A/N: A much shorter chapter than usual, but I feel like the end is quite impactful so I left it as it it. I'll try release the next chapter as soon as I can!
Also, if y'all see any typos or grammatical errors in this chapter, please point them out to me so I can correct them. I didn't get a chance to proof-read this chapter.
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Barely ten seconds after Katie knocked, the grand doors of Malfoy Manor swung open. Unlike the iron gates, they made no noise and opened silently.
Katie was met with a pair of deep-set, deranged eyes, a pale, leering smile and a tangle of wild, black hair. It momentarily slipped Katie's mind that, not only was Bellatrix Lestrange a Death Eater alongside Lucius Malfoy, she was also Draco's aunt, so her presence at the Manor was justified. Still, Katie felt a surge of anger at the fact that Bellatrix would sit by and allow her nephew to be tortured.
Bellatrix let out a deep, evil chuckle as her hooded eyes swept over Katie, who was white faced and trembling under the woman's piercing gaze.
"There she is," Bellatrix whispered, faking awe and gesturing towards Katie. "The Slytherin Princess."
Swallowing her fear, Katie stretched herself
to her tallest height and said, as confidently as she could, "I'm here for Draco."
Bellatrix let out a maniac cackle that echoed throughout the grounds of Malfoy Manor. She turned around at the sound of footsteps in the hall behind her.
"What is it, Bella?"
Draco's mother came into view; slender, tall, blonde, sporting pointed features and looking well put-together, Narcissa Malfoy could not have looked any different to her sister — although, the two women did bear an undeniable resemblance.
"She's here for Draco." Bellatrix drawled, her laughter ringing out once more.
Narcissa's lips twitched upwards to form a nasty smile. Like Bellatrix, her eyes surveyed Katie before she stepped aside, granting Katie entrance to her home.
"Well, do come in," Narcissa said. "We wouldn't want to keep you from Draco any longer."
Bellatrix roared with elated laughter, Narcissa smirked, and Katie felt all the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Something didn't feel right. Of course, a trip to visit Lord Voldemort was always going to be sinister, Katie knew that, but there was something about Bellatrix's obvious elation that made Katie feel suspicious. Nevertheless, she stepped inside the long, wide hallway.
As soon as Katie walked over the threshold, the doors slammed shut behind her, making her jump. Bellatrix sniggered.
Like Draco's bedroom, the hallway was lit with spectral green lamps and portraits of pale, pointed faces and handsome wooden doors lined the walls.
A door to the right opened and an overwhelming feeling of anger washed over Katie. Lucius Malfoy had appeared in the hallway. He was almost exactly the same as Katie remembered — long, white-blonde hair, an upturned nose, pointed chin, and a pompous expression. Although he still looked proud, there was something much less sophisticated about his appearance. For one, he was as unshaven, and his eyes were lined by very prominent black circles. He looked exhausted as he sneered and examined Katie in the same way that the Black sisters had done.
"Katerina Blair," Lucius said slowly. "What a surprise. It's been far too long."
Katie could tell by his upturned nose and obvious grimace of distaste that Mr Malfoy was not at all pleased to see her. This didn't bother her in the slightest — the feeling was mutual.
Narrowing her eyes, Katie sarcastically drawled out, "Yeah, I tend not to hang out with the people that try to kill me."
She wasn't sure what made her say it. It would not have been the first time that day that she acted on sheer impulse and regretted her actions almost immediately. Lucius leered at her.
"Charming, as always." he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"And yourself." Katie shot back. Despite the fear that was pulsing through her body, she still managed to maintain firm eye contact with the man before her.
"Where's Draco?" Katie demanded.
Once again, Bellatrix started cackling, while expressions of knowingness made their way onto Lucius and Narcissa's faces.
"You stupid girl!" Bellatrix cried. "Clearly, you did not inherit your mother's brains! Draco isn't here, you simple child, he's at Hogwarts!"
For a brief moment, Katie grew so panicked that all of her senses became numb. The realisation hit her like a truck, and she was wondering how she could be so stupid not to see it before.
It was a trap.
Without stopping to think, plot and plan, Katie lunged for the door, but Bellatrix shouted, "Incarcerous!" and a thick rope hastily snaked its way around Katie's arm, connecting her tightly to the end of Bellatrix's wand as the woman pulled her back.
"You've fallen right into the Dark Lord's hands!" Bellatrix laughed evilly, getting uncomfortably close to Katie's face.
Katerina's heart was beating so hard that she was afraid it might burst right out of her chest. She felt sick, dizzy, even, as she stared up into the smirking faces of the three Death Eaters.
"Well, we shouldn't keep the Dark Lord waiting any longer," Lucius said, his grey eyes glittering maliciously. "Let's take the girl to see him."
"Yes, let's. I've been absolutely dying to meet Voldemort." Katie said, once again surprising herself with her own courage.
Bellatrix took in a sharp breath and Lucius sneered.
"You dare speak his name?" Lucius whispered dangerously.
"Unlike you, Mr Malfoy," Katie responded, "I'm not his puppet."
Lucius's eyes narrowed into slits and Katie suppressed the urge to gulp nervously. "You're lucky that you're so important to the Dark Lord, otherwise I would—"
"Kill me?" Katie said with a fake yawn. "Yeah, I've heard that one before."
"If I were you, I'd watch my attitude," Narcissa snapped. "You don't have your little friends to help you."
"You can't hurt me," Katie said defiantly. "Voldemort wants me alive."
"Stop!" Bellatrix shrieked. "You — you filthy Half-blood — speaking his name!"
"It's all right, Bella," Narcissa said softly, glaring at Katie in such a way that made the girl glad looks could not kill. "Let's take her to see him. She won't be so brave then."
Dragged by the rope that was still connected to
Bellatrix's wand, Katie found herself at the other end of the gloomy hallway, standing in front of a double door that was almost as big as the entrance doors. With a simple wave of Bellatrix's wand, the ropes on Katie's arm dissolved and she regained feeling in her hand, where her circulation had been cut off.
She waited, expecting someone to open the door and lead her inside, but they didn't. Instead, they stood still as stone, their hands tucked behind their backs, staring straight head and looking very determined about something, despite the fact that their faces had suddenly been drained of all colour. Katie finally understood that they were waiting for her to go first so, her heart beating wilder than ever, Katie reached out for the silver doorknob, turned it, and pushed the door open.
She was standing at the far end of a very vast room, illuminated by a majestic ornate chandelier illuminated. Grand, marble pillars lined the room and a magnificent, long table sat in the middle. It must have been able to seat at least fifty people. At first glance, this table seemed to be empty but, upon second viewing Katie spotted — her heart stopped — a man seated at the very top of the table.
Tall, cloaked, ghostly white skinned, with slits for nostrils, gleaming red eyes and a face so similar to a serpent's, Lord Voldemort was sat at the head of the table, staring straight at Katerina Blair.
Katie was sure her soul left her body. She had seen snippets of Voldemort in her dreams and heard him described by various other witches and wizards, but never in her most horrible nightmares did she imagine him to be this terrifying. It was as though he emitted a sense of dread and pumped fear into the veins of all those who dared linger in his presence.
"Katerina Blair," Voldemort said. "The girl I've heard so much about."
His voice was high in pitch, cold, and made Katie's very bones rattles. It sounded terrifying similar to a hiss of a snake.
Katie said nothing. She wasn't sure she could speak even if she wanted to. Her entire body was trembling with fear, and although she willed it not to, she could not stop it. So badly did she want to look away from Voldemort, but she seemed to be transfixed on his horrifying face.
Voldemort raised his wand and, instinctively, Katie flinched, but he only gestured towards the other seat at the opposite end of the table.
"Do sit down. We have much to discuss."
While this statement sounded like an offer, Katie knew it to be a demand, and were she to disobey, Voldemort would make he regret it. Legs shaking uncontrollably, Katie reluctantly made her way over to the table and sat down at the end opposite Voldemort. Now she was facing him directly and she felt even more afraid.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time." Voldemort said.
Still, Katie did not speak.
"You understand, do you, why I have been so anxious to meet you?" Voldemort went on. Although she still dared not utter a single word, Katie stiffly shook her head. Voldemort's lipless mouth curved into a smile. "You have power, Katerina, power that common wizards could only dream about."
"I'm a seventeen year old girl," Katie finally found a sliver of courage to speak, regretting how much her voice was as rattling. "There's nothing special about me."
"Ah," Voldemort sighed, "that is where you are wrong. Surely, you must know why, two years ago, I decided to plant those dreams in your head while you slept."
Katie did not move.
"I want you to join me, Katerina," Voldemort told her, and despite the fact that Katie was already aware of this, hearing it come directly from his mouth made her shiver. "You do not yet understand your importance. Together, we could conquer both the wizarding and Muggle worlds. With our combined power, we would be unstoppable."
"Why me?" Katie asked, her voice quivering, as was her entire body.
"You have not yet discovered your true power," Voldemort said. "You have not yet realised the potential of your bloodline."
Katie's heart was thumping once more, but this time with mingled excitement and fear. This was the closest she had ever been to uncovering the truth about her father, and although Voldemort would have been the last person she wanted to hear it from, she knew, somehow, that he would not lie to her.
"My — my bloodline?" Katie stammered.
"Haven't you ever wondered why you were sorted into Slytherin house? Why you were the first of the Blair family to not be placed in Gryffindor?" Voldemort questioned.
Katie nodded. "You knew I was going to be a Slytherin."
"Indeed," Voldemort somewhat smiled again. "You, Katerina, are one of the last living direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself."
It felt as though someone had reached down her throat and pulled out her heart. The entire world stopped spinning as the truth came crashing down upon Katie. As far as she was aware, there was only one other living descendant of Salazar Slytherin, and he was sitting right in front of her. She had barely come to the only conclusion herself when Voldemort, his voice much slower yet much more daunting than before, spoke the words that would alter Katerina Blair's life forever.
"Yes, Katerina, I am your father."