The Raven Mage

Chapter Four: The Dark Lord's Favorite

Narcissa and Draco Malfoy entered their lord's presence and bowed low. The room was dark, save for the fireplace and a few candles littered around the room. Voldemort sat regally in a high-backed chair near the fireplace, with Raven sitting on the floor at his feet like a pet, a trained dog...or a chained tiger. There was no question of whom the Dark lord favored most then. As he watched the Malfoy's obeisance before him, he gently ran a hand over Raven's dark hair. The girl was also watching the Malfoys with an intense gaze, almost as though she were looking through them.

"Welcome, Narcissa," Voldemort said as they rose from their bows. "And this must be your son, Draco. Welcome, young man. Please, allow me to introduce my Raven," he smiled down at the dark girl-child. "Raven, my dear, this is Narcissa and Draco Malfoy. Narcissa's husband is..."

"Lucius," Raven interrupted. "I remember when they brought him into Azkaban." She looked directly at Draco, who turned quite pale. "You look a great deal like your father, Draco."

"Th...thank you," Draco replied quietly, inclining his head. Raven smiled slightly at his nervous stutter. The smile made her seem less...inhuman. Draco actually felt calm enough after seeing it to smile slightly in return.

Voldemort seemed pleased with this exchange. "Draco, my boy, I have a task for you. Raven is going to be joining you at Hogwarts this year. She will need a guide."

Draco looked at the Dark Lord is fear and surprise. "M...me, my lord?"

"Why, of course," Voldemort said. "Can I trust you with my little bird, Draco? You understand that I would be most displeased if something were to happen to her while at Hogwarts."

Raven shot a look of what could be called resentment at the Dark Lord. "My lord," she said, drawing his attention to her. "We've had this conversation before. I do not need a bodyguard. I am not the fragile little bird you insist upon calling me. I'd be of no use to you if I was. I need a guide, not a guard."

Voldemort shook his head. "Very well, very well." He looked at Draco again. "Nonetheless, Draco, I am entrusting her to you."

"I will not let you down, my lord," Draco said, bowing again.

"For your sake, I hope that is true."

Voldemort stood and Raven followed suit. She threw the Malfoys an ironic look and murmured, "See you at school." The Dark Lord swept out of the room with Raven close behind him.

Harry Potter settled into a compartment with his friends, Neville and Luna, and let out a sigh of relief that he'd run into them. Neville spent a great deal of the train ride keeping an eye on his toad, Trevor, who spent most of his time trying to escape. Luna was also preoccupied, with her latest edition of The Quibbler, whose editor was none other than Luna's father.

As the scenery had just begun to darken, the compartment doors slid open and Harry's best friends, Ron and Hermione, tumbled in, looking exhausted. Hermione gave Neville and Luna a tired smile as she sat down. Ron, however, just threw himself down beside Harry and covered his eyes with a hand. "I swear I don't why I thought this Prefect thing was good news."

Harry shook his head sympathetically, but hid a smile behind his hand.

It wasn't too long after that that the train began to slow down and Hogsmeade Station came into sight. The students lugged their belongings out of the train, and the Trio heard the familiar booming voice of their friend Hagrid over the crowd.

Luna and Hermione climbed into an empty carriage. As the boys were about to join them, Neville froze and turned pale. Ron gave him a quizzical look. "What's wrong with you, Neville?"

Neville tried several times to speak and then just pointed at another carriage ahead of them. Harry looked over his shoulder to see what he was staring at and then found himself staring as well.

A young girl about their age was climbing into a carriage with Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. She seemed to sense their gazes and turned to see them over her shoulder. She was extremely pale and looked as though she'd been far too thin for far too long. Her midnight black hair hung down to her waist in a messy sort of braid, so black that there were hues of blue in it.

What struck and captured Harry were her eyes. Large and an intense crystal blue, they were like glass over sapphire flames. She met Harry's eyes briefly, but Malfoy touched her shoulder, tearing her attention away. She disappeared into the carriage behind the other Slytherins.

"Hey, Harry," Hermione called from inside the carriage, "what's keeping you guys? Let's go."

Harry shook himself mentally and hopped inside the carriage with his friends. There was something odd about that girl.

Raven met the eyes of a boy with hair nearly as black as hers and emerald green eyes. Her eyes caught and held his for a moment only. Her gaze flickered to the scar on his forehead before she stepped into the carriage and out of his sight.

Snape led Raven up the spiraling stairs to the Headmaster's office. She followed him quietly, barely making a sound as she walked. She had gone directly to Snape's office after arriving at Hogwarts and saying brief goodbyes to Malfoy and his friends. Now she was to meet Albus Dumbledore: the man who held a great threat against her master.

"Are you ready?" he asked her quietly. "You remember what to say?"

"Yes," she replied, catching his eye briefly. Snape nodded and knocked on the door before them. It swung open and Raven heard a pleasant voice call, "Come in."

Raven couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the elderly man behind the desk. Whatever she had expected of the man who her master feared most, it wasn't this. He did have an air of comfortable power about him, but he looked more like someone's kind grandfather than a powerful wizard. His very presence made her want to smile.

"Ah, Severus," Dumbledore got to his feet and came around the desk. "This must the girl you mentioned. Wonderful."

Snape nodded and placed a hand on Raven's shoulder. "Yes. Headmaster, this is Raven Elder."

"A joy to meet you, Miss Elder," Dumbledore said. "Severus has told me of your situation. I am sorry for your loss, my dear."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Raven murmured.

Her story was a rather simple one. She had been kidnapped and raised by a hermit witch. The witch had died recently and Raven wandered into a nearby town and was discovered by Snape.

Raven actually found the part easy to play.

"Now, we'll have to see how far along you really are," Dumbledore told her, "but for now we'll place you with the sixth years, considering your age. If you feel the classes are too far ahead of you or that you are too far ahead of them, then we'll adjust accordingly."

Raven nodded slightly, but said nothing. Dumbledore seemed to consider her a moment before smiling at Snape. "I take it that you'd like to take Miss Elder under your wing, Severus?"

"I think it would be best, Headmaster," Snape said. "She hasn't had much social interaction and if things become to hard for her, at least she'll have somewhere to turn."

Dumbledore smiled kindly at her. "Then his help...and mine...you will receive. Welcome to Hogwarts, my dear."

"Thank you," she said again.

Dumbledore inclined his head and then went behind his desk to take something down from the shelves. Raven's eyes followed his movement and fell upon the glass case on the shelf. The sword inside glittered in the candlelight. Was that the Sword of Gryffindor? She shot an inquisitive glance at Snape, who smiled slightly and nodded. Raven returned that smile and turned her attention back to Dumbledore.

"This is the school Sorting Hat, Raven," Dumbledore explained, bringing a ratty old wizard's hat over to her. "It will tell us which House you belong in. Hogwarts is divided into four Houses; Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now, if you would just come over here and have a seat..."

Raven did as she was told, sitting in the chair before the Headmaster's desk. She closed her eyes as Dumbledore lowered the hat onto her head. It went over her eyes and she suddenly heard a voice whispering in her ear...or was it in her mind?

The voice gave a dry chuckle. Judging by what I see, we both know which House you belong in.

"SLYTHERIN!"

She lifted the hat off of her head and handed back to Dumbledore. He was still smiling, but there was something hidden in his kind expression. "Lovely," he said, simply. "Raven, Professor Snape is head of Slytherin House. I believe that will prove opportune. Severus, I'll now leave her in your capable hands."

Snape bowed his head to Dumbledore and put a hand on Raven's shoulder, leading her to the door.

"Raven?"

She turned back to Dumbledore, frowning slightly in confusion. The Headmaster looked slightly worried. "I know you have been without true freedom, Raven," he said to her, "but know that you will have it here."

Those words stunned Raven. The way he'd spoken just then...Did he know the truth? If so, why hide it? True freedom...She nodded quickly and ran down the stairs to catch up with Snape, who had waited at the bottom.

"So?" Snape gestured for them to walk on together.

"He...is impressive," Raven said, thinking hard. "I...don't know. I get a good impression from him. You were right about him being trusting, though. But..." she shook her head. "I feel like he suspects something or...knows something he won't say aloud."

Snape smiled. "You aren't the first to get that feeling," he told her. "Don't worry too much. As long as he says nothing, you have nothing to fear from him."

Raven nodded quickly and then paused. "Snape...Professor Snape," she corrected herself, "I...I wanted to ask a favor of you."

"Yes?" Snape was surprised and rather flattered that she chose to address him respectively even though they were alone.

"I need to meet someone," she said.

"Who? I take it that it might prove difficult, or else you wouldn't ask," Snape said.

"Harry Potter."

Snape choked and turned pale. "Why on earth...?"

"He was Sirius's godson," Raven said quietly. She kept her eyes were downcast, obviously not inclined to look at him.

"Oh." Snape cleared his throat and composed himself. "I...I'll see what I can do," he said at last. He was rewarded with Raven's soft smile.

He led her down to the Slytherins' dungeon common room and left her with Malfoy and the other students. Raven quickly escaped the common room and disappeared into the girls' dormitory.

Malfoy watched her go and grabbed Pansy Parkinson to stop her from following her. Pansy gave him a pout. "I just wanted to talk to her. No crime in that."

Malfoy just shook his head. He looked a bit drawn as he sat Pansy down by the fireplace. "Everybody," he called quietly. "listen up." The Slytherins gathered around him. They had all heard about his meeting with the Dark Lord. Malfoy let out a breath and then whispered, "Nobody, and I mean nobody, bothers this girl. She is very important and it is crucial that she not be upset. She belongs to the Dark Lord; she's his favorite. She's also very powerful. Everybody got it?"