Black Plague

Chapter 20

The next three weeks I have found slightly distracting. I still work on my spell books nonstop. And I making remarkable progress through it regardless. The problem is that I get flashes of what Voldemort is doing all the time. It doesn't matter if he's eating, talking to his Lucius his right had man, walking around Knockturn Alley recruiting, or just reading a book. I get flashes of his life all day long. If he's frustrated, upset, sad, happy, relieved, I feel it. I feel his emotions as though they were my very own. And when he feel emotions strongly, they almost overwhelm me.
It has been quite an adjustment. I know this will be my new normal, so the sooner I adapt the better. I have found Occlumency helps some but it's not fool proof. I still always feel his emotions just to a lesser degree. But, I have found everything is twice as hard when I have to keep my Occlumency shield up all the time. It's like I am having to use twice the focus and energy. So it's easier just to let thing be, unless he is feeling something strongly. Most of his day generally consists of him fixing up his manor. And making it livable again, so it isn't really a problem having that running through my head. It's not overly exciting or even interesting. So I mostly ignore it and focus on my own day.
But, the other day he dug through a shack by his home and found a ring, and the combination of excitement and despair was all consuming. So much so, that I almost collapsed in Care for Magical Creatures. Clearly, this ring had a lot of meaning to him. He removed a curse and has worn it ever since. I will probably ask about it this weekend. It has me curious.

I woke up early Saturday morning and jumped into the shower. Today is the big day. Voldemort will teach me Apparition. I do my daily routine. Then go to my room to pick out some clothes. I decided to wear a dark gray shirt and black slacks and robe. I brush my wavy black hair and decide to leave it down. I won't be sparring with Tom much, if at all today. It is getting very long. Maybe too long. I have thought about cutting it, but I haven't made a decision yet. I sort of like how the curls cascade down my back. However, I could easily be mistaken for a girl, especially from the back. They say your hair grows about six inches a year. And I haven't cut it in nearly three years. So the fact that it flows past the middle of my back isn't really a surprise.
But even of I did decide to cut it, I wouldn't even know how short I would want it. I want to keep it long. Like all the Lord's do. Just how long? My hair looks like an absolute mess short. It sticks up in every direction and I can't get it to lay right no matter how hard I try. So I will never keep it short. Plus, I find long hair looks distinguished. And maybe slightly rebellious. But my hair has gone from that, to more effeminate. It looks good on me. Maybe even suits my small, petite frame. But I am not sure it's a look I desire.

I finish getting ready, and walk confidently to breakfast. I take my seat at the head of the table and begin placing food on my plate.
I sit poised as I have learned to do over the last few months at Draco's house. Yes. I have learned quite a bit throughout the year.
I eat my oatmeal with fruit and nuts, then stand and walk to Snape's room. I know people watch me come and go. They notice me again. But nobody has bothered me. Well except Ronald Weasley. He began persuing me again, like when we first came to school. Trying to be my friend despite our separate houses. I have read his thoughts, trying to understand why. Apparently, Dumbles is taking notice of my changes and is concerned he's losing control of me. This makes me laugh. He never had control of me. And the fact he thought he did just proves how delusional he truly is. I just roll my eyes and blow Ron off. I hear Ron call out to me again as I leave the dinner hall, but I ignore him and keep walking. I don't even know why he's up so early. He's a lazy fucker, and doesn't wake up before he has to. I see him running full speed to class most mornings as I stand at my classroom door. He's always disheveled and unorganized. No, if I were to make friends, it would be someone much better than him.
I don't know if I consider Draco a friend per say, but he's the closest thing I have to a friend. He's a little arrogant, a little loud, but he's always nice to me. And he seems to be interested in mee as a person. More so than most.

I knock on Snape's door letting him know I am here.
Soon the three of us are walking out of the school.
"Hi Harry, where are you going?" I look over and see Ron running up to me. I groan loudly in frustration. As he stands before me I scan his thoughts and see Dumbles has noticed us leaving every weekend and doesn't trust Snape's answer of tutoring us. I raise an eyebrow and cross my arms. "If Dumbledore what's to know what I'm up to, he should ask himself. Because it sure as hell isn't any of your business." His jaw dropped open in shock and I turned and all three of us began walking away again. Not even having to communicate as we move in sink.
"Fuck, Weasley is so annoying. I wonder how much I am paying him to try and be my friend?"
Draco's foot falters a for a moment, before he gets back in step with us. "What do you mean?"
I grabbed my wand to calm myself. "What I mean is Dumbles has control of all my finances, because he's apparently my magical guardian. And he uses my money to pay for the Order of the Sheep and all his allies. Including The Weasley's. I can only assume Weasley is this determined to befriend me, and find out everything he can, so he can get a cushy payday. He's too lazy to put this much effort into me, for something that benefits him nothing." I spit out angerly.
"Fuck, that's messed up." He said horrified. I smirked a little at the fact that my crass vocabulary had been rubbing off on him. "Why did you think I hated Dumbles and his allies so much? You had to know he wronged me somehow." I asked.
He shrugged, "I thought it was because he put you with that shitty family."
I nodded in agreement. "Well sure, that pisses me off. But no, I hate him because he has stolen tens of thousands from me. Maybe hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, he left me to starve and grow up with nothing. Needing to learn to steal just to survive." I could feel my anger rolling off me.
Once we reached Draco's house Voldemort came out and may a hand on my shoulder. "Calm down Hades. We will destroy them for how they wronged you." I gave him a weak smile. Our emotions went both ways. But I effected him less than he effected me. So if he was calming me down my rage was nearly out of control. I knew I needed to work off all this negative energy.
"Come Hades, let's duel. That should calm you down some." I nodded and we stood across each other in the front garden.
I hit first. Soon we were throwing deadly spells back and forth. I felt myself calm as I focused on destroying my opponent. I dived and weaved, throwing up shields when needed and retaliating with my most deadly spells. I knew people were gathering around to watch. Staying far enough back to not get caught in the crossfire. Our reactions quick. I threw spell after spell at him. Not giving him a chance to recover before another sailed towards him. He was almost ethereal as he danced before me. Dodging and weaving. Throwing spells back just as quickly as they came. I hit him with a blast curse and a couple slicing curses. He had hit me with a few curses as well, but we kept going. Eventually I was feeling completely calm again. I hit him with a expellermus and his wand flew into my hand. I smirked and walked over to him, in order to return it, feeling incredibly proud of myself.

"Well done Hades." He smiled at me. I grinned back. "Thanks."
I pulled him to his feet and we walked over to Cissy, Draco's mother, to get patched up. I pulled my cloak off and saw that Diablo had almost been hit with a slice curse. I rubbed his head. "I'm sorry Diablo, are you okay? I will make sure to never fight with you on me again. I don't want you to get hurt."  I asked completely forgetting everyone around me. Only focused on my sweet little snake.
"Yes master. I am okay. Just a little shook up."
"Ok, my precious little one. I will be more careful in the future."
He slithered up my arm and licked under my chin, letting me know he forgave me.
I smiled down at him. Completely unaware of the chaos around me. Everyone had went into an uproar upon learning I could talk to snakes. They had ever only know Voldemort as a Parseltongue. Some people were in awe, others horrified, and many fearful. In this moment they knew, I would no doubt rule along side Voldemort. Which was stupid, being able to speek to snakes didn't make you a Dark Lord. But they saw the uncanny resemblance between us. We were too similar not to notice. That, and the duel between Voldemort and I showed just how powerful I was becoming. I had bested him for the first time in my life. Something nobody else had ever been close to achieving.
I kissed Diablo's head and turned to the people surrounding us and noticed the chaos and panic. I looked at Voldemort. "What's there problem?"
He chuckled. "They just realized why you are going to rule aloneside me. Never has anyone defeated me in duel. Plus, they saw you are able to speak to snakes as well. It just reiterated what they had already suspected. You will be there Lord one say soon." I smirked and nodded.