Black Plague

Chapter 22

Over then next week I worked tirelessly to figure out apparition. I would struggle with it for a couple hours then take a break and study one of my new books. After learning a few spells, I would go back to apparition. I worked on it nonstop. I was exhausted and frustrated. On Saturday I got dressed and showered, then I sat down and meditated to calm myself. I began focusing on where I really wanted to be. Malfoy Manor. Every part of me wanted to near Voldemort. I longed more than anything to be by his side. Then I focused on being weightless, becoming nothingness. Finally I felt the shift. I struggled not to lose focus and doubled down on my concentration. I needed to get to the manor.
It took a while, but the feeling came to me again. Soon there was the characteristic nauseating pull on my stomach and I felt the world begin to spin. With a loud pop I found myself sitting infront of the gate. I stood, dusted myself off and confidently walked up to the house. I did it!! I almost couldn't believe it! After trying so hard and for so long, I had started to lose hope. But I wanted to be here so bad. And I think that was the last key to the puzzle. I hadn't wanted it bad enough.
I walked into the house and made my way to the dining hall. I swept in and sat in my spot next to Voldemort.
He looked at me and smiled. "you did it!" I hummed and nodded. "Yes, finally! I found it incredibly frustrating."
"Well, we'll have to continue working on it. Make sure you can get it consistently each time." I groaned but acquiesced despite my irritation.
By the end of the weekend I was able to apparate every time and anywhere. Thank God. At first, I could make it to Voldemort immediately, but, it seemed impossible to apparate away from him. It took most of the weekend to become consistent. I would get so frustrated we would need to duel just to calm me down, before working on apparating again. Now that I could consistently apparate at will, I wouldn't have to work on it ever again! That thought gave me relief.
I showed up at home late Sunday exhausted from my weekend but happy. Nobody could hold me back now.
That next Wednesday I began working on Wandless magic. I would work for a few hours trying to direct my magic through my hand instead of having my wand focus the magic. It was almost as frustrating as learning apparition. I wanted to scream!!! So, when I got frustrated I switched to one of my spell books and worked on that. Learning new spells always seemed to cheer me up. The darker the better. There was a buzz you got from dark spells that just lifted my spirits.
It was nearly July when I started to actually make my first complete spell without a wand. I was shaking from the exertion, but I did it!! I did it again to make sure it wasn't a fluke. And cheered in excitement. I actually stood in the middle of my room doing a little victory dance I was so happy. Thank the Gods!!  I started making progress pretty quickly after that initial breakthrough.now that I understood it and knew the feeling. I still only worked on it a couple hours so I could work on my other spell books. It was more beneficial to learn new spells. Wandless magic was helpful if I was ever disarmed, but not necessary.
Summer seemed to fly by on me. I was disappointed I hadn't made more progress getting through my books. I had only memorized a handful of them. But I guess I was working on a number of other difficult but important things. If I was ever disarmed, it was important I was still able to defend myself. And apparition would always come in handy.

I walked into the train later than normal and could only find one train car empty. Well, mostly empty. There was what looked like a sleeping hobo but he seemed passed out so I would ignore him.  And it was in the way back of the train. Soon Goyle, Crabb and Draco joined me. I threw a muffliato shield around us to keep our conversation private. "Hey guys, how was your summer. Did you make much progress with your spells?"
Crabb and Goyle nodded but Draco answered. "I worked really hard this summer and finished 5 books!" I smiled. "Good job! I knew you could do it!" I encouraged.
He beamed a large smile at me. Preening at my praise, which made me giggle quietly to myself.
We talked about our summers and different spells we liked when suddenly the train came to a screeching halt and the window grew ice cold. Draco and Instantly stood our backs to each other, pointing our wands in front of us. Greg and Vince were shaking with fear. I didn't know why we were so scared, but fear prickled the back of my neck and my hair stood on end. A black ghost looking thing floated towards us. I shot everything I could think of at it. I even tried the kill curse a couple times. It worked, but had no impact in the thing what so ever. It finally reached us and we were both pulled up off the ground. I was beginning to panic. How did you kill this thing??? Suddenly, the man who had been sleeping shot a spell I had never hear of, and the black ghost flew away.
Draco and I collapsed on the ground trying to catch our breath. "Fuuuuck, what was that thing?!" I gasped.
"That was a Dementor". Said a soft voice. I looked at the stranger. He was thin and lanky. His face ragged and unshaved. There was a scar running across his face.
"Here is some chocolate, it will help give you guys some energy. And make you feel better."
The guy gave us both some dark chocolate.
"What was that spell. I need to learn it."
"Oh that was expecto patronum. It's the only thing that gets rid of dementors." He said softly.
"Fuck. Draco. We're learning that one next. Never again am I going to be helpless. Fuck that!"
Draco gasped "that was a Dementor? Yes, Hades. We are definitely learning that. Shit! I've heard dementors fucking suck. But They are way worse than I expected. My father will here about this." I would have laughed about hearing his catch phrase if I wasn't still trying to collect myself.
"Good. I might be telling Tom too. That's bullshit."
"Tom?" Vince asked.
I raised an eyebrow and obviously glanced at the older gentleman. "Yes, Tom. He's kind of like my mentor."
"Oh you mean the...." Draco slammed his heel onto Vince's toes to shut him up "ow!!"
Draco and I rolled out eyes at each other. God they were so dumb. That was something I had learned quickly. Sweet as can be, but dumb as rocks. They would make great grunts, but you could never expect strategy from them. Jesus.

"Who are you?" Draco asked.
"I'm professor Lupin. I will be teaching DADA", he answered kindly.
"Well at least it looks like we have a competent teacher this year." I mused.
"If you boys want, I can help you learn the patronus charm." I hesitantly nodded and Draco grinned. "That would be great." He replied for us. I sighed but agreed. What could it hurt.
"Well, I hate to run boys, but I need to talk to the conductor." We nodded and watched him make his way out the door.

Tom

I had only done this a couple times but this was an emergency.

Yes Hades

Draco and I were just attacked by a Dementor on the train ride to school. Thank God the DADA teacher was by us. But it was scary as shit.

Really?

Yes. I never want to see those black ghost things again. I have never been so afraid in all my life. They had us pulled off the ground ready to eat us.

Hades, they don't eat you. They suck out your soul. Or in our case, our soul.

I felt my heart stop.

Holy Shit. Well the teacher is going to teach us the patronus charm. So hopefully this will never happen again.

You might not be able to do the charm. You have to have a extremely happy thought. And like me, you haven't had very many of them. But, I would never discourage you from at least trying.

I groaned.  Well, it won't hurt to at least try, I guess.

I turned to Draco, "I told the Dark Lord. He says I may not be able to do the patronus charm. I guess you need a happy memory to do it. And as I'm sure you know, I have had almost none of those. But I'll still try."

"Wait, you just told him?"
I nodded. Forgetting he didn't know about my connection.
"But how?"
"Well, long story short, when he tried to kill me part of his soul entered my body. So we have a really close connection. We feel each other's emotions, see what the other is doing, and can talk to each other and shit. But we don't use it much." I shrugged, trying to play it off like it was no big deal. It didn't work. He was making a really big deal about it.
"Draco calm down. Can we pretend I never said anything. I was so distracted I forgot nobody knows."
"I won't say anything, but I can't promise the same for them." I looked up to see them staring at me like I had a third arm. I groaned and erased their memory of the incident.
"There, now they don't even know it happened." I said to Draco. He nodded not even looking shocked. Then again, he knew how good I was at mind magic.

We filed off the train and got into separate carriages. Not wanting people to know we were friends. That would just cause suspicion and rumors. Some probably true.

I sat at my spot at the head of the Ravenclaw table near the teachers table and began scanning Lupins memories, making sure he didn't learn anything he shouldn't. He had woke to me throwing a couple kill curses. So, I quickly locked those memories. Then I kept scanning. Wanting to make sure I had everything. I muddled the name of my "friend" just in case it became a problem and then I saw things I never wanted to see.
Fuck! He was friends with my father and James. And surprise, surprise he had been another one of my mom's lovers. Jesus christ how many men was she fucking?!?! Because it was starting to look like she was fucking every man she met. I tried to wipe away those disturbing images by rubbing my eyes. It didn't help. And it wasn't because she was my mom. Well, not really. I could care less about her. But heterosexual sex just really grossed me out. I never wanted to see a vagina again. Yuck!! They were wet, and sloppy, and smelly and uggh! No, give me a dick any day.

Snape was looking at me funny, when I pulled out of Lupins head. I must have made a funny face about the memories I saw. But how could I not? It had been disgusting!
I shook my head and began eating.