Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling. In other words Not Mine.
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! A bit of statistical information: Watching Over Harry has had over 225,000 hits, Over 700 reviews, 731 Favorites, 913 Story Alerts, and is listed on 40 communities. A big thanks to everyone!
This chapter is short I know, it is a bit of a teaser chapter. I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to put as much time as I would like and I wanted to get something out to you, longer chapters will be coming soon.
Chapter 25
Rowan Hill; ancestral home of the Bones Family, and the location of Bones Manor was a beautiful location for a romantic walk for two teenagers deeply in love one with another. That declaration of love had just barely moments ago been uttered by the heir of House Longbottom to his girlfriend the heiress of House Bones.
The beautiful redheaded Hufflepuff had cried tears of utter happiness at that simple declaration as she had known that she had been in love with him for some time now. To have those words spoken out loud had erased any fear that she had over him not feeling the same way. Tonight was indeed the happiest night of her life to this point. She knew that many more wonderful nights were yet to come with her love.
Susan Bones was tucked in tightly against her boyfriend, enjoying the warmth from his body as they strolled the grounds in the cool evening air. Her left arm was wrapped around the boy's waist and his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders her head resting on his shoulder and his head inclined on top of hers.
The grounds and surrounding area around Rowan Hill was beautiful, manicured lawns and shrubs stretched out from the large Victorian manor. The house elves who tended the grounds were truly artists. Neville and Susan passed a pair of Aurors two of six who were patrolling the grounds and who had been assigned as the protection detail to the new Minister for Magic.
The Aurors gave the two teens a nod as they continued on their way. Susan guided Neville to a Romanesque pavilion. The marble structure consisted of six 15 foot white marble columns that supported an intricately carved capstone that depicted a chariot race that went around the entire circumference of the round pavilion.
The two young teens sat on a charmed marble bench in the center of the structure. The bench had a permanent warming and cushioning charm on it that kept the two lovers quite warm and comfortable. It also activated a charm placed on the dome of the structure similar to the ceiling of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The round overhead dome became translucent and the two teens were able to look upon the bright stars that littered the night sky.
Cuddled against each other they both began to daydream of what the future held for the two teens. Susan new that Neville would be the perfect husband. He was gentle and attentive and although came off as extremely shy he hid a very intelligent mind. What impressed her most was his heart, he loved without preconditions and he was loyal to a fault. She would never have to worry about him ever doing anything to intentionally hurt her; his honor would not allow it.
She felt safe when she was with him and more importantly loved. She could see it in his eyes, eyes so filled with the truth of his emotions that she had audibly gasped when he had told her that he had fallen in love with her. The raw emotion was so plain to see in his eyes that it made her gasp in surprise that he felt so deeply for her. It only caused her to fall even more in love with him than she had already been.
Neville was deeply inhaling the strawberry and vanilla scent that was uniquely Susan. The aroma made his head swim and his heart beat faster with every intake of breath. Susan had become such an important part of his life that his heart ached when she was not near. Neville had harbored a secret crush on the pretty redhead since second year but was terrified to approach the girl. It wasn't until fifth year when they were paired together for their Herbology OWLS project that forced Neville to talk to his secret crush on a daily basis.
The pair quickly learned that they had much in common and had similar interests. Neville was amazed at how easy Susan was to talk to. Their friendship began to blossom and soon they were spending more and more time together outside the classroom setting. Walks around the Black Lake and trips together to Hogsmeade cemented the growing feelings the two had for each other. Before they realized they budding feelings blossomed into something beautifully romantic.
And now here they were together enjoying a very romantic moment in the garden of Rowan Hills each having declared their love for the other. Neville had never been so happy, she was so special and now looking up at the stars with the love of his life he was envisioning a day not so far in the future where he was watching Susan in an elegant white dress walking down the aisle toward him. Her smile broadcasting loudly the love she had for him.
As if by a reading of the minds the two teens turned simultaneously toward each other. Locking their eyes with each other's they slowly leaned in to each other. The kiss was soft and tender and held within it a deep and powerful love and a promise of more things to come. To their surprise and then immense joy two betrothal rings appeared, one on Neville's left ring finger and one on Susan's left ring finger. The simple gold bands had the crest of House Longbottom and crest of House Bones connected to each other by an intricate Celtic knot pattern. As the two love struck teens parted from the tender kiss and stared at each other's rings they noticed a flash of green out of the corner of their eyes.
oooOOOooo
In the study of Bones Manor, four women were discussing the two teens that were out for a walk around the property. Two of the women, Minerva McGonagall and Poppy Pomfrey were there acting as witnesses for the other two women. Augusta Longbottom and Amelia Bones were going over the final details of a contract that they both seemed pleased to be signing.
"The Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom is overjoyed at the prospect of uniting itself with the Ancient and Noble House of Bones." The Dowager Lady of House Longbottom began. "Susan is a fine young woman and is a perfect balance of grace and strength and a credit to her house. I am overjoyed at the union of these two young people and know that they are a compliment to each other." She proudly stated. She them put the blood quill to parchment and signed her name to the Marriage contract between the two Noble Houses.
"Neville is a wonderful young man and I know that Susan is deeply in love with him. That in itself would be enough for me but Neville is also loyal, hardworking and a powerful wizard in his own right and know that he will never let Susan want for anything. I as custodial head of House Bones agree to the contract of marriage between House Bones and House Longbottom." Amelia stated with pride as well, and with a flourish of the blood quill signed the parchment.
"I Poppy Pomfrey as witness to said negotiations add my signature to this contract of marriage between the House of Bones and House of Longbottom."
"I Minerva McGonagall as witness to said negotiations add my signature to this contract of marriage between House Bones and House Longbottom."
With all four signatures signed in blood on the magical document it flashed a brilliant blue, sealing the contract between the two ancient houses. The old family magic released with the signing of the contract caused the newly betrothed couple to receive the physical manifestation of their impending union.
The four women were smiling and congratulating each other on the union of the two houses when a Bones House Elf popped into the study with a panicked look on her face.
"Mistress! Wees is under attack!"
oooOOOooo
Pansy Parkinson was a mix of nerves and excitement. She would be going out on her first raid as a newly marked Death Eater. She and four others had their final test to prove they deserved the mark just three days ago. They had to take the life of an innocent. That act of cruelty of murder and then a magical oath of loyalty to the Dark Lord would earn her a permanent place within his ranks.
The Dark Lord had taken a personal interest in the young brunette. He saw in her someone he could model as an apprentice someone who was absolutely loyal borderline fanatic to him. This had been Bellatrix Lestrange at one time, although she had been drugged with potions and loyalty charms to keep her at his side as his most loyal.
With Pansy however no such mediums were needed she was fanatical all on her own. However the Dark Lord would leave nothing to chance so he had gifted to her a silver pendant necklace. She saw this as him showing her preferential treatment, what she didn't know was that the pendant had a dark compulsion and loyalty charm on it that would not allow her to disobey him.
Pansy had practiced hard over the weeks she had been with the Death Eaters. Their dungeons were full of randomly kidnapped muggles. New recruits would practice their spells and hexes on the filthy muggles. They were subjected to bone breaker curses, piercing hexes, ribbon cutters, and a myriad of dark curses and spells. They were healed just enough as to not die and then they were put out as targets again.
Pansy had become quite skilled at dark curses such as blood boilers, and organ liquefying curses, she had also become quite adept with a pair of silver daggers that had also been gifted to her by the Dark Lord. They were charmed to fly straight at the target you were aiming at with surprising speed and accuracy. The blades were also imbedded with a slow but painful moving poison that slowly destroyed muscle tissue and at the same time set the pain receptors in the body into overdrive causing excruciating pain not unlike the cruciatus curse.
For her final test, a family of muggles was brought into the old ballroom of Riddle Manor. They were unceremoniously tossed onto the floor in the center of the hall. Along the outer walls of the room stood over a hundred robed and masked Death Eaters. Sneers and vulgar taunts were being hurled at the family of four. A young father in his mid to late twenties tried to shield his wife and two small children from the people who had them surrounded on all side.
With a small gesture of his hand the Dark Lord silenced his followers. He stood from his throne and glided snakelike toward the terrified family. His red eyes glowed with malice and amusement as he circled them.
"You…like many before you have been brought here to be a part of a most important ceremony." Voldemort hissed in his high pitched voice, smiling a predatory smile. No sound came from the terrified family.
"You are the guests of honor as it were…All these people you see around you are my soldiers..." He hissed silkily. "…soldiers, in a war against the perversion of our way of life and our very culture. I'm sure you are wondering what it is I'm talking about muggle." Voldemort spat out the last word as if it were filth.
"Let me enlighten you." Voldemort pulled out his wand and pointed at the man.
"Crucio!" Voldemort spoke the incantation of the unforgivable curse. The man began convulsing violently and screaming in utter agony the woman screamed and pulled her children tight to her. After ten seconds of unimaginable pain Voldemort released the spell.
The man continued to spasm as his wife tried to calm him. The two small children were crying in fear as they were trying to understand why they were here and why the strange man had hurt their daddy.
With a smirk on his lips he approached the family again the man quickly tried to scoot away from the pale man and dragged his family closer to him.
"P-p-please don't hurt us." The man begged. "At least let m-my wife and children go." He cried pleadingly.
"Tut-tut-tut…oh we couldn't allow you to leave, the party is just beginning" He chuckled mirthlessly as soft chuckles were also heard around the room.
"To answer your unasked question we are wizards and witches…oh yes we do exist." Stated Voldemort as he saw the eyes of the children widen.
"Your kind has been a source of much consternation to the people of my world. You are parasites that infest the world that is rightfully ours to rule. And one day soon your kind will either submit to us or you will be…oh how should I put this…exterminated" Voldemort stated with a vicious grin.
"Now back to your purpose. You see as an act of ultimate loyalty my new recruits must show their resolve to our cause by a small demonstration of their allegiance. When they have successfully demonstrated their loyalty they are brought into our…family." Voldemort continued to smile evilly at the family.
"Please let my family go…I-I'll do whatever you want but please for god sake my son is only eight and my daughter six let them and my wife go!" The man in tears pleaded.
"Touching." Voldemort chuckled. And walked away from the family and alighting himself back onto his thrown. He nodded to the person who had been kneeling at the right side of his throne. The figure stood and walked slowly but deliberately toward the terrified family.
The figure removed the mask covering their face. A young girl of about sixteen was shown to be the one beneath the mask. Dark brown hair framed her face, hazel colored eyes shone brightly and a pale flawless complexion adorned her face. The father would have commented on how pretty she was except for the look of pure loathing in her eyes and the sneer on her lips.
The young girl raised her wand at the young husband and father. Before a spell was uttered from her red painted lips her master spoke.
"Make it…interesting my dear."
"With a grin that would frighten the hardest man she turned back toward the family.
"Sectum Sem…"
Pansy was methodical and brutal and at the same time incredibly twisted. She played with the family for over an hour before giving them the release of death. Blood and gore covered the floor the horrified looks on the young couples face were frozen into their death gaze.
Many of even the most hardened Death Eaters had emptied their stomachs at the display of horror that happened in front of their eyes. Even the Dark Lord himself had raised an eyebrow at the girl's… inventiveness. By the end of her 'test' the young girl was cackling insanely, something in her snapped and the once intelligent and lovely girl was replaced by a deranged and dangerous psychopath.
The Dark Lord briefly wondered at the wisdom of letting the girl have access to so much dark magic so quickly. Some dark magic was extremely addictive in nature causing the person to lose their selves in its pull, forever clouding their higher reasoning skills. But in the end he decided at least she is my psychopath.
Pansy was brought out of her musings as she and fifteen other Death Eaters were portkeyed to just outside the wards of Bones Manor. Tonight the Minister was to die.
A/N: Don't hate me! More will follow soon. I just wanted to get something out to you guys. I wrestled with the idea of going into detail on what Pansy had done in her 'TEST' but I re-read it after I wrote it and it was too disturbing even for me, so I decided to delete it and let your own imagination fill in the blanks.
Please Read and Review and tell me what you think.