she isn't what she says

Chapter 8: Malfoy Manor

Valencia was 14 when her mother escaped from Azkaban. But she was now 16. This was was the first time she would see her since she had just been realised from Azkaban early. "Valencia my darling" her mother held her close to her, she held her out and looked at her "Look at you" Valencia barely recognised her mother, she was a shadow of her former self. Her beauty had disappeared, her hair was frizzy and her teeth rotten. Valencia was told she looked like her mother before Azkaban, with dark eyes and hair, the same curvy figure and heavily lidded eyes. "Mother" Valencia smiled, she didn't know what to do. Bellatrix smiled at her "Oh Valencia, you've grown up well"

"I've done my best" Valencia said nervously. "Tell me" Bellatrix guided her daughter to sit down "Have you taken the mark?"

"No" Valencia stammered, she suddenly noticed the new tattoo on her mother's neck, her prison number. "Why ever not?" her mother demanded. "Uncle said I wasn't ready" Valencia told the truth. "Lucius, Narcissa!" Bella shrieked. The couple came running "Why hasn't my daughter received the mark?"

"I don't command the same position with the Dark Lord, I cannot introduce Valencia" Lucius confessed. "They've brought me up well, mother" Valencia smiled "They've loved me"

"That's good" Bellatrix smiled.

"Are you here to join our ranks?" the Dark Lord asked, Valencia noticed her old teacher beside him. "Yes, my lord" Valencia could feel her mother's eyes burning on her skin.

"You are very welcome here, later on we'll talk about the task you have to do to become a Death Eater." the Dark Lord nodded. Her mother swelled with pride, she kissed her daughter's cheek before taking her seat near the Dark Lord. Valencia belonged nowhere; she couldn't sit next to her mother because she wasn't in the inner circle. The rest of the room was full of men, drinking, talking and laughing. Valencia moved into a corner of the room, her dress hung awkwardly on her. She felt dirty. "Let us move into the Dining Room" the Dark Lord commanded, he lead the procession of Death Eaters out of the room. As Valencia followed a hand grabbed her wrist holding her back, it was Snape. When the room was empty he hissed at her "You foolish little girl. What are you doing here?"

"I'm pleasing my mother and father" Valencia said simply.

"There is no place for you" Snape told her, still holding her wrist tightly.

"The Dark Lord has found me a place" Valencia looked into his eyes, they betrayed nothing.

"Get out while you still can" Snape advised her "There is a war coming, you will have to fight if you stay. And you will die" "No" Valencia shook her head.

"You are too young to understand. Find a husband, have a family that is your job. You are not a soldier in this war" Snape implored her. He was right, she didn't want to fight or die. But her mother would kill her if she refused to follow the Dark Lord. "My mother will kill me if I leave" Valencia almost cried. "I've been training for my whole life, I want to do this." Valencia almost shouted wiping her tears.

"Meet his eyes when you speak. Avoiding them will not block your thoughts from him, and if you meet his gaze, it will make him less inclined to believe you are lying in the first place," Severus said as he escorted Valencia from the room.

"I've met him before, Severus," Valencia said, her voice strained.

"But not in this manner, Valencia."

"Okay, Severus" Valencia whispered before joining her mother, who was waiting by the door.

"Let go of me" Valencia pulled herself free and went into the other room.

* * *

"Ahh Ms Lestrange, you look beautiful" The Dark Lord spoke softly, strangely, as he pointed to Valencia's long tight black dress that her mother had picked out for her. "Thank you, my Lord" Valencia replied bowing down as her mother did too.

"Come here my dear" Valencia heard her father say as he ushered her to sit next to her. Valencia walked over to him and sat down in between him and her mother, Bellatrix Lestrange.

"This isn't working. Maybe it's time for a change." The Dark Lord spoke suddenly. Draco's heart clenched at hearing the Dark Lord's words. A change for what? He wanted to ask, but of course he didn't dare. The Death Eater's faces around him ranged from eager to nervous. His mother grasped his hand under the table, which only served to make him even more anxious.

"Draco." Draco almost jumped at hearing his name in that high pitched yet terrifying voice.

"Yes, my Lord?" he muttered. "You're nothing like your father, right? You, unlike him, are going to serve me well, aren't you?" Draco looked over at Valencia who was looking down at her nails.

"Yes, my Lord," Draco's mouth was dry, he wanted to escape. He didn't want to hear what the Dark Lord wanted to say. He didn't want to obey. He wanted to curl in his bed and hope for better times to come.

"Good. You're going to kill Dumbledore."

The words silenced the room. Draco nodded, praying that his fear wasn't too evident, that his face didn't show his thoughts. He felt how his mother's grasp on his hand tightened painfully. She was supporting him, but he knew she was as scared as he was.

They both knew Draco couldn't and wouldn't do it. How could he, Dumbledore was his headmaster.

"With Valencia, If she proves worthy then she will have the choice to become a Death Eater."

Valencia felt her mothers fingers interlock with hers under the table. She was doing this for her and her parents. What she feared the most was being unsuccessful and being useless. Valencia had been training her whole life for this. This was the time to show the Dark Lord how much she wanted to become a Death Eater. However, Draco realised during the summer after 4th year he didn't want this life of being a death eater, Voldemort had been using his home as a sort of hideout and the things he heard and saw were terrible beyond compare. Lucius had told Draco that he expects him to get the dark mark when the time comes, that night Draco cried into his pillow, he wished he didn't listen to his father.

Valencia shot a look at Draco, who looked terrified, she smirked though. She was once, excited.

...

"The Dark Lord has confided in us about your task, Valencia, and he wants us to inform you about your new situation," Her mother drawls, opting to stand before the fireplace rather than sit like Narcissa and Valencia.

"Yes. Dumbledore is not only the headmaster of Hogwarts, but he is highly... respected by the wizarding community. He is called the most powerful wizard of our time. And he needs to be out of the way if we are going to win this impending war," Narcissa said before snapping her fingers for tea, which appeared a few seconds later, brought in by a house elf. Bellatrix helped herself first, but Valencia refused her offered cup.

"Yes, but our dear Dumbledore is growing old," Bellatrix stops to feign a pout before striding over to stroke Valencia's cheek with a long black nail. "So now is the best time to be rid of him."

"And the Dark Lord believes that you and my son are the best candidates. Of course, it is always best to get the job done quickly, but the two of you will need to find time to discuss the best method," Narcissa adds.

"Valencia, your job as the Dark Lord's new favourite is to get on everyone's good side- become the golden girl of Hogwarts. And do whatever you need to achieve that status. Most importantly, make friends with Dumbledore, get him to trust you. Then, when the three of you feel the time is right, finish the job," Bellatrix says, ending with a loud cackle, her face framed evilly by a greenish halo of dark curls. She seemed almost jealous of her daughters success with Voldemort- but was doing a great job of hiding it.

"Now, my dear Valencia, I don't believe we need to remind you again of the importance that you complete the task the Dark Lord has given you. You will be tortured, and killed, along with us your family. And we will not allow ourselves- us, loyal Death Eaters- to be shamed in such a way," Bellatrix says, both Death Eaters fixing Valencia with a steely glare. All traces of pride were gone, and now Valencia was forced to prove her loyalty once again.

"Of course mother, Narcissa."

Her reply seemed to satisfy the other witches, and they both nodded slowly. After Bellatrix and Narcissa explained to Valencia how Voldemort came to power and the importance of the destruction of Harry Potter, she was excused to go to bed.