CHAPTER 54
SARAH'S POV
As predicted, Dumbledore was waiting for me. He was in the griffindor common room for some reason, standing idly by the fire. He smiled as I walked in, extremely nervous.
'Had fun?' he asked. I snorted.
'If by fun you mean torture?'
'I was surprised... Did Mr Malfoy return with you?' his words made my blood run cold.
'He was... Injured.'
I expected Dumbledore to interrogate me further but he remained silent, his glistening eyes following me as I went up to the dorms.
'Do you really wish to wake them? Miss Granger is already suspicious. You've come back at midnight. Even to muggles that isn't normality.' Damn, he had a point.
'Where do you suggest I sleep then sir?' I asked.
'Well... Minerva has a bed spare in her room. Either I inform her of who you are and let her decide or...' I groaned.
'Is this blackmail?' Dumbledore eyed me sadly.
'Not everything has a price Sarah. I want you to be safe here, like your father was before you.' I snarled despite myself.
'You never gave him a fair chance! He never felt safe here!' I yelled. Dumbledore raised a withered finger to his lips. I fell silent.
'You, like Miss Granger, are right. I tried to treat Tom like any I had taught before. It's fair to say, I suppose, that I failed. Once a wizard -or witch- decides to go down the path of dark there is no turning back.'
His words brought strange tears to my eyes. Was it too late for me? Should I just give up now? I hung my head.
'Shhh,' Dumbledore whispered, 'it is never too late, not when true remorse is felt.' Remorse? I didn't feel sorry for what I had done. I reveled in other's pain, I-
'Salazar. Salazar Slytherin was your ancestor. He was good, warped and twisted in matters of the mind, but good of heart. Your father is missing that goodness. But not you. Come with me Sarah Riddle, you need to get rest away from here.' I begun to shake my head, dreading the idea of Prof. McGonnagal seeing me for who I was. But then I smiled, thinking.
'Can I sleep in the Chamber of Secrets?'
'You know where it is?' Dumbledore asked in surprise.
'Its instinct. I am the heir of Slytherin after all.' With a smile I grabbed the remainder of my stuff and begun to walk out.
'May I accompany you?' My smile dropped but, losing any logic I had, I nodded.
I really was going loony.
SNAPE'S POV
'Are you okay Melanie?' I whispered, taking advantage of Remus and Tonks leaving to get some food. Sirius Black was up there somewhere too, but I had no wish to see him. I was content watching Melanie, content to bathe in her presence. She was incredible, soft but strong. Like Lilly...
'Are you okay Severus? Mr Snape?' I snapped by attention back to her, grimacing.
'Fine.'
'Really?' she sounded unconvinced.
'Why do you care?' I shot back, struck with sudden anger I failed to comprehend. I saw her eyes flare and worried she was going to cry. But, then again, this woman was the mother of Sarah.
'I often wondered about my daughter Severus. You brought me back into this world I hate and I'm pissed at you for bringing this side of my past back to me but, at the same time, I am grateful for you coming to save me.'
'Save you?' I choked, 'I probably wrecked your life.' Melanie smiled sadly.
'It was unavoidable.' She reached deep into her knee high boots and pulled out a wand. Holding it tightly she flicked it.
Magic pushed me backwards, a rich golden light enveloped Melanie, covering her from my view.
'Melanie?' I called as the magic thickened, like a cocoon around the pale girl.
'Just a sec,' she replied.
'What... What are you doing?'
'Getting dressed.' Then the light cleared. I gasped. She was in her old Hogwarts cloak. And her house...
'You're a... ,' I breathed.
'Not what you expected huh? A Gryfinndor?'
'I can't believe Voldemort did it with a Gryffindor...'
LUCIUS'S POV
'You're back? Where's the bitch?' Bellatrix asked in her usual pompous tone.
'Dead.'
'Dead? Bullshit,' she leaned in and I could smell mead on her breath. I leaned away automatically but she grabbed my hair and pulled me close. 'She's not dead.'
'How would you know?' I sneered.
'Because, you'd be boasting to the Dark Lord if she was.'
'Really? You'd dob me in because of something as stupid as that? You've no proof.'
'I don't need any. My Lord doesn't trust you, not after what you did to your son.'
'What did I-' She cut me off, walking towards the door that opened into the conference room. I followed her, my stomach sinking uncomfortably as I took in the boy who sat in my seat, staring at me with my smugness.
'Hello Father, we were just talking about you.'
'My Lord,' I inclined my head, 'what is Draco doing here? He's not one of us.' I glared at Draco as I said this. He met my glare with equally hostility. I couldn't believe this... How had he turned everyone against me like this? And, more importantly, how had he gotten back before me? I sat swiftly beside my son, never dropping my eyes.
'Draco has being telling some interesting tales about you Lucius,' Voldemort said, a haunting smile upon his lips.
'Yeah, apparently you slept with a muggle when you were younger!' Yaxley sniggered. This brought on more chuckles from the table. I felt myself blush and tried to hide it behind a wall of anger.
'Go clean your room Draco!' I snarled. Draco laughed at me.
'Do you hear that my Lord? Daddy thinks I take ORDER'S from him! Hilarious right?' The Dark Lord nodded, smiling at my son. What was going on here?
'How about you clean Draco's room?' The Dark Lord said. I thought about protesting but bit my tongue. I needed to remember my place, even if my son didn't. So, with shame tinting my cheeks crimson, I left, ascending to clean my own son's sty of a room. Life was not fair.
SARAH'S POV
I had officially betrayed my father, my entire line of ancestors even. I knew Dumbledore could tell what I was thinking, to a degree anyway.
'It's alright Sarah, you can trust me,' he said as I made my way to the entrance of he chamber. I nodded disbelievingly.
'I can trust no one, not even myself.' He kept silent as I came to the basin the with snake imprint.
'Open,' I hissed. I never turned around as the ancient chute made it's way into view.
'It's amazing,' Dumbledore gasped.
'I know,' I said cheesily, 'you knew where it was I suppose?'
'Never. I would have killed the basilisk if I had of.' The words cut me but I could see his point. The basilisk was killing innocents- it was the headmasters job to protect such people, even if they were mudbloods.
'It was under orders from your father,' Dumbledore reminded me, 'it killed because your father wanted it to kill.' I sighed, sitting at the entrance, ready to slide down.
'I know.'
And then I was gone, letting my anger at Dumbledore go as I flew down at breakneck speed.
I hit the bottom with the satisfying crack of bones under me. I'd asked Crade once if any of these bones were human but he hadn't replied, saying he didn't want to scare me on my first visit. But why couldn't I ask now?
'Crade?' I called. Crade slid down my calf and breathed in the thick, musty scent of the chamber. He loved it, unsurprising since he was born here, like Nagini.
Crade froze as Dumbledore followed me down, landing gracefully on the fossilized carcass of a cat.
'What's HE doing here?' Crade reared up in front of me, protecting me. His fangs slid from their sheaths as he went to attack. I knew how toxic Crade was. One bite could kill a full grown wizard in 30 minutes. I hated to think what would happen if his fangs came into Dumbledore's weak, weathered flesh.
'Enough! I am the heir, meaning I have full authority to invite whoever I wish to the chamber. Besides, Dumbledore isnt as bad as my father makes him out to be.' Crade turned, looking at me like I was totally insane.
'But...' he stuttered, 'None other than you, I and the Dark Lord have been here in the last century. Why do you bring an outsider here?'
'Not true. Potter came here before I arrived.'
'That's right. I could smell him. Him and Weasley and two others.' I nodded.
'Time's have changed Crade,' I said, 'I've seen things I never imagined to see. This man knows exactly who I am.' Crade didn't looked pleased.
'Do you trust him?' I looked to Dumbledore, who was staring absent-mindedly at the roof of the cave.
'Yes.'
'Then I wouldn't object.' I smiled and bent down, stoking Crade's smooth as silk torso.
'Are you okay Professor Dumbledore?' I asked, 'this is only the opening. Mind the mess, it hasn't been cleaned since the early 1700s.'
'I see. It is amazing, that such a place existed under our very noses.' He smiled beside himself.
'We are a cunning lot sir,' I laughed. Wait, I was laughing? Laughing with my fathers worst nightmare? Shit.
I continued past the second and third door, blasting my way through a rock collapse. Must've happened when Potter was last here.
'Are you sure you are okay? Taking me down here? Your snake didn't seem to approve.' At that Crade bared his fangs once more, sending a threat to Dumbledore
'His name is Crade, not snake,' I explained.
'I see,' Dumbledore pushed his glasses further up his nose, 'My apologies, Crade.' I wasn't too sure if Crade understood, so I acted at translator.
'Harry has your gift also,' he murmured as I unlocked the final door.
'I'm aware,' I replied, none too kindly, breathing the first breaths of my secret hideaway. Not anymore, I thought sadly.
'Will you destroy this place?' I asked.
'I told you that you could trust me.' Was all Dumbledore said. I smiled warmly, making my cheeks ache. Curse this man for making me feel so bloody good about myself.
'I must ask you something,' Dumbledore said as he followed me into the large cavern, 'Is Potter safe from your father?' Yeah, not feeling too great any more...
SNAPE'S POV
'I am not an OBJECT,' Melanie spat at me, 'How DARE you comment on something in that VULGAR tone! And, for your information, it was MY choice! He'd no say in the matter.' I stared, hurt and confused, as Melanie begun to cry, tears of anger rolling down her cheeks. Yes, I'd fucked up. Bad.
'Is everything alright in here?' Shit.
'Fuck off Black!' I snarled. Of course, being the pompous prick he was, Sirius decided to walk right on in, smiling pleasantly at me. His arrogance quickly turned to concern as he saw Melanie.
'Are... Are you okay?' he asked her, pulling up a chair and sitting beside her. 'Get her something to drink Snivellus,' he snarled. I didn't budge. He couldn't order me around.
'What's your name?' he asked Melanie, putting a great ugly arm around her. She pulled away, eying him with disgust.
'Who the hell are you?' she sidestepped the question. I was glad she had, it would be awfully difficult to explain why the mother of Voldemort's daughter was in the headquarters of the people that existed to see him defeated.
'I'm Sirius.' he smiled, 'Sirius Black. This is my house.'
None of us expected what prevailed. Melanie turned a ghastly pale, her eyes widening in horror.
'Murderer!'
Then, with a squeak, she ran, slamming the front door and she fled into the twilight noon. Sirius sighed.
'I really do hate rumors.'