Thirteen Years

The night that flies,

The night that shines,

The night that tells the darkest lies,

The heart and soul that kill desire

In the darkest gloom, loyalty inspires,

Fate for me, to raise me higher, glory bound,

Immortal soul, ever more in circle round.

Thirteen years. For thirteen years you've watched and waited. For thirteen years you've watched as your youth passed you by as you sat in this dank, musty cell. For thirteen years you've waited for the Dark Lord to remember you and free you from his dungeon. You don't remember why the Dark Lord imprisoned you, but he must have had his reasons. He always has his reason, you know that.

Are you truly loyal, Miss Patil?

Yes, Master, with all my heart.

Heart, Miss Patil? Heart? Lord Voldemort requires no heart. It is time you learned this lesson. Crucio!

Yes, Master. Thank you. You are generous.

You have much to learn, my willing servant. Lord Voldemort looks forward to instructing you.

Thank you, Master. Thank you. You are merciful.

Go, and serve me well and remember that Lord Voldemort does not suffer failure.

Yes, Master.

It seems like only yesterday you swore your allegiance to him, bowing down and kissing the hem of his robes. It all made so much sense back then. You would spy for him, be his eyes and ears in all the places he could not go. Or rather, you would spy in all those places you could go in his stead. You did nothing without your Master's permission.

Remember, Padma, your life belongs to me now. You do nothing without my blessing. Do you understand?

Yes, Master. I will always remember. I live to serve.

Your life, who does it belong to?

You, master, always you, now and forever.

Do not forget, you death is but a footstep away. Betray me and you will pray for it with a desire you cannot begin to comprehend.

My Lord, you honor me by accepting my devotion. I will not betray you, now or ever.

You do not fear death?

I fear only to fail, my Lord. If I fail you, then death is no less then what I would deserve.

Now you waste your precious self, sitting in Azkaban and every day your Master's servants come and torture you. They tell you the Dark Lord is dead, vanquished before you ever came here. Impossible, you tell them, the Dark Lord rules supreme and this, your captivity, in this place is proof of that. You show them the Mark upon your arm. How could that be, you ask, if the Dark Lord were dead? They merely leave you your food and walk away, tired pity in their eyes.

Dead? Never! Lying, traitorous dogs! The Dark Lord could never die! Never! He will come for me, wait and see! I'm loyal to Him and he knows it! He will come for me and then I will show you what it means to fear the night and crave the dawn.

They do not truly know the Dark Lord's power. If I had failed him, if I betrayed him, I would be dead. I know it. They are testing me. Yes. They are testing me to prove my faith to the Master. They are testing me to ensure I have not broken. Fools! What do they know of faith? Let me show you what it means to be loyal. My body is his temple, he, and he alone, will sanctify me with his blessing when I am released.

You are one of the faithful, your loyalty has never wavered and you have never questioned your purpose. Lord Voldemort always knows and he always has a reason. Even if he ordered your death, you would not be afraid to comply. It's not your life to give, it is his to take and you offered it gladly even knowing what the consequences might become. You wear your Mark with pride when so many others ran and hid themselves away in fear or disgrace, but you were always loyal, you were always proud. You did not flinch from the pain it caused, it was a welcome reminder of your devotion.

Thirteen years and he hasn't come for you yet. Thirteen years you've sat and waited, remembering with pride the things you've done in His service. You're the one he sent to spy on your friends. You're the one who ordered you to kill, to prove your loyalty, pushing Granger off of the Astronomy Tower, making her death look like a tragic suicide. The Dark Lord knew better and he was pleased.

I don't what happened, Professor! I was coming up to make some observations for Astronomy and I saw her standing there! She seemed so sad, yet so tranquil. I didn't know what she was doing until it was too late!

It's alright, Miss Patil. I'm certain you did everything you could.

It's all just so horrible. What will happen now?

Don't worry, my child. It will be alright.

The lies came easier after that, you turned deception into an art form, lulling your housemates and would be friends into a sense of false complacency. You manipulated your sister, made her your puppet and had her report to you on all the petty little things going on in her life. The tripe and drivel you had to suffer through while waiting for the one morsel of substance that you could act on was incredible.

I know you've never believed in Divination, Padma, but I keep feeling, and Professor Trelawney agrees, that my inner eye is being blocked somehow. It's almost like a curtain has been draped over me.

I'm sure it's just the stress of exams that you're dealing with Parvati. You probably just need a good snog is all.

And next you'll tell me that Harry Potter is the boy I should be snogging?

It wouldn't kill you, you know.

I suppose you're right. You always are you know.

I know.

You wonder about your sister sometimes. You wonder if she saw the light and joined you in serving the Master or if she refused and had to be put down. She was probably put down. She never was quite as quick as you, or as bright. She never saw the big picture; she chose instead the little things that were right in front of her.

It's of no significance, really, because you're the one who's loyal and that's what really matters, everything else is irrelevant. So now you sit and you wait and you are patient, because you know your Lord will come for you soon. He always comes for those who are loyal and you are very loyal. What else could keep you sane for thirteen years?

He will come for me. He will! I know it and the world will see that I was loyal and they will bow before me in fear and beg for me to show mercy!

He will come for me, I know it, for I am loyal and I have waited!

He will come for me!

I have come!

Master! You have remembered me!

Remembered? Lord Voldemort never forgets, Padma, you know that.

Forgive me, Lord, but it has been so long, I had begun to worry.

You doubted me, do not lie for Lord Voldemort always knows, you doubted and now you wish forgiveness.

Yes master. Please, forgive me, I was weak. It will not happen again.

I know it will not, Padma, but Lord Voldemort must be certain his servants are strong, not only in their soul but also in their faith.

I am loyal, Master. Please, believe me.

Yes, I see that you are. Lord Voldemort believes you, Padma, but I must be certain. I will return for you soon Padma, be strong in your faith until then and you will be rewarded beyond your most vivid dreams.

Yes, Master. Thank you, Master. I will always be loyal, I swear it.

Thirteen years. Thirteen years you've waited and you'll go on waiting until the Master comes for you. You know he will. The flesh may be weak but the will is strong and so you remain devoted. You remain devoted because the Master says he will come for you soon. He always says he will come for you soon and so you sit and wait. You've waited thirteen years so far and you'll go on waiting until he finally comes.

He will come. I know he will.