Love Of My Life

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Torture

It had been about two months and spring was now thriving. Severus and Salem walked towards the gloomy manor to find that the flowers in the garden made it look lively, even at night.

"Have you talked to Fudge?" He asks her as they walk down the unreasonably long walkway. "Yes. He and I decided that we'd tell him that the Auror office has nothing to do with Harry Potter." She informs him. 

"Well, what are you going to do if an Auror swoops in to save him?" He rolls his eyes. "They won't because technically it's not a lie. He's ordered all other Aurors not to interact with the boy and I'm in charge of keeping him safe." She says, proud of the minister's makeshift plan.

"You're a clever woman Salem." He says, almost cracking a smile. "You're just now figuring this out?" She says as they make their way into the home.

They step into the ballroom to find the long dining table full of death eaters with two empty seats.

"Severus, Salem. I was beginning to worry that you had lost your way. Come, we've saved you a seat." The vial man that was Lord Voldemort, chokes up. The two quickly take a seat in front of the Malfoys. Salem sat in front of Lucius and Severus sat in front of Narcissa. However, Narcissa looked too terrified to care that Salem was in front of her husband.

After a few minutes of him talking between a few death eaters, he turned his gaze to Salem and Severus. 

"You two bring news I trust?" he asks as Severus grips her hand under the table. "It will happen Saturday next, at nightfall," Severus explains. "I've heard differently, my lord. Doliche the auror has let slip that the Potter boy will not be moved till the thirtieth of next month. The day before he turns 17." Goyle tells him. 

"This is a false claim." Severus snaps. "The Auror office no longer plays any part in the protection of Harry Potter," Salem tells him, trying to keep a confident front. "Those closest to him believe that we have infiltrated the ministry," Salem says.

"Well, they got that right didn't they," Crabbe says, making the whole table erupt with vial and wicked laughter. However, the Malfoy's didn't laugh. Draco looked just as terrified as his mother and Lucius put up an act like he wasn't scared but she could tell that he just wanted out of this whole ordeal.

"Where will the boy be taken?" the dark lord asks Severus. "To a safe house, most likely the home of someone in the order," he tells the frightening man. "We've been told that it's been given every manner of protection. Once he's there, it will be impractical to attack." Salem adds on. He gives her a nod to show that he understood before standing up.

"Now I must be the one to kill the boy but I face an unfortunate complication." He says, beginning to walk down the side of the table. "My wand and Potters share the same core. They are in some ways twins. We can wound by not fatally harm one another." he says as Salem silently cringes at how wrong this all was.

"If I am to kill him, I must do it with another's wand." He says as everyone holds their head down, hoping that they wouldn't get chosen. 

"Come, surely one of you would like the honor?" he asks.

"What about you..... Lucius," he says as Salem sees his face go white. "My lord?" he asks in a small voice, confirming to Salem that he was in fact, terrified. "My Lord?" He mocks Lucius.

Narcissa looked straight ahead during her husband's interaction, not daring to look the dark Lord's way.

"I require your wand." He says, holding out his hand. Lucius hesitates, shooting Salem a quick, fear-filled look. Without saying anything else, he yanks his wand from the cane that she gave him and hands it to the dark lord, his hands shaking as he gave him the wand.