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Chapter One: Caged Bird Freed


She lay on her back on the cold floor, staring at the stone ceiling of her cell, once again counting the cracks in the stone. The occasional raindrop found it's way through the tiny square window when the wind was just right, to fall into her hair and face, but she never moved.

Outside, the weather was as dreary as it was inside the wizard's prison. Azkaban was a place of dim light, misery, and it's fair share of madness. All around her in the other cells came the intermittent cries of pain and despair, people begging for freedom from someone who wasn't there. Other than that, there was little sound in the prison, filled to the brim with dangerous criminals, supporters of the Dark Lord, and their dark Dementor guards. But little did the occupants of those many cells know that their hush was about to be disturbed.

The doors of the prison were flung open as if by the winds, letting in a torrent of rain and cold. In the doorway stood the only salvation most of the prisoners had; Lord Voldemort. He stood there like a king on his throne for a moment before sweeping into the prison, robes flowing behind him. He was followed by the few Death Eaters who had escaped capture in the Ministry of Magic a month ago.

Voldemort wandered slowly through the prison, drinking in the pure desolation of the dank and dismal place. Those who were still capable of speech called out to their lord. The most recent prisoners seemed to be the loudest.

"Yes, yes, my loyal followers," Voldemort said blandly, obviously uninterested in their frantic pleas. "I am here to free those who would serve me well." He nodded to the Death Eaters who had arrived with him and they began opening cell doors, uninhibited by the Dementors. The Dark Lord observed those being freed with a careful eye. Many of the prisoners, those who had once been his followers, were too far gone to even realize that their freedom was a step away. Voldemort passed by their cells with an air of contempt. He noticed with slight distain that those who had been captured in the Ministry affair did not seem to be much affected by their stay.

"Are there some among the rest of the prisoners who wish to be free of Azkaban?" he asked, calling out to those who had were not in Azkaban for crimes done under his orders. "I require someone new. Someone who is skilled as a thief and spy. Someone who would be able to infiltrate places such as Gringotts and Hogwarts." He paused, waiting for someone to volunteer. When no one did, he frowned. "Do none of you possess such skills? It would be such a pity if that were so..."

There was only silence. Voldemort let out a hissing breath...

Inside her cell, she was pressed against the back wall under the window, heart pounding. She had leapt to her feet and hidden herself in the shadows when the Dark Lord had entered the prison. Now, she rapidly assessed the situation. A little hesitantly, she took a step out of the shadow and called out, "I can help you." She was pleased that her voice didn't shake.

Voldemort turned at the sound of her voice. "And who would you be?" he asked, his eyes piercing the shadows of her cell.

"Raven," she replied. She was young, a teenager. She stood at the back of her cell again, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. She lifted her head to look at him and he saw that her eyes were a pale, crystal blue, and just as piercing as his own. "So," she said, "you're him, then? The Dark Lord. He-who-must-not-be-named. ...Voldemort."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes. "You speak my name boldly, little girl."

"Maybe I'm not the 'little girl' I appear to be."

"How old are you?" he asked, approaching her cell.

"I'll be sixteen in August," she replied.

"Tell me, /Raven/," the Dark Lord said, giving her an inquiring look, "what is a sixteen year old girl doing in Azkaban?"

"I don't really know," she said, dropping her gaze a moment.

"Why do you think?" he pressed.

She looked up again, but not at him. "I think...that I'm accused of murdering my mother."

Voldemort smiled slowly. "And did you?"

Raven smiled back. "What do you think?"

"How old were you when your mother died?" he asked instead of answering.

"Three years old."

"You didn't kill her."

"You're right."

"Who did?"

... "That...I really don't know," she said, struggling to keep her voice even.

Voldemort ran a pale hand down the bars of her cell. "Yes, well," he said, "you intrigue me, Raven-child. Do you wish to be free of this cage?"

"And what would I do with that freedom?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Serve me," Voldemort told her. "Follow me and see the power with which you will be rewarded."

"What if I don't want power?" she asked softly, looking at the floor again. "What if what I want...isn't something you can give me?"

"And what do you want?"

"I want my friend back." She lifted her eyes to his, "But not even you can raise the /dead/, Dark Lord."

"Who was your friend?" Voldemort asked. "Someone who was here in Azkaban?"

"Yes," she said, "he lived in the cell next to mine." She nodded to the empty cell on her right. "Before he escaped, that is."

"Bella?" Voldemort called.

Bellatrix stepped forward from the ranks of Death Eaters now watching the conversation. She lifted her mask and smiled cruelly. "I believe that was the animagus Black's cell, my lord."

"Yes, Sirius Black," Raven said. Her crystal eyes had locked onto Bella as soon as she'd stepped forward. The Death Eater seemed disturbed by her stare.

"What?" she asked crossly, taking a small step back.

"You're the one that killed him," Raven replied. Her voice was very quiet, but there was no denying the hinted threat in her tone.

Voldemort stared at the girl, his eyes narrowed in thought. He seemed to be considering something...or trying to recall something that escaped his mind. Finally, he said softly, "Come with me out of this place, young Raven. You belong with those who can appreciate your skills and put them to good use."

But Raven simply smiled at him, her eyes narrowed as well. "This place has been my home for nearly thirteen years. Can't you give me a better reason to leave than that?"

Voldemort's expression became dangerous blank. "I could always give you freedom by simply killing you."

Raven now looked amused, which only irritated Voldemort more. "I'd love to see you try."

That pushed the Dark Lord too far. His wand was suddenly in his hand and pointed at the girl, who stood amazing calm despite the threat of certain death. In fact, there was a certain calculating look upon her face.

Voldemort smiled cruelly, but felt a bit disappointed. "It was absolutely delightful to meet you, Lady Raven. It is a shame that we could not become further acquainted. Avada Kedavra!" A flash of green light erupted from his wand and hit Raven in the chest. She doubled over, clutching her chest where the spell had hit... and then she stood straight. Her pale face was now lit by the green light. In her hand, she held a globe of it. The Killing Curse contained in the palm of a child's hand. She held it a moment, smiling in triumph, and then closed her hand around the light, smothering it. It disappeared, as though it had never been there at all. The Death Eaters behind Voldemort stared in shock.

For a moment, the girl's triumph was mirrored in the Dark Lord's eyes. He smiled slowly and tapped the end of his wand to the bars of the cell. He stepped back as the door swung open. Raven didn't move. "You're powerful, you know," she said, sounding quite impressed. "That actually stung."

"How were you able to do that?" Voldemort murmured the question.

"I have no idea," she told him, laughter edged her words. "You're the second person to 'kill' me with that curse. You're the second person to fail."

"Join me, Raven," Voldemort said, offering his hand to her. "Earn your freedom by allow me to use this talent of yours."

Again, Raven didn't move. "One condition," she said, as though asking a favor.

"Yes?"

"I won't kill anyone," she told him. "And I won't torture anyone either. You have plenty of followers who are skilled enough at those tasks. I don't want to be counted among them."

"I do not believe that is too much to ask," Voldemort replied. "Very well."

"Then I'll go with you," she said, stepped forward. She cautiously placed her hand in his and allowed him to draw her out of the cell.

Now that she was no longer in shadow, Voldemort could see how truly pale she was. As though her skin had never once felt the warmth of the sun. She was really too thin to be beautiful, but nor was she plain. Her eyes were large compared to her face, and a striking crystal blue in color. She had black hair so dark that he saw hues of blue through it when she moved. It hung in a untidy braid down her back to her waist. She had a strange sort of wraith-like allure about her.

Seeing her in the light; seeing what she really looked like, the triumph returned briefly to Voldemort's eyes. He held up his wand, "Allow me to place my mark upon you, Raven," he said. "Your arm, if you please."

Raven, having seen the Dark Mark on the Death Eaters over her years in Azkaban, obediently rolled back her left sleeve and offered it to Voldemort. There was a slightly troubled look upon her face as he held her arm though. Voldemort touched the tip of his wand to her pale forearm and murmured the spell. The mark burned into her arm, and he was pleased to see that she didn't wince or cry out in pain as many of his followers had done in the past.

He released her arm, but she grabbed hold of his sleeve to make him still. "Wait," she said, watching the mark on her arm. As they both stared at it, the mark slowly faded to nothing.

"I though that might happen," Raven said, apologetically. "It's the same as the Killing Curse, Dark Lord. I am resistant to wizard magic. Only a very powerful wizard or witch can have any affect at all. The fact that the Dark Mark appeared at all is a sign of your capability."

Voldemort, strangely enough, did not look surprised. "What to do then?" he murmured. "We'll figure it out later," he said after a moment of thought. "For now, we depart this place you called home." He turned to the Death Eaters as Raven quietly stepped over to join them. The Death Eaters and Raven bowed to the Dark Lord as he walked past them. They followed him out of Azkaban, some of them for the first time in over a decade.