(1) 𝐍𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐄 | d. m

Chapter forty-seven

I remember my parents. Even though I often try to pretend like I don't  — and because I want nothing to do with what they did — I do remember, and finding out that they were murdered by Voldemort only added fuel to the fire that was my boiling blood. I might have despised them for what they became and for the secrets they kept from me, their daughter, but I still missed them, and I still needed to find out exactly how they died. Besides, if I was going to die soon, I might as well have found out what really happened to them. They could at least give me that.

After what happened with Draco, Lucius Apparated us to Hogwarts, of all places. I guess I must've thought that school was the last place where hope would die, but I was wrong, because as we made our way through the dark and gloomy forest just behind Hagrids hut, I realised things were never going to be the same. Everything had changed, and evil was prevailing.

"Get off of me!", I kept on shouting as he forced my legs to walk forward. The pain he had put me through for so long wouldn't dare leave my body, and I felt like a walking corpse.

"Stop fussing about!", he snarled as we finally reached school grounds.

I guess you could say I was shocked to find Hogwarts almost completely in ruins. There were dark clouds hanging above our heads, and no sign that the sun had ever even been there at all. Students and teachers alike were fighting off Death Eaters here and there — people I had seen almost everyday since I moved to Scotland — and the spells evaporating from their wands  seemed to blend together in colour as they reached the sky. It almost looked like fireworks, except, it didn't bring about joy and excitement for the new year. Instead, it only added to the gnawing and anxious feeling in my stomach.

Everything was different. Chaos was roaming. Giant spider-like creatures crawled all over the place, and giants were trampling about, knocking some people to the ground as they tried to fend off the enemy. I spotted Hermione, Ron and Harry sprinting through the war front and it took everything in me not to shout their way.

Finally, after what felt like hours of being pushed through the mud and the bloody battlefield that was now Hogwarts - we reached our destination. Mind you, it was not a pleasant one.

"My Lord, I got the girl", Lucius said with a shaky voice. I knew he was as terrified of Voldemort as the next person, but I had never seen him so small, so white-livered.

Voldemort stood by the podium where Dumbledore used to speak up at every beginning and end of a new school year. He moved as effortlessly as a python, and if it wasn't for his lack of nose, I would actually find his exterior frightening.

Don't get me wrong, I was absolutely terrified of the guy, but it wasn't his appearance that made it so. No, it was his vile ways and crazed temperament that froze my blood. The way he never seemed to care about anything other than his own need for everlasting life and power. It was his views on blood status, murderous glare and horrifying reasons for ending people's lives that struck a nerve with me. Those were the things that cause my throat to clog up whenever he was around.

"Good—good job Lucius. You've surpassed yourself, and you've managed to make me proud. For that I shall award you generously". Voldemort spoke up after a moments silence causing my legs to quiver and my breaths to grow increasingly uneven. "As for our dear Miss Ross. . . I'm afraid I won't be so generous".

It was weird. The feeling of not being able to control your own breathing, of not being able to keep your legs from nearly buckling from underneath you. The sensation of wanting — of needing — to get out of a place or a situation and quickly at that, couldn't be described as anything other than absolutely terrifying.