mother of wands (d.m) part two

IX

"Where are we?" I ask cautiously, his stance coming across as standoff-ish.

"My dear, I need your assistance with someone." He turns to me, a lightness in his eyes that wasn't there just a second ago. "All will be revealed soon, but for now I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"

I shiver at the thought of following him into the darkness of the surrounding wood but what other choice do I have?

I can apparate myself away and hope to never be found again, but he would find me just the same as my fathers friends were on the tail of my mother.

And what would I do without Draco? We've come this far, I can't abandon him now.

So I bite my tongue and say, "Of course, my Lord."

He smiles, pleased with himself. "Grand, not to far now, just up along the bank of this river."

I follow closely behind, silently wishing he had let me change before we ventured off, a chill running down my spine as I wrap my arms around my chest to warm myself up.

His long tattered black robe is a dark contrast to the greenery around us, the orange and red leaves falling off the trees and floating down around us like a canopy.

We trudge in silence, the crunching of the mud beneath our shoes the only sound between us. We round a small corner just past an abnormally large pine tree, the wind seeming to howl as we continue.

A tiny cabin like building comes into view not to far ahead of us, my stomach dropping as I realize this is our destination.

We approach the small red door, Voldemort's thin hand reaching out and rapping on the wood three times quickly, and two times slow.

'A code to remember,' I think, filing it away in the crevices of my mind.

The small and chubby man with mouse like features answers the door, his eye peaking out from the tiny sliver of an opening.

"My Lord?" A shaken voice croaks out.

Voldemort gets impatient as he pushes past, knocking the man out of the way and gesturing for me to follow.

"Of course it's me, Pettigrew!" He shouts angrily. "Peter, you imbecile."

The room is bigger than I expected, the tiny cabin expanding into a much larger area indoors. There's a roaring fireplace with a black cauldron hanging above the fire, Grey smoke billowing out as it brews some unknown potion, a small chair in the corner presumably for Peter and an empty doorframe that appears to lead to a kitchenette.

Opposite the seat lies another man, his long white beard stained with dried blood and his clothes ripped and hanging off his brittle bones.

I have to stop myself from audibly gasping when I see him, Voldemort already hovering above him familiarly.

"Ollivander..." He begins. "I've brought someone to meet you, I think you two could grow to be the best of friends."

I remember the name from my time in Diagon Alley, a small shop that still had students bustling in and out before Athena and I left for Hogwarts. He's a wand maker, presumably, the wand maker for young witches and wizards.

I should have known Voldemort would capture and torture him for any information about the Elder wand, of course he would be the first place to look.

How long had he been stuck here in this cabin with Pettigrew? His cheeks were sunken and his eyes were yellow and black underneath, his lids begging to stay open.

The Dark Lord motions for me to stand beside him, his icy forearm pulling me close with an invisible string. Ollivander struggles to look up, his movements creaking as his raises his chin to meet my gaze, a chain around his neck making it impossible to go far.

I watch as a horror crosses his eyes, his chest rising and falling faster as he blinks rapidly. He seems to gain strength as he picks his legs up to stand at my height, metal rattling as he stumbles.

"It... It can't be..." He whispers to himself as he takes me in. "A Grind- A Grindelwald?"

Surprisingly, I look to the Dark Lord for guidance. He nods, signaling me to tell him.

"Yes. I'm his daughter." I say as confidently as I can muster.

His brow furrows as he opens his mouth in confusion and awe. We both stay like that for a second, silent and waiting for the next move.

Suddenly, Ollivander leaps up from his position across from me and grabs my arms pulling me down with him.

"Impossible!" He screams, his chains just long enough to gain access to my neck as he has me in a chokehold.

I cry out as my back cracks when we hit the floor, agony flaring up my spine like wild fire. I bit my cheek to keep from setting the cabin ablaze as we tussle, Voldemort sighing above us.

"Relashio," He yells, finally, as air fills my lungs. Ollivander is smashed against the wall, both hands out like wings as he stares at me with wild eyes.

"Impossible!" He shouts, spitting in my direction. "Grindelwald has no heir or heiress! You're a thief!"

"Listen to me closely Garrick," The Dark Lord begins. "The sooner you answer our questions, the sooner this will all be over with."

He shakes his head, "I don't work for you, I will never work for you! You're a monster!"

Voldemort cocks his head to the side, "But I gave you what you wanted, you didn't like being stuck in the Manor so we brought you here. We've given you everything you've asked for."

Stuck in the Manor? He's been in Malfoy Manor? This whole time he was right underneath Draco and I and we had no idea.

"This is your last chance to help us," He starts, revealing his wand from under his cloak. "I really didn't want to have to use one of the unforgivable curses on you."

Before I can stop him, the cruciatus curse erupts through the room with a bright red light. I shield my eyes as Ollivander screams in agony, Voldemort's laugh ringing along with it.

Finally, it stops, Ollivander landing on the ground with a thump, coughing as he gets up on all fours.

"Now I will ask you one more time," The Dark Lord whispers as he saunters up to the nearly dead body. "Harry's wand? How do I defeat him?"

Ollivander catches his breath, turning up to face him with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry... I don't know."

His voice is sincere, he's given up.

Voldemort is displeased with this answer as he paces back and forth, his heavy breathing audible.

Suddenly, he points to me. "What about her. If she leads me to the Elder Wand can I use it against him?"

He shrugs, "I don't see why not, but the wand has been missing for years. And I doubt Grindelwald's daughter can do anything about it..."

My chest tightens as I realize he's exposing me, "My Lord, I have no doubt that through my help we will find you the Elder Wand."

He turns to me with a fierceness I had never seen before, as he grips my neck.

"You better."

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