Sweet Revenge

Horace Slughorn

          "So you have finally found me."

----------

Everything was dark. Where was he?

Where had Bellatrix taken him? 

As he had turned around in his armchair, defeated in his endeavor to hide from the truth of his doings, she -the same girl he had taught and fawned over- blindfolded him and side-alonged him to merlin knows where. 

He was sitting in an armchair much cozier than the one in his home. From its feel, it was probably very expensive too. As expected of a Black. That is -if he was in the Black Family ancestral home at all- he had heard that the Order of the Phoenix was residing there, so most likely not. 

He did not try to move from his spot. Perhaps there were guards on orders to apprehend him should he try to escape -he wouldn't put it past Bellatrix. Maybe he was surrounded by venomous plants...

Something clicked, and then there was a dull thud. 

          "His Lordship wishes to see you, sir," Bellatrix's voice said loudly. 

She sounded almost giddy. His Lordship. Was that Tom? After all these years, Horace's conscience still struggled with the fact that his ex-favorite (who was he kidding - still favorite) student became...the Dark Lord. What had that promising young man done to himself? What measures had he taken to preserve his immortality?

He vaguely registered Bellatrix leading him out of what he presumed to be the door to the room he had been imprisoned in. He was reluctantly surprised at finding that the floor was carpeted in velvet, but then again, Tom had never settled for anything but the best of the best even in school. 

Bellatrix's footsteps were muffled by said velvet, but her signature boots made enough of a clack that he could tell she was still in front of him. 

She stopped. 

He stumbled. 

          "We're here," her voice suddenly devoid of any emotion. "My Lord awaits."

And then light was filtering back into view, and he came face to face with her heavy-lidded gray eyes and perfect mascara. 

He looked around. He seemed to be in a palace of sorts, in a hallway lined by jade columns and black-and-mint tiles. It was luxurious. Too luxurious for a single orphan. Perhaps it was the Death Eaters' Headquarters? The thought only served to make him more nervous -he had no need to see more Death Eaters milling around. 

A series of taps sounded down the corridor. 

Horace turned abruptly, relaxing when he realized it was only Bellatrix knocking on the antique English oak French doors. 

He waited with bated breath. 

          "Enter."

Sweat pricked at his brow.

----------

           "As my Lord wishes," Bellatrix's deep rouge lips pulled into a smirk, her shiny white pointed canines showing.

Her eyes held a maniac glint in them as she held open the door, and her glossy black nails clicked against the golden door handle. 

            "Go on..."

-----------

Horace squeaked. 

As the door clicked shut behind him, he stumbled into a dim room with a dark green oriental rug covering the dark-red Meranti wood floor. Shelves upon shelves of books were encased within ornate dark oak wood racks. A black marble romanesque fireplace stood on the far left of the room, books leading straight up until its black-and-jade pillars. The flames flickered, eerie light flickering across the room. It was the only source of light safe the medieval triple candle stand, whose flames licked at the stems soundlessly. 

Horace looked up. 

The ceiling was reminiscent to the Louis-era French style, while a tarnished silver crystal metropolitan chandelier hung, unused, from the centerpiece. Not a spot of dust graced its surface. 

A green velvet wingback chair stood with its back Horace, behind a large mahogany writing desk. An ink pot was seen next to an empty piece of parchment, a burgundy silver-tipped quill lying on it. Horace strained to see what type of feather it was. Probably something ridiculously expensive, considering the opulence of this place. 

He looked around, the room's shadows playing tricks on his age-old eyes, as he tried to figure out where is ex-student was. Tom had always had an affinity to darkness.  

          "Good evening, professor."

Speak of the devil. Yet, somehow, the greeting pricked tears into the old man's eyes. Tom would always greeting him in such a manner. Nostalgia, he supposed. 

           "...Good evening, Tom."

There was silence as Tom glided nonchalantly over to the desk and sat down, dipping the quill in the ink and starting to write something. After several painful minutes, Tom stopped and looked up. 

           "Do sit down, professor."

Horace looked behind him and was surprised to see a comfortable-looking armchair sliding into place just behind him. Tom must have summoned it. A hint of pride dashed across his features, but was quickly buried. 

             "Now, sir, I am sure you have many questions, but I am afraid they must wait. For now, I will debrief you. You are currently in Salazar Slytherin's Castle, where you shall be residing for the next several years and hopefully until you grow too old. The West Wing is not to be set foot in and if I am urgently needed, using the knocker will suffice. The East Wing is where the rest of the Death Eaters will reside safe a select few who will be in the West Wing as well. Your rooms are at the intersection between the East Wing and the South Wing. I am sure you will find them more than adequate, but should you be in need of anything else, please do not hesitate to ring the silver service bell in the corner next to the bed. Breakfast is at seven o'clock sharp, Lunch is at half past twelve, and Dinner is at half past six. Do not be late. The grounds have several French and Italian gardens, along with an English style park and a canal. There is a field, across from which there is a forest. I recommend you do not venture there. Excellent. Any questions?"

          "..."

          "Well then, Bellatrix will be leading you to your rooms. I recommend that you memorize the way here."

Horace blinked. Well that was confusing. 

----------

Bellatrix, after having escorted Horace Slughorn to his new chambers and leaving him in utter awe of it, made her way back to her Lord's office. Only to find that he was perusing a book as if nothing of significance had happened. 

          "Tom?"

Her voice was flat and altogether unimpressed. 

          "You had be kidnap old Sluggy to give him an even more sumptuous residence? Sevvy is already our Potions Master. We have no need of another."

          "Ah, yes, but you forget -my dear Bella- that Professor Slughorn was my favourite teacher and that his connections spread far and wide. I hear he even has a student who works in Nigeria. Imagine how fast we could take over the world with him, Bella!"

          "T-"

          "I'd lay the world at my darling's feet."

Bellatrix smiled as she left the room. So he'd finally acknowledged the fact that he liked her son. She had no doubt that Harry was completely oblivious to all this. 

Her lips curled upwards. 

There was nothing she loved more than a bit of drama (except the Cruciatus Curse. But that was for her to know and for everyone else to highly suspect).