Torture

Ron

No longer just a nightmare, the snatchers lead us into the Malfoy Manor, shoving and jeering. I paid no attention to them at all; all that mattered was that Hermione would make it out alive. This is all Harry's fault, though I don't blame him one bit. He didn't know how serious it was to say You-Know-Who's name.

Next thing I knew Bellatrix Lestrange was muttering to herself, "If it is indeed Potter, he must not be harmed," She mused. I glanced around to see Harry and Hermione both being held my Death Eaters. I was in the grasp of one myself. I struggled against him briefly but he held a firm grip. "The Dark Lord wishes to dispose of Potter himself," her voice grew quieter, "But if he finds out…I must…I must know,"

She looked at Narcissa and Draco. Naricssa looked gleeful but Draco looked terrible. I hadn't really paid attention earlier when he gave me a look, examining me. "The prisoners must be placed in the celler, while I think of what to do," declared Bellatrix. I saw an outraged look cross Narcissa's face.

"This is my house, Bella, you don't give orders in my-"

"Do it! You have no idea of the danger we are in!" Bellatrix shrieked back, standing up to full height. Fire snapped from the tip of her wand and singed the carpet.

Narcissa looked annoyed and Draco looked even worse, if possible. I've always wanted to see him look this hopeless but now that I have I wish I never did. Narcissa turned toward Greyback, the werewolf. "Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback."

Hermione started toward me, struggling against her captor. Bellatrix's eyes snapped on her and a sense of dread filled me. I knew what she was going to do an instant before she barked the orders, "Wait, all except for the Mudblood."

Hermione looked at me suddenly and her face was drained of all color. "No!" I said immediately, actually breaking the bonds that were the large arms of the Death Eater holding me. "You can have me, keep me!" I ran over to Bellatrix and she slapped me in the face. The pain didn't even register; all that mattered was that I take Hermione's place.

"If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next," She said. She must have enjoyed seeing my face blanch for she added "Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my book. Take them downstairs Greyback, and make sure they are secure, but do nothing more to them." I leapt at her but a Death Eater grabbed me again and started to drag me away from Hermione's frightened face. "Yet," Bellatrix added before laughing.

Something flew through the air and Greyback caught it before I could see it, but I guessed it was a wand. She cut Hermione separate from Harry and the goblin and Dean and dragged her by the hair into the middle of the room. I leapt at her again, blood boiling, but Bellatrix raised her wand and waved it almost lazily and I was tied up to the others.

Greyback shoved us into a smaller corridor and gave me a wide smile, "Reckon she'll let me have a bit of the girl when she's finished with her?" He asked me. He laughed widely as I attempted to punch him in the face. "I'll say I'll get a bite or two, wouldn't you, ginger?" I was shaking with anger. But I didn't attempt to fight him again, knowing it would be unsuccessful.

He shoved us down a flight of stairs and into a dank and musty room. He slammed the door and it echoed everywhere, sending an ominous feeling down my spine. Then I heard a noise that ripped my heart out. Hermione screamed in pain. I fell to the floor and felt tears wet my eyes. "HERMIONE!" I cried out, struggling against the rope. I felt Harry stagger slightly but nothing mattered. "HERMIONE!"

"Be quiet!" Harry said, but I barely heard him. "Shut up, Ron, we need to work out a way-"

"HERMIONE! HERMIONE!" I called again.

"We need a plan, stop yelling-we need to get these ropes off!" Harry moaned as I struggled against the bonds again in complete darkness.

"Harry?" I heard a voice whisper across the room, cutting through the darkness. "Ron? Is that you?"

I stopped shouting, I couldn't believe whose voice that belong too. It was impossible that she would be here, stuck in this cellar. A shadow moved across the darkness. "Harry? Ron?"

"Luna?" I heard Harry say in complete disbelief.

"Yes, it's me! Oh no, I didn't want you to be caught!"

"Luna, can you help us get these ropes off?" Harry asked her, sounding hopeful. I was listening for Hermione but I hear nothing, only Luna saying something about a rusty nail.

Then Hermione screamed again. I screamed myself and fresh tears poured from under my eyelids. Hermione was up there, being tortured. It killed me to hear her screaming. I heard Bellatrix yelling too but, before I could stop myself, I screamed "HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"

"Mr. Olivander?" Luna said, and I shut up again. Ollivander was here? "Mr. Ollivander, have you got the nail?" Luna told him to move over and said something about where the nail was but I was shocked. I felt as if in ten minutes I had been thrown into another world, a world that made no sense.

"You'll need to stand still," Luna said, suddenly beside us again. She worked on Harry.

I heard Bellatrix start talking again, and was shocked to feel pure hatred course through my body. I had never felt so angry before in my life. "I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? Where?"

Sword? What the hell was she talking about?

"We found it-we found it-PLEASE!" Hermione screamed again. I tugged harder than ever, desperate to free myself and save Hermione.

"Ron, please stay still!" Luna whispered. Then it hit me. Hermione was being interrogated about the Sword of Gryffindor. "I can't see what I'm doing!"

I struggled and felt something moving in my pocket. "My pocket! In my pocket, there's a Deluminator and it's full of light!" I exclaimed. I felt Luna's hands in my pocket and, trembling slightly, she removed the Deluminator from my pocket. I heard a click and the room was full of light.

The lights were hanging in midair, unable to return to the lamps in the tent which I had stolen the light from. I saw Luna properly. Her face was white and she looked terrified. I saw Ollivander curled on the floor. I saw Dean and the goblin, still tied up.

Luna thanked me and untied everyone, saying hello to Dean as she did so.

"You are lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it!" Bellatrix roared. I was glad I was free. I leapt up and crossed over to the door. "You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!"

She screamed again. Agony, nothing could describe the noise of Hermione screaming but agony. "HERMIONE!" I screamed.

"What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!" I could see her brandishing the knife in front of Hermione.

I started looking around for some sort of trap door, or alternate exit. I came up empty, glowering. I sucked in a deep breath and turned at the spot, praying that I would be able to apparate without a wand. I was unsuccessful. I swore and tried again, desperate to save Hermione.

"There's no wait out Ron," Luna said, giving me a sad look. "The cellar is completely escape-proof. I tried at first. Mr. Ollivander has been living here a long time and he's tried everything.

Hermione screamed again and I fell to the floor. I couldn't bear it; I couldn't bear the sound of my love screaming. I could tell it would be ten times worse than physically being tortured myself.

"What else did you take what else? ANSWER ME!" Bellatrix cried and I covered my ears, knowing what was next. "CRUCIO!" She screamed.

Hermione's scream was the worst yet. I started sobbing myself, pounding at the door, desperate to get out, desperate to take the pain so Hermione couldn't feel it. I swallowed and started to scream gain. I heard Harry mumbling to someone but I wasn't sure who. "Help us! He said, sounding madly desperate, we're in the cellar of Malfoy Mannor, help us!"

Hermione was screaming worst than ever, and I also heard several bangs. "HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"

"How did you get into my vault?" Bellatrix screamed. "Did that dirty goblin in the cellar help you?"

"W-we only met him tonight!" Hermione sobbed. "We've never been inside your vault…it isn't the real sword! It's a copy, just a copy!"

"A copy?" Bellatrix roared. "A likely story!"

"Oh," I heard Lucious Malfoy drawl and I wanted to punch something, "But we can easily find out. Draco, fetch the Goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not!"

I heard Harry dash over to the goblin and I followed, right on his heels. "Griphook!" Harry whispered "You must tell them that that sword's a fake, they mustn't know it's the real one, Griphook, please!" Harry said. I was about to add something when I heard Malfoy speak.

"Stand back! Line up against the back wall. Don't try anything or I'll kill you!" I sighed and crossed to stand beside Harry. At the last instant I fumbled for the Deluminator and clicked it, making the lights disappear.

Malfoy grabbed Griphook and marched out, glaring at me as he did. But in his eyes I saw what I thought was fear. The door slammed shut and I heard what sounded like someone aparating. I fumbled for the Deluminator and and clicked it.

"DOB-" I screamed, utterly shocked. Harry smacked my arm I realized how stupid I was. This could be our way out and I could've blown it. I heard Draco's footsteps above me. I saw how nervous Dobby looked and guessed it was probably because he was in the cellar of his old masters who beat him on a daily basis.

"Harry Potter," He squeaked, turning to face Harry. He did a small bow. "Dobby has come to rescue you." He smiled at Harry, then at me.

"But how did you…" Harry began asking. Then Hermione shrieked again. It took all I could not to pound on the door, screaming her name. More anger than before filled up inside me. I felt I could kill You-Know-Who myself if he were in this cellar.

"You can Disapparate out of this cellar?" Harry asked Dobby, who nodded. "And you can take humans with you?" He asked again. Again Dobby nodded. "Right. Dobby, I want you to grab Luna, Dean, and Mr. Ollivander, and take them…take them to-"

A sudden idea hit me. I knew where they could be safe, where everyone could be safe. "Bill and Fleur's," I said. I saw Harry raise an eyebrow but I didn't elaborate. "Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinsworth!" Dobby nodded again.

"And come back," Harry said. "Can you do that Dobby?" He looked nervous, as if Dobby would forget to come back.

"Of course, Harry Potter," Dobby whispered, as if outraged Harry has suggested he would abandon them. He crossed the room to Mr. Ollivander, who looked just awful, and took his hand. Then he held his other out to Luna and Dean, but neither of them moved. Annoyance flooded through me. Here was their chance to escape yet they chose to gawk at Harry as if he were stupid.

"Harry, we want to help you," Luna whispered.

"We can't leave you here," Dean said.

"Go, both of you! We'll see you at Bill and Fleur's." Harry clamped his hand to his forehead and fell to the floor, obviously in pain. The look on his face scared me more than anything else that night. Well, it was a close second to Hermione's pain. And now the silence from above. The silence scared me beyond belief.

Just then Hermione screamed and I realized I would rather hear silence then her screaming. But it didn't affect me as bad this time. I'm not sure why but I think it was because we were so close to escaping, or just because all of what happened recently left me without a heart. Either way now I was determined.

"Go!" Harry barked, louder than necessary, "Go! We'll follow, just go!" He straightened up, still looking rather clammy.

Dobby looked briefly at Harry and vanished, perhaps leaving us without an escape…