3 years ago:
Madeline Redveil paced anxiously, the dark mark burning furiously on her arm. Her master needed her and she would be there for him, without question. She would serve him; she would follow his every command, hang on his every word and die for him if it was required.
Thirteen years she had waited for his return. She had been patient, she had remained viciously loyal and most of all, Madeline had sacrificed plenty. It didn't matter to her. Nothing mattered except him, she lived to love him. Everything she did was in his honour.
She was at his mercy and loved every inch of it.
Madeline liked the way it consumed her and took over her life. She didn't care that it hurt; she wanted to suffer for her passion for her obsession. At least then, he would truly know how loyal she was to him.
She hated Harry Potter in the same way he did. Madeline had never met the boy in her life, yet every waking hour, she fantasised of his downfall. Every night in her wildest dreams she saw her master finally defeating him. She saw the young boy's body fall to the ground in defeat and every time, she and the other death eaters would roar with laughter, celebrating the long overdue yet well deserved triumph.
A flash of burning light shot out from behind her. She could smell burning.
A cold voice could be heard."Madeline. You came."
Madeline looked down at her feet; a length of her dark hair lay on the ground. She reached up and found the rest to be just above her shoulders. She turned to face the voice. "It was too long anyway, master. I thank you."
Voldermort let out a mocking cackle. "You think I can't tell when you are lying to me?" You're unconvincing; pathetic and unworthy of being my follower."
Madeline threw herself to the ground, landing next to his feet. "Please my lord, forgive me." She began to sob. "I did not intend to be dishonest; my trust in your judgement is unwavering."
Voldermort stepped away from the sobbing woman.
"It's been many years and you have not doubted my comeback, whilst others gave up and denied me, you were different, Madeline." He said. "But your emotions, they rule you."
Madeline sniffed and looked up at the one she adored so much. "My emotions are all for you, master."
"Lies! You lie to me again!" He pointed his wand and roared. "CRUCIO!"
Madeline landed flat on her back, screaming out in agonising pain.
"CRUCIO, CRUCIO, CRUCIO." A look of glee flashed in Voldermort's eyes, relishing in her pain.
"Master, please, no." She yelled out, a look of pleading in her eyes.
"I show no mercy! You as my faithful follower should know that." He pointed the wand at her one more time. "Is your love only for me? Does your heart beat only to serve me?"
Madeline became increasingly hysterical."It beats only for you, it does master. I live and breathe to serve you!"
"CRUCIO." He shouted once more. "You, Redveil, will tell me the truth."
"My love for her remains." She finally admitted.
"As I suspected, your love for this child is holding you back." He lowered his wand. "You can never be fully dedicated to me whilst she still remains."
"Please, Master. She is away from me; my sister, she took her away from me!" Madeline scrunched her eyes together. "But, I killed my husband for you. He did not support you, so I eliminated him!"
"And what of the child? Why is she still breathing?"
"She wasn't treacherous like her father! She was too young to pick sides, why should she die for a crime she had not committed?"
"I have been watching this child, she was placed in Griffindor." He spat the words out, as if they were a poison.
Madeline bowed her head in shame. "It was my husband's house." Her voice was barely a whisper. "Forgive me, for I was weak. Her death was one thing I could not have on my conscience."
Voldermort paused. "You, Madeline Redveil, can be redeemed."
Shocked, she jerked her head up and looked him in full in the eyes. "You'll forgive me?
Voldermort nodded. "On the condition you devote your life to me and you lose those feelings for this child." He raised his wand to her chest. "You make me this promise and I will be sure that you keep to it."
Madeline furiously nodded. Yes, Master. I'll do anything for you master." She took hold of his hand. It was freezing, but not as cold as his heart. "I make you this promise and I will keep to it." A jet of blinding light shot out of Voldermort's wand, it penetrated through her chest and carried out a merciless attack on her heart. It twisted itself around the vital organ, pulling it in every direction and burning it black.
His job done, Voldermort took a step back from Madeline, who lay panting on the ground. "You won't need it anymore."
She raised her hand to her chest. Mere seconds before, her heart rate had been pounding – now there was nothing, just an eerie stillness. "What did you...?"
"Whilst your heart was beating for her, you couldn't be a loyal servant." He stared at her, and for a moment, she was convinced he could see deep into her soul. "From now on, your heart beats for no one, but me."
He flicked his wand and she felt her heart beat once more and with a second flick, it was gone again.
"But how, master?" She asked. "How am I still alive?"
"You underestimate my powers once more! Whilst I am still powerful you shall remain living, however if I should be defeated or you should cross me, then make no mistake, you shall die a slow painful death."
"You're keeping me alive." She gasped.
"Yes, Madeline. I have you under my full control." Voldermort held her gaze. "You're eyes are green."
"Yes, my lord." She agreed.
Voldermort lifted his wand and focused it on her eyes. "Those are the colour of Harry Potter's." He kept the wand focused, until her eyes changed from an emerald green to a blood red. "That's much better. Now, you shall join me in bringing down Harry Potter."
Madeline smiled. She was free from the love that held her back and now she was fully his. "Master, I would be honoured."
Voldermort nodded. "You are no longer telling me lies." With that, he gestured for her to follow and they walked off into the night.
oOo
Present Day:
George took a cautious step towards his brother before falling to his knees beside him. "Percy, wake up." He shook him. Without a warning, Percy sat up and opened his eyes.
George gasped and moved away from him. "Your eyes..." He continued backing away.
Percy stared through him.
"They're red. They're fucking red!" He shouted out, hardly masking the fear in his voice.
Percy stood up and blinked. With that, his eyes returned back to their normal colour. "George?" He asked, pretending to be confused.
George pointed to his eyes with a shaking hand. "You were just... but you were..."
"I was what?" He asked innocently, as if nothing had happened.
"Nothing... it was probably just an adverse reaction to being bitten." He breathed a sigh of relief and pointed to the fire. "C'mon, let's get you home. You gave me quite a fright; I mean you should have heard the things you were saying."
Percy laughed; a loud booming laugh that echoed off the walls. "I don't know what you mean. Of course, you're right, that Pygmy Puff must have been infected with something that sends people crazy." He looked down at himself. "It was obviously only temporary, because now I'm fine!"
"What happened to your laugh?" George wrinkled up his nose. "You never laugh like that."
"Nonsense! This is the new me, George." He said. "It's time for a new start!"
George said nothing.
"Look at your face! I really had you going there."
George stepped into the fireplace. "I'm taking you home, now." His tone was stiff. "You follow on after me." He picked up a handful of Floo Powder. "The Burrow."
Once he was sure, George was out of sight; Percy knelt down next to the Pygmy Puff's cage and unlocked it. He picked it up just as it was stirring. "Oh, would you look at that, you're cute again." The Pygmy now looked just like all the others. Its teeth were no longer sharp and its eyes were no longer red. "Thanks, fluffy. You've been very accommodating." Percy's voice had gone; replaced by a woman's feminine accent.
Percy pulled his sleeve up, to reveal the Dark Mark, freshly scratched in by teeth marks. "I'm quite the artist." He winked at the Pygmy in his hand. "Of course, those teeth were excellent and for that, I let you live."
Fluffy squeaked and squirmed in his hand.
"Yes, I'll take good care of you. After all, I wouldn't kill my child's favourite pet." He coughed and his voice returned to it's original masculinity. "Right, I better get used to this voice." He placed Fluffy into the cage with the rest of the pygmy puffs and stepped into the fire place. "Until next time, Fluffy."