PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟏𝟔. Second

"That is possibly the stupidest thing I have heard all day." Said Valentine. "And I'm friends with Leah."

Dumbledore had just finished explaining the details of the second task and she was far from thrilled.

Basically kidnapping students and tying them to the bottom of the Black Lake was just as insane as it sounded. And entrusting them to more students, under enormous amounts of pressure was even more so.

"Why couldn't the tasks be simple and less life-threatening? Like an egg race or hopscotch?"

"I believe that would be counterintuitive to the goal of earning eternal glory." Said Snape dryly.

"Eternal glory is overrated." Valentine scowled, slumping in her chair by the Headmaster's desk. "Is that all I have to worry about or is there more?"

"I'm afraid there is." Dumbledore sighed.

Both Valentine and Snape watched him closely, waiting.

"Earlier today, Harry divulged to me a reoccurring dream of his." Said Dumbledore. "He spoke of a scene involving Peter Pettigrew, Barty Crouch Jr, a large serpent and Voldemort himself. He described Voldemort as something not quite human."

"Are we to believe that this is more than just a simple nightmare?" Asked Snape, brow furrowed. "Something prophetic?"

"I believe so." Said Dumbledore. "Harry informed me that he has been having this same dream since the beginning of the school year."

"If this is more than just a dream, then I doubt it means anything good." Valentine hummed thoughtfully. "Not if Voldemort is involved. What are the chances he's back again?"

"It's likely." Dumbledore nodded solemnly.

Snape cleared his voice.

"More than likely." He rolled up the left sleeve of his robe and then his undershirt until it reached his elbow and displayed his Dark Mark.

Dumbledore immediately stood from his seat and moved to observe it closer. Valentine did so as well.

A skull and a snake slithering out of its open jaw and twisting into a narrow design. Valentine had seen it before, most recently when it had been cast into the sky just after the chaos of the attack on the Quidditch Cup. This was different. It was nearly a solid black and Valentine was certain that it shouldn't have been.

"I thought the marks faded after Voldemort's defeat in the war?" Said Valentine. "I've seen my uncles several times and he was never that dark."

"They did fade. But today it burned as it did when I was first marked. It's a sign." Snape explained. "Karkaroff came to me not even an hour ago with the same result. He knows the most likely cause and he fears it."

Valentine's gut wrenched tightly. Even in the years previously when Voldemort had tried to kill Harry, this hadn't happened. Something was different about this time.

"So, if it's so likely that Voldemort is involved, then where is he? Should we be checking the backs of people's heads?" She Valentine. "Or is he controlling or masquerading as someone else? There are more than a few new faces at Hogwarts this year. He could be anywhere. Or anyone."

"No. If he was here he would have already attacked Harry." Said Dumbledore, decidedly. "You can be certain that if he was here at Hogwarts, we would know."

"With all due respect, sir, he was hiding under a turban for a year and no one had any idea. Who's to say he isn't pulling another scheme along the same line?"

"Are you forgetting that it didn't work last time?" Asked Snape.

"Only because he revealed himself to Harry." Said Valentine.