Of Doves and Dragons

Chapter Forty-two: The Test of Allegiance

Voldemort's cup was half way to his dramatically chapped lips when Snape yanked Ember into the room, ceasing all conversation.

"Look who I found," Snape drawled. His eyes were their usual dark brown and unfriendly, his face showing nothing of his coercion, but if one had looked close enough, had known him enough, they would have noticed that the grip with which he held Ember by was severely lacking of any sort of heat.

For good measure, he tossed her forward just enough to where she stumbled and fell to her knees before all of them. Slowly, she glanced up behind strands of her hair into those red snake-like eyes that were blown wide with astonishment; the only part of him that outwardly looked shocked at this turn of events.

Voldemort slowly lowered his teacup back into its saucer and placed them both on the side table. It was so proper and so graceful that it unsettled Ember further. This anger was not the boisterous kind, but slowly and festering, where no inclination was given to the thoughts of his violence. He uncrossed his legs and raised off the settee to his full height, towering over her crumpled frame.

"Enigma. How...curious of you to find your way back here."

It wasn't a question, so she didn't answer.

"Ember, where's Draco?" Narcissa urged desperately.

Voldemort's eyes shined black as they flashed to Narcissa. "Hold your tongue!" He spat and Ember saw Narcissa flinch at the scorning from the corner of her eye.

His slit for eyes travelled back to the small figure on the floor before his feet before landing back on Snape. "How has this happened, Severus?"

Snape's shoulders rolled back as he met the Dark Lord's eyes evenly. "She was found in Hogsmeade, My Lord."

Voldemort's eyes glanced back down at her studiously. She held his stare as valiantly as she could, no longer willing to let him know that he intimidated her. "Was she alone?" He asked crisply, his eyes still not leaving hers.

"Yes." Snape intoned carefully. He waited a moment longer as the Dark Lord carefully dissected a statuesque Ember, before muttering, "I'm needed back at the school."

Voldemort gave him no glance, unwilling to break the eye contact before Ember did, but nodded his consent passively.

Snape left through the entry way almost as fast as he appeared, leaving Ember alone to the vipers.

Voldemort lithely squatted down slowly so that his eyes were just level with hers. "And why were you so close to Hogwarts, my dear?"

She did not answer. She did not remove her gaze even though her heart was pounding and she felt her soul being tainted by such a soulless stare.

"Where is Draco?"

She remained unyielding.

Voldemort tilted his head, irritation flickering in his eyes. "Tell me, did you lose your voice on your misadventures?"

When she still didn't answer, he reached out and twisted her ear. She cried out, breaking their profound stare, and reached for her ear. "Ahh, so you can speak Enigma."

He snatched her left arm in his, yanking it painfully as his wand pushed up the sleeve of her grey dress from her arm. He stared at the still slightly mangled skin that had once surrounded his dark mark and danced his eyes over the place it had been, where now only a delicate blue flower remained. He scowled. "Seems I underestimated you. Something that will not be happening again."

Ember swallowed deeply as inconspicuously as she could and raised her eyes to his once more. He was too close to her, possibly the closest his face had ever been to hers and she could see tiny veins swerving underneath his transparent skin.