The Slytherin Heiress

Chaprter || 16

After breakfast it was time for everyone to go home for spring break. My gut wrenches in my abdomen as I bring my knees to my chest and stare out the window of the train. I watch the castle disappear, my home that hasn't felt the same since last year.

"What the hell is wrong with the two of you?" Pansy asks, snapping me from my daze.

"Nothing." I say and she gives me a sharp look. "Just not looking forward to going back is all."

"Do you guys want to stay at our houses?" Blaise offers.

"No." Draco and I say quickly before I explain. "That's very kind Blaise but my father specifically would. . . Well he wouldn't like that at all."

Now Pansy and Blaise hold somber expressions that match Draco's and mine. I sigh quietly before wrapping my arms tighter around my knees. I feel something and turn to see Draco gently rubbing my leg with his knuckles. I smile to him before dropping my hand and he quickly intertwines our fingers.

My comfort is diluted by Pansy's smirk as she notices the small gesture. I shake my head before turning back to the window.

We reach the train station and Draco and I apparate back to the manor. We could have done that in the first place but we wanted to delay our arrival as long as possible.

Draco's grasp on my hand slips away as we appear infront of the manor. He carries my luggage as we walk through the gate, shifting our bodies and belongings to mere smoke for a moment. I get chills as my body becomes solid again and we are inside.

"I'll never get used to that." I admit as we continue towards the manor.

When we walk inside we find Bellatrix and Narcissa awaiting us. Narcissa envelops her son in a tight embrace as he drops the luggage, holding her tightly. I loot towards Bellatrix a question lingering on my tounge.

"Where is my father?" I ask, my face like a stone mask.

"He's gone off on some search here and there for something of value." She says with giggles. "Can't be quite sure. You know him."

"Of course." I say.

"He has left a task for you, child." Bellatrix continues.

"And what would that be, Bellatrix?" I ask.

"We have a guest, one you and Draco may be familiar with." She says and Draco and I share a dark look. "Come come."

Draco moves to follow before Bellatrix whirls around.

"Just the girl." She hisses before continuing down towards the dungeons quickly. "She is an odd one at that, very dreamy voice. It's disgusting."

"Does our guest have a name?" I ask.

"Luna," Bellatrix drawls. "Luna lovegood."

I have met the girl in passing and during classes but I have never spoken with her.

"Why would my father want me to visit with her alone?" I ask.

"He seems to think you may be able to get information from her squeaky mouth." She explains.

"What information?" I press as suspicion grows in my stomach.

"The whereabouts of Mr Potter of course." She pops her lips on his name and begins repeating it as she opens the cellar.

In the cellar I find a goblin that works at gringots, Ollivander the wand maker and Luna lovegood. All of them look strung out and weak. Luna sits cris crossed in the floor tracing shapes in the dirt. Bellatrix paces the length of the cellar on the other side of the bars.

"Luna lovegood?" I ask in a dull voice.

"Verena Riddle." She says in her singsong voice. "How nice to see you again. I regret we didn't speak much before all this happened, you seemed kind from what I saw. . . I was mistaken it seems."

"Where is Harry Potter?" I ask with a forces sharpness. "You were friends before, correct?"

"Yes, we are friends." She says. "Although I must admit I haven't seen him since the night you murdered Dumbledore." Her voice drops sadly at the end and my gut turns.

I turn towards Bellatrix and she waves her wand signaling at what I must do. I turn to the girl and try to prod her with questions of what she has done since the war, if she has seen any of her friends since leaving Hogwarts. She gives me no direct line to the Potter boy.

"You imbecile." Bellatrix says, storming in maids the cell. "It's not that hard. You know the curse! Cast it. Do it now!"

I hesitantly pull my wand from my pocket and the small girl flinches. My limbs are tense as I mutter the incantation.

"Crucio."

It comes as a simple breath before green sparks fly towards the girl and she screams in pain. I have experienced this curse first hand. It is for lack of better words unenjoyable.

"Just tell me where he is." I beg her as I stop. "You haven't had any contact with him? Not an owl, now a word nothing?"

"No." She sobs. "I, I haven't spoken to him."

"Do you know where he could be?" I seethe angry more with myself than the girl.

"Last I. . . Last I heard he was searching for something." She sobs, forcing herself upright again.

"What?" I ask, pointing my wand at her threateningly again.

"Something called a horcrux." She sobs. "I don't know any more I swear it Verena."

"Alright." I say before turning away, Bellatrix hit on my heels.

"She has more, I know it." Bellatrix yells in my ear. "Go back, we need more than that."

I whirl around and point my wand threateningly against her chin.

"You will not forget where you stand!" I yell.

"You are just a girl." She mutters before I strike her with my palm.

"I am the daughter of the Dark Lord Voldemort, Tom Morovolo Riddle. I will not be ordered around by a Black!" I seethe. "And this girl was the one who got you all into the castle to murder Dumbledore. Your place is beneath me in rank, in power, in influence. You will not forget that. Do you understand!"

She visibly shrinks as I lower my wand. All words leaving her lips as I turn and make my way to my room. I slam the door closed, the image of the young girl too weak to defend herself against me withering on the floor plays over and over in my mind.

Then I look back on my conversation with Bellatrix. Her smirk as I raised my hand to her. She got what she wanted, what my father wanted. They want me angry and reckless. I gave them what they wanted.