tainted transparency || a harry potter story

Chapter Seventeen: Malfoy Manor

I landed hard on a cold black tile floor. I shivered and stood as fast as I could. I was alone. In what looked like a massive mansion. It was dark, really dark. I saw a set of double doors behind me and tried the doorknob.

It's locked.

Is this some sort of twisted nightmare?

Or one of the twins' pranks?

Oh, tell me this is a prank. Please.

Or a dream and I'll wake up with Harry by my side.

I heard a door open in the distance and I gulped. I reached for my wand in my pocket but realized that it had been taken. So I readied myself for whoever or whatever I was about to face.

My breath hitched when a head of white hair came into view. And an aged face.

"Well, well, well... you're just as much of a slob as I'd expected," It's Lucius. Draco's father. Wait...

Is this the manor? That means Draco's here somewhere.

"I'm no slob."

"You're all muddy," Lucius circled around me. "Anyway, my son's mind has been penetrated by the Dark Lord. and we've discovered... that he's told you about our little plan... yes?"

My blood ran cold and it covered my skin in chills.

"You see... the Dark Lord wanted to kill you..." Lucius explained. "But Severus convinced him into... a bit of mercy. And suggested we just... make you one of us now."

"What?!" I cried. "No! You- you can't!"

"Pathetic girl. Do you defy the Dark Lord's plans?" He sneered. That classic Malfoy sneer. The one that matches Draco's. "Follow me. If you value your life."

I nervously followed the tall, dark man into the pitch black corridor. I couldn't see where I was walking nor where I was walking to. I did note that I was walking past many doors.

He stopped in front of one specific door and I felt a draft coming from the small crack underneath. Lucius opened the door and stepped inside.

"My lord, she has been retrieved."

"Thank you, Lucius," A cold voice spoke. "Leave us."

Lucius shoved me inside of the room and firmly shut the door behind me. The room was dark and I couldn't see anything. I couldn't hear anything other than a soft bubble of a cauldron and that same cold voice of who I hope isn't what my mind's already decided for me.

By the way Lucius had called him his 'lord'... I knew exactly who I was about to face.

"Hazel Longbottom..." I heard a chair creak and light footsteps begin to approach me. I held my breath and watched as a deep green fire lit under a massive cauldron. And his face was revealed. Voldemort. The Dark Lord himself. "Oh, how I've been awaiting your arrival."

"What do you want with me?" I asked him, trying to be brave.

"I'm welcoming you into my army," His lips curled in a disgustingly malicious grin. "I do say you are quite lucky to be alive. You should thank me. I wanted to kill you. Give me your arm."

I lifted my right arm, but he sneered.

"Your left. You know better," His voice rose a bit. Startled, I lifted my left arm towards him. He wrapped his cold grey hand around my wrist and slit it sharply with just a swipe of his wand.

I cried out in pain, but it didn't affect him as he held my arm over the cauldron and let my blood drip into the murky, maroon colored substance bubbling away inside of it. Then he bared his teeth in an evil grin as he traced his wand down the cut.