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WARNINGS: MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE, TRAUMA AND OTHER MATURE THEMES

Thursday, December 19th

MALFOY MANOR:

"I want things to go back to how they were."

A sentence Artemis only dared to say to her fiancé.

She had wanted to communicate with others on the outside but feared they would be harmed in case her letters were intercepted.

Sending a note through fire was risky enough and although she was pleased it safely got to her cousin in Mente Striae she didn't want to risk it so soon despite it being a few months since then.

Nothing had changed...

Yet everything felt different.

Feeling as if their emotions were being restricted took a toll on her and Draco. They took part in many meetings, even being forced to interact with Cassius and Tracey as well. They didn't know what was worse the death eaters or those two.

But a new development was in the works, Voldemort had sparked an interest in Artemis herself, much to the dismay of Narcissa, the shock of Lucius, the fright of Draco and the envy of Bellatrix.

Something had changed within the Dark Lord. Since September he'd been more frightening, inspiring more terror upon not just the manor but the wizarding world. He had been trying to locate the thief who stole an item from Gregorovitc. His goal had everyone panicking and his death eaters were far more manic than before. That only led Artemis and Draco to wish to go back in time, to when things were like they used to be.

***

"Ah, Artemis," the voice of the exact person she did not want to see called her into a room, "What a pleasure it is to see you."

"Certainly my lord," she walked into the room, gripping her hands, appearing as though she was preventing them from shaking or trembling.

Knowing that Voldemort could not hurt her was a blessing, though, she pretended that she wasn't aware of the vow, to give him such power, the power he believed that he had over her.

She nearly flinched when the door behind them slammed shut, revealing the creepy and treacherous Peter Pettigrew, who stood close enough to hear, but far enough for her comfort... most of it.

"Don't mind him, he's no threat, certainly not to a great mind."

She winced after he attempted to penetrate her mind, much to her shock, however, she knew to expect such a thing, he'd been trying since he began speaking to her alone.

His efforts were never futile, he'd certainly tried and succeeded on many occasions, though, he never saw too much and gained little intel.

"He betrayed his friends, my lord," she cast the foul wizard a glare, earning a scowl in return, "I believe he is a threat," she reiterated carefully, turning back to the Dark Lord, who kept staring at her with indifference, "besides he murdered someone I cared for."

"That Diggory boy?" she tensed and he continued, "A half-blood, you cared for a half-blood?"

"She just said so my lord," Peter insisted, then winced when he felt a phantom of a hand breech his face.

"Quiet Wormtail!"

Artemis rolled her shoulders and gulped, "What I meant is that trust and loyalty are hard to come by and easy to break."

"Indeed."

A hiss drew her attention, "You needn't worry my dear," Voldemort noted her discomfort and slyly smirked. He spoke in parseltongue, words that she could just about comprehend, "I am lead to believe you understand what I say, do you not?"

She nodded stiffly, glancing between the snake and the Dark Lord, "Yes my lord, partly, not all parseltongue."

"Excellent."

"Thank you."

"Although, I wonder, how have you gained such a skill? It is not common. Purebloods may have acquired and refined tastes, however, I do not expect just anyone to learn the language of Salazar."

"It appears that my father was taught it, by his father; Septrim," she informed.

She caught a glimmering of hope in his bloodthirsty eyes or was it yearning, it appeared that with each crime and kill the prospect of such emotion was impossible.

"A masterful wizard," he remarked, everting his gaze to the snake.

"He is and I'm glad he still has so much wisdom and knowledge to share."

He simply hummed and kept his piercing gaze on her, appearing as if he was trying to breach her mind again, skilled occulmens, he thought, another thing he could use in the future.

"As you are aware young Artemis, a war will commence, my success will only cause what I can imagine to be a devastation against those who will not follow my regime and only those who stand by my side will be rewarded and fortunate that they have someone like me to guide them to a better life, a new order, a great order."

She held back her shock, despite being familiar with the knowledge that the Dark Lord was highly confident, his arrogance was suffocating.

Extremely so.

"I wish to know what you want."

Her brow rose, "What I want?"

"What is it you want, your future?" he reiterated, stepping closer to the young witch.

"I want a world that is safe for my future children."

"Ah, that is what you'll receive. You and Mr Malfoy are engaged isn't that right?"

She could hear the irritation as well as delight when he said Draco's last name, "Yes my Lord."

"A wise choice," he eyed the ring that rested perfectly on her finger, "with your blood status', wealth and talents, I do not see any worry that you will succeed, under my tutelage of course."

"Your tutelage?"

"Once the battle is over and won, you will still have a lot to learn about the world that Dumbledore attempted to keep from most of you," he didn't miss the tenseness in her shoulders when he spoke of the ex-headmaster, "silly old man, I believe you think the same?"

"I do."

"Good good."

"During my school years," I would still be there if I didn't leave, "many things caught my eye whenever I visited the library," she watched as he stepped closer, "dark magic. Books in the restricted section were my favourite, professor -- headmaster Snape made sure I always received a pass to learn and broaden my perspective."

"That was good of Severus."

"It was, if not I would have never known about the darkest kinds of magic," the evil kinds.

"Dark magic has a calling to some of us, do you not think? Someone like yourself must be tired of the same dull teachings, it is only then that we turn to something more appeasing for our incessant minds."

She hummed, rolling back her shoulders, watching his emotionless eyes catch her every move like a predator waiting to pounce on its prey.

"Horcruxes became a fascination of mine."

And that was when his eyes zeroed onto hers, insisting that she continue.

"When I was in the restricted section I came across, Magick Most Evile. It gave me very little insight, but that didn't stop me. Concealing one's soul in an object to avoid death is quite brilliant." she was met with silence, "many believe it was a wicked invention, malicious even."

"One has to commit murder in order for it to come to fruition," he stated rather gleefully.

"Is that not what you've done My lord?"

"Successfully creating something as Horcrux takes a great deal of power."

"And knowledge."

"Understanding what is to be done to achieve one's goal takes more than courage."

"Determination and cunningness?" a dangerous glint shone in his scarlet eyes, pushing her to add, "It is said you created seven. No wonder why you're so... successful. Finding the right objects to keep a part of your soul would only be time-consuming for those dim-witted, not someone like yourself, especially making sure that they are not easy to find," she paused, "I imagine they are not easy to find right?"

He finally took the bait, "There are parts of my being, only those who I trust and have proven their loyalty do not even know what they are or where they might be."

"Very clever my lord."

Another hiss grabbed her attention, and Nagini seemed to move closer to her as did Voldemort. Like they moved as one. That they are one. His appearance was more confirmation of that. She already believed that Nagini was a Horcrux, and her notes trapped in Mente Striae were proof of that, however, she just wanted to be sure. To be certain. The pair never seemed to stray from each other. One acting as the brains and the other the brawn.

A puppet and it's the puppeteer.

After receiving news from Blaise only a couple of days after his 18th birthday, (which she was upset she missed), the golden trio were trying to track all the Horcruxes down, information he'd apparently gotten from Dean before he went into hiding.

Snapping out of her thoughts, It seemed that the Dark Lord wanted to take her attention off of his... pet.

"Do you believe you're ambitious enough to make a Horcrux?"

"Do you believe I want to live forever?" she asked.

"I can't imagine that a simple life is in your future."

'Children of Icarus.' echoed through her mind.

"I agree," she nodded.

"After all you used an unbreakable curse against one of the most powerful wizards in our history, there is no limit to what you can do Artemis, far more than your grandfather could ever accomplish I imagine," he wore a sinister grin that only caused her to take a step back from him, much to his amusement.

"It's what he deserved, for all that he's done."

There was silence after the confession. He stared at her more darkly this time, analysing her every being. His attempts to breech her mind never ceased, flashes of smirks, plots, potions and lack of remorse made him sigh out of satisfaction.

"Indeed it was."

Voldemort's eyes drifted over to the erratic wizard in the corner of the room, "Wormtail, please escort Artemis back to her quarters. I have enjoyed this discussion."

Just when the disgraced wizard went to reach her arm, she jerked away.

"Touch me again and you will no longer have hands," she snarled.

Only then Peter shrivelled back into his corner,  the door slammed open, Voldmeort's doing of course.

"Good day, Artemis," he grinned menacingly, lowering his arm, which only had two letters or initials. She couldn't see for long, but she could've sworn it was...

N.R.

"Good day my lord," she forced a smile, then turned on her heel and exited the room.

He darkly chuckled at what he'd witnessed and got a strange case of deja vu.

"Little ghost," it came out as a whisper, along with the sly smirk on his face.

With a Seramore at your side, you cannot lose.

And this time he wouldn't.

***

"Uncle?"

Artemis crept into the smallest room in the manor, it used to be where Dobby would reside when he slaved away in the home but now it was where Lucius hid away from the crimes being committed at every corner. He wanted to keep his trembling state a secret but the lack of shine in his hair, droopy eyes and quivering lip gave it away.

The little witch could hardly feel sorry for the man. He made his bed and now they all had to lie in it. His actions provoked Draco into the Deatheaters. Whether or not her fiancé would've ended up joining on his own accord was unsure, but still, with how her godfather looked she really wanted everything to change.

"You shouldn't be here," he shakily turned away from the light creeping through the room, until she shut the door, "this place isn't for you."

"It's not for anyone," she struggled not to turn up her nose at the rotting smell, "It shouldn't be for anyone."

He shot her a glance and then turned back to his cane, gripping it ever so tightly.

"Uncle?"

He jumped again, not expecting her to be so close.

"I promised him to keep you safe," he blurted out.

"My father?" she asked quietly.

"Yes."

"I'm failing."

"You're not."

"I can't fail him," he whispered, gulping and glancing up at her unaware of the tears flooding his eyes.

"I know. You won't."

He jumped when she placed a hand on his shoulder, before relaxing to her touch.

"And I won't fail him," he said sternly yet timidly.

I hope you won't, "I know."

***

"Artemis," Draco rushed into their shared room after spending an evening with his mother and manic aunt.

He loathed being apart from Artemis, especially knowing that she was accompanied by the Dark Lord and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

Draco didn't give a flying fuck about the vow Septrim made with him.

In fact, it made no difference to him.

"What's with the full name? Am I in trouble Mr Malfoy?" she lightly teased and put down her quill.

"Listen to me," she was taken aback by his sharp tone, then narrowed her eyes at how fast he was losing his tie and pulling it over his head.

"Alright, go on."

"You need to cry."

She blinked at him, "What?"

He came closer and pulled her to her feet, away from the many parchments and books that surrounded her.

"You spent most of the evening with the Dark Lord, Arty that isn't normal."

"Nothing is."

"And that's why you need to cry, scream or something just let everything out for a moment, one single moment so you can breathe."

Her eyes darted over his face, "I'm confused. I've cried before and you're usually the cause."

He winced, "Right."

"Just being honest."

"Well, you need to scream or cry or something," he insisted, cupping her cheeks and staring deeply into her eyes.

"Why?" she asked in a softer tone.

"We've been cooped up in this room for days and when we're not we're monitored and controlled. You can't be controlled Arty, you're not made for it. I know you and I know what you want and need and you will crack if you don't let it out, just like I did. Compartmentalising isn't an option anymore, not for you, not with your big brain. Pretending to be okay isn't okay, it's not right, so let it out."

Harshly gulping, she asked, "By screaming?"

"Yes by screaming."

"For Merlin's sake," she muttered, overwhelmed by his stormy eyes and how wide they were.

"Do it."

She laughed, "No."

"Artemis," he groaned.

"Draco," she mocked.

"I'll even do it with you," he suggested, "but we're not leaving this room until you scream..." he rolled his eyes at her twitching lips, "That's not what I mean."

"I know."

"So do it."

"You won't drop this, will you?"

"I want you to be at your best."

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at his words and she couldn't help but genuinely smile, not mockingly, or menacingly, just a kind smile.

The first one today or in days.

Over the next couple of moments, Artemis motioned to their door and he took that as a sign to utter a silencing spell, so no one would be alerted to what they were doing.

A scream abruptly broke through her lips and bounced around the room, catching him off guard, but ultimately making him feel something, just before he joined in, yelling his bloody lungs off until there was no air left.

Every death they've seen, heard or provoked flashed through their eyes. Their memories of the last couple of months swarm through their minds, the torture they had to witness or inflict ran through their hands, tingling their callous hands.

Their family.

Their friends.

Their school and lives were all distant memories and they needed them back.

They wanted it all back.

To see Cedric's dumb smile, Binky's awkward ear twitch, Luna's odd glasses, The Don's snarkiness, The Divine group's randomness, her father's bright eyes, her mother's affection, her aunt's protectiveness, Klaus' fondness for her and the people she loves, Elijah's seriousness, Marcel's brotherly love, Blaise's hugs, Daphne's kindness and Theo's everything.

Artemis wanted that.

Draco needed his godbrother; his best friend and his brother in everything apart from blood. Daphne's attitude and magpie syndrome was something he deeply needed to be around, as well as his and Theo's arguing. Merlin even missed the way Gregory and Vincent agreed with most of the things he said, despite knowing he was wrong. Pansy's annoying face, Astoria's bitchiness, and Marcus and the rest of the quidditch team's loudness and brutality were what brought him his favourite memories.

And now they were trapped in miles and miles of gloom and corruption.

The very thing he was taught and aspired to be, he wouldn't want it any less.

"Wow, that felt good," she breathed out in a hoarse voice and touched her throat.

"I told you so."

"Shut up."

"Now again, you need to grieve everything, properly this time, not just for your father, but for you, you're adolescence, your childhood, let it out mon chéri. I'll be here when you do."

"Okay."

"Good, now again."

***

a/n:

thoughts?