A Song for Severus ~ (Not Update, but Edit)

Chapter 30 ~ The Transformation

Severus asked Bella for a parchment and quill, then made a big production of examining Voltaire, scratching nonsensical symbols out as he did so. Bella glanced at them, impressed. She had no idea what the Potions Master was doing, but it looked quite complicated.

Voltaire sat unmoving, his jaw still slightly clenched with determination as the wizard poked and prodded him. The boy was afraid, but he refused to show his fear. He had to prove to Severus and to Bella that he was worthy to rule.

Severus proceeded to jot down more symbols, study what he’d written, then handed the parchment and quill to Bella, who turned it every which way in a vain attempt to understand even one iota of the symbols.

Severus pulled the elixir out of his pocket and uncorked the bottle. He looked at Voltaire. The boy’s wrists and ankles were manacled in place, and a head restraint circled his forehead. A chin strap dangled. The Potions Master would lock it in place after he administered the potion so Voltaire wouldn’t bite his tongue off.

“Are you ready, my Lord?” Severus purred at the young wizard, his black eyes glinting as Bella looked on excitedly.

“Of course I’m ready. Give it here!” Voltaire demanded, showing off his bravado for Bella.

“Very well. Drink this entire bottle,” Severus said, holding the mouth of the bottle to Voltaire’s lips and tilting it slowly, watching him swallow.

To his credit, as terrible as the potion tasted, Voltaire did not make a face or gag as he drank it down. He finished the potion, looking up at Severus disdainfully as the wizard quickly strapped his jaw in place, Voltaire’s mouth tightly closed. He stepped back.

“What happens now?” Bella asked the Potions Master.

Suddenly, Voltaire began shuddering violently.

“That,” Severus replied as the boy’s eyes rolled up into his head. Grunts of pain issued from him as he seizured violently, jerking in his restraints. He would have been screaming except his mouth was locked closed. His flesh began to bubble slightly as he arched upward, some foam appearing on his lips.

Bella looked on, mesmerized…unconcerned for Voltaire’s pain. Her only concern was his survival. His suffering was necessary.

Severus watched grimly as blood suddenly poured from Voltaire’s nose.

“What is happening!” Bella shouted at the Potions Master, “Why is he bleeding?”

”It is part of the transformation process,” Severus said to her without emotion as blood poured down the front of Voltaire’s robes, pooling in his lap.

“He’s bleeding to death!” Bella screamed, grabbing the Potions Master’s arm.

“He’s not. His blood is being replaced…changed. Just watch, Bella,” Severus replied, jerking his arm away from her.

Volaria, still in her mosquito form watched horrified as what seemed like gallons of blood poured from Voltaire, who had fallen still and was deathly pale, the crimson liquid soaking into his robes.

Presently there was a change in the blood. It darkened until it became almost black in color, then the bleeding slowed and finally stopped. Voltaire sat still as death.

Bella stared at him.

“Severus…is he…dead?” she asked the Potions Master, a note of hysteria in her voice.

Suddenly Voltaire’s eyes opened. The irises of his eyes were completely red now. Then he stiffened, and began convulsing again, his skin seeming to writhe around his skull, his features twisting grotesquely as he tried to scream, but couldn’t. The cartilage of his nose was painfully torn away and absorbed into his body, leaving him with two snake-like slits for nostrils. His fingernails blackened and began to lengthen, black blood dripping from them as they expanded.

He fell still again.

“Is it over?” Bella whispered to Severus, looking at the blood still dripping from beneath Voltaire’s sharp nails.

“No. He still has a ways to go,” Severus replied.

And Voltaire did. A full four hours passed before the physical transformation was completed and the boy sat panting in the chair, his eyes whirling wildly, lipless, earless and covering in flesh colored scales.

Volaria thought he was the most hideous person she had ever seen, but Bella stared at him enraptured. Yes…yes. This WAS the Dark Lord, reborn.

“You’re beautiful, Voltaire, even more beautiful than your father was,” she said to the boy, whose eyes stopped moving and rested on her. The tip of a flat forked tongue appeared between his lipless mouth for a moment, and Bella nearly fainted with delight.

Severus looked on the scene with distaste. Beautiful? Voltaire looked like a hornless demon, just as his father did.

“Well, he survived. There will be some residual pain and trembling, but nothing life-threatening. You may give him pain potion…but not healing potion. Healing potion will kill him. It will try to restore his former self, and his body will destroy itself. Now that he has survived the transformation, he will have to take this elixir once a month for the rest of his life,” Severus informed Bella.

“But his powers? When will his powers manifest?” Bella demanded as Severus released Voltaire from his restraints.

“In about three days there will be a noticeable increase in powers. He must exercise them to strengthen them. How powerful he becomes will depend on how hard he works. He has the potential to be many times more powerful than Voldemort,” Severus lied.

“But…the competition…will he be strong enough to thwart it?” Bella asked.

Severus looked at her.

”That will depend on him, Bella. The competition is due to start within the month. Voldemort showed greater power than any normal wizard within two weeks of transforming, but worked very hard at it. If Voltaire applies himself, he should be able to face off with any Death Eater…I trust you have tended to his dueling skills?” he asked her.

“Of course…with live subjects too,” she said, “He is quite good. With his added power he should be a match for any of those fools, if he even competes. We may pull a coup and claim the throne,” Bella said, her eyes narrowing.

She and Voltaire could appear at the competition, wands blazing. The Death Eaters would be shocked at Voltaire’s appearance, and most likely that shock would give them the advantage. Most would not dare fire on the likeness of Voldemort for fear of reprisals. In fact, Voltaire looked so much like Voldemort, they might believe he had been resurrected. Bella looked at Severus, her eyes narrowing.

“Can we count on your help should we claim what rightfully belongs to us, Severus?” she asked him.

“I will not interfere,” he responded, “That is the best I can offer you, Bella. But I will continue to administer the elixir.”

Bella had hoped the wizard would agree to fight by their side, but Severus was a Slytherin after all, and would look after himself first. That was fine. Voltaire would punish him for his laxness when he came into power, and punish him soundly.

She’d make sure of it.

The witch approached Voltaire and smoothed her hand over his scaly head, drawing it around over his ear hole, then over his lipless mouth. She leaned in and kissed him.

”You’ve done well, Voltaire,” she said huskily, “Now you must recover, then you will receive your reward.”

”Yes, Aunt Bella,” Voltaire lisped, his words sounding odd and his tongue feeling strange. It would, considering he had a snake’s tongue now. He felt weak and dizzy. A sharp pain shot through him, and he gasped, his eyes glazing slightly.

“Jordan!” Bella called loudly.

Severus turned to see a wizard hurrying across the arena accompanied by two house elves. Who was this?

Jordan stopped and stared at Severus for a moment, his eyes first shocked, then somewhat pleading. He held out his hand.

“My name is Jor…” he began, then buckled, screaming with pain as Bella crucio’d him.

Jordan fell to the ground, but the witch didn’t keep her wand on him long.

“He has no need to know your name. Take Voltaire and care for him. Be sure not to give him any healing potions. It will kill him, and then I will kill you!”

Jordan crawled to his knees, then stood up, his eyes on the ground.

”Yes, Mistress,” he said, slowly walking over to Voltaire and with the help of the house elves, lifted him from the chair and helped him back to his rooms. The healer didn’t look at Severus again.

Severus’ brows were raised as he watched the wizard go.

“An employee of yours?” he asked the witch.

Bella gave an evil smirk.

“Jordan has been with me a very long time. He is more than an employee…a fixture actually,” she replied.

Severus had no doubt the wizard was a prisoner, but said nothing else about him. He was anxious to leave now and report to Albus.

Volaria clung to Severus’ robes, ready to make her escape back to her rooms before Bella discovered her missing…

The witch hesitated.

Missing?

Volaria realized that she could go missing permanently if she just stayed where she was. The wizard was leaving the stronghold, and no one knew she was attached to him. Once she was free, she could start a new life. Now that Voltaire had transformed, she had no doubt he would kill her and that Bella would not do anything to stop him.

Well, she wasn’t going to go out like that. If they wanted to kill her, they’d have to find her first. The wizard Severus seemed brave. Maybe he would help her…hide her away someplace if she begged him to.

Volaria barely heard the final conversation between Bella and Severus, she was so caught up in her own thoughts. She was scared to death…but this was a chance for freedom. She might never have another one.

Bella clasped Severus’ arm and disapparated, Volaria clinging to the wizard’s robes with all six legs.

*******************************************

Severus apparated back to his private rooms and quickly walked into his bedroom. Hermione was still there, asleep. As he looked at her, he decided he could fill the Headmaster in the next morning.

The Potions Master removed his robes, boots and socks, then climbed into the bed with his wand. He pointed it at Hermione.

“Enervate,” he said softly, quickly placing his wand on the nightstand.

Hermione drew in a deep breath, and her eyes fluttered. She yawned, stretched then looked at Severus in surprise.

“Severus, you’re still here? What time is it?” she asked him sleepily.

“No, I’m back. I’ve already met with Bella and the boy.

Hermione sat up.

“What? What do you mean you already met with her?” she asked him, frowning.

”You slept through it,” Severus said with a smirk.

Hermione scowled at him, then grabbing her pillow, brought it down on his head hard.

”You drugged me!” she shouted at him as Severus scrambled from the bed, grabbing his own pillow. Hermione climbed out after him, pillow swinging.

“How dare you do that to me!” she shrieked at him as she attacked.

Severus held up his pillow to block her blow.

“It was easier on both of us that you slept through it,” he argued as Hermione aimed low, hitting his legs.

Hermione feinted, and Severus dropped his pillow low to block contact and she whomped him upside the head good and hard. The wizard scowled and swung his pillow at her, connecting just as hard.

Hermione staggered back.

“Ooh, you…you…” she seethed. Suddenly, she stopped talking, her face going slack and her pillow falling to the floor.

Severus looked at her.

“Hermione…what’s wrong?” he asked her.

Hermione pointed over to his robes. Severus turned and dropped his own pillow

There, standing by the chair his robes were on, was a young witch with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was smiling at them. Volaria had never seen a pillow fight before and it looked fun.

Severus grabbed his wand off the nightstand and pointed it at the witch, moving Hermione behind him. She didn’t look very dangerous, but how the hell had she gotten in here? She wasn’t a Hogwarts student…not dressed in crimson robes.

“Who are you?” Severus demanded, “And what are you doing in my rooms? Speak quick, girl, or you’ll find yourself hexed.”

“My name is Volaria Riddle. I escaped from Aunt Bella. I turned into a mosquito and rode on your robes to get here. Please help me. I don’t want to go back. Voltaire will kill me,” she said plaintively.

Severus slowly lowered his wand.

Volaria Riddle? Oh good gods.

Voldemort not only had a son, but a daughter.

Hermione walked forward.

“You’re Tom Riddle’s daughter?” she asked the pretty young witch.

Volaria nodded.

“But I’m not like him. I’m not like any of them,” she said, her eyes glistening. “I don’t know anyone out here. I don’t know what to do…where to go? Will you help me?”

The witch began to cry and Hermione’s bleeding heart once again made an appearance, Severus’ eyes rolling toward the ceiling as Hermione walked forward and embraced the sobbing witch.

“Help you? Of course we’ll help you,” Hermione said soothingly, rubbing Volaria’s back gently. They were the same size.

“Thank you! Oh, thank you!” Volaria sobbed, tightening her hold on Hermione.

“Oh good grindelows,” Severus thought as the witches clutched each other.

So much for finding out how irresistible he was to Hermione. No doubt they’d be in Albus’ office all night long. With a sigh he walked past the two witches, put on his robes and headed for the study.

Hermione looked after him.

“Where are you going, Severus?” Hermione called after him.

He looked at her.

“To inform Albus Hogwarts has a Riddle on the premises,” the Potions Master said, scowling, “No doubt he will be delighted.”

Hermione smiled at Volaria, and wiped away her tears with her thumb as Severus disappeared through the bedroom door.

”Albus Dumbledore is the Headmaster of Hogwarts…and he will be delighted to see you,” the witch said reassuringly.

But how many others at Hogwarts would feel that way? Voldemort’s daughter at the school? She most likely would become an instant target. She would have to be protected.

Severus appeared in the doorway again.

“Come on you two,” he growled, clearly agitated, “The Headmaster wants to see us immediately.”

Hermione and Volaria followed Severus into the study and stopped in front of the fireplace. Volaria looked at the flames with wide eyes.

“I’ve never seen green fire before,” she said.

“It’s green because you can walk through it to another place. In this case, the Headmaster’s office,” Hermione explained as Severus stood behind them with his arms folded.

“Really? How does it work?” Volaria asked curiously.

Hermione launched into a little monologue of the history of floos and floo powder as Severus glowered behind them.

Finally, exasperated, Severus shoved both witches through the floo, stating “Less talk, more walk!” then billowed through behind them.

Gods, what a mess.

***************************************************
A/N: Fun chapter to write. So Volaria’s at Hogwarts. Knowing Albus, he’s going to add her to the student body. :) Anyway, thanks for reading.