Black's Daughter and the Half-Blood Prince [Book 2]

The Graveyard

Lord Voldemort had risen again...

Severus looked down at Alecto with wide eyes, the burning sensation on his arm worsening by the second.

Alecto stood back up, regaining her balance, he immediately pulled up his sleeve, the mark on his arm was exposed, a serpent and a snake, the mark of a Death Eater. The mark which had only been a light grey reminder on his pale skin for many years, was now a jet black color and burning silently with pure darkness.

It was no question; he was really back, and he was summoning his followers.

Alecto glanced at Severus, it was the first actual time that she had noticed his mark.

She whimpered as she heard a dark whisper in her ear, "How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?"

"And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?"

Her green eyes shifted from his dark mark and their eyes met,

"Will you go back?" she whispered.

His eyes carried pain and confusion, "I don't know." he said softly, for the first time he truly didn't know what he was going to do.

She watched him silently and winced as she heard the voice again,

“You can­not hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry … come out and play, then … it will be quick … it might even be painless … I would not know … I have never died. …”

She let out a groan and closed her eyes, trying to cut the voice from her mind.

"H-He's going to kill Harry–"

Severus frowned, "You're hearing them?"

She let out another uncontrollable wail and suddenly with a loud crack she was gone—

*

—Alecto suddenly appeared in the graveyard, the one she had seen earlier. . .

Did she just apparate? She's never disapparated before, how was it possible–

She then saw several hooded figures turn her way as the crack of her apparation echoed through the graveyard.

A pale cloaked figure turned to her, he had red eyes and two snake-like slits for a nose, she knew exactly who that had to be.

Then the familiar cold voice spoke again, Voldemort spoke again.

"Alecto Black..."

She caught a glimse of Cedric's lifeless body and her jaw clenched with anger, she looked up, straight into Voldemort's snake-like eyes.

He smirked, a nasty look that went with his pale features.

"I'm surprised to see you here, I didn't expect you'd come willingly to be one of us." Some of his followers behind him snickered softly but they stopped abruptly as Alecto spoke up.

"I'm not here to join your foul little group."

Voldemort chuckled coldly.

"Then why are you here, Alecto? You don't fully remember what we taught you, do you? Why we took you in?"

Alecto looked at him doubtfully.

"You are powerful. You just don't know it yet, you have absolutely no idea what power you posses."

"Well– why don't you tell me what power I posess?" She asked, her voice laced with mockery.

Some of the Death Eaters behind Voldemort shuddered, they would never have spoken to their master that way, not in their wildest dreams.

Instead of getting upset he let out a cold laugh, "You are indeed different. Not arrogant, no– but if that is indeed bravery, why would you have ended up in Slytherin, my dear girl? You are meant to be on the dark side."

"Really? I'm meant to follow you, believing I'd gain power but in the end I'd just fear you and come running like a dog with it's tail between it's legs each time you snap your fingers, hoping you won't kill me?"

He smirked once again, "I have the power and they get the glory when they obey me, it is simple."

Alecto scoffed rudely and her eyes went to Harry who was peeking over the tombstone he was hiding behind.
He looked at her as if she was crazy for speaking that way to the Dark lord.

"You are meant to have power, just like me. Some of us just. . . What's the word– crave it."

"I'm nothing like you."

Voldemort grinned evily, "You say that now."

And as if brushing her off he turned back to Harry, "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you yet, Harry."

He glanced at one of the hooded figures and motioned his hand to Alecto and in a swift movement the Death Eater cast a spell on Alecto that bound her in the spot she was standing, she couldn't move.

As if he had a change of heart Harry stood up, the Gryffindor side of him leaping forward, if he was going to die, he was going to die bravely.

Suddenly he and Voldemort both yelled out their spells.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

Green light shot out of the one and red from the other and connected in the middle with a bright color of shimmering gold.

The death eaters surrounded them, waiting for their master's orders.

Alecto felt the need to help and broke free of the curse which bound her in her place and made a run towards them but she was grabbed around her waist by Lucius Malfoy.

He held tightly onto her as she fought to get out of his strong grip.

"Stop fighting you stupid girl!" He growled in annoyance.

Alecto looked back at Harry and Voldemort and the power emerging from their wands were great and fierce, Harry fought with all his power to not stop fighting and with each passing second Voldemort's eyes filled even more with fear.

Ghost like figures emerged from Voldemort's wand, one by one, five of them in total.

Suddenly Harry let go and he pushed past two stunned death eaters, making his way toward Cedric's body.

Alecto broke free from Lucius's arms and ran after Harry.

Harry dodged as spells were lunged his way after Voldemort yelled out, "Stun him!"

Suddenly a spell was thrown toward Alecto which she swung away with a sudden shielding charm.

"Not the girl!" Voldemort ordered angrily, "No one attacks the girl!"

Alecto turned and rushed to Harry who grasped onto Cedric's arm and reached for the Triwizard cup- but it was too far out of reach, "Alecto!" He cried out, "Hold onto me!"

“Stand aside! I will kill him! He is mine!” shrieked Voldemort and Alecto ran beside Harry and grabbed onto his arm as he yelled out the words, "Accio!"
The cup flew into the air and soared towards him and he caught it by the handle.

They heard Voldemort’s scream of fury at the same moment that they felt a slight jerk, that meant the Portkey had worked — it was speeding the two of them away in a whirl of wind and color, and Cedric along with them. … They were going back.