The Potions Master and the Ravenclaw

"I Trust You, Kitten"

Madeline was waiting in the parlor of the Riddle home with Peter Pettigrew and the Dark Lord himself. Nagini was coiled on the floor beside her with her large head resting on Madeline's foot.

She was smiling benignly at Voldemort as he rambled on about precisely nothing, but she was secretly terrified.

What if Severus got hurt or killed? What if one of the Death Eaters was so severely injured that she couldn't heal them and the Dark Lord punished her? Or even worse, what if he punished Severus for her failure? Her anxiety was building, but she remembered what her husband had taught her and used her occlumency skills to calm herself. Nagini seemed to sense her disquiet and slithered up her leg to rest her head comfortingly in Madeline's lap. She stroked the snake affectionately and it calmed them both.

A scream was heard from a prisoner in the basement but she didn't react.

"Wormtail!" hissed Voldemort. "Why are you incapable of keeping our guest quiet?"

He stood and exited the room. Pettigrew simpered and scurried behind him at his heels.

Madeline was alone with Nagini.

She had been thinking a lot about Nagini.

A maledictus. A human witch, trapped in animal form. The Dark Lord's pet. Doomed to do his bidding. The snake seemed attached to Voldemort. She seemed to love him, but she also appeared to understand that he was evil. Nagini did not want to commit evil acts herself, but she had no choice. She was inextricably bound to him and he controlled her against her own will. Madeline knew the maledictus had not wished to hurt Arthur Weasley that night in the Department of Mysteries, but the Dark Lord had compelled her to do it. She was a deadly weapon. Who else would she be forced to harm?

Madeline shivered. It was cold in the dilapidated old house, but her chills were caused by her own dark musings. Poor Nagini. Killing against her nature.

But wait.

What if she could save Nagini's future victims? Could she create an antidote? She would have to research and experiment. She had a talent for potions, but was she skilled enough? Maybe Severus could help her. After all, it had taken them several attempts to get it right for Mr. Weasley at St. Mungo's. Arthur had been lucky, but Madeline wanted to be prepared with a reliable antivenom for anyone else Nagini might be forced to strike.

She'd need some of the snake's venom. Would Nagini let her extract it? Would Nagini tell the Dark Lord? That wouldn't do at all. Gods, it was risky. She'd built a relationship with Nagini, but it would never be stronger than her connection with the Dark Lord. Could he read the serpent's thoughts? He might kill Madeline or torture her if he found out what she was planning. Or worse - torture or kill Severus. She couldn't let that happen.

But, oh, she wanted that venom. Arthur Weasley would not be Nagini's only prey. She was certain of it. She had to create that antidote.

But how?

Just then, there was a commotion at the door as the Death Eaters returned from their mission. Madeline leapt to her feet.

Avery, the Carrows, Greyback, Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, Crabbe, and Goyle were the first to enter the parlor. Two wizards she didn't recognize immediately followed, one of which was holding his arm as blood seeped through his fingers.