Chapter Twenty-Eight : Past Lovers

Igor Karkaroff remembered Tahirah Nefertari before the moment she first spoke at the International Ministry of Magic. Both having graduated from the Durmstrang Institute of Magical Learning, they were also in the Grimmsey house and occasionally shared the same bed. She caused less trouble then than she does now.

Tahirah walks with an easy stride, her arms at her side and her footsteps in perfect rhythm, echoing off the walls. She is a woman in her forties and is ruled by lust and power. If she attended Hogwarts, she would have been in Slytherin and turned out like Aileen Alaren. By the grace of the Gods, she did not attend. Now, she's alone in the corridor; her honorary guards never accompany her from the banquet room of the Ministers. Her silky black hair sways, and her hips shift from side to side. She stops momentarily at a creeping ivy plant placed high on a windowsill, idly wondering who placed it there and where it would suit better.

Karkaroff steps from the shadows of an entryway and follows Tahirah with an assassin's glide. A dagger is concealed in his boot, his wand is hidden away in the sleeves of black robes, and an assassin's sword is wrapped around his waist, the handle buried in his robes. He learnt that trade through being a Death Eater. In another life, he would have been an Auror. Draped across one arm is a thick cloak with stars and moons sewn into the fabric.

When Karkaroff saw her owl fly through the window and land on his shoulder not one month ago, announcing the engagement of her daughter, he knew that she would be the first of many trials. She was all that stood between them and an alliance with the Ministry of Magic, and with luck, that situation would be remedied.

"Who needs luck when I'm here to remedy it," Karkaroff mutters under his breath to no one. From the folds of his robes, he withdraws two silver Sickles.

Tahirah stops and listens. A soft clicking sound that she hasn't heard since her Durmstrang days draws her attention. She spins around, her royal blue and black robes spinning with her, and her eyes catch a glimpse of her first love. She eyes Karkaroff, her dark gaze landing on two coins he clicks between his fingers. This used to be their way of speaking to another when surrounded by peers or comrades.

"Igor," she greets, as she reaches into her pockets for two coins. She removes two bronze Knuts and rubs them together in a similar fashion, an old greeting that they once used.

"Tahirah." Karkaroff bows in mock respect, fingering the two Sickles. "I'm pleased you remember our language. It has been a while, after all." He licks his lips slowly, studying her with yearning visible in his black hawk eyes.

"You remember as well." Tahirah smirks in triumph. "Finally came to your senses, have you? Rid yourself of those foolish clangers in the Last Alliance?" She speaks with confidence in her voice, sizing up Karkaroff with her eyes.

"Those people you call clangers are the only hope we have to save this world from complete darkness," Karkaroff snaps harshly, losing his temper at her disrespect.

"Really? The darkness can be comforting." She approaches him, running her slender fingers through his ivory hair as she used to when they were together. "I once offered you the sun, stars, and moon, Igor, and I do not go back on my word. Think of everything that you and I could accomplish, we could rule the world if that is what you wish. Together, as we were in Durmstrang."

Karkaroff lifts his arm to motion towards the cloak draped over his arm. "I already have the stars and moon, but those are not what matter. It was your love that I wanted. I haven't forgiven you for cheating on me, Tahirah," Karkaroff replies coldly, grabbing her around the waist with this free hand, pulling her into his soft embrace. "You speak of ruling the world, but you would rather have slaves wait on you hand and foot instead of worship you as the Goddess you are."

Tahirah blushed red in her cheeks, but with her dark skin, it was difficult for Karkaroff to tell. "I never knew I was a Goddess."

"You are to me." He pulls her closer, wiping her crimson lipstick from her lips with his thumb. He caresses her cheeks and presses his lips to hers in a kiss that's long awaited.

She pulls away from the kiss long enough to ask one question. "Are you here to beg for forgiveness, or to join me and rule the world like we were meant to? There is still time for us!"

Karkaroff looks at his love with nothing but affection in his eyes. "You are wrong, Tahirah. I don't come here to join you, or beg you to take me back. My life no longer belongs to the Death Eaters; it belongs to my new family--the Last Alliance. And you could have been apart of it--"

"Could our daughter?" Tahirah interrupts. "She has a good life with the Death Eaters, and all because she didn't know you." She expects the words to cut into Karkaroff like swords, and she's disappointed when no shock spreads over his face.

"Do you take me for a fool? You think I didn't know about her? I was Voldemort's assassin, and I could have just as easily killed Jerrell and saved my daughter from Malfoy. You think I didn't know what was happening in your household? I knew better than Jerrell did; I watched you always after we broke up. I saw how he treated my daughter, better than I could have. He loved her even though, deep down, he knew she wasn't his. He hated her for that, but he hated you more."

Tahirah's jaw drops to the floor, and words fail her for the first time in her life.

Karkaroff leans forward to whisper in her ear. "That first meeting in the council, you didn't think I'd recognise you, my love? Even Severus recognised you. We knew that you would rather ally with Malfoy. Our leader is young and naïve at times, but he is a good man. And I will follow him into battle, and I will die for his cause. Would you die for the Ministry's cause, Tahirah?" he asks, his voice steady and drowning with compassion.

"If they paid me enough, I'd follow them into hell," Tahirah states simply, harshly. "But enough about me, how did you survive Voldemort's wrath? He aimed to kill you after you fled the night of his return," she says, pulling away from his embrace and putting space between them.

Karkaroff catches her wrist in his hand. "You underestimate me. How do you think I survived? I knew all their tricks and more. I killed many good Death Eaters, many of my old friends. That's something you should be able to relate to. How many of our former associates did you butcher?" he sneers.

Tahirah's eyes narrow in contempt. "I did what I had to do to gain power. Voldemort's inner circle isn't a democracy. It's a dictatorship. You didn't get to have an opinion; he gave you your opinion. If Voldemort really wanted you dead, he would have cast the curse himself. You were nothing to him. You could be replaced."

"You tried to replace me. Did it work?" Karkaroff utters in disgust, his eyes ablaze with murderous intent. "You sacrificed Jerrell to gain more power, didn't you? You sold our daughter to Malfoy for a few galleons. What did you have to pay to get him to marry her?"

"I didn't," Tahirah snaps in defence. "Lucius married her of his own free will, for the sake of his bastard heir, our grandson. But I know you aren't here to discuss idle family matters. And you aren't here to join me or beg for me back. So why grace me with your presence, Igor Ivan Karkaroff?"

"With the Ministry's help, we could win," Karkaroff states matter-of-factly. "I didn't come here to join with you, I came here so you would join with us. But I'm no fool; I don't believe you will eventually change your colours as our young leader does. While you are Minister, our efforts are worthless," his tone turns sad, and his eyes reflect that. But whether his heart is breaking because of his words or because of his intent on coming here, he doesn't know.

"Glad to hear I don't disappoint," she scoffs. "Say what you want, the Ministers of many other countries agree with me. Why go into battle when we would be outnumbered? You are the pathetic fools!" Tahirah shakes her head, sneering and attempting to wrench herself from her old lover's firm grasp.

"What devious lies have you told them, Tahirah?" Karkaroff asks, bending down to retrieve his dagger from his boot. His grasp around her wrist tightens, causing pain. Tahirah's eyes widen in fear and realisation of what will be coming.

She glares at him with everything but love in her eyes. "If you think this will help your alliance, you are wrong! Malfoy is powerful, and he will crush you like the ants you are!" she screams, trying to pry herself from sudden death as her mind screams incoherently.

Karkaroff remains silent, staring at her with pity in his eyes as a single tear rolls down his cheek. Twisting her arm, he forces her to her knees, and she grits her teeth as a series of small bones snap in her wrist. "Scared, my dear? You've condemned so many to death already; what does another matter? It's time to make their deaths mean something." Raising his hand, he brings the blade swiftly across her throat.

As Tahirah gasps, her body slips through Karkaroff's hands and falls to the tiled floor. A pool of her life's blood collects beneath her.

"I never stopped loving you, but I hate you with all my heart," Karkaroff whispers as he takes the cloak from his arms and departs.