My Wings Are Black

Odette sat in the Slytherin Common Room, her whole body cold and aching for the warm, loving hands of Fred. Easter had come and gone, the corridors were empty, sad and desolate of chattering students. Only a few remained behind. Including Odette and Draco.

Fred was with his family, a family Odette knew she could never be part of. How could she ever walk into that house, and expect to be welcomed, to be hugged by his mother. She would never be trusted like a daughter, she would always be known as Voldemort’s whore.

She shivered in distaste at the label, though she knew that was what women in her permission had been called. Bellatrix and the few before her.

The room echoed of silence, and Odette shivered, her long hair brushing the pale skin of her back. She looked around her, and in the flickering green shadows that haunted the cavern of snakes, pulled several sheets of rough parchment from the pocket of her emerald dress.

She traced the snake seal lovingly of the first letter, a soft smirk rising to her face at the thought of her master, the Dark Lord. Her heart clutched inside her chest for a moment. How she wished she could escape the evil that was around her, live a life of peace and rest…but it could never happen. The warm mark on the back of her neck prevented it from occurring, caused the dream to remain that, a dream. As long as the snakes entwined across her skin, her bond with her master would never be broken. She could feel him within her, like a sleeping snake, rising to strike down the enemies before her.

Her enemies like Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore…the Weasley family…all known members of the Order of the Phoenix. Odette closed her eyes and rocked slightly, imagining holding her wand to Fred, muttering curses. Fred falling down, stiff and dead.

She moaned and opened her green orbs again, shaking her head. It would never happen. Fred would be safe, she had promised him, he would always be safe. Odette would make sure of it.

And back to the letter, which she now opened,re-reading it from the time of it’s delivery. Her masters scribe, beautiful and powerful like he. She looked over his words, the warnings, the anger all hidden inside the letters. A powerful dot of an I, the strong cross of a t.

The Malfoy boy is struggling. I never expected anything more from him, he is a snivelling coward like his father but I need his family, before I dispose of them when it’s all over.
But the task as hand is vital for all out future plans my swan, if he needs help, give it. If he needs comfort, show it.

You are the key of my success my beautiful swan. And you shall be rewarded for your efforts.

I am always watching those who are loyal to me,
Yours,
Lord Voldemort.

She was, is and will always be the key to his success, a beautiful face to charm ever y mission, every task to work. A brain, sly and lethal, that can wield any spell, break any charm.

She would always be his. Until death.

But her heart, her heart would forever be Fred’s. Her smile would only ever come out for him.

She sighed loudly, and opened the other letter in her hands, this one from Fred, his scattered writing bringing a smile to her sad face. He spoke of missing her, of loving her, and returning to her soon. Everything about him was so good, he was everything she didn’t deserve yet with a cruel strike of fate they had wound up together. She felt as if he could disappear, that at any moment she could be robbed of him, like a candle of a flame…they were in a endless maze. There was no way out of the dark corridors of hell.

~

Soon, Odette got tired of waiting for Draco to arrive through the door and distract her from her thoughts. She left her letters back in her dorm, and with Styx wrapped around her shoulders went to search for her Prince.

She stopped outside the Room of Requirement, and allowed Styx to wander off. She often liked to sneak into the castle kitchens and frighten the house elves and rob food. It didn’t matter how much Odette scolded her, the castle grounds were limited for a snake. She had to find her fun somewhere.

When Styx disappeared, Odette quickly walked past the stone wall of the room three times, knowing what she had to ask for. When the door appeared, she quietly opened it a crack, her thin body sneaking through into the cluttered mess.

She walked carefully, avoiding a stuffed body of a small tree troll, and skirting around shelves of broken potion bottles. She could hear Draco muttering to himself, and smiled at the comforting noise of his voice. He certainly wasn’t Fred…but Draco did mean something to her, he was a friend in a place where she had no-one else to turn to. Not even Fred knew of what kind of mental torture the chosen Slytherins went through everyday. The fear of doing wrong, of not getting it right….

She rounded the corner and leant against a mannequin sporting a dusty polka dot hat, watching her friend in silence. He closed and opened the door of the cabinet he was working on repeatedly, and finally swore to himself, and turned around.

He jumped at the sight of Odette, and on instinct reached for his wand. Odette flicked her own, and his went flying into the air, landing in her outstretched palm.

She smirked, walking closer to Draco and pressing a short kiss on his pale cheek, “Be more aware of your surroundings Draco, you never know who’s watching.”

Draco sighed angrily, stepping away from her and turning once more to the Cabinet. “I don’t know what to do Odette. I don’t know how to fix it, it’s impossible. Everything ends up somewhere other than Knockturn Alley.”

Odette smiled, and circled the Cabinet thoughtfully. He had fixed it well, the broken doors renewed, not a scratch or dent to be seen. What then, was the problem.

Odette clicked her tongue, and then shrugged her shoulders. She pushed Draco out of the way, and climbed into the open space inside the large structure.

Draco stared at her, “Odette, what are you doing?”

Odette rolled her eyes, “I’m looking for a quickie. What do you think I’m doing, you dimwit. Send me off, and wherever I end up, we can fix the problem from there. I have my wand, I can apparate myself back and then fly over the gates.”

Draco shook his head, “No, Odette. This could kill you! You could get sucked into…into a black hole!”

Odette chuckled bitterly, “Yeah, I could get killed but that goes with everything else I do, doesn’t it. Look Draco, I trust you okay. Now, close the door and wield your magic.”

Draco smiled nervously at her and then gave in, he shut the door, leaving Odette in darkness. He lay his palm over the wooden door of the cabinet for a moment, as of sending off his blessings with her and then with a flick of his wand, muttered the incantation.

He opened the door. She was gone…

Running his hand through his hair, he closed it once more, and muttered the reverse. But she didn’t come back. He tried again, but still nothing.
“Aw shit. Crap! Fuck!” he muttered and began to pace and forth anxiously.

He sat down and then stood back up, and it continued like this for nigh fifteen minutes before the door to the Room of Requirement opened again, and the familiar footsteps of Odette approached.

“Oh thank god,” Draco sighed, “I thought I’d killed you.” He ran to her, hugging her tight, and breathing her in. He kissed her forcefully, and Odette pulled herself away, shaking her head.

“Don’t be so adverse to killing Draco. Things happen…anyway, I’d ended up in Cuba, in an old man’s bathroom. Thanks for that.”

Draco snorted, and shrugged, “I only gave you what you wanted baby.”

Odette ran a hand through her hair, “maybe so, but how are we going to fix this Draco? He’ll get impatient.”

Draco paled and suddenly sat down. Odette’s eyes narrowed as his shoulders began to shake and then and he looked up at her, tears streaking from his grey eyes. “I can’t do it Odette. I can’t! He’s going to kill me…I know it.”

Odette dropped to the floor beside him, taking her face in his, “Don’t say that Draco. Never say that. I’m here to help you and I will fight for you. We can do this together Draco.”

Draco shook his head, and clasped her hand, “Odette…we’re done for.”

Odette kissed him, her own tears mixing with hers, and Draco clutched to her desperately, seeking solace in the curves of her body. Odette closed her eyes as Draco kissed down her neck. He was right. There was no way out.

They were trapped.

Fred’s face flashed through her mind. They were all trapped.