The Advice of a Failure. (Closed)

[Marvolo Gaunt]

The waves rocked the boat as Azkaban prison loomed overhead. The rock seemed to always be surrounded by a thunder storm and it reflected the troubles she felt in her soul. Marvolo had no trouble finding someone to shepard her to the prison, the world was slowly turning to two kinds of people, deatheaters and those to weak to oppose them.

As the boat docked against the rocky shore one of the men hopped out and secured the craft to its landing before offering her a hand. Taking it graciously she easily swung out of boat, holding her hood she looked up at the prison. Her long black cloak covered her cargo pants and t-shirt clad body. She did not look to be remembered and simply dressed to fight if needed.

Turning to the captain she said "Wait for my return" her bright eyes cut through any hopes the fearful man had of escape and accepting his furtive nod as compliance she turned and began the climb up the rock on the rickety stairs.

The rock could sense if you were to be imprisoned or not and would not allow you to place a foot on the old stair but it senses the fact she had not seen trial and jury and let her through. She sprinted breathing in the harsh sea air as she scaled the stairs more like a wolf would and not a woman.

Appearing at the gates dementors swirled over head and dove down towards her appraising her tasting her soul with there hollow mouths. She looked into the eyes of deathless fate and reached into its rattling body feeling its cold helplessness and let it fill her. Drawing her wand she chose a memory of Malphas to power her patronus as the wolf burst into life charging them back.

As they fleed from sight, the wolf paced in front of her protecting its master. She had timed her visit to occur when only those loyal or in fear of her uncle and the power they held were on duty. The guards merely held the gates for her as she entered the prison.

The smell of urine and human decay invaded her senses, the inmates shying from the sight of her bright wolf patronus the mere idea of hope seemed to be foreign and frightening to them. Reaching the end of the hall she spoke to one guard and said to whom she had come to see and with a nervous nod the guard silently led her up the lift.

Her wolf restlessly paced in front of her in the lift she could hear the much rowdier sections o the prison in the distance and shook her head, there were some who remained unburdened by azkabans curses.

Finally reaching the top most floor she departed from the lift and extinguished her wolf, choosing to walk in darkness. This was where the most dangerous of men were kept and quartered, where it was to high to have hope anymore, but there was one man she knew still had his wits about him and she came for council.

Approaching his cage she lowered her hood, the pale moonlight falling on her face as she addressed him "Master Grindelwald"

A single being occupied the cell, his clothing filthy beyond belief and his hair balding. He held a book in his hands at which he furiously scribbled in. At hearing his name he looked up, his humanity still intact not lost in the last ten years.

Rising to his feet he walked towards the door his shoulders rolled back and his head held high, "And to whom do I owe the pleasure of this meeting? You are to young to be a member of the minister's cabinet and you are not one of my followers so pray tell who are you and why have you disturbed my incarciration" he rasped in his voice that barely knew use.

Respectfully she bowed her head before meeting his eyes "My name is Marvolo Gaunt, sister to Morana Gaunt and Niece of the Lord Voldemort, Heir to slytherin and the sole wolf in the den of snakes" she said giving her entire title

A ripple of shock creased his weary face before he bowed in respect "Lady Gaunt, such a surprise" he said he did not falter in his speach he was on par with her uncle and she knew he knew this.

"I've come seeking your council.." she confessed

With a furrowed brow he pulled over to him a rotted old stool and perched on the edge "I have not a idea of what I can do to help you but I can try"

She pulled a chair that was left in the hall for her by the guards to her side and sat as well, folding her hands in her lap she said "Do you remember a family by the name of Shadow?"

"Indeed, they became a split house during my reign, I had a few rogue members at my service and others opposed simply for fun but most of them followed me. They go where power is strongest"

Marvolo nodded as he spoke "They have fallen in with my family following my Uncle perfectly loyal until recently. A boy by the name of Felix, he attacked me and at the time I was pregnant. He nearly ended my life and my son's. He was thwarted by a friend and solider. We left Felix a lone for a time but then he killed several children that were the children of one of our highest ranking officers. My uncle ordered me to kill him and i ended his life promptly."

"My problem lies in his relatives response, suddenly I have an army of Shadows fighting against me, they attacked my fiance and I at Hogwarts and have slowly dispatched some of my strongest men, did you ever encounter such a situation?"

The once leader appraised her with sunken eyes before nodding "I did, long before you were a thought in the back of your uncles mind. I commanded a army larger then life, my followers my enlightened legion were vast, but when you are a leader there are those who will oppose you and fight back. I had a situation that mirrored yours, when the family attacked me in retaliation i wiped them out. Only the strong survive in a pure bred world"

He ended his statement with a vicious gleam in his eye, the blood lust had not been stolen from him even after al these years.

"They are powerful, skilled we need them to suc-" "Nonsense!" he roared raising a decrepit fist. "Disloyalty should never be tolerated no matter the circumstance and should they merely end up as tools then use them but beat them down take there limbs make the punishment fit the crime"

She sighed heavily at his response, it was what she expected her uncle to say, it was what she expected to hear bruce say though she knew he aimed to kill instead. Rising to her feet she turned to thank him for his audience when he spoke, "Lady Gaunt if you are to succeed in this dark war of yours, then keep your friends close but these enemies closer. I failed by forgetting whom I could use to my advantage"

He stood on his brittle legs and clutched the bars as he spoke in earnest "You are a Slytherin, manipulate the situation to the highest degree and use it to suit you. Keep these enemies as close to you as you would your son so that in the end you win" he coughed twice before he offered her a bow and stepped back to his moldy bed.

"Thank you Master Grindewald" she said with a nod rising her hood "Remember Dark Princess, power lies in the hearts of your enemies. Grasp those hearts and the victory is yours"