Unplanned Liars • Draco Malfoy

32. Meeting the Dark Lord

"Excuse me?"

"Here is... Is the... Book you wanted," Draco said in a rush, picking a book at random and tossing it into my hand.

I didn't even look at the book, but stared at him, thinking how strange he acted.

Before I could say anything, the door of the library was blasted, causing both of us to jump. There stood Bellatrix in all her black glory.

"Draco - you get changed, immediately. Aurora comes with me, this instant!" she commanded, sounding very serious.

"What's happening?" I asked quickly.

"The Dark Lord shall honour us tonight," she hissed. "Move, both of you!"

Draco and I exchanged frightened looks and obeyed.

Draco walked to his room while Bellatrix dragged me to the dining room as usual. She told me to sit down and like she once did, she was circling me like a wolf. For at least half an hour she was telling me what I should or shouldn't do when Voldemort comes.

"He will - most surely - use Occlumency. Don't you dare try to block him!" she threatened. Once she was finished, she stood opposite me, leaning herself on the table.

"Repeat it all now," she rasped.

Her insturctions were way too clear and her aura way too frightening to forget them.

"I am not to block my mind, not to blink too much, I should bow, speak only when I'm asked and do everything as he says," I recited.

"Good," she said, satisfied. "Now, you'll be waiting in the dungeon so he won't think you're eavesdropping. I shall call you and then you'll be standing behind the door until I come for you. Understood?'

"Yes."

After that, I was waiting for the evening in the dungeons as she instructed me, because "nobody knows when he'll appear". I was sitting there, reading one of the books I grabbed from the library. Suddenly, the door of the dungeon opened and Wormtail stepped inside.

"Get out of here, we're taking a prisoner in," he rasped to me.

I had respect for Bellatrix, but I clearly didn't have any for that dirty rat.

"Madam Lestrange told me to stay here, so I will," I snapped.

"What takes you so long, Wormtail?! Just open the door and get back!" I heard an impatient voice coming from the upper floor. I didn't recognise who it was, but definitely a male. Wormtail was about to say something to me, but he was interrupted by something from above.

"Move over, Avery!" came - to my delight - Bellatrix's voice. There was a crack and a loud thud, and then she shouted again:

"Come here! You won't be sitting there with that scum!"

Wormtail was about to move, but I closed my book and quickly passed him in the entrance.

"She meant me," I snapped at him and run upstairs. There was Bellatrix, looking quite angry, and Avery, unconscious on the floor. By now I was used to seeing such things.

"You'll be waiting in the library - wherever - I'll call you anyways. Go," she commanded and I obeyed. I only wondered who the prisoner was that they had to keep him there...

Bellatrix called me much faster than I expected. I was standing behind the door of the dining room, in which Voldemort and all his Death Eaters - including Draco - were sitting. I could see Voldemort himself through a narrow gap in the door. It was my first time seeing his this close and I understood why everyone was so afraid of facing him. His huge snake was on his shoulders.

"My Lord," I heard Bellatrix say. "We've found you a new follower, my Lord."

Voldemort looked amused.

"Yes, it is so hard to find followers nowadays," he said and most of the Death Eaters laughed.

"It is a willing follower, my Lord. She has had almost the biggest impact on getting us to Hogwarts, my Lord."

Now Voldemort's creepy smile changed into an intrigued expression.

"Who is it, then?"

"I shall come with her here, my Lord," Bellatrix stood up and went out of the room to get me. I froze. I hadn't been this nervous about the meeting since I somehow felt safe around her, yet I was shivering as she led me inside.

"Remember what I told you," she said in a hiss. "This is her, my Lord. Aurora Mullen. A pureblood and a Slytherin."

Voldemort snake-like face was disgusting from such a short distance. His red eyes were the definition of a death glare. He looked quite interested.

"Aurora Mullen," Voldemort repeated. "You have willingly helped to get my Death Eaters into Hogwarts castle?" he asked and I nodded, looking into his eyes. I knew he was using Occlumency, as Bellatrix had told me, and I remembered not to block him.

"Very well, very well," he suddenly said.

"She is a fantastic dueller, my Lord, I checked her. And a skilled Obliviator," she added, and there was a murmur of interest.

"Oh yeah, we all saw her duel, didn't we, Yaxley?" Dolohov said and there was even more laughter. Yaxley was glaring at them.

Voldemort raised his hand to silence them.

"It is a rare thing nowadays, people like this," he said and stood up, then started gliding towards me.

"Show me your left arm, girl."

I obeyed. I walked up to him and dragged back my left sleeve. My heart was beating as fast as it had when Draco hugged me, but this time it was no pleasurable feeling. Was this going to happen? I didn't expect it to come this quickly... I thought I'd just...

Voldemort raised his wand and was inches from my arm, when he stopped.

"Not yet," he suddenly said. "We'll see if she fully deserves it. She'll participate in the capture of Harry Potter. Is that clear?"

"Yes. Thank you, my Lord," I bowed, covering my arm, somehow sighing with relief.

"Bellatrix - you take all the responsibility," he said loudly and some of the Death Eaters sniggered. Bellatrix gave them a glare and then bowed.

"Of course, my Lord."