Black, White, and Grey

An Unexpected Conversation

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Or the blessing. That may have been what saved my life. It certainly changed it again. It drove me away from my old friends, and into the arms of new ones. I spent that evening talking to Minerva, both of us studiously avoiding the decanter on the shelf. It was after curfew when I returned, with Minerva escorting me.

Harry and Ron were disappointed, but that wasn't the last time. It only got worse, as I spent more time talking to Minerva, and Severus - though I can't say those conversations were all that pleasant. He was always, and still is, as far as I am aware, a very abrasive personality. I do wonder, sometimes, what has happened to him, but that is never a thought for long. Of course, Ron and Harry never did understand why I was avoiding them more and more.

Oh, I think Harry suspected I wasn't telling the truth about why, and I could see he was hurt by it. But what was I going to do? I couldn't tell him, I'd given my word I would not, and I won't go back on it. Even though Draco says that's silly, and it can get you hurt. Hmph. My husband is in need of a moral compass, often, and I appear to be it.

But of course, it wasn't like that then. And he's not the only one who needed someone to set them straight every so often. Perhaps that's why so many of the most powerful Slytherin alumni end up with a Gryffindor alumni for a spouse. It's very odd. Not so odd as that one Saturday in November, just after Halloween, I'll grant you, but still odd in it's own right. Speaking of that Saturday, it was the first time I met Tom face to face.

~~~ ~~~

"Tom wants to meet you." Professor McGongall had a nervous expression on her face, not one I was used to. "Severus is to take you to a private meeting of the Inner Circle this weekend. I can't be there, unfortunately, with the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw Quidditch match. I'll be noticed if I'm not there."

I blinked, surprised, as I stopped just inside her sitting room. I had not been expecting that. "He... wants to meet me?" My voice was a squeak, with my throat dry as cotton. "For what?"

"I'm not certain. I know he won't kill you. He's neither stupid, nor suicidal." She paused. "I should tell you who is in the Inner Circle, so you know who will be there."

I nodded, sitting down as she did, knowing this might not be the most pleasant of conversations. "Just tell me Draco isn't going to be there."

McGongall shook her head. "Unless Tom asked Severus to bring him as well, and I certainly didn't hear him mentioned. Though Lucius will be there, I warn you. He' not always a conceited snob, but when it comes to Muggle-borns..." She shrugged. "I am not certain it's conscious anymore. Severus will be there, of course. Meri and Ri, Madame Grey, and Lady Black to you, for now, will be there, they always are. The Baron, Henri Merdeux, is also always in attendance."

Baron Henri Merdeux had featured in her stories of her school days. He had been three years older than her, and in Slytherin, but when he was prefect, he'd indulged her and her friends the best he could.

"No one else?" I could deal with those five. And Voldemort, of course. I wouldn't panic. Not enough people to panic. At least not while I was there. Perhaps before, like now? Saturday was tomorrow. I'd be meeting Voldemort in the flesh tomorrow. Harry and Ron would kill me if they found out. Especially since I wouldn't tell them, and bring them along so Harry could kill him.

"Not likely. Unless Henri brings his son and daughter-in-law with him this time, Edward and Tasia. Or Narcissa may come, though she prefers not to go." McGonagall smiled slightly. "She and Henri get along like oil and water, most of the time."

Ok. As many as eight people besides myself. I could handle that.

Who was I kidding? That many Death Eaters in one place, at least one of which I was almost certain would kill me given half a chance? And no way to escape if Snape wouldn't Apparate me out of there, or there was a port-key? I was doomed!

McGonagall was watching me, and she must have been able to tell what at least some of my thoughts were. "Tom won't let them hurt you. He's still fond of keeping in my good graces these days. If he doesn't, he often finds every other female who knows him ignoring him, or outright against him. Even Nagini."

I smiled slightly at that. Voldemort was under the thumb of a woman. Well, at least on some matters. She couldn't control him completely, or he never would have become the monster he was.

"You should return to your dorm for the night. You are going to be waking up very early to leave without anyone seeing." She stood, herding me towards the door.

I nodded. "Good night, Professor."

~~~ ~~~

When she said early, I hadn't expected her to mean three bloody am! I hurried, still yawning, behind Professor Snape towards the Dark Forest, a cloak pulled tightly around me. It was a crisp, clear, cold night, beautiful weather for early November. The smell of snow was on the air as well, though I hoped it would hold off until after we got back that night, or perhaps early tomorrow morning.

Snape stopped, his hand reaching out to steady me as I managed to trip over a tree toot in the dark. There was an odd piece of stone on the ground in front of us, shaped like... oh, bloody hell! That wasn't a rock. That was a human skull. Someone had a morbid sense of humour.

"That's the port-key. Henri's making, if I'm not mistaken. The Baron has an... odd sense of humour." His lips twisted in a wryly amused smile, and I shook my head. We reached out to grip the skull in unison, the familiar tug of the port-key trying to turn my stomach inside out fading quickly once we'd arrived. We were outside what appeared to be a dark, rather large, manor house.

A moment later, the door opened, spilling out a pale silvery light that revealed a slightly plump woman with grey hair and a warm smile on her face. She must be Merideth Grey, from the descriptions McGonagall's given me. "Oh, come in, come in. You must be cold, and still tired, my dear girl. Oh, Severus, don't just stand there, get yourself inside, and you too, my dear girl. Min has spoken so favorably of you, of course. You must be her favorite student, not that she'd admit to such of course. Oh, we do have a room upstairs for you to sleep in, you must be exhausted, you dear thing."

Of course, she did mention that this woman would be an interesting person to meet. My eyebrows were threatening to merge with my hairline at that point, and I could see Snape shake his head in a long-suffering gesture out of the corner of my eye. "Thank you, Madame Grey."

"Now, now, you must call me Meri. I feel as if I know you already, with everything Min's told us. And don't shake your head at me, Severus Snape. Oh, off with you, you great bat. Shoo!" She waved her hands at him, and he went with nothing more than a murmur of acquiescence. Amazing. "Of course, you weren't the only student she spoke of, but I've already met young Draco, and Ri's nephew speaks constantly of his godson, now that he is lucid again." She kept up a continuous flow of chatter as she took me upstairs to a plush room decorated in black and crimson. The wide bed was covered with a thick feather mattress and red silk sheets, with a soft black coverlet over top it all - and that was only one piece of the furniture in the room. My jaw dropped, and Meri smiled.

"Nice, isn't it? Oh, I do hope you sleep well. I'll come to get you for breakfast, everyone is looking forward to meeting you in the morning." She shut the door behind her, leaving me alone in the opulent room. I found that even there, it didn't take me long to succumb to sleep.

~~~ ~~~

I woke with a start, momentarily disoriented by my surroundings until I remembered the very early departure from Hogwarts and the meeting that day. That thought tied my stomach in knots as I got up, reaching for where I'd hung my robes last night, only to find them missing. What on God's green earth was I going to wear is they'd made off with my robes?

I had my answer a moment later as Merideth bustled in, her arms full of cloth which she laid on the bed, flicking her wand at the door to close it. "A bonny morning to you! Did you sleep all right? Oh, and Ri and I decided to stock your wardrobe. I dare say you haven't had much chance to dress yourself up at school, and you might as well have the chance today. I brought you some robes from Sephone, just for today, since we shall have to get you better robes later, of course, if we are to spoil you properly. She's never worn them, the sweet girl, and is unlikely to wear them. You and her are of an age and a height, so there shouldn't be much trouble with these fitting, or being too girlish for you."

My expression must have shown my surprise... or a bit of resentment. They were giving me cast-offs? Someone else's clothing? I would admit, was a new concept, when applied to myself. As an only child, I always had new clothes, never second-hand.

"Oh, don't worry over-much, my dear. They're not used, you understand, the girl is quite the spoiled girl, delightful, though. She doesn't wear half the robes in her wardrobe. Now, let's see which of these suits you best."

I must admit, I had fun. Most of the robes were dress robes, though... I'd not really paid attention to wizarding fashion before, but these were all at the height of the current fashion then. Not to mention worth far more than I could afford.

We finally decided on a deep burgundy outfit with a fitted bodice and full skirt. It had a distinctly Victorian feel to it, but the whole wizarding world had a distinctly Victorian fell to it, after all. An unwillingness to change, I always supposed.

"Now we'll just put your hair up, in a simple twist, I think, that will make you look elegant." She beamed at me as she used her wand to get my hair to behave as she wanted it to.

"Why are you doing this? I mean, I enjoy it, of course, but..." I shrugged, not wanting to insult her, but not certain of what was going on.

"Oh, my dear young lady! I have not had anyone to really fuss over since Min accepted the position at Hogwarts. Ri says I can't help but fuss over people, though she used to encourage me to get married, and have a few children to fuss over." Min smiled. "You don't mind it, though, do you?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm just not used to it from anyone but my parents... and they don't fuss as much over me as they used to."

Meri smiled again as she rearranged my hair, still not quite satisfied with the effect she was getting. "I remember my parents fussed more over Cynthia then they did over me. She was my little sister, the baby of my siblings, and an absolute doll. Of course, once she had that sweet babe... Oh, it was like watching Min with her little girl, before she and Tom sent the darling off to Bridget's." Her chatter was a constant flow, comforting, really, in the end. Like grandmum, when she visited. Meri reminded me of her. Tiny , grey, and eccentric, but in a good way. Not at all what one expects a Death Eater in Voldemort's Inner Circle to be like. Harry and Ron would never believe it, if they saw it. Or heard, which they won't. Not from me.

"Now, off to breakfast. I do hope you're hungry, my dear. Ri is such an excellent cook, when one can convince her to enter the kitchen." Meri hooked her arm in mine, and guided me down to a large dining room, with beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, soft rugs on the floor, and a heavy oak table. The walls were covered with a dark, emerald green damask wall paper, and the hearth was lovely black marble, a fire burning on it to remove the chill from the room.

And at the table sat the Inner Circle... and Voldemort. All eyes fixed on Meri and me as we entered, and I began to feel nervous. Not that one wouldn't feel nervous with these people the first time one met them. It was easy to pick out Malfoy senior, a slight sneer curling his upper lip, the platinum blond hair, and the pale grey eyes. And Voldemort... well, he's impossible to miss. I still wondered how Professor McGonagall looked past that, but she'd been in love with him since their school days...

There was an elegant man with broad shoulders and perfectly tailored robes. Silver heavily streaked his black hair, and he had crows feet around his eyes, but those were the only signs he was aging. He looked to be the oldest one there, so I thought he was the Baron Merdeux. He smiled with genuine warmth at me, and stood to pull out the empty seat next to him.

"Good morning, Miss Granger." He was the first to speak.

"Morning, Meri, Miss Granger." That came from the woman sitting on the other side of Baron Merdeux from the empty chair. Her thick hair was still jet black, with only a few strands of silver, pulled up and back in a neat roll. She was dressed in sapphire robes that emphasized her blue eyes, gleaming with intensity. "You will call me, Ri, of course, as everyone else does."

"Yes, of course." I was looking at the others at the table - having second thoughts about the whole mess when it was well and away too late for that. The seat at the end of the table was empty; that would be Professor McGonagall's seat if she had been there. Professor Snape sat on one side of it, and a younger version of the Baron Merdeux sat on the other.

A woman with rich, chestnut brown hair sat beside Snape, and a young woman about my age sat across from her. They must be Edward Merdeux, his wife Tasia, and the girl had to be Sephone, their daughter. She twisted in her seat to look at me better as I still hesitated to sit, giving me a critical once over.

"That looks better on you than it would on me." She grimaced. "I'm not sure why I bought it in the first place." The expression faded, replaced by a brilliant smile. "Keep it. I'm glad someone can pull it off."

I smiled back as I slid into the chair still held by Baron Merdeux, Sephone's words putting me more at ease than anyone else there. Perhaps it was the fact she was just another girl like Lavender and Pavarti, or so she gave the impression of being. Servants, human servants, appeared at my elbow a moment later as if conjured, offering me all sorts of food, all of it looking and smelling excellent.

I watched the others as I ate, silence reigning for a brief time. Narcissa Malfoy sat across from me, and beside her was Lucius... he was stuck between her and Meri, and I could see the two exchange a glance that said clearly that he'd be in a great deal of pain if he made trouble. And Meri and Ri were sitting on either side of Voldemort.

"You appear to be taking this all quite well, Miss Granger. I'm surprised, since I am under the impression you originally thought Uncle Tom was the equivalant of evil incarnate?" Mrs. Merdeux spoke, looking up from her food with a curious expression.

I tilted my head as I thought a moment. "I'm not sure I am taking this as well as I appear to be, Mrs. Merdeux. I've been talking to Professor McGonagall for the last month, and she's given me a different impression of Voldemort than history or even most people do. And last night, I was rather tired, and in no shape to have second thoughts - if I'd wanted to entertain them. And it is easier to think of him not quite as bad as he's painted than, say, to cope with the idea that Professor Snape isn't..." I trailed off, not certain of repeating some of the choice names I'd come up with - or my friends had - over the last five years.

An eyebrow quirked upward on Professor Snape's expression. "Not a greasy git?"

"Well... that's one of the less-than-flattering names used in the Gryffindor common room, professor." I looked down at my plate, too embarrassed to admit my part in the name calling.

"And why is it easier to re-evaluate your opinion of me than of Severus?"

I tensed when Voldemort spoke, then forced myself to relax. "I've had personal experience with how vicious and nasty Professor Snape can be - he's been my potions professor for five years before the beginning of this year. It's difficult to think of someone who's always been mean and nasty, in one's personal experience, as something other than a cold-hearted bastard with no conscious - and possibly no soul." I wondered how bad life in potions class would be after I got back, considering how frank I was being. "On the other hand, I've not really had to deal with you personally, sir, though there were some isolated incidences where I had to deal with you indirectly. I did have my doubts, and still do, but character flaws are to be expected in anyone."

"Are you quite sure you don't belong in Ravenclaw, my dear? You sound more like the Ravenclaws I knew in school than any Gryffindor. Except Min. Hmm. You're very much like her in some ways." Meri tilted her head, not quite smiling. "Not everyone is able to face the truth, and accept it."

"I know." I didn't want to mention Harry or Ron, or the inability I perceived on their part to accept the truth, as odd as it was.

"Oh, do you know Harry Potter?" Sephone spoke with an intense light of curiosity in her eyes, despite the warning looks from everyone else at the table. "You're in the same year, the same house. Are you friends?"

"We were friends. I don't know if I can talk to him anymore." I spoke softly, and rapidly, not wanting those looks tossed in my direction.

"Oh." The table fell silent for a moment, the only sound that of clinking utensils. I noticed Mrs. Malfoy elbow her husband in the ribs the second time he opened his mouth to speak, probably to say something rude. The first time she kicked him, I thought, considering the expression of pain that crossed his face.

She was the one to break the silence, as well. "You do know Draco, of course?" It was a question she wasn't expecting me to answer, as she continued to speak without pausing for a reply. "I don't imagine you've gotten along in the past, as is to be expected, but perhaps you might speak with him about what is troubling you." Mrs. Malfoy smiled, spearing a piece of sausage as she waited for my reply. Amazing what you notice when you want desperately to avoid replying.

"Perhaps. I doubt he could help me with my current problem, though." Considering he was the problem, it was rather certain he wouldn't have been able to help.

"Oh? Boy trouble?" Mrs. Malfoy smiled knowingly. Far too knowingly.

I bit my lip, nodding. Hopefully I'd be able to avoid the subject all together after this. "Yes, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Call me Narcissa. In public we may appear to be enemies, of a sort, but here we are all friends, hmm?"

"Yes, M... Narcissa." It would take some time and effort to remember that. I still wasn't comfortable here, in the midst of Voldemort's Inner Circle, supposed to be the worst of the worst.

After breakfast, Meri and Ri told Voldemort, despite his ominous grumblings, that the meeting would have to wait, and dragged every female present upstairs to a parlor decorated in navy blue and cream. They took the wing-back chairs next to the fireplace, two queens presiding over their court as we settled in various seats around them.

"That man still hasn't figured out he can't have one of his precious meetings until the ladies have talked, has he, Meri?" Ri shook her head, an amused smile on her face. "Can't have the men taking the bit and running away with it. Look where that got us in the first place!"

Mrs. Malfoy shrugged. "They'll counter-scheme against us downstairs, and when the actual meeting happens, nothing will get done. We fight them to a standstill only."

"True, Cissa, but sometimes things do get done, and we can prevent excessive violence in the execution of plans."

"True enough, I will grant you." Mrs. Malfoy paused. "Hermione, you said at breakfast you were having boy trouble. Would it have anything to do with an incident outside Severus's classroom about a month ago?"

As she spoke, a feeling of dread had begun to churn in the pit of my stomach, and I gulped, wondering if I could still deflect this line of conversation.

"Oh, my dear, don't worry about talking about Draco to me. He can be so much his father's son at time. And I don't always have the most flattering opinion of either of them." She smiled at me. "And I'd like to hear the other side of the story. That son of mine is rarely communicative these days. Lucius's influence, I'm very much afraid."

"Well..." I paused a long moment, thinking. How little could I tell them about what had happened, and get away with it? "I went down to get a hangover remedy from Professor Snape, and he was being actually civilized, so I was backing out of the classroom, in case he decided to do something like curse me..."

Mrs. Merdeux interrupted me. "Severus never was the politest boy. In fact, I think the only boys less civilized than he were those damned Marauders." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, my dear, do go on."

It was nice to know I wasn't alone here in my opinion on Snape. "I ran into Ma... Draco, we exchanged insults, and I tripped when I turned to leave. He caught me, and I..." I was turning red, and I trailed off, embarrassed. The knowing looks around me told me I didn't have to say anything, they were pretty well aware of what was probably happening about then. "I was trying to get myself back together when he kissed me." I was squirming, and promised myself I'd exact a painful revenge on Malfoy for this humiliation. "I kissed him back, he pulled back, said I tasted good, put me down, and I left." The last came out in a rush, trying to avoid telling any details. Oh, Lord, why did I tell them that much, anyway?

"Hmm. Not much more informative than that note I received from Draco. ÔKissed the Mudblood. Liked it. Confused.' That was it." Mrs. Malfoy looked as if she wanted to strangle her son. The feeling was mutual.

"Well, there's very little that can be done unless the two spend more time together. Either they'll decide they still hate each other, and the kiss was a fluke due to hormones, or they'll become... friends, at least, one hopes. Not necessarily anything more, mind you, of course, but friends would be nice for all of us."

Correction. I wanted to strangle Meri. I didn't want to spend more time with Draco-bloody-Malfoy! The boy was a complete prat.

"Merideth Joanne Grey!" Ri was staring at Meri. "From what I've heard, as little as it may be, they are likely to kill each other inside of a week if forced to remain in each other's company that long." If not faster, as I well knew.

"Oh, but I have the perfect opportunity for them to spend some time together, without being too close. Hermione can come to spend Christmas holiday at the Manor, while my niece and nephew are over. Lisette has been asking me to invite some girls her age over for the holiday, other than Sephone, and there aren't any others her age that I would allow in the Manor. Certainly not that little creature Parkinson." Mrs. Malfoy sniffed primly at the thought, though there was a smile on her face, the bedamned interfering witch. "And I can introduce you around to the families, not too many, mind you, but some of them, and you may even find some of the young men are tolerable. Not all, of course, and you have..."

"Wait one minute." I interrupted her despite the glare that was subsequently sent in my direction, my expression clearly mutinous. I did not need someone running my life. "I appreciate the invitation, and I will consider it. But as I am likely to have higher priorities over the holidays, I am unlikely to be able to accept it."

Mrs. Malfoy smiled tightly, and nodded. I doubted she liked being told no. Too bad.

"Well, we can talk about that later. It is time to go back downstairs so that the men don't plan everything behind our backs." Ri stood, the others, except Sephone, following suit. "Ah, and Hermione, dear, we shall have to leave you up here with Sephone for now." I blinked in surprise as they left. I had thought the whole reason for me coming had been to meet them and Voldemort, and for more than just over breakfast.

Sephone shook her head when the door closed behind them. "Don't worry about being left up here. No one who isn't initiated is allowed into the meetings, unless it is especially for an initiation. They'll spend a couple hours talking before threats start to fly, and Uncle Tom boots them all out for the afternoon. Then he'll want to see you, and talk to you, and you'll probably get an invitation to join the cause, at least. Like Aunt Alice and Uncle Frank." She shrugged.

"What's the difference between joining the cause, and joining the Death Eaters?" Her phrasing had been curious. That, and I wondered why she had referred to the Longbottoms as relatives - though it was possible they were godparents, considering she also called Voldemort "uncle".

"Oh, that's easy. Death Eaters have Uncle Tom's seal branded on their arms. Really silly, if you ask me. Anyone who's merely joined the cause just has a ring with his seal on the inside - a plain silver band. Aunt Alice and Uncle Frank had the ring, though I've always wondered what they did for Uncle Tom - since they were nominally working for the Ministry, and probably for Dumbledore to. That maybe why Aunt Bella thought they knew where Uncle Tom had gone when Harry Potter knocked him for a loop." Sephone paused, a speculative look on her face. "Oh, I bet that was interesting when Aunt Cissa and mum heard that. Aunt Alice and them, and Aunt Bella were all friends at Hogwarts, even though they were in different houses. They grew up together, practically."

I raised an eyebrow, perfectly willing to listen, and learn more. Letting people chatter was a wonderful way of getting information. "Your Aunt Alice and Uncle Frank, what was their surname?"

"Oh, Longbottom, of course. They had a son, Neville, but you knew that, didn't you? He's probably in Gryffindor, just like they were. Mum was in Ravenclaw, and Aunt Cissa and Aunt Bella were in Slytherin, like da and Uncle Lucius. Da was in the same year as Uncle Lucius, and mum and Aunt Cissa were the same year, too, with Uncle Frank." She answered my questions with more information than I needed, and I was content to let her do so.

~~~ ~~~

Of course, as I walked downstairs a few hours later to meet Tom RIddle, Lord Voldemort, face to face, I realized there was an excellent underhanded reason to have her tell me so much - and I suspected she had been told to chatter. If I told anyone what I knew, I'd have to say where I heard it, and I would land in as much trouble as them. Right. Reason number one never to trust a Slytherin, and never take them at face value. Whatever they're doing rarely, if ever, has a simple, selfless reason behind it. Normally, in fact, it is quite the opposite.

I paused nervously at the door to the study, smoothing my robes. Dear Lord, I was acting like Lavender or Pavarti on a first date. Oh, ick, not something to compare to...

"I don't bite, you know." There was a dry, gravelly chuckle from inside the study, and the rustle of movement. "And Nagini won't bite unless I tell her to."

Nice way to reassure a girl. I stepped in, still as nervous as I had been, and looked around a moment. The walls were panelled with dark wood, the floor covered with in warm Persian carpets. Near the marble fireplace was a circle of chairs, only one occupied.

"Sit down." I could hear the attempt not to order, but invite, but he didn't quite succeed. At least he tried.

I took the seat across the circle from him, facing him. I knew he'd been a handsome man once - McGonagall had shown me some pictures from when they had been younger - but now he was... ugly was a charitable term to use.

He watched me as I watched him, both of us trying to scrutinize the other for signs of danger - and weakness, in his case. Not a very effective conversation starter.

"I believe I am to blame for the rift between you and Potter, am I not?" He raised an eyebrow, and I nodded.

"Indirectly. I can't talk to him or Ron about this, even if I hadn't promised I wouldn't. They'd never believe me, or if they did, they'd want to know why I didn't turn all of you over to Dumbledore or the Ministry."

"Why don't you?"

"Turn you over? Because that would involve turning over one of my professors, and my head of house, and I couldn't deal well with the guilt. And because not everyone here is what the media portrays you as. Meri wouldn't be able to seriously harm someone without a very good reason to do so, and she wouldn't last five minutes in Azkaban. And Sephone is no older than I am - what could she have done that would warrant spending her life in any kind of prison? And no has given me a reason to, besides."

"For most people, who we are would be enough reason to turn us all over to the Ministry."

"Perhaps." I leaned forward, a frown on my face. "But if you were what everyone else I've talked to thinks you are, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I would be dead, if I'd been brought here at all."

Voldemort chuckled, the dry, rasping sound sending shivers down my spine. He was laughing at me! The rotten bastard was laughing at me.

"What do you find so funny?" I forgot the fact I was talking to a man supposed to be evil incarnate, that he could kill me without a twinge of guilt. All I cared was someone was laughing at me, and I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why.

I glared at him, and he laughed harder. Blast him, this was not amusing! I rolled my eyes, and waited until his laughter had subsided before raising my eyebrow in question.

"Well?"

He smiled, leaning back to steeple his fingers as he watched me. "Very few people would have the courage to speak like that to me, much less question me about my reaction afterward. Even my followers aren't that brave. Or perhaps foolhardy."

"Am I?" His response hadn't soothed my temper any. "I haven't become who I am by running away from people or situations. Running doesn't do you any good. You just die tired." I shrugged, my eyes still blazing with emotion. Sometimes a temper isn't a good thing to have, but I wasn't sure that this was one of those times it would be a bad thing. "I'd rather meet Death on my feet, on my own terms. Or Fate, or whatever you want to call it."

"A sentiment I can appreciate." He paused, watching me again. What he was looking for, I'd love to have known, but he merely let the silence stretch on, becoming uncomfortable.

"Why did you agree to come?" His voice was loud in the silence, and I jumped, startled.

I didn't know why I'd agreed to go. Why I'd let myself be woken at an ungodly hour of the morning to have breakfast with the most notorious wizards and witches in the world, sit with a chatterbox for four hours, then have a calm, rational, civilized conversation with the world's most evil wizard.

"Well?" He used my earlier question, alone with a raised eyebrow. He had a sardonic sense of humour, he did.

"I don't know."

"Because you were told to come, and were expected to be here?"

"No. If I hadn't wanted to come, I'd not have come."

"You wanted to come."

"Yes. I don't know why, and I am quite certainly crazy for wanting to, as just about anyone would tell me. But yes, I wanted to come." God knows why. The man sitting across from me was supposed to be evil incarnate, as I kept reminding myself. But he was being polite, civil, and courteous to me, a Muggle-born witch, with the dubious distinctions of being Harry Potter's friend, and being in Gryffindor. All right, yes, the hat said I'd do almost as well in Ravenclaw, with my thirst for knowledge, but I had a far greater dose of courage than it had seen in any of the Ravenclaws in my year, so I went to Gryffindor. Why I was thinking about that at that moment, I don't know, but I was interrupted by Voldemort speaking again.

"Are you afraid?"

Why that question? It had a bloody obvious answer. I had to answer it anyway, as I would rather have not found out what he would do if I didn't. "Scared out of my wits when I was told you wanted to meet me, yes. Too tired to be frightened when I arrived. Right now? Just afraid I'll wake up, and this will all be a dream and you really are the evil, vicious, sadistic person you're made out to be."

A wry smile played at the corners of his mouth. "You're not afraid of me?"

"Not particularly, no. Scared of Snape, yes. He's not who I thought he was, and now I'm afraid he'll revert to a greasy git. Terrified of Filch, the caretaker at the school, but everyone is, I think. But you? You puzzle me, and make me nervous, not afraid." I shook my head as I paused. "Should I be?"

He shrugged. "I, perhaps, should be afraid of you, how much you know, what you could do with a few well-placed words. Some people think I should kill you, get rid of a possible weak point." Three guesses as to that one. Thank you so much, Mr. Malfoy, for the vote of confidence. "But I am not suicidal. Min would make sure Potter has a clear shot at me if anything were to happen to you while you're here." He chuckled dryly, the sound still not a comforting one. "You said I puzzle you."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You don't fit the profile of the person who made the Ministry frightened of shadows for over two decades. The person who tried to kill an innocent baby, and got thrown into a half-life for fourteen years. Who has tried to kill that same boy more times than I care to count. Not completely. And you're certainly not the same kind of person who took over a girl's mind and made her attack other students with a basilisk, including me. Yes, you have some of the traits, and it's rather difficult to deny you did most of what I've mentioned, but you're also polite, well-mannered, willing to listen, you let someone else dictate terms to you - on occasion, I'm having a civil conversation with you, and I heard you tell me Transfiguration professor that you love her. It doesn't add up."

"You wouldn't expect it to, and you're not meant to. I am cruel, and heartless, the epitome of an evil wizard when I'm fighting my enemies. So are they. I don't easily tolerate failure, and exact a harsh price on those who do fail me. I am fascinated by the effects of pain on the human psyche, and have been known to torture for sport, and kill on a whim. I won't hesitate to kill even innocents, if the mood strikes me." He was painting a cold, bleak - and unfortunately accurate - portrait of himself, and I thought he was trying to scare me.

"Yes. And?" I couldn't let myself show any fear, or I knew, somehow, I'd be failing a crucial test. And would probably wake up one morning to find myself on the wrong end of the Killing Curse.

"I practice the Dark Arts because they are more powerful, and provide more of a thrill than any other form of magic. I've tortured and killed my own followers because they so much as laughed at the wrong moment. Even my Inner Circle has not been immune to my whims." He paused, watching me as he appeared to wait for a reply.

"You also have a woman - who is no fool - who loves you, and you love in return. You have a daughter who is willing to let her children near you despite your reputation, and still have the friendship of two women who strike me as very shrewd women. You are a good leader - albeit a capricious one."

"So was Hitler." I was surprised by his reference to Muggle history, though he grew up with it, and so lived through the terror that was World War II.

"Yes. But you've not had those closest to you abandon you, at all. You've not made them lose their trust in you." I paused, wondering what I could say that would ensure my safety for a while longer. And not be a lie. "You've trusted me not to tell some of your secrets, and I feel I should at least give you a chance to prove I can trust you as well." Professor McGonagall trusts him, and I'd be selling her out if I ratted on Voldemort and his Inner Circle. I can't do that.

"And have I?"

"You've not given me a reason to distrust you completely so far."

Voldemort stood, and I hastily followed suit, trailing after him to the hall. "You may go now, Miss Granger." A smile twitched his lips. "I'm certain Meri will be waiting to fuss over you again." He paused. "I should get that woman a pet," was the last thing I heard him say as he moved away down the hall.

He was right, Meri was probably waiting to fuss over me again. Perhaps someone should get that woman a cat or a dog.