What was happening at that moment was a weird blur for me. I can't recall the reaction of the people around me, and I can only remember my boiling blood, wanting to get rid of a problem. One that was slowly walking out to stand before me. From the corner of my eye, I saw Draco was dragged away by a somewhat disgruntled and angry Bellatrix. Was she disappointed in her nephew? Well… I couldn't care less at that moment. I was watching the befuddled Lucius, whose surprise was slowly replaced with malice and glee. I could see he was thinking it was just perfect… and the thought that now he could hurt my Father in a way that would be way better than just killing him.

When it was time to bow, both of us refused to do it. Good. I wouldn't bend my back before someone this scummy, and I wouldn't have felt good receiving it from him. It would have felt like some kind of mockery. I was looking into his eyes, watching without blinking while my ears were picking up the countdown of Bellatrix. I was surprised he didn't try to cheat, but maybe it was because Lord Voldemort was here. But I was unsurprised that he opened with the killing curse at once.

I remember reading in Salazar's book that everything is about intent when using spells. Besides the movement of the wand, the incantations, the third deciding factor of a spell, was the intention behind it. It had to be clear, and it had to be firm. He wrote about how to block or hit attacks. About why sometimes spells seemingly passed by each other, yet other times they clashed mid-air, canceling each other out. If your intent was focused on harming the other wizard or witch, your spell would most likely pass by or through the one your opponent conjured. While if your intent was to defend against it, there was a high chance your spell would hit it mid-air, resulting in the spells clashing.

I knew my intent full well… it was burning my insides, holding my spine, twisting it, literally hurting me. I wanted to finish Lucius off so all this farce and problem comes to an end, right here, right now. In turn, I knew that whatever spell I would conjure would pass by his. I had to be precise as I only had one shot at this. I waited until Lucius finished the movement, and I could swear I saw the green light appear at the tip of his wand. He was locked in… it was my time to make a move. I nimbly rolled diagonally forward, avoiding the jet of jade light, hearing a rushing sound passing by me, but I didn't flinch.

He was shocked… but he had experience, so he was already making a move to hit me with another spell. My eyes remained focused, looking into his, and I felt the pent-up anger and dark thoughts coalesce in my brain. It hurt… like nothing before, but something happened that I had no explanation for. Lucius suddenly froze while casting his second killing curse. He didn't turn to stone, nothing like that… but he was mentally petrified and stopped moving for a brief second, all that I needed as my mind finished the incantation. With my wand pointing at a surprised Lucius, my own spell came out, glowing green and blasting him in the chest. There was no scream, no exclamation; he simply fell back with the same surprised look on his face.

Did I feel anything? No. Not really… and that is what made it a bit weird. All that rage I felt was gone, like escaping from me with the spell, replaced by nothing but cold, unemotional thoughts. I just killed someone for real; it wasn't planning or fantasizing about it, nor was it something done remotely… done by detaching myself from the act. This time, I did it with my own hands and… I felt nothing.

"YOU-!"

Draco's shout made my blank, uncaring mind return to reality, seeing him rushing towards me.

"Ah… yes. You too…" I thought to myself, and before even thinking about it, I pointed my wand at him, and with another green flash, the son joined his father in the afterlife. This time, I did feel something, and looking around, I think it was the shock of the others standing behind us. I didn't care for most of them, whose faces I was looking for were Quincy, my Father… and that's it. Luckily, they looked more relieved than disgusted… or angry. Then, all the noise returned, like being dragged out of a silent room straight into the middle of London on a busy day. It was hurting my ear right until loud claps silenced everyone.

"Wonderful! Just… Wonderful!"

I didn't need to think who it was who was clapping and saying it.

"I think we can settle the issue now!" HE continued, turning to my Father, "I am clearing your family's name and placing Quincy Black under your care as she is the last of the Blacks."

"What…?!" Quincy flinched, surprised by the news, placing a hand before her mouth.

"Ah, yes…" Lord Voldemort smiled, looking at her. It was a dark… cruel smile, taking great enjoyment out of the fact the news shocked her. "Before coming here, I decided that the family of Blacks betrayed our kind more than enough times, so I killed the old witch myself. As punishment, all their belongings are now state property." Which meant… HIS property, but I don't think anyone would have dared to say it. "You are now an Anguine, young lady! If you ever leave their family, you will be nothing but a blood traitor. Be grateful to them!" HE laughed, showcasing how much HE was enjoying the show, not even hiding it.

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"Thank you, Lord…" Father spoke up before Quincy would do something stupid, drawing HIS attention from her, bowing.

"Don't thank me yet!" HE raised a hand, "We now have another problem!"

"Y-yes?"

"Your son has killed two of my Death Eaters…" While saying it, HIS wide smile turned into a sadistic grin. "So… I will have to investigate this myself!"

"My Lord…? Investigating…?" Father asked, as bewildered as everybody else; it was the first time I could see the apparent panic in his eyes… yet I felt… normal. Relieved that all our problems were gone.

"Yes. Investigating. Bellatrix!"

I only felt a push coming from behind; my hand was twisted and locked behind my back, and my wand was quickly taken away. She wasn't kind… not at all. By the time my mind got back all of its faculties, I was led towards their carriage by her and saw Lord Voldemort speaking to everyone around him. I couldn't hear his speech, but he walked over the two dead bodies like they didn't even exist. I saw the Headmaster placing a hand on my Father's shoulder, keeping him in place, while I saw Professor Slughorn and Professor Lockhart doing the same with Quincy. We locked eyes briefly, and I felt my lips curl into a smile before I was thrust into the carriage like a sack. Soon, we were off, me sitting inside with Bellatrix next to me and the most powerful wizard of all time right before me, examining me with HIS almost glowing red eyes…

…

….

……

I didn't know where we were going… but I knew it was my life's worst ride. Bellatrix said nothing, but the side-eye she gave me was worthy of being pricked with multiple burning needles. What was worse was that Lord Voldemort was sitting before me, and from the initial scanning look, he kept ignoring me.

"Relax a little…" HE said after half an hour, breaking the silence, but it was aimed at Bellatrix, not me.

"Cissy will not survive the news… And this boy will be the reason for it!"

"Then the woman is not worthy of keeping around!" HE shot back, silencing her at once. "You will go and tell her the news; if she is too weak to handle it, so be it! I will send others to their mansion. You can take the first pick of their belongings… as compensation."

"..."

"Now…" It was time… HE finally turned towards me. I was steeling myself for this moment but with little success. I felt my stomach churning, my body was sweating, and I felt… fear. Such a fear that I never knew would be possible. "Don't be afraid." HE said soothingly, but it had no discernible effect. "I won't kill you… you are proving useful to me. Even though you probably did cost me two pureblood families!"

"..."

I felt Bellatrix change her position next to me when hearing HIS words, but I simply couldn't tear my eyes away from the Dark Lord's. I felt HIM… inside of me. I knew HE was reading my thoughts or at least… exploring my mind. What do people say? Think of nothing so they can't read anything?

"I already know what I want. I already knew it the moment Draco Malfoy came before me, and I accepted him into the Death Eaters."

Now I was even more afraid… how much did HE know? Did HE realize Draco had his memories modified? Did HE dig deep? No… I can't think about that, not right now.

"I knew at once he was lying, and it was not him who planned it out." HE chuckled, and hearing it sent a cool air through my mind. HE didn't dig deep… then; HE probably didn't take me too seriously either. I am still young, after all… "Neither he nor his father knew that my most loyal servant had already provided me with all the information I needed!"

Who? I wanted to ask, instinctively turning towards Bellatrix, but Lord Voldemort chuckled.

"I am speaking about Severus Snape, of course! He brought before me what remained of that disappointment of a snake… All that the Order couldn't bring away... And presented all the evidence I needed to know, Lucius Malfoy was leaking information to the Order!"

By then, HIS voice turned icy and almost savage… surprising not just me but Bellatrix too. Although… my surprise came from the fact that the Headmaster did… what? Did he… did he shield us? Caring for us this much? Why? But I could not ask that from anyone right now.

"I see in your head, you are asking why…" HE licked HIS lips, making me realize I was sitting with someone who could tell if someone was lying, even feeling the others' thoughts… I had to focus! "Let me tell you why so you may learn from me, young Anguine! I let Lucius off the hook because I wanted to bait the Order out… alas, Dumbledore is easy to discard pawns he no longer finds any use for! I sent Lucius to Hogwarts to see what their move would be! I let this nonsensical parade play out because it entertained me! And… I wanted to catch the tail of the Phoenix! Well… It surely was entertaining, but then again… Dumbledore wouldn't look back if one of his followers fell. Not until it affects his plans. In a sense… we are very much alike, Dumbledore and I. The main difference is I am stronger, or he would still be Headmaster!"

What the hell? What was this all for? Ego boosting? Calming himself down? Wanting to awe me? What was going on?

"Draco was simply another puppet… I wanted to see how they would react, but, once again… Nothing. I don't like keeping failures around, so it was time to finish the little farce and get on to my next plans. But then… I found you."

"Lord…?" I asked, and I felt my voice hoarse. My throat and lips were dry, and I realized I felt extremely weak.

"You are a few years away from your ceremony, yes? When you become an adult and swear your fealty to the Ministry, to Me… Well, based on your show of talent today, I will skip over all that!" With a smile, he grabbed my hand, pulling it out, and before I could ask, he pointed his wand at my arm and branded me with the Dark Mark. "You are now not just an adult but a rare and special amongst them! You are now one of us and will be under my personal watch!" He kept up the smile even when Bellatrix's shocked voice wanted to ask a question… yet a simple glance from HIM stuck in her throat. "We are going to a place where I will test your true strength, boy… and we will see if you will be the first to be granted the opportunity to call me… Teacher."