Seduced By Darkness

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the Harry Potter Characters, Scholastic or Warner Brothers Copy Righted products and/or titles. They all belong to J.K. Rowling.
Note : Thanks to MaryElla & Lady Lestat for reviewing so far. I have actually finished this story but I am editing it as I post it so you can expect at least two new chapters per night unless anything major happens like Hurricane Wilma disrupting my power... Alrighty. This Chapter is Rated R for language and violence, not graphic.

\"If all the world\'s a stage, I want to operate the trap door.\"
-- Paul Beatty

***

Chapter 4 : Punishment

Tom and Lucius walked in to the main Hall of the castle where most of the Death Eaters that were in attendance were gathered. Once they spotted their Lord a hush ran over them. Their eyes went to their Lord’s shirt which was covered in blood near his stomach and chest. Bellatrix gave a horrified screeching cry and ran forward but the look he gave her brought her to an immediate stop. He looked away from her and walked slowly up some steps in the far end of the room which led to a terrace. He stopped, turned and faced them, wand in hand. His eyes slowly scanning the room and then settling on the men he wanted. When he didn’t look away from them as he had everyone else, they suddenly rushed forward and knelt in front of him. They believed that he was about to congratulate them on a job well done, and eagerly waited for the praise they were certain was coming their way.

Lucius stood by the entrance holding his breath. He had never really seen him, at least not the way he looked now, this angry. Had the idiots noticed how tightly he was gripping his wand or how hard his facial features were set they wouldn’t be so eager to be near him. It seemed to Lucius that the reason he stood there just staring down at them without saying anything was that he was trying to control himself. He knew that his Lord detested incompetence above all, but he was also aware of the way he had held the girl. It was almost as if she was a porcelain doll that might break if he handled her too roughly. He had never seen him act like that with anyone or anything. Lucius was forced back to the present by his Lord’s voice, which sounded silkily menacing.

“I would like you to tell me what my orders were in regard to bringing to me Claudia Olmo.” Mcfay and Morgan exchanged perplexed looks and seemed at a loss for words so they said nothing. “Crucio” He hissed the spell and they were thrown backwards writhing in pain. “Must I ask again?” He asked quietly. Panting, Mcfay spoke first while looking at the floor, “My Lord you said that she should be treated as Harry Potter.” Tom’s eyes narrowed as a whisper of a forgotten memory, not his own, was coming back to him. Mcfay continued in a hoarse voice, “And you’ve said before that if we cannot bring you Potter alive then dead will do. It is what we did with the girl.”

Tom took one step down and asked, “So, you are telling me that tonight you had no other option but to kill her, as she was, unattainable by any other means?” His voice had dropped, instinctively the other Death Eaters around the fallen two moved back and away from them.

Morgan rapidly nodded his head in agreement, “Yes my Lord, there was no other way as she was too closely watched and guarded.” Tom raised an eyebrow, “Is that so?” He walked down another step and continued, “Am I to believe that not only are most of my Death Eaters incompetent in battle but that I now must add blind to the list of faults?”

Mcfay looked up frowning and asked, “What do you mean my Lord?” Lucius thought that he deserved whatever was coming for his continued idiocy. He noted that his Lord had mouthed some words, very low so that no one could hear what the incantation was but it was taking its effect on the two fools. Lucius saw what appeared to be lashes pierce open the skin on Mcfay’s arms and the face of Morgan. “What I mean...” He muttered again what seemed to be the same hex as more lashes appeared over their skins, “Is that Lucius was there, did you two not see him?” When they looked at Lucius, pleadingly and incredulous he hexed them again, this time sending them tumbling back.

“You see, he was merely a few feet from her, ready to take her and bring her, unharmed, as I had wanted it done. In your hastiness to prove your...worthiness... you only succeeded in showing me how utterly useless you are to me. CRUCIO!” He said the curse loudly and yet he did not scream. He kept up the curse for several minutes straight, Lucius was surprised that they didn’t pass out. They could no longer scream as their throats were so raw. He thought that his Lord could carry on all night. One could tell that he was angry but he was so controlled and so deliberate with everything he was doing to them; that all the pain that he was inflicting seemed to come effortlessly to him, without draining him of any power. Suddenly he stopped and regarded their twitching bodies thoughtfully, “Avory, take their wands and give them to Lucius, then take them to the dungeons.” Without taking his eyes off them he said, “I am not done with you two yet, it will take her a week to recover and for every day that I have to look upon her in the state you left her in you will suffer every night until she is well.” He smiled then, a beautiful and yet completely ugly smile for the look in his eyes was terrifying, “Then you will die, for I will not suffer such fools by my side.”

He turned and walked away not sparing anyone else a second look until he reached Lucius’s side, “Make sure that you carry out the punishments for the next week, but I will kill them when it’s time.” Lucius bowed low and said, “Yes my Lord.” But Tom had started to walk away before Lucius rose back to his full height again.

“Why is he so angry on her behalf?” Bellatrix spat. Lucius looked at her and thought how very different than his wife she had become, once she had been as beautiful as Narcissa but no longer. He assumed it was the years that she spent in Azkaban, “I would assume, my dear Sister-In Law, it is the fact that they didn’t follow his orders. He has no room for that kind of clumsiness here, you know this.” He, of course, didn’t think that was the only reason as he had noticed his Lord’s interest in the young girl from the moment he had seen her. However, he did not think that telling Bella that would help matters. “Well Love, I must leave you now, as I have pressing matters to see to.” He said before she started questioning him any further.

Bella was not quite convinced that the little Gryffindor bitch wasn’t going to cause more problems than she was worth. She was trying to think why he wanted her there and why did it matter if she was alive and unharmed? A week ago she had thought that he had wanted her brought to him to hurt her and kill her for burning her face. Now she wasn’t so sure, ‘oh how he must laugh at me’ she thought. Bellatrix knew that he could read her mind if he wished and while she tried to keep her mind blank it was an extremely difficult thing to do around him. She was only certain of one thing, she would find out what his plans for the little bitch were and then she would make sure that the girl would be disposed off as soon as possible.

***

Tom reached the room adjacent to his very quickly as he was able to apparate around the castle freely without any wards to impede him. When he entered he noticed the elf wiping the girl’s forehead with a cool cloth, it seemed that she had developed a fever. He didn’t like it but it was to be expected. The elf noticed him only when he had come to stand by the other side of the bed and then jumped nearly three feet back in frightful agitation, “Master, missy is having a fever but she is so still, and so cold.”

He reached out and touched her face with his hand, she was very cold but he had expected this, as the antidote worked itself through her body and took all the poison out. “It’s to be expected. Leave now, I will call you when you are needed.” The little elf couldn’t seem to leave fast enough. Tom sat by her side for what seemed like hours, just studying her face and the slow, uneven rising and falling of her chest. He gently brushed her hair away from her temple and bent low to whisper some words into her ear. As he did her breathing slowly returned to a normal and rhythmic pace. Suddenly, her eyebrows knotted together and she groaned softly.

“Shush Little One, rest now and regain your strength.” As he got up to leave, the elf came back almost immediately, as if sensing his departure. For the next several days this would become a routine. He would come and sit with her, whisper incantations that would speed up her healing and then as he left the elf would come to watch over the girl. He also took the time to mentally work on what approach to use on her once she woke up. He knew that patience was not something that he had in any great amounts and he was not going to be denied her body once she regained her strength. Inexplicably he didn’t want her lying stiffly beneath him nor did he want to rape her, which surprised him. Why should he care if he hurt her physically or not? He didn’t dwell on these thoughts for very long when they assaulted his musings, he just determinedly moved on. He felt a connection to her and he knew that she would feel it too. In fact she already had, that day in Hogsmead, but he also knew that she would hate him the moment she found out who he was. Tom didn’t care about that, as she could hate and loath him all she wanted. However, she was going to remain by his side whether she wanted to or not. If she wanted to fight him that was fine but when he took her he only wanted her body to yield. He didn’t want any sort of resistance and he would make sure that she wouldn’t give him any.

***

Back at Hogwarts it had been six days since Claudia’s abduction, “What are we doing to find her damn it!” Harry yelled as one of his fists slammed on top of a desk. “All we can do, with the limited information we have Harry.” Dumbledore said softly. “This makes no sense, why take her? If they wanted to kill her, why poison her and THEN take her?” Harry asked, sounding angry and confused. Everyone turned to look at Snape. He had not been summoned by the Dark Lord in weeks, instead got orders second hand, through others. He had found an arrow tip on the grounds and knew at once what kind of poison had been used, it was deadly and it acted quickly. He also knew that Lucius had been the one that left with her, it infuriated and calmed him. He knew that at least Lucius was competent and would know what to do to get her well, if he had the time. “I do not know. It was apparent that there was some sort of miscommunication. The one that took her was in a position to have taken her without using such violent, and near fatal means.”

Harry paced, “I told you that something’s changed. He’s different, I feel it. Something happened a few weeks ago. I cannot describe it but it felt like he was gone and then he was back but he didn’t feel the same. Yet he feels stronger than ever but something is not right.” They were all at a loss for words. They didn’t know if Claudia was alive and while they believed Harry what could they tell him? Something had definitely changed, if he felt it, but what? “Unless we find out where Voldermort is I am afraid that we have little chance of finding Miss Olmo, Harry, but you knew this already.”

Harry stared back at him angrily. Yes, he knew that but it didn’t make him feel any less useless than he already did. He couldn’t help but feel that this was his fault and yet for the first time in a long time he knew, without knowing why, that the reason Voldermort had taken her had nothing to do with him. Unfortunately that puzzled him more than anything else.

***

On the seventh day of her stay in Dragor’s Castle Claudia stirred awake. Tom sat quietly in a chair by her bed watching her intently. She was very pale but he had no doubt that during the next couple of weeks she would get her coloring and strength back. He stared as her thick eyelashes fluttered against her skin as she opened her eyes. They were the color of honey, and at the moment were unfocused and glazed over. She had moved her head and was looking at him, or rather trying to focus on him, he was sure that she still couldn’t see him. When her small pink tongue darted out of her mouth and licked her dry lips he felt an instant tug in his groin.

Claudia was having a hard time focusing on her surroundings, all she could see were shapes, colors and blurs. She opened and closed her eyes several times to try to get a clearer picture of where she was. Information was flooding her mind as she was slowly coming back to her senses. She wanted to sit upright as she remembered the last thing that had happened to her but it was like she was weighted down into the bed and couldn’t move anything but her head. Her throat was very dry and she licked her lips as she turned her face to the left. A shape was there and she was trying to make it out.

A man was there. Yes that’s what it was, not a thing but a person. His hair came into focus first, stunning and unreadable dark eyes came next. Then his mouth, she was certain that no boy or man should have lips that full, for surely it was sinful how soft and inviting they seemed. Shaking herself at the sudden direction her thoughts where taking her she was able to clearly see him now. Claudia was left so speechless by the sight of him that she forgot what she had wanted to ask him. This seemed to amuse him as his eyes softened and a light smile touched his lips.

“So we are awake now, good. You must drink this.” He had gotten up and grabbed a goblet for her, had she gotten over her shock at his appearance she would have protested, but as it was she did nothing but drink down whatever it was that he had given her. Claudia felt a tingling sensation go through her as he put his hand on the back of her neck to help her drink. He then set the goblet aside and sat down once again to look at her.

“W-where,” she began with her voice barely above a whisper, “Where am I?” He regarded her quietly for several minutes then said, “My home.” and then left it at that as if that response should answer all her questions. She frowned at him and tried to sit up to no avail, “That’s nice, but where exactly is your home?” His eyes sparkled at her. It was obvious that he was amused by her exasperated tone. “Somewhere near the border that meets England and Scotland near the sea.” Closing her eyes she slowly said, “Thank you, because that explains it so much better being as the England-Scotland border is so miniscule that it narrows it down perfectly for me.”

Tom wondered if this is how she was when she was still slightly disoriented and still half asleep, then how would she act once fully awake? The prospect of finding that out only managed to excite him more. He purposely remained quiet as she could either fall asleep at any moment or her curiosity would get the better of her and she would try to question him again. He raised an eyebrow when she slowly opened her eyes again, “You aren’t going to tell me where I am are you?” He got up and walked around to the other side of her bed making her turn her head to keep him within her eyesight. He stopped by the windows and said, “You will find out soon enough once you are well and able to move about the castle on your own.”

“But I don’t want to move about the castle on my own, I want to go home” At that he turned and looked at her, “I am afraid that is a wish that I cannot grant you.” Now he was making her mad, her face flushed slightly, “What do you mean? You can’t mean to keep me here, who are you and what do you want with me?” She had worked herself into a fine upset and felt whatever little energy she had drain away from her. Claudia felt darkness enclosing her again, but not before she felt a strong, warm hand caressing her cheek, “So many questions little one, and I will answer them all, but not now.” She tried to protest but he quieted her by putting one finger to her lips, “My name is Tom, stop fighting and go to sleep.” She whispered his name as sleep claimed her.

Tom moved away from her, the sound of her voice enchanted him, especially when she had whispered his name. He quickly bent over her and pricked her skin with a feather then left her to go into his potions room. He tested her blood and determined that all the poison was out of her system, as he knew it would be. His eyes darkened maliciously, “Ah, my devoted Mcfay and Morgan I do believe I have a promise to keep.” Grabbing his wand he strode out and headed for the castle dungeons.