Queen of Gorgeousness

The Nightmare Man

Chapter Eighteen - The Nightmare Man

In the shadows that housed the darkest of scum, walked a man who neither showed or hid his repulsive nature. He rarely left the comfort of his great castle but there was always room for change. The powers that had so often been his friend were now working against him and a meddlesome little witch sought to destroy what he'd sought to hide. Perhaps it was his mistake to become a recluse. He always pitied Voldemort, his arrogance and boastful attitude had been his downfall in the end. One could learn much from Voldemort's failings and really there was nothing more pathetic than a greedy half-blood intent on revenge against those who had borne him.

Marcus had achieved many great things in life, one of which was hidden deep within his castle. He always prided himself on his torture techniques. He enjoyed hearing the pitiful whimpers of his victims for it bought pleasure to his twisted world. Marcus was a quiet man, who sought a quiet life. He didn't need to be known and feared by everyone to feel powerful. He knew he was powerful, he could have been the power behind the Ministry had he been so inclined but he preferred to be tucked away working on his projects and inventions.

He'd hoped never to have returned to this godforsaken place but plans changed. It had been droll and tiring when he'd worked his summer here in Hogsmead but he'd had to remain close while his dark side was still incomplete. The only reason he set foot in the dingy bookshop at the dead of night was to make sure the old codger hadn't left any of his secrets in the books lying around. Marcus already knew he'd breeched the curse; the bookshop owner had died after all but it had taken Marcus a while to work out who the old codger told his secrets to.

The smell was disgusting like someone had died here – oh wait they had, he chuckled to himself. Being back here bought on many a childhood thought and allowed his memory to drift into the past and a place he'd long since forgotten...it wasn't something he usually did.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

I've always longed to go to Hogwarts. My parents boasted about all the happy times and adventures they'd had. Each getting soppy and admitting that Hogwarts had found them both their true loves. However soppy that was it was always slightly sickening to hear about your parent's love life after all their years married. My parents didn't have any expectations for me nor did the demand I get put in a certain house. They were free and easy people.

I remember looking around Hogwarts in awe. I knew what to expect unlike those of muggle parentage but it was still a breath-taking sight to see the castle appear from behind the mountain as they road forth in their small boats. Imagine my surprise as I was sorted into Hufflepuff! Surprise turned to annoyance and anger when I realised that most Hufflepuff's were pathetic while the rest amounted to nothing impressionable. Well some people always broke the mould so perhaps I'd be the one to do that for Hufflepuff.

My first few years passed without incident or any memorable event. I first noticed her during my fourth year. I suppose you could blame my sudden fascination with her on teenage hormones but what started out as a fleeting fancy quickly turned into more. She was a goddess, a sun kissed angel in my eyes. Once I'd set my sights on her everyone else paled in comparison. Her long hair hung in delicious coils down to her waist and she had the perfect figure, her tantalizing curves sending sparks of magic through every part of me. Her name was Katherine and by Gods I wanted her. I wasn't the only one wanting her attention though as there were many that sought to court her. That was until he arrived...He who made my blood boil, the man who had everything but still wasn't happy until he snatched from me the one thing I held dear: Katherine.

I was never one to give up easily, to others the mere presence of Andre Zabini was enough to seek the attention of another witch but I refused to lose out to Andre. My fellow classmates couldn't understand my infatuation with her and they couldn't understand why I couldn't just admit defeat and move on. They didn't understand what it felt like when she was near me. He smile alone sent warm shivers down my spine. She was so nice to everyone, I deluded myself into thinking she must feel something for me also and I knew she did.

My perusal of her continued yet everything I attempted sent her further into the arms of Andre. I was getting desperate, my arms ached from emptiness and I longed to wrap her in my warm embrace. She was everything to me, if only she'd see a thing passed Andre then she'd see how much I cared.

The answer to my prayer came in the form of a book. A big black book hidden within the depths of the restricted section. At this point I'd heard a lot about dark magic but I had yet to become actively involved in it. The book must have heard my desperate pleas for Katherine because before I knew it I found myself chanting along to an unknown spell. I only realised the consequences of my actions when I smelt the putrid smell of my own burning flesh. I knew now that this was the final condition of the spell I'd chanted and I hoped to all things above that my life was about to change.

For a moment I was angry with myself but then I felt the immediate flush of power course through my veins. My magic was more powerful and my wand trembled in my hand. My mind was full of possibilities each more daring and dangerous than I ever thought I could think up before. I wondered what the consequences would be for it was foolish to believe that magic didn't come with a price. I'd read enough to know I'd given something away for the price of this new found power but I was foolish enough to believe my burn would be my only suffering.

With my newfound power I quickly excelled in classes and collected a force of followers. I hadn't asked for the followers but it was a nice change to be a dark role model for others. I became an unstoppable force. The younger years were terrified of my presence but I was capable of avoiding the attention of the teachers. I continued to woo Katherine but she was uninterested and she soon found me disgusting and creepy. She formally rejected me and that rejection has stayed with me for years.

I realised my current tactics weren't working. I'd thought I'd get a chance to shine but fate must not have liked me. I got a job in the same bookshop I currently stand in. Something within me was telling me to stay close to Hogwarts and in doing so my power increased tenfold. Finally, I had the power to eliminate those who sought to beat me down. I knew all about Voldemort, God knows he tried to recruit me but he was more talk than power. I wanted to get my hands on Andre, I wanted to tear him limb from limb, to watch him bleed on the floor and take everything from him. Without Andre, Katherine would be free game and I could take her without complaint.

Fate it seemed wasn't supporting my plans. Hogwarts ended, everyone graduated and Andre whisked Katherine away before my powers had fully manifested. No matter, I knew I would prevail in the end. I removed my parents from the picture and inherited the dark castle. It was perfect for my dark experiments and party revels. The weekly treat of torturing a victim always bought a smile to my face and the more screams the better.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Everything had been going perfectly well in the last decade. He'd watched the rise and fall of Voldemort and he'd laughed. He was a foolish idiot, he wasted his power on frivolous ideas of revenge. If he had just refrained from his boastfulness and spent more time honing his arts than he did pursuing Harry Potter, then he might have survived and not died at the hands of that boy. Voldemort's death was Marcus's gain, it meant he was now the darkest of all wizards. His secrecy and hidden dark deeds made him a cut above the rest. He'd done things others only dreamt about in their darkest fantasies.

Urgh! Then this meddlesome witch came along and stuck her nose in. What was her intention? Why was she looking into matters that didn't concern her? His followers were the of the lowest breed and couldn't even identify her by name. Marcus had sent that Werewolf to the Parkinson's on a whim that this witch would be there. It was a plan that had backfired on him, the Werewolf hadn't killed anyone and ended up getting killed instead.

Well it was inconsequential regardless as he had an inkling of what the witch was looking for but she would never find it. If he had the chance to meet the annoying witch, he'd end her life quickly.

He laughed to himself mechanically as he stepped from the useless old bookshop and disappeared into the night.

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