CHAPTER 49 ~ PART ONE
LUCIUS'S POV
'Let me kill him my Lord, I'll torture him first then...' Bellatrix snarled wildly, baring her teeth.
'No Bella,' The Dark Lord murmured, fiddling idly with his wand, twirling it between his fingers.
'But... Sarah can't pull it off! Draco won't let her love Potter!' I stood, clasping my wand tightly as my entire hand paled around it.
'Lucius, sit,' the Dark Lord told me, pointing at my chair. I looked at Bella, who was glaring at Cissy behind me. 'Bella, wait for me outside.' Bellatrix raised an eyebrow and I thought she would object when suddenly she stomped out, slamming my door as she went. I sat swiftly, trying to conceal my worry under a face of emptiness. The Dark Lord muttered something in Parseltongue and seconds later Nagini slid onto the table, hungrily looking at everyone.
'We shall talk later Lucius,' he muttered before walking out, leaving all twenty death eaters alone.
'What do we do now?' One of the newer death eaters asked, looking at me with fear all over his pallid features. I looked at the two chairs opposite me, the ones usually occupied with Sarah and Severus. Typically I sat between Cissy and Bella but today I took a proud place at my lords immediate left. I creased my eyebrows, wondering why Bella had chosen to tell the Dark Lord of Draco's affection for his child. She wouldn't choose to kill him surely but what about me? No, we were too close... I groaned, pouring myself a small glass of wine and raising the blood-red liquid to my lips.
'You see? The Malfoy's love power, I've said I all along. And what better way to protect that then to have their youngest member joined to the Dark Lord's very own child?' I knew on instinct that it was Wormtail muddying my name.
'Sarah Riddle is much like her father, above such foolishness as love,' I shot back, more for Draco than Sarah's sake.
'Oh yes? Bellatrix would never lie to her master!' a young member of our force piped up. I smiled, standing before pacing around the room, my wine still in hand.
'I am old and faithful,' I said as I walked, watching Cissy's
eyes as she followed me. 'I would risk my family's life for the death of Harry Potter, would kill my only son! Yet, for some reason I cannot comprehend you doubt me. You, who have only been loyal for nearly a year, over Lucius Axraham Malfoy? Bellatrix Lestrange and I go far back, back to our own days at Hogwarts, do not judge me!' The windows shook slightly as I took my seat, crossing my arms.
'Well handled Luc,' Cissy murmured, the faintest trace of a smile in the weave of her lips. I nodded, turning my attention back to the group.
Many of the newbies were paler now, powerless in their rightful place. Wormtail was glaring at me and I smiled smugly, draining the last of my wine just as Bellatrix walked back in. Her eyes were red and tears still clung to her cheeks as she sat down, her hate filled eyes never leaving me.
The room was deadly silent as the Dark Lord entered again, his long cloak billowing in the breath of winter. He took his seat gracefully, gazing around the room.
'Now, will there be any more interruptions?' he asked icily, looking at everyone but No one at the same time. 'No?' he smiled. 'Before I instruct you let me get one thing straight. Bella?' Bellatrix Looked at him close to tears. Then, in the very voice of hatred she spoke.
'There will be no prying into the affairs of Sarah Riddle,' she said without emotion. 'We are to treat her as we treat our lord. Are there any objections?'
I knew she'd do anything to raise her hand, to not relinquish her role as the top woman, but she kept it down.
Once it had been cleared that no one was going near Sarah, Voldemort smiled and conjured a piece of parchment before thrusting it at me.
'You are to tell Sarah what I say,' he said, 'before addressing it to Draco, who will give it to her.'
'Not the only thing he's giving to her,' Bella muttered harshly. It didn't bother me; I could tell where she was coming from after all. She'd been the only female capable of leading the Death Eaters if something happened to the Dark lord but now she knew, like we all did, that Sarah was the only heir.
Voldemort, ignoring Bella's semi-breakdown, continued to talk, now addressing the entire table. 'My child is currently at Hogwarts, on a mission to gain Potter's trust. But trust is extremely fragile, something that needs time to develop. We do not have that time to get the prophecy. But tell me friends, what is the one way to gain trust quickly?' Everyone was silent. 'Love. My daughter is to make Harry Potter trust her with love.'
SARAH'S POV
'I was watching from the snake's point of view sir,' Potter said softly although I sensed he was angry. Dumbledore looked at him calmly, never meeting his eyes. What was going on here?
I moved slightly, my back scraping against the ancient wall as I was careful not to make myself seen. It would have been beyond simple to disillusion myself now and not endure this discomfort but something about Dumbledore stopped me. I was certain he'd be able to see through me, whatever my disguise.
Seconds became minutes as time dwindled down. Father wasn't mentioned. Neither was Nagini- they always referred to her as the snake. Potter was terrified, yelling at Dumbledore angrily. It was a shame I couldn't see....
'Go get the other Weasley's,' Dumbledore said calmly,'I will send them to Sirius. But no one must know- least of all Dolores.' Severus disappeared swiftly, disappearing down the spiral staircase. Although I knew it was probably stupid not to listen to the rest of Potter's tale I felt it right to follow Severus himself.
'Hey! Professor Snape!' I yelled once we were both in the midst of other students. He turned quickly, his eyes scanning the crowd before honing down on me. He remained still as I walked up to him, flashing a quick smile at the kids that stared at me. I assumed they'd never seen a teacher such as Snape bow to a student. But then again, a was no ordinary kid.
'You have need of me Sarah?' he asked lazily as we took a turn and begun to descend into the dark dungeon.
'I like our chats Snapey,' I smiled, patting his mockingly on the back.
'What did you wish to ask or tell me?' he was the bland type wasn't he? Cold and direct. I nodded and remained silent as he went into his office, following and locking the door.
His office was unusually bare, a tattered old copy of Wizard's Weekly open on his desk. I ran my eyes over it, smiling at the goofy smile of Draco. Wait... Draco?
'What's Draco doing in Wizard's Weekly?' I asked, picking up the article to examine it closer. Draco looked a little smug as per usual, standing next to- oh god it got worse- Umbridge.
Didn't he tell you? Draco and a bunch of other Slytherins are in Umbridges little club- the Inquisitorial Squad I think it was. They help Dolores whenever then can- take out any nasty troublemakers,' he said drily, snatching back the article and lazily throwing it into his fire. the flames soared red for a second before resuming their natural colour, Draco gone forever.
'So, now that you've gone through the trouble of following me and making sure none can get in or out... what do you want?' I sighed and took a seat.
'What news do you have from my father?'
Snape was silent.
'There was one thing Lucius sent to me...' he mused softly, 'but it would be wrong to share it with you- now anyway.'
'Are you really game enough to withhold it from me?' I growled menacingly.
'No,' he smiled, 'But, let's just say, theoretically of course, if you were to join Dumbledore. Would you be so quick to demand such things from me- a double agent- then?' I went to speak out automatically, to tell him the stupidity of his words, when it got to me.
'Probably not,' I agreed, glancing at him with worry clear in my eyes. I expected him to laugh at my sudden drop of enthusiasm but he remained utterly sincere the entire time. I eventually broke the contact when I was honestly thinking about a future away from my father, a future where I was just Sarah, a future when I could curl up around a nice fire without having to scare people...
'Why am I thinking like this?!' I moaned, trying to twist away from this horrid mood swing. 'Why did you even ask me something like that?! I'm Lord Voldemort's daughter, siding with those losers is completely out of the question anyway!'
'I know,' he said coolly, 'it was just an amusing thought is all.'
'Amusing? What's so great about those idiots anyway? Go on, you know all about it Snapey, do tell me.' I spoke as if my very voice was venom, but deep down I suppose I knew the answer anyway.
'A life filled with good honest people, people that cared for you, that you didn't have to worry about slitting your neck while you slept. An existence where power was earned not bought, smiles when you spoke, no expectations of how you should be. It's a world where being the Dark Lord's daughter wouldn't matter.'
'Bullshit.' I said as I headed straight for the door, only just making it out as the first of many worried tears begun to leak out.
I'd been playing such a good facade for so long, putting on a mask where I was evil, where I had no heart. But Snape, in all his twisted thoughts, had brought something I didn't want; my humanity. And, what was worse, I had proof.
They often said the Dark Lord had no heart. That is true. His love for me is a mask.
I too have a mask, a mask where I am an evil little monster that likes to hurt people. But under that mask I love Draco Malfoy. And a heart is needed to love.