daughter of wands (d.m)

XL

"My Lord," I say, my stomach churning as the words leave my mouth and my head bows in 'respect.'

"What can I do for you my dear?" His smooth voice whispers as he takes a seat at the head of the table, patting the empty one to his right.

I take it cautiously, the hissing growing the closer I get to him. "I would like to ask you a few questions... If you don't mind?"

"Of course," He shrugs, his eyes flashing with excitement. "I would hate to be thrown across the room..."

"I would never..." I laugh nervously, suddenly very aware of my surroundings. "I just... Excuse my candor, I feel as if there's something you're not telling me."

His eyes narrow and his brows furrows, "About what, my dear?"

"About my father. I feel like if you gave me some insight on why he's so important to you... I could help you better." I say, my voice shaking from nerves.

Voldemort shifts in his seat, his eyes scanning over the length of the table. I begin to doubt myself as he rubs his chin thoughtfully, but he quickly perks up.

"You don't know about your father?" He asks.

I shake my head, "Not much. I didn't even know he was my father until a few months ago. But if you need something from him... I might be able to help."

His head tilts again as he maintains eye contact with me, "What do you mean?"

"Before I left for Hogwarts my mother gave me this ring," I say resting my hand between us. "As long as I wear this, I remain hidden, from him and any of his followers who might be trying to track me. When she left my father she stole some of his most powerful objects and put them in a box, which where she got the rings."

"What kind of objects?" He whispers as his snake slithers up his leg and rests its head in his lap, suddenly very interested.

I shrug, "Honestly, I can't remember most of them... But I can get them to you."

"Yes!" He shouts before I can interrupt him.

"On three conditions." I say powerfully.

For this to work I had to remain completely composed and in control. I had something he wanted and wanted bad, I could do this.

His face falls slightly but he nods, "Let me hear them."

I take in a deep breath to steady myself, "First, to find the box we have to find my mother. Once we find her, I don't want anything bad to happen to her."

He thinks for a moment before nodding, "Easy enough. What is the next condition my sweet?"

"No harm comes to Draco, from you or anyone one of the Death Eaters." I say, lifting my chin up.

He rubs his chin again, this time giving more thought to my request. He sucks in through his teeth, "And the last?"

I pause, gaining the courage to say the last condition. This could make or break it all, he could agree and everything would change or he could be livid and disregard everything I said before.

So I bite my tongue and say, "I don't want Draco to have to kill Dumbledore."

To my surprise, he doesn't get angry, instead he sits back in his chair and runs his fingers over the sleeping reptile on his lap. I can see his thoughts behind his eyes as his brow furrows and unfurrows, his lips pursing together.

"Miss Grindelwald, you see, the Malfoy's owe me a great deal. So if not Draco then who?" He asks curiously. "Are you offering yourself up?"

"No!" I say a little quickly. "Before I knew Draco, I had heard rumors about him. People were worried about him being a Death Eater. Most people assumed because of his family he would join, but he was also... Acting strange, suspicious even."

Voldemort listens carefully as I continue.

"He was... Depressed and isolating himself. Everyone figured it was because he was a Death Eater. Even I thought he was Death Eater and a few weeks ago I-"

"You decided to yell it outside of a busy school party?" He says sarcastically, his fingernails tapping impatiently on the chair.

I lower my eyes, "Yes, I suppose so. But you have to listen to me, to have him kill the headmaster would be to obvious, they already have people watching his every move."

"So you doubt me?" He asks, an intimidating inflection in his voice.

"No, my Lord." I have to choose my next few words carefully, "I doubt Draco."

He processes this as he rests his elbow on the arm of the chair. "Well you seem to have this all fleshed out, who do you have in mind?"

"There's one student no one suspects, no one whispers about."

He raises an eyebrow.

"Blaise Zabini"

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