Obscurity

Chapter 2 - Meeting

You continued to make small talk around the room with Draco and Narcissa. They mostly asked you about your thoughts on Hogwarts and the ministry and "Merlin, aren't these new muggle protection laws absurd?" They discussed amongst themselves. After a short time the subject of Albus Dumbledore came up.

"I reckon he'll play straight into the Dark Lord's hand" suggested Walden McNair.

While you disagreed with the majority of the Death Eaters views, there were two things you had in common. The first being that you absolutely loathed the old withering fool Albus Dumbledore. He was no better than the dark Lord, exploiting people, manipulating and lying to them to succeed in the war. The second thing was your fear of the Dark Lord himself.

You heard footsteps approaching and recognized the pace immediately.

"Severus, better late than never." Lucius boomed loudly. Hearing his name stung. There wasn't a single part of you that wanted anything to do with him. He had never been a father to you, had it been up to him he likely would have kept it a secret from you until the day he died.

It had been Sirius Black who had revealed the truth to you in third year when he had escaped Azkaban and had been lurking around Hogwarts in his animagus form. He had caught you walking alone one weekend to Hogsmede. He told you your fathers identity and why your mother was cursed to forget her time in the wizarding world. You hadn't fully believed him until Harry told you about his encounter with him at the shrieking shack later that year, where Black revealed Peter Pettigrew as the true traitor to the potters. All shortly prior to your mother being sent off to St Mungos and your arrival at Malfoy Manor.

Lucius tapped the base of his cane twice, loudly, to indicate it was time to be seated. He sat on the left hand side of the head of the table, followed by Draco, Narcissa and yourself. Severus seated himself directly across from you, nodding awkwardly in your direction. You didn't try to hide your eye rolling this time.

You dropped your attitude quickly though when the aura of the room swiftly changed. Dark magic hung heavy in the air and chills went up your spine.You could tell you weren't the only one who noticed. You could see Draco clenching his fists under the table, the vein in his forehead looking like it was about to burst. You'd never seen him so terrified.

But you were not scared, the darkness enveloped you and you recognized it like an old friend. You had felt it before, in times of anger and fear it had always been present. Dumbledore told you it was because the Gaunts came from a long line of wizards and witches who were quite fond of the dark arts. Remnants of it were sure to reside within you.

Everyone at the table fell silent and the sound of bare feet padding on the cold marble floors grew louder and louder.

"All stand," said Lucius "for our Dark Lord. He is risen again!"

Everyone stood and bowed their heads, you joined them but your curiosity outweighed your fear. When you peaked your head up you saw a massive Snake slithering up the chair at the head of the table and onto the glass surface around which you all stood. It seemed to be looking at you with eyes that appeared oddly human, curiously tilting its head and slithering closer.

Following closely behind it was Voldemort himself. Exactly how he had appeared in Harry's memory, white and ghostly with his capes billowing behind him as if an invisible wind were blowing them. It didn't take long for him to meet your eyes and he slowly lowered himself into the empty chair at the head of the table.

"Granddaughter, we meet at last." His voice was cold and raspy, the strain of his breath weighing heavy on his words. You quickly glanced back down, averting your gaze back to the table where your reflection gazed back at you. The stress from the last two days had left you a shell of your former being. Dark circles formed under your red puffy eyes, your face pale and tear stained. The only thing in place was the hair Narcissa had styled for you earlier.