The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

Rebellious Children

Rebellious Children

In a manor on a hill in a town quite far from Hogwarts, the Dark Lord put down his mirror carefully so that the face of it was down, and the reflection on the other end of the connection would show only darkness. He paced, angry, his lips tight and soul burning. Lucius Malfoy, the fool, had been told to protect the mirror, now more than ever. Yet here they were, the mirror in the possession of some other Hogwarts students that, given the nervous whispers he had overheard, knew very well what the mirror was for. If only he'd insisted that they started the legilimency lessons now - rather than waiting for the summer break - he would have been able to tell exactly who the trespassers were, but no -- Severus Snape, the first year whose assistance he required for the purpose of learning the art of legilimency, had insisted it would be best to wait and learn face-to-face, rather than across the distance that parted them.

Voldemort's anger and eyes flashed, red hot in the night, his stress filling the room. He turned to the soft form form of his beloved pet, the snake Nagini, and ran his fingers over her cool scales as she slithered closer across the span of the table top. Nagini's thick coils were twisting and turning around the half eaten remains of the Dark Lord's dinner utensils. Her presence made him feel better and he released some of the tension through a long, low breath, letting her head slip beneath his palm.

Yesss, calm yourself, master, hissed Nagini, her flickering tongue tickling the underside of Voldemort's wrist.

Already feeling better from the snake's attentions, Voldemort felt his thinking clearing and he mused, "Perhaps it's the Black boy. Lucius had said he was one of the ones to see the bathroom mirror..." Voldemort looked at the snake and gently traced the pattern of her scales around the back of her head, trailing off down her body. "Yes," he whispered, "Of course. Of course, he and his little friends from that night..." Letting his palm fall from the snake's knobbly head, he withdrew his wand and walked swiftly out of the room, headed to speak to his hospitable hosts.

The home he was staying in was dark, lit by flickering torch lamps along the hallway, illuminating portrait after portrait of the pureblood line through the many centuries, each labeled with brass name plates, the eyes of their subjects following as he passed by, staring over their noses demurely. The Dark Lord smoothly descended the wide stairs of the manor to the parlor, where, seated by the fire, was the master of the house - Abraxus Malfoy.

"My Lord," Abraxus stammered, standing upon Voldemort's entry, immediately bowing low, nose toward the ornate carpeting.

"I require your arm, Abraxus," commanded Voldemort in his high, powerful voice. He held out his hand as Abraxus approached, left arm extended, the Dark Mark clear and bright upon it. Voldemort lowered his wand against Lucius's skin and the mark faded from black to brilliant red, scorching the skin painfully, causing Abraxus's arm to quiver as he lowered to his knees. Once the mark burned brilliantly enough, Voldemort released his loyal follower's arm and turned away without offering to help the man up from the floor as Abraxus struggled to regain his composure. "I require use of your owl as well," the Dark Lord said smoothly, his back turned as he stared out the window at the Death Eaters apparating just outside of the gates of the manor. "I need to reprimand your son."

Abraxus looked up at the Dark Lord's silhouette in the grey window. "Wouldn't it be faster, my Lord, to contact him with the mirror...?"

"The mirror," said Voldemort coldly, "Has been stolen. By several Gryffindor first years." He turned just as several of the new arrivals entered the room, their cloaks pulled high about their necks to protect against the icy cold weather outdoors. "Ah yes... speaking of the thieves... Orion, Walburga.... this will certainly interest you as well, my friends. Come... come... It seems your son has had a hand in... relieving... Lucius of my mirror."