Stars Go Blue: Chapter 12
Standard Disclaimer applies. Mature.
"Mine, however, follow out of love. Something you knew once... Tom, and threw away."
Those were the words that echoed through his mind, words that he couldn't shake... The words and the look of unharnessed disgust.
Tom Riddle was a lonely man. He shouldn't be, of course; he had all that he had ever desired. Yet time and again he found himself retreating to a solitary place with Nagini, and pondering how his life had ended up differing so much from his plans.
"Wormtail," Riddle yelled, and a small cowering man appeared immediately to see to his master's convenience.
Even this brought Tom no joy, yet he had called this man, and must give a reason for it.
"Why is it that my granddaughter did not fear me? And why should that young Malfoy desert me for her?"
Before the frightened Wormtail could formulate an answer, a shadowy figure in the corner spoke up.
"Blood is thicker than water, My Lord, and yet... Love is thicker than blood."
"My, my, aren't we pithy today, Severus," Voldemort's dominant nature took over, despising the idea that anyone could see weakness in him. It was a quality that he shared with Draco Malfoy, though they both tended to ignore their similarities since the young wizard's defection.
"T'would be more pithy to say something such as 'If you're adulterous, you're screwed', wouldn't it, my Lord?" Severus answered cooly. He knew well that his role of service had become more and more crucial to the Dark Lord since Dumbledore's death, and he needed to do nothing to jeopardize that. It was all in the plan that he and Albus had formulated. Hopefully, it was a plan that would right a lot of wrongs.
"Indeed," Tom sighed, "yet I still do not know what to make of my granddaughter, Severus. Has she truly allied herself with anyone? Is she lulling me into a false sense of security? I must kill her... Mustn't I?"
The Dark Lord sounded small to Severus, and it was unnerving. Who should have thought that Voldemort would have feelings?
I suppose Mara's grandmother would have known it. I wonder if anyone in the Order, other than Draco, truly understands the nature of Mara's relationship with Voldemort. She is truly one of the deciding deciding factors in this battle. Should she choose the Order and reject the Dark Lord, he may succumb to depression so great he would give up... Or he may attack with renewed vengeance for her rejection of him. Yet if she were to choose him and reject the Order, he may be satisfied with her love... Or he may attack with renewed passion for the mere fact that he is stronger with her by his side. Her fate and that of Harry Potter are entwined, just like so many others' lives.
These thoughts troubled Severus Snape deeply, and he knew not what to make of the Dark Lord in this state. It seemed that the only thing to do was some digging. Why did Voldemort not know of his granddaughter until recently? What secrets were there still to uncover?
Taking his leave of his Lord, he decided his course... He was going to have to take advantage of his indebted student and godson... Draco Malfoy.
~*~*~
Draco was in shock. Mara had revealed her deepest heart to him, something that had weighed on her for years, and he had fled. Fled to his bedroom, so that he might think of all the ways life let everyone down.
Coward. His brain mocked him, and he belittled himself fluidly. Of course you fled. You couldn't stand up for yourself when Ginny left you... How could you possibly stand up to the task of assuring this girl that she is worthy of love? You don't even know what love is. You thought you had it with Ginny, but look where that got you. You should just tell Mara that love is overrated... Your mother claimed to love you... She never once stopped the twisted, subtle cruelty your father demonstrated. Ginny took advantage of your love... Pansy's love was basically stalking you... and the love of the Dark Lord would probably include getting people who budged ahead of you in a line killed or maimed. Mara is too sweet to want love from a man like that... Or she should be.
Draco's musings were interrupted by an unfamiliar owl tapping at the window of his room. He let the bird in and took the parchment from its leg. Unrolling it, he quickly discerned what his mentor desired of him.
"Well," he mumbled to himself, "looks as though I am going to have to give up my plan to never face my embarrassment of leaving Mara so abruptly, and get to know her... Really know her."
And as he re-read the note from Severus Snape, he realized that for the first time in his life, something good might come of his orders.
"Mine, however, follow out of love. Something you knew once... Tom, and threw away."
Those were the words that echoed through his mind, words that he couldn't shake... The words and the look of unharnessed disgust.
Tom Riddle was a lonely man. He shouldn't be, of course; he had all that he had ever desired. Yet time and again he found himself retreating to a solitary place with Nagini, and pondering how his life had ended up differing so much from his plans.
"Wormtail," Riddle yelled, and a small cowering man appeared immediately to see to his master's convenience.
Even this brought Tom no joy, yet he had called this man, and must give a reason for it.
"Why is it that my granddaughter did not fear me? And why should that young Malfoy desert me for her?"
Before the frightened Wormtail could formulate an answer, a shadowy figure in the corner spoke up.
"Blood is thicker than water, My Lord, and yet... Love is thicker than blood."
"My, my, aren't we pithy today, Severus," Voldemort's dominant nature took over, despising the idea that anyone could see weakness in him. It was a quality that he shared with Draco Malfoy, though they both tended to ignore their similarities since the young wizard's defection.
"T'would be more pithy to say something such as 'If you're adulterous, you're screwed', wouldn't it, my Lord?" Severus answered cooly. He knew well that his role of service had become more and more crucial to the Dark Lord since Dumbledore's death, and he needed to do nothing to jeopardize that. It was all in the plan that he and Albus had formulated. Hopefully, it was a plan that would right a lot of wrongs.
"Indeed," Tom sighed, "yet I still do not know what to make of my granddaughter, Severus. Has she truly allied herself with anyone? Is she lulling me into a false sense of security? I must kill her... Mustn't I?"
The Dark Lord sounded small to Severus, and it was unnerving. Who should have thought that Voldemort would have feelings?
I suppose Mara's grandmother would have known it. I wonder if anyone in the Order, other than Draco, truly understands the nature of Mara's relationship with Voldemort. She is truly one of the deciding deciding factors in this battle. Should she choose the Order and reject the Dark Lord, he may succumb to depression so great he would give up... Or he may attack with renewed vengeance for her rejection of him. Yet if she were to choose him and reject the Order, he may be satisfied with her love... Or he may attack with renewed passion for the mere fact that he is stronger with her by his side. Her fate and that of Harry Potter are entwined, just like so many others' lives.
These thoughts troubled Severus Snape deeply, and he knew not what to make of the Dark Lord in this state. It seemed that the only thing to do was some digging. Why did Voldemort not know of his granddaughter until recently? What secrets were there still to uncover?
Taking his leave of his Lord, he decided his course... He was going to have to take advantage of his indebted student and godson... Draco Malfoy.
~*~*~
Draco was in shock. Mara had revealed her deepest heart to him, something that had weighed on her for years, and he had fled. Fled to his bedroom, so that he might think of all the ways life let everyone down.
Coward. His brain mocked him, and he belittled himself fluidly. Of course you fled. You couldn't stand up for yourself when Ginny left you... How could you possibly stand up to the task of assuring this girl that she is worthy of love? You don't even know what love is. You thought you had it with Ginny, but look where that got you. You should just tell Mara that love is overrated... Your mother claimed to love you... She never once stopped the twisted, subtle cruelty your father demonstrated. Ginny took advantage of your love... Pansy's love was basically stalking you... and the love of the Dark Lord would probably include getting people who budged ahead of you in a line killed or maimed. Mara is too sweet to want love from a man like that... Or she should be.
Draco's musings were interrupted by an unfamiliar owl tapping at the window of his room. He let the bird in and took the parchment from its leg. Unrolling it, he quickly discerned what his mentor desired of him.
"Well," he mumbled to himself, "looks as though I am going to have to give up my plan to never face my embarrassment of leaving Mara so abruptly, and get to know her... Really know her."
And as he re-read the note from Severus Snape, he realized that for the first time in his life, something good might come of his orders.