dursley [h. g.]

••dursley•• || the dark lord

Apparation always made Kendra dizzy. However, this time, she could not tell if she was dizzy from having side-along apparated or if it was the cold, iron-wrought gates and the equally intimidating mansion that sat behind them. Beside her, Draco stared blankly ahead at the manor, a soured familiarity in his eyes. She assumed this was Malfoy Manor, having only been here when she had been unconscious the first time. 

Bellatrix stepped forward. "If he's not here, be prepared to call him," she instructed to the other Death Eaters, the gate turning to fog as she approached with her wand aloft. Kendra was shoved forward, her feet stumbling to catch up with her torso as they began to move again. Hedges lined the paths and white peacocks, perhaps there to give a symbol of regality to the place, waited in a corner for the procession to pass, their wide, blank eyes watching with unspoken judgment in the way that only birds could. Kendra had to look away, the birds only an ominous warning for what was to come. 

The doors flew open with an echoing thud. Quick, light footsteps hurried to greet them until a woman who only could have been Draco's mother, Narcissa Malfoy greeted them with wild, fearful eyes at the door. Draco strung away from the group, pulling his mother into a tight hug, the kind that was full of both fear and relief at the same time. When they pulled away, Narcissa turned to Bellatrix. Kendra recognized their facial similarities as she looked at them both together for the first time. 

"He's waiting," she whispered, not daring to break the eerie silence that had plagued the grounds with a sharp tone. Bellatrix only nodded, gesturing for Draco and Theo to lead the way. This had been their mission, after all. 

The house was even more daunting on the inside than on the outside somehow. Everything about the place was cold, unwelcoming, a reminder of pain to Kendra. From the colors to the architecture, from the drapes to the cold, black marble floors, everything about Malfoy Manor told her that she was unwelcome. They were led past a set of stairs and down a hallway where finally they reached a door. Everyone knew what was behind the door and together, they all steeled themselves for what their fate would be, though all for different reasons. 

The door swung open and at the far end of the table sat Lord Voldemort himself. His skin was gaunt, ghoulishly so, almost sickly green in the light of the room. His eyes were like a snake's, set far into his face, the pale green almost blending in with his skin as his slit-like pupils darted around, turning his gaze to everyone in the room. His nose was two flat slits on his face as well, disturbingly inhuman. His hands were like pale spiders, his long, bony fingers ending in points as his nails came to a sharp end. In one hand, his fingers toyed with his wand, and the other directed a snake to settle atop his shoulders.

"So," he finally said, his voice ringing out through the room like a high, cold warning bell, "you have returned to me."

The door swung shut behind them, the sound haunting as it pierced the silence. Voldemort turned his attention to Draco, expecting the boy to speak. "Dumbledore is dead," Draco mumbled.

"Speak up, boy," Voldemort said, both his face and voice devoid of any emotion. Draco straightened, more out of fear than bravery, knowing that he had been heard the first time and was just being humiliated now.

"Dumbledore is dead," Draco repeated. Voldemort stared at him for a moment.

"Fascinating," he said, not really sounding interested. "So Severus has killed Dumbledore for you."

"Y-yes, My Lord," Draco replied, his fingers digging into his palms behind his back.

"I am feeling merciful," Voldemort finally said. "I hope Lucius learned his lesson this time and does not need a reminder in the future, for he will find that I am not so forgiving a second time."

Draco looked as though he could cry from relief. "Thank you, My Lord."

"Go, all of you," he finally said, his eyes landing on Kendra. "But leave the mudblood with me."

"My Lord?" Bellatrix asked with quiet revrence. "Are you sure-"

"I told you to leave, Bella, do you really think me so incapable of handling a wandless teenager?" Voldemort replied, his eyes narrowing at Bellatrix, who bowed quickly and made a fast exit from the room. Voldemort then gestured for Kendra to sit at the opposite head of the long table. "So... we meet again."

"We do," Kendra replied. "Although, I cannot recall being this concious the last time we met."

Voldemort all but ignored what she had said. "Bellatrix has told me about your last encounter. It intrigues me all the more as to why you are here now, since it seems you sent her crawling back to me the last time."

Kendra knitted her fingers together, working around her bound hands. "Perhaps I wanted to come here," she said simply, leaning back into her seat. 

Voldemort eyed her with renewed interest. "Then it would appear we both have things that we want from each other," he said, staring at her unblinkingly. Kendra felt cold pass over her for a moment, and then it was gone. 

'He was trying to read your mind,' Morgana voice in the back of her mind startled Kendra. 'I let him see what he wanted to.'

"And why should I give you what you want?" Voldemort asked, stroking the snake on his shoulders. "I am merciful, but you are still a mudblood. And you'll find I can be very... persuasive."

Kendra thought for a minute. "And I think you'll find me to be very stubborn," Kendra replied smoothly. "This is not the first time you have tried to torture me to break me and it failed, unless you've forgotten."

Voldemort paused, unnerved that Kendra was correct. "Perhaps we can come to a deal, then," he finally said, eyes boring into her soul. "You have valuable information on this power of yours, as well as Harry Potter. Share it, and I won't kill you."

Kendra held back a sigh. She knew that there wouldn't be much room to negotiate with Lord Voldemort, but she had hoped that her information would be valuable enough to keep her safe. It seemed like at least for now, that was not the case. "Then my knowledge is yours," she said finally. Voldemort smiled at her, a cruel mask stretched across his lips that was as meaningless as half of the words they had exchanged. He raised his wand, the door creaking open. 

Bellatrix was back in the room in moments, grabbing Kendra by the hand, a smile of pure glee on her lips. "Oh we are going to have fun, aren't we?"

Kendra finally let out the sigh she had been holding in as Bellatrix dragged her away, her fingernails digging painfully into Kendra's arm. She wished someone else could have taken her place here as she was dragged down a set of stairs and into the cellar below the manor. And when she was finally alone, she could not help but cry. 

a/n: i can't decide if I hate this chapter or if it's ok. still planning out exactly how this book is going to go so if you have any wants or ideas, let me know and I'll try to work them in while the plot is still flexible. still excited for this one, even though I have no idea where it's going yet 

a meme for all of you

sorry for making the past two memes dumbledore slander but it my current obssesion so sorry for anyone who was emptionally traumatized by his death :)