Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter and do not claim that it is of my own creation. So don't sue me; I'm innocent!
A/N: This fanfiction is based off of one of my roleplays. Let me know what you thought of this and enjoy! :3
Chapter I
Gideon Fortescue marched through the slave market, ticking his fingers against the bars of rows and rows of cages. "What a despicable place," he complained. Everywhere he looked was brown with dirt, even down to the clothes of the cages occupants.
"Master Fortescue," the market's seller addressed him, "would you require any assistance in your shopping?"
Gideon ran his hand through his long dark brown hair. "Don't you have anything different?" he demanded.
"I don't quite know what you mean, sir," the seller answered, flustered.
Gideon's dark eyes flared with anger at the man's incompetence. "Never mind," he snapped. "I'll look on my own." He continued down the line of cages and the seller trailed closely behind, still making feeble attempts to please him.
Chloe Sanders was huddled in a ball, trying to comfort herself as she waited inside her small cage, just like she had done every day since she had been caught by snatchers. It seemed like an eternity since she was forced to give up her freedom, but Chloe knew that it couldn't have been more than a few weeks ago. It was long enough for the clothes she wore to have holes and for her long blonde hair to appear dirty brown, but not long enough for her emerald green eyes to lose their shine. She kept the hope that some kind person would take pity on her and take her away from this place, but she couldn't help but to worry that this market would be a haven compared to where she might end up next.
The sound of voices floated over the cages and Chloe sat up to see the top of a head towering over the wall of cages in front of her. The buyer rounded the corner and Chloe shrank back in her cage as she recognized his face. Fortescue. Chloe knew all the stories. He had never used the Avada Kedavra curse but preferred to kill his victims much more slowly. Of all the Death Eaters, he was the most feared.
As soon as Gideon caught sight of Chloe's bright eyes, he bent down to look at the sign posted in front of her cage. "Half-blood," Gideon read, "Good for anything, is obedient."
"This one," he told the seller and Chloe tried to back up even further into her cage until her back was pressed against the bars on the other side.
"Fine choice sir, for you I will give you a special price of only 50 Galleons. She's usually 200," the seller said.
A smirk crossed Gideon's face. "Very well," he said curtly and handed over the money. He didn't think he could ever get tired of that superior feeling he got when he associated with others.
The man quickly counted his money before opening the cage. "Come out girl, your new master is waiting." Chloe slowly stood up, looking at the ground and shaking nervously. When she didn't come quickly enough, Gideon grabbed the upper part of Chloe's arm and forced her out of her cage. She winced as he grabbed her, but she did not struggle. Gideon dragged her along at her brisk pace out of the slave market and then disapperated the two of them back to his stone mansion.
It was almost dark when they apperated and the dusk lighting didn't make the large hallways any more welcoming. Gideon led her to a room in the basement with a cold cement floor and walls. A faint odor of mildew hung in the air and other than an old rusty sink and a sagging bed, there were no decorations.
"You sleep here," he said gruffly. "Don't even think of running away. The tracking spell placed on you will make you feel a compulsion to return to me that you cannot escape." With a swish of his cloak, Gideon left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Chloe stared blankly at the closed door before slowly walking over to her bed and sitting down on it. The old bed supports squeaked loudly in protest and the mattress only sunk down lower. Before long, she lied down and fell asleep shivering.