FHB: Chapter 30

Lucius took one quick look around before he decided to follow the stranger. Still unsure on whether he could trust him, Lucius kept a safe distance. The stranger led Lucius on a long walk and when they finally stopped, Lucius found himself in a dark alley.

There was no one around, not even a poor muggle on the street, and Lucius felt uneasy. His hand slowly reached into his jacket for his wand and just when he was about to pull it out, the stranger spoke.

“No need for that.”

“Who are you?” Lucius asked.

“No need to tell you either. I’m just here to escort you,” the stranger answered.

“I have not seen you before,” Lucius stated.

“You can’t see everybody, little Malfoy.”

Lucius narrowed his eyes with his hand still tightly wrapped around his wand.

“No time for dilly dally. Come now, the Dark Lord is waiting.”

The stranger waved for Lucius but he stood his ground. It could very well be a test and he did not want to take a risk.

“Having trust issues, eh?”

“Show me,” Lucius simply replied.

“Show what?”

“You know what.”

The stranger chuckled and swaggered towards him. Lucius’ palm was already getting sweaty as he tightened his grip on his wand. The way the stranger smiled as he made his way closer to Lucius was nothing close to friendly. The stranger also showed no signs of wanting to show Lucius what he had asked for.

When the stranger stopped two feet away from Lucius, he slowly lifted his left hand. Lucius watched closely, but what happened next was something he least expected. The stranger roughly grabbed him on the arm and in a second Lucius felt himself being pulled into a strange motion. His world became a blur and when it finally refocused, there was an uneasiness in his stomach. Thankfully, he had not eaten anything since he left Hogwarts.

Coughing in response to the gagging sensation in his throat, he felt someone snatch his suitcase from him. When he looked up to see who it was, he found himself looking at a familiar face. It was someone whose name he did not know but face he recognized.

“Follow me,” the man said.

The stranger had disappeared and Lucius assumed he took his suitcase with him.  Not sure if he should ask about it, he remained silent and followed after the man. Lucius had arrived in a dimly lit, old dusty house. The air was thick and stuffy, and by the time he made it to the top of the stairs, he was panting. The man did not seem to care about his well being as he continued down a hallway. Lucius was a fool to think he would be treated well.

Once at the end of the hallway, the man knocked on a door and said, “He’s here.”

There was a muffled reply before the door swung open. The man gestured for Lucius to enter and when he did, the door shut behind him almost immediately.

“You must be hungry. Come, have some food,” a voice said.

A single candle on top of an unlit fireplace was the only light in the room. It took Lucius awhile before his eyes adjusted to the darkness. There was someone seated on an armchair, which Lucius assumed to be the Dark Lord, and a few others standing around. There was also something moving on the ground, and Lucius did not need to guess what it was. Cautiously, Lucius made his way to the Dark Lord.

“I don’t have much, only some bread, but that should be enough,” the Dark Lord added as he waved at a table beside him.

“I’m not hungry, my lord,” Lucius lied. He lied because he was too afraid to reach out into the darkness… afraid a slithering creature might bite his hand off.

“Very well. You will follow Polkus here,” the Dark Lord replied and the figure of a man took a step forward.

“Now?” Lucius asked softly.

“Yes, now. Tonight, you become a death eater,” the Dark Lord said.

Lucius swallowed dryly as he nodded his head. Seeing his reaction, the Dark Lord waved Polkus over. When Polkus grabbed on to Lucius’ arm, Lucius felt the strange motion again. This time it lasted longer, and when it ended, Lucius found himself in a forest.

“Stay close, stay quiet, and keep your eyes open,” Polkus whispered a second after their arrival.

Lucius wanted to know if they were the only ones sent on the special mission, but the still forest forced him into silence. He wished he knew what he was supposed to do or at least an idea on what was going on, but it seemed like the Dark Lord kept him clueless on purpose. Maybe it was a sick joke, maybe there were no Dementors? Lucius could only hope.

As Polkus took the lead and crept carefully through the thick forest, Lucius stayed close behind. He also did what he was told and he kept his eyes wide open, but with the little moonlight seeping through the dense tree leaves, it was pretty pointless.

Finally, after a few minutes, Polkus stopped and waved for Lucius to crouch behind a tree. Doing as he was told Lucius quickly got into position, and that was when he knew it was not a sick joke. Up ahead was a small clearing and hovering above it were a few of the hooded soul suckers. Hoping he was not forced to greet them, a wave of relief swept over him when a few death eaters walked into the clearing from the other side.

Lucius was extremely grateful that he was merely a watcher, but before he could calm his racing heart, he heard a sound. Turning to Polkus, it seemed as though he had not heard it. Lucius wondered if he should check it out. It could be nothing, but it was better to be safe than sorry, right?

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should check out the sound or ignore it!)

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FHB: Chapter 17

“Who’s there?” Lucius asked, with his words barely escaping the dryness of his throat.

Silence remained with no response to his question. Lucius propped himself up and squinted at the figure. There was definitely something at the end of his bed, but he could not make out who or what it was.

“Mother?” Lucius asked.

When there was no reply once again, Lucius shifted under his warm blanket and slowly edged towards the dark spot. He was now fully awake and was determined to prove that no one else was in his room except him. It was something he used to do as a child whenever he woke up in the middle of the night and see a strange shadow in his room. Every time that happened, he would end up laughing at himself for being afraid of his jacket hanging on the door or the stuffed toy on the armchair. That night should be no different.

As Lucius made his way to the foot of his bed, he stretched his hand out towards the figure. When he was almost close enough to touch it, he heard a whisper saying, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Immediately, Lucius stopped in his tracks. His hand remained frozen mid-air as his eyes darted around his room. Seconds later, the fireplace lit up and the figure at the end of his bed became fully visibly. At the sight of what it was, Lucius quickly pulled his hand back just as the giant snake struck forward. Falling on his back, Lucius scrambled to the head of his bed with his eyes wide in horror.

“She doesn’t make friends easily,” a voice said.

Now that the room was brightly lit, Lucius was finally able to put a face to the voice. Sitting on the armchair beside the fireplace was the Dark Lord.

“I’ve heard a lot about you Lucius,” the Dark Lord said.

Lucius immediately stumbled off his bed and stood against the wall.

“And not from your father or the pictures on these walls,” the Dark Lord continued.

“What-what have you heard, my lord?” Lucius asked softly. Lucius tried to keep his eyes on Lord Voldemort but he found himself staring at the fireplace while taking quick glances at the snake.

“My little eyes and ears have told me you’ve accepted an internship with the Ministry of Magic.”

“Yes-yes my lord. But-but I’m not going,” Lucius replied. Lucius was beginning to hate himself for his lack of fluency in carrying his words. He sounded just like that annoying first year named Pettigrew.

“Why so?”

“I-I don’t think it’s a good idea, my lord,” Lucius said. He did not want to offend the Dark Lord over a silly internship. “My parents do not know about it either. I think, I think it’s best if I stay home.”

“Lucius, Lucius, Lucius,” the Dark Lord said.

Goosebumps immediately rose on Lucius’ arms at the sound of the Dark Lord repeating his name.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea. Don’t turn it down just because I loathe the ministry.”

Lucius swallowed hard, not sure if the Dark Lord was being honest or sarcastic.

“You should also not go back on your word once you’ve made a promise,” the Dark Lord added.

“I…” Lucius did not know what to say.

“Go. It would be good for you. It would also be good for me, once you’ve joined me. You ARE joining me aren’t you?”

“Yes, yes, of course, my lord,” Lucius quickly replied.

“Your father says you are very keen. Though, I’m starting to wonder if he’s telling the truth.”

“I’m keen my lord. It’s just that my mother, my mother thinks…” Lucius paused, suddenly unsure on how to continue.

“Your mother thinks school is more important?”

“Yes, no, I mean no, my lord. She thinks-”

“I agree with her. School is important, but one is never too young to have dreams.”

“Yes, yes, my lord. I do have dreams, I do want to join you,” Lucius replied, but there was something in his expression that betrayed him.

“But?”

Lucius never meant to show contemplation, as he had always wanted to join the Dark Lord. He had dreams of becoming powerful but he also wanted to consider his mother’s feelings. At that moment, he was forced to make a decision he had avoided the whole year. There was now no room to run away from it.

“But nothing, my lord,” Lucius replied.

The Dark Lord seemed pleased with Lucius’ response and waved his snake over to him. As he got to his feet, he said, “Good. Tomorrow at noon, I will be having a meeting with my loyal subjects. Would you be able to join me?”

The question caught Lucius off guard, and his throat began to tighten. He wanted to say ‘yes’ but something within him was saying ‘it’s too soon’. Lucius did not want the dark mark on his arm just yet nor did he want to wait any longer. What was he to say?

To Be Continued…

(Vote or leave a comment below on whether Lucius should join the Dark Lord or turn him down!)

Chapter 38:

The surge of energy that exploded in his chest was not the last thing he felt. Surely, he knew he was dying but he least expected it to be as such. As though time had momentarily slowed down, he felt every part of him returning, and the feeling of being complete was something he had long forgotten.

As the glare in his eyes finally faded away, he found himself standing in a clearing. There was a stream with glistening waters, and a fresh smell lingered in the air. Walking towards the stream, he saw his reflection and to his sudden disgust, he wanted to look away. He was hideous, even to himself.

Turning away from the stream, he saw a girl, seated under a tree. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders, and her perfectly fair complexion was softly glowing. This was certainly not reality.

As she stood up, his heart skipped a beat. The simple white dress she wore made her more beautiful than he could remember. Oh, how he missed her so much and the goodness of her heart.

“Tom? Is that you?” she asked, as she started walking towards him.

“I-” Tom quickly turned away. Inevitably staring into his reflection in the stream again. And it was in the water that he saw the change. His face was reshaping, regrowing and he was soon staring at his younger self. He was the boy who still had his soul intact, as well as everything else before dark magic had infested his very being.

“It is you,” Joanna said softly, looking into the water’s reflection.

“How? Is this heaven?” Tom immediately laughed at his own ridiculous questions. “Who am I kidding? You’re not even real.”

“What makes you so certain?” Joanna asked.

Turning to her, Tom took her hands and said, “Because, I don’t deserve it.”

“And yet here you are. I suggest you make the most out of this moment,” Joanna replied, as she led him to a stroll down stream.

“I feel oddly different. Is this how people feel when they die?”

“I don’t know. How different do you feel?”

“Different.”

“That’s because, you’re you again. Every part of you is finally home.”

Tom decided not to think about his feelings too much, God knows how long he had in such paradise. He did have a thousand questions though, like why did he not feel angry at the Potter boy for not dying, and why was he not at all upset that his lifetime plan failed again. Limbo was a very odd place, he concluded.

“You know, I’m kinda glad Harry Potter existed,” Joanna broke the silence.

Stopping in her tracks, she sat on a big rock by the stream and waved for him to follow after.

“Why? He destroyed me twice,” Tom replied immediately.

“And he saved you once,” Joanna responded as quickly as he did.

Joanna pulled up her white dress above her knees before dipping her feet into the stream. He had not noticed she was barefooted, until he saw that he was too.

“Think about it. After everything you have done, how is it possible for you to remember who I am?”

“I cared for you, that’s why I remembered.”

“And that part that cared for me lived in the boy. The very night you attempted to kill him, but instead lost part of your soul to him, was the same night he became the protector of the part that made you feel.”

“So when I attempted to kill him again, I killed my only human part? How does that even make sense Joanna?”

“You look at things too narrowly, Tom. Every time Harry destroyed one of your Horcruxes, that part of your soul returned to you. The pain you feel, was not really death; it was the pain of being you again. When you released Harry of the soul he was guarding, it returned to you as well. And when Nagini died, she gave up the last piece.”

“So, I became human again, and weak?”

“Humans are not weak; it is where you choose to get your strength from. Tom, you chose an unwisely path.”

“So, I have Harry to thank for, for being human again. The boy who ruined me is now my savior?” There was a pinch of anger in his tone, even though his anger could not fully grow.

“Harry never ruined you, you ruined you. He saved you from a state far worse than this.”

Tom did not respond. There were truth in her words and blaming someone else for how his life ended was not going to help him now. He silently wondered if there was a way he could turn back time and relive his life. He would have done so many things differently to spare him the regret he was feeling now.

Deep in his thoughts, he did not realize Joanna had reached for his hand until she laid a gentle kiss on top of it.

“Stop thinking so much,” Joanna said softly.

“I can’t help it, I…” Tom trailed off as he looked at Joanna.

Tom did not know how long he was looking at her until he noticed the trees and sky behind her starting to fade into white.

“Joanna, what’s happening?” Tom asked, as his surroundings started to dissolve.

Joanna gave a weak smile in reply, as she held on to his hand tightly. Tom had suspected that such bliss would not last forever, but he hoped it would have given him more time.

As the only world he knew of was slowly disappearing into a plain shade, Tom knew this was his last chance to do something right.

“Joanna,” Tom said, pausing as he took both her hands, “I love you.”

And then white was all there was.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

The series has officially ended. Here’s a final drawing, as a token of remembrance!

If you want to download this picture, head on to my Facebook page. It will be up for download 🙂

I hope you enjoyed the series! And thank you for journeying it with me.

Chapter 37

Joanna wondered when she was going to die. At that moment, death was such a welcoming thought.

“You’ll be alright,” the voice said again. Then she felt someone touching her face gently.

Tom, Joanna thought.

“Joanna.” His voice was not so faint anymore.

As though death was giving in to her wishes, her eye’s briefly cleared up and she saw Tom hovering over her. A relieve swept across her once aching heart, and the only pain she now had to bear was the one in her body.

Joanna tried to keep her eyes on him when she saw a tear roll down his cheek. Trying to utter a word, Joanna knew that if she failed, it would be the end.

When she could not managed to even mutter, she felt her world slowly slipping away.

“Joanna! Please stay with me!” Tom shouted.

I can’t, Joanna thought.

“Joanna! No, please! Please don’t go!” Tom’s voice slowly dissolved into a whisper.

Soon, there was no more air to breathe in, and no more pain to bear. It happened so smoothly, Joanna did not even realize it.

“Joanna! No!” Tom tried to prop her up but she slipped from his grip.

It did not struck him before, but now it did. Staring at the red glistening blood all over his hands and cloak, Tom realized that he made the biggest mistake in his life.

Joanna was the only one who made him human. She gave him the ability to feel, if not for others at least for her.  He never knew he could feel, and the wretched sting in his chest made him wish he could turn back time. Why was he so blinded by power and revenge when he could have the one thing he never had all his life, love?

The bed she was lying on was soaked with blood that the smell started to make him dizzy. Tom slowly backed away from her body, trying not to fall over the furniture in the motel room. His hands where shaking and no matter how hard he tried, they wouldn’t stop. Just like the tears that fell from his eyes.

Clenching his fist, Tom shuffled to a table and slammed his hands on it. He let out an angry yell before he started trashing everything in the room, until he collapsed by the side of the bed.

He could not look at her, for if he did, all he saw was regret. She was the only one who accepted him without fear or hate. She actually loved him, and he actually loved her. He hated himself for not telling her that. He hated himself for not choosing her. He hated himself… for being weak.

Dumbledore killed her, he thought, wiping his wet cheeks dry.

Finally being able to compose himself, Tom stood up and called for Nagini. At the sight of Joanna, Nagini became upset and started to hiss. Tom wished the snake did not have to make things worse, and he was tempted to kill it when it started asking questions. But then he realized that Nagini was all he had left.

“Don’t worry about it Nagini. We’ll have our revenge,” Tom said as the snake slithered right next to him.

“No more games. No more distractions. No more weakness,” Tom added. He closed his eyes briefly, as though bringing himself back to his ‘real’ self, and when he opened his eyes, flames started to grow from thin air. They rose up the walls and slithered onto the bed like a fiery snake devouring its prey; curling and twisting all over the room as the walls blackened and the furniture were torched.

“Everyone who ever crosses me will suffer. Especially that old man. He thinks he knows it all but he has seen nothing yet.”

By the time half the room was engulfed, the flames slowly drew back, as though it had enough.

Finally turning to face what was left of the room, Tom found Nagini wrapped around a skull that now sat on the bed.

Tom watched briefly before he looked up at the gloomy afternoon sky, through the hole in the ceiling. He often wondered how he could find peace is something so plain. A blink later, he found himself looking at the very same sky, just darker and on a different day. There were no stars, and it was a perfect canvas for his dark mark.

A spell shot out into the night sky shortly after, and when it exploded, a skull appeared with a smoke imagery of Nagini, slithering around it and through its mouth.

“That’s for you,” Tom whispered. “And so will everything else.”

Tom knew that was not what Joanna would have wanted, but he told himself that he had no choice. She was now a mere memory and her memory would not be the cause of his downfall, but the reason for his success.

“It’s time the war ends. Tonight will be the night,” Tom said, looking at what was left of Hogwarts; the place he once called home.

“What do we do now, my lord?” Bellatrix Lestrange asked cheerfully, like a child eager to take on every carnival ride available.

“We wait,” Tom replied shortly. He didn’t like the woman, no matter how hard she tried to please him. She was just not Joanna. If only she could take a hint without him having to kill her.

“Do you think he will come?” Bellatrix hurried to his side.

“He will.”

Tom knew the boy well enough, and if there was something they both understood, it was sacrifice.

Chapter 35

Joanna hurried to a small closet before she apparated to five different places before she headed to Tom’s house. She didn’t want to be followed and she knew Dumbledore still did not truly trust her. When she entered the house, she started shouting his name, but she heard no reply.

Entering the reading room, she found the darkness and the cold so unwelcoming.

“Tom?” Joanna shouted but the only reply she got was dead silence.

Immediately she headed to his bedroom, and when she entered, it was the same; dark and cold.

“Nagini?” Joanna called, and even the snake was no where to be found. Joanna felt like she had just missed them and there was a sudden tightness in her chest. She was afraid for him, she was afraid of loosing him.

“Tom, where are you?” Joanna whispered as she sat on his bed and stared blankly at the floor. She was trying not to panic, trying not to give in to the fear, trying not to cry.

Just when she thought she was just wasting her time, she heard him.

“What are you doing here?”

 “Tom?” Joanna looked up and saw him standing by his desk. Immediately, she got up and ran to him. She threw her arms around him and she felt him return the hug.

“Tom, the ministry knows about the muggle attack,” Joanna suddenly pulled back and warned.

“The ministry knows about what?”

“Don’t try to play dumb. That muggle town, you were planning for a muggle attack weren’t you? You have to call it off! The ministry are sending aurors in the moment the attack happens!”

“I’m not calling it off,” Tom replied with a straight face.

“People will die if a battle starts!”

“It is too late to call it off. Everyone are at their positions waiting for my orders.”

“Tom please,” Joanna whispered her plea, hoping that it would have a different effect on him.

“Sorry,” Tom said as he made some distance between them.

“Tom, don’t do this. I can’t lose you,” Joanna said.

There, I said it, I admitted it, Joanna thought to herself.

“I won’t die. You’ll see me again,” Tom replied as he shifted his gaze away from her.

There was a short moment of silence before he walked up to her, placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, before disapparating.

Immediately after he disappeared, the tears fell, because Joanna knew she wasn’t going to see him again. Falling to her knees she attempted to control her sobs, but it was impossible. She had a very bad feeling and she couldn’t shake it off.

After multiple attempts of trying to calm herself down, Joanna forced her way back to the ministry. Even at 6 in the morning, people were still bustling around, but the crowd was thinner than it was before.

Joanna slumped on her desk and caught a couple of hours of shut eye before she was wakened by her colleague.

It was 10 in the morning when teams were being sent off one by one into the small town. There were easily 50 of them up against a rough estimate of 30 dark witches and wizards.

Joanna was in team B. The team where 10 of them were to try and get as many muggles to safety. She was glad she didn’t have to be in the battle, but she was still afraid she might have to watch it all go down.

At 10:10, she apparated into an alley where she charmed a mother and child to return home. Just as she watched them disappear into safety, she saw a sign on one of the shops on the main street. The sign read, ‘Erlton Motel’. Was that where Tom was staying?

Ignoring the shouts of her teammates as she dashed across the soon to be blood wet streets, all Joanna could think about was stopping Tom. Entering the strangely empty motel, Joanna hurried up the stairs and onto the first landing. Was she going to knock on every door? She had to try.

When it came to the fourth door with no answer, she felt like crying again. Just then, the next door opened and Joanna’s draw dropped.

“What… Joanna?” Malfoy managed to ask in shock.

“Malfoy?”

“What are you doing here?” they asked each other simultaneously.

 Neither of them answered.

“Where’s Tom?” Joanna quickly asked.

Malfoy did not answer her question. He just stared at her, unsure on what to do. Just before he could say a word in reply, they heard it. Screams, yells and eruption of spells; the fight had begun.

Malfoy immediately said, “I’m late.” Before attempting to walk pass her.

Joanna pulled out her wand and pointed it right in his face.

“Where’s Tom?!” Joanna demanded.

“Where else?” Malfoy answered, backing away from her. When he realized Joanna had lost her interest in him, Malfoy ran pass her to join the rest.

Where else, Joanna thought.

She had to save him. Or she had to trust he would be safe, like he assured. Whichever she had to do, it was no easy decision.

To Be Continued….

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Joanna should wait for the fight to end, or attempt to do something!)

Chapter 33

Joanna got up and Nagini immediately exited the room. Hurrying after it, Nagini waited for her at corners, just so Joanna would not lose sight of it, before it continued slithering. Finally, after a few turns, Joanna found herself standing in front of a white door. The knob was not dusty like the rest which meant Tom used it.

Nagini hissed at her, as though urging her to hurry up. After hesitating for a moment, Joanna turned the knob and entered the unlocked room.

The room was Tom’s bedroom. Clean and tidy like the reading room, there was a table, with books and papers scattered on them, and a fireplace with ashes. Nagini did not stop to look around like she did, as it slithered to a chest at the corner of the room and hissed for her attention.

Giving into Nagini’s demands, Joanna headed over and attempted to open it, but it was locked. There was some locking charm around the chest which made Joanna even more curious of its contents.

Should she open it? Joanna was tempted to. She had learned a lot of unlocking spells and she was certain she could get this chest opened in no time, but that would mean intruding Tom’s privacy. Nagini didn’t seem to care though, as it kept on hissing.

Not really thinking it through, Joanna pulled out her wand and tried a few spells on the chest. Third time was indeed the charm as the chest glowed around the gaps. Excited, Nagini slithered onto her lap and waited for her to open it. Not wanting Nagini to stay any longer on her lap, she pushed the top over and found herself starring down at a folder and a square cage, covered with white cloth.

Pretty sure Nagini had no interest in the folder, Joanna took the cage out and pulled the white cloth off. A sudden shrill came from the contents as blue Cornish pixies began shaking the cage. Accidentally dropping the cage, Nagini hurried towards it and started striking at the pixies.

“You eat pixies?” Joanna asked in disbelief.

Joanna reached for the cage, pointed her wand and jinx the afraid and noisy pixies. The pixies started to fall into a dreamy state and that was when Joanna opened the top and pulled out one pixie. Placing it on the ground, Nagini immediately grabbed for it and slithered away to a corner.

“So much for a thank you,” Joanna said as she placed the cage back into the chest.

Naturally, she reached for the folder and when she saw its contents, Joanna wished she had not.

There were names, places, spells, and internal information about the ministry of magic that even Joanna could not get her hands on. Joanna told herself to stop reading and put the folder back where it belonged, but her eyes and hands worked in harmony to disobey her commands.

“Erlton Motel?” Joanna asked herself more than the audible. The motel was located in a muggle town outside the city. Why was Tom so interested in a muggle town? Unless…

Joanna’s thoughts were cut short when Tom entered the room. Immediately the file and its contents fell from her hand.

“I can explain,” Joanna quickly said.

Tom merely stared at the papers on the floor before turning to Nagini and casting an inaudible spell at it. Nagini hissed and attempted to slither under the bed. But Tom’s second spell caught it by the tail and sent it up onto the ceiling before falling to the ground.

“STOP! Don’t hurt it!” Joanna shouted.

Tom seemed to have not heard her as he cast another spell, followed by a sentence in parseltongue.

Nagini curled up at a corner as Tom headed up to it, wand still pointed at the terrified snake.

“No!” Joanna ran towards him and pulled him away from Nagini. He looked as though he was about to kill his own pet.

There was fury in his eyes when she finally looked him in the face, but a few moments later, the fury left.

“You shouldn’t have read that,” Tom said as he looked past Joanna.

“I know. I’m sorry. It’s my fault, not the snake’s. Please don’t hurt it anymore,” Joanna pleaded.

Tom did not reply. He simply turned around, waved his wand at the papers sending them back into the chest, before exiting the room. The chest sealed itself with the same glowing edges, and Joanna stared at it for a while before wondering if she should go after him.

She was afraid to face him, because she knew she was at fault. She could have just jeopardized their relationship for knowing too much. Turning to Nagini, hoping for an answer she knew she wouldn’t get from the poor baby snake, she found that the snake had disappeared under the bed, leaving her to decide.

Should she try to explain, or should she just leave and come back when she had her words figured out?

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Joanna should go after Tom or come back another day!)

Chapter 32

Taking his hand, Joanna felt an immediate surge of energy as Tom brought her along in an apparation. A few seconds later, they appeared in front of a mansion.

“What is this place?” Joanna asked.

“My place. Supposedly,” Tom answered, as he led her through a door which entered a dusty kitchen.

“If it is your place, why are we entering from the back?”

“It is supposed to be mine, but it isn’t.”

Tom pulled out his wand and brightened up their path out of the kitchen, pass the dining room, and into the hall.

“Whose is it then?”

Tom did not answer as they started up the curving steps to the first floor.

“What if we get caught?”

“You’re still afraid of being caught?” Tom asked in reply.

It was Joanna’s turn not to answer him.

Finally, they entered a huge reading room. Tom started a fire by the fireplace while Joanna examined the room. There were tall bookshelves, a grand piano, and three sofas that sat by the fireplace. The house looked abandoned for several years, as the dusty carpets and cobwebbed ceilings made the air so stale and difficult to breath. However, this room was an exception.

“You live here?” Joanna asked, settling down on a sofa.

“This is the Riddle House. It’s mine by default.” Tom took a seat across her before he continued, “I don’t use the front door because it’s booby trapped. I’ve put spells around the house so no muggle would dare enter. Their fear of the dead is an advantage.”

“Fake ghosts?”

“Fake ghosts of my dead father and grandparents. Even their loyal gardener is afraid of entering the house after their deaths.”

“I see.”

“But this is not what I wanted to show you.”

Tom smiled before he whispered in parseltongue. A few seconds later, Joanna heard a hissing reply.

“Should I close my eyes?” Joanna immediately asked. The last time she met one of Tom’s pets, it was a killing machine.

“No. Nagini is not a basilisk. She’s a rare crossed breed snake I acquired when I was travelling.”

To Joanna’s surprise, the snake that entered the room was not at all huge. It was merely 4 feet long and half a feet wide.

“She’s still a baby. But she’ll grow,” Tom said, after he saw her slight relief.

The snake slithered up the sofa next to Tom, and rested its green head on his lap.

Tom said something else in parseltongue and the snake turned its head to look at Joanna. With its tongue flicking in her direction, it slowly stood up.

“What did you say?” Joanna asked, watching the snake closely.

“I introduced you to her.”

The snake slowly slithered onto the wooden table in the between them and Joanna reacted by standing up immediately.

“Relax. I told her you’re not dinner.”

Was that a joke? Joanna asked herself as she turned to Tom.

“She’s just being friendly,” Tom continued. “Give her a pat on the head, so she knows you’re not hostile.”

Joanna shook her head in reply.

“Nagini won’t bite. She’s a baby and she’s friendlier at this stage. In a couple of months time, it would be impossible to befriend her.”

I don’t want to befriend a snake, Joanna thought.

“If she knows you now, she won’t attempt to kill you later on.”

Looks like I don’t have a choice then? Joanna thought.

Slowly, she reached out towards the snake. It was watching her hand as she watched it, and Joanna had a bad feeling about it. Quickly, she touched the top of the snakes head and pulled her hand back. The snake then lowered its head, before returning to Tom.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Joanna sat back down cautiously.

“I just wanted you to meet my new friend. Nagini has been accompanying me for some time now and she sort of reminds me of you.”

“I’m not a snake,”Joanna immediately responded.

“Of course not. But you’re a friend.”

Tom’s reply made Joanna smile. He never stopped taking her as a friend. That was good, she thought.

…..

Throughout that one month break, Joanna had been catching up with many of her old friends during the day, and spending the nights with Tom in the reading room. One evening, while Joanna was reading a book on dark magic, which was one of the many that rested on the tall shelves, Nagini entered the reading room.

Tom was not around that evening as he said he had an errand to run. Joanna was fine being alone, but certainly unsure on how to react when his snake decided to be her company.

“Hi,” Joanna said, as she lifted her legs off the ground and folded it on the sofa.

Nagini headed up to her and hissed.

“What is it?”

Nagini rose higher off the ground, hissed at her, and turned to look at the door.

“What do you want?” Joanna asked, pushing herself against the sofa. She had to admit that she was still afraid of the snake, baby or not.

Nagini dropped to the ground, slithered to the doorway, rose from the ground and hissed at her again.

Does it want me to follow it? Joanna asked herself.

“Do you want me to follow you?” Joanna then asked Nagini, which she knew did not understand English.

Like a puppy trying to hint for something, Nagini slithered back and forth with its head turning to the hallway outside the room.

Joanna was now certain it wanted to be followed. Yet, Joanna was not so sure if she should. God knows if Nagini intended on attacking her somewhere else.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Joanna should follow after Nagini!)

A Slippery Gift

She hatched into the family of the rather insane Mr. Grabbill Hookland.

Grab, whom his friends commonly called him, was a collector of rare magical creatures. He would keep them as pets and sometimes mate them. And when the little cross breeds were born, he would sent them as gifts to his nephews and nieces.

Yes, an odd man he was.

You would usually see him in his black tuxedo, striding on the streets of London, claiming to be a business man. And with a wicked sense of cruelty towards muggles, he would often invite them home to give them a scare. Of course, with a memory charm, he covered up that hobby of his easily.

Among his friends, Grab constantly bragged about his “pets”, and how fantastically unique they were. He would flaunt the new breeds and the recently hatched, and today, he flaunted a snake.

“Oh, such beauty isn’t she?” Grab said to Tawrent Lovegood.

“Yes. Rather.” Tawrent gave the snake a poke and sank deeper into his chair. He hated snakes, especially this one. There was something about it, something that made it feel dangerous to be around it.

“Do you know that this one can grow up to 50 feet! If brought up properly that is,” Grab stroked the snake’s head.

“How… delightful,” Tawrent said uncertainly.

“But I’m not keeping this one.”

“Which unlucky nephew or niece are you giving this creature to?”

Grab laughed at what he thought was a joke. “Well, I have a special buyer who’s particularly interested.”

Grab went on to placing the baby snake into a small plastic box. He then waved his wand and brown paper messily wrapped itself around the box. A small card addressed to an unknown source also sat nicely on top of the box. And as an owl swooped into his living room, Grab tied the gift to its legs.

“You know who to send it to,” Grab said cheerfully to the owl. And the owl obediently went on its delivery.

“Is it legal?” Tawrent asked as he watched the owl fly off.

“What is? Selling my pets?”

“Yes. Especially to people you don’t know,” Tawrent said.

“Why not?” Grab smiled as he sipped at his tea.

“I thought there’s a license process for sales and purchases of such creatures.”

“You have too many friends in the ministry that the law is starting to confuse you.”

“I just don’t want you to get in trouble,” Tawrent said with a sigh.

“I won’t be in trouble. This buyer knows a great deal about snakes.”

“Really.” Tawrent was not convinced.

“Oh yes. But I told him that at this age, the snake needs a lot of grooming, and if he has any intentions for it, he best wait till it is fully grown. I also told him not to show it off to anyone, since, it is a very rare breed that I would consider dangerous.”

“Right. Lets hope he doesn’t send it on a killing spree.”

“That would be a waste of her potential if he didn’t. But I think he only wants a companion.” Grabbill laughed.

“Odd choice for one.”

…..

The packaged arrive in a house outside of town. The special buyer sent the owl off with the money he owed before heading to his reading room to unwrap it. But before he could do so, he saw an intruder hiding in the shadows.

Panicking, he pulled out his wand and demanded, “Who are you?! How did you get in?!”

Before he could react. he saw a flash of green light, that even an attempt to draw his last breath was impossible.

“Thank you for the slippery gift,” the person in the shadows said, before heading to the package.

Knowing that the old man he just killed was a loner, he took his time at opening the gift he claimed. And when he first laid eyes on the snake, he was amazed at the beauty of it.

“Hi,” he said.

The baby snake curled at a corner and watched him closely.

“I won’t hurt you. I just want to be friends,” he continued.

He then put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a rat he had bought from the market earlier in the day.

“Here’s a treat,” he said, as he carefully released it into the plastic box.

She hesitated for a moment, watching his hand pull out from her safe zone. Then, without thinking twice, she striked at the rat.

“Fast one,” he said, sounding impressed.

“I am,” she replied.

“I hope you liked it.”

“Thank you,” she said as she moved out from her curled position.

“Do you have a name?” he asked.

She shook her head at him in reply.

“I shall call you Nagini then. Do you like that name?”

“I guess. Do you have a name?”

“Yes. I’m… master. Call me master.”

“O.k master,” Nagini replied.

“Let’s go home,” Master said as he picked up the snake and disappeared in a swoosh.