Rabidity

The manor was quite large, Adrienne had never seen a more lovely home. Despite the fact it was cold… and dark. It was obviously a place where dark magic lived. She felt the warm comforting hand around her small delicate figure as they walked inside. Severus let her go once they came into view of Bellatrix and the others. She was able to walk completely – however she felt the soreness of her transformation within her muscles. She didn’t transform often, and the few times she did, she could feel it after returning to her human form. She took another glance at her professor, and it was again cold and stern like when she saw him in the hallway. No doubt he wanted to bombard her with questions but she faced bigger problems now, Voldemort was the first.

She had been busy scanning faces, and somehow entirely miss the one that was right in front of her. The eel-like skin was repulsive, the color, the texture, all of it. She saw soulless eyes, frightening teeth and a snake like tongue.

“My… my…” he whispered. His cloaked figure drifted closer to her frightened figure “The resemblance is almost uncanning. Don’t you agree Bellatrix?”

“I ‘bout had a hex attack the moment I saw her my lord.”

“Yes… she looks so like my Daygona, except for this rubbish scar here.” He said lightly resting a hand upon her place face. “That’s better.” He said. Adrienne wasn’t sure, but she had felt a slight tingling where her scar was, and now she would be willing to bet that it was entirely absent from her face.

It was difficult keeping her mind guarded like her professor had explained to her, he had told her it was crucial – but so many people made it difficult to concentrate, inside she was nearly melting – but on the outside she played the part well – she had kept a cold stone like face through out the entire process, she showed no flicker of fear, not a single one.

“Tell me your name, where you come from.”

“Speak witch!” Bellatrix yelled impatiently, the Dark Lord raised his hand to silence her.

“It’s unfortunate to tell you that my name is not, Daygona Black, I hold a much simpler name these days, however the purest blood still runs through my veins.”

Good Answer. Severus thought. She’s quite the fast learner with that potion in her veins… even I cannot protrude her mind.

“You are her…” he said. “but different. I can feel it, I can feel her.” He whispered letting his snake like hand cup her face. His empty eyes seemed to search her face for any other recognition he might find. But he saw a face, a face he once knew – and a hint of a girl he once craved.

“Narcissa!” he yelled, as a frail woman appeared from behind him. Her hands were shaking – her eyes looked as if she would cry at any moment.

“Yes, Yes my Lord.” She spoke can I trust that you can find this… girl, a suitable living arrangement while I complete business with your son?”

Narcissa looked back at Draco, and then and Adrienne, a few tears escaped her eyes this time.

“Of course my lord, as you wish.” She said taking the arm of Adrienne and leading her past the other death eaters, and she even had a chance to glance at Severus – who still looked as stern as ever. She couldn’t help but think behind the walls in her mind that he had the most dashing smirk when he was happy. It was a rarity to see it – but Adrienne had been so lucky to catch a glimpse of it before this predicament.

She warmed her bones by thinking of warming thoughts – the ones she had spent as a pupil of Severus, even thought it had been such a short time… she felt so glad to know him… and to have him here protecting her.

Narcissa finally brought her to an unoccupied room at the end of the hall. Her home was still quite lovely in Adrienne’s eyes – even the woman before he would be beautiful if the bags under her eyes were removed as well as some of the tears that streaked across her face. Adrienne merely touched her shoulder in a calm effort to comfort the rattled woman, and Narcissa seemed to fall onto her shoulder simultaneously, sobbing. Shh.. was murmured from Adrienne’s lips as she coaxed the woman to breath normally.

“My son… what he’s going to do to my son!” she cried.

“What? What is it?” Adrienne asked.

“He – he” she choked, “failed his task now he will… be punished.” She cried.

“What task?”

“Dumbledore was supposed to fall at his hand, he won’t kill him, but he’ll hurt him, and there’s nothing I can do to help my own son!”

“He’ll be strong… he’s feisty. I’ve seen him.”

“You’re… you were in his house.” Narcissa said referring to the tattered jacket that still lay across Adrienne’s shoulders. The small Syltherin patch was still intact, it was just only holding on by a few threads.

“Yes! And he is so smart Mrs. Malfoy… so bright.”

“I know.” She said smiling now. The choking sobs now seemed to be silenced. She even stifled a small laugh.

“He takes after his father he does, so smart, and handsome, I just wish… wish he didn’t have to follow so far.” She began to cry again once she began to think of the death eaters, and the grip they had on her son. “At least he didn’t fail, at least Dumbledore is gone – or he would be dead.”

“Wait you say he’s… gone?”

“Dead, yes.”

“Who then? If not Draco?”

“Severus.” She said still crying. “My son will live, and I have Severus to thank for that.” Narcissa began to gather and collect her scattered self by reapplying the makeup she recently lost to tears. She straightened her blouse and gestured to the bed. “This will be your room for now, any food can be summoned from the house elf, and if you need me you can always come find me – but DON’T wander the halls when the Dark Lord is here, only appear when you are summoned.”

“And how-“ she was interrupted by the man standing in her doorway, she half hoped it would be Severus. She needed him to explain why, why he would do such a thing as kill another man – and half of her wanted to cling to him and cry just like Narcissa had done. But instead it was the man everyone in the house feared, the man she was not quite ready to face – Voldemort.
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The room was quiet once Narcissa was ushered out – and even though fear was electrified in every cell – Adrienne was completely composed infront of the most feared man in wizarding history. After all, this is was she had begged and fought for.

“I’d been looking for you.” She mustered out of her frightened lips.

“Have you now?” he hissed. He began to circle her… she stood stationary in the room, facing the door he had come in through.

“I figured the only place I could find you was somewhere near Potter, knowing you or your adversaries would turn up eventually.”

“Is that right… Ms. –“ he paused a moment, closing his eyes, “Knox…” he trailed off – curious as to where he’d heard that name before. “You’re an animagus!” he said with his eyes still closed. She knew that she had not let that bit of information slip, she wondered how he knew. “I can smell the dog on you… although… it’s different than most, ahhh.” He let a long sigh escape his lips – “Cameron Knox – one of Fenrir’s followers, and your father. You hybrids are such rarity’s and are known to be quite rabid.” he spoke, almost as if he knew her entire life – the one thing she hid from everyone was the one thing he could simply smell on her.

“Although your blood is pure, and your bite might be worse than your bark… for the time being I think I’ll keep you here… and visit you as I wish.” He was now in front of her, his face only inches from hers – the smell that radiated from him was the smell of death – and putrid evil. She made no effort in retreating from him, she only held her ground.

“Do you not fear me?” he whispered in her ear.

“No sir, I fear you – for I am, inferior.” He grabbed a fist full of her hair and began to study even more of her.

“Yes, yes you are. If had died before, I would fear the person that had murdered me.”

Every time his hand touched her flesh she felt the slither of a thousand snakes.

“DRACO!” he raise his voice and a small hiss came out, and the small blonde boy must have been waiting outside the door because he arrived rather quickly. His eyes were swollen, his face red… other than that the boy looked fine. “You will keep watch of this girl, keep her here, keep her in your sights until I come to collect her in a few days time.”

“Yes sir. Anything sir.” he turned his back to them to leave and Adrienne had to contain a gasp. Draco's shirt was ripped and bloodied, he had to have be given a lot of pain.

“Yes you WILL do anything for me boy” The way that that Dark Lord let boy slither out of his snake like teeth made it very clear he held no respect for Draco as a man, Someone of age should’ve been able to carry out the task he had been given. Adrienne still couldn’t believe that Dumbledore was dead.