I've finally adjusted to college life, and I'm about to start a series of breaks because the holiday season is soon to begin! Yea! I will be able to get back to this story! I have some seriously wondrous ideas! Please review, and if you have any ideas that you would love to share, I am always all ears! I love my readers!

Sp

I am a ghost…at least that is what the mirror tells me. I try to avoid it, but when I accidentally see the shadow I have become, I immediately zone in on the bony pale face and the dark, paunchy eyes. I look like a Malfoy, which I guess is to be expected since I am currently held captive in their manor.

The house is beautiful, nobody can deny it, but it is dark…like the Death Eaters. The inhabitants use candles sparingly, only when absolutely necessary to see. Most of the time the monsters pop a quick "LUMOS!" spell to see their path and actions. Unfortunately for me, this is not a possibility since my wand was confiscated upon my arrival.

Every morning at half past eight, Narcissa Malfoy wakes me up by carelessly barging into my room and violently shaking me. Much of the time I am already awake. However, she gives no thought to that. In fact, she seems distracted. Perhaps the prospect of all the visitors in her house is beginning to wear her out too.

Sometimes I am given work to do, such as cleaning or acting as a personal servant to a Death Eater who needs to concentrate on a mission. However, most of the time I am left to wander around the house aimlessly which I find even more painful than being forced to witness evil straight on. With nothing to do, I sit and imagine what could have been and what is to come. At least work can distract me from my doom and the doom of those left that I care about. When working, I can switch into robotic mode, a technique I have been attempting to perfect. I can literally shut off my brain and disconnect all thinking switches. That way I cannot be traumatized by what I see or hear, and I can shut out the past. After all, as Bellatrix Lestrange constantly reminds me: Harry and Ron are gone, and they are never coming back.

SP

"Some stupid ten-year-old used the Dark Lord's name in Surrey last night," snarled Goyle while pouring through a newspaper eating toast and marmalade.

"That made the news?" snorted Astoria Greengrass, the newest member of the Death Eaters. "Honestly, the Daily Prophet is a mindless piece of trash. How can you enjoy reading that filth?"

"I assure you that I do not enjoy it," Goyle retorted, violently turning the page. "Unfortunately, this little task was delegated to me specifically by the Dark Lord."

"Isn't it Crabbe's job to edit and censor the paper daily?" Astoria questioned.

"Yes, but we have to make sure he doesn't…miss things. Everyone makes mistakes."

Astoria snorted loudly. "What are you…Albus Dumbledore?"

CRASH! I dropped the pitcher of pumpkin juice I was holding. Upon hearing the loud clamor, Astoria looked up at me and cackled sourly.

"STUPID MUDBLOOD!" Goyle yelled. "Clean that shit up now!" He pointed his wand at me threateningly and I scurried into the kitchen to find a rag. Fortunately, Kroy, the house-elf, was waiting near the entrance with a towel. He smiled at me sympathetically and motioned for me to go back into the dining room. I silently thanked him before turning around to face the touchy wrath in the room.

"You better be able to serve me some Pumpkin Juice within the next six seconds or I will curse you!" Goyle threatened, attempting to intimidate me. Although everything frightens me nowadays, the Crabbes and Goyles don't as much. The two burly fathers are just as stupid as their sons. Apparently ignorance and insolence runs in the family. Nevertheless, they have the wands, and I have nothing. Even the House-elves have their certain types of magic that in all actuality are stronger than the wizards'. Technically, I rank below them in power. I am the same as a muggle now, a captured muggle that is being dangled over a pit of darkness.

After hastily cleaning the spill non-magically and pouring some new Pumpkin Juice, I lean up against a counter in a dark corner of the kitchen taking deep breaths. Astoria's remark had been completely mindless and stupid. Her weak attempt at sardonic banter should not have phased me at all, but unfortunately for me, I'm quite touchy. Everything bothers me nowadays. Astoria is probably gaily cackling in the dining room, proud of herself for affecting the "mudblood". I wish I could say that I am striving to show them my true strength someday, but sadly, I am just trying to hold on. No matter how weak the taunt, I am put out. I have turned into the bully's easiest, yet still most satisfying target.

Sp

Luckily, in the afternoon, I can manage to steal away to the library. The Dark Lord is currently abroad, meaning the atmosphere in the Malfoy house is not quite as cutthroat as normal. When He is in town, a hushed, creepy silence overtakes the manor. Everyone is afraid to disturb him, since doing so could lead to torture or even death. However, when he is gone, the Death Eaters tend to argue more. The Dark Lord always fails to clarify who exactly is in charge whilst he is gone, probably because he does not want to give anyone power but himself. If he put someone in a position remotely resembling a nuance of power, then the potential for uprising is born. Even though the Dark Lord could easily defeat any one of his supporters, he does not desire to damage his core of followers but I digress.

Bellatrix fights with Snape. Rudolphus fights with Bellatrix. The Malfoy family believes they are entitled since they own the Manor. Everyone is united in putting them down, however, especially since Lucius does not even have a wand. Minor eruptions of arguments occur all day long. In fact, I nearly find them comforting. Dark silence usually symbolizes the presence of the Dark Lord or the carrying out of a malicious and grisly plan.

Back to the library: The assortment of books owned by the Malfoys are quite interesting. They have all the basics like "A History of Magic" and "The Standard Book of Spells" series. What I was somewhat surprised to find on this dingy afternoon, however was "The Tales of Beetle the Bard." The book is an antique, even more magnificent than the copy given to me by Albus Dumbledore. The old brown binding is delicately woven together with fine threads. Dust covers the pages. The book obviously has not been opened or even thought about in a long time. I wonder if Draco even knows the stories. It's hard to remember that the Malfoy family may have been normal wizards at some point. Of course Draco has always been a selfish git, but I know for a fact he hasn't always been immersed in the serious Death Eater business. In our first year, he worried more about Quidditch and getting Harry expelled from school than anything, and something tells me it wasn't his love for the Dark Lord that wanted Harry gone as much as it was his overall contempt for Harry. Those two were destined to despise each other from the beginning.

As I read once again about the three brothers whose cheating death lead to the formation of the Deathly Hallows, I realized that nobody is truly safe. Of course, I am not naïve. I have known this all along, but frankly, I am probably safer in this manor than anywhere else. This way nobody has to hunt for me. They have me right where they want me. So far they have nothing to gain by killing me. However, I shudder knowing that could change almost any second. Voldemort could have a minor setback and they could kill me for recreation, as a pick-me-up; or the usage of an enemy sacrifice could suddenly become necessary. Well, I am the perfect enemy remaining. I am the next closest thing to Harry Potter, and Voldemort has already managed to eliminate him.

"What are you doing in here?" came an icy voice from the entrance. Lucius Malfoy strolled into the room, his sunken face and dreary eyes full of malice and hatred. "I thought we told you to stay out of the way this afternoon. Tell me, Mudblood, is that impossible for you?"

I hesitated, wondering if this question was meant to be answered. "No, sir," I whispered, hurriedly standing up to leave the room. I scurried like a scared child out of the room without a backwards glance. The door slammed behind me, and once again I stopped to take a deep breath. Each time I have a hostile run-in with a Death Eater, I wonder how long I have left. They could always kill me and claim I did something to deserve it.

"Watch where you're going," muttered a large figure who pushed past me without even noticing my identity. I whirled around, squinting in the dark hall to see the owner of the rude voice and noticed that it was none other than Draco Malfoy himself. Since my arrival, he has barely said two words to me, let alone looked me in the eye. He had seemed hesitant to give away my presence when I was originally captured, which I am grateful for; but now he treats me like I am a piece of dust: nonexistent. He seems almost as run down as me, however, probably from the stress of being one of the Dark Lord's undesirable followers. After all, he was supposed to be the one to kill Albus Dumbledore but he failed to complete the task, demoting him in his master's eyes. I suppose he and I are in two similar situations. His family is enduring the wrath of the Dark Lord and is constantly threatened with death. After all, they are constantly reminded that they are useless, now. I must say, I don't see why, however. Draco was delegated a quite impossible task, and of course he was always meant to fail, and yes, the prophecy was destroyed under Lucius Malfoy, but none of those are damning issues. The Malfoys are great wizards, dare I actually admit that.

"Mudblood, come here!" shrieked the cold voice of Bellatrix Lestrange from somewhere below. Sighing, I began to trudge down the stairs. "Quicker!" I hastened my pace.

"Yes," I said, bowing slightly when I entered Bellatrix's drawing room.

"I have some questions for you," Bellatrix said, standing up and beginning to circle me. "Answer truthfully and thoroughly or you will face the Dark Lord's wrath. Now, we have some runaways who are evading capture by the name of…" she glanced down at a piece of parchment and smirked for dramatic effect. "…Weasley." I attempted to mask any emotion from my face to deny her the pleasure of seeing my pain.

"We believe they may be trying the same little tricks you tried when you were on the run with your stupid friends," she said, her smile growing. "I must know every spell and enchantment you placed around yourselves while in hiding. We need to be able to break those so we can…ah…round them up per say."

I couldn't take it. "You're going to kill them?"

"Of course, you stupid girl, what else would we do?" Bellatrix sang with a voice much like Dolores Umbridge.

"Please," I begged. "Please don't. I'll do anything."

Bellatrix chuckled. "How touching. Tell me, Granger, do you love them? Are they like your second family?" I stared at her with the hatred of a burning sun. "How cute. Well, unfortunately, your family has been very bad indeed…yes…very bad, and someone must pay for it."

"Then kill me!" I boldly proclaimed before I could stop myself.

"That will happen one day, rest assured," Bellatrix snapped, obviously irked because I wasn't dead yet. She had wanted me dead the night Harry and Ron were killed. "But we are exterminating all people who show no support for our new regime, and I believe the Weasley family is at the top of the list. Nothing you can do will save them, so I suggest you cooperate with me and write down in full detail each spell used."

"Or what?" I challenged, trying to gather all the courage I possessed, which at this point was not much.

"CRUCIO!" Bellatrix sang. The pain was unbearable. White hot knives were searing through my skin and piercing every inch of my body. It felt unending.

"Ready now?" Bellatrix hissed, handing me a quill and parchment with her twisted smile engulfing her face.

Gasping and weak, I still refused to give in.

"Imperio!" Bellatrix screeched. That dreadful sensation of nothing overwhelmed me. I turned to Bellatrix and looked to her, my new master, for directions.

"Write down all your enchantments used to conceal and protect yourselves while on the run from the Dark Lord, his loyal followers, and his snatchers. Please then provide a detailed analysis of how to perform them and break them to the best of your knowledge."

I have no strength. I obliged.
S:DK

I will post again tomorrow, hopefully. Thanks so much for reading this, and comments are greatly appreciated. I value all feedback I receive. Thank you so much, and sorry for the long break! It's been a stressful semester!

XOXO,

CHRISTINE