Heart of Darkness

Chapter Twenty-Two

1995

Angelica,
Harry and his cousin, Dudley, were attacked by Dementors today.
Harry produced a Patronus. It was a stag, like James'.
They're both okay, though. I just figured you would like to know.
~Mrs. Figg

"Harry did what?" Sirius asks, breaking from the listlessness and irritability of his cabin fever to worry about his godson. "He's going to get in trouble--"
"He's Harry Potter. He won't get in trouble." Remus assures him.
"He's being tried by the Minister." Dumbledore says, casually walking in the living room. "I shall go with him."
"I want to come." Remus and Sirius said. Sirius knew full and well that he couldn't leave Number 12 Grimmauld Place.
"No. It wouldn't be wise. All will be well."
"Dumbledore, may I speak with you?" I said as quickly as I could.
"No." Sirius scowled. I had talked to him and Remus about it before, and neither of them liked it. Remus, though, saw sense, and Sirius was just thinking emotionally.
"Let's go see if Molly needs help in the kitchen, shall we?" Remus asked, steering Sirius out as he spoke.
"Yes, Angelica?" Dumbledore asked.
"I could be a double-agent." I said quietly.
"I already have one."
"Yes, I know. But Severus could stay safe this way."
"It would be even riskier for him if he dropped out. However, it might be nice to have another."
"But Severus is a child."
Dumbledore smiled a sad little smile. "He isn't a child anymore, Angelica. He's quit capable of making his own decisions. Knowing that Severus would still be involved, do you still wish to make this sacrifice?"
"Yes, if you think it beneficial."
"I do. And how do Remus and Sirius feel about this?"
"I'm still the parent in the equation. They can't stop me."
"You would be comfortable being in the Dark Lord's presence?"
"Is anybody comfortable in his presence?"
He smiled a bit. "Right you are. I'm confident in where your loyalties lie, but not everybody is as trusting as me. Are you willing to have all of that on you?"
No. I wasn't. Not really. "Yes."
I walked into the kitchen to see Sirius grumbling at the table and Remus cracking eggs into a bowl. Molly was mixing cake batter. "What can I do, Molly?" I smiled, my heart heavy.

Hello, Tom.
I've been thinking a lot lately, and I think I may be able to understand your views. Would you like to meet?
Xo
Angelica

Angie,
You don't know how glad I am that you see the light. I would love to meet with you. Name the time and place, and I'll be there.
Love,
Tom

You give the place. A man as powerful as you can't show up for a coffee date.
Xo
Angie

It made me want to gag.
I was going to have to smile. I was going to have to make eye contact. I was going to have to touch him. I was going to have to kiss him.
I was going to have to throw up.
Sirius stood in the doorway, scowling. "I hate this." He snapped.
"Yes, I know."
"I don't want you to go."
"Has it not occurred to you that I don't want to go either?"
He gave me the broken eyes he knew I couldn't say no to. "But Mum, I need you here." He pleaded.
I hugged him and kissed his cheek. "It'll be all right. I'll be home shortly, Sirius. Remus is here to keep you in check."
"But I want you." He pouted.
I patted his cheek and walked out.
Sirius followed me, spouting complaints and various reasons why I shouldn't go. Kreacher was walking by. "... Betraying my mistresses trust..." He was mumbling.
Sirius shot him a dirty look, but continued imploring me.
"Kreacher." I snapped, sick of him.
"Yes, Mistress Black?" Kreacher said, looking pained to give me the title.
"I swear to God, if you say one more word out of line, I'll strangle you."
"No." Sirius said. "I will."
"Yes, Mistress and Mister Black. Kreacher apologizes." Kreacher mumbled, ambling away.
I wanted to strangle him.
"You don't need to defend me." Sirius told me.
"I'm your mother, it's my job."
A grin lit up his face.
"I'll see you later, kid." I forced a smile and walked out.
I knew I could never voice this aloud, what with me trying to not be a bitch and with what I was about to do, but I was kind of glad Walburga and Orion were dead. I was sure the only person I hated more than them would be Voldemort, but I wasn't even sure he counted as a person. Merlin, I hated them. Nobody treats my child like they did and gets away with it.
(That makes it sound like I killed them, but I swear it wasn't me. It was natural causes. I didn't go near them if I could help it.)
I walked into the old building without knocking. "Tom!" I called.
"No, Wormtail. Allow me." A cold voice came from upstairs.
Wormtail?
Voldemort appeared at the top of the stairs and gave a creepy smile. "Angie, hello. Please, come up."
I came up. "Hello, Tom."
He held out his arms for a hug.
I resisted the urge to recoil and walked into them.
Severus is a brave, brave man.
I expected him to smell of rotten flesh, so I held my breath. He held on, though, so I had to breathe, and he actually smelled rather good: like clover, as he always had.
"Would you care for tea?"
"Sure." I said, even though I wasn't sure my stomach could even handle that right now.
"Wormtail! Tea!" He called, leading me by the hand into a room. He gestured for me to sit. "Tell me, Angelica. What changed your mind?"
Good thing I'd rehearsed. "Well, as you know, I lived among the Muggles for quite some time. It led me to see how terrible they are."
"I'm sure you still don't believe they deserve death?"
"No, I don't. But I do think they should be subjugated."
"Wormtail?" Voldemort called, then returned to our conversation. "I'm glad you see the light, Angie. I was truly worried I'd lost you."
"Never. I still refuse to call you lord, though."
"That's all right. May I request that you do so before my Death Eaters, at least?"
"Of course."
"Wormtail!"
Peter Pettigrew scurried in with two cups of tea and placed one before each of us.
"Hello, Peter." I said, torn between anger and sadness.
"Hi, Aunt Angie." He said weakly.
"That would be all, Wormtail." Voldemort said.
"He can stay." I said. "Pull up a chair, sweetheart."
Peter looked at Voldemort, and he nodded, though he looked displeased.
Peter pulled up a chair and sat.
It was very awkward, and I felt just as bad as I had as a teenager. It wasn't an emotion I had liked, or ever wanted to feel again. Sure I'd felt it after Tom went freaking crazy, after James and Lily died, after Sirius got arrested and times such as those, but this was going to be quite permanent.
I swatted away a tear.
"What's wrong, Angie?" Voldemort asked.
"What's wrong, Aunt Angie?" Peter asked at the same time.
I shook my head, not wanting to talk.
"You're dismissed." Voldemort told Peter, and he left. Can I be dismissed too? "What's wrong, my love?"
"I missed you." I lied.
He reached out his hand for me to take hold of. "Well, you needn't any longer."
That was the thing, though.