Black Plague

Chapter 18

By the end of the next week I was able to go through one flashcard after another and perform all of them silently. I decided to dress completely in black today. I pulled my long hair into a low ponytail, since I knew I would be probably sparring with Voldemort. I grabbed all of the cards and put them and a change of clothes into a small bag, then shrunk them down and placed them into my pocket. I walked confidently to the dinner hall and sat at the front. I had decided to take my authority. I would no longer cower in fear. Hiding from my destiny. The seventh years that sat there looked at me funny for a moment but never tried to remove me.
I don't think they could have even if they tried. I was willing to demand this spot. It was my rightful location. They ignored me, and continued to eat. From then on I continued to sit there. I think Dumbles and Snape noticed as well but nobody said a thing about it. I sat tall and began eating me breakfast. Once I was finished I stood with confidence and walked to Snape's office. I noticed Draco following me a few yards back. I assume he is also going to get trained. It is his home after all...
I knocked on Snape's door and entered when he answered. I walked in and sat on the chair in from if him. Draco walked in right after me and stood by the door. Snape finished what he was reading and stood. "Alright boys, let's get going." I stood and we walked out of the school together. Snape lead  the way. I flanked his right and Draco his left. I was a step behind him. And Draco was a half step behind me. I found it interesting how every action Draco did, seemed to be based on power and authority. Everything he did pointed to him looking at me as his superior. He seemed to do it automatically, almost subconsciously. Though I was sure it was actually intentional.
We walked in step all the way to the gate. I saw a few people watch us walk away. I am sure that we made quite a sight. Even though Draco and I were still young, we all walked with strength and confidence. As though we owned the place. All of us were dressed from head to toe in black, our long robes swishing behind us.

Once we stepped off the school property Snape apparated us away. We walked up the long path to the estate. As we reached the house Voldemort stepped out to greet us. Severus and Draco kneeled. Voldemort nodded at them. "You may rise. Severus, I will have you training Draco. Hades come with me"  he commanded. I followed as he lead me around the house. We stood by the side. The green grass looking lushes for early spring. And flowers beginning to blossom along the side of the house. "Hades let me see the spells you know." I nodded and pulled them out of my pocket. He spent the next 20 minutes sifting through them. "Remarkable. How many of them do you know nonverbally?"
I smirked. "All of them"
He looked up at me. "Really" I nodded.
"Is there any spells you struggle with?"
"Not really."
"Well then. I think it would be beneficial if we work or your reaction time and putting them to practice. I think it would help most to just have sparing sessions." I nodded in agreement.
He shuffled the cards and pulled out ten if them randomly. "I want you to use these nonverbally, while sparing with me. After we practice for a while, we will talk and discuss ways to become more proficient. Then I will pull out ten more cards and we will repeat the process."
I smiled "yes sir."
I noticed that he never used anything overly dangerous against me. Even though I was using spells capable of hurting him quite badly. But no spells ever touched him, though a coupe seemed to come close.
By the end of the day I was exhausted. All the diving and weaving was invigorating. But I was completely wiped out. Even with a number of breaks throughout the day.
He started out the day doing all his spells verbally, but throughout the day began doing more and more silently. They were much harder to block. You had to know what they were so you could bock them effectively. There were a number of different blocks you needed to know. And some were better just to dodge all together.
I sat down breathing hard as I watched the sun fall below the trees. He sat next to me. "You did well Hades. I am thoroughly impressed." I gave him a tired smile. He handed me my wand. I looked at him surprised.
"I got a new wand this week." He showed me it.
"May I see it?" I asked he nodded and handed it to me. I could feel the power radiate off it. "What is it made of?"
"It's a Yew wand, much like my last one. But it has a Basilisk fang core soaked in Basilisk venom and has an amethyst gem." I tried to use it. But only a small wisp came from it. "Does it have your blood to bond it to you?"
He smiled. "It does."
I handed him my Hawthorne wand. "It feels very similar to mine. It's Hawthorne, with Basilisk skin and venom and a Viper Jasper gem."
He took it and waved it, getting a few wisps to come from it. "You're right they feel very similar. Much like our original wands feel quite alike. Yours feels more calming than mine. But that's from the Jasper I would imagine." I nodded. "It is. I tend to grab it when I'm getting angry, to help calm myself down."
He nodded.
"Come, let's go inside. It's getting quite chilly out."
We stood and strolled into the house. I looked up at Voldemort. "Do you live here?" He laughed, "no, I live in Little Hangleton in my father's old manor. But I'm stay here during the weekend to help you." I smiled up at him.
"Take a shower and meet everyone in the sitting room"
"Ok"
About a half hour later I was coming down to sit with everyone.
I sat next to Draco. "How did your training go?"
He smiled big. "It was great. He gave me a book he wants me to work on while we are at school. To help me become better at dueling." I nodded.
"Severus took me to watch you during or lunch break. You are really good! I know I saw you last week, but you were dueling even better today. I don't think I even knew most of those spells. What were they?"
I looked at the ceiling, trying to remember. "I don't know. I don't remember what I was using then. The Dark Lord would pull ten of my flashcards and have me practice those against him." I pulled the flash cards out of my pocket and unshrank them. Then handed them to Draco to look at.
His face became more and more aghast the more he shuffled through them. "You know all these spells?" He exclaimed. I nodded. "Yes"
He kept sifting through them. "Now I see why Severus says you could probably pass NEWTs. Most of these are really advanced. This is incredible!". A small smile slipped onto my lips. "How have you learned all of these spells already?!"
I looked at him with a eyebrow quirked. "It's easy really. Like Snape said, I don't spend time with anyone. I only go to class and work on my spell work. I have no interest in making friends or playing around. My whole focus is on being the greatest."
"And no doubt you will be." I lurched at the unexpected comment. I looked up and saw Lord Malfoy. He sat next to Draco and grabbed the cards out of Draco's hands. I wanted to protest. But sat back agitated. Not liking someone just grabbing my shit without asking. I glared at him as he sifted through them. I heard laughing and looked up to see Voldemort walk in. He sat on the chair next to  me. "What has Lucius done to piss you off?"
I sighed and sat back. "He took my flash cards without asking. And is acting like he has every right to shuffle through my shit." I grumbled.
"Ah, yes. Malfoy's. They tend to think the world is their's. And everything in it."  I groaned. Knowing that was exactly what they were like.
"Yes. I can see that."
He looked at me with an eyebrow raised. "I can get it back if it really bothers you." I sighed. "No it's fine I guess. I just would have liked to have been asked first. I don't care if be wants to look at them per say. I just feel disrespected? Violated? I don't know... Definitely offended."
"That's understandable. But he will keep doing it if you don't demand differently."
"Yes, but I don't have enough power or authority to demand anything yet. I'll get there, but until then, I suppose I need to tolerate it."
He nodded. "Yes, I suppose you're right. You'll get there in no time though. Probably within a couple years if you keep advancing at the rate you're going. And I will be able to make you my second." I grinned and nodded.
"I will keep working at it."
He lay his hand in my forearm. "What are you working on learning now?"
I bit my lip in thought. "Well the last couple weeks I have been working on my nonverbal casting. I haven't decided what book I will work on next. Maybe another book on dark curses. I like those a lot."
"Yes, you seem to be quite good at them. You barely grazed me with your tongue tie curse and I had to do silent casting for quite a while."
I grinned at that information."Yes. My next book has blood boiling curses and the like, but also lineage curses I want to learn. Most won't really help with duels, but they could be very useful. Maybe I'll curse my cousin." I quipped gaving Voldemort an evil smirk.
"Y-you don't mean me, right?" I turned to Draco, having completely forgot he was here. And laughed. "no. I meant Dudley. The kid that pushed me down the stairs, causing my poor eyesight."
His mouth hung open. "Your cousin pushed you down the stairs?!"he exclaimed. Absolutely horrified. Jesus, he's loud.
"Yes, among other things. Someday I will make him pay for the torture he put me through. And I think death is too kind."
I said darkly.
I watched as a chill ran through Draco's body, and smirked.