The Dark Gryffindor

Chapter Twenty-Two: Dark Meeting


Valerie was alone in front of the ancient door that led straight to the circular office of the headmaster’s. She had arrived on time, but before she could so much as glance at the two powerful wizards, Voldemort had said she must wait outside, as they had more important things to discuss first.

So she had waited, for unbelievably nearly three-quarters of an hour. What could they possibly have to talk about? Was there any others invited? She had no idea, but she knew Snape was probably the Death Eater sought after most by Voldemort. She kept taking deep calming breaths, trying her best to focus so she could perform Occlumency successfully counteracting Voldemort’s Legilimency. Valerie was starting to diminish in the faith in herself regarding this particular task.

Finally the door was opening from the inside and Valerie was holding her breath in anticipation. The door creaked open and the headmaster was looking at her, much paler than usual she noticed and his thin frame looking withdrawn from fatigue. His lips wobbled. Taciturn but firm, he spoke, “Our Lord shall receive you.” And Snape beckoned almost imperceptibly with his forefinger and she crossed into the room, behind Snape.

But before she could stay safely behind her man, Valerie was all alone, exposed to Voldemort’s sight. Snape swiftly swept away, going across the elegant room. Valerie did not watch him. But just stood there in quiet terror, as she watched Lord Voldemort regard her. Her knees shook slightly, as she could see the Dark Lord’s red eyes gleamed with startling intensity, even at several yards away. She suddenly felt very small.

She looked down at her feet, wanting to show subservience to the Dark Lord immediately. Finally, there was a ringing, clear cold voice breaking up the little noises in the room. “You have nothing to fear from I…nor your headmaster. You have done Lord Voldemort an admirable service…Come here.”

Her head snapped up and she walked towards Voldemort, who was waiting on the platform before the headmaster’s desk. She could barely see any of the pallor of him, that face like a snake’s was obstructed by his hood, only the red eyes visible like a ubiquitous force. His being permeated every bit of the room, in which there was no portraits present. She had been foolish not to notice how powerful his presence was when they met before.

Legs feeling like lead, Valerie stepped towards Voldemort, rigidly robotic in her obsequious response. She heard a violent hiss, and her eyes darted around the room trying to place the source of the disquiet. She almost gasped, but managed a gulp when she saw an enormous snake coiling, watching her beadily; it’s tongue like a flame protruding from it’s curved mouth. Yet she managed not to hesitate and bravely past by the menacing beast, and arrived before Voldemort.

Before either Valerie or Voldemort did much of anything, Snape came back in a flash. He was levitating wineglasses with apparent ease, wand held low at his hip, and in his other hand carried a bottle. Snape set them down on the edge of the desk. “The drinks you wanted, My Lord,” said Snape humbly.

“Yes. Thank-you, Severus,” Voldemort said in a high-pitched clipped tone. Valerie noticed he did not sound truly grateful. At once, Voldemort had his huge rod of a wand out and was transfiguring furniture into existence. The chairs were of fine leather, but scaly, so full of extra adornments, they were not exactly comfortable.

The two men stepped off the platform, towards the furniture down below and Valerie immediately followed. Voldemort reclined in a chair, alert with a steady gaze. Snape sat down as well, trying his best to look casual, but still remaining attentive to his master.

Voldemort poked a finger at Valerie and spoke with pleasure, “You – kneel at my feet.” Valerie’s face morphed into a pout, but she still dropped to her knees like he said. She stared, watching Snape pour a glass of a black-coloured liquor. Voldemort had specifically requested it to whet his taste buds, and then Snape poured a glass of steaming black wine for himself as Voldemort took the levitated filled glass and held it gingerly, fingertips skimming the rim. Valerie looked to Snape and frowned. Couldn’t she at least have a drink? But then she saw Snape give her the faintest shake of the head, meaning she may not. Voldemort did not see the gesture, too intent on himself.

Finally, Voldemort’s eyes glinted down in slits at her below. He regarded her coolly, not malicious at all. “I understand you have news for me. Information. Am I not mistaken?”

“I – of course not! Yes, s-“

At once Voldemort held up his large white hand not dangling the wineglass. Valerie was disappointed she had not been more confident in response. She looked tentatively at Voldemort, expecting his wrath to boil over. She was amazed to see an amused expression in the hood where there was a mouth. “I shall take it for you to call myself…master. Only. At all times.” When he said the decree for her to follow, he almost sneered it, growing impatient, somehow annoyed. Valerie could not fully comprehend why.

Voldemort waited. She finally said glumly, feeling dull, “Yes, master.”

Voldemort inclined his head to his right, where Snape was residing. “And Severus -” he remarked with a kind of respect towards Snape, “You address my Death Eater with the usual respect required.”

Valerie only nodded, and watched as Snape took a sip of the black wine. It was simmering, steam actually emanating from its glassy surface. Valerie had never heard of a warm wine, it must be a unique Wizarding specialty. Voldemort, who had lingered over his glass, did not take a measured gulp until now, and he swallowed loudly. Clearly, the Dark Lord would not drink until another had; proving it was not poisonous. Valerie thought, wondering irritably if she could not have a taste of the alchohol, could she at least have a taste of something else from them tonight? She remembered last time, when she was forced to suck both of them in turns.

She saw Voldemort watching her with a knowing gaze and she lurched in horror. He had seen this inside her mind! Perhaps she should forego any pleasurable thoughts when in his presence?

“Such dishonorable thoughts within her dirty mind. I see a wasted mind!” spat the Dark Lord, addressing it to the headmaster. And he looked towards Snape accusingly, as if blaming him for picking this girl for the task. Snape was looking at Valerie with grave chastisement. He did not say anything though. However he looked sterner than usual to Valerie who presumed Snape to be angry, but in actuality he was more worried now.

Luckily, Voldemort wanted to change the subject quickly. He said challengingly, “So?…”

Valerie spluttered on the spot. He told her, “Permission to speak freely thus given. Elaborate your story. Tell us everything.”

Valerie gathered her thoughts to recant everything Snape and she had rehearsed for her to divulge. Voldemort’s eyes locked onto the blue ones. She did her best to concentrate solely on those thoughts and block his intrusion, and all at the same time, also appear like she wasn’t making an effort to block him.

“They call themselves Dumbledore’s Army as I’m sure you’re aware, master,” said Valerie with a quiet, mysteriousness. “They are using the Room of Requirement. Both to practice and live in….”

“They are using my – the Room of Requirement! An item of disastrous consequence is concealed. If destroyed -” he burst, now looking furious. Valerie quaked, she had expected that this would be the least likely thing to irritate him. Of course, this angered Voldemort, because he knew he kept the diadem of Ravenclaw in there, one of his Horcruxes and now he must check up on it, yet Severus and Valerie had no knowledge of this. “I shall break entry!” boomed Voldemort.

Snape broke in, maintaining calm amidst Voldemort’s calamity, he reasoned rationally, “But My lord, they surely have defences, protective wards and enchantments. Surely they have complete control over the place?” He had directed the last bit, the question to Valerie.

She finally looked to her left where Snape sat looming above. He had spoken, as if he truly didn’t know the answer, clearly he was only acting. “Yes, headmaster – and - yes, master. It’s true. It is not possible. A member is always there, and it’s a very specific command-“

But Voldemort interrupted, bending down; red eyes inches from the tip of her nose. “Not possible!? I? The most feared Dark wizard of all time. Do not dare claim what is possible with my powers!” And Valerie realized she was in the presence of a mad man, he sounded insane at this claim regarding his opinion of himself. “At my word – anything is possible. If it must happen, I shall burst in there…kill every last one of them.”

Valerie gulped and Snape was finally breaking a sweat, watching with great apprehension to see if Voldemort would actually act on his murderous intentions.

But Voldemort relaxed. “I know all about the Room of Requirement,” and he ranted with hubris, “It was one of my secret lairs at a time. In the past. Tell me, Valerie…precisely the command.”

Valerie looked straight at Voldemort and reported, “I do not know it. Only the leaders do.” But this was a lie. Others besides the leaders did know the method to enter. But saying this might save her his demands that she learn of it, too. She added convincingly, remembering the explanation Snape had constructed, “I am under a complex Unbreakable Vow, master. There is no loophole around it. I cannot reveal to an outsider how entrance to the passage is gained else I die.”

Voldemort did not seem perturbed by the possibility of her death. “No…your death would be useless at the moment," he said inanely. "You shall not speak of this. But tell me of the leaders.”

Valerie took a deep breath and said quietly, “Neville Longbottom, a Pureblood and Ginny Weasley, a filthy Blood-traitor, master.”

“Ah…” said Voldemort, mildly pleased. “Then the Carrows’ hunch was indeed accurate…We shall have to get rid of them two,” he added with charm. Snape faked a convincing smile.

Valerie wanted to speak, but she decided it would look treacherous if she immediately disputed this idea of harming the leaders. There was a pause, between the three. Nagini was climbing up Voldemort’s lap, until it rested across Voldemort’s shoulders, turning her head and Voldemort idly stroked the snout, and with his other hand, took another sip of his wine. Valerie noticed her knees were hurting, pressing into the hard floor for so long.

“But master – it might be best not to d-dispose of them. I am going to convince the leaders to join you,” she offered a confident explanation. This was another lie.

She waited with bated breath for Voldemort’s instruction. “No…I do not think we – YOU are not to encourage them to practice the Dark Arts or even urge them to follow me. Outright attempts to destroy their organization will not work; it must be done with subtlety. You will not ask these young witches and wizards to join me. It is not your place. You are merely my spy.”

“Yes, master.”

“Neither shall they remove you from power, Severus. For it has been rumoured to be their greatest end, to overthrow the headmaster. Is this the same truth you have heard?”

“Yes, it is master. But it will not happen with me. I am loyal to you master and loyal to you,…sir,” she said awkwardly but with conviction. Then she stared at the stone floor, feeling a bit embarrassed.

For a moment Voldemort laughed a low hollow echo, jarring and unnatural. Valerie shuddered in her kneeling position. Here she was thrust between two men of power and she was just a girl to them.

Snape muttered bitterly, “No. It will not occur. Ever.”

Finally Voldemort spoke again. “Well? Continue onward…Tell us of the tactics.”

“After I was initiated into the D.A…. they watched the illegal broadcast, master…Potterwatch…” and Valerie watched Voldemort nervously expecting another angry outburst. None came. “Then the next evening they practiced magic. Patronus Charms.”

“Is that all? Patronus Charms...” he interrupted, scoffing at the advanced magic he continued, “Weak, unnecessary skills that I have nearly forgotten. Did you manage a Patronus?”

Valerie shook her head and offered, “No, master. All I can think of is death and that doesn’t work.”

“Understandable, of course." He briefly thought of death, his own death, and his own greatest fear, something Voldemort always made to keep most secret. But Valerie had lied, as ironically she could think of her own death as a happy thought and if Voldemort knew this he would never understand. What was more, the very fact that all Voldemort could think of was death explained the very reason he could never conjure a patronus. And yet with Valerie it was the thought of her own death that inspired her most. “Very well…Do you have proof of your participation?”

“Yes, master,” and Valerie fumbled through her robes and produced a counterfeit piece of currency the size of a hubcap. She held it in her hand, outstretched before him. At once, Voldemort snatched it from her sweaty palm as he examined the fat gold galleon, marking the fact there was no serial number.

“And this is an artificial, I am sure?” he noted absently and Valerie nodded. Voldemort somehow sensed the magical traces left behind, “Protean charmed?”

“Yes, master.”

“And a clever mechanism for those who call themselves Dumbledore’s Army. I am glad to hear their magical abilities are not lacking. The faction is afterall, still within my youth army whether or not they deem themselves such!” For Voldemort referred to the entire body of Hogwarts students as his ‘youth army.’

“This is good to inform the Carrows of meetings. However, you helped the Carrows and your headmaster more than aiding Lord Voldemort, girl. Your information is of little consequence to this war…The resisters are but an ant’s colony. One I shall crush. In time.”

Snape spoke objectively, despite feeling the contrary regarding the issue, “My lord, are you planning to have the Longbottom boy and the Weasley girl killed?”

“These ordinary young warriors are fortunate for my leniency, Severus. I do not seek to have them dead. I pose a threat to their organization and we shall track them all we can and in battle my forces shall evade them. That is all.”

And Voldemort pocketed the fake gold galleon, planning to use it to inform the Carrows. “Until we meet again, Severus,” said Voldemort and he rose steadily from his seat. He did not give as much as a glance at Valerie. Valerie knew she was practically powerless in Voldemort's eyes, having still proven very little of her value. They watched him go to the fireplace and depart through the Floo Network, probably to Malfoy Manor. But there were many other places Lord Voldemort was traveling to these days.


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