Thursday, February 23, 2012

Voldemort 2012

“Many of our oldest family trees become a little diseased over time,” Voldemort said as Bellatrix gazed at him, breathless and imploring.  “You must prune yours, must you not, to keep it healthy?  Cut away those parts that threaten the health of the rest.”

“Yes, my Lord,” whispered Bellatrix, and her eyes swam with tears of gratitude again.  “At the first chance!”

“You shall have it,” said Voldemort.  “And in your family, so in the world . . . we shall cut away the canker that infects us until only those of the true blood remain . . . .”

Voldemort raised Lucius Malfoy’s wand, pointed it directly at the slowly revolving figure suspended over the table, and gave it a tiny flick.  The figure came to life with a groan and began to struggle against invisible bonds.

“Do you recognize our guest, Severus?” asked Voldemort.

Snape raised his eyes to the upside-down face.  All of the Death Eaters were looking up at the captive now, as though they had been given permission to show curiosity.  As she revolved to face the fire-light, the woman said in a cracked and terrified voice, “Severus!  Help me!”  “Ah, yes,” said Snape as the prisoner turned slowly away again.

“And you, Draco?” asked Voldemort, stroking the snake’s snout with his want-free hand.  Draco shook his head jerkily.  Now that the woman had woken, he seemed unable to look at her anymore.

“But you would not have taken her classes,” said Voldemort.  “For those of you who do not know, we are joined here tonight by Charity Burbage who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

There were small noises of comprehension around the table.  A broad, hunched woman with pointed teeth cackled.

“Yes . . . Professor Burbage taught the children of witches and wizards all about Muggles . . . how they are not so different from us . . .”

One of the Death Eaters spat on the floor.  Charity Burbage revolved to face Snape again.

“Severus . . . please . . . please . . .”

“Silence,” said Voldemort,with another twitch of Malfoy’s wand, and Charity fell silent as if gagged.  “Not content with corrupting and polluting the minds of Wizarding children, last week Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defense of Mudlboods in the Daily Prophet.  Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic.  The dwindling of the purebloods is, says Professor Burbage,k a most desirable circumstance . . . .l  She would have us all mate with Muggles . . . or, no doubt, werewolves . . . .”

Nobody laughed this time:  There was no mistaking the anger and contempt in Voldemort’s voice.  For the third time, Charity Burbage revolved to face Snape.  Tears were pouring from her eyes into her hair.  Snape looked back at her quite impassive, as she turned slowly away from him again.

“Avada Kedavra.”

The flash of green light illuminated every corner of the room.  Charity fell, with a resounding crash, onto the table below, which trembled and creaked.  Several of the Death Eaters leapt back in their chairs.  Draco fell out of his onto the floor.

“Dinner, Nagini,”said Voldemort softly, and the great snake swayed and slithered from his shoulders onto the polished wood.

-- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Chapter 1

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Were you making a point?

If you intend to reprint the entire book one chapter at a time, I think the IP owners will take offense.

Anonymous said...

The Potter series was (as folklore assures us) written by a single Mum on the dole.

It shouldn't surprise that her series is an allegorical tale between pure bloods and muggles. The interesting question is, did she write the allegory because she believes in the message? Or did she write it because she knew it would make the books easier to sell?