Dark Wizard Collector: A Hogwarts Fanfiction

Chapter 59

Many sleepless nights passed without further signs of my brother or activity from dark witches or wizards. Alduin and I scoured Hogsmeade every weekend and rumors began filling the castle. Minerva approached me after lunch one day. "I understand you and Professor Alduin are seeing eye-to-eye now. I was a bit concerned because I remember how diligently you had been avoiding him. Did something happen over Christmas that I do not know about?"

The woman smiled slightly, but I felt her discomfort. We had shared many of our discomforts and thoughts with one another. "No, I have simply come to enjoy his company." I lied and Minerva narrowed her eyes.

"Mae, you are a horrible liar. As your friend, please let me help you. What's wrong?"

Warily, I scanned the hallways, grabbed Minerva's hand and stole her away into an empty classroom before I spoke truthfully. "Did you know Professor Alduin is an Auror?"

Minerva nodded meekly and stared at me in wonder.

"Well," I sighed, "I'm not the best witch in the world. I have meddled with dark magic. Alduin was hunting me and now he is using me to find a dark wizard."

Professor McGonagall gasped and gave me a strong hug. "Oh, Mae! I am so sorry, I didn't know. Are you alright? You don't practice dark magic anymore, do you?"

Slightly shaking my head, I hugged my friend back. "No, I gave that up. Minerva, what should I do?"

"You must help Professor Alduin; he's a Ministry agent and desperately needs help because the dark witches and wizards are rising up in frightening numbers. Only Godric knows what is going to happen when they gain enough power."

"Minerva..." I paused and wondered if I could tell her that my little brother was leading the dark sorcerers. Thinking better of it, I closed my mouth and simply nodded in thanks for her advice. "I must get going; a few students are awaiting their tutoring sessions."

As I was leaving the room, the dark haired woman grasped my arm, "Mae, please be careful. I would hate for harm to come to you."

I smiled lightly and held her hand gently, "Don't worry about me."

While helping Narcissa and a few of her friends with a tricky potion, a familiar knock brought me to the door of my office. "Hello, Mae." Lucius greeted and peered over my shoulder at the girls giggling behind me.

"Come in, Mr. Malfoy." I brought myself to address him with more formality to shake away his familiarity. "I grant you could have helped these young ladies with this potion. You are doing well in the class and I believe it would have been good practice to show them how things are done, indeed?"

The white-blond head nodded and watched his female classmates stare at him in admiration. "Yes, I suppose I could have helped them." Lucius paused and looked at Narcissa, "Hello, Miss Black."

The young girl blushed and mumbled a soft reply, "Lucius."

"My father wished to see you again, Miss Zeria. I hope that is not a trouble to you." Lucius said over his shoulder at me and it was my turn to blush.

"No trouble at all." I backed away from a shelf I had been collecting potion ingredients and bumped into a tall body behind me.

Dropping my materials, I spun to see Abraxas smiling at me. "Abe," I gasped and stooped to pick up what I dropped, but a simple wave of his wand brought the clutter back to my arms.

"Mae," The brown eyes gently reminded me not to expose myself. "Let's take a stroll about the castle. Lucius, I am sure you can finish helping Miss Zeria's students." Mr. Malfoy held his arm out to me and I looked back at the students comfortingly as I exited the office.

Arms locked, we walked toward the Astronomy Tower where we watched the Saturday sun crawl across the sky. "I'm sorry I haven't written as of late." I began and held the arms that wrapped around me as we stood looking over the school grounds.

"No matter; I was concerned because I heard rumors of an Auror guarding Hogwarts. Are you well?" Abraxas' strong arms held me tightly and a tear rolled down the side of my face.

"No, I am not well. The Auror caught and tortured me."

Slowly, my fiancé turned me to face him and saw my tears. The passion in his kisses tried to undo the pain I had endured under Aludin's wrath. "Maven, tell me who it is and I shall make them pay."

"No, because I don't want you getting hurt too." I let my lips impress on him the value I held for our love. "Please, Abraxas, stay away from all the dark sorcerers, especially my brother. You have no idea what horrors will occur from the unrest within the magical world." I paused and held the pale face with one of my hands. "Let's run away." Catching myself, I realized that Lucius was a loose end that we could not leave. "We can escape to the north and send Lucius to Durmstrang for his last year of schooling."

"Maven, I know the Aurors are hunting Tom. The Ministry is rampant with whispers of dark magicians; I too have to be careful."

"I didn't know you still practiced the Dark Arts."

"Yes, but only when I need to."

"Then the Auror doesn't know about you."

"What?"

"The Auror used the Imperious Curse to get me to tell him about my dealings with dark magicians."

"Why don't you quit Hogwarts and hide at the manor."

"I couldn't do that; the Auror would track me down. They tricked me into an Unbreakable Vow; I need to help them find Voldemort. However, I never said I would help capture my brother. I just need to find my brother with the Auror and then I can kill the Auror myself. But Tom refuses to speak with me. I have tried contacting him with my diary, but he is ignoring me."

"I can help you. Do you trust me?" Abraxas held my hand tightly and I nodded timidly.

Conjuring a broomstick, I reluctantly mounted it with my fiancé and sped off away from Hogwarts. We arrived in Hogsmeade where we were able to Disapparate to a house I recognized as the Riddle family's manor. "My Lord," Abraxas bowed as soon as we entered the abandoned house.

"Malfoy, I knew you could retrieve her for me." A hooded figure said and I watched a pale hand slip back the dark hood to reveal a bald, snake-like face with glowing red eyes.

"Tom?" I hushed and stared at the creature that spoke with my brother's voice.

"Hello, Maven." The man said nonchalantly and my knees buckled. Abraxas bent to catch me before I hit the ground.

"W-what has happened to you?" I asked, choking back sobs as I watched the pale sorcerer pace around me and my fiancé.

"Do you not know power when you see it?"

"I do, but this is self-destructive; you must stop, please." I grit my teeth and hoped to reason with the creature that had infected my dear brother.

"I don't have much time to discuss informalities with you. I understand that the Auror at Hogwarts has you under his control; I want to kill him. Bring him to me." Voldemort sneered at me and I gulped back memories of my younger brother.

"When and where?" I replied and straightened my posture next to Abraxas.

"Midnight tomorrow, in the Dark Forest. I am sure you can coax him to follow you." The red eyes scanned Abraxas and me as we held each other. "Something tells me your habits of collecting dark wizards have not changed."

"That's not fair, Tom!" I screamed and brandished my wand.

"MY NAME IS VOLDEMORT!" The wizard screeched back at me and aimed his wand at Abraxas and me. "Now, if you care about anything anymore, you would do as I have commanded."

Lowering my wand, I took Abraxas' hand and Disapparated back to Hogsmeade where I was able to buy a couple Fire Whiskeys to calm my nerves.