He looked to be about thirteen, a couple years older than Alexi. Almost immediately she knew his personality: arrogant, stubborn, and prone to questioning authority.
He took one look at her: a girl in robes covered in dust, standing and looking very out of place in his sitting room, before turning to his father. "What's she doing here?" he demanded. He seemed to be the kind of boy that could expect things to be given to him.
"The Dark Lord wishes us to watch over her for him." Mr Malfoy explained. Alexi wondered vaguely who would be adopting her, then.
"Why?"
"Do you question the Dark Lord's command, Draco?" asked a raspy voice from behind them.
They all turned to find a man in flowing black robes, his face pale and gaunt. He didn't seem to have a nose, and there was a cruel look on his face.
"No, master!" the boy said quickly.
They all gave a sort-of bow, bending at the shoulders instead of the waist. Alexi followed suit. This was the Dark Lord? What was he the Lord of? Then she felt a presence in her mind, like the feeling of someone watching her.
She jerked away from it instinctively, and the Dark Lord smiled. This all seemed to amuse him, appearing suddenly in the Malfoy's home like this.
"You seem to be a smart girl. What do you think of these people?" it was the hissing voice again, but this time it came from the man.
Almost without trying, she answered back in a similar voice. "They seem afraid, and arrogant," she said, a quick observation to be sure.
The family had winced when the Lord spoke in that strange voice, and seemed absolutely shocked when Alexi did. It appeared as if they had spoken in an entirely different language!
"Quite right you are. We are speaking Parseltongue, the language of snakes. I am Lord Voldemort." He said the last part in English, answering her unspoken question of his identity.
He explained to her that he wanted her to work for him. He could provide her with a life she would not otherwise have, but for a price: she needed to go to Hogwarts to learn as much magic as possible, and to spy. When she graduated she would work for him as a Death Eater, one of his followers.
She agreed without much persuading on the part of Lord Voldemort. He commanded Mr Malfoy to make her invisible to the Ministry, whatever that meant, and was gone as soon as he had come. Before he left he had touched his wand to her left forearm. Nothing seemed to happen.
As soon as he left, Draco muttered about how unfair it was that she got to be a Death Eater before he did, and demanded to know where she would be staying. Mrs Malfoy took her upstairs while Mr Malfoy went to go follow his orders.
She was given what seemed to be one of the guest rooms, as it was all made up with bedding and curtains. The woman promised her that they would get her some new clothes tomorrow, and was left to get settled. She seemed more sure of keeping her now that the Dark Lord had visited them personally, and was now acting as if it were a great honor to be taking care of an orphan.