Sweet Sacrifice

Chapter 2 His Latest One

Tom's PoV

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Another day, another young woman under my control. My current one, a witch from up north, is cowering in the corner of my bedchamber. I know she is scared. Her screams are a dead giveaway every time I get near her. She watches me closely, taking in my every move. I can see it in her eyes, the fear of not knowing what is going to happen next; the waiting and the brutal agony is slowly eating her alive. Guilt and sadness float through her head, along with the wish for me to kill her - just to end her misery now. However, I am not thoroughly finished with her yet....

~*~

As the early rays of dawn slowly begin to break through the windowpanes, I look to my side to watch her through bleary eyes as she still sleeps. Her face is streaked with runny make-up and tears, and her body is wrapped soundly in a cocoon of white sheets. My eyes fall upon the old Victorian clock on the nightstand, where the hands are pointing at 5 A.M. Standing up, I quietly begin to search for my wand in the mess of clothes on the floor. I know I left it close by for this exact purpose. Ah, there it is, right beside the bed. I pick it up and raise it toward her as she mumbles softly into the morning air; I point it directly over her rising and falling chest. After years of raping and beheading my victims, I discovered that killing them was always more pleasurable while they are sleeping. It saves on the irritating begging for mercy. Though, I have let it go that far just to see the look of fear and life drain from their eyes ... to hear their last screams....

The young woman groggily opens her eyes and sits up in bed, looking at me as I stare back. She has served her purpose, and I do not need her anymore.

"Please don't," she begs. "I don't want to die ... I - I can be useful ... please don't ..."

"Don't be afraid," I whisper. "Death is nothing to be frightened of. Though I wouldn't know anything about it, seeing as how I have never properly died before."

Her eyes slowly grew wide, almost to the point of them popping out of her head. She lets out a scream, but I merely laugh a contemptuous little laugh at her. The stupid, foolish girl.

"Scream as loudly as you want. It is just us here. Nobody will hear your foolish shouts but us."

She stops screaming, but I can see her eyes glowing brightly with tears again.

"Enjoy the silence, my dear Melinda," I say. "Sectumsempra!"

~*~

I stare out the window as the sun begins to gradually set in the late afternoon sky, plunging the room into semidarkness. It is hours later, yet I still have not clothed myself because I know my next victim will arrive shortly.

I am alone at the moment, having just finished cleaning the last of the girl's spattered blood from my walls and ceiling. I disposed of her in my usual fashion: I had her sent to the entrance of a little white church on the outskirts of Little Hangleton. I know the horrified clergymen will easily find her.

Resting a hand on the windowpane, I finger a small droplet of blood that has yet to be cleaned, letting it reflect the fading sunlight.

The blood reminds me of her and how I can force my way into them with absurd ease - teaching them to revel in the delight of my dominance over them and in the pleasure of enjoying something so forbidden - whether they want it or not.

My ears suddenly pick up a sound coming from downstairs. After a moment, I realize that the sound was only coming from this old, rickety house of my filthy father and his parents. I turn around and listen again, waiting, wondering when my Death Eaters will be back. I sent them out a few hours ago with direct orders to find my next captive. They have never failed me in this task before, owing to the fact they have impeccable tastes when finding my next casualty.

As I pace around the room, thoughts of when the wizarding world would finally be mine to control seep into my mind. The Order of the Phoenix has put up a tough battle for these few years, one that nobody had expected from them. Finally, after all this time, it seems as if I am finally breaking through their barrier and finally winning this war. Their side is dwindling now; hardly anybody wants to fight for fear of dying or losing a loved one. The Death Eaters and I have successfully shattered their spirit into fragments ...

Loud pops from a handful of my faithful servants echo on the ground floor and the sound of their familiar voices makes its way up to my room. They are back, bringing someone else for me to fulfill my dark evil fancies with tonight.

Hastily throwing a robe on, I leave my room to meet the new prey. Looking down from atop the landing, I cannot help but laugh derisively to myself when I see whom they have brought for me this time .... They have fetched me a member of the elusive "Golden Trio": Miss Hermione Granger. And I must say, as I watch her from the landing, the look upon her face tells me she would rather be anyplace else but here.