"I am in love with a memory, I am in love with a future, I am in love with a possibility, I am in love with you." -A.R.Asher
8:45am - An unoccupied room in the Slytherin Manor:
-------------> ASSEMBLÉ,
Grande Jeté,
Plié,
Pirouette,
Arabesque,
Plié ,
Attitude,
Croisé ,
Turn-out, and
Plié once more.
"I did not know you could do ballet." A voice spoke from behind her.
Rose did not have to turn around to know who was standing at the entrance of the door. She could recognise that arrogant but somehow charming voice anywhere.
"Yes, you did," Rose said, positioning herself to face him. "I remember mentioning it to you the first day we met. And I know that you are not the type of person who forgets anything."
Marvolo smirked. "Let me abbreviate on my previous statement - I did not know that you could do ballet so well."
Rose rolled her eyes. "I am glad you think so highly of me." She said dryly.
"You should be," Marvolo said leaning against the door frame, his hands folded in front of his broad chest. "It is an honour to receive such praise from me."
"Then thank you for the compliment, my lord," Rose said bowing mockingly before a soft expression took over her face. "I haven't practised my ballet since I stepped foot in this Manor. I was hoping to get into a routine again."
Marvolo nodded. "You should. It is a graceful and beautiful art. It suits you. I would hate for you to waste what perhaps is one of your only talents due to incompetence."
Rose giggled because that sounded like such a Marvolo-thing to say. She also felt a tad confused on whether she was being complimented or ridiculed. She settled for rolling her eyes. "Thanks, Marvolo, I appreciate the faith. But I don't think ballet is something you can just forget. Get rusty, yes. But forget? No, not really. It's like riding a bike - it's instinctive."
Marvolo hummed at her words.
"I'll be cooking tomorrow," Rose informed him. "It's your choice whether or not you want to try it, but Nagini said that I can definitely improve. Aunt Cissa bought me a cooking book when we went shopping yesterday. Nagini said that she shall help me cook. She said that I wasn't too bad when I cooked last time and that you were just exaggerating as you always do..."
Marvolo sighed. "Why does Nagini seem to favour you, even when you are so clearly in the wrong?"
Rose smirked. "You know, there is an old Arabic proverb. It was attributed to a prince who was betrayed and decapitated by his own subjects. You might know it. It says that my enemy's enemy is my best friend."
Marvolo stared at Rose, a frown evident on his face. "Nagini is not my enemy."
"Maybe not in public," Rose stated, smiling widely in a teasing manner. "But she has always held a slight grudge against you for apparently not letting her eat the rat... Whatever that means." Rose shrugged. "At least that's what she keeps telling me."
Marvolo glared. "I hate you."
Rose dimpled. "I love you too, Mr Sunshine."
"Maybe I should just make the prisoners talk to you for a few hours." Marvolo mused. "The Crucatious would be a mercy in comparison."
"Aww..." Rose cooed. "Thanks, Marvolo."
------> 0o0 <------
10:02 am - The Main library, Slytherin Manor:
Marvolo and Rose had made it a habit to spend two hours in the morning in the main library together after breakfast since later Rose would be busy studying and learning pureblood traditions and etiquette and Marvolo would be busy taking over the world.
"Romeo and Juliet is wonderful isn't it?" Rose sighed dreamily, looking up from the worn book that she has read one too many times.
"It's stupid," Marvolo said shortly, not looking up from his own book that was about Accidental Magic.
Rose huffed. "You're stupid."
"They both die in the end." Marvolo continued. "They weren't in love, they were attracted to each other. They were teenagers who were primarily ruled by hormones. Everything that happens in the book occurs within the course of a few days."
"That's the point, Marvolo!" Rose exclaimed happily. "His eyes connected with hers, and at that moment they knew that they were meant to be together. Neither of them could stand the thought of being without each other, so they decided that in death at least, they could finally be with each other."
"It is still stupid," Marvolo commented.
"It is romantic." Rose corrected, emphasising her tone of voice. "It's sweet and adorable. The way Shakespeare has woven the words is magical."
"Spells are magical," Marvolo said. "Hexes, curses, rituals, alchemy, potions, transfiguration, charms-"
"Those are all a different kind of magic." Rose interrupted. "This -the kind I am talking about- is the kind of magic that can only be felt by one heart to another, and be spoken with only the glances of eyes. This is a different kind of magic- what I believe is the purest form of magic- love. To love a person, Marvolo, is to see all of their inner magic and to remind them of it when they have forgotten." Rose said, speaking in an air of wisdom.
"Nobody can forget magic, Rose," Marvolo said pointedly.
Rose huffed with a slight roll of her eyes. "You are missing the point, Marvolo. I can't exactly explain this to you, it is different for different people. Someday, you'll understand, I'm sure of it. And then, I will finally be able to say 'I told you so!'"
Marvolo rolled his eyes. "On a more important note, I'll be gone for a few hours after lunch. Walden McNair will babysit you in that duration."
"I don't need a babysitter!" Rose screamed angrily.
Marvolo simply laughed in reply.
------> 0o0 <------
3:51 pm - Living Room, Slytherin Manor:
Her 'babysitter' as Marvolo termed it, was apparently very tardy and had arrived almost an hour and forty-five minutes after Marvolo left to conduct 'business'.
Walden McNair was a handsome man. Then again, most purebloods were. He was in his early forties but still carried a youthful look to his face. He had sandy blond hair, green-grey eyes and aristocratic facial features.
But the moment he opened his mouth, any illusions of him were shattered and Rose soon found out that he was not a pleasant man at all.
"What is so special about you girl, that the Dark Lord himself is interested in you?" Walden McNair had said, sneering as soon as she had introduced herself as "Rose Potter", before giving her a considering look. "You look beautiful, perhaps that is it. Are you entrancing the Dark Lord with your looks?"
Rose laughed cruelly. "Do you have such less respect in the Dark Lord's power that you think that his weakness is pretty looks?"
Walden McNair realised his mistake. His next words were spoken with utmost consideration and fear. "No." He said slowly. "I am just concerned that the Saviour of the Wizard World and Dumbledore's pet is playing spy."
"I have never met Dumbledore in my life." Rose snapped. "And I am not a spy for anyone!"
"Bellatrix is quite taken with you. I wonder why..." Walden said ignoring her words before a cruel smirk enhanced his features as he took out his wand from the holster strapped to his waist. "Let's find out exactly how special you are, shall we?"
Rose's eyes widened at that sight.
"You were the reason we lost all those years ago. You ruined everything. But don't worry, pretty girl." McNair sneered coldly as he gripped his wand. "I won't hurt such a pretty face. But then again, there are ways to make someone feel pain without having any physical effect. Sadly for you, I know quite a few of those ways."
Rose immediately pulled out her own wand from where she had previously strapped it to her ankle and pointed it at him.
"Stay back." She said, trying to keep the fear from her voice and clearly failing in doing so.
Marvolo was at a meeting presently and there was no way of contacting him at that moment. The others- the Malfoy's, Lestrange's and Snape- were either at a raid or doing some other work far away from the Manor. She could not contact any of them in time.
Rose was not stupid. She knew her limits.
She was just a seventeen-year-old girl who had learnt of the existence of magic a little over two months ago. But Walden McNair was someone who had lived in the Magic World his whole life -even going to an actual magic school- not to mention that he was a Death Eater.
The last fact alone was enough for Rose to doubt her survival skills. She had, after all, seen the Malfoy's, Lestranges and Snape duel. If the other Death Eaters were even a quarter as brilliant as they were, then she was in a whole lot of trouble.
It did not take a genius to realise who had better odds at winning.
Walden McNair laughed cruelly at her words and stepped forward.
Rose stepped back, wand still clutched tightly in her hand.
"What are you going to do, pretty girl?" McNair asked mockingly before smiling. "I'll tell you what- you can shoot the first spell, and I won't even defend myself." He said casually before smirking widely. "But then," He began, taking another step forward as Rose took another step back. "Then, it is my turn." He finished with an eager glint in his green-grey eyes, which now looked stormy.
Rose stayed silent, trying to look for possible exits but realised that it was hopeless. She was cornered.
Rose took another step back as McNair took another step forward.
"Go on, girly." McNair laughed. "Let's see why the Lestrange bitch is taken with you. Throw a spell at me."
Rose stayed quiet again, eyes darting and palm slightly sweating.
"Go on." McNair prompted before sneering. "Or would you prefer I take the first spell instead?"
When Rose saw McNair finally raise his wand and point it at her, she panicked.
In her state of panic, with her wand still pointed at Walden McNair, Rose said the first spell that came into her mind. "Explusivo Castrado."
------> 0o0 <------
When Tom Riddle returned to the Slytherin Manor seven minutes later (the meeting with the giants having ended early), he was greeted with the pleasant sight of Walden McNair's .... thing... splattered everywhere. There was blood splattered all over the pristine walls of the Manor's living room and a few House Elves were viciously trying to scrub away the stains. McNair himself was on the ground, clutching his blood filled pant-area and screaming curses loudly. He appeared to be in so much pain, that he did not even realise that he was in the presence of the Dark Lord.
"Oh, hello Marvolo." A voice greeted.
Tom saw Rose gliding gracefully down the stairs in an angelic manner. Her beauty was blinding. So blinding that he almost did not notice the enormous amount of blood splattered on her previously sunflower yellow dress. Almost.
"Rose." Marvolo greeted back.
"You are home early," Rose observed. "Did you have a productive day?"
"Yes," Marvolo replied.
It seems that she was purposefully trying to avoid having to talk about the reason why one of his more powerful Death Eaters was clutching his.. thing.. in pain. She was ignoring it, and so would he. For now.
"That's nice to hear," Rose commented offhandedly. "The House Elves told me that we are having lasagne for dinner. Will Uncle Lucius, Aunt Cissa or Draco be joining us?"
"No." Marvolo answered.
Did she really not want to talk about McNair? It looked like a bomb had been blasted in his pants.
"What about Uncle Ruddy, Aunty Bella and Uncle Stan?" Rose asked politely.
"No, they are still on a raid," Marvolo told her. "And before you ask about Severus, no. Apparently, the Order of Phoenix is having a meeting tonight. Instead, he shall be joining us for breakfast tomorrow."
"That's nice," Rose said again. "There is still a good amount of time before dinner. I'll be in my room with Nagini until then." She said, turning to leave.
"Rose," Marvolo started, unable to ignore one of his follower's screams and curse any longer. Rose paused in her step, not turning around.
"What happened to McNair?" Marvolo asked patiently.
"I don't know," Rose replied calmly. "But if I had to guess, I would say someone shot an Explusivo Castrado at him and did not know any healing spells to help him, and was thus researching them in the library before the person was interrupted by somebody's arrival... I'm just guessing, of course."
"Of course." Marvolo agreed.
Rose continued walking now.
"Don't be late for dinner," Marvolo told her, his voice rising a bit so that she could hear him, considering she was about twenty-five feet away from him now.
"I won't," Rose said loudly before disappearing from his line of vision as she took a turn to a hallway.
------> 0o0 <------
Walden McNair was taken to the hospital by the House Elves a minute later.
Two hours later, Lord Voldemort appeared beside McNair's hospital bed in his private bed and quickly went through his memories.
Half an hour later, Walden McNair was released from the hospital after a very expensive and painful procedure of having to regrow his.. thing.
Five minutes after that, Lord Voldemort activated the Dark Mark. Not for everybody, just his Middle Circle.
A few minutes later, his followers were present in the formal hall of the Slytherin Manor. They all looked confused as to why they were there and where exactly they were, but they refrained from raising any questions.
The Dark Lord was in front of them with a smile on his face.
The Death Eaters were used to dealing with a lot of emotions from the Dark Lord, but nothing scared them more than a smile.
It was weird, first of all. The Dark Lord was undoubtedly beautiful to look at, and the smile on his face only served to enhance his attractiveness and make him look almost angelic. That was what felt wrong. Nobody who looked so angelic was supposed to be so evil.
Not to even mention the fact that whenever the Dark Lord smiled, it never meant that he was happy. Circe, no! It meant that he was angry, and the Death Eaters did not want to lose their lives because somebody had been stupid enough to gain the Dark Lord's fury.
"Welcome, everybody." The Dark Lord spoke calmly. "I am sure you are wondering about the location of where you are all standing. This, my followers, is my birthright. This is the Manor of the greatest of the Hogwarts four- my ancestor, Salazar Slytherin himself!" The Dark Lord proclaimed.
His followers looked at the now known location with barely concealed awe. Their Lord was truly great to invite them into the Manor that had housed Salazar Slytherin. There was no question of the Dark Lord's power and heritage. (Not that there ever was. The man was a parselmouth, after all.)
"Do not worry," The Dark Lord said, looking like the embodiment of calmness. "I will not keep you for long. I just need to do one quick thing." The Dark Lord said before locking eyes with an unmasked Death Eater who was easily recognisable. "Walden McNair, step forward."
The Death Eaters felt pity for McNair as he stumbled to the feet of the Dark Lord, reeking of nerves.
"My-My Lord?" Walden McNair said fearfully as he finished kissing his Master's robes.
"You disappointed me, Walden." The Dark Lord said casually.
Walden McNair's eyes widened in a horrified manner and he rushed to speak. "M-M-My Lord, I live to serve you, My Lord. I am faithful-"
"Crucio!" The Dark Lord said cheerfully as Walden McNair's screams rang across the room, echoing loudly, making a few of the Death Eater's flinch.
The Dark Lord released him from the unforgivable curse after almost three hundred and twelve painful seconds. "You deserve more, Walden, so much more- for even daring to look at what is mine." He said with a glare. "But Lord Voldemort is a merciful Lord, and thus you have been forgiven. Make this mistake next time however and..." Lord Voldemort trailed off.
"My Lord! Thank you, my Lord! You are truly merciful! So very merciful!" Walden McNair cried, tears rolling down his cheeks.
Lord Voldemort ignored him, choosing instead to make direct eye contact with all the members of his Middle Circle (which was quite a lot of people, mind you). All of them forced themselves not to shake in fear and show weakness -doing quite an unsuccessful job at it- in front of the Dark Lord, lest he choose to focus his attention on them.
"Anybody," He said slowly, emphasising each word. "Anybody who even thinks of hurting what is mine will soon find out that there are curses, hexes and rituals that are capable of making even the most excruciating Crucatious Curse look merciful in comparison."
Every member nodded hurriedly, fear in their eyes and forms trembling.
Satisfied he made his point, Lord Voldemort sat back on his throne before proceeding to move on with different subjects and give orders on what to do next.
But the whole time, the Death Eaters couldn't help but wonder in the back of their minds, what exactly was the 'mine' the Dark Lord had been referring to?
Most shrugged at that thought, assuming it to either be a rare book or an object that had been previously owned by Salazar Slytherin.
But some, (the smarter ones) couldn't help but think. They knew the Dark Lord was extremely possessive of his belongings. But this time, the sheer raw power in his voice surprised them. Which belonging exactly did the Dark Lord refer to? What exactly did everybody have to avoid?
The sad part was, none of them realised that the Dark Lord had not been talking about a 'what', but a 'who'.
------> 0o0 <------
"Master..." Nagini said a minute after his followers had cleared the room and exited the Manor. "When you said that you would make them pay for hurting what is yours, you meant..."
"My Horcrux, of course." Tom Riddle replied quickly. "I did not mean the girl. She is merely a container for my soul, Nagini, if that is what you were thinking."
"Of course, Master," Nagini said.
But both of them knew that he had replied a bit too fast to her question, and the need for him to have to explain his statement did not help in building up his case at all.
------> 0o0 <------
Rose barged into his study soon after Nagini had left.
"Nagini told me you punished McNair." Rose accused. "Why did you do that? He has already suffered enough. He had to literally regrow his manhood because of me!"
"He deserves it," Marvolo said simply.
"No, he doesn't!" Rose argued loudly. "Yes, he is an asshole. But so are you. I did not just castrate him, Marvolo. The spell that I accidentally used literally blasted the thing that makes him a man! Although I would have rather used a much milder spell, it's my fault that that was the first spell that crossed my mind. It's a huge blow to his ego, he will never say anything rude to me again- at least not to my face. Why the hell did you have to interfere! Why couldn't you simply let bygones be bygones!"
"Because that is not in my nature," Marvolo replied calmly. "I do not forgive and forget, Rose."
"You seemed to both forgive and forget that I am the reason you lost the war before." Rose pointed out.
Marvolo glared at her. "I did not lose the war, and that was different."
Rose huffed. "It was not!"
"Yes, it was." Marvolo snapped. "You were a baby. McNair is an adult. He should have known better than to threaten the girl I ordered him to keep safe."
"It's fine!" Rose exclaimed. "I had it taken care of! You didn't have to do anything!"
"Speaking of which, why is it that you did not tell me what he did to you?" Marvolo asked with a glare.
"I told you it was fine!" Rose answered defensively.
"Stop saying the word fine!" Marvolo snapped.
"But it was!" Rose exclaimed. "I was fine, Marvolo. I took care of it. You shouldn't have interfered when it was all taken care of! That was wrong..."
"No, what was wrong that you didn't tell me," Marvolo said angrily. "I instead, had to read McNair's mind to find out."
"I didn't tell you because I did not want you to interfere," Rose repeated through gritted teeth. "I had it all taken care of."
"Of course you had to tell me!" Marvolo screamed. "You are my Horcrux, Rose. I will never let anybody hurt you."
"Has it ever occurred to you that you are hurting me as well?" Rose shouted with accusing eyes before sighing tiredly. "I need to do some things on my own, Marvolo. I know you mean well, in your own twisted way, but there are some things I have to do on my own. Defending myself, proving myself to others fall under that category." Marvolo opened his mouth, but Rose cut him off. "I have to go. I'm skipping dinner tonight. I'm not really hungry. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast." Rose said before slowly walking past the door and slamming it behind her.
Marvolo sat back on his chair -having stood up from it sometime between their screaming match- tired, irritated, angry and disappointed.
Mostly disappointed.
------> 0o0 <------
It was only after Rose entered her room did she realise that Marvolo had slipped and called her his 'Horcrux', and she had not a single clue as to what that word meant.
Perhaps an annoying yet adorable pest or something?
She'll research it in the morning.
Goodness, Marvolo was irritating!