Loving Bittersweet (Part Three of You Will Be The Death of Me)

Loving Bittersweet Chapter 16

The Dark Lord looked towards me in amusement. Curiosity edged his dark cruel features.

"Well?" he asks, "What do we have here, anyone willing to speak up?"

"I found..." The tracker wen to speak but Narcissa cut him off.

"Draco has returned my Lord, with a friend," she lied as she walked close to her son, as if to protect him.

"Ahh," the Dark lord says smiling, "Draco, it is good you have retuned, we all wondered where you went off to." Voldemort walked beside Draco and put his hand on his shoulder, "And what of your friend, why is she here?"

Draco hesitated, as if he did not know what to say.

"Leianna?" a familiar voice breaks in.

I look away from the scene at my side to who just walked into the room.

"Mum?" I ask shocked. It had been so long since I had seen her. Normally my mother was beautiful, full of life. However I could see such a dramatic change in her appearance. She had lost so much weight, her eyes looked sunken back, with dark shadows circling them. I felt such sympathy for my mother, for allowing John to cause so much hurt and pain for her.

"Oh thank God!" She says in relief as she runs to me. She throws her arms around me, almost offsetting my balance.

"I can't believe it's you," she whispers.

"I miss you too mom," I whisper back to her.

"So touching," the Dark Lord's voice floats in. 

We pull away from one another and it was as if it just clicked in my mother's head that the Dark Lord was in the room.

"But it still doesn't explain to me what is going on here," he states looking to Draco for answers. Instead, my mother speaks up.

"Draco found my daughter for me, and brought her here," she explains. It was bold, lying to the Dark Lord without hesitation. But I knew she was doing this to protect me. I almost wanted to cry by her courage.

"Is this true?" he asks Draco.

"I saw Leianna at the wedding party," Draco explains, "And I convinced her to come here to see her mother."

"Really now," Voldemort says, "Howsweet of you Draco."

The Dark Lord grins at me, "What do you say Ms. Sweary?"

I just stare at him, motionless.

"Yes, you are Leianna Sweary are you not?" he continues as he comes closer to me. "The girl you had injured many of my followers at the ministry, the girl who had allied herself with Potter, is that not you?

Fear ran through every inch of my body, I could feel my hands shake at me side.

"You are quite a little witch," he laughed, "You would be of good use to me, your skills are exceptional for a witch of your age."

The Dark Lord stopped directly in front of me, "What do you say Ms. Sweary, will you join me, will you join us?" he says motioning to all the Death Eaters, "I could make you one of the most powerful and fearful witches of your generation."

Through my fear I mustered up the courage to reply with one simple word, "Never."

His smile left his face and I heard my mother catch her breath.

"What did you say?" 

"I said, never," I repeat myself.

The Dark Lord withdrawals from me, "Very brave," he says, "And very foolish."