I haven't been writing for a few days due to Writers Block, so I hope you guys enjoy this ;)
After a few days, tension cut through
the house. Remus was constantly re-reading the Daily Prophet, looking
through every article in hope to find any news regarding Voldemort.
Then, he found something. "Look! There's been another
murder!"
"That's great, mate," said Sirius
sarcastially, "Lovely way to start the day." Remus ignored
this comment, and smoothing the newspaper out on the large coffee
table in front of them, pointed out the article. Narcissa leant
forward, and began to read out aloud.
"At
exactly noon yesturday afternoon, the body of Ridarco Higglesworth
was recovered in his home near Little Hangleton Graveyard. He was
discovered by Susmr Hutch, employee at the Ministry of Magic. 'We
have reason to believe that Lord thing and his followers were after
Mr Higglesworth, although evidence is low, we can establish he was
inflicted with the killing curse.' he said earlier today. No one has
reason yet to understand why Mr Higglesworth was murdered. Could he
of sustained exceedingly important information that was required?
Turn to page three for more ..." she broke off, and glanced
at them all. "I - well, mother knew Ridarco. He was-"
"A
family friend, yeah." finished Sirius, looking seriously at them
all. "He was on rather good terms with my mother."
"Perhaps,"
mused James, "he's killing off people we hold dearest to us."
"I
doubt that," murmured Narcissa, "I am close to all of you;
and are any of you dead? No. He knows how-"
James sat up
straight. "And he knows we're important to you ... because he
visited you at your house, right?"
Narcissa nodded, sinking
back into the couch with a sigh. "I should of lied to
him-"
"No - you couldn't of. He's excellent at
delving into the mind - remember how he tortured you, Narcissa? So,
that's one possiblity cut short ..." he did not look paticularly
sympathetic as he referred to her past encounter at being tortured.
She frowned at him, but held her tongue. James was looking mystified,
but let it slide, sipping his Butterbeer in earnst. And that's when
the argument broke.
"No need to be so blunt, Remus."
"Sirius
- this - that's not the point!"
"Really? I thought it
was."
Remus and Sirius both stood up, suprisingly accurate in
height and anger, their hands clenched around their wands. It was
clear they were
attempting to sustain the diplomatic negotiations for as long as
possible. James looked disgruntled. "Padfoot, Moony - sit
DOWN."
They ignored him.
"Why so touchy, Sirius?"
It
was a good enough question. Usually, Sirius wouldn't of defended any
family member as quick as that, but things were different now. He
shook his head as if trying to dislodge an annoying fixation, his
eyes boring into Remus's. "I'm not," he muttered, "just
... forget it, okay?"
Remus glared, then sighed, before
sinking back down into the armchair. He twirled his wand around in
his hands, glaring at the fire as if had caused him great
disturbance. James stood up, eventually. "I'm going to owl to my
mum and dad ... see how they are." He walked out of the room,
his hands in his pockets, a slightly hurt expression on his face.
Sirius
slumped into an armchair opposite Remus, and looked extremely surly.
Narcissa supressed speaking out with difficulty; as a cold, sleek
voice filtered through her mind. "You
did not listen to me, Narcissa," he
said, and her mind exploded with horrible images of massacres of them
all dying, and loosing in battle. "I
warned you what would happen if you didn't stick to regulations -
what's that I see in your mind? A spark of indignation, fury, even?
My, growing quite sentimental aren't we?" He
chuckled, and it echoed around her mind. His handsome features were
changing slowly; his usual brown eyes were glowing scarlet, his
facial expression adapted to what appeared to be loathing. "Silly
girl. You'll be loyal to us even if you don't want to be - I'll make
sure of that. Forget these half bloods, traitors of the kind - redeem
your pureblood self, and recongise your potential." The
voice cut short as soon as it had begun, and as she came back into
reality, Narcissa realised she had been clutching her forehead so
hard, that she had drawn segiments of blood. Remus and Sirius had
forgotten their miniature feud as they rushed to her side. "Narcissa,
what-"
"What happened-"
Everything was cut short
when the door blew open, and several people arrived dressed in black,
surrounded by a dark mist. Bellatrix was among the so called
recruitment team, her dark eyes glittering. "Hello, Cissy,"
she hissed, stepping forward and extending a hand. "Come to join
us?" Bellatrix put her head to one side, and considered her
sister for some time. "No?" her voice was barely audible,
"AVADA KEDABRA!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Narcissa
awoke in a hot sweat. Sirius was looking at her in concern, wiping a
hand over her forehead. "It's OK," he soothed, "it was
just a nightmare." She edged herself up on her elbows, Remus
fussing as he tried to make her more comfortable. Although he meant
well, his fussing irriated her.
"I don't think it was a
nightmare," she snapped, her moodswing over-coming her. "It
was too real for it to be an illusion."
Remus resumed his
sarcastic self. It didn't suit him at all. "Oh, so it was Lord
Voldemort penetraying your mind?"
She looked at him directly.
"Yes."
His expression changed. "You need to try and
block him out, Narcissa-"
"I am
trying," said she, on the verge of tears. Remus placed a hand on
her arm soothingly, and she calmed a little, her heart beating
abnormally fast. Sirius had a look of anger on his face. "You
were kinda - twitching - and when you woke up - I saw something leave
your eyes."
"Leave my eyes? How do you mean?"
Sirius
shrugged, as if implying he wasn't sure what he'd seen. James came
bustling in, flicking his wand about merrily, red sparks flying out
as he contemplated in solitude. Suddenly; the doors really did swing
open, and as bursts of bright, neon lights shot past Narcissa's eyes,
she knew it was all over.
"Let
me go!"
"Be quiet, POTTER!" roared Goyle, his fat
belly bouncing as he strode in front of James. All four of them were
tied up in what appeared to be a dusty cell. Narcissa attempted in
vain to undo her ropes, but no such luck. She rocked back on her
chair legs angrily. Their wands had been taken off them, and were
guarded by Crabbe, who had the mannerisms (and intelligence) of a
confunded troll.
"No! Why have we been tied up!" James
thrashed about in his chair angrily.
"SILENCE!"
"NO-"
"CRUCIO!"
James
screamed in pain as he was inflicted, and Goyle laughed proudly.
James was ghostly white now, with a feverish tinge to his cheeks. He
was staring at Goyle with disgust. "Think you're the big man,
don't you?"
Goyle retaliated by punching him. Narcissa
inhaled sharply; but James just smiled. "That's quite muggle for
you, Goyle."
"Drop it, mate," murmured Sirius,
trying to get his ropes off and look out for the others at the same
time. His eyes swivelled around the room, as if looking for a way
out. Bellatrix entered the room, at the arm of Lord Voldemort. Her
hair seemed neat for once, but her eyes glittered the madness she had
occupied for so long. Voldemort's expression gave nothing away; his
face was completely blank. He tilted his head to one side, as if
watching them as a predator would consider it's prey before
attacking. "Sirius Black, blood traitor." Voldemort began
to pace backwards and forth, as he reeled off their faults and names.
"James Potter, blood traitor and a general infilitration to our
kind. Remus Lupin," his lip curled, "half-breed, not that
I'm suprised - very common background you come from, Remus ... and
dear Narcissa Black. Blood traitor, yes, but also very confused."
he paused. "Where is Wormtail?" They did not answer him,
and so he pointed his wand threateningly at Remus. "Where is
he?" his tones were calm, but anger filtered through like
daylight through net curtains. Remus swallowed, as if wondering
whether or not he should answer Voldemort. "CRUCIO!"
Remus's screams echoed the room; it was too terrible to bare witness
to.
"He's - at Hogwarts," gasped Remus, tears welling up
in his eyes from the pain. Voldemort smirked.
"Dear Remus -
was that hard? You leave him behind because he does not fit to your
standards-"
"It's nothing like that-"
"SILENCE."
Voldemorts eyes flashed scarlet for a brief moment, and he continued,
in the same monotonous voice. "And do you think your friends
actually accept you? James does, yes ... although he is rather ...
juvenile, one would say. Your girlfriend and her cousin - your best
friend - you don't get suspicious at all?"
"No, I
don't," replied Remus loudly. Voldemort inclined his head.
"Then
so be it," he hissed, flicking his wand at Remus. "I could
do it, you know," he mused, flittering about the room, "I
could kill you. Or torture you into insanity. Or ... I could let you
free. Under one condition."
"And what condition might
that be?" asked Remus politely, but with the grace of a man
prepared to fight back. Voldemort smiled benignly.
"You split
up with Narcissa Black ... or I kill you." he said simply.
"Why
should my relatonship with Narcissa have anything to do with you?"
Remus retorted.
Voldemort's smile grew. "It is a question of
uncertainties, dear friend. Self-indulgence in the wrong thing is her
only philosophy. Besides - she is marrying Lucius Malfoy, whether she
wants to or not. Bellatrix," he pointed at Narcissa's sister,
whose heavy-lidded eyes flickered when Voldemort referred to her,
"failed me in producing an heir-"
"WHAT?"
yelled Narcissa, "Bellatrix - you never told me you had a
miscarriage, or actually DID it-"
"Why would she?"
said Voldemort dangerously, "You're never there to listen to
her, are you?"
Narcissa was silenced. There was no point in
even making up an excuse.
"Let James Potter go," ordered
Voldemort, "but one thing, Potter ... I'll be back to reclaim my
debt." James was released, and looking mystified at what
Voldemort had told him, disapparated to his home immediatley.
Voldemort approached Sirius, who's face was contorted with utter
hate.
"Sirius ... it is obvious, I'm afraid, what you're
doing behind Remus's back ... oh, pity ..." Voldemort did not
look like pity had ever met with his emotions; on the contrary he
looked forboding, and rather fierce. "I am letting you go,
Sirius - because you haven't angered me at all. Apart from cheating
..."
"What?" snapped Sirius, his face full of
anger.
"You heard me," replied Voldemort silkily.
"Release him; he can go."
And with that, Sirius
vanished.
"Now - Remus. I'll be honest," he twirled his
wand, "I don't like you. But you can go anyway. Disgusting half
breed . . ." he smiled, pointing his wand at Remus's rope that
was restraining him from moving, and Remus too, vanished.
"Narcissa."
Voldemort crouched so his face was aligned with Narcissa's, his
breathing controlled. "Marry Lucius. Produce a son - who will
carry on a task I will need doing in the near future. If you don't,
I'll kill your three friends, but before that I shall torture them,
and wipe their memories, before finally killing you. Is that what you
want?"
"No, no..." tears welled up in her eyes.
"There has to be another way!"
"There isn't,"
he said sharply, before gesturing to Bellatrix.
"Untie her,
and make sure she apparates to Malfoy Manor ... as far as I am
concerned, any friendships with the marauders for Narcissa is
finished."
Narcissa was released, and as she disapparated,
the last thing she heard was Voldemort and Bellatrix laughing...
