It's not easy to explain, but . . .

Chapter 55

"We'll see about that, Malfoy!" shot back Harry, as they heard the distant sound of Madam Hooch's whistle, signaling the start of the match.

X X X

"Well, Potter, I can see why you'll be marrying your girlfriend in the future." Draco poked Harry in the ribs as they watched, from afar, the team celebrating Ginny's catch of the Snitch, thereby winning the game.

"Among other reasons, Malfoy," Harry shot back, grinning.  "Just think of the Quidditch team our kids will be on in twenty-five years or so!  Gryffindor will be unstoppable!"

"Hey, Slytherin has a great team, too!" Draco, pointed toward the Quidditch Pitch. "Gryffindor ONLY won because of Ginny, we had you on points!"

"Yeah, they really miss having Ron in the goals; it's their one weak spot, but the keeper is improving," Harry replied, loyally.

"You're right . . . didn't fall off the broom once this game!"  Draco managed to spit out, laughing, before Harry grabbed him around the neck, rubbing his knuckles on Draco's head. " HE!HE!HE!  HEY! OW! Gerroff Potter!" Draco growled, pushing him away.

"I've always wanted to give a deserving someone a 'nuggie'!  Draco, consider yourself the lucky recipient!" Harry laughed, as he and Draco followed the others back down to the Room of Requirement.

" 'Nuggie' eh? I'll have to remember that!" Draco replied. "Might come in handy at some point!"

X X X

"The Dementors left?!?" Voldemort growled, turning to look at Stanley Parkinson, who ducked his head, looking at the parchment in his hand.

"Yes, my lord . . . Pansy wrote that the professors used Patronuses to clear the sky over the Quidditch Pitch for the game but that the Dementors seemed to have left Hogwarts entirely . . . there was nothing but blue sky from then on.  And they have not returned, Master."  Mister Parkinson sat down quickly, laying the letter from his daughter on the table.

"And Severus gave permission for this?" Voldemort looked at the Carrows, who nodded silently.

"He gave permission to clear the sky above the Pitch for the game, as both teams were not even able to fly, much less play, my lord," Alecto replied, while Amycus nodded stupidly.

"But the clouds just rolled away and the sun was shining," Amycus added, as Alecto squirmed in her seat.

"Who cast a Patronus?" the Dark Lord asked.

"Ah, McGonagall," Amycus started counting off on his fingers.

"She came and asked Snape for permission," Alecto injected, which earned a scowl from her brother for interrupting. "Sorry."

"Flitwick, Sprout, Slughorn, Pomfrey and Hooch," Amycus concluded.

"It seems this had been discussed before hand, if they were all prepared to cast a Patronus on McGonagall's signal," muttered Voldemort.

Amycus and Alecto looked at each other in surprise, as if the thought hadn't occurred to them, which, of course, it hadn't .

"I will recall the Dementors to their station at Hogwarts when the next winter storm rolls in, but I will make sure they understand their loyalty to me must be stronger than the inconvenience of a few ghostly animals flying around them." Voldemort sat there thinking for a minute or two before he turned to impale the brother and sister with his flaming red eyes.  "You are sure it was just those half dozen casting that spell?"

"Yes, Master, they were all right there in front of us!  The Patronuses rose up into the clouds and they chased the Dementors back.  Then the game started and by the end of it the skies were clear," Alecto answered.

"You saw no other Patronuses, just those six?" Voldemort stared into the two Death Eaters eyes, seeing only the Quidditch Pitch and the game.

"No, Master," replied Amycus.

"I'm amazed you can count to six," Bella muttered to herself, shaking her head.

"Did any of you hear from your children about this incident, other that the letter from Pansy?"  Voldemort looked down the table at the other Death Eaters gathered around the table, but was only met with negative head shakes. "Very well, you two return to Hogwarts, with a message to Severus that I wish to see him here, when we next meet, in two weeks.

"Yes, Master," replied Amycus as he stood, dragging his sister out of the room.

"Idiots," muttered Bella, which brought a faint quirk to the corner of Voldemort's mouth.

"The rest of you . . . may leave . . . Bella . . . remain here," Voldemort instructed as he leaned back in his chair. 

Rudolphus gave Bella a look, but she didn't see it, having her eyes fixed on her Master's face.  As the door closed behind the departing Death Eaters, Voldemort looked at the  Witch sitting at his side, eagerly licking her lips in anticipation of her Master's next command. 

"Bella . . . Let us take a stroll through the gardens, shall we?" he purred, standing and moving toward the French doors at the back of the room.

"Yes, Master," she replied, falling in step beside him, rather than a step behind.

Voldemort smirked. 'Ah yes, Bella, you do know how to push the boundaries, don't you?' he thought. 'It will be useful, your perception of your place among my devoted followers, when the time comes . . . you won't question any order I give you . . . will you?'  He headed down one of the pathways through the garden, silent, but seemingly in deep thought.

Bella continued beside him, holding her tongue, knowing when her Master was ready he would confide in her, his most faithful Death Eater.  She glanced around the gardens of Malfoy Manor and spied one of the white peacocks her sister was so fond of, sitting on a low branch of a tree.  When her gaze came past that part of the garden again, the peacock was gone.

'How odd,' she thought, casting her eyes around, looking for the huge bird. 'Where did it get off to so quickly?'    Bella frowned. Even in the dark, a white peacock should be easy to spot.

"Something wrong, Bella?" asked Voldemort, noticing her glancing around.

"One of Cissa's peacocks was sitting right over there," she informed him, pointing.  "Now it's disappeared . . . odd."

"Perhaps it went behind that thick stand of boxwood," Voldemort pointed and then turned down a side lane toward the darkest corner of the garden, Bella following.

As they went around the corner of the hedge, they were out of sight of the manor house.  Voldemort stopped, looked around and then waved his wand, putting a silencing charm on the immediate area.

"Forget that silly bird, Bella," he hissed, holding out his boney hand.  "Come to me, my pet."

"Oh, yes, Master," Bella replied, peacock quickly forgotten.