Chapter 9

The Crystal Cave

Severus let out a frustrated sigh as he slipped the last ingredient into the brewing potion. Only once before had he created the Drink of Despair, but had never had the pleasure of using it. He had been in the Malfoy home for four days. Once he left his home in Spinner's End, he had headed straight for Lily, but not long after searching for her, he felt the familiar sting of the Dark Mark.

Riddle had asked him to create the potion when he arrived. It was part of the mission that was fast approaching. Severus made a mental note to himself at the sight of Voldemort's appearance. Where Riddle usually appeared healthy and rugged, he now seemed to be losing the color in his tanned skin. His hair seemed thinner and lines now heavily etched around the dark eyes. Something was different about the Dark Wizard.

Severus' mind wandered back to Caelyn. He had worked so hard to keep her off his mind in the last week. She would, of course, question him once he returned to her. Naturally, she would want to know why he had stormed out and where he had been. Yet, he was not quite ready to face an interrogation.

He mindlessly stirred the contents of the cauldron as he thought about the odd feelings the kiss had unearthed within him. There always just Lily. She consumed him like a wildfire. He felt as if Lily held his very soul in the palm of her hand. No matter how much she seemed to love him and value his friendship, she always seemed to be crushing the life out of him as she longed more and more for Potter. But now he seemed torn. Although he still felt the pain of Lily's rejection, he now felt a small bit of hope relieving the pressure. Caelyn made him feel like his happiness did not have to rest solely on the actions of Lily Evans.

A low murmuring of voices outside the door pulled Severus out of his thoughts. Both appeared to be male, but he could not name the source. He stopped his stirring motions and listened carefully.

"I need a house elf," the deeper voice commanded. Severus recognized Riddle's voice instantly, "Preferably, one you're not too attached to."

"My lord, I have none to spare. Narcissa would lose her head." Malfoy. There was a few moments of conversation that Severus couldn't make out. But then he heard Regulus Black.

"I have a house elf, my lord. I will fetch him immediately for you."

"Perfect," Riddle answered. Severus could practically see the Dark Lord giving Lucius a fowl look. After a few moments of footsteps, the room was silent once more. Severus mulled the curious exchange over in his mind. Rarely did Riddle need the assistance of magical creatures. He thought they were inferior beings and that to have them at his aid would be disgraceful. A small smirk played on Severus' face. The Dark Lord talked the words of pureblood superiority, but he himself was a halfblood. The scandal it would cause if the Death Eaters knew.

A slight green glow rose from the cauldron, signaling that the potion was complete. Severus dipped a vile into the phosphoric liquid. When he pulled his hand out, his fingers were dry as a bone. This potion was meant to protect the Dark Lord's object he was hiding. The plan was to place this potion over the item, which would remain in a basin. The Drink of Despair could not be scooped out, vanished, or siphoned. The only way to remove the liquid was to drink it. To do so would cause terrible pain to the victim. In order to drink an entire vile, there had to be a second person force feeding the potion to the victim.

Severus left the room as soon as the task was complete. He walked briskly down the hallway until he met the library where Riddle and Black stood. Beside Black stood an ugly hunched over house elf. Severus thought Grim was a nasty tempered house elf, but then he saw this creature. It glared at the Dark Lord, which was a very bold move for a wizard, much less a house elf.

Riddle smiled widely at Severus' appearance, "Ah, Severus. I am glad to see you have completed the potion. We must go at once, we only need to collect your wife it seems."

Caelyn was reading the Daily Prophet in Severus' office when she heard the familiar 'pop' of someone apparating. She looked up eagerly from her paper. He was there. All of her anger seemed to dissipate in that moment. She jumped to her feet and flew down the stairs.

Her smile wavered as she saw Severus was not alone. The Dark Lord stood there beside him. There was also an unfamiliar house elf standing beside them. It was growling at Mika who was hiding behind a throw pillow she'd been fluffing. Had the Dark Lord not been standing there she would have whacked the thing.

Voldemort gave her a wicked smile, "Caelyn, my dear, it is time for your first assignment. I do hope you're ready." His tone suggested he was mocking her, as if he didn't believe she could follow orders. Knowing better, she held her tongue and bowed.

"Yes, my lord."

Voldemort's smirk grew. He threw his hand into mid-air producing a portkey. It was a bit of rolled up parchment. She felt the house elf wrap its arms around her leg, and she ignored her instinct to kick it off. Bringing her attention back to the portkey, she placed her hand around it. Severus followed her lead and his hands slightly covered her own. Immediately, she looked up at him, he was looking straight back in her eyes. She wanted to start asking questions, but the magical device dropped the floor out from under them as she felt her stomach drop.

As quickly as it began, it was over. She could smell sea breeze and opened one eye. They stood at the entrance of a cave. The sticky, hot air clung to her skin making her uncomfortable.

Voldemort and Severus were already wielding charms around the cave. She listened intently to their mutterings. The spell they were casting was that which prevented anyone from apparating inside the cave. Her eyes wandered around the area. Raging waves beat against rock below. Grey seemed to be the only color she could see. Even the water was a depressing grey color that seemed to ward away visitors.

A hand on her back made her spin around suddenly. Severus' eyes met hers once more. He offered her a small smile. She wasn't sure if it was meant to be an apology, but allowed him to lead her deeper into the cave.

The Dark Lord spoke as he began casting a transfiguration charm, "I want to place an entrance which requires sacrifice. Whoever enters will be weakened first by physical pain." When he dropped his wand, there stood a plain door. Caelyn tilted her head in confusion.

Suddenly Voldemort grabbed the house elf and drug him in front of the door. The house elf rubbed his arm in discontent. After a long moment, the house elf produced a knife and cut along his hand. Blood began to drip from the tiny hand. The elf looked at his hand and the smeared the blood along the wall of the door. Satisfied, the door opened up to them.

The Dark Lord grinned and continued to advance. It seemed like they had been walking in darkness for hours. Caelyn wiped her forehead with her cloak and sighed. It was eerily silent as they marched on. More than once, Caelyn had wondered if she had lost her way and was alone in the cave and lost. To her relief, a small light protruded from Voldemort's wand.

A great dark lake stretched as far as she could see. In the distance, she could see a small island. The water seemed far too still. To her left, she spotted a wooden boat. If it hadn't been bobbing up and down in the water, she would have thought the lake was make of glass. Voldemort and Severus were talking amongst themselves close to the vessel. She made her way towards them; the house elf following closely behind her.

"-place the invisibility charm on the boat after we set the locket in the basin," Severus was muttering to Voldemort. His hand was placed pensively on his chin. The Dark Lord too mimicked his posture. Both men stepped into the boat, and then looked back at Caelyn. Voldemort held his hand out to her and she grasped it tight as he helped her too enter the unsteady boat.

Once all were in, the boat began to move towards the island on its own. Caelyn pulled her cloak in tighter around her for warmth. There was a chill in this cave whereas the air outside had been uncomfortably warm. Her eyes scanned the water. All she could see was endless darkness. But then, she swore she saw a face. Her heart leapt to her throat. She quickly closed her eyes tight and then looked again. Nothing. Letting out a breath, she felt her body ease, but the face burned inside her mind. It was sickly white. The cheekbones were sunk in unnaturally. Where eyes would normally rest were yellow orbs in sunken sockets. Hair wrapped around the creatures face and throat as if trying to choke its owner. Caelyn shuddered and tried to press the image out her her mind. She leaned into Severus who was sitting beside her. In return, he placed his hand on her shoulder.

They finally reached the small island. It couldn't have stretched more than twenty feet across and it felt cramped with three people in occupying it. Once more, the Dark Lord raised his wand and a basin appeared in between them. Voldemort reached into his cloak and pulled out a silver locket. There was a green 'S' etched on the front of the pendent. He held it out as if to admire it, and then laid it gently into the basin. The Dark Lord looked to Severus and nodded. Severus returned it and uncorked the vile in his pocket. An emerald green substance poured out. It glowed bright in contrast with the dark room.

"Elf!" Voldemort commanded and motioned for the elf to come closer. It begrudgingly did as he was told and peered into the glowing substance. "Drink it."

Caelyn looked to Severus in confusion, but he was staring at the basin intently. The green glow from the potion reflecting in his dark eyes. Her eyes went back to the elf as he began drinking from a goblet. He seemed to be drinking it as if it were water. One, two, three cups. As the potion from the fourth serving hit the elf's lips, he screamed out in pain. Caelyn jumped back in surprise. The elf was clawing at its eyes, making horrific pleas into the darkness. The goblet the elf was holding fell to the ground. Voldemort picked it up and shoved it into Caelyn's hands.

"Make him drink it all."

This was her task. This was her first test to see if she could torture another creature. With a deep breath, she dipped the goblet into the potion and held it up to the elf's lips. He shook his head angrily and tried to push her away. She growled at the elf, "Drink it." Still he refused to drink. She pushed the elf up against the basin; her fingers wrapping around it's throat. "Drink it! You worthless creature!" She commanded again. The elf finally opened its mouth to gasp, but Caelyn poured the potion in. It gagged on the liquid and began to shriek in pain.

"Please! Kreacher cannot take anymore! Poor Kreacher."

Relentlessly, Caelyn refilled the cup once more and forced the elf to drink. The screams and pleas turned into sobs. She didn't let up. She continued to follow orders until the task was done.

"Please Mistress! End Kreacher's suffering! Kill me!" he squealed while waving his hands in the air. Caelyn forced the last cup down the elf's throat and then tossed the goblet to the side. The elf laid on the sand, digging it's long fingers into the earth screaming for water and relief. Caelyn looked to the Dark Lord. His face worse a sickly smile as he watched the creature squirm.

"Well done Severus," he casually commented. With a flick of his wand, the basin refilled. Caelyn felt a pang of jealousy, and furrowed her brows. The Dark Lord hadn't commended her on her performance.

The three returned to the boat, and it headed back from which they came. Screams of horror could still be heard from the house elf. She whipped her head around to see the elf writhing in pain and kicking up sand. It was curious how she felt after torturing a living soul. The shear power it had given her made her crave another victim. A small smile played on her lips as she looked away from the creature. Its screams were dying as they distanced themselves to a sound that was no louder than a whisper.

Safely on the other side of the lake, Voldemort raised his wand at the boat. An invisibility charm wrapped its way around the object. Voldemort turned to her, "Summon the locket."

Without argument, Caelyn faced the basin while raising her wand, "Accio locket." At first, nothing happened, as she had predicted, but then a small roar began to break the silence. A convoluted creature rose from the water; the sound it made shook her to her core and left her paralyzed as the beast charged her. It was the same face she had seen before in the lake. Terrified cries came from her lips as she attempted to shield herself with her arms. Then suddenly it was gone. Looking up from her defensive stance, she saw Severus in front of her. His wand at the ready, fire coming from the end. The creature's cries changed to that of its own fear and fled back into the water's depths.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Caelyn cried, clutching her chest. She had never witnessed something so terrifying. So much so that she didn't hold the words to describe the beast. It was as if one removed a dementor's cloak to reveal the vile creature within. The unnatural way it moved left a chill even after it was gone.

Voldemort's rugged laughter filled the air. She immediately turned towards him, unsure of why he presumed the matter was funny. "Those were inferius, my dear," he smiled broadly at her. Bending down, he picked up a rock from the sand, and with great force he threw the stone into the lake. This time a dozen of the inferi rose from the water, their cries much louder as a group. They all sank back into the water after the foreign object.

"Do you like them?" the Dark Lord asked, more to himself than to anyone else. "They are my own design. Each of those who I have personally killed in this Wizarding War now reside as undead servants to me in this lake," he paused, grinning ear to ear. "Those who claimed they would never serve me had no idea how wrong they were."

Caelyn swallowed hard, they were indeed real people. Not conscious of their actions, but real at one time nonetheless. Dark magic laid thick in the air, much more so than she had conceived in her own mind. It was a foreign feeling of magic so dark that it frightened rather than intrigued her. These new feelings of discomfort made her want to leave the cave as soon as possible.

They began to head back into the darkness. Severus' hand this time remained on her back. It was silent support for which Caelyn was immensely grateful. As darkness surrounded her vision completely once more, should could of sworn she heard the small 'pop' of apparition behind them.