Chapter Four
'Imaginary' By Evanescence
"I linger in the doorway
Of alarm clock screaming monsters calling my name
Let me stay
Where the wind will whisper to me
Where the raindrops as they're falling tell a story
In my field of paper flowers
And candy clouds of lullaby
I lie inside myself for hours
And watch my purple sky fly over me."
Imaginary
A/N; To my last guest reviewer, thank you for the kind words. You must remember Rabastan, of course, is still a little boy. As for the Black sisters, don't worry they'll show up. I have plans for Bella. Lots of things will happen before the innocent boys turn into the Devils Rejects.
Helen opened her eyes to find herself in an enormous bed. Her body now cleaned, her wounds bandaged. The bleeding between her legs had ceased. The aching however persisted. Would that ever go away? Her bruised hands cleansed of the blood. Her torn and filthy dress replaced with a pale blue nightgown. It was as if the past few days had never existed. Had it all been a nightmare? Helen lay perfectly still as she did a quick assessment of her surroundings. Silk sheets and soft feather pillows. Massive deep green tapestries hung from the canopy bed. Helen had never seen or felt anything so heavenly. She wondered if she were in a castle. She could hear a fire crackling, and the tinkling of a spoon in a teacup. And the thought of tea made her stomach grumble.
There in the corner, perched in a high-backed chair near the fireplace was the boy that had held her in his arms. His shaggy brown hair drifted over his eyes, "Hello?" his tone hesitant. Setting down his tea, he picked up a white rose and crossed the room dropping to his knees at her bedside.
"Do you remember me?" I'm Rodolphus or just Rod." Rodolphus whispered as he lay the rose beside her, and slipped his fingers gently into her hand.
"I do remember you, "she said giving him a shy smile" Where am I?"
"Lestrange Manor, my father brought you here after …well you know …after we found you." Do you remember anything that happened? "
"No, no I don't remember anything," Helen smiled at him. Or maybe, she just didn't want to remember right now. It was much easier to pretend that nothing wrong had happened. She tried to pretend she was a princess and he was a prince. And he had rescued her from a dragon. Not a half a dozen grown men that had done things to her that she still did not understand.
Slowly trying to sit up. "I remember you, and I remember a blonde boy." She picked up the rose and inhaled deeply. He was making the princess fantasy far too easy.
"That's Lucius; he's like another little brother to me." Rodolphus moved to sit on the edge of the bed, still holding Helen's hand. "Would you like some tea? "He asked.
"That would be lovely thank you," she whispered, "How long have I been here."
"Yesterday morning." He replied, "I'll call Tiggy for tea and perhaps some broth."
Helen giggled, "What's a Tiggy?"
With a pop Tiggy appeared, holding out a large tray laden with tea, biscuits, and an excellent smelling broth.
Helen squawked and plunged beneath the duvet "What the bloody hell is that?" she said peeking from under the covers.
"I is a house elf, and I is bringing Missy her tea," Tiggy said drawing herself up as tall as she could and flapping her ears.
Rodolphus reached for Helen's hand, stifling the laughter he pulled the covers from her head." Tiggy won't hurt you. I promise."
Warily eyeing the little elf as she watched her set down the tray. Helen slowly sat up once more, holding out her hand." I'm sorry if I've offended you, I've never seen a house elf. Please accept my apologies."
Tiggy took the offered hand, "No apologies Missy, yous has suffered a dreadful ordeal. I has been caring for Missy." The little elf puffed out her chest with pride.
"It's, you, that cleaned me up then? "Helen asked.
"Yes, Missy. Master Reinhard says to clean and tend your wounds, and that's is what Tiggy does."
A sigh of relief came from Helen; she didn't even want to think about who had cleaned her up. She would have been mortified to find that Rodolphus or his father had cleaned the blood from between her legs. "Thank you Tiggy; I'm feeling so much better." She felt awful for lying to the little elf if the truth were known she still felt horrible. Maybe tea would help? Didn't tea fix everything?
"Yous is to call on Tiggy for anything Missy." Tiggy dressed in a little cotton tea towel bowed profoundly and disappeared with a pop.
Helen looked at the rose in her hand. It was pure white apart from one petal, edged in dark red. The contrast was stunning. "This is beautiful, thank you. Everyone is so kind to me."
"You're welcome love," blushing and chewing on his bottom lip Rodolphus poured her tea, "Cream and sugar?" he asked
"Oh tea, yes, black please and maybe one of those chocolate biscuits please." She smiled at Rodolphus, tea with a prince. Her prince.
"There are a lot of people waiting for you to wake. When you're ready, my Father had wanted to speak to you. He thought that perhaps my waiting for you. Wouldn't startle you."
Helen giggled, "Just like Snow White."
Rodolphus cocked his head and asked, "Snow White? Who's Snow White?"
"Snow White…the Seven Dwarfs…...the evil queen. You have read the story, haven't you?"
"I'm afraid I haven't" Rodolphus still looked confused.
"It's a fairy tale, a children's story; I'll tell it to you sometime if you like." She told him.
"I would like that," Rodolphus said as he held out her cup.
"Thank you, Rodolphus is it?" Helen took the offered tea and plate and granted him a bewitching smile. "He was right; it would have, startled me that is. I'm…. well, I'm happy it was you."
Rodolphus blushed and began chewing on his bottom lip once more. He pulled out his wand and flicked it at the nightstand, transforming it into a table, then turned to the footstool and transfigured it into a more suitable chair for tea.
When he looked at Helen, a shocked expression on her face " What…How…How did you do that?"
"I'm so sorry; I thought you knew …. I'm a Wizard …. You're a Witch. Have you not seen magic?"
"I am a witch," She said in a hushed tone. Rodolphus could barely hear her, "I am a witch….. not some freak. Not a whore of the Devil." Helen curled up against the headboard. "What does that even mean for me? Rodolphus, what does that mean?"
Rodolphus knelt once more at the side of the bed, cradling her hand in his, "Oh, my princess what it means…... is that you are special, not cursed. It means you are more precious than Goblin silver. You, my love …...are a Witch, blessed by the Old Gods with the blood of the Fey." Have you ever made something happen? Something that you were maybe just thinking about?"
"Yes, loads of times. A Professor from the school brought my letter from Hogwarts this last October. She explained to my parents that I was a witch." Her voice stammered. "My parents were not pleased. They threw her out of the house, screaming that I would never go to this school" … "They told me I was going to a convent as soon as possible."
Admitting the horror to Rodolphus, the fantasy she had been building began to crumble. "I remember, they sent me to live with my Aunt in Elmbridge in Surrey." Helen's eyes widened, "They said they wanted nothing more to do with me. I was dead to them…... I tried to control myself, the magic I mean. But the more I tried to control it the worse it became." Helen sipped her tea and continued her tale. "My Aunt is a religious zealot; she would drag me to her church every day. That's where I first met them, the men that took me!" Helen put down her tea and grasped his hand, "Go get your father, Rodolphus. Please, I need to tell him."
Rodolphus called his elf, and with a pop, she was off to fetch his father. Helen's hands were shaking, and tears were pooling in her eyes.
She was no longer a princess in an oversized bed. Being served tea by her beautiful prince. She was back in that cage, beaten and bloody. Shackled in chains just waiting for those beasts. They came back day after day, chaining her face down across that table. Whipping her, while they laughed. She had been blindfolded and terrified, the crusted and filthy rag they had stuffed in her mouth when they grew tired of her screams. Whispering in her ear, "Tick Tock" Tick Tock" Time is running out Witch!" They would burn her, on the next full moon. Until then she would endure their rape and torture. They would continue cramming their cocks down her throat and all while they quoted scripture.
While she silently broke down. Rodolphus did the only thing he could think to do. He gathered the girl in his arms and held her and began cooing softly in her ear. "Shhhh …it's alright little bird. Those men will never hurt you again, I promise."
It seemed like the most natural thing for him to do. Rodolphus had never hugged a girl. At this point, he had never been interested in any of the Pure-Blooded witches he knew.
It had been Lucius that had suggested the rose. Sure, Lucius might be younger, but he knew witches. Having his mother had helped in that department. Rodolphus wished his mother were still here; she would have known what to do. He had waited all night, sitting beside the fire and watching her sleep. He had saved her or helped to save her, and he would win her heart. If only to keep it tucked safely with his. He was glad he had listened to Lucius. So, what would Lucius do? With a girl in this situation. Rodolphus pressed his lips to her temple, and Helen melted into his arms.
Helen tried desperately to pull herself together; this nightmare was over. She found the strength she needs in that one little kiss, "No Rodolphus, you don't understand, it's not just them. Not just a few in the woods! They're everywhere! I need to tell your father; I remember where they are."
Reinhard and Abraxas strolled through the door. Reinhard raised an eyebrow at the sight of his son in a very intimate embrace with a young lady, clearing his throat, "Well I'm happy to see you're awake."
Rodolphus sheepishly looked up, he gently moved Helen from his lap, "She was upset father, I was just trying to help."
"I know you were son, that's what a gentleman does. Now our young lady seems to have tears in her eyes. What do we do? "Reinhard asked.
"Oh," Rodolphus replied, "I'm sorry love, forgive me," bowing in front of her he pulled a dark green silk handkerchief from his vest pocket.
Through her tears, Helen gifted him with another of her beautiful smiles, she dried her eyes and blew her nose handing him back the handkerchief. She realized her mistake, she grinned at him and giggled. "Sorry, not very lady like I'm afraid."
"It's alright love. I have lots of them. May I introduce you to my father? Lord Reinhard Lestrange and my Uncle Lord Abraxas Malfoy." He bent down and brought her hand to his lips, and like a perfect, pureblood prince, he gently kissed the tips of her bruised fingers, "I'll leave you to speak with my father now, may I return this evening to dine with you?"
"I would like that very much." And it was Helen's turn to blush.
Helen watched as Rodolphus walked out the door. Abraxas was clapping him on the shoulder and grinning from ear to ear.
For the first-time Helen could get a good look at the men that rescued her. She remembered Lucius and knew that this tall blonde must be his father, they looked too much alike not to be related. Reinhard, however, had dark eyes where his son had the most beautiful blue she had ever seen. Where Rodolphus had soft brown curls, his father had thick black hair and was tall and heavily muscled. He reminded her of the black horse he rode upon.
She watched as Abraxas transfigured another chair from a vase. She was going to love being a witch. With a wave of his hand, Reinhard reheated her tea. Abraxas smiled at her, "My dear, I hear you may have remembered some details of your ordeal?"
"No rush sweetheart, please take your time, "Reinhard added, "Don't push yourself, you're still rather weak."
"It was my Aunt; she set it up. Or maybe it was my parents. It was through their church. I went to services with my Aunt and remembered seeing two of those men." Her voice was starting to shake now, "So when I saw them pull up at my Aunts house, I knew something was wrong. I panicked I set fire to the curtains; I didn't mean to, they scared me. My Aunt said some horrible things to me; I don't want to repeat them." Helen raised a hand to the back of her head, feeling the lump. "One of them hit me!"
Abraxas poured her more tea and handed over his handkerchief to the teary-eyed girl. "We can stop sweetheart ….
"No, I need to tell you, before I forget." She cried
"What about legilimency, Reinhard?" Abraxas asked
"Well old friend I don't know about you, but I have no desire to watch that little girl brutalized. I can only imagine what she went through. Tiggy informed me of her injuries."
"I agree, definitely not something I want to see. I was just thinking that it might not be as traumatizing as retelling it, but now that I think about it …well never mind." Abraxas sighed. "I'm sorry sweetheart; please continue."
"There was a church, I know it was because I could hear them chanting and I could smell the incense." Helen took a deep breath. "I can tell you how to find them; I'll tell you where my Aunt lives!" Helen chocked back sobs." I know my parents hate me …...but please, please don't hurt them!"
"The men, they kept me in the basement of the church, tied up. They cut off all my hair, but I made it grow back!" she said fiercely." I was with two other girls, and we were not allowed to speak to one another.
"They kept us gagged. There was a girl, she was much younger than I am, but I don't know what happened to her. I was with the other girl in the cabin. Did you find her? Is she alive?"
"We never found anyone else. We took care of the men that hurt you, my dear." Reinhard said as he looked at Abraxas. "Perhaps she's still alive, Brax maybe you can have Lord Macnair cast those hounds again, see if we missed anything?"
"How many did you find? How many did you….? Helen asked.
"We found six muggles," Reinhard told her.
"There are more, there are so many, many more," Helen sobbed.
Abraxas stood, "I'll take care of that, this instant." He walked to the fireplace. Helen heard "Macnair Manor," and Abraxas disappeared in a flash of green flames.
"Now my dear, I think you should rest," Reinhold patted her hand and started to tuck her in.
"Lord Lestrange, I can't go home, my parents don't want me. Where will I go?" Helen whispered. The very idea of being sent home terrified her. She made up her mind that if they sent her back to her parents. She would run away.
"I'll take care of everything child. You'll stay here if you desire." Reinhard pulled his chair close to the side of the bed and held her hand. "Apparently, you'll be starting Hogwarts with my youngest son Rabastan in the fall. I'll formally adopt you as my ward before school starts. We'll say you are distant cousin. Outside this circle, no one will know of your past."
Reinhard looked down with a warm smile, "You are safe now, get some rest. I'll send Rodolphus up later with dinner." Tucking Helen into bed, he could imagine her as his daughter.
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Rodolphus bounded down the stairs to the second floor. Deceivingly the entrance to the Lestrange Library. It went all the way up to the sixth floor. And all the way down, two levels below the first. He knew he could find the rest of the boys somewhere in there. He was guessing somewhere on the first subfloor, that being the protective spells section.
Sure enough, sitting at a large round table in the center of sub-floor one was Antonin. Surrounded by scrolls and ancient tomes, his quill scratching away. His little brother and Lucius were in the middle of a game of wizards chess. Theo was compiling a list of needed ingredients.
"Hey, where's Walden and Xander?" He asked.
Lucius looked up from his game," Bout time you showed up, I'm getting tired of whipping Bast's arse. I think we're almost ready? Right, Theo?"
"Almost, there are just a few things left to collect, Xander and Walden went to ask your Thestrals for hair and blood."
Rabastan looked up at his older brother." Is she awake? Because we need her, she has to get the last ingredient."
"And what exactly is the last ingredient?" Rodolphus asked
"Tears, from a Unicorn." Antonin flatly stated, "My father doesn't have anymore, we used the last after my mum was killed. He used it in the same ritual I'm going to do for us."
"Helen's awake, but I don't know if she's up to traipsing through the forest. She was speaking with my father, and yours Lu. I promised to have dinner with her this evening. I'll see how she's feeling." Rodolphus said as he cleared a spot at the table. "So, let's go over this ritual."
"Well," Antonin started, "There is one more thing I want to add, that we may or may not be able to get."
Rodolphus rolled his eyes, "Now what could be harder to get than the tears of a Unicorn?"
"Just a few hairs off the head of that evil bastard Lord Voldemort, that's all." Antonin cut Rodolphus off before he could start, "It will still work if we can't get it."
"But if we can, then he can never take our souls." Antonin held his hand up. "Just like he did to those poor bastards in the woods. I know they hurt Helen. I know they hurt other witches, but Roddy no one deserves that. What he did was against nature. I for one will not draw down the wrath of the Furies on my head by condoning that shite!"
"It will be easier than we thought, you know …...getting the hair!" A smiling Walden and Xander appeared in the doorway, "He loves my Ravens. And the slimy bastards staying at my house right now. Oh, and Lu your father is at my house as well. Heard him saying something about another girl in the woods…... They're headed out right now to see if we missed someone."
Xander lay a leather pouch on the table, "Here we go mates, Thestral hair from the band stallion; he added a tooth for extra protection. And a vial of his blood, all freely given."
Walden placed seven dark red pebbles on the table in front of Antonin. They glistened like drops of fresh blood in the light of the fireplace. He gave Walden a quizzical look. "Seeds from the Underworld, a gift of protection from Huginn. I'll get the hair tonight. And here's the blood from Muninn and Huginn, that will protect the children, right?"
"It will. The Dark Moon is in five days, this Friday night so we don't have much time." Antonin looked to Theo, "and you two are returning to school in the morning. So, what's the plan with that?"
Rodolphus thought for a moment. "I'll get my father to let me stay with Helen for the week; I'm ahead in all my subjects so it shouldn't be a problem. Theo, I'll open the floo at eleven o'clock that night. You can be here and gone by morning."
"Alright everyone," Antonin declared, "Let's head to the stables, shall we? We need a hair from the tail of our horses and a drop of blood; we'll add our blood during the ritual. I need to check out the rose garden as well. Then it should be about time for Roddy to ask that princess of his if she's up for a walk in the woods tomorrow.
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Apparating to the edge of the forest, Lord Voldemort accompanied Abraxas and his Huntsman, Lord Conall Macnair. Casting the hounds, they began a rapid search. Somewhere out there was another little witch and possibly a third. They would make their way back to the meadow. Hoping to pick up anything that would lead them to where the girls were hidden. With each passing minute Abraxas's anger grew, and in turn, the sky became darker. Deeper into the forest they rode. Following the hounds as they searched for any sign. With a simple silencing charm, they became shadows drifting through the trees.
All three men were silent with rage. There in the small clearing was the broken body of a tiny witch. She had been hung upside down, throat cut so deeply it was attached by mere threads of tissue. A phallus thrust between her tiny legs. The skin was missing in large patches from her body. And a sign had been tied to her hanging feet. * Exodus 22:18 "You shall not permit a sorceress to live."
"This will not go unpunished." Lord Voldemort whispered.
Conall's hounds broke towards a thicket in full cry, "It's an ambush!" he cried
A loud crack rang out, and Abraxas felt a sharp sting on his arm there was blood, lots of blood pouring from the wound.
His horse reared and spun, and the three men bolted for the safety of the trees. When they heard the screams, they circled back to flank the hounds that had treed their attacker. With their wands drawn they approached the thicket. Cries became loud and frantic. Conall could tell the hounds had gotten a hold of something. A wicked grin crept on to his face.
Conall Macnair knew what his hounds were capable of doing. But not however prepared for the carnage that had ensued. There were two. One was still currently in a tree, his companion with the rifle was not so lucky. He never reached safety; the pack had fallen on him. It took seconds to tear the muggles flesh from his bones. The man in the tree was too terrified to move as he watched his friend ferociously devoured. Wet tearing of muscle combined with the rabbit-like howls of the dying man, caused a feeding frenzy with the hounds.
Lord Voldemort casually dismounted and stood to watch. The muggle was still very much alive as the dogs eviscerated him and began to play a game of tug-o-war. His arms now bloody stumps were unable to fend off the attack on his face. The end was rapidly approaching, his screams became gurgles as the hounds tore out his throat.
Lord Voldemort's face beamed with glee. "Magnificent hounds Conall, simply magnificent!" He clapped like a child." Now, what shall we do with the spare?"
Blood had soaked through Abraxas cloak and was now dripping from his hand. Thunder rolled across the sky, and the air became heavy with the scent of rain.
Conall chuckled, "Easy Brax I'd like not to get a soaking today. And thank you, my Lord, they are wonderful hounds, best-hunting dogs I think I have ever bred. But if you don't mind I think one muggle a day is plenty. I don't want to overfeed them."
"Right you are Conall; I'm sure we can find something else to do with…. it." Voldemort turned to Abraxas, "Oh dear, let us have a look Brax?" Strolling over to examine the wound.
Abraxas dismounted and shrugged off his cloak, the bullet had pierced through his upper arm leaving a clean wound.
"May I?" Voldemort asked as he pointed his wand at Abraxas shoulder.
"Thank you, my Lord, I would be honored,"
"Vulnera Sanentur," Voldemort whispered with a series of complicated wand movements.
"Thank you, again my Lord," Abraxas said as the wound closed leaving behind nothing but a hole in his shirt and drying blood. He flicked his wand at his arm and added "Tergeo" there would be no sense in worrying Emmeline. What she did not know didn't hurt her.
"Now what of the spare?" Conall asked as he watched his hounds drag the remains of the Muggle man all about.
Abraxas looked at the muggle still in the tree, as if he had stepped in a pile rotten garbage. "May I my Lord?" gesturing upward.
"Why of course Brax, that one is all yours."
Abraxas slowly stalked toward the tree, carefully maneuvering around the more massive pools of blood and chunks of flesh. The man cowered in the tree as far out of reach as he could, He was mumbling incoherently in between the "Pleases "and "Have mercies" "God help me."
This 'God help me' infuriated Abraxas.
"Which God?" Abraxas questioned, "Which God, do you ask for help. After you have brutalized a child?"
Lightning streaked across the skies, "Which God condones this?" Abraxas pointed his wand at a section of intestine lying on the ground. With a swish, it wrapped itself around the neck of the muggle and pulled him from the limb.
The muggle was on his knees in front of Abraxas, yanking on the man's hair. He asked the man again "I am talking to you! You filthy muggle. WHICH GOD!" He roared. Abraxas was wild with rage, his magic sparking around him.
"The only God." The muggle whispered struggling for air. The man started to giggle maniacally as the thunder grew louder, "My God will strike you down!" he hissed at Abraxas.
"Oh, you mean that?" Abraxas calmly pointed to the sky. "That is…...' NO GOD!' grabbing the man by his hair, "That…... you waste of oxygen is all ME! ...SHALL I …...CALL DOWN THE LIGHTNING!" Abraxas was foaming at the mouth.
A bright green bolt reached down and split the tree the man had been in, sending horses and hounds for cover. The black clouds swirled, and thunder rolled over the tops of the forest.
Abraxas hissed a curse at the man, and the intestine wrapped tighter around his throat, exuding the contents of the bowels. The man flopped in the gore as he struggled to escape the slick bonds. Abraxas spat at him and turned on his heel. Leaving the muggle choking in the shit and the blood.
"Fucking Bloody Hell Abraxas!" Conall cursed at him "What the actual fuck?" he said tossing the reins to his friend.
"You're not wet, are you?" he growled at his friend and taking the reins.
"You could have killed me!" Conall yelped.
"Are you dead?" Abraxas smirked at him, mounting his horse.
"NO! But that's not the point! Right?" Conall looked over at Lord Voldemort.
"We're all in one piece Conall." Voldemort chuckled. "We'll go back and bury the little witch and look for signs of others." Voldemort laughing, turned to Abraxas, "You, my friend are one scary arsehole."
Abraxas graced him with the Malfoy smirk and turned his horse back to the clearing.
A further search produced evidence of a second body. Burned beyond recognition. The wizards buried the little girls beneath an oak. It's only marker a wild rose bush Abraxas had moved and charmed to bloom indefinitely. The storm that had threatened, soon dissipated. However, Abraxas was still in a foul mood. The three wizards made their way back to the road.
Lord Voldemort broke the silence. "They're preying on muggleborns Abraxas, and half-bloods. We must stop them before they find a way to infiltrate our world. We must begin to take drastic measures."
"Then we hunt them, as they hunt us, we send in spies, we find where they go to ground and bolt them from their holes!" Conall uttered fiercely. "and I have the hounds to do it!"
"In time my friend, in time," Abraxas informed his friend. "First comes reconnaissance."
Reaching the wall, Abraxas bid his farewell, "I need to check on the girl and let her know the fate of the others; I'll be around tomorrow Conall, my Lord. The young lady mentioned a town in Surrey that I think begs a visit."
"Tomorrow then." Voldemort nodded, and the three men apparated to their destinations.
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Having finished up at the stables. Rodolphus and the rest of the boys were now following Antonin into the rose garden. This had been his mother's garden. She had died in childbirth. And she was buried here with a little sister he had never met.
"This is it." Rodolphus pointed to the rose tree at the edge of the garden, his mother and sisters graves. Mary Victoria Lestrange, and Isabelle Mary Lestrange. The twisting trunk had grown between the bodies of his mother and little sister. "We'll perform the ritual here."