Stolen Time A Tom Marvolo Riddle Fanfiction completed

Chapter Thirteen

Cassiopeia was in the library of Houlton Manor, sorting books. It was late afternoon and dusk had already fallen. Cassiopeia's thoughts travelled back to the day before. Tom had tried his best to keep her from pondering why he had come to Houlton Manor but he had not quite succeeded, being a little too absentminded himself. Cassiopeia bit her lip. He was clearly up to something and it irked her that she didn't know what it was. She put the book she had been holding back on the shelf with a little more force than necessary.

Suddenly she heard someone knocking on the front door and turned to leave the library. The house elf had barely answered the door when Cassiopeia already caught the dreadfully familiar screeching voice of her visitor. She suppressed a sigh and walked to the hall. 

Dismissing the house elf with a wave of her hand, Cassiopeia eyed her unbidden guest and raised an eyebrow. "Bellatrix. What makes you take the trouble to visit?"

Bellatrix looked back at her and pursed her lips. "I wanted to have a word with you."

"I can't imagine there are many things we could chat about," Cassiopeia stated drily.

"I came here to see why you still don't show the Dark Lord the appropriate respect. After all, you're bearing his mark."

Cassiopeia looked at Bellatrix and cocked her head. "I see there's a witch on a mission. It really gets to you that I have this brand carved in my skin that you're longing for so badly, doesn't it?" With slight satisfaction Cassiopeia saw an irritated gleam surfacing in Bellatrix' eyes. Obviously she had hit a nerve.

"You don't even deserve it," the younger witch spat disdainfully.

Cassiopeia quirked an eyebrow. "I may be mistaken but I think it's still up to the Dark Lord to decide who's worthy of his mark and who isn't. And for all I know he doesn't like others questioning him or his decisions."

"I'm not questioning him," Bellatrix drawled haughtily. "I'm here to stop you from skiving off your duties."

"My duties?" Cassiopeia repeated incredulously.

"If you don't fight for his cause, you don't support the Dark Lord. And you don't support what the brand stands for. But that's your duty." Bellatrix glowered at her.

For a moment Cassiopeia stared back at Bellatrix. Then she replied, her voice icy, "I think that's enough. Maybe the Dark Lord appreciates your kind of brainless support. But I certainly don't, and I don't intend to discuss this with you any longer." She walked to the door and opened it, waiting for Bellatrix to leave.

But Bellatrix obviously wasn't finished yet. She glared at Cassiopeia, suddenly drawing her wand and pointing it at Cassiopeia. "You're going to fight for him the way he deserves it...," she hissed.

"...or else what?" Cassiopeia cut her short. "You're going to curse me? Oh, now I'm scared." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "You'd better be because I'll do it. You see, I am fighting for him." Her eyes shone with a gleam Cassiopeia knew all too well and she felt her temper flare at last.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. You have no idea of my fighting for him, or of fighting the way he deserves it for that matter," she hissed, pulling her wand from her robes as well.

Bellatrix quickly flicked her wand but Cassiopeia deflected the curse and brandished her wand in return, making the floor around Bellatrix burn with purple flames.

"Never question my loyalty ever again." Cassiopeia's voice was deadly calm, and she slowly stepped closer. "Never question my support again. And above all, never threaten me again." Her voice remained calm and even but her eyes were burning with anger. She waved her wand again, making the flames close in on Bellatrix who frantically tried to shield herself from the curse. "Rest assured I am capable of fighting, no matter what the others might say. And if you stay here so much as another minute you will witness that I am just as knowledgeable about the Dark Arts as all the others who bear this mark you're so extraordinarily keen on getting." With a swift movement Cassiopeia shoved her sleeve away, revealing the scar, and touched her skin with her wand. "And while we're already at it, what about asking the Dark Lord's opinion straight away?"