Dark Schemes, Darker Secrets

Chapter Three

"Enervate." Frank awoke groggily to the sound of that strange word. He opened his eyes and saw the chilling form of a tall, thin man with waist-length blonde hair and cold gray eyes. This figure had a gleeful face, however, it also looked as if were pressed into a permanent sneer.

Frank blinked, trying to remember what had happened. Then, at another glance at the tell-tale form, it all came back to him—the scream, the cloaked and masked figures, the stick-like weapons they had pulled out—and Frank realized with a sickening feeling that he had he had been kidnapped. His fears were confirmed when he tried to move; his arms were tied painfully tight behind his back, while his ankles were bound together.

He glared up at the amused kidnapper, who was watching pleasantly as the young man struggled to free himself. But still, he said nothing.

Frank glanced around uneasily, taking in his prison. He was in a small, dark room with dirt floor and walls. There didn't seem to be any door or windows, but there had to be some way out, Frank reasoned. And he would have to discover it.

Then Franks eyes came to rest upon a motionless figure lying beside him. His heart sunk. His brother had been taken as well. "Joe!" he whispered anxiously, stealing a quick glance at the ever-sneering man, still watching him, twisted pleasure growing in his features as he watched his captives. Satisfied that he wasn't going to stop him from rousing Joe, Frank turned his gaze back to the bound-up youth by his side.

"Joe!" he said once more, this time a bit louder. Joe did not move. His usually bright blue eyes remained closed, and he did not shift position in the slightest. Fearing for his brother's life, Frank, not caring any longer if the kidnapper would see him, rolled closer to Joe, and was relieved to see his chest moving up and down evenly as he breathed.

But what was wrong with him? Then Frank noticed a nasty, bruised swelling on his brother's temple. Anger consumed him, and he twisted until he was facing his and Joe's abductor. "What did you do to him?"

"Why, whatever do you mean?" the man asked in his slippery voice, walking toward the boys, black robes billowing. He knelt between them and faced Frank first. "I see nothing wrong with him." He then turned to Joe and took his face in his pale hands. "Ah, ah, ah," he said in mock concern. "I stand corrected."

Inside, Lucius Malfoy was bubbling in elation. The plan, so far, was going perfectly…he had the boys, and he was now angering Blondie's brother with a nasty trick—the kids knew nothing of his powers—there was no way that the dark headed brat would know his brother wasn't harmed badly—just stunned and a mild bruise. It was a nasty trick, for sure, but nasty was right up his alley.

Keeping his grip on the young man's face, he moved aside and twisted Joe's head until the bruise on his temple was eye level with Frank. With his free hand, he fingered the swollen area and said, "Oh, dear…did my foot accidentally slip and hit his head? That is going to leave an angry mark, is it not?"

Furious, Frank growled, "Don't touch him."

And, to the latter's surprise, the cloaked kidnapper released Joe's head and rose, laughing slightly. "Not to worry," he said, still chortling evilly. "Your brother's state has nothing to do with my kicking him. In fact, he was unconscious, as were you, when I did it, so he didn't feel a thing…although he will he awakes. I simply stunned him, like you."

He then pulled out the stick he and the others had attacked the brothers with. Frank's eyes grew wide as the weapon was pointed at Joe. "Enervate," the man said, and to Frank's amazement and relief, Joe began to stir. His blue eyes blinked several times before he licked his parched lips and muttered, "Oooh, my head." Then he glanced about and asked, "What—what happened?" His sapphire eyes spotted his brother and he murmured, "Frank?" His pounding head beginning to clear, Joe realized the situation he and his brother were in. He immediately began testing his bonds. Seeing that it was pointless, he turned to the kidnapper. "Why did you kidnap us?"

"Good question. But first, allow me to introduce myself." Gray eyes gleaming maliciously, he said, "Lucius Malfoy. Dark wizard, servant of Lord Voldemort, your loyal abductor."

"Hold up," said Frank, furrowing his brow. "Did you say 'dark wizard'?"

"Of course you wouldn't know. Remember when Albus Dumbledore stopped by your house?" Seeing the boys bewildered faced, he smiled evilly and said, "Yes, I know about his little visit. Another of my master's servants, Peter Pettigrew, was spying on you all."

"But we didn't see anyone."

"Of course not," Lucius snapped. "He was a rat at the time."

Looking at each other, utterly confused, Frank and Joe exchanged curious glances.

"I would love to tell you more about my master, myself, your family, and your own deaths. However, Lord Voldemort, the man your mother said could torture beyond human existence, kill in a heartbeat, and so forth, would rather tell you himself. He will be here this time tomorrow. He would have been here sooner, but there were some last-second murders he had to attend to. Someone came too close to finding us.

"But," he continued, "he said I could give one of you a little present…" Snickering, he looked between the two boys. "But which one? Hmmm…" Seeing Frank look anxiously at his brother, who was still looking drowsy, he said, "I believe I know how to get at you both. If I hurt Blondie here," he said, stepping forward and grasping a handful of Joe's blonde hair in his hand, forcing the youth to look straight into his eyes, "I will be hurting Frank as well…correct?"

Seeing Joe's blue eyes fill with fear and Frank's indignant cry of, "Get your hands off of him! He didn't do anything to you!", he smiled inwardly.

"You have just confirmed my idea," he informed Frank. He released Joe's head, which hit the dirt floor with a thud.

"Now," Lucius went on, "in the 'good side', this is 'unforgivable', or illegal. But considering I do it on a daily basis, it won't really matter, will it?"

He removed the stick once more from his robes, smiling horribly, and pointed it directly at Joe's heart. "Remember how your mother said that Lord Voldemort can torture beyond human endurance? I have that power as well."

Joe's eyes grew wide, and Frank felt his fill with tears as he watched, unable to protect his brother, as Lucius prodded Joe's chest with the weapon, then pulled back and hissed, "Crucio."

Frank watched in speechless horror as Joe began writhing in pain, screaming in agony. Frank didn't know how this had happened, but he couldn't take it. "STOP!" he screamed. "STOP HURTING HIM!"

But Lucius ignored him and continued torturing the youth until, finally, with one final jolt of pain, he fell into a pit of pain-filled unconsciousness.

A/N: Wow...intense huh? Soooo...how's it going? Please PLEASE review! and I'll update ASAP! Aww...poor JOE! DON'T DIE!

~Emachinescat ^..^