Wendela400: Many thanks :D I hope you like the next chapter.
Darklady5289: Cliffhanger? Just a little ;) Anyway, thanks for the review and let's find out what Voldy has to say, shall we?
MsPadfootVerona: Damn it! Answering the reviews just made me remember I still haven't wrote you that email. I need a diary... or a personal assistent. Are you allowed to post job advertisements on this site? Once again such a wonderful review from you ( I very much enjoy yourendless blabbering), I feel really guilty now.
Oh, Johnny Depp, two days ago 'the Astronaut's Wife' was on TV. Make my day, why don't you :D Although he is quite scary in that film... but scary in a very sexy way.I so love the idea of a Johnny Depp-day, by the way. Johnny and junkfood, what more does a girl want?
I haven't seen 'Saw'. That film is way to scary for me, although I agree that there is something about the idea behind it. But then I think about the leg, the chain and the fact that he has to cut off his own leg and that just cures me of any wish to see it. I'm such a coward.
I liked that about Remus too. I figured if it came from him it would have more impact on our favourite, yet overly stubborn hero. Oh, by the way, I came across this picture of Dougray Scott in 'Ever After' and he sort of looks like the younger version of film-Sirius. Still doesn't match the one in my head, butI thought he would do well as Gary Oldman's younger version, though he's too old for fifteen year-old Sirius. Maybe it's just the long, black hair...
Wow, you're really busy with school organisations. I have the same, only with my swimming and gymnastics clubs.
Anyway, have fun on your holiday and with the musical, though you'll read it after you get back, so this is just stupid..
hpandfriendsruletheworld: Sirius is back, yay! Glad you liked it :) Don't like Voldemort either, but he cried when I told himI was gonna leave him out, so I kinda felt sorry for him :D No seriously, I could write a book on ways to kill Bellatrix and Voldemort slowly for killing Sirius. Remus is one of my favourites, he really is the one that brings a little reason into the Marauder group.
DollFace080: I love cliffhangers. I couldn't do it any other way, really, I mean about Sirius' stubbornness. I can't picture him stepping easily over the fact that 1) she's gone back to Evan, and 2) she lives with her family, instead of with him. Sirius has some serious issues with his family and their kind. And being stubborn (pig-headed?) of course makes it worse. And Niamh hasn't been highly considerate either. It's not all Sirius' fault ;) They're both stupid.
Messr-Paddifoots-love: LOL. Well,you're right, that's just Sirius. Adorable at times, handsome, but a complete ass at other times. But, like I said to DollFace080: don't forget Niamh. She could've done some things different as well...
Domlando Blonaghan: Great to hear from you again! I'm glad you still like the story. You're going to learn Gaelic? Can I ask your advice sometimes ;)? Anyway, I hope you like the next chapter.
Marked
Before I realised it, fear was taking over and I started trembling. Cursing inwardly, I pushed it down almost violently. I did not dare lift my head. I stared at the ground.
"Severus," Voldemort's cold and high voice began. "Lucius has told me so much about you. Your knowledge of the Dark Arts is exquisite, he tells me."
I watched Severus from the corner of my eye. He bowed even deeper. "Thank you, my lord."
"And you, Niamh." I almost jumped up in fright. "Another member from such a respectable family. If you are half as competent as your brother is, I shall be fortunate to have you as my follower. And from what he and Evan tell me, I am much more than fortunate."
"You're too kind, my lord," I said, managing to stop my voice from trembling, although my lip bled from the force with which I had bitten on it.
Voldemort began walking around us. I didn't move an inch, I just kept staring at the ground, my head bowed. The Death Eaters stood motionless around us.
"You remind me of Bella, Niamh," Voldemort continued.
"I beg your pardon, my lord?" I asked bewildered.
He let out a chuckle that seemed more a cackle. It was a highly unpleasant sound that made my skin itch. "You both don't settle for the ordinary. You both want more."
Great, he's a good judge of character. I chastised myself immediately. This was not the time for sarcasm, for Merlin's sake!
"You gave Lucius quite a shock last year." Voldemort chuckled again. One of the Death Eaters shuffled uncomfortably. I reckoned it was Lucius.
"Forgive me, my lord. I hope I did not displease you."
"It would have pleased me if you and Lucius had been united. A bond between those two powerful families would certainly have pleased me." His last words ended in an angry hiss.
Oh, good Merlin. This was not going well. I had angered the Dark Lord before I had even met him. Way to go, Niamh. Say goodbye to your limbs. I closed my eyes, unable to hide the trembling now.
"But," Voldemort continued, an echo of his anger still in his voice, "I understood later. Your engagement to Evan and your request to him let me know that you would make a valuable addition to my faithful Death Eaters."
"Thank you, my lord." I couldn't hide the relief in my voice.
Again that cold chuckle. "Are you frightened of me, dear Niamh?" the Dark Lord asked. It seemed to amuse him.
"Yes, my Lord."
"Good."
Shit.
"There's no need to fear me now. You've pleased me. My Death Eaters have reported that you have been a worthy companion on their quests."
I sighed in relief.
"As have you, Severus. I've heard nothing but good about you."
I was not surprised. Severus had always been a walking, talking encyclopaedia of Dark Curses and Potions.
"Thank you, my lord," he answered.
"Hold out your arms," the Dark Lord suddenly commanded. The Death Eaters stepped closer. I followed Severus's example and held out my left arm. "You will receive your reward now."
Voldemort extended a white hand and drew up my sleeve with one finger. My arm chilled to the bone. He did the same with Severus. He pointed his wand at my forearm, just below the elbow. A small drop of black liquid appeared on the tip of his wand and fell on my skin. A tiny dot of the black substance was visible on my arm. It soon spread out, as if an invisible quill were drawing something on my skin. Again, Severus received the same treatment.
Black ink crawled over my skin, guided by the invisible quill, connecting lines and dots and forming an image. I stared at the drawing on my skin. It resembled the Dark Mark that I had seen cast into the skies so many times. A skull with a snake protruding from its mouth.
Voldemort began chanting a spell. He was joined by the Death Eaters. I felt an uncomfortable tingle in my arm. I gasped in pain when the drawing suddenly began to burn. The fine line of ink grew thicker and blacker and some smoke coiled into the winter's air. I gritted my teeth and blinked away tears of pain. The Dark Mark was being burned into my very flesh.
I was marked.
The pain faded away to a dull throbbing. Voldemort looked at his handiwork. "The Dark Mark binds you to me. Your loyalty and obedience will be unwavering. You will serve me, your master. Serve me well and you will be rewarded. Fail me and you will be punished. I welcome you," he said, "my Death Eaters. Honour your master."
Severus immediately crawled forward and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes. I felt revulsion, but did the same as he.
"Rise," the Dark Lord commanded, "and greet your family."
The other Death Eaters closed in around us and I was being congratulated. Evan took of his mask and kissed me deeply.
"Evan, why don't you continue that at home? We'd like a chance to congratulate her too," my brother said amused. Evan pulled back with a grin. "I'm very proud of you, little sister," Rowan smiled.
"Thank you," I smiled back.
"Father will be too."
I had to make an effort to keep the smile on my face, but I succeeded. Suddenly I was face to face with Severus.
"Niamh," he said, studying me with his black eyes.
"Severus," I grinned. "I would say 'what a surprise', but actually, it isn't."
"I was about to say the same to you," he replied. "So it's Evan who brought you in?"
"Yes, of course. And you? Lucius?"
"Yes." Severus eyed me carefully. "You caused quite a stir postponing the wedding."
I rolled my eyes with a smile. "I think you are about the six-hundredth person who's told me that. And they all love a good scandal," I added with a wink.
Evan snaked his arm around my waist. "And you love causing one, don't you?"
"That's not true," I pouted.
"Come on, we'll take our leave," Evan ordered and walked me to the Dark Lord, who was speaking to Lucius.
"Master," Evan bowed deeply – and I with him.
"Leaving so soon?"
"Forgive me, master."
"Celebrate in private, Evan."
"Thank you, master."
We bowed again and walked away to Disapparate. In my apartment Evan pulled me closer and lowered his mouth to mine. It seemed I would not be dropping the Occlumency walls yet. I sighed and kissed back.
When Evan was finally asleep in the middle of the night, I sent a message to Dumbledore using the Patronus Charm. I rolled up the sleeve of my nightgown to look at the awful mark and gasped. It was gone.
When I looked closer, I could just make out a web of the faintest lines on my forearm, but someone who didn't know it was there would never notice it. I could still feel it, though. It felt like a foul, black stain on my skin. I felt tainted. Heaving a deep sigh, I went back to bed, to my fiancé. Tomorrow was a Saturday and I was expected at the manor to discuss my mother's Christmas party. I went over all the invitations I had received.
Christmas Eve, at the manor with the family. Won't that be charming? I sighed and rolled my eyes. My sense of humour had always been slightly sarcastic, but it had got much worse lately, to the point of being cynical.
Anyway, Christmas Ball at the Malfoys as usual. New Year's Ball at the Fudges'. All for the sake of Evan's political ambitions. Merlin, that's going to be boring.
Then there would be Quinn and Cecil's annual Christmas drink on Friday night before Christmas. A soirée at Rosier manor on the 28th, dinner at the Blacks' on the 29th and another party on the 30th, at the Grants'. One of my aunts was a Grant.
Evan and I had been invited to lunch at Lana's on the 27th, which was the only thing I was looking forward to, besides Quinn and Cecil's drink.
Finally, New Year's reception on the 1st of January 1979 at the Lestranges'.
I had also been invited to Gideon and Fabian's, who had taken it upon themselves to arrange a party for Order members and I had promised to try and sneak in.
I decided I really should get some sleep, because not only would I be forced to listen to my mother's detailed plans, I would also have to go shopping afterwards. Merlin forbid that I should wear the same dress twice. My dear old Mum would have a fit.
After an exhausting weekend I had an Order meeting on Monday morning. Not only did I hate Mondays and mornings, I especially hated the combination of those two.
Still annoyed and cranky from spending an entire weekend with my Mother and having to get up at an ungodly hour, I stomped into the fortified house and headed straight for the kitchen. I was so focussed on getting coffee that I didn't watch where I was going and bumped into an inflexible chest that had appeared out of nowhere.
Two hands grabbed my shoulders when I staggered backwards and I looked up in familiar grey eyes.
Just what I need. Some god must really hate me.
"Watch it," Sirius said and frowned. "You all right?" Apparently he thought that shouldn't have come out of his mouth, because he clenched his jaw and dropped his hands as if he had burned himself on me.
"Peachy," I snapped and brushed past him. I began making some coffee for myself.
Sirius cleared his throat. "I've already made coffee," he said.
I jumped, I didn't know he was still there. I made a vague sound and grabbed a mug, pouring the ambrosia-like liquid into it. It was still very quiet and I realised Sirius and I were the only ones here yet. Suppressing a groan, I turned around and leaned against the kitchen sink, bracing myself.
Sirius turned around and walked out of the kitchen. I sighed in relief. Feeling like a coward, I lingered in the kitchen until some of the other members had arrived. Remus came from the living room and stopped when he saw me still leaning against the sink, raising an eyebrow. Bugger, I wish that man wasn't so damn observant.
"Enjoying yourself?" he asked. "All alone in the kitchen?"
"Very much," I answered with a blank face. Does he think he can get something out of me regarding that grey-eyed arse in the living room? Perhaps he was forgetting who he was talking to. I would just use my Occlumency against him.
Remus snorted and magicked a kettle on the fire to make some tea.
Fabian strolled inside and mumbled a hello, his nose buried in a piece of parchment.
"Coffee, Fabian?" I asked.
"What?" he asked confused and looked up. "No, we don't need coffee on the Christmas party, do we?"
"I meant right now," I answered dryly. "What are you reading anyway?"
"Yes, coffee would be nice. I'm going over the booze list for the Christmas party. You are coming, aren't you? Everybody is coming. Well, almost everybody, but -- "
"Yes, Fab, I'm coming," I quickly interrupted him and handed him a mug of coffee. "So, why do you need a booze list?"
Fabian gave me an incredulous look. "You think I can remember all those mad Muggle-drinks?"
"Oh," I said interested, "you're getting Muggle drinks? I drank tiq -- taqui -- tequila once in a Muggle club. It was great. You had to lick salt from your hand, drink the tequila, and suck on a lemon. It was so much fun." I then remembered who I drank it with and my face darkened.
"What's wrong?" Fabian asked.
"Nothing," I mumbled. "Just had a hangover after that."
"Sure you had," Remus said and gave me a look that told me he knew exactly what had been on my mind.
"Sounds like fun, though," Fabian pondered. "How do you spell it?"
We bent over the list and I recognized only a few drinks beside Firewhiskey and Butterbeer.
"Fabian! I forgot one," Sirius called from the living room and walked in. "You should get tequila. We could feed it to McGonagall and Dumbledore and see what happens."
"Tequila, eh?" Fabian said thoughtfully and glanced at me. "I see."
I kicked his ankle, but the bloody redhead didn't move a muscle. "Niamh thought it was a good idea too, but she didn't know how to spell it. Enlighten us," he said with a smirk.
Sirius's eyes darted to mine for a moment. I averted them and paid attention to nothing but my coffee, keeping my face blank. He bent over Fabian's parchment, so I quickly moved out of the kitchen, pretending not to hear Remus's annoyed sigh.
Ten minutes later the meeting began and Dumbledore immediately turned to me. "How are you, Niamh?"
"I'm okay," I said. "It was surprisingly tame, actually."
"What was?" Remus asked. "Did you get…"
"Yeah," I interrupted him, "I was initiated." I turned to Dumbledore again. "The Death Eaters are marked with the Dark Mark. It was burned into my skin, but an hour or so later, it had almost disappeared. I think they are being summoned through this mark, but I'm not sure, because I haven't been summoned yet."
Dumbledore nodded. "That sounds like the Protean Charm, but Voldemort must have altered the charm to have the mark concealed. Using it on human skin," he muttered. "Unheard of."
"It wasn't pleasant," I agreed. I pretended not to see Remus and Lily's pitying look.
"Tell me about the initiation," Dumbledore asked.
"It was short," I answered, still a little surprised about that. "Only the Death Eaters that I already know were present, not even all of them. I don't understand. I thought I would meet all the other Death Eaters."
"What…" Marlene McKinnon began hesitantly. "What's he like? You-Know-Who?"
The room fell deadly silent. I paused. How could I describe him? "He's very tall and thin. White. His face… You can see that he is human, but at the same time there is…" I stopped and frowned. "It's like there is something else behind his face, something that shines through. Something not natural. You can see it most clearly in his eyes. They seem to have a red glow to them."
The others stared in fascination at me. I continued, "Everything that he says drips with cruelty and ruthlessness, even when he pretends to be cordial. The very sound of his voice makes your hair stand on edge. He relishes in your fear and expects full obedience and servitude. He is truly like a lord and the Death Eaters are his servants." I shuddered, suddenly feeling cold.
"Thank you," Dumbledore said. "This type of information is extremely useful as well, for it will help us understand more about him."
I nodded. "There's one more thing. I was not the only one initiated that night."
Everybody sat up straight. "Who was it?" Dumbledore wanted to know.
I glanced at James and Sirius. "Severus Snape," I answered.
They jumped simultaneously from their seats, shouting, "WHAT!"
James gritted his teeth. "I knew it. I knew it from the first time I saw that slimy git."
Sirius stared at me, fists clenched and a burning light in his eyes that spilled with hatred. Dumbledore's heavy sigh made me look away and watch my former Headmaster.
"Don't tell me you hadn't expected this, sir," James sputtered.
"Expected, perhaps, but one may hope, James," Dumbledore answered. "One may hope."
Niamh!" Lily called after me when I left Headquarters.
I turned around. "What's wrong, Lily?"
"Are you sure you're all right?" she asked concerned.
I smiled. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry."
"Look, I know I shouldn't interfere and James thinks that it's better this way, but that's just because he and Sirius agree on pretty much everything and this is another perfect example where James just blindly agrees with Sirius no matter how obvious -- "
"Lily, calm down," I interrupted her. "Does this speech have a point, because I'm rather late for work and…"
"Don't give me that crap, Niamh," Lily snapped. "You just want to get away because I started talking about Sirius."
"That's nonsense," I said blankly.
Lily made an incredulous sound. "I'm not blind. I can see what it's doing to you. And to him! I'm worried about you, Niamh."
I smiled. "You're a darling, Lily. But you don't have to worry. James is right, it's better this way. Well, I have to go now. I'll see you on Fabian's party. Bye."
I left Lily standing on the porch and hurried off.
Let me know what you think!
