107

                                    

                                          
I pushed the door to the Dark Lord's study open as I prepared for the worst. He sat behind the large desk with his hands crossed, waiting for me to show my face today. I could see the anger in his eyes as his expression was dangerously calm. 
"How hungover are you?" He asked me as he tilted his head to the side. I gulped once as I slowly shut the door behind me. 
"I'm fine. Draco gave me medicine." I said quietly as I waited for him to give me orders. 
"I wanted to see you this morning. Heard you still weren't up for it. Do you know how difficult you make things for me?" He asked with a calm tone. I think his relaxed manner was more frightening than if he were screaming at me. "Sit." He huffed out as he pointed to the chair in front of him. 
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, unable to get my tone to come out any louder. "I'm a kid. And I was being so unexplainably stupid. I had a few drinks, some boy was trying to drug me up, I didn't even know he had called for you because I had literally passed out on a couch. I know this all sounds unrealistic, but I promise you-"
"I've seen it." He raised his hand and cut me off. "There's no need to explain. I've seen it all. Legilimency is my most powerful tool." He told me softly. I closed my mouth as he cut my words off, realizing that he made a good point. He'd see my innocence for himself. He already had. 
"Please, don't hurt me." I whispered as I sunk back into my chair. He stared at me, and held the same composure he had the entire time I had been in the room. Deathly calm, cool, and collected.
"I put a lot of faith into you, Juliet. You proved me wrong this time. You're just as stupid and naive as most children are." He said as he rose from his chair. Nagini slithered out from the desk and sat in front of me, knowing how much she intimidated me. 
"I didn't do it. I'm so sorry," I pleaded with him. He stepped out to the front of the desk and stood in front of me. 
"I really don't like punishing you. I tell you time and time again how much promise you show me, and yet every time I feel as though you are ready, it seems like we take two steps backwards." He explained. "Are you proud of your actions? Do you not think about anyone else? Think of how embarrassed your parents were to hear of this incident. Or how Draco felt when I had to wake him in the middle of the night because you were off drunk in the middle of hogsmeade." He told me as he squinted his eyes. 
"I didn't know that boy was going to do that to me. I'm sorry," I choked out as my tears started to form. For once I was truly scared. He didn't say a word as his harsh face stared at me. 
"I need to be on my way. I have places to be," he told me lowly. "There is one reason I am letting you live, Juliet Brown. It's not for the looks. It's not for the personality. It's because I am on my way to receive something that you made possible," he whispered as he scratched his nails across my cheek slowly. 
I let out a hiss as his claws dug into my skin, surely leaving a giant scratch for everyone to see. I deserved it, and if it was the maximum amount of punishment I would be receiving from him, I would take it any day of the week. 
"What would that be, my Lord?" I asked as my breathing tried to return itself to normal. He smiled widely as he rubbed the flowing blood down my cheek dramatically. 
"The elder wand," he breathed. My stomach dropped as he said the words. He would be going to Hogwarts, the place where they only allowed one processor to be buried. 
Albums Dumbledore holds the wand. He's going back to Hogwarts. 
I prayed to Merlin that he wouldn't cause any trouble on his trip there. Surely, without Harry there he wouldn't have any interest in reeking anymore havoc amongst the innocent students. I also assumed Snape would be sure the castle remained unharmed, but if it made the Dark Lord happy, who knew the extent Snape would go to.