Forbidden

15

Madison followed the Dark Lord down the halls, then the stairs. This meeting would be held in the dining hall, the long table. Everyone was already waiting, in their seats, fearful complexions on their faces, some, like her father and Bellatrix, had a hint of excitement in their eyes, and it was gone the moment they saw she was behind him.

Voldemort sat at the head of the long table, he looked bored before the meeting even began. The young witch stood on his left with her hands on each side, and head held high, almost like a body guard.

"Well?" Tom's velvet voice echoed.

"My Lord," one of the wizards began to speak after clearing his throat "seems the Ministry will be doing us a favor by promoting Umbridge as headmistress of Hogwarts"

Draco looked at Madison from where he was seated, all he wanted was to grab her and run away from all of those people, but his mother's hand on his under the table reminded him why he could not do anything risky.

"Have they managed it or is it a rumor?" Voldemort put his hand over the armrest of the chair, the back of his centimeters away from hers.

"It will happen any time soon, the old man will finally be gone" the wizard finished.

Voldemort slightly moved his hand in order to graze it against Madison's. She did her best to keep her face blank, but her heart raced.

"I have gathered the names of mud blood families that work at the ministry to begin the purge" her father spoke, his eyes going from Madison, to Lord Voldemort, "I have reasons to believe Umbridge will be on our side"

Madison felt so angry, so sick on the inside, to have that man as her father made her want to vomit all over the wooden table and yet her body did nothing. Voldemort grazed his fingers against hers, but this time she pulled away slowly, folding her arms behind her back. He acted like nothing had happened since no one could see their hands, however he sat up straight taking a long breath and stretching his neck in an elegant way. Madison knew that was a tell, he was annoyed.

"Is this it? Another full meeting that was an absolute waist of time, a rumor about Albus and a list still to be made and acted upon?" he stood up slowly, drawing his wand out. Madison felt Nagini slithering past her feet and on his chair, she felt a shiver down her spine.

"My Lord, we've learned that they are not being allowed to use magic at school which means that taking over will be—"

"Avada Kadavra" Voldemort breathed, killing the dirty looking wizard that had just spoken.

Madison felt her whole body shaking, her hands fell to her sides. She dug her nails on her palms to try to stop the trembling, her eyes flew to the floor.

Draco felt his mother squeezing his hand under the table, sending him strength to bare that moment as brave as he could. His bottom lips trembled with a mixture of fear and anger.

"Nagini" Voldemort pet the large snake before sending it down the long table to where the fresh body had its head laid on the cold wood.

"Library, now" the Dark Lord whispered to Madison, she could feel his anger in every syllable.

Madison curtsied, turning on her heel to head to the library like her master told her to. He followed after her. She stood still at the entrance, the doors slamming shut made her flinch.

"You're afraid now, aren't you?"

Madison's body was now shaking less, but her breathing still rapid.

"Yes... but not for my life, my Lord" she looked deep into his eyes, watching the green being pushed to the edge by the black of his pupils.

He paced in front of her, annoyed that he could not access her mind, to see her from the inside, unable to trust her words even if they sounded true.