The Mudblood Games
5155 words
Rating: M
The end of day alarm rang just as Hermione pushed her shovel into the rubble once more. Swaying upon hearing the noise, the shovel dropped from her hands and fell to the ground with a dull thud. Finally free, she lifted a palm and swiped the sweat from her forehead and upper lip as she straightened slowly, her cramped back complaining with pain after being hunched over for so many hours.
Taking in deep gulps of air, despite how muggy it was, she stood silently as she contemplated the work that she had carried out that day.
Her area looked cleaner, her pile smaller, but when she compared it to the previous days pile, she couldn't seem to see the difference she had achieved after her days work despite the bleeding cuts on her hands telling her how hard she'd strained under the fierce sun.
Suddenly feeling a wave of disgust, she quickly closed her eyes tightly and tried to blink away the present reality. Keeping her face and features serene, she blinked back the angry, frustrated tears and kept them at bay.
The sun continued to beat down on the back of her neck causing the beads of sweat at her nape to trickle uncomfortably down her spine. The scratchy robes she'd been forced to wear for the last three years abraded her already chafed and sensitive skin every time she moved.
A far away alarm rang and Hermione opened her eyes. She heard the distant pounding of feet and she swayed once more, her mind already longing for her allocated seven minutes in the lake. Absently she ran through the plan she had been formulating all day in her head.
The first five minutes would surely be spent rubbing away the grime that had stuck to her body over the last two days. With the sudden heat wave that had encroached on Scotland and the rest of the U.K, the dust particles that came with clearing the wreckage site that had previously been Hogwarts, seemed to have magnified in both number and size. Hermione hadn't been the only one trying to desperately stifle the chesty coughs for fear of the guards' wands turning on her. Her throat was completely hoarse as a result.
She would cool it in the lake. She didn't care if she swallowed some of the grime and Merlin only knew what else was lurking in the water, but she would swim further out into the middle of the lake where it would be reasonably clean and she would spend the remainder of her two allocated minutes in her dream world.
A world where she was a free witch and she was merely taking a dip to cool off…and Harry and Ron would be swimming right there beside her as they had done so in the past.
A loud blare startled Hermione back into the present. Her eyes popped open and she, like the others around her, hurried over to the lake as quickly as their sore feet could carry them. The wizards amongst them felt no shame as they discarded their robes and jumped into the cool lake to clean. Even some of the witches who'd given up caring about the lewd stares they received from the guards removed their robes instead of getting them wet.
Hermione jumped into the calling water fully clothed.
Pushing off with her feet, she wasted precious time until she was a dozen metres away from anyone else. Taking in a deep breath, she ducked her head beneath the surface and scrabbled at her skin. The blisters on her hands and feet burned but she ignored the pain as she swiped the dirt off her. Surfacing briefly to breathe, she ducked her head once more and shook and pulled at her hair, cleaning it as best she could.
Five minutes later, she could see her tanned skin once more and she felt somewhat clean for the first time in two days. Momentarily cursing the fact that slaves were only now allowed to wash every other day instead of daily, she pushed the thoughts from her head when she realised that they were encroaching on her time in her dream world.
Shifting until she was on her back, she spread out her limbs and floated in the water. Her robes billowed out around her. Two more minutes of being clean. Two more minutes of being free. Two more minutes before she was dragged back into hell.
ooo
Her robes stuck to her body as she made her way back into the slave camp. She resisted the urge to pull them from her chest with her bound hands but moving even a little wouldn't just mean punishment for her, but for the entire line of witches and wizards that walked in a strict line behind her. She wouldn't do that to them.
As they entered the camp, other captured witches and wizards from the Light sat on the ground in front of their tents. Hermione ran her eyes over as many of her fallen comrades as she could. Some refused to meet her gaze for fear of being punished. Others simply couldn't out of embarrassment. There was a reason why she was always at the front of the line when walking in and out of camp. The Death Eaters were sending out a clear message. That their resistance had fallen. That there was no hope.
But there were still some who looked at Hermione with defiance in their eyes as she passed them. No matter how briefly the flashes lasted, it was one of only two things that kept her going day after day. Not everyone had lost faith, despite how bleak the situation seemed.
And so she stayed strong. She walked into the camp with her chin in the air and her head held high.
ooo
The shackles were removed and Hermione made her way over to her tent. She froze when she looked over at the empty one that stood opposite hers and her eyes immediately flew to the wizard who was kept in the tent adjacent to her. Michael Corner looked up briefly and nodded his head minutely and the air whooshed from Hermione's lungs as practically collapsed down on the earth in front of her tent.
She stared straight ahead and looked at the empty space where her closest friend should have sat. When the guard walked past her without sparing her and the others a glance, Hermione swallowed tightly and her fingers crept up to trace the twin burn marks on her skin. She'd been branded when she'd first been captured and brought here. Three years she'd survived this hell hole. At first, after two years of running after the Lost Battle of Hogwarts, she'd been oddly relieved when she'd been caught. For the first time in so long she didn't need to look over her shoulder anymore, she didn't need to sleep fitfully…she didn't need to be alone.
The burning poker whose end was shaped into the letters B and T had come first. The pain had been more unbearable than Hermione would have guessed. But it hadn't been over. There had been a second poker for her shaped in the letter M. Hermione was the only person in the camp who had both brands burned onto her right arm. It was the first approach they'd tried to use in breaking her.
It hadn't worked.
Hermione continued stroking over the puckered, forever darkened skin.
Blood Traitor. Mudblood.
She no longer cared how they marked her. All she cared about were her friends and her closest one was currently missing from her usual position.
And even though she knew where the witch had been taken, Hermione bit her lip and fretted.
ooo
It had been a rare stroke of luck when Hermione had discovered her tent was opposite a familiar face. They might not have been close in Hogwarts but they'd both been members of the DA and Hermione had never been so thankful to see the witch when she'd first been thrown onto the floor by her tent. Hermione had initially thought the guards would keep her separated from everyone else but they hadn't.
Speaking was forbidden and so the two rarely said anything to each other. When they did it was only a few words in hushed, hurried whispers in case they got caught. And then two weeks after Hermione had been brought to the slave camp, two guards had walked over to her friend one evening just before supper was "served", lifted her off her feet, bound her hands once more and led her away.
Hermione had been forced to bite her tongue to stop herself from crying out in fear of where they were taking her. She had been on the cusp of shouting out when she'd caught Michael's gaze. He'd given her a hard look accompanied by a stiff shake of his head and Hermione had immediately quietened. But her fear hadn't abated.
When the time had come for them to go to bed, her friend still hadn't returned. Hermione had spent the night in a state of terrified panic that she wouldn't see the witch again. And then hours later she'd heard the crunch of feet, a swipe of a knife cutting through rope and then a gruff order to get into the tent and go to sleep.
Hermione had listened to the retreating footsteps with strained ears and when she'd thought it was safe, she'd slowly unzipped the front of her tent enough for her to peek out. She'd breathed in a sigh of relief when she'd seen Padma's back. And then her gaze had taken in her friend's clean skin and her new robes.
Hermione had quickly zipped her tent back up and her puzzlement had turned into shameful burning jealously. It was only when the morning alarm had gone off and Padma had appeared for the morning meal that Hermione had seen the shadows in the Indian witch's eyes. For the first time, she'd wondered on just what the bath and the new robes must have cost the other witch. She didn't feel jealous anymore.
It was a few days later that Hermione had learnt her pretty friend had been privately auctioned off to the highest bidder when she'd been captured. Hermione had never been so thankful for the M burnt onto her arm. No-one wanted a Mudblood to play with when they got bored.
ooo
Hermione awoke with a jolt. For a moment she kept her body still as her mind puzzled over the reason behind the nagging feeling in her stomach. And then she realised what it was. Today was the first time she'd woken up of her own accord. What in Merlin's name was time?
As she sat up from her thin pallet, she become conscious of the movements outside her tent. Unzipping it, she shuffled out, her eyes immediately going over to Padma. Her gaze flew over the witch but as always, she seemed fine… outwardly at least.
Flicking her eyes to her side when she heard another zip detaching, she covertly watched Michael emerge and the worried look he sent Padma's way before he too, bent his head and kept his eyes on the floor as they were instructed to.
Whenever Hermione thought it safe, she glanced up at Padma from behind her long hair. After the seventh look, she caught the witch's gaze and immediately mouthed "Okay?". Padma nodded shakily and they both looked back down. Hermione felt relief unfurl in her empty belly.
ooo
Something was different. Something was going on. There was a suffocating tension in the air and the increasing unease at the sudden change in routine was beginning to ripple over every member of the camp.
What was going on?
A few minutes later the familiar sound of the guard's boots came thumping over and Hermione breathed out slowly. She heard the thuds near her and her breath froze when two feet came to a stop in front of her.
"Get up."
Hermione lifted her head numbly. Where they talking to her? The wizard's eyes burned into hers. She shared a quick look of confused panic with Padma as she stood shakily. The Indian witch had her head bent but was biting her lip ferociously.
Hermione's hands were quickly bound and a muscled, beefy hand came to grip her arm in a painful clutch that caused her bones to grind together.
"You too."
Hermione's eyes widened as she watched Padma slowly stand up, wary confusion in her eyes. And then Hermione heard other members of camp being brought to their feet. A ball of fear settled within her stomach as her gaze flew unchecked from one familiar face to the next. This was no random selection.
She was pulled forward as the guard began walking, pulling her and Padma along behind him. The others followed as many eyes watched in relief at the fact they still remained on the floor.
A loud bang had Hermione's head jerking upwards as a bright green spark flew upwards into the sky before bursting open.
Oh dear Merlin. No.
The familiar skull and snake appeared.
It couldn't be?
Her stomach lurched and for a second, Hermione feared she was going to be sick even though she had nothing in her stomach to cast up.
Had it already been a year? Please no…
She tried to catch Padma's eyes but the witch seemed unable to look away from the eerie Dark Mark that hovered above them. She plodded along behind the guard like an Inferi. Hermione struggled to think.
Five Years ago today.
Her breaths grew shallower until they were coming out in quick bursts. Her heart started beating irregularly as realisation settled over her.
The Mudblood Games.
The fifth Mudblood Games. Five years since the Light had lost.
And suddenly the reason behind the people selected became clear. What little resistance that remained in the camp was about to be wiped out. Hermione finally caught Padma's gaze and she watched the same realisation settle in her friend's eyes.
One of them was going to be hunted and killed tonight.
ooo
The auction had begun. One by one Hermione watched secretly and heard her friends being fought over on who would have the right to chase and slay them tonight.
Voldemort was rewarding his most faithful followers if the select group of Death Eaters present was of any indication. Not that any faces could be made out from behind the white masks but the way in which they held themselves, whether they were standing or lounging in their chairs, and the cowed fearful looks of the lowly servants serving them wine and cheese made it clear that these were the wizards and witches in Voldemort's inner circle.
That and the fact that they were jeering out outrageous amounts of money as they shouted out their bids for a chance to play in tonight's Game. Hermione shivered as Seamus was sold to a female Death Eater for 6,000 Galleons. He was led away into another room and Hermione swallowed the knot of tears in her throat as she realised she wouldn't hear another one of his jokes or his thick Irish accent again.
Padma was jerked forward a step until she was stood on the viewing platform. A few wizards chuckled deep in their throats and Hermione was proud that her friend ignored them and stared dead ahead with her jaw clenched.
"500."
Another wizard scoffed, evidently thinking the amount a measly sum. "1000."
"Two."
The numbers crept higher and higher until a calm voice spoke out over the others.
"10,000 Galleons."
Padma trembled before Hermione turned away from her to look blankly for the wizard that had spoken. There were a few indulgent chuckles but many more annoyed taunts.
"Oh come on Zabini. You've had her for four years. Let someone else have a turn."
Hermione's head reeled. She had never asked Padma for the name of the wizard who had bought her and Padma had never offered the information. Hermione felt strange knowing that it was actually someone she knew from Hogwarts and not an obscure Death Eater. A disgusted chill crept up her spine as she listened to the men fight over her friend.
"I'm not done with her yet." Zabini retorted.
The other wizard grumbled.
"Either bid higher or shut the fuck up."
Hermione zeroed in on the new voice. The masked face turned until it faced her.
"…Some of us have yet to bid on our prey and you bastards are dragging this out for the rest of us."
This time it was Hermione's turn to tremble. Dear Merlin.
She listened to the wizard let out an indignant scoff at the implied message in Malfoy's statement.
"10,050 Galleons." he said in an offended tone.
A tear tracked down Padma's face and Hermione wished she could do something to offer the witch some comfort. She had a feeling she would be in need of some herself soon.
"11,000." Zabini countered easily.
The other wizard swore crudely but backed down and Padma slumped on the platform, her shoulders hunching forward and her arms coming to wrap around her stomach. As she began to be led away, her head twisted back until her gaze sought Hermione's but before Hermione had a chance to read every emotion on Padma's face, she was pulled away into the room Seamus had entered a few minutes previously.
Hermione was left alone.
ooo
She listened to her own auction with a sense of detachment. She knew whose prey she was going to end up being and she had no plans to listen to them shout out ridiculous amounts of money in order to "own" her.
It was only the gavel banging down loudly beside her and the "auctioneer's" voice shouting out the final offer of 20,000 Galleons that brought her crashing back into the present.
She tripped and stumbled as she was pulled down from the platform and she willingly followed the guard as he tugged her away from the room full of Death Eaters.
She was ready to die. She had come to the conclusion forty-five seconds ago… But that didn't mean she was going down without a fight.
ooo
Cruel. That's what they were. Those bastards were utterly cruel. When Hermione found herself being led away in the direction Padma had, she had briefly felt a flare of hope that they were going to held in the same room until dusk tonight.
But the room she was pushed into was unoccupied. Hermione had been struck dumb at the table laden with food before her eyes had fixated on the steaming bath in the corner. The door had been locked behind her and initially she'd been hesitant to move in case this was a trick orchestrated by Malfoy.
If she ate the food, if she took the bath, would she be punished?
She'd stood still for a full five minutes before she'd taken the first step towards the food. When no hex from a wand struck her down, she had all but run to the table and stuffed her mouth with the offerings. Her stomach cramping at the sudden fullness it was experiencing after five years did nothing to halt her actions. She hadn't been able to stop herself from eating.
It was only when she'd felt herself becoming sick that she'd stopped and moved over to the bath. As always, she'd stepped in fully clothed and her skin had tingled as it felt warm water for the first time in months.
Eyeing the small bottles of soap and shampoo, she'd dragged them towards her and scrubbed herself spotless. Almost giddy at the feel of the scented bubbles running through her fingers, she'd sniffed at her hair and laughed out loud at the flowery smell emitting from it.
She was clean!
Eventually she'd been forced to step out of the bath. The water had cooled and the worries racing through her mind on why the Death Eaters would allow their "prey" to eat and clean themselves had gotten too much to take. She had only just changed into the clean black robes that had magically appeared when she'd heard the door unlocking.
The guard had looked over her once before he'd grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her down the corridor.
And here they were.
Hermione had gotten her wish to be put in the same room as her friends but she hadn't expected their respective "owners" to be present and she most definitely had not been expecting to see a large number of wands in a pile on the floor.
After being thrust into the room, Hermione kept her eyes firmly on her feet even as the fine hairs on her nape prickled at the fact that someone's eyes were on her from behind the safety of their white mask.
Padma was brought into the room a minute later and she shuffled forward until her arms brushed against Hermione's. Hermione brushed back.
"You were brought here to choose your weapons for tonight." A cold voice spoke out.
Hermione trembled before she realised that the voice was speaking to them and not the Death Eaters. She wasn't the only one to look up and not stifle their gasp of surprise at the fact they were actually being given a chance to defend themselves.
Her eyes darted back to the pile of wands on the floor, her hand already itching to wield magic once more.
There was a loud echo as the man who had spoken threw a knife on top of the pile. Hermione immediately dismissed it. A knife? Why in Merlin's name would someone pick that over a wand?
"You will step forward and pick your choice one at a time."
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Anthony step forward and pick up a wand. He was quickly followed by Katie. It didn't take very long for the remaining persons in the queue to realise why the knife had been added to the pile.
It wasn't there for variety. Out of the four people remaining to pick up a wand, there were only three still lying on the floor.
Ernie reluctantly clasped one and held it tightly against his chest. Two wands remaining.
Seamus shuffled his feet, refusing to make a decision. He was hit across the back of his knees causing him to tumble to the floor. His hand slowly crept out and he pulled a wand towards him. As he stood he refused to make eye contact with her or Padma. One wand remaining.
And it was Hermione's turn to choose.
She found herself unable to move, her eyes staring dazedly at the wand and the knife as tears began to cloud her vision. She heard the guard move towards her, felt the stir in the air as he moved his arm back in order to cane her behind the knees as he had Seamus and she tensed, waiting for the pain to hit her.
"Halt." came a commanding voice.
Hermione looked up, shocked at the order. That was until she heard the explanation.
"I paid 20,000 Galleons for her. No-one touches her but me."
The guard grunted but said nothing.
The white mask turned to face her. "Pick up the wand, Granger."
Hermione's breathing quickened. She couldn't. She couldn't. Except the worst thing was the realisation that she could. How simple would it be to fall to her knees and drag the wand towards her? To ensure her safety in tonight's Game? It was all so easy. But if she picked the wand- dear Merlin, no!
Padma's hand slipped over her left palm. Fingers threaded and squeezed lightly. Hermione sucked in a shuddering breath as her friend, the one person whose presence had silently kept her sane over the last three years, non-verbally forgave her for the decision she was about to make.
Hermione fell to her knees; her finger's slipping out of Padma's grasp. Tears burned her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was about to do.
Her right hand stole forward…and she gripped the handle of the weapon. She stood quickly before she could change her mind. She barely heard the many gasps or Padma's cries as she bent to pick up what she had been left with.
Hermione simply felt a serene calm spread over her body as she rested the knife against the side of her leg.
ooo
The Death Eaters had filed out silently. The slaves had been kept in the room, separated in various positions against the walls, invisible charms stopping them from touching or speaking to each other.
Hermione looked at Padma.
Padma looked at Hermione.
"I love you." One witch mouthed to the other.
"I love you too." The friend mouthed back.
One of them was going to die tonight.
ooo
Dusk came quickly and there was a feral quality stinking the air.
The participants of the Game were led out to the Forbidden Forest. Rules were explained. The Game was simple. They ran. The Death Eaters chased. If they were caught by those who had bought them, they died…eventually. The prey would be given a fifteen minute head start. Hermione wasn't fooled- it was purely an illusion of escape.
She drowned out the voice speaking. Hermione only had one rule- to kill as many Death Eaters as she possibly could before she was taken down herself.
She looked back down at the knife in her hands. It was heavy and she grew worried.
How did one go about stabbing another person with the intent of hurting them? She had a feeling it would be much harder than saying "Stupefy."
ooo
Hermione had stabbed someone.
She could feel the warm stickiness running down her fingers. The act had been surprisingly straightforward.
When she'd stumbled across the wizard straddling Katie on the forest floor, it had been so easy to creep up behind the man and pierce his flesh with the blade.
After the deed had been done, Hermione had backed away as she'd stared in fascination at the blood coating the silver metal. It had dripped down onto her fingers and she'd wiped it away hastily on her robes.
She'd left Katie lying on the grassy floor as the girl had curled into a ball.
Hermione had to find Padma.
ooo
"Stay here!"
"No- please!"
"Stay!"
"Hermione- Need to find her-"
"It's over-"
"NO! Please! She can't die for me!"
"She won't!"
"Yes she will! Please I need her. I need her!"
"You have me!"
"Please." The prey fell to her knees in front of her predator.
"You know the rules." The wizard spoke in a detached voice as he ignored the sobbing witch at his feet.
"Only one survives… We need to win."
"No!"
"Only one survives."
And this Death Eater was going to make sure that it was his witch still breathing when the Game ended.
ooo
Hermione ran through the forest. Her legs were burning. Her chest was burning. Her eyes were burning.
She'd stabbed someone else. A woman this time. Seamus had wanted to thank her. Hermione had simply carried on running.
And then she heard the loud sobs. Immediately she turned in that direction and whipped through the darkness.
"Granger!"
Hermione gasped as her name was called out. She made the mistake of turning her head and catching sight of Malfoy.
He wasn't close. But he was running like a madman with his wand trailing in the air beside him as he jumped expertly over the forest floor.
Hermione's foot caught on a branch and she fell hard against an unyielding tree trunk. She got up and continued running in the direction of the sobs.
Malfoy was getting closer to her.
Find Padma. Find Padma.
ooo
Hermione forced herself to stop as she finally found her friend. Breathing in painful gasps of air, she took in the sight before her. Padma was kneeling on the ground, her hands clasped around Zabini's knees as she cried.
And Zabini stood stiff over her, his wand held tightly in his fist.
From behind her she heard Malfoy's thundering footsteps bringing him ever closer to her.
And Hermione saw red. Uncaring of the fact that she might make a noise and alert Zabini to her presence, she lifted her knife and ran towards him, ready to plunge the sharp edge into his back.
As she neared him she heard Padma's desperate pleas but Zabini continued to ignore her. Anger burst in Hermione's chest and she let out a hoarse cry.
She watched Padma reel back, her eyes widen in shock as she caught sight of Hermione and just as Hermione was a wand's length away from Zabini, Padma cried out.
"No!"
"Granger! Stop!" Malfoy shouted out.
She couldn't. She couldn't.
Padma pulled herself up and pushed Zabini out of the way.
And Hermione's knife sunk into her friend's chest.
ooo
Time went by so slowly after that. Hermione let go of the knife as if it had burned her and she fell to the floor at the same time Padma did. The knife was still in her friend's chest and her dark eyes were glazing over.
Hermione let out a horrified howl but it was drowned out by Zabini's deafening roar. The wizard caught her friend in his arms, his fingers stroking her cheek once before Padma's body slumped back limply.
Hermione couldn't tear her eyes away.
No. No! What had just happened? What had she done?
Oh dear Merlin! No!
She heard Malfoy's yells but his voice seemed so far away as he shouted. Hermione couldn't move. She couldn't look anywhere else but at her friend.
She didn't care anymore. There was nothing left to live for.
She was ready to die.
"Zabini…No! Granger- Move! Stop!"
A hex hit Hermione's chest and she was thrown onto her back at the force of it. Her skull cracked on a rock and a searing pain spread across her upper body. Her neck twisted excruciatingly to the side.
Hermione's eyes fixed on Padma's face even as they started closing and darkness overtook her. On the brink of the abyss the strangest thought filtered into her head.
What had made her think that out of her and Padma, one of them would actually survive?
They were only two pawns in a game which involved ten.
And they'd both just been eradicated from the chessboard.
ooo
A few hours later an alarm rang through the Forest.
The game was over.
There were no survivors for tonight's fifth annual Mudblood Games hadn't been a simple contest. It had been a sport. A hunt.
And as the two predators watched over their killed prey they realised something.
There were no winners tonight. There were never going to be any.
Author's Note: Welcome to Meus Contraho Duo. I hope those of you who enjoyed Meus Contraho will like reading the oneshots in this collection. I'm not sure how many updates there will be this time round or how quickly they'll be coming your way so I thought I should warn you. The name for the oneshot obviously comes from the Hunger Games but I've put off reading the books or watching the film because I didn't want to take any ideas from it. As always, please feel free to email me or send me a PM with any questions or ideas you have. For those in the UK, I hope you enjoy the four day bank holiday weekend for the Jubilee celebrations regardless of if you support the monarchy or not (It's a free day off work- Yay!). Until next time, Curiositykils.