Everything You Are

Chapter Five:

Lucius was among the last to arrive as he was in the middle of a conversation when he felt the burning pain on his arm. Almost everyone else had arrived in full Death Eater robes by then. He bowed before Voldemort then Sirena and then stood, but froze when he saw Draco, who was standing next to Severus. "Draco? What are you doing here? I thought I told you..."

"I brought him, Lucius," Sirena said, her voice like silk. "If you want him to go back, that's fine, but I think you'd agree that your son's mind is a valuable asset to our group.... especially now."

"Whatever you say, my lady," he said, stepping back a bit and nodding to his son.

"That being taken care of, I see that you are all here tonight. We haven't had that in quite a long time." Voldemort spoke slowly and clearly, each of his words echoing in the ears of the Death Eaters. "We have an extremely important matter to discuss tonight that Sirena and I have been considering carefully ever since she joined our number."

Sirena stepped forward, a cold glow radiating from her eyes that Draco didn't recognize, but was familiar to each of the other people in the room. "Let's play a little game, shall we? I'll say a name, you tell me what you think of. Cornelius Fudge, anyone?" Lucius raised his hand with a smirk. "Go ahead, Lucius."

"Foolish git."

She smiled slightly. "That works well. How about... Harry Potter?"

"Dumb luck," someone called.

Severus raised his hand. "Egotist."

Sirena nodded. "That's good as well. Now... how about Albus Dumbledore?" she asked, almost as if questioning the time. A hushed whisper rushed through the crowd. Her smile disappeared instantly. "Silence."

The room went silent instantly. A man in the back raised his hand. Sirena nodded to him. "Waste of power."

She nodded. "Anything else?"

Another hand flew up. "Old fool."

A woman's voice came from the middle. "M-muggle lover."

Sirena cocked her head to the side. "You'll want to be careful about which 'M' word you use, Cheryl."

She turned back to the crowd. "I'm sure most of you are thinking along these lines, correct?" The crowd had a general murmur of agreement. Sirena nodded. "This is for the most part, true. Many of us hate Dumbledore for the foolishness he loves. However, I do not." An air of shock rushed around the room. A small chuckle escaped her lips. "Don't misunderstand... I probably hate him more than all of you combined, but it's not for the things he loves. I don't mind Muggles much," she shrugged before her lazy grin disappeared again in favor of a harsh glare. "What I DO mind is Dumbledore's intense hatred for vampires." She growled, resentment thick in her voice, and looked around the crowd. She took a few breaths to calm down and went back to her cool tone. "Dumbledore's hatred of vampires has gone so far that he not only targets full bloods, but hybrid vampires, such as myself. The vampires are as natural an alliance as the Dementors for us. This adds more urgency on the need to dispose of Dumbledore."

Voldemort took over. "Now, for most of Sirena's lifetime, here, I've been trying to go after a certain Harry Potter. The boy has undoubtedly been very lucky, getting away by mere coincidences over the past few years. In the most recent of which, it was matter of our wands connecting in an odd way... and odd connection that Ms. Lupin's wand would NOT produce. With Dumbledore out of the way, Sirena would easily be able to take care of Potter and we'd be free to do as we wished."

Sirena made eye contact with each person in the room, her ice blue eyes piercing each soul. "When we lose our fears, we lose all that is separating up from our goals. Before we leave here tonight, I want a vow from each of you that you are not afraid of Albus Dumbledore." She smiled slightly. "Convince me... Draco, you first," she said, as he was right in front of her. "I want you to say 'I do not fear Albus Dumbledore.'"

"I do not fear Albus Dumbledore," he said, his voice trying to remain stable.

She nodded. "Now, Draco here isn't even an official one of us yet. He has no Dark Mark and works under Dumbledore every day. He can say it with conviction. I expect no less from the rest of you." She turned to another man. "Nott, What do you think of Albus Dumbledore?"

"I do not fear Albus Dumbledore."

"Good. And you, Avery?"

"I do not fear Albus Dumbledore."

Sirena went around the circle of Death Eaters, ending with Severus before she turned to Voldemort with a small smirk. "Lord Voldemort... what do YOU think of Albus Dumbledore?"

"I do not fear Albus Dumbledore. And you, Sirena?"

She stood up, tall and proud outside, looking like the true leader she was working to be. "I do not fear Al..." her throat caught, a distant memory of him walking into her house... wand poised, potion in hand... she could nearly taste the poison in her mouth again and feel her body healing itself like mad, her cold vampire blood rushing around. She coughed to cover up. "I appear to be getting ill..." she shrugged with a nonchalant smile. "I, of course, do not fear Albus Dumbledore." She ran her tongue over her fangs. "In fact, when we finally kill him, I plan to drain him of every last drop of blood."

The crowd began to get riled up, cheering and talking. Sirena looked to Voldemort, who smiled at her. "You know how to control an audience well," he remarked.

"I'm a performer. It's my job," she shrugged. "Shall we end here and plan later?" Voldemort nodded and Sirena cleared her throat, gathering the attention of the crowd again. "This meeting is officially adjourned. We will have another one relatively soon to plan on how to rid the world of Albus Dumbledore. If there are any questions, please see me..."

Sirena, Severus, and Draco headed back to Hogwarts shortly after everyone else had left. "What do you think, Draco?" Sirena asked, sounding a bit drained.

"I think you're a bloody genius to go after Dumbledore. Potter is a bloody waste of time. You inflate his ego by going after him..."

Sirena beamed. "You sound like me talking to Voldemort. If there's one thing you'll learn, it's that pride controls humans completely. Pride and pity."

Severus was quiet for the walk back, his mind racing. 'Ok, my JOB is to spy... but can I really turn her in? No... how can I tell Dumbledore anything without giving Sirena away? Why do I have a weak spot for her anyway? Pity? Is it pity? She's only a child, after all...or is she?'

Sirena pushed open the entrance way at the Whomping Willow. "Well, we're back," she muttered, climbing out. She looked around at the hundreds of people running around the grounds. She bit the inside of her cheek as the need for blood began to get fiercer. "I'll be in my dormitory if anyone needs me," she said, nodding to each before walking off quickly, hoping desperately that the room would be empty.