Title: Good-bye Hellmouth, pt 11

888

Last Chapter:

"Of course." Faith smirked. Once he was gone her confident mask fell, she was going to be in deep trouble when Dumbledore got there. Just as that thought passed through her brain, Albus and Buffy appeared.

Present:

"Faith, where are they?" Buffy asked concerned.

"Voldie sent someone to retrieve me and took the traitors with them." Faith answered. "I was able to convince them I needed to get cleaned up for Voldie and they let me stay."

"What happened?" Albus asked, his blue eyes watching the slayers carefully. Something odd had been happening lately and he was most definitely out of the loop, as the slayers would say. Something had changed in regards to Faith, but yet she seemed the same.

"Buffy got nabbed." Faith started. "I saw a note, I followed the directions and ended up in a weird place. I found Buffy chained to the wall, but managed to get myself in her position before I was able to pick the lock and kick some butt."

"Metaphorically." Buffy whispered to Albus, who looked shocked at the developments.

"I see." He nodded thoughtfully. "Why didn't you bring them to Hogwarts?"

"And chance being seen by Black or Potter?" Faith queried. "I'd rather not go that route again."

Albus nodded pensively. "Well we can assume that since Voldemort has Peter and Regulas Black that he'll put forth his own punishment." At this both slayers nodded, when Faith felt a burning sensation on her arm.

"Excuse me." She grunted rushing past Buffy into her own room to grab her things. Casting a scourgify charm on herself, she threw on her death eater robes and apparated out of the slayers flat and into the hallway before the meeting place. She entered with cool calculation bowing lowly before Voldemort and was stopped from rising at his words.

"My follower." Voldemort began. "It seems as though you were wronged once more out of spite."

"Yes, my Lord." She replied imperceptibly.

"I will leave Wormtail's punishment to you." He smoothly spoke, caressing the words. "But I feel that you should consult MacNair on the punishment of Regulas as he is the one in charge of the young wizard."

"Thank you, my Lord." Faith said.

"Rise and speak with MacNair in the other room and return with the verdict." Voldemort ordered causing the slayer to bow once more before following MacNair from the room.

"What do you propose?" MacNair asked rounding on her.

Faith shrugged. "I hadn't any problem with Regulas." She began. "So perhaps a warning. A spot of torture?"

MacNair nodded once and they entered the meeting hall. This time the two persons acquired were hanging on the wall in magical chains. This time neither could escape magically or the way Faith had earlier.

"Have you decided?"

"We have, my Lord." MacNair began bowing next to Faith. "Regulas will receive a spot of torture as a warning. But let it be known the next time I will not look forth so kindly."

"Very well." Voldemort nodded towards the young slayer.

Smirking she stood and faced Pettigrew. "I told you, once I got out I would have your head mounted on my wall." She purred seductively, leisurely approaching the frightened rat. "Any last requests?" She inquired, pulling out her favorite knife. The one that she received from the mayor that she found in Buffy's things before the hellmouth sunk.

Pettigrew eyed the knife and squeaked loudly. He looked around the room, pleading for someone to spare his life or for some miracle to happen.

"Praying for someone to save you, Wormtail?" Voldemort laughed harshly. "Not this time, you've proved to be more of a liability than an asset."

Faith smirked, tilting her head to the side. "How do you want it?" She asked mischievously. "Hot, cold, sharp, blunt, or loud?" When he didn't reply with anything more than a squeak she turned to those gathered and asked, "Suggestions?"

Several murmurs sounded in the group and Faith turned to the rat and smirked widely. The consensus was intense pain.

"Excellent." She pulled her wand. "Crucio!" Once she had enough of hearing his screams, she withdrew the curse and conjured something blunt. It was a long while later before she became bored. "My lord, my I keep him around?"

"Why, my child?" He hissed.

"My lord, he makes an amusing torture, but it only lasts for so long."

"Then kill him." Voldemort ordered airily.

Faith bowed her head. "Yes, my Lord." She then turned to Pettigrew. "See you in hell." She smirked spitefully, pointing her wand at his bloodied body. "Avada –"

"I know where the Potter's are hiding!" Peter screamed causing the slayer to stop the killing curse.

The room was deathly silent until a set of robes bellowed showing that someone was approaching the sniveling man. Voldemort stopped next to Faith, gesturing for her to lower her wand, but to remain standing.

"Is this a pathetic attempt for me to spare your life?" Voldemort questioned lowly. His warning was evident causing most in the room to shiver in either fear or anticipation.

"My Lord, they've gone into hiding." Peter stuttered shaking in obvious terror. "I needed to keep Summers from becoming their guardian and that's why I took her."

Voldemort said nothing, though he could feel, practically taste, the anger emitting from the brunette at his side.

"My Lord, if she kills me, their secret dies with me and you'll never find the Potter boy."

"Child." Voldemort said before leading Faith out of the room. Once in his private chambers, just off the meeting room, he asked; "You are angry. Why?"

"He's a rotten liar, my lord." She said. "He had another reason for wanting Summers. He left me a portkey to follow him."

"You care deeply about this Summers' girl?"

"She's my family." Faith answered. "Before I became a part of this family."

"I see."

"Forgive me, my lord, I didn't intend to offend you." She said humbly.

"Forgiveness isn't needed, my child." He responded. "The matter at hand, you asked me if you could keep him. Do you still want him as your pet?"

"I would enjoy the hours of torture." She responded only seconds after the question was asked. She knew what this would mean and accepted it.

"Very well." He granted, and they entered the meeting room where no one had moved. "Take Wormtail to the third floor dungeons to the last cell."

MacNair stepped forward, requesting, "Might I help with Faith?"

Voldemort glanced at the brunette, who shrugged showing her indifference. "You may, my servant. May this teach all those that are of the lower ranks that they are to follow in line."

"Thank you, my Lord." MacNair stood and joined Faith.

"You want to take the first shot?" Faith inquired looking at the indifference expression on Regulas' handsome face. She could really care less what they did to the lower death eater, her vendetta was against Pettigrew who had been hanging limply against the wall.

"It'll be my pleasure." He smirked, pointing his wand. "Crucio!"

Faith had an inspiration. She approached Regulas and used the blunt end of the knife she had to elicit a response from the quiet death eater. She was rewarded by a sharp scream of pain and she stepped back viewing the work.

MacNair released the unforgivable and Faith handed him a knife with a silver hilt and smooth blade. He approached the younger wizard and experimented a bit.

Faith supervised the work adding suggestions and stopping it from going to far. After all they didn't want to kill him, just show him not to mess with someone of the higher ranks.

"Very good, my servants." Voldemort congratulated them once Regulas Black was unconscious but still very much alive. "Child." He called before she could exit the room. "When Wormtail reveals what he says he knows, kill him and come to me."

"Of course, my lord." She bowed lowly.

"You are not frightened of me." It wasn't a question, but a statement. "Why?"

"There are few things that frighten me, my lord." She answered, standing when he signaled for her to follow him back into his chambers.

"You have done much in your life?" He asked conjuring up two bottles of firewhiskey.

"You could say that." She answered. "Is there something specific you'd like to know, my lord?"

"Tell me of your childhood." It wasn't a request, but an order. He had taken a seat in a faded blue-green printed, high backed chair and waved for her to join him.

"There's not much to tell." She stated. "My mom raised me until she died from lung cancer. I had to take up a job to survive, dropped out of school and was found by the watcher's council."

"And you're father?"

"Didn't know him." She shrugged. "Mom never talked about him, I never asked."

"It seems you and I had a similar upbringing, though I lived in an orphanage until I graduated from Hogwarts." He said after taking a drink. "Why did you join me?"

"Lucius asked." She said softly. "He was the first guy friend who didn't look at me like I was their pet."

"And now?"

"I enjoy having something to participate in." She answered. "When I was with Summers' group I was the outcast so I never belonged."

The pair talked for a bit longer before Voldemort dismissed her. As she entered the hallway she found Severus walking out of the room they'd placed Regulas.

"Severus, were you able to heal Regulas?" Faith asked softly. Pettigrew had been moved to his new home in the dungeons for further torturing by Faith and those she allowed to help her.

"Yes." He answered giving the wizard some drought he had on hand for times like these.

"That's good, thanks." Faith said touching his arm lightly before disapparating. Somehow she felt so much dirtier than ever before. Quietly she apparated into the bathroom of her and Buffy's flat, stripped off her clothing while turning the water on hot and then climbing into the blue tile shower.

She scrubbed her skin harshly to the point that it was angry red and scrubbed it just a bit more. It was then that she broke down angry with herself for allowing this charade for getting this bad. Angry, hot tears streamed down her face mixing well with the coldness of the water.

So absorbed in her self-loathing she didn't hear or feel Buffy enter or turn off the water and wrap a towel around her before effortlessly lifting her out of the tub. Wordlessly Buffy took Faith to her bedroom and dressed her in a pair of sweats and a long sleeved shirt because the brunette was trembling.

Buffy then moved Faith so that she was under her coverlet and returned with a hot cup of cocoa. The slayers remained silent, Buffy seated next to Faith in a comforting fashion. "I can't do it anymore." Faith whispered faintly. "I can't pretend everything's alright when I'm destroying myself."

Buffy wrapped a comforting arm around the brunette not sure what to say. They'd never really been friends, not close ones after all, more like sisters with the same job. But the past three and a half years at Hogwarts and England had brought them closer. Throughout the dark Lord and her friends not liking her and visa versa they remained true to themselves.

"He's as good as dead." She whispered. "And it'll be by my hand." The harsh words were spoken. "And I enjoyed torturing him, to the point of hating myself."

Buffy hugged the younger slayer, afraid for Faith. She was her own downfall. "You're going to do fine." She finally whispered. "Albus is making final plans and soon the war will be over, you'll be free to be the best godmother for Lily's baby."

"You heard about that?" Faith asked softly. "How'd James take it?"

"He was ecstatic." Buffy smiled. "And didn't mind it was you that was going to be the godmother."

"I bet it's eating at Black."

"I can't say Sirius for sure, but James is trying. He just doesn't know what to make of you." She stated, humor evident in her voice. "You're a blatant mystery that he's trying to figure out and learning he can't."

"Thanks, Buffy." Faith said after a good laugh.

"You're welcome, Faith." Buffy smiled. "I'm here for you and I know some of the things he makes you do aren't great but you can talk to me."

End pt 11