Persephone Black

Chapter Thirteen: The Confrontation

The door slammed, hitting the wall as it opened, and Persephone jumped at her uncle's anger. Marching into the room, Dobby rushed after him with a cleaning cloth, only now noticing that his master's shoes were half polished. Persephone followed with her head down, staring at her shoes. She came to stand directly behind her uncle, wanting to be shielded from the headmaster. 

"So! You've come back," Lucius breathed irritably, "the governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

Persephone did not listen as Dumbledore responded, instead she looked up to see Harry Potter scowling across the room at her. Did he know? Had Dumbledore told Potter his suspicions about who her father could be? She did not know and did not want to find out. While she was not scared of Potter, she was still wary. He had defeated her father twice, and perhaps the same could happen to her.

"So—have you stopped the attacks yet?" Her uncle's voice caught her attention again, "have you caught the culprit?"

"We have," Dumbledore said. He was smiling, and it made Persephone hot with anger.

"Well? Who is it?"

"The same person as last time, Lucius," Dumbledore said.

Fixing her eyes on Dumbledore, Persephone scowled. There was no way Dumbledore could suspect her, yet he seemed to be insinuating that it was her fault.

"Persephone will be permitted to return to school." It was a statement that Lucius spit out of his mouth.

"Yes, she will; however, I do want to warn you not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you," Dumbledore smiled.

Persephone opened her mouth to argue back, but Lucius pushed her back with the bottom of his cane, making her double over and cough. He approached Dumbledore's desk, leaning down close to the headmaster.

"How dare you insinuate that Persephone and I had anything to do with this!"

"I know who her father is, Lucius," he paused, his eyes still twinkling, "others will begin to notice, too. They look alike."

"Why don't you prove it!" He snarled.

"Oh, no one will be able to do that now that Riddle has vanished from the book."

"I advise you not to go spreading rumors, especially those regarding my niece," standing up straight, Lucius turned around and looked toward Persephone, "we're going, Persephone, come, Dobby!"

They left the room quickly, Persephone glowering in the direction of Dumbledore and Potter. She was happy to be returning to Hogwarts, but she hoped that the headmaster would keep his thoughts to himself.

"Mr. Malfoy! I've got something for you!" Came Potter's voice from the top of the steps. Lucius tapped his cane on the back of Persephone's legs to tell her to keep moving down the stairs. They made it to the bottom before Potter caught up. He shoved a dirty sock into Lucius's hand. Appalled, her uncle ripped the sock off the diary, which was hidden within, and threw it aside.

"Listen to me Potter. Leave my niece alone or else you'll meet the same sticky end as your parents," he hissed, "they were meddlesome fools, too."

Persephone smirked as her uncle handed her the diary and turned to leave.

"Come, Dobby!" The elf didn't move. "I said, come!"

Turning to see what was happening, both Lucius and Persephone gasped as Dobby stood holding the disgusting sock that had been thrown. He held it tightly in his hands, the black grime polluting his curly fingers; however, he did not care.

"Master had given a sock. Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby – Dobby is free."

Not being able to believe the words coming from the creature's mouth, Persephone looked up at her uncle. He drew his wand from his cane, his face set in rage, and began advancing on Potter.

"You've lost me my servant!"

"You shall not harm Harry Potter!" Shouted the elf, and with a blast, Lucius was thrown backward, crumpled into a pile of robes on the ground.

"Uncle!" Persephone yelled, rushing to his side, "Dobby, how could you!"

"Looks like your dear uncle got what was coming for him," Potter said, smiling wickedly.

Pulling her wand out of her cloak, she pointed it at Potter, "I dare you to say another word."

"Young mistress Black, please do not threaten Harry Potter. Dobby does not want to curse you, too."

"You're still bound to keep our most precious secrets, Dobby!" Persephone yelled, not putting down her wand, "I suggest you don't break that promise."

Her uncle had gotten to his feet, straightening his cloak. Reaching out his hand for Persephone, she took it and began walking down to Severus' office. They did not speak, but she could tell from the way her uncle gripped onto her hand, that he was beyond angry. Entering into the classroom, they found Severus waiting. His arms were crossed, and he leaned against one of the desks.

"She's able to return," Lucius said, trying to fix a smile on his face.

"I am assuming there was more to the conversation?" Severus asked.

"Persephone, go back to the manor, I need to talk with Severus in private."

"Yes, uncle," she hung her head and began to walk into the office but was stopped suddenly by her uncle's hand.

"I apologize, my love, for how I acted. You deserve nothing that old man had to say, and I should have not been so rough with you when you tried to speak out."

"It's okay, I'm just so scared."

"What are you afraid of, Persephone?" Her uncle asked, looking directly into his niece's eyes.

"Dumbledore and Potter. They want me dead; I know it."

Lucius's lip curled in disgust, and he narrowed his eyes, "I will never let them hurt you, Persephone."

"Nor will I," came Severus' soft voice.

"Do you promise?"

Her uncle nodded his head, and embraced Persephone, hugging her close. Once they broke apart, she trained her eyes on Severus. He stepped forward, holding his hand out to her, and once she took it, she could feel the warmth seep through her body. The action seemed to light a fire within her skin, and she reached her arms around his torso and hugged him.

"I will always protect you," he whispered in her ear, embracing her back.

"Always?"

"Forever." The word made her shiver, and she stepped away, tears leaking from her eyes.

"Go, now, tell you aunt what's happened," Lucius said.

She nodded and walked into the office, grabbing the floo powder, and whisking away back to Malfoy Manor.