ꜱᴇʀᴘᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ | ᴛᴏᴍɪᴏɴᴇ

Serpentine, ch. 21

PART SIX:

APPARITION

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

As she continued to lie motionless on the sofa, Harmony could sense her Master's eyes as they casually roved over her. She wished once again that she could open her own eyes. She felt him sit down on the couch again, his back and thigh touching her. Her heart had started to relax in its pounding for that brief moment he was speaking to Lucius, but then it pound all the harder when he returned to her side.

"Who are you?" he asked softly, breath blowing hot on her face.

It was almost like he was waiting for her to answer him. Harmony fought like she had never fought before to break free of the freezing spell and open her eyes. She mentally reached into her very core and demanded every ounce of her will to move her eyelids.

Almost there, she told herself. I just need a little more power; this spell has no control over me. From the sheer intensity of will, she forced a small moan out through her lips. Slowly, as though she wore five-pound weights on her eyelids, she force her eyes open just enough to see through the lashes.

A pair of piercing blue eyes stared at her from less than three centimeters away. Then, just as suddenly, they were gone. Now she saw nothing above her but the dark wood of the ceiling.

"My Lord," she managed to whisper as energy slowly seeped back into her body.

Voldemort hesitated, as though unsure whether to answer. "I'm here," he finally said, as though he'd been holding his breath for a few moments.

Harmony waited, but he said nothing more. She wondered what must be going through his mind right now. He must be furious with her for the poor fighting performance she'd shown in Knockturn Alley, but after so many hours of intensive training he had every right to be.

But why did he come for her? Why would he have stolen her away from those Aurors with such unmatched wrath in his eyes? Why would he...save her? Harmony winced uneasily as she tried to find an answer to that question. This was the Dark Lord Voldemort. He had to have some reason for acting in a manner so unlike himself. Like he was some kind of hero coming to her rescue. No, she thought, not a hero exactly. He had killed the Aurors, murdered them in cold blood. He could never be a hero.

"I'm sorry I let those Aurors get a hold of me," she whispered. "I wanted to fight them, but I was-I just wasn't fast enough."

The wood ceiling became a blur as tears welled up in her eyes. No matter what situation she was ever in, she always found it difficult to accept how inept she could be. She was always the best in all her classes at school, always in control of everything around her. But the one time she needed to appear strong, she had failed miserably.

"I would've been gone if you hadn't saved me," she whispered, and swallowed hard when she found a knot forming in her throat. "I would understand if you thought it was a big waste of time-a waste of your power," she said, feeling that swirl of nausea in her gut again, "just to save me."

She was mortified when she had to gasp back a hiccup and sniffle violently as the tears continued down her face unchecked. She couldn't stand how childishly whiny her voice must sound to him, almost as whiny as Bellatrix.

"A waste of my power?" Master gasped incredulously. Harmony didn't know whether to register the outburst as anger, surprise, or perhaps amusement. It was likely a combination of all three-but whatever it was, the tone set Harmony on edge.

Voldemort stepped back over to the couch and crouched down so his face was in her line of vision. The intense look he gave her made Harmony's middle swirl.