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"We are," Draco said tautly. "I hope I don’t need Riddle’s permission to get engaged if you approve of it, Father." |
"Be respectful," Lucius chastised him. "We are guests in their home." He turned to Tom. "But I would hope that it has your blessing... or at least, that it will after I offer you something." He held out the sack. "I advise you to handle this carefully, with warded gloves or warded fabric to shield your hands from it. It is something that my lady wife in particular wanted out of Malfoy Manor and in your hands." |
Tom accepted the sack, his heart thumping rapidly. He took it to a nearby table and carefully slid the sack down, revealing the opal-studded silver goblet. |
"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed in a hushed breath. "That’s—I don’t believe it—but I can tell. It’s very magical... and the magic is similar to yours," she added in a low voice, almost a whisper, that only Tom could hear. |
He raised his eyebrows at her. "I hope that’s all that is similar." |
She patted his arm. "It is. I sense malice from this one. The worst that I ever sense from yours is possessiveness." |
"Well, that’s no bad thing," he remarked with a grin. He stared at the goblet for another moment, then turned back to Lucius and Narcissa. |
"You recognize that for what it is, then," Narcissa said. |
"Yes," Tom said, "and I thank you for bringing it here. But... why did you? I have to confess, I do not understand why you did not destroy this yourself, since you know what it is too." |
"It is a proof of our good faith," she replied. "We certainly could have, but quite frankly, Lord Thomas, we do not want you to consider us your enemies... because we are not. But we were not certain what you would think if we destroyed that and then informed you of it." |
Tom was gazing into their eyes, using Legilimency on them to be certain that this was not a trick. He did not think that Armand Malfoy would let anyone make off with his Horcrux even as bait for a trap, but he wanted to be sure. As he examined their surface thoughts, he saw no signs of deceit. They were, in fact, extremely angry with Armand. Lucius was being forced to make the unicorn blood tonic, and they all felt that Narcissa and Draco were possibly at risk of being killed. Self-interest and self-preservation, then, Tom thought in satisfaction. Not the highest of motivations, but arguably one of the most reliable, in its own way. All one has to do to work with people like this is not make oneself their personal enemy. |
Hermione understood the political subtext of this. "Then you understand, as well, what we wish to achieve in this war? And you won’t stand in our way?" |
"I understood—I assumed—that you wished to reinstate the Wizengamot," Lucius said, "and that if you meant to keep the position of High Lord of Wizards and Witches, that you yourself would occupy it." |
Tom gave him a hard look. "You are correct. We definitely intend to reinstate the Wizengamot, and we are considering whether we should have a High Lord at all. But if we do, then yes, it will belong to my House. That is settled with our loyal allies the Blacks." His tone brooked no opposition from Lucius. |
"I have heard of an agreement between you and the Blacks for your future children," Narcissa said in shrewd tones. |
"Yes," Tom confirmed. "It is for a child of Sirius Black and our heir. The terms of our alliance and what we will do after the war are settled. If you are offering that item as evidence that you don’t intend to challenge this after Lord Malfoy’s death, then I accept it." |
"That is the offer we make," said Lucius. "All we ask is that we will be allowed to keep Malfoy Manor and Wiltshire." |
"You are not making a claim on Godric’s Hollow?" Hermione said, surprised, as she glanced at Draco. Was he not living there? |
"Potter’s son fights for you," said Lucius. "I assumed you would give that castle to him as a reward... and besides, Malfoy Manor is the estate that our family established. It is the Malfoy family seat. The castle in Godric’s Hollow was built for Gryffindor, and since my family came to this land, we have used it as a temporary lordship for the heir-in-waiting. Malfoy Manor has always been the highest seat for us." |
Hermione and Tom had not thought about Castle Draconis—formerly, and perhaps once again soon, Castle Leo—but they were not about to tell Lucius that. "It is true that the line of Gryffindor has no direct heirs," Hermione said, "and that the Potter family used to serve him, before Gryffindor was killed. You intend for Draco to live with you once again in Malfoy Manor, then?" |
Lucius nodded. "It is our family home." |
"Well," Tom said, surprised, "I am very glad that we are settling this without a fight. It feels rather strange to me lately. We have had foes to defeat and allies who fight beside us to treat with. This is... a change of pace." |
"But a pleasant one, I trust?" |
"Very pleasant," Tom said, gazing at the Horcrux on the table. "Very pleasant indeed. And I thank you. Of course, you may all take shelter here. Lord Armand would obviously murder you at once if you were present when he sees that that is gone." He stared at Lucius and Narcissa in turn, then glanced at Draco. "One other thing. He is an intelligent man and is likely to guess at once what you have done. He will be at our doorstep tomorrow, I’ve no doubt... but I will also warn those who are at Castle l’Etrange. When he makes his appearance, you have two choices. He is your grandfather, so I do not insist that you fight by our side, but if you do not, you will be out of the fray." |
They nodded in assent. "I have no intention of betraying you," said Lucius. "Please, believe us. We are not like the others that you have been fighting." |
Tom stared into his eyes for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I accept your terms." |
"And I accept yours." Lucius extended his hand for Tom to shake. |
Tom emerged from the dungeons of Parselhall, a determined look on his face and a vial of poison in his hand. He nodded to Harry and Lily, who were standing in the hall and talking quietly after a night of sleep. He scowled at the open door of the parlor where the Malfoys and Astoria Greengrass were conversing with Severus. They are allies, of a sort, he thought, and they did bring Armand’s Horcrux, but I will always have to keep an eye on them. Not only Lord Lucius, but also Lady Narcissa—perhaps even more so, in fact. Tom continued through the hall until he reached Hermione’s favorite room: the library. |
She was not reading a book, curiously enough, but was instead standing by a window, clearly lost in thought. Tom approached her. |
"Tom," she said, turning to face him. Her expression was worried. |
He embraced her briefly, feeling some of the tension in her body dissipate at his touch. "It ends today," he said, stroking her hair. "I do think Malfoy is going to come, and it will end when he does." |
She did not smile. "He knows that they have stolen his Horcrux, and he also knows that you know all about Horcruxes. He will assume that we have destroyed it. I just cannot believe that he would come alone. What’s to say that he would not bring a surprise of some kind—a deadly creature, an ally we never knew about, wizards enslaved under the Imperius Curse...." |
"I have considered the possibility that he may have done that to the Weasleys," Tom said, "and if so, I will certainly try not to kill them." |
"And what’s to say that he wouldn’t create a new Horcrux as soon as he discovers that the chalice is missing? He has certainly killed enough people to do that!" |
Tom’s eyes popped. "That’s... unheard of," he said, his face curdling in shock and horror at the idea. "Everything I have read speaks of how dangerous and consequential it is to create just one." |
"Malfoy has been drinking unicorn blood. He seems to believe that he is immune to danger." |
"Hermione," Tom said patiently, "suppose that he has done this. What is your answer? What can we do about it now?" |
She was silent. |
"I have given some thought to the destruction of the one we have," he said, changing the subject. "Cursed fire works, but as our allies reported from the... second battle of Castle l’Etrange, against Bellatrix Lestrange, it is dangerous and can rapidly get out of control. I’m not prepared to risk it. On the other hand, a weapon that has been treated with basilisk venom will also do the job." |
Hermione smiled at last. "If you don’t mind—and think it would work—I would like to use the Athame of Morgana." |
"I had the same idea," he said, "and I do think it will work. The blade is cursed, but that curse just suppresses spells. It won’t affect a poison added later. The blade is not goblin-made, but it is druid-made." |
Hermione instantly understood him. The druids had known how to apply the four elements to blades and arrows, and this was part of the process of crafting itself rather than a spell applied later. The curse of Mordred’s betrayal would not affect it. The material of a druid-made weapon itself was partially elemental, and therefore, unlike metal, could hold poisons. The knowledge of how to make weapons like this was now lost, but they had a blade created this way in their possession. It was not permanent like the magic of the goblins, but it did not have to be. The blade just had to hold the basilisk venom long enough for the Horcrux to be destroyed. |
"Let me think," Hermione murmured. "That goblet is silver. I think the best element to use to hold the venom would be air, since that tarnishes silver...." |
"I agree," said Tom. |
"Well, let’s do it," she said, smiling. |
Tom stared at the blade. He wished so very much that the knowledge of elemental magic had not been lost. Perhaps he could recreate some of the knowledge by studying the athame, but it was unlikely that anything would be possible until the curse on the blade was lifted. |
He uncorked the vial and poured the basilisk venom slowly on the blade, watching as it first became a vapor—spreading through the element of air—and then was sucked into the metal blade, vanishing in a swirl. This was good for a single use. Tom glared balefully at the Horcrux, which gleamed a few feet away, its malevolence rippling through the air. |
"You will assume the curse on that blade if you use it." |
Tom and Hermione glanced at each other sharply. Neither of them had spoken. Tom realized that the voice was coming from the goblet and turned to face it just as the hissing voice came from it again. |
"If you harm me with that, the curse will move to you, scion of betrayal." |
"You lie," Tom declared. He picked up the athame and advanced toward the goblet. |
"The curse suppresses magic," intoned the altered voice of Armand Malfoy. "You will no longer be a wizard." |
Tom paused, doubt and fear suddenly filling his face. |
"Don’t listen to it!" Hermione exclaimed. "It’s lying!" |
"But what if I am not? What if I am right? You would be a Muggle... for eternity," it said. "Trapped on earth in a Muggle body, unable even to release yourself from your cursed life, since you could no longer use magic against your own Horcrux." |
"It’s lying!" Hermione said desperately. "It’s saying anything that it thinks will stay your hand! Tom, just stab it!" |
"She wants me dead more than she cares about you," said the part of Malfoy’s soul. "She will risk you turning into a Muggle if it means my death. She met me before she met you, after all," it whispered maliciously. "She hated me before she ever loved you." |
"How dare you," Hermione retorted, finally baited into speaking to the thing. She moved toward Tom. "Tom, if you won’t do it, then let me." |
"It would be the same for her," said the attenuated voice of Malfoy. |
"Shut up!" Hermione roared at the goblet. Turning to Tom with wide eyes, she pleaded, "Tom, stop listening to its lies! What would a Norman wizard know about old Celtic magic anyway? Do you think Armand Malfoy knows more about it than you?" It pained her a little bit to say, but if anything would work on Tom, it would be that particular appeal to his pride. |
Tom blinked. His face, which had been frozen in indecision, hardened with renewed resolve. "You’re right," he said abruptly. He turned to the cup, blade raised— |
—And brought it down with a screeching clang and thud. A shock wave of magical force exploded from the cup as the bit of soul was destroyed, and a fading cry dissipated in the air. |
"It’s almost a pity," Hermione remarked, gazing at the cup. "It was really quite pretty." |
"That part is a pity," Tom agreed, "but that cup held unicorn blood. I wouldn’t drink from it." |
"Well, no," she agreed. |
A dark reddish substance leaked from the damaged spot, mostly congealed but still fluid. Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust. |
"You have to use blood magic to create a Horcrux," Tom said in distaste, staring at the thing. "You have to cut yourself and apply your blood to it. The point is to add life force to the object, since it has none of its own. That’s what it is." |
"Armand Malfoy’s old blood. That is disgusting," Hermione replied. She sighed deeply. "But... at least it is done. I was not sure for a second, though!" |
He handed the athame back to her, a wry smile on his face. "Neither was I. It knew exactly what my worst fears would be, somehow. But I’m still a wizard." He picked up his wand and waved it, making a single dark red rose appear at the tip. He picked it and presented it to Hermione. |
Several allies from Castle l’Etrange appeared in the great hall in response to the message that Tom had sent them earlier. The Malfoys had told Tom, Hermione, and Severus that Lord Armand was likely to bring Macnair and Umbridge with him, at a minimum. Lucius was especially angry that his former vassals had been so disloyal. |
They were shocked at the idea of magical fighters that were under the Imperius Curse, but once Hermione suggested that as a particularly grim possibility, Lucius and Narcissa agreed that they should prepare for it. Tom promptly sent a letter to Castle l’Etrange by owl, directed to the new lord, that under no circumstances should Ginny Weasley come to Parselhall—just in case. |
"We do not need the basilisk this time," Tom said. "Unless Malfoy has something up his sleeve that no one has foreseen, he will only have two true allies with him. The basilisk is a much greater danger to our side in this fight... and any Imperius-afflicted puppets." |
"I think we should battle outside," said Hermione. "It may happen anyway, besides. He won’t fall for a trap like the one we set at Castle l’Etrange." |
"Apparently," said Severus, "he didn’t fall for that one either. He stayed out of the fray." |
"Yes, he was smarter than Lestrange," Tom agreed. |
Regulus, Andromeda, and Narcissa exchanged grins. "That wasn’t very difficult, of course," said Regulus, "but still true." |
"It would also give him fewer opportunities for cover if we have this showdown in a wide open space," Hermione pointed out. "Outside it is. We should keep our distance, though." |
"The idea of single hand-to-hand combat being necessary is a very Muggle notion," said Lucius. "They believe that it’s less honorable and noble for an archer or spearman to kill at a distance." He scoffed. "Muggle foolishness at its worst." |
Tom agreed. "What matters is that a foe is defeated. Why not use any advantage?" |
Hermione took Tom aside after that discussion. "I will have to be in close quarters to... stab the fatal wound...." she ventured. "But we can stun him first." |
Tom nodded. "The allies understand that they are to let you do that. They will either get rid of all the other foes first to clear your path, or—if Malfoy goes down first—they will hold them off so that you can do it." |
"Good," she said. |
"My lord!" exclaimed Marcus Flint, bursting into the great hall and interrupting the discussion. "We have sighted them!" |
Tom instantly was paying attention. "How many, and who? If you could tell?" |
"Lord Armand, of course," he said, "and also a short woman—" |
"That would be Lady Umbridge," Lucius grumbled. |
"I’m sorry to hear it, my lord," said Flint deferentially. "There is also a wizard with a cowl... I suppose he is probably Macnair." |
"No one else?" Hermione asked. "No one with red hair?" |
"No gingers," Flint confirmed. "No other humans at all, in fact." |
The relief that they all felt at the confirmation that Malfoy had not forced any of the Weasleys to fight for him instantly disappeared at Flint’s second statement. "What do you mean, no humans?" Severus asked warily. |
"Has he used Inferi like Bellatrix did?" asked Andromeda, distaste on her face. |
"No, my lady," said Flint. He hesitated, wincing. "He brought at least half a dozen elves." |
"Damn!" Lucius burst out. |
"Why would elves fight for him?" Hermione exclaimed in dismay. "He must have forced them to!" |
"No, Lady Hermione, he has not," Lucius replied grimly. "I should have seen this coming. I should have warned you lot. I just didn’t think about it. Damn it all!" |
Tom glared impatiently. "Would you get to the point, Lord Lucius? Are these elves truly loyal to him, then?" |
"They are," he said. "At least, as much as they ever could be. Sneaky, untrustworthy little bastards." Noticing the disapproving glare on Hermione’s face, Lucius glared back. "There was one who wasn’t loyal to him. He murdered it a while back, saying it had spied on him." |
Severus sighed. "It had. It reported to Regulus’s elf." |
"We thought so," Lucius said. "The ones remaining are afraid of my grandfather, but they are loyal to him in their way. They would turn over each other’s minor infractions to him in the hope of gaining favor with him. I suppose they must believe he will reward them if they help him defeat the enemies he has railed about for years." |
"Elf magic is difficult to counter," Severus said with a frown. "They can snap their fingers and send a wizard flying—or do other things. Once they are admitted to a particular space, they can Apparate anywhere in it. If they know spells to heal, they can do that to physical injuries. They need no wands for any of this. All right," he said to the assembled witches and wizards who were listening with growing alarm. "Our strategy has changed. Target the elves, and use spells to take them out of combat, not injure them. Petrification, Stupefy, and the like." |
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