The Eagle and The Snake: A Tragic Love Story

43. No Turning Back

Carly managed to convince Dumbledore to let her go home, after the battle at the Ministry.
She claimed it was so that she could be the one to tell Andromeda about Sirius. But really, it was so that her and Luna could find Voldemort, so they could ask him what they should do next.
Dumbledore agreed to take them home, and said the girls could spend the evening with their families, before he came back for them the following morning.
After being involved in a real battle, he thought it would do them good, to be around their loved ones.

After Sirius had died, and Harry had run off after Bellatrix, Voldemort had turned up at the Ministry to fight Harry, but Dumbledore had intervened and protected the boy.
Before Voldemort left though, half of the Ministry, including Fudge, turned up, and saw Voldemort with their very own eyes. So, the Ministry could no longer deny Voldemort's return.
Especially as a dozen death eaters had been captured at the Ministry, proving that their master was back. And Bellatrix ended up being the only one who had been able to escape with Voldemort.

Andromeda had broken down when Carly told her that Sirius was dead. And she was even more distraught when she found out her own sister had been the one to kill him.
Carly couldn't help but feel guilty, as she watched Andromeda cry. As she knew it was her fault that Sirius was dead, since Bellatrix had only killed him to protect Carly and Luna, and keep their death eater status a secret.

Unable to watch Andromeda cry, Carly headed upstairs to her bedroom, where Luna was waiting for her.
"How is she?" Asked Luna.
"How do you think?" Sighed Carly, as she sat down on her bed, bedside Luna.
"Her favourite cousin is dead, courtesy of her own sister. And her only daughter is currently in St Mungo's, recovering from battle wounds" continued Carly.
"Is Nymphadora going to be alright?" Questioned Luna.
"Yeah, Nym is fine. Her injuries are not life threatening. But she may need to spend a couple of days in St Mungo's, so that she can heal from her wounds. Aunt Andy wants us all to go and visit Nym, as a family. But I don't want to go. I can't look at Nym in a hospital bed, when I know that I'm one of the reasons she's there in the first place. So, when Andy and Ted go, I will stay here with you".

"What do we do now then?" Quizzed Luna.
"I don't know" mumbled Carly.
"We need to get in touch with Voldemort, so that he can tell us what he wants us to do. And since we can't apparate yet, we have no way of getting to him" reminded Luna.
"We don't even know where he is. Even if we could get to Malfoy Manor, it's unlikely that Voldemort or Bella returned there after the battle, since Lucius was captured along with the others at the Ministry. I bet aurors are searching the Malfoy Manor as we speak, looking for signs that Voldemort has been there".

"What do we tell Voldemort, when we do find him?" Questioned Luna.
"What do you mean?" Frowned Carly.
"Do we tell him about the prophecy? We are the only ones who heard it, so it's up to us whether or not we tell Voldemort" replied Luna.
"I didn't think we had a choice. I just assumed that we would tell him. It was our mission afterall, to get our hands on the prophecy"
"I was just checking that telling him was still what you wanted to do. After everything Sirius said to you at the Ministry, I wasn't sure if you had changed your mind. And I didn't know if losing him, had made you question whether or not you also wanted to lose Harry as well".

"Just because Sirius chose to fight with the Ministry, against Voldemort, it doesn't mean that I have changed my mind, and want to do the same. I don't want to lose Harry, but I know that his death is a necessary sacrifice that I must make, if I want to live in a world with you by my side. I made my choice a long time ago, and nothing will ever change my mind. Besides, we are too far in to back out now. We are death eaters, and that is that" announced Carly.
"Yes, we are. And if Voldemort looked in our minds and saw that we knew the prophecy and hadn't told him, he would be mad. So, we really have no choice but to tell him" admitted Luna.
"No, we don't" agreed Carly.

"Should we just head back to school then, and wait for Snape to tell us what to do? Or wait in the Shrieking Shack to see if Voldemort turns up looking for us?" Suggested Luna.
"No, we need to get word to him tonight. It will be much harder once we return to Hogwarts, as Dumbledore will have his eye on us, since he's been reinstated as headmaster of Hogwarts" replied Carly.
"Then how are we going to find him? We can't apparate, and we can't exactly send him a letter. So, what are we going to do?" Asked Luna.
"We can't apparate. But I know someone who can".

"Who?" Questioned Luna.
"Kreacher" answered Carly.
"The house-elf?" Quizzed Luna.
"Yes. With Sirius dead, the Black empire falls to me, since I'm Regulus's daughter, and the only person left with the surname Black. So, Kreacher will have no choice but to serve me. We also know that Kreacher has been secretly visiting Bella and Narcissa, and giving them information on Harry. Which means Kreacher supports Voldemort's ideas, so I'm sure he will be only too happy to help us find him" explained Carly.

"Do you know how to summon him?" Asked Luna.
"Not exactly. But how hard can it be" answered Carly.
She then closed her eyes, and pictured the elf, with all her might.
"Kreacher. Come to me!" Commanded Carly.
Carly opened her eyes, and for an awkward few moments nothing happened.
But then there was a loud crack, and Kreacher the house-elf suddenly appeared in front of them.

Kreacher bowed, "How may I serve you, Mistress?".
"Hello Kreacher. We need you to find the dark lord for us. Go to Narcissa and she if she knows where he is. If she doesn't, start searching other death eater homes until you find him. Once you know his location, come back here and take us to him, so that we can rejoin our master, and recieve our next assignment from him" instructed Carly.
"As you wish, Mistress" replied Kreacher, before disapparating.

****

Both girls had an anxious wait, while they waited for Kreacher to return.
When he did, he apparated the two of them to the warehouse Voldemort was currently residing in.
Carly then sent Kreacher away, before approaching Voldemort, who was stood in the centre of the room.
When the girls saw him, they bowed respectfully, before going and standing beside Bellatrix.
Voldemort looked angrier than they had ever seen him before, and it scared them.
Even Bellatrix looked a little on edge, at her masters rage.

"After months of careful planning, the prophecy ends up getting smashed!" Announced an angry Voldemort, as he paced up and down the room.
"Not only do I not get to hear it. But Potter ends up escaping from my clutches once again, thanks to Dumbledore. And I end up losing a dozen death eaters to Azkaban!" continued Voldemort.
He then pointed his wand at a table in the room, and caused it to burst into flames, making Luna and Carly jump.

"Once again Albus Dumbledore and his stupid Order of the Phoenix have ruined all my plans!" Shouted Voldemort.
Carly looked at Luna for support, before nervously taking a step forward towards Voldemort.
"Forgive me, my lord, but there is something I need to tell you" announced Carly.
"Not now little one" hissed Bellatrix nervously, as she tried to protect Carly from Voldemort's wrath.
"What more bad news do you have for me, Miss Potter?" Questioned Voldemort.
"It is not bad news, but good news" answered Carly.

Voldemort stepped closer to her, intrigued by what she had to say.
"Go on then" he encouraged.
"While it's true that the prophecy ball smashed, it's not true that no one heard it get recited. Me and Luna were standing directly in front of it, when it hit the floor, and we heard the prophecy" revealed Carly.
"You heard the whole thing? Both of you?" Questioned Voldemort.
"Yes, my lord"
"Then I take it you won't mind if I hear it for myself, from your memories, since I need to hear the exact wording"
"No, of course not, my lord".

Luna moved forward next to Carly, and took her hand, as Voldemort raised his wand at them.
They closed their eyes and thought back to the moment at the Ministry when they had heard the prophecy. Hoping that this moment was the only memory of theirs that Voldemort would watch.
"Legilimans!" Shouted Voldemort, as he used Legilimancy to read their thoughts.

A few moments later, he lowered his wand, having found what he needed.
"You have both done remarkably well, and exceeded my expectations. You succeeded, even when some of my most skilled death eaters failed. And tonight, you shall be rewarded for your achievements. Tonight, you will get what you have been asking for, for so long. Tonight, I will make you both official death eaters!" Announced Voldemort.