First off I would like to give a mega shout out of thanks to -HaveUforgotten- for the awesome banner. And I'm sorry that it took me so long to update but things have finally calmed down here and my writers block is slowly lifting. This is a long chapter so please enjoy and don't forget to rate and message.
Love,
Jadedheart26
Here it goes-->
Standing in front of the mirror I was putting the finishing touches on my hair and makeup when a knock at the door interrupts me, putting down the hair brush I walk over to answer it. I open it quite surprised to find Narcissa standing there, "Narcissa, what are you doing here?"
"I came to see if you needed any help getting ready for the funeral. May I come in?"
"Of course." I answer taking a step back to allow her entrance into the room. "Will you be attending the funeral with us?"
"No, Lucius and I discussed it and decided that both of us need not attend so while the two of you are at the funeral I will be taking your brother shopping for a birthday present for Marina."
I go back to the vanity and pick up the brush to continue finishing my hair, "I'm glad that you're taking him shopping for her because if left to his own devices he might just end up getting her a Quidditch book or something like that."
"Yes, men are quite clueless as to what women want sometimes." She comments as her eyes meet mine in the mirror, "Lucius also told me about the discussion the two of you had last night about you learning your proper duties as wife and hostess and I must say I think it's a wonderful idea."
"Won't it be too much work for you on top of everything else you do?" I ask hoping to get myself out of this, "I don't wish to be a burden to you in anyway."
"It's no burden....If anything it will be a pleasure for me. I know your training in such matters has been neglected since your grandmothers' death so it's imperative that we start right away."
Turning around to face her, "Are you sure about this?"
"I couldn't be more sure about anything. This is going to be a wonderful opportunity for you to benefit from my years of hosting experience."
"Yes, it is but----"
"Good, then we will start tomorrow morning promptly at 9." She interrupts coming over and taking the brush from me, "Now, sit down and let me do your hair properly. You are going to be your families' representative today and even though the Fitzpatrick's are of a lower social status then we are there are going to be some very powerful people attending today because of the nature of the publicity surrounding Michel murder so it's important that you look and act your best. Is that understood?"
Knowing that when Narcissa got like this it was useless to argue with her I sit down in front of the vanity table, "Yes, Narcissa."
"Good girl." She said beginning to brush and style my hair, "There's a chance that since Michel's death was so highly publicized that there is going to be some press there. You are not to speak to any of them at all, if they try and question you about finding the body you are to direct them right to Lucius, alright?"
"Alright."
"You are also to direct any questions regarding your grandfathers hearing and its outcome to Lucius as well.....You family can't risk anymore negative public press than it already has had over the summer. Remember your standing in the community, Drucilla and do your best preserve it."
"Yes, Narcissa."
"You have truly beautiful hair." She comments running the brush through it.
I quietly watch her do my hair in the mirror, "My grandmother used to this for me before she died."
"Your grandmother was a wonderful woman, Drucilla. She would be quite proud of the person that you have become."
"You think so?" I ask quietly letting my eyes meet hers in the mirror.
"I know so." She replies starting to pull my hair back in a simple bun, "You aren't as well trained in the arts of keeping house and socializing as you should be but that will be very easily fixed. You are an intelligent, quick witted girl so it shouldn't be all that difficult to train you in what you should know."
I honestly wasn't sure if I had just been insulted or complemented so I just smile at her in the mirror, "Thank you very much, Narcissa."
I sit across from Lucius in the car on our way to the cemetery in relative silence. Staring out the window at the passing scenery my mind slowly begins to drift back to the last bit of time that I had had with Michel before his death. It had only been a week or so before his murder after I had gotten back from the Weasley's this past summer........
Running past a few people I quickly come to a stop in front of Valeria's Emporium, taking a moment to straighten my long black skirt and royal blue blouse before opening the door and walking in. The bell over the door announces my presence in the darkened shop.
"You're late and your hair is loose." A voice from behind the counter remarks dryly.
"I'm late...." I say gasping slightly catching the breath that I had lost running here, "because Grandfathers hearing ran late....because we had to wait for a new witness to come forward."
"And the hair?" He asks leaning down slightly to accept my kiss on his cheek.
"I had to give you something to criticize, Michel." I quip reaching behind the counter for a bit of the string that was used to wrap up packages before sitting down and taking a few moments to braid my hair.
"If you are looking for some constructive criticism I have some about that batch of Draught Of The Living Death that you brewed yesterday."
"That potion was perfect and you know it."
"There wasn't enough Root Of Asphodel in it....When properly made the potion is supposed to simulate death to such a degree that it fools even magical detection." Michel pauses and grins slightly at me his Irish brogue deepening with humor, "It's not supposed to be called Draught Of The Refreshing Nap."
"Well, it's not my fault if the ingredients I'm given to work with are of an inferior quality." I tease right back standing up and grabbing my apron from a hook behind the counter. "What do you need done today?"
"There's a list on my desk in the workroom of potions that need to be restocked."
"Anything that might offer a bit of a challenge?" I ask hopefully tying the apron behind my back.
"Every potion is a challenge, 'Cilla. The delicate mix of ingredients meant to either cure or curse is a beautiful thing.....Even the simplest of boil reducing potions can offer the same challenges as the most complicated luck potion."
I sigh softly, "I know that but I would love to try something a bit more challenging to my intellectual ability."
"So says the girl that is studying things a full term or two ahead of the rest of her year."
"What can I say? Slughorn likes seeing if he can stump me."
"Horace Slughorn is a wonderful teacher and opportunist." Michel comments as he pulls out a ledger and quill. I watch him open it and begin to make notes, "Just watch yourself, he never helps anyone without thinking how it can benefit him."
"I know Slug likes riding the coattails of his more promising students, Michel. I also know that whenever he does a favor for you he's already looked five steps ahead to see how it would best help him help himself."
"So says the current star in the, what do you call it, "The Slug Club"?"
"Professor Slughorn may have looked five steps ahead when he recruited me but I was looking six steps ahead of him."
"Cocky brat." Michel comments trying to hide a grin quite unsuccessfully "Go get to work."
My only answer was a grin of my own as I make my way back to the workroom where I soon lose myself in the subtle and exact art that I loved so much.
Standing up after crossing the last potion off the list that had been on the worktable I place my hands on my lower back and groan slightly. Right now all I wanted was a hot cup of tea and an even hotter bath, not necessarily even in that order. As much as I loved the art of potion making it was hell on the back and shoulders. Walking over to the door I pause and look at my reflection in a pane of glass, what I see amazes me slightly. My eyes were sparkling, my skin flushed from the heat of the cauldrons that I had been tending to for the past few hours and the humidity from them had caused a few escaped tendrils of my hair to curl softly around my face. Gone was my normally closed off serious expression, my reflection looked almost...happy for once. I grin and flick my reflection on the nose before placing my hand on the knob of the door leading back to the shop, I hadn't realized how late it had gotten until I glanced at the clock by the door and saw that it was almost midnight. I'd either have to ask Michel to apparate me home or spend the night here I thought to myself as I opened the door slightly only to have loud voices stop me before I was noticed.
"The Dark Lord does not take kindly to deserters and thieves, Fitzpatrick." A womanly voice comments threateningly.
"I didn't steal anything, Bellatrix. I only took my own personal research not anything that would affect him personally."
"Liar! Crucio !"
My eyes widen as I watch the affects of the Cruciatus curse on Michel, his screams filled the room as his body contorts in agony. Biting the inside of my cheek hard enough to draw blood to keep myself from screaming I start backing away from the door. A glass jar falls off of a table as I bump into it and shatters alerting the others in the shop to my presence. The one called Bellatrix that had been performing the Unforgivable Curse on Michel stops and turns around to another person.
"Go check that out. Bring them out whoever they are." She snaps.
"Wait!" Michel gasps as he tries to stand up, "It's just a cat loose in the workroom."
"Check it out. Now!" She repeats the anger evident in her tone. "Whoever you are hiding back there, Fitzpatrick will share in your fate if they do not cooperate tonight."
"It's just a cat, Bella...I swear it's just a cat."
I quickly make my way back over to the worktable grabbing bottles and throwing random things into the still warm cauldron doing my best to do something with the time that Michel was trying to buy me. With my free hand I start undoing my braid so that my hair will cover my face hoping to hide my identity from the person coming into the room. By the time the door started to open I was standing behind the table busily grinding dried nettles into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle.
"And who do we have here?" a masked man asks as he enters the room.
Shit.....Death eaters I thought to myself looking at him through the curtain of my hair. I would know the robes and mask of a death eater anywhere after Grandfathers hearing the past few weeks from the pensieve images and such that had been brought in as part of the Ministry's case. Deciding to pretend to ignore him I continue to slowly and methodically work the pestle into the mortar.
"Not going to answer me are you?" He asks coming closer to the table.
"I have a lot of work to do and you aren't supposed to be back here." I answer softly continuing to work, "Please leave."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Little Girl." He responds taking another step closer to the table, "Why don't you come out into the other room with me? We could have a nice little chat with my friends out there."
"I have a lot of work I have to do. Please leave." I repeat tossing some of the ground nettles into the cauldron at my right elbow before lighting the fire underneath it. Moving from the worktable to an area of shelves behind me to grab a container of boomslang skin, I also grab a small random bottle from a shelf and hide it in the pocket of my apron.
"You seem to be under the impression that I'm asking you, Little Girl." He comments as the tip of his tongue quickly darts out of his mouth and licks his lips, "I'm telling you."
Turning around to face the masked person I reply in my sweetest tone, "Of course, Sir. May I please just have one moment to finish this?"
He seemed genuinely surprised to get any cooperation from me, "I think it would be for the best if we were to head out to the others right now."
Placing the jar in my hand on the work table I demurely nod my head, "After you, Sir."
Grabbing my right elbow he pushes me ahead of him out into the shop, "I don't think so. After all it would be quite rude to go before a lady."
Letting myself be pushed fully into the front of the shop my eyes start taking in everything at once. From Michel sitting on a stool behind the counter with a trickle of blood coming from the left side of his mouth to the two other death eaters in the shop besides the one holding my elbow in a death grip. One was in front of Michel with their wand pointed squarely at his heart while another leaned against the front door obviously standing watch looking bored to be here while the one that stood in front of Michel looked wired. Like they were expecting something to happen or someone to show up, I assumed that the one standing in front of Michel was the one that had cast the Unforgivable Curse on him. My suspicions were very quickly confirmed as they looked me over from head to toe and spoke to Michel, "This doesn't look like a cat to me, Fitzpatrick. In fact she doesn't look like much of anything at all."
"I don't know....I've been told that I am quite cute and kittenish when I want to be." I quip to the woman straightening myself up to my full height and tossing my long light brown hair over my shoulder. "I demand that you order your lackey here to let me go."
"You are in no place to demand anything." The woman snaps back turning her full attention to me. "Who are you?"
"I could ask you the exact same question....What are you doing here?"
"My name and why I am here is none of your concern. I want to know your name. NOW!"
"I am someone who can make your life a living hell if I so choose to do. You make a horrible mistake if you cross me."
smack
My head snaps back from the force of the slap and if it hadn't been for the death eater at my elbow I probably would have fallen to the floor. The coppery taste of blood fills my mouth as I glare at the woman, "You just made a dangerous mistake, Death eater."
She raised her hand to slap me again but Michel's voice stops her as he attempts to stand up, "Let her go, Bella she is of no consequence to you and knows nothing about what you're looking for."
"I never thought that I'd see the day that the most feared of the Dark Lord's followers," She pauses long enough to come over to me and place the tip of her wand under my chin, "would be trying to save a miserable slip of a girl's life like this."
Raising my chin a notch trying to ignore the accusations against Michel I look at the woman in front of me, "A miserable slip of a girl? I'm not sure if I should be insulted or not."
She jabs her wand tip harder into my flesh, "Tell me what I want to know, Fitzpatrick or we get to see the effects of the killing curse at close range."
"Bella," The one at the door says in a bored tone of voice, "I don't see how threatening this....child is going to get what the Dark Lord wants."
"He's trying to protect her an----"
Taking a deep breath I interrupt the woman, "Either that or he's trying to protect himself from my grandfathers wrath if something happens to me."
"Drucilla, stop speaking right this instant!" Michel demands having regained enough of his strength to stand up on his own, "I'll go get what you want....Just let Drucilla leave right now. Unharmed."
"I'm afraid that I can't allow that to happen." A new voice announces as a hooded figure approaches this Bella and me, "Bella, why don't I have what I want yet?"
"I'm working on it, my lord.....We've just run into a minor complication." She answers jabbing her wand harder into my skin, "Fitzpatrick will only talk if we let the girl go."
The bored sounding voice responds from the doorway again, "What Bella is forgetting to mention is the fact that Fitzpatrick wasn't willing to reveal anything that we wanted to know until the child was brought out and that if she had simply let her go by now we would already have the information that you so desire, my lord."
"Is this true, Bella?" The hooded figure asked studying me closely for a moment before turning his attention to the woman, "I wanted this to be handled quickly and efficiently, if you were presented with the opportunity to do so why didn't you take it?"
"He wouldn't have given up the information we wanted once she was gone out of harms way. Fitzpatrick is no fool, my lord."
He looked from Bella to Michel and finally his gaze comes to rest on me, "Very true.....After all I did train him myself but I can't help but wonder though what it is about this girl that makes you so concerned about her welfare, Michel."
"She's nothing but an innocent bystander, my lord. Merely a possible future apprentice."
"Let her go." The hooded man orders the death eater holding onto me. He quickly lets go of my arm while Bella slowly removes her wand from my throat.
"Thank you, My Lord." Michel quickly says starting to move towards me.
"Do you take me for a fool, Michel?" He demands whipping out his wand and pointing it towards Michel stopping him dead in his tracks while he continues to look at me, "Now child, since Michel isn't being mannerly enough and making introductions it's up to the two of us to introduce ourselves. I am Lord Voldemort and you might be....?"
Making a split second decision to use my Grandfathers last name even though I despised using it I knew that right now I needed the clout that only that name carried, "Drucilla Anastasia Ives, sir."
His nearly reptilian eyes study me from beneath the hood for a moment before he acknowledges what I had said, "You look a little young to be David's child....Who are your parents?"
Keeping my eyes on his, I was an Ives after all and would not lower my gaze to anyone, I answer truthfully. "I am David and Shirley's grand daughter, sir. My parents died when I was a baby, I've lived with my grandparents my entire life."
"Interesting. Are you a Slytherin like your Grandparents before you?"
"Ravenclaw, sir. Going into my Sixth year in the fall."
Taking a step closer to me he reaches out and grabs my chin. He slowly moves it from side to side studying me as he does so. "What does Michel have to gain from protecting you and by trying to pass you off as a mere worker, Drucilla?"
"Trying to save himself from my Grandfathers wrath, I assume. David doesn't like it when someone lets anything happen to any of his possessions."
Voldemort chuckles slightly as he removes his hand from my chin, "David can be quite protective of what belongs to him."
"Not so much of me but what I can do for him." I unthinkingly say.
"Oh?" He asks looking at me oddly, "And what is it that a mere slip of a girl like you can do for David that would cause him to be so protective of it?"
Pulling myself up to my full height I square back my shoulders, look one of the most feared men in the wizarding world in the eye and sarcastically answer, "Why the one and only most important thing that a young woman in my position can bring to him....A successful and profitable marriage."
His reaction took my totally by surprise. He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me face to face with him; his eyes narrowed while his nostrils flared slightly sending shivers of fear down my spine as he tilts his head to one side and studies me intently. "I will ask you this once and only once, child. Who are your parents?"
"Pen....Penelope Ives-Warren and Jacob Warren." I stammer slightly trying my damnedest not to let my fear show.
"My Lord," The death eater by the door spoke out, "someone would have noticed that the girl isn't home yet and might be looking for her....Perhaps it would be for the best if we were more expedient in our search."
"Yes, perhaps you're right." He comments without releasing his grip on my arm, "Wormtail! Come here!"
A death eater that I hadn't noticed before came up to us, "Yes, my Lord?"
"Keep hold of Miss. Ives while I talk to Michel....If she tries to escape or if he refuses to cooperate use Crucio on her."
The man roughly grabbed my arm as Voldemort lets go of it. I repress a shiver of distaste when he pulls me tightly against him, "With pleasure, Master."
"Oh, and Wormtail?"
"Yes, Master?"
"Don't do anything that would leave a mark....It would be a shame to mar such perfect skin."
"My Lord, I beg of you....Please leave Drucilla out of this. I'll give you anything you want if you just let her go unharmed." Michel practically begged from behind the counter.
"I'm sorry to say, Michel that the time for that has past." The Dark Lord replied beginning to raise his wand, "Now, are you going to tell me voluntarily or am I going to have to use Legitimacy?"
Before Michel had a chance to respond a loud explosion sounded from the workroom, the confusion that it created caused Wormtail to loosen his grip enough on me so I could break free and bolt to Michel's side. Placing my arm around his waist to help him stay standing I turn to Voldemort and take the small bottle that I had hidden before out of my apron. Holding it up in my hand I say, "If I don't add a certain ingredient to the cauldron in that room in the next 5 minutes the next explosion will take out this whole shop."
Still holding his wand straight out Voldemort watches me closely for a moment before responding, "You would destroy this whole shop and everyone in it because?"
"If there is something hidden in this shop that has caught the attention of a man as powerful as yourself it must be something extremely important and dangerous so I would think that it would be better off being destroyed than falling into the wrong hands. Four minutes and counting."
"Bella, go check the workroom."
"Yes, my Lord." The woman shoots me a dirty look as she replies heading to the workroom door.
"You play a very dangerous game, Miss. Ives."
"I don't play games, Lord Voldemort." I softly answer my eyes never leaving his as Bella opens the door to the workroom.
As she does a rancid smelling green smoke slowly starts filling the room causing anyone whose eyes it comes into contact with to start watering. Voldemort points his wand directly at my head, "What do you have in that cauldron?"
"A little something of my own design....Three minutes before this shop and everyone in it gets blown to bits." I say shaking the bottle in my hand back and forth, "Now, I'd say it's up to you to decide that if it's worth the risk of taking this bottle from me and putting it in the cauldron."
"How is that?" He questions.
"Because this bottle that I hold in my hand could be the ingredient that would counteract the other ingredients brewing in there or...."
"It could be a catalyst ingredient meant to hasten the effect of the potion." The death eater by the door comments before he covers his masked face with his sleeve and rushes into the workroom. Barely a moment later he comes back out and rushes over to Voldemort's side, he quickly and quietly says something to him. I move slightly closer to Michel as the masked man turns his full attention to me and locks his eyes with mine.
"What do you need to put into the cauldron to counteract the potion?" Voldemort demands advancing on me.
If you tell him he'll kill you and Fitzpatrick for causing him so much trouble a voice whispers in my mind.
"Answer me, child! Or I will rip what I want to know directly from your mind!"
Your only hope of survival is to stand up to him. Do not tell him what he wants to know because as soon as you do your life is forfeit. The voice in my head advises urgently.
Taking a deep breath and an even bigger leap of faith in this person that seemed to be trying to help I look Voldemort in the eyes, "You don't have the time to get the knowledge from my mind and add what needs to be added in the proper order before time is up. You now have only two minutes."
He continues walking towards me until he was standing right in front of me. Placing the tip of his wand directly between my eyes, "You, Drucilla Ives are either incredibly brilliant or incredibly stupid....Which of those do you think is the right one?"
"What I think doesn't really matter, does it Lord Voldemort?" I answer looking him straight in the eyes.
"You remind me of someone....Which is why I will let you live right now." Leaning closer to me he whispers in my ear, "But next time child you may not be so lucky."
"My Lord, if my luck holds out our paths won't cross again."
He chuckles softly, a harsh empty sound, "We will meet again and if I decide to let you live after this incident you will join my death-eaters."
"I don't think so."
"As you already said, my dear....What you think doesn't really matter now does it? All that matters is that I think you will." He said before taking his wand away from my head and moving towards the door. Turning to his followers he speaks, "We leave now. We will be back at a later date for what we want."
For a moment it looked like the woman named Bella was going to argue but she and the others soon left the shop. When they were gone Voldemort turned back to Michel and myself, "We will meet again, Miss. Ives I can promise you that."
"'Cilla, what did you just do?" Michel asks weakly once the shop was empty.
"I have no idea, Michel....I have no idea."
"The cauldron in the back?"
"Is full of a harmless green goo that does nothing more than stink and make a loud noise." I answer honestly slumping against the counter, "I'm surprised that the death eater who went back there didn't notice."
"You....bluffed the Dark Lord?" He asks in disbelief wrapping his arms around me in a hug, "Do you have any idea how wonderfully idiotic that was? No one has ever gotten away with trying to do that to him. You have just made yourself known to one of the most dangerous people in the wizarding world and I doubt that he will forget you anytime soon."
Wrapping my own arms around his waist I lean against his chest, "I did what I had to do to protect you, Michel. I couldn't let that....woman hurt you anymore. I didn't think that...he would show up and things would end up like they did."
"I'm supposed to be the one protecting you, you know that? You're too young to take a burden like that upon yourself."
"You're the nearest thing that I've ever had to a father, Michel. I couldn't let you be killed when there was something that I could do about it."
"I'm honored that you think of me that way, Drucilla and you know I think of you as my own daughter but if you ever do anything like that ever again I shall be forced to soundly thrash you."
"Uh huh." I say as a familiar dizziness began to wash over me while an overwhelming feeling of anger and curiosity that was not my own begin to resonate through my entire being.
"Another dizzy spell?" He asks letting me go and gently helping me sit on the floor.
"It hurts." I say gasping for breath as the anger I was feeling became overpoweringly intense to the point of pain. "It hurts....badly."
"I'll be back in a few moments with something for the pain, alright?" Michel said brushing a lock of hair behind my ear before he stands back up. "Just hold on until then."
I try and nod my head but find the pain too intense so I close my eyes and let the welcoming pain free darkness take over my being.
A gentle hand on my shoulder breaks me out of my memories. "We're here, Drucilla."
"We are?" I ask looking out the window. "That was quick."
"Are you sure you want to do this, my dear?" Lucius asks in an uncharacteristically sympathetic tone.
Looking back at him I tilt my head to the side quizzically, "Of course, why do you ask?"
With a gentleness that I never expected Lucius Malfoy to have he simply reaches over with his gloved hand and trails his fingers over my cheek. Pulling his hand away he shows me the dampness glistening on the black leather, "Because you're crying, Drucilla."
The End.
Well, that was it and I hope you liked it. I will have my Seto Kaiba Quiz updated before the holidays. Please don't forget to rate and message.
