shadows

Chapter 28

Everyone fell to the ground as they landed in side malfoy manor. Voldemort helped Bella to her feet as Narcissa once again adjusted the wards. 

"ugh!" Bakura groaned. 

"never again" Marik gasped out. 

"ow" Melino mumbled as she got up holding her arm tightly to her self. 

"what was that?" Atem questioned as he forced him self to his feet and looked around. All the death eaters were in the room bowed. except for Greyback, who had Malfoy up against the wall by his throat. 

"Fenrir" Voldemort said calmly. "let him go, you will get your chance" he said. Greyback growled but released the Malfoy aristocrat who dropped unceremoniously to the ground. 

"before we continue this" Atem said walking forward. "now would be a good time to start explaining things" he said. 

"You dare talk filthy muggle" Goyle growled. 

Bella growled protectively as she glared at Goyle. "you better shut your mouth inbred son of a" however she was cut off by a sudden wave of nausea to hit causing her to wrap her arms around her self and lean into Voldemort for support.  

"Muggle?" Bakura said with a laugh. "we have powers you could never dream of mortal" he said with a snarl. 

Marik looked at Goyle and recoiled. "oh wow, the last time i saw something like you i flushed it" he said making a disgusted face at Goyle. this insult, however went over the death eaters head. 

"enough, Goyle you will end up at Lucius will if you do not stop this" Voldemort snapped. "everyone leave us" he ordered. "come. somewhere less intrusive" he said as he lead Bella and the group up the stairs and to the study which he had taken over. 

As the group walked into the room, they looked around quietly. Bella sat down on a seat feeling weaker. 

"i can feel the darkness" Bakura mumbled as Voldemort walked over to the dark phoenix that lay in its nest. He shivered a little at the familiar feeling. 

Melino looked around, Something about the air in the house seemed familiar. 

Bella felt a hum inside of her. She fought back a moan as the darkness washed over her in an inviting way. Bella could feel herself being drawn into the darkness as if it was seducing her. 

"Come" he whispered as he carefully picked up the sick bird and walked over to them holding her gently. 

"This is who you are trying to heal?" Atem questioned as he looked over the phoenix. 

Bakura looked it over seeing how sick it looked. "what is wrong with it?" He asked. 

"and what is so damned special about it" Marik asked. 

Melino's eyes landed on the bird and her eyes widened as she stared. She felt her breath catch in her throat as she tried and failed to speak. "impossible" she gasped. 

"it is our belief that she was poisoned." Voldemort said with a sigh. "I know that sounds odd. but if a dark phoenix is exposed to too much holy magic, then it can cause a lot of damage" he explained. "there is a potion that could have been used, and if that is what happened...I... I just don't know" he added as he looked away. 

"we think Lucius gave her something" Bella explained. "i cant prove it...but. it is something he would do" she said. "it was either him or...."  Bella trailed off and shook her head not wanting to think about the other option. 

"how would he get a hold of something like that?" Marik asked with a scoff. there was no way a snake like Malfoy could get something like holy magic or pure light magic. 

"That's why i cant prove it...but he does dealings with very...questionable people." Bella replied with a flinch as she remembered a few of Lucius's accountants and 'friends'.  

"So if this Lucius guy is the actual bad guy then why not just kill him." Bakura asked. Melino smirked looking over at Bakura. She had just been thinking the same thing as he was. 

Bella raised an eyebrow. 

"Now i am not so surprised as to why you two ended up together" Atem says looking between Melino and Bakura causing the two to redden. 

"And what?" Voldemort asked. "That is a cruel thing to do to a child...force him to take over as head of house before he is even ready. mind you he would be better off without Lucius beating the hell out of him." he said shaking his head. 

"I can't do anything....not until she is healed" He said. 

"what is so important about this bird?" Marik asked. 

Bella sighed. 

"She has what we need to be able to stop him...We know he is up to something...And i know what ever he is doing he is the leader of it. He has something...Narcissa has been dropping hints...but i really can't figure out what it is" Voldemort said with a sigh. He was frustrated beyond belief when it came to the Malfoy's. But he could not afford to act foolishly. The Malfoy family, Lucius especially, were really good at having a plan up their sleeve if a plan fail, which was why Voldemort could not afford to act on instinct right now.  Who knows what Lucius has done.

"Give me a few moments with him I'll drag it out of him" Bakura growled with a dangerous glint in his eyes. 

"Don't you think we haven't already tried that" Bella said with a scowl as she looked away annoyed. Some times Bakura irritated her.  

Atem stood there thoughtfully. "while i cannot condone you using the shadows, and you know why, I can understand your reasoning for it" he explained giving Bella a sharp glare. "we will try our best to heal her" he said. "but using someone so pure to heal a creature of darkness will only damage the healer" he said. 

"That is why we will do it instead" Bakura added as he looked at Voldemort.

"you are?" Melino says surprised. 

"We need to do what we can" Atem says lookin at Melino. "We can do it with out the repercussions that Bella is experiencing" he explained. Melino nods a little, but it was reluctant. 

Voldemort had a look of relief in his eyes that nearly made Bella's heart shatter. of course this news would make him happy. There was only two people in this world that he truly cared for. 

The phoenix gave a weak thrill and laid it's head against Voldemort's chest as he held her close to him in a protective and calming manner. 

"what's her name" Atem asked walking closer, he felt drawn to the phoenix. he was unsure why, Phoenix's were normally light creatures, he had never met a dark one before. perhaps it was because of his ties to the shadows that he felt drawn to the poor creature. 

"Marie" Voldemort replied. "she's my sister"