The Secret Lineage of Marvolo Gaunt-- A harry potter fanfic

Chapter 1, Three Little Words

Chapter One, Three Little Words

            Nadia Gaunt stood in the immense entrance hall of her mansion silently. She stood completely motionless, and looked expectantly at the door. Suddenly, she had enough of waiting and twirled around and her cloak flew about her slim figure as she did so.

            “Wyrm!” Nadia shouted. The house elf appeared with a resounding crack at her side, already bowed low to the ground like a good house elf should. She motioned him up with a slight twitch of her long fingers.

            “Yes, Mistress.” The house elf said meekly, avoiding his master’s eye

            “Shaea’s broom is outdated. Fetch the newest, fastest broom you can find.” Nadia hissed before heading toward one of the immense marble staircases with a steady stride. Wyrm bowed low again and cracked into nonexistence. Almost immediately, another house elf filled its place at Nadia’s side.

            This was the blind one, whatever its name was. Nadia suppressed a smile at the memory of removing the creature’s eyes. The idiotic elf had dared to lock eyes with Shaea. Now, the elf didn’t have eyes.

            “Prepare a meal. Shaea will be coming shortly, and I want a hot meal awaiting her along with a bath.” The house elf nodded and disapparated to the kitchens. Most of the house elves didn’t speak in front of Nadia, and that was the way it should be. They feared her, but they were also complacent about the way they were being treated.

            Wyrm, however, was a special case; the house elf never met her eyes, and only released his bow when told to do so. He was the only house elf ever to merit a name, and by far the oldest house elf that Nadia had ever had. The creature was smart, and only concerned in his own survival. He didn’t care about the death of the others, just along as he was spared. Nadia took that to mean that he was smarter than the others.

            “Shaea has returned.” Kora hissed as the small serpent made its way to Nadia. Nadia picked up the snake with a single hand and disapparated to Shaea’s side. Shaea had come in through the back door, and her robes were filthy. Her face was covered with dripping mud and there were holes in the knees of her tattered pants. The broom in her hand had nearly split into two halves, and it was clear that even the slightest force could completely snap it.

            “Mum! Scorpius knocked me from my broom, and look what happened to it!” Shaea whined. Nadia looked down at her daughter, but said nothing. Shaea was a s beautiful now as Nadia had been as a child, her strange indigo eyes were as bright and clear as they had ever been. Her smooth, copper skin glowed like candle light, and her ebony hair was still sleek and shiny… even with the mud and twigs entangled in it.

            “That is what you get for playing with that boy. You are too good for him. He is just as arrogant as his father, yet he has no right to be.” Nadia hissed. Shaea only smiled mischievously before speaking in a low tone.

            “You’re just jealous.” Nadia’s eyes hardened and Kora’s grip around her arm tightened as Nadia lowered herself to her daughter’s level.

            “I will never be jealous of a coward such as Draco Malfoy.” Nadia hissed, before slapping her daughter across the cheek. Shaea raised a trembling hand to her cheek, but said nothing. “Your bath is drawn, and a meal is on its way. Get up stairs.” After a few moments of no movement, Nadia pushed Shaea toward the stairs. “Now!” She barked in Parseltongue. Shaea ran up the staircase.

            “Perhaps you’ve been too hard on her?” Kora asked with a hiss. Nadia looked down at the snake around her forearm with the cold, silver eyes of her Grandmother Wendy