Slytherin Legacy

The Slytherin Legacy

By A.Bornhorst

Chapter Nine

In the Land of Azkaban

***

"So how long are we staying there?" Kate asked Draco.

"We usually stay for a day and a night. They have these awful things there."

"Well, Draco, there's awful things everywhere. Just look at the Gryffindor house."

Draco chuckled hollowly.

"I mean, they are cold and dark and just erm... Creepy. I have never been able to get used to them."

"The prisoners?"

"No! The guards are what creep me out the most. The prisoners are usually insane because the guards--well, they're called dementors---"said Draco suddenly prideful of what he knew and Kate didn't, "And well when you're near them you feel all unhappy inside and everything is cold."

Kate laughed, "You're making this up!"

"No! Ask anybody- your friend Diedra would know. All of us who have family in Azkaban visit them. She travels with us. She goes all pale and sickly when she's there, and I-I just get scared, that's all. I mean, I know there's nothing to be afraid of. I mean my father is one of the most powerful wizards and the dementors listen to him, but I just feel a little nervous when I go there."

"Oh really? I'm sure you're deathly frightened. Draco, you're making this entire thing up just to scare me. I'm meeting my mother- just let me be happy!" Kate laughed.

"I'm just warning you. Well, we'd better go. We're taking a portkey."

"A what?"

"Just come on," said Draco impatiently.

"All right," Kate said.

She followed Draco down to the large hall where several families were waiting for them.

"Diedra!" Kate called, hugging her friend.

"I feel as if I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Only three days!" Kate said as she laughed.

"I know. Did you see Eve and Pansy yesterday?"

"Yes, I did, and they're fine. Have you heard from Blaise?"

"No, but she's coming to one of your banquets soon, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose. I might send her an owl later. So - let me tell you something really stupid Draco told me."

"What?"

"That there are these things called dementors---" Kate started to say, and a shadow crossed Diedra's face. "They aren't real, are they?"

"Yes, they are and they are downright disturbing. When they're around me I feel as if I'll never be cheerful again."

"So they're real?" asked Kate in a deadly tone.

"Yes. Be careful when you're around them, Kate. They can hurt you. Always stay with an adult. They can suck your soul out, and you'll be worse than dead."

"Um..." said Kate, suddenly frightened, "Okay."

"Okay. We're leaving. They have a small hotel on one of the outer islands, about twenty miles off the main where people seeing their family stay."

"Don't scare me as we're leaving! I don't want to freak out!" Kate said, scared.

"Okay, okay. I was just telling you."

"All right, everyone!" she heard a voice call. "Put your hand on the table."

All right - here it goes. Kate thought.

She felt a pull on her belly button and felt herself being flipped over. Everything seemed to be spinning, but soon she found herself in a small medieval pub.

"We're here," Diedra whispered.

"Kate, there you are!" she could hear her sister Bella call. The beautiful fifteen-year-old greeted her younger sister with a hug.

"Nathan, Alymer, and I will be staying at the Malfoys' the rest of Christmas vacation. We just spent a day at our grandparents' house."

"Diedra! I'm scared."

Kate turned around to see a six year old boy tugging on Diedra's pale blue robes.

"Oh, Egidio, it's alright. We're just going to go see Daddy," she said to the young boy, "It's his first time coming here. Mum thought he was too young before. He was just born when my father left to go to Azkaban. Let's go find a table."

"Oh, okay. Bella, did you want to sit with us?"

"Yeah, sure."

They sat in a booth with Draco, Alymer, and Nathan in the booth next to him.

"Egidio, did you see Marchisa anywhere?"

"Yeah, she's with Rabastan Lestrange's kids."

"Oh, is she with Babbette?" Bella asked.

"Are they your cousins, Bella?" queried Diedra.

"Yes, but their mother died when Babbette was born and soon after... Well, you know, and so my grandparents take care of Babbette and her older brother Bryer. He'll be in Hogwarts next year."

"Yeah, same with my sister Marchisa and then four years later Edigio will go and that will be all of them."

"Does Eve have any younger siblings?" Kate asked.

"Does she? Whoa! The Macnairs have one of the largest families in Slytherin! I think there's like nine of them... I'm not sure. Blaise has one older, she's a third year and pretends not to know Blaise, her name is Zoe, and then two little siblings, one that will go to school next year, Tristan. He's actually pretty cool. And then she has a sister named Arianne. She's downright annoying. Pansy likes to keep this all quiet, but she has two older brothers, Gavin and Gage who are twins in the third year and a sister who's only a year older than us named Paige - all in Gryffindor. It's something she most certainly doesn't want everyone to know."

"How is that? Isn't what your family usually is, you are?" Kate asked.

"Well, take Padma and Parvati Patil. They're twins, but Parvati is in Gryffindor and Padma is in Ravenclaw. Pansy's mother was in Slytherin and her father was in Gryffindor."

Kate made a face.

"How did a Slytherin and a Gryffindor ever end up together?"

"Hell if I know," Diedra said.

"Dee! Mummy said not to use that language. I'm telling!"

"Watch it Eddie, or I might throw you out to the dementors," Diedra said, taking pleasure in the fear on the little boy's face.

"I promise I won't tell!"

"Good!"

A waiter came around. She seemed old and tired and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I would like a butterbeer and one for him too," Diedra said.

"I'll have a butterbeer too."

"Me too," Kate said.

She liked this new creamy wizard drink that felt warm as it went down her throat.

"Hey, Kate?" Draco said as he turned around in his seat.

Kate turned around, "Yeah?"

"You haven't met him yet, but this is Nathan Lestrange."

A short and thin man of about nineteen looked up. He had expressive eyebrows and thin lips.

"Katie?" he said, confused, "You look a lot like my sister, Katie."

Bella laughed.

"That's because she is Katie, Nathan. Surely Uncle Lucius told you!"

"Lucius tells me nothing."

"Draco, when do we go into Azkaban?" Kate asked.

"After this, we do."

Kate turned around.

"What was that? You and Draco were like on polite terms or something," Diedra remarked.

"What do you mean?"

"You guys talked to each other like friends. Usually it's like every time you guys talk to each other you almost throw hexes and curses at each other," Diedra replied.

"Correction. They have thrown curses at each other," Bella said dryly.

"Oy! Draco! Why are you and Kate friends now?" Diedra asked.

"We're friends?" Draco said, amused.

"Diedra, we're cousins- we're supposed to get along on polite and respectful terms."

Draco nodded.

"We made a sort of agreement. She stays out of my way and I stay out of hers."

He winked at Kate, a wink that was not lost on Diedra and Bella.

"Oh, really?" Diedra said.

"Really," Draco replied.

Diedra shrugged.

"Whatever it is, I do not want to know."

"Good," Kate said.

A girl of about ten walked by and said, "Edigio, scoot over!"

She had long brown hair and her nose was dotted with freckles. A navy blue hair band was in her hair and she was wearing jeans and a white blouse.

"Marchisa, there you are! Where were you?"

"I was with Babbette. Diedra, I'm ten - I can take care of myself. The dementors don't scare me."

"When they're not around you they don't."

"Whatever," she replied saucily, "Who's that?"

"That's my friend, Kate Riddle."

"A mudblood?"

"Marchisa, she is not! How dare you suggest such a thing? If mother were to hear you say that..."

"I'm sorry," Marchisa said as she rolled her eyes, "Riddle just isn't a very common wizarding name."

"Oh, that's okay."

Kate didn't feel like explaining herself to this ten-year-old, but she seemed rather inquisitive.

"So, who are you visiting here?"

"I'm visiting my mother, Bellatrix Lestrange. Bella," she said, motioning to her sister, "is my half sibling."

"Oh. Well that's perfectly fine then. You're in Slytherin I suppose? I know I'm going to be in Slytherin next year, either that or Ravenclaw, mother says. I wouldn't want to be in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff is for all those fluffy weaklings and Gryffindor's braveness is only due to stupidity--"she rambled on.

Kate didn't really pay attention and Diedra finally said, "Shut up Marchisa! If you haven't noticed, nobody is listening to you."

"Oh, don't worry, Diedra, I'm talking to myself. It's the only intellectual conversation I can have at times, but of course you wouldn't know anything about intellectual conversations."

Diedra's face turned red, bright with anger.

"Go sit with mother! You're being annoying."

"Alas, what I do best. Boy, I feel sorry for you, she said," turning to Kate. "You're friends with her, Miss Beauty Queen, Miss Have You Seen My Lip gloss and if you stole It I Will Kill You."

"Go away."

"Fine, fine."

Marchisa stood up and walked away.

"I have no idea how I'm going to deal with her when she goes to school with me next year."

"Just don't deal with her."

"I have to - she's my sister! Mum is always saying, 'Look after your sister, Dee' and it drives me nuts!"

"They fight all the time," Edigio put in.

"That's it! Why won't my siblings leave me alone?"

Edigio looked somewhat hurt and began to cry.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry D-Diedra."

"Oh, just shut up!"

"Diedra Rene Dolohov!"

"Mother!" Diedra gasped.

Mrs. Elena Dolohov was a short woman, plump, with dark brown eyes and brown hair. Wearing purple robes, she looked extremely regal and strict.

"You know better to talk to your brother like that! Look at him! He's crying. And now he's going to go out all depressed to the dementors. I would've expected better from you, Diedra."

"Sorry, mum."

"And who's this?"

She asked waving her hands to Kate.

"That's Kate Riddle, mum. She's related to the Malfoys and the Lestranges."

"Pleased to meet you. Riddle, you said your name was?"

Kate nodded.

"I've heard of that somewhere. I can't exactly remember where... Well, Diedra, be nice to your brother. We're going into Azkaban in fifteen minutes and I want all of you by my side. I do not trust those dementors. I don't care if they're under the Ministry's control, I don't want anything to happen to you children."

"Yes, Mother."

As Mrs. Dolohov left, Diedra let out a long breath.

"They get me in trouble for everything. It sucks to be the oldest. It truly does."

***

Kate walked with Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, Nathan, Alymer, and Bella to what seemed to be a large fortress. The sky looked dark and black above it and Draco and Bella shivered. Everyone seemed grim and unhappy, but Kate couldn't feel anything and then she saw it. It was dark and cloaked and it floated a foot above the ground and it swirled around the group and inside it.

"Is that a dementor?" Kate asked Draco, "Draco? Draco?"

She turned to look at her cousin, but he had a look of petrified fear on his face. Bella looked frightened, and so did everyone else in her group. Kate looked around wondering what the hell was going on. She didn't understand it at all, but the dementor seemed satisfied with his search and the large gates opened to even more dementors going around, Kate smiled at Draco, trying to get him to cheer up, but everyone looked upset and deeply unhappy. The groups split up and the dementors began to leave them alone, but they were there which made them still upset and sad. Kate didn't understand it, she couldn't feel anything.

Kate followed Lucius and suddenly he stopped and sneered.

"Why, Sirius Black," he said softly, smirking, "It's been a while since I've seen you."

"Get out of here Malfoy!"

"What? Won't talk to your cousin's husband? Pity," Lucius remarked.

"I won't ever admit I'm related to you pieces of filth."

"But I'm not exactly the one in Azkaban, am I?"

"You should be."

"Let's go, children. Maybe the next time I see you, Sirius, the dementors will have your soul. I'll put a good word in to Fudge about you."

Lucius led them away and they walked on, everyone cowering at the dementors except Kate until Lucius stopped.

"Lucius Malfoy," a woman purred.

She was thin with ragged brown robes on, her black hair down to her waist. Her face had a sunken in look, but the former beauty was there. The woman embraced Lucius and then Narcissa and kissed all of her kids on the forehead and then asked, "Who is this?"

Kate stepped forward.

"Why Bellatrix, dear, it's Kate Riddle."

"My Katie?"

They nodded.

"Why, you look like your father when he was younger," Bellatrix cried, "Come here."

Kate shyly moved forward, and Bellatrix hugged her kissing her face and crying and Kate began to cry too.

"It's been forever since I've held you, love. You've grown up so much. You're so big!"

She embraced Kate again, "It's been forever since I've seen you. The last time I saw you, you were little, playing with Draco in the lake, and now you're an eleven-year-old girl. So grown up! You're at Hogwarts now, right?"

"Yes," Kate said, wiping away a tear.

"Rodulphus, look at her! It's Katie!" Bellatrix motioned to a man huddled in the corner.

He looked up.

"GET HER AWAY FROM ME!" he shrieked, "GET THE DEVIL CHILD AWAY!!"

He scooted closer to the wall, making a cross with his fingers.

Kate raised her eyebrows and asked, "Did I do something?"

"No, love, the dementors just got to him that's all. Nasty creatures, they are."

"What do you mean? When they're around me I don't feel anything."

"What?"

"I don't feel unhappy, scared, and cold. I feel normal, actually."

"Well that's interesting. Oh, Katie, your father would be so proud of you. I wish he could see you now. You're quite a young lady!"

Lucius seemed to take more of an interest that Kate couldn't feel the dementors.

"Kate, I still don't understand. You don't feel anything. Not even a bit frightened."

"I felt nothing, sir," Kate said, her voice begging Lucius to leave her alone.

"Oh, Lucius, come off of it. Let me enjoy my time with my daughter. I haven't seen her for seven years, and long and hard years they have been. So the orphanage what was it like?"

Kate almost said hell, but she said, "It was nice."

"Really? I was kind of expecting it to be a living hell for you, love. The woman there, I forget her name, was quite an odd one, but I couldn't put you in a wizard orphanage because they would've been looking or you."

"It's all right really."

"Okay, darling, so how are you doing in school?"

"Rather good, I guess. I like Defense against the Dark Arts; well, I would if we had a more capable teacher."

"Who's your teacher?"

"Professor Quirrell who stutters all the time - it's really quite annoying," Kate replied.

"He is quite odd, mum, even when I went to school there, but he didn't stutter quite as much. He taught my first and second year and then disappeared for awhile and taught my seventh year and that year he had quite a stutter," Nathan said.

"This year it's the worse I've ever seen it. I even bought ear plugs for the class because it's downright annoying," Bella remarked.

"I'm glad this is my last year of him," Alymer said.

"Oh yes! You're graduating this year aren't you?"

"Yes, mum," Alymer answered.

"What are you going to do?"

"Well, I'd like to become an auror."

Bellatrix's face darkened.

"You'll be no such thing, Alymer. Get a job at the Ministry. Any job that isn't being an auror."

"But mum, I already have my application to the Department of Dark Arts Eradication. I start my training this summer and I'm going to be an auror whether you like it or not."

"Alymer!" Bellatrix screeched, "You listen to me! You will not be an auror. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, mum, I hear you, but I'm seventeen now. I finish Hogwarts this June and I will become an auror whether you like it or not and there's nothing you can do about it, because you're in Azkaban!"

Alymer turned around and walked off.

Bellatrix wept, "Such a disappointment to his mother. Lucius, you'll talk to him, won't you?"

"I'll do the best I can, Bellatrix."

"Thank you Lucius, and of course you understand why I don't want him to be auror scum, do you?"

"Of course I do."

"Good, good."

"Well, visiting time is almost over," Narcissa said and gave her sister a peck on the cheek.

"Good-bye Bella, and we'll see you this summer."

"Good-bye!" Kate said as she hugged her mother.

"Good bye!"

Slowly they walked away, as dementors began to swoop back in. As they walked out, Kate saw Diedra, pale, and looking rather sickly, her sister Marchisa without the saucy look, and Edigio was crying. But Diedra waved and gave Kate a slight smile.

Kate noticed that her family all had the same looks except her.

"What's up with you? You look normal and happy."

"Come here and I'll tell you."

They walked into the pub and sat down at their booth.

"I think I'm immune to the dementors."

"You're what? Immune? How can that be?"

"I really don't know. I feel nothing when I'm around them. They don't affect me at all."

"Wow, that is odd."

"I know, but I wouldn't exactly know what you guys feel when you're around them because like I said, I think I'm immune."

"How could you be immune? No one is immune to the dementors. I've never heard of it before!"

"I have no idea."

They sat in an awkward silence until Diedra asked,

"So what was it like meeting your mum?"

"She was nice, she likes to hug and kiss, and she doesn't want Alymer to be an auror. It was quite odd actually."

"She doesn't want Alymer to be an auror," Diedra mused, "You know why, don't you?"

"Actually I have no idea what an auror is."

Diedra raise her eyebrows, "I'm sorry I forget that you were raised by muggles."

"It's all right. What are they?"

"They track down dark mages and bring them to Azkaban. They're always doing stuff. It was an auror... I forget their names of the people that brought your mother to Azkaban. Let me just tell you this. Your mother is quite notorious in the wizarding world."

"What do you mean?"

"There are a lot of rumors surrounding her, not a lot of people know you exist. Well, I mean they know you exist, but they don't know you're her daughter. A lot of people think you're muggleborn. But Rodulphus Lestrange isn't your father, is he?"

"No, he called me a demon child while I was there."

"I didn't think so," Diedra mused, "But let me tell you this. Your mother is in Azkaban for the torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom-"

"Wait. Longbottom, as in Neville Longbottom?"

"I think so. But they're insane now."

"I never knew..." Kate whispered, "I know she did something because she's here, but I never knew she would do something like that. I mean, I don't like Neville very much, but those were his parents. I'm almost going to be embarrassed going to school now because of that."

"Don't worry. Nobody knows, about you, that is."

"I'm really disgusted."

"Believe me I was too when I found about my dad. He murdered the Prewitts. They're related to the Weasley's. Pansy is probably the only one among us who doesn't have Death Eater parents. But her mother is very much for purebloods and she has a dislike for muggleborns, but she didn't advocate it. And you know about Harry Potter, don't you?"

"Not a lot, all I know is that Voldemort--"

"Don't say that name!"

"Oh, sorry, I'm kinda new to all of this stuff. All I know is that he came to their house one day and tried to kill Harry and he kind of killed himself in a way or something like that. That's why Harry has that scar, right?"

"Yeah, he was after Harry and his family for a long time. I don't fully understand it, but there's something more to it then just it being a miracle. Right now, Harry doesn't even know it, but he has people watching him, looking out for any kind of danger, but still letting him live his life. He's under protection from the Ministry. There's a lot of people under protection from the ministry, people whose families have been murdered by You Know Who and his Death Eaters. Neville Longbottom is under their protection too. The minors don't even know it."

"And how do you know all of this?"

"My uncle, Wally, used to work at the ministry and I used to hear him and mum talking."

"Wow that is interesting and odd. How can they place protection on people who don't even know it?"

"I really don't know. They're a little secretive at times."

"It's like the wizard version of the secret service!"

"Secret service?"

"A muggle thing. It's not even in Britain, it's in the United States."

"Oh, it's an American thing. There's a wizard school like Hogwarts in the US actually it is affiliated with Hogwarts with the same houses and everything. It's called New Hogwarts. Professor Dumbledore had it made because he didn't want to deal with those brash Americans." (???)

Kate and Diedra laughed.

"I heard this joke once. I think I heard the lady who ran the orphanage say it. It goes something like this... What do you call a person who speaks three languages? Multilingual. What do you call a person who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call a person who speaks one? An American."

Diedra laughed.

"That's great."

They made their way to their original table and sat back down and Diedra's tear streaked brother sat down too.

"How was meeting your dad, Edigio?" Kate asked kindly.

"Fine, he said one day he was going to come out and play Quidditch with me, and he would teach me how to fly," the little boy said suddenly with a burst of energy.

Diedra had a sad, faraway look in her eyes and she whispered to Kate, "He's in for a life sentence."

Kate nodded and listened to Edigio ramble on,

"He told me I looked like him! My Dad is so cool! I can't wait to tell my friends all about him."

Diedra and Kate exchanged glances, and Kate could see Diedra's eyes watering up and Kate nudged her feet under the table.

"Is you're Dad as cool as mine?" the boy asked Kate.

"No, I'm afraid not. You're dad sounds pretty cool," Kate said with a false cheer.

"I didn't think so because my dad is awesome! I can't wait until he comes home!" he said excitedly then noticed Diedra was crying, "Dee what's the matter?"

He climbed into his sister's lap.

"What's going on?" Marchisa came by.

"Dee's crying," Edigio said.

"Aw, sis," Marchisa scooted into the bench and put her arm around her sister, "Don't cry. Everything is going to be okay."

But in a matter of minutes Edigio burst into tears too and Mrs. Dolohov came to talk to her kids privately. A new group of people came and sat down next to Kate. This time it was family- Nathan, Alymer, Bella and Draco.

"What was that all about?" Nathan asked Kate.

"Oh, Diedra just got a little upset about her father, that's all," Kate said hollowly.

"Kate, are you alright?" Bella put her arm around her, "You're not looking too good."

"I'm fine. Just a little tired," Kate yawned.

"That poor Edigio. He was crying so hard when he left. I remember the first time I came to Azkaban. I don't like to remember it, but I do," Bella started, "I was a little older, though, about your age, and I was crying and was sick for about a week afterwards and father told me about all the things we were going to do... And I, too, was so excited, so excited to think about going shopping with mum, swimming with dad and then when I was older I realized he too, like Antonin Dolohov, had a life sentence. Nathan's the lucky one. He remembers the normal life a lot better than we do."

"I don't remember it that well! I was already in Hogwarts when she was arrested. They were never there, actually. When they were mum never cared about us. It was always Katie she wanted to see, I know that isn't your fault, but that's what I remember. Dad was the one who always did things with us. Do you remember when he brought us to that Quidditch game?" Nathan asked.

"Oh! I do!" Alymer answered, "There was that one Russian player... What was his name?"

"The one who got hit on the head with the bludger?" Nathan asked, excitedly.

"Yeah," Alymer said.

"I think it was Klaus Damavitch. His head was so swollen. Didn't he become mental after that?"

"Yeah, if walking around naked and being chased down my the muggle police is mental to you."

"I remember swimming in Malfoy's lake. Kate and Draco were there too. Do you remember that time Draco almost drowned? He was only two... And I only sort of remember it."

"Yes, I remember that," Alymer said, "Uncle Lucius was pissed."

"Oh, Dracie poo, you almost drowned!" Kate laughed at Draco.

"Dracie poo?" Bella questioned.

"Oh come on Dracie, tell her about my pet name for you!" Kate said mischievously.

Draco gave her a look that clearly said, "I'm going to get you for this."

"Okay, you guys are scaring me right now. It's usually really odd for those two to be getting along. This one time Kate hexed Draco-"

"Okay, Bella, they don't all need to know about it."

"Well he set my homework on fire! Actually... I really don't remember what it was."

"I do remember though that Kate kicked Draco's ass," Alymer laughed.

"It's not funny!"

"Draco I thought you would be the one to kick Kate's ass!" Nathan chuckled.

Draco's eyes then lit up as he said, "But Bella, we didn't tell Nathan about Kate on the broom!"

Kate's mouth opened wide.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh I would. Kate couldn't get her broom off the ground. Hooch finally had pretty boy Potter help her and she still couldn't get it anywhere. It was hilarious. She was almost in tears."

"No I wasn't!"

"Oh yes, you were."

"Don't worry Kate; I'm not much of a flyer either. Even though that is hilarious," Bella laughed.

"Of course it is. It isn't often that Kate fails to do something... Although there was that one time in herbology...."