Twisted Tales

Avada Kedavra

Five well-aimed spells send the shelves swaying dangerously. It only takes a second before they're spilling over, Prophecies hitting the floor and creating just enough of a cover for Harry and his group to slip away. Death Eaters spring into action, making chase. As I go to follow, the snake-headed handle of Lucius's wand catches my shoulder.

"Make this easy for us."

I stare his down, teeth grazing against my bottom lip as I smirk up at him, "Can you keep them distracted long enough?"

"How long will you need?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, I do nothing to hide my arrogance. I love it when they look at me like this, with just a hint of fear, with that understanding flicker that I could just as easily turn my talents on them. I like that I can get that response from Lucius especially, "Just give me as long as you can. I'll make it work." I always do, I mumble under my breath as I stride off to find a safe place to perform the task.

My other 'unique ability', as Sirius calls it. From an early age, I was able to slip from my own body, invading another's, bending them to my whims. My physical body would stay silent, sat in one place, completely still as my soul, that's what I like to call it anyway, floated about. I don't remember the first time it happened, but I'm told I was very young, two maybe. The first time I can remember, I'd give my caretaker at the time quite a fright. She took me to the doctor. The muggle healers called it projection, said I looked awake, but was really sleeping. The wizarding folk knew what it was; powerful and dangerous...possession. It's masterable by any witch or wizard if they choose to pursue it, but it is a very rare, nearly unheard of, gift to be born with.

I use it sparingly and never on people I care about. It's the only secret I adamantly keep hidden from Draco. Because I'm scared to see his reaction, terrified to see that little crease of worry appear between his eyebrows as he begins to question every action, every feeling he's had around me. I don't want to see the trust we've built melt away from him. Lucius has been sworn to secrecy under threat of death, a threat he knows only too well I'd actually carry out. He keeps his lips sealed when Draco is around.

Harry is a different story. I don't care. I have a task and he is the vessel through which I can most easily accomplish it. That's how this works. It's how we ensure results. Now just to find a place to stow myself away while I do the deed. No good to be sitting out in the open, unprotected, with so many people poking around, likely looking to kill me.

I'm told that as I get older, as I use the ability more, as my powers grow, I'll simply be able to transform my whole self, sending not just my soul but my essence, my whole being, into another. If only I'd mastered that already. It'd be much more convenient than hiding out in some corner hoping for the best.

What I need to do is fairly simple. Slide into Harry's consciousness and have him hand the Prophecy to Lucius. He'd listen, storing the memory away to be shared with the Dark Lord later. Then, once Harry again had the orb, I'd pull back into myself, leaving the boy completely clueless albeit a bit confused at his seemingly sudden change of scenery. It should only take a few minutes.

But being inside Harry feels wrong. It is too cramped like something else is already here. I can't sidle in next to his consciousness like I can with others. This thing, this whatever it is, already inside feels dark, unwelcoming, hateful. The mere presence of it is suffocating. I wonder if Harry even notices, if this malevolent thing living amongst his own soul has any effect. My guess is no. Just like most things in his life, I'm quite certain Harry is blissfully unaware of this. As I fight for control, it pushes back, unwilling to relinquish even a little. Before I'm able to fully grasp what is happening, I'm shoved back into my own form. Failure. Whatever that this is, it's stronger than me.