4.
The Followers were clearly annoyed with me but for the first few minutes tried to ignore me. A couple more minutes passed and one of them stopped walking, causing the other to stop as well, and turned to face me. "Listen here, Rosie, if you don't stop fighting then I will happily curse you until you are unable to struggle anymore. Are we clear?"
I responded my kicking him in the groin. He let go of my arm as he doubled over. The other Follower loosened his grip slightly in his shock. Seeing my chance, I wrenched my arm out of his grip and started running. I did not think that I would get another opportunity and I took my chances. It could not hurt my situation any more. I flew through the unfamiliar corridors until I saw a small door off to the side. I ran up to it and tested the door knob. It was unlocked. Hearing the footsteps of the followers right behind me, I threw the door open and ran in.
As soon as I saw what was around me I froze. I could not turn back, my two guards would have stopped me before I could take more than three steps. The high heels did not help either.
So I just stood there.
A moment later, the guards got up and grabbed me by the arms. "You little bit-"
He stopped speaking as soon as he realized where we were.
"I was not expecting you," Thanos said from his throne. "An I was not certainly not expecting such an entrance."
"I can explain, Master," A guard said.
Thanos narrowed his eyes. "There is no need. I think I can understand the situation. It seems as if Rose here managed to escape from the two of you. Luckily for us, she did not know her way around the castle or you two would be in quite a predicament."
There was no response from the two followers. All eyes were on Thanos, who turned his attention to me.
He stood there for a moment, just watching me. A satisfied smile was on his face. "I had high expectations of your beauty. But you have managed to surpass them." His face abruptly turned into a slight frown. Thanos' voice was cold as he called out quietly, "Zabini."
"Yes Master?" I turned to see where the voice came from. Zabini was standing towards the front of the small crowd. It was then that I noticed none of the followers were wearing their hoods anymore.
"I thought I made it clear that no one was to leave a mark on her unless I gave them orders to," Thanos said, his voice still dangerously low.
"You did, Master. And as your loyal follower, I obeyed it and only made sure that she took her shower - as instructed." Had I not been there to experience it, I would have believed Zabini completely. He barely even blinked as he lied straight to the most feared wizard in the world.
Thanos' expression turned bored, as if Zabini was not worth his time. Nothing happened and I looked back to Zabini. Half of his face was becoming red. In only a few moments, his skin started blistering and Zabini let out a cry of pain. The sadistic bastard was burning his skin off.
It reached the point where I had to turn away from the man writhing in pain. Apparently, this was Thanos' cue. "I trust that will be the last lie you tell to me Zabini. Otherwise that face of yours won't be very pretty."
The only response that came from him were whimpers of pain.
"And I trust," Thanos continued, now addressing the rest of the group. "That my orders will never be questioned or disobeyed again. The next person who goes against my instructions will not get off so easily."
Thanos turned his attention back to me and an easy smile turned to his face. Apparently threatening and torturing was just part of the job.
"Now, my dear Rosie, I have heard that you have not been cooperating. We simply cannot have that. But then again, I guess that your stubbornness is part of what makes you so-" Thanos paused to think of the right word. "Intoxicating."
"Why am I here?" I asked in a hard tone.
He shook his head. "So abrupt and to the point. Why so serious? And here I was planning on having some fun." There was no change in my expression. "Alright, alright. You want to know why you are here?"
He paused, as if waiting for an answer. "Obviously," I replied.
"When I was first rising to power, people did not see me as a threat. After all, they had defeated Voldemort. After him, no one could be as bad. I then had a brilliant idea, one that would make people fear me and eliminate the biggest threats to my existence. I would kill the famous Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger. If anyone could bring me down, then it would be those three. So I murdered each of them and left their bodies to be found by the pathetic Ministry of Magic."
My fists clenched but I kept quiet. He continued, "But then people turned to their family. After all, they were the children of the saviors of the world. So logically I realized that they would have to die as well. I learned what I could about the Granger, Weasley and Potter families, trying to gauge who would be the biggest threats. I was sorely disappointed. The Granger family was all muggles, it was a slaughter; the Potter family was all dead except for his children, and none of them were exceptional in anyway.
"I then looked at the Weasley family. Your grandparents and uncles were also unremarkable, as were all twelve Weasley children, except one. The first thing I realized was that you were intelligent, practically a genius. You did exceptionally well in school, excelling in every class. There was not a spell that you could not get on the second try and no potion that you could not brew. The lowest test score you had ever gotten was a ninety-eight percent, never anything less than an O. As a fourth year, you had more intelligence and skill than over practically everyone in the wizarding world.
"You were a threat.
"I decided to take care of you myself. After all, you were the most capable of the entire Weasley-Potter family. So I assigned a capable Follower to each of the other Weasley-Potter children at Hogwarts and I went to your dorm myself. I pulled back the curtain to your bed and saw you lying there. I was immediately struck by your beauty, full of purity and innocence. You were just lying there vulnerably but I could not kill you. And why would I? Who would want to kill perfection.
"So, without any idea of why, I pulled back the curtain and left you untouched and untainted. And since then I have watched you grow. And you've become even more perfect ... the one person I could never kill."
I could hear the silence in the room. What was I supposed to think? How should I have reacted? All I could do was stand in shock. But Thanos was not finished.
"Now that I think about it, you are like an obsession. I suppose you are my one weakness, Rose Weasley. Whenever I was alone, I would think about you. I've wanted you ever since that day." He walked up to me and whispered, "And now I have you."
I could respond. I could not even fathom a thought. But I was saved from answering when Thanos waved his hand and darkness overcame me again. This time I was grateful for it and et it wash over me.
--
Scorpius watched Rose's face through out Thanos' speech. All he could see was pure shock in her expression. Scorpius mirrored her feelings. He watched as Thanos knocked her unconscious with a spell, mimicking his actions yesterday and caught her before she could fall. Scorpius felt something squirm inside of him as Thanos gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"You will accept me one day," Thanos murmured to her unconscious body.
Thanos straightened himself up and turned towards the group. "I think Rose would feel more comfortable with a familiar face." Thanos scanned his eyes, debating his options. His eyes stopped at Scorpius. "Malfoy, come here."
All Scorpius could do was nod and obey. When he reached Thanos he bowed his head in a respectful manner. "You are in Rose's year at Hogwarts, yes?"
"I am," Scorpius told him.
"Then you are to be her keeper for now. Take her down to Chamber 0 and wait for her to wake up. Make her eat something then, I can't have her starving, now can I?" Thanos seemed to think for a moment before adding. "Rose has already managed to escape from Followers once. Take necessary precautions to keep her in the room."
"It will be done." Thanos then handed Rose's unconscious form to Scorpius.
Part of Thanos' recruiting program required that all of his followers be in good athletic shape, so Scorpius had no problem carrying Rose out of the hall and down the stairs.
He reached the room and looked around. Pity flooded through his heart. The space was probably about ten meters by ten meters. Three of the walls, along with the floor, were made plaster. The fourth wall had vertical bars spaced out through it. He supposed it could have been worse, at the very least it was clean. There was a small cot in the far left corner of the room and that was where Scorpius put Rose. He then walked to the opposite wall and sat down on the ground, waiting for her to wake up.
--
I opened my eyes with a groan, the spell had left me with a headache. I sat up and looked around. Immediately, I registered the fact that I was in some sort of cell. I started to look around when I almost screamed out in surprise.
Sitting against the opposite wall was someone I never thought I would see again. His eyes were closed and his legs were crossed. "Scorpius?" I whispered, confused.
He opened his eyes, clearly not asleep. "Hi," he replied.
This was not as easily registered as my surroundings. "Were you taken too?"
He shook his head. "I'm a Follower." He spit the word out in disgust.
"Oh," I responded, completely shocked. Silence fell over the room. I had no trouble screaming at Thanos but I could not think of a single thing to say to Scorpius.
Luckily Scorpius broke the silence. "Are you hungry?" he asked. "I'm supposed to give you some food."
I just nodded. Scorpius waved his wand and a tray of food appeared before me. On the tray was a glass of pumpkin juice, turkey, mashed potatoes, and lemon drops for desert.
"If anyone asks you ate bread and water," he said.
For the first time in a while I smiled slightly. After everything that had happened so far, I appreciated that one act of kindness.
I began picked up the pumpkin juice and started drinking as Scorpius talked. "I was ordered to make sure you were unable to leave this room. The bracelet on your arm prevents you from walking out of the cell unless a Follower is present." Scorpius sounded as if he was exhausted, tired of life.
I nodded, not sure what to say.
Silence came over the room and I picked up the fork and started eating. As soon as I had eaten the first bite of turkey I realized how famished I actually was and devoured the food.
Scorpius shook his head, slightly amused. "You Weasleys never did have good manners."
"Hey!" I protested, mouth full. "I happen to be quite civilized." Somehow my words were slightly distinguishable, despite the food in my mouth. I swallowed and continued. "It's been a little while since I've eaten. How long have I been here?"
Scorpius looked at the ground and replied, "Almost two days."
"Oh." I did not know what else I could say.
A look of sadness passed over Scorpius' face as I said this. He got up quickly and said, "The tray will disappear when you've finished."
And then he left.
