The Serpent's Teeth:
His Desires

Worse than expected

Haylee

The next morning began already little promising.

After Haylee had taken something for her headache, she spent the rest of the morning to telling herself that Alexander had not been caught by Aurors. But with every hour that passed, every glimmer of hope faded.
Tim took care of Cathy while Haylee dragged herself to her room.
This shouldn't be happening!
"And yet it is," said an all too familiar voice.
The young woman turned around- and was suddenly face to face with The Dark Lord, who apparently believed that he could come and go as he pleases.

Under other circumstances it might have been interesting...
"Alexander is in Azkaban?" She asked, but already knew the answer.
"Oh, God!" She slumped against the closed door. "No, this can not be true."
"I don't think that this there is the need to discuss this, but you knew nothing, I repeat, nothing about the affairs of your brother," The Dark Lord said coldly. "Am I correct?"
Despite her despair, Haylee managed to stand up.

She realized that he could have sent some other Death Eater to tell her this.

So, why was he here?
Casually her gaze wandered through her meticulously tidy room.

Don't lose your head.
Think...
He might have come for that purpose, but there was no time.

The door to her room was wrenched open so abruptly, that Haylee stumbled backwards.
Tim stood there with a deathly pale face and stammered something about Aurors.
Without even thinking about The Dark Lord, Haylee left her room, pulling her brother along with her.
"You're going into the secret room with Cathy, understood? You'll stay there until I get you," she explained hastily.
Her brother nodded solemnly.
He too had heard that Aurors sometimes failed to act within the law.

Before Haylee went downstairs, she took a deep breath to get a clear head.
She didn't know where Alexander was.
That was the position that she would represent.

Downstairs in the hall waited two wizards.
"Miss Rosier?", Asked the one that she didn't recognise.
"Indeed," said the other with a sadistic smile.

Jim Simon.

"Colin Crooch is my name." Crooch stretched his hand to her, which she ignored.
"How dare you?" She said meanwhile to Simon.
"I was sent here for official matters," he said unconvincingly.
Probably to delight yourself in my suffering, she thought, and then asked aloud, "What do you want from me?"
"It would be better if we go to the living room," replied Crooch.
"Please do not get me wrong, but it would be extremely macabre if I would ask the murderer of my father into the living room." Haylee gave Simon a disgusted look.
"Uh... yes...well-"
"It's about your brother." Simon interrupted his colleague.
"What about him?"

Calm Haylee, stay calm...

"Oh, so you know nothing yet again?" A smug smile appeared on Simon's lips.
"Stop this little game. I don't have all day. So, what is this about?"
Crooch started quickly before his colleague could answer:
"Your brother is in Azkaban, Miss Rosier and is waiting for his trial."
"They will have but certainly already know," whispered Simon.
"My brother... Azkaban .. what the hell are you talking about?" Haylee felt all color drained from her face.

You're really an excellent actor, she heard the soft voice of cynicism in her thoughts.

"It must be a great shock to you," Crooch said sympathetically.
"Seeing as you have lost your father in the same way," Simon added.
"Hardly in the same way", replied Haylee with a trembling voice.

God, I'm good...

"My father didn't even reach Azkaban, if I might remind you, Simon. You might still remember the flash of green light that you hurled against him."
"It was nothing personal, Miss Rosier."
"Did I say that?"
"It sounded like it."

"So you have no knowledge of your brothers intrigues?" Crooch took up the theme again.
"What intrigues?"

You know nothing, that you must not forget...

"Your brother was a Death Eater, and don't tell me that you knew nothing of it." Simon took a step toward her.
"Just because my father was one, doesn't mean that my brother has to be one," she parried. "What makes you think..."
"Quite simply, he was caught in the act. Alone if it can be proven that he was a Death Eater he gets ten years. And since we all know that one doesn't simply become a Death Eaters it's fifteen years will definitely on top, if not for life. And then there's fifteen years added per Kill, and teen years per torture. Depending on how cruel the more years get added."
"Done with the presentation? I can say that Alexander could never, I emphasize never commit murder, let alone even think of torturing someone."
"That may be your opinion, Miss Rosier, but how often do we deceive ourselves in the people who are closest to us?" Simon seemed almost to read in to her soul.
"Get out," hissed Haylee.
"Well, there is a little problem with that." Simon's smile became a grin.

Sadist.

"And that would be?"
"The rules, Miss Rosier" Crooch made slow approach.
"We are forced to search your property."
"And what are you hoping to find?"
"Pink kittens, butterflies." Simon gave a short laugh.
"Dark objects, what else?"
"This you will find here, of course."
Crooch seemed somewhat surprised.
"My father was a Death Eater, or have you already forgotten about it?"
"That doesn't matter, Miss Rosier."
"Then do that, but do not bother me any longer."
"And unfortunately, there is where the problem lies." Simon made a helpless gesture.

"You and your family can not stay in the house."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You have heard correctly."
"You seriously demand, that I, my brother and sister leave, as long as you explore the entire house?"
"That's the way it is."
"Are you completely crazy? That can take months, if you want to explore all possible spaces and objects against curses and black magic practices."
"Or almost a year." A devilish joy seemed to downright drip from Simon's every pore.
"And where am I supposed to go with my family?"
"You have to decide quickly, because you have to leave the house now."
Haylee stared back at Simon.

That was not possible ...
"The best way to pack single pair now a thing."
"That's against the regulations, Crooch."
"I know the rules very well."
"With your responsibility ..."
Haylee didn't pay attention to the two Aurors, and went up to her room. She automatically some objects into a large suitcase.

Then she instructed her siblings to do the same.

Cathy bombarded her with questions, but Haylee paid her no mind...
She didn't even notice that her desk was open, and a story had gone missing...

Tom

Haylee had just left the room with her brother who muttered something about Aurors being in the house, but he just couldn't resist a little look around her room.

Why not?

After all, he wanted to know what she was hiding from him...
At first he had sought in vain for some kind of diary, but a woman of Haylees calibre usually didn't bother with such trivial things.

She was one of those people who didn't wanted burden anyone, or anything with her problems even a few pages of paper.
Then he found a portfolio in her desk that contained written parchments which she apparently sought to hide from prying eyes.

A story?
Why not?

Without really thinking about it, The Dark Lord took the one that had the most appealing title and Apparated.
He would eventually read it

The title itself already seen very promising.

The story was called: Amalia's victims.

______________________________________

AN:

The reason why this chapter is so short, is quite simple: the end was just so fitting and somehow the rest that I wanted to add to this is slowly becoming yet another chapter...

I'll see if I can finish the next chapter before the end of this month.

Much love
Jamz