The Demon Within(HP) [Complete]

1. A Lesson in Agony

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, settings, and lore from the Harry Potter universe are the property of J.K. Rowling and her respective publishers/licensees. This is a work of fan fiction intended for entertainment purposes only, and no copyright infringement is intended.

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Important:

Wow. When I started writing in December, I never could have imagined the level of support I'd be receiving by late January. Every sub, like, and comment means the world to me.

Since launching YOU-KNOW-WHAT, that support has felt even more intense. To be honest, I couldn't sleep a wink the other night—I was just tossing and turning, overwhelmed with gratitude and ideas. That's when I decided to write something special for you.

This story is a bit different. It's dark, tragic, and filled with blood, death, and dark magic. My goal is to make sure some of YOU can't sleep either (evil laugh).

The full story is 15,000 words long! This is the first of six chapters, which I've freshly translated and edited into English for you. Thank you so much for being here and for your incredible support!

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I sat upon my throne, my fingers tracing the cold scales of Nagini almost tenderly as I watched the pathetic display before me. Lucius was crawling. A once-proud man was now sliding his belly across the cold stone like a gutted worm. He ruined everything he touched. The fiasco at the Ministry had been the final straw for my patience. He had squandered his political influence, his magical ability was mediocre at best, and I had begun to doubt his loyalty. Yet, he possessed something I still required: contacts. And he had a task.

"This is your last chance, Lucius," I spat through my teeth. My voice echoed in the freezing hall like a blade being sharpened against stone. "It must reach him. He has stood in our way for far too long. Once he is removed, the path will be clear."

"Yes, my Lord... thank you... I won't fail you," Lucius stammered. He struck his forehead against the ground in a humiliating gesture, not a trace of his aristocratic pride remaining. He knew that another failure meant not just his death, but the erasure of the entire Malfoy line from the face of the earth. I decided to sear this realization deeper into his memory.

"Crucio!"

His screams shook the room. I relished it. The wave of pure euphoria that washed over me was addictive. After years spent as a mere shadow, I felt power over life and pain once again. With distaste, I broke the spell. Lucius lay there in a pool of his own urine, a trembling wreck of a man.

"Can I eat him, Tom?" Nagini hissed. Her voice was a gluttonous rasp that promised a slow death. When Lucius heard the sound, he began to sob even louder. His fear was almost palpable, reeking of sweat and desperation.

"No, my dear, not yet," I replied to her in the noble tongue of my ancestors. "He has his part to play." I leaned toward him with a smile that was never intended to comfort. "My dear, slimy friend... this is your last chance."

However, his sobbing was starting to get on my nerves. I hated that sound—it reminded me of the weak children at the orphanage crying into their pillows at night. "Get out!" I barked.

Lucius began to crawl away frantically, leaving a wet, foul-smelling trail behind him on the polished floor. The air in the hall grew heavy with the scent of ammonia. „If you mess up this time, Lucius, I will make you lick this hall clean with your own tongue. And then I will let you spend days dying," I thought with hateful calm.

"You are slow," I noted coldly as the doors remained open. "Do you require another spell to help you?" In mortal terror, Lucius quickened his pace, wheezing like a wounded animal until the doors finally closed behind him with a heavy thud.