Chapter 6

Here's chapter 6 I hope you like it. Thank you so much for your reviews they really make my day :) I don't own anything except Dalia, enjoy.

The next few of days went by painfully slowly. They had caught a fair number of runaways and undesirables.

Dalia didn't like her job but she did what she had to do to get enough money to pay off her rent. Every time she had received money for sending someone in she would put it into her jar that she kept under her bed. Dalia had to think positively and as she gradually filled the large jar every sickle would bring her closer to leaving the forest and returning to her apartment.

The children's screams as they watched their parents or siblings get tortured echoed in her mind as she was sleeping. Often she would wake up in the middle of the night with a layer of cold sweat coating her forehead. Tonight was an excellent example of this.

Dalia's eyes burst open. Her hair was covering her face and she tucked it behind her ears as she sat up. She wiped her forehead and squinted to look at the clock. "3:45 great" Dalia yawned and got out of bed. She quickly covered her shoulders with a woolly cardigan and picked up her packet of cigarettes and her wand.

She sat on one of the logs that surrounded the almost burnt out fire. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it with her wand. She inhaled deeply and watched as she gradually blew out the grey smoke.

No one in her family smoked. It was a habit that she picked up from working in the pub. All the bar maids smoked and they would offer her one when they were on their breaks. Dalia accepted and has enjoyed it ever since. There were obvious disadvantages to smoking but Dalia ignored them. She liked to focus on the advantages, for example it instantly calmed her nerves and made her less jumpy. This was almost a necessity when you are living in close proximity with a savage werewolf.

"Mind if I join you?" Dalia looked up and saw Scabior walking from his tent. He gestured to her cigarette. Dalia handed Scabior her cigarette and he sat down. "Cheers" Scabior took a drag of her cigarette and gave it back to her. "Look, I know that you're having trouble sleeping." Dalia took a final drag of the cigarette before she threw it into the fire pit.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Dalia didn't break eye-contact with the burning embers. "I heard you crying out in your sleep." Dalia played with the loose strands of her cardigan. "Are you sure that it wasn't anyone else?" Scabior rolled his eyes. "I don't think anyone else in this camp has high pitched screams like you." Dalia looked at Scabior.

"Are you sure? I mean Tom looks like the type of guy who would scream like a girl." Dalia half smiled. "I'm sure that he would appreciate that if I told him." Dalia punched him on the arm and he smirked back. It only lasted for a second though as a much more serious look crossed his face. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. Listen I know it's hard for the first few weeks on the job but you get used to it eventually. If it gets worse you could always sleep in my bed." Scabior winked. Dalia rolled her eyes. "Or you could just pop into my tent, I have a large supply of sleeping draught."

"I'm fine. I don't need any of your help." Dalia snapped. Scabior looked awkwardly at the ground. "But thanks for offering." Dalia added. Even she had to admit that she was being too harsh he was only trying to help after all.

"Well I better be getting back to sleep. I'm guessing that we have a long day ahead of us." Dalia stood up and started to make her way back to her tent. "Sleep tight love." Scabior said with a fresh cigarette in his mouth.

Dalia didn't waste anytime getting back into her bed. She pulled her dark purple blanket over her and eventually fell into a dream-filled slumber.

They had been walking through the forest for over an hour. They hadn't snatched anyone in the whole day of searching. Scabior was getting frustrated and spilt the group into two to try to cover more land. Scabior, Greyback, Jonny and herself in one group leaving Jason, Tom, Jack and Nick in the other.

Dalia had to hand it to him, Scabior was a determined person. He told them that they wouldn't stop until they had snatched someone. If Dalia was in Scabior's position she would have given up about half an hour ago. Her feet and back were aching from walking around all day. They were walking in almost complete darkness and the winter months were quickly approaching. The cold air nipped at her skin and she tried to wrap herself in her woolly jumper as much as possible.

Dalia was bored out of her mind and she was in desperate need for a cigarette but she left her packet at the camp. She tried to get her mind off of them by thinking of other things. The addictive element to the cigarettes was obviously a disadvantage.

Scabior was walking in front of everyone. Dalia guessed that it was a sign of his leadership. She followed close behind. Greyback often walked near Dalia. She didn't know if it was just a coincidence or if it was one of his many wolf like instincts to stay the closest to the nearest female. He would always hold and carry the female victim when they were snatching. Either way Dalia tried to keep as much distance away from him as possible. Jonny was at the back end of the group. He walked slowly and stared at his feet when he did, occasionally tripping over an overgrown root or a tree stump.

Dalia's mind wandered to Harry Potter. Undesirable number one had a bounty of 10,000 galleons on his head. Dalia imagined what she would do with the money. She could leave the woods straight away and buy her own house.

There was no news on the whereabouts of Potter for a couple of months until yesterday. Greyback, Tom, Jonny and Nick went to the ministry to drop off a couple of runaway Hogwarts students. Apparently the golden trio were spotted in the main entrance hall of the ministry. They were disguised using polyjuice potion but the affects had worn off before they had managed to leave the ministry.

Greyback said that he had caught a glimpse of Potter but they were surrounded by Azkaban guards within seconds. Yaxley ran after them but they somehow escaped though the last fireplace. The security on the ministry had more than doubled overnight.

Dalia's thoughts were interrupted when she walked into the back of Scabior. Scabior held his hand up to signal everyone to stop. Dalia looked around but couldn't see anyone. Boots could be heard crushing the dead leaves on the forest floor. Followed by panting and whispers. Scabior hid behind a tree and everyone did the same.

Just as they were about to walk past them Scabior stepped out from behind the tree. The couple stopped dead in their tracks. "Where do you think you're going?" Greyback and Jonny came from behind and surrounded the victims.

Greyback snaked his huge arms around the girl and Jonny held the man. They both looked red in the face and they were out of breath. They had obviously been running from someone perhaps the other group. The girl in Greyback's grasp looked no older than Dalia. She looked petrified and she was shaking. Dalia couldn't blame her she would have pissed her pants if she was in her position.

The man struggled against Jonny. Scabior punched him in the stomach instantly winding him and he groaned. "Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Do you know who this it?" Scabior pointed at Greyback. "He is Fenir Greyback." The mans face went pale. "Recognize him from the wanted posters? I'm sure he wouldn't mind keeping your little girlfriend to himself would you?" Greyback smirked. "Of course not Scabior." He growled.

Dalia got out the black book she couldn't look at the girl. "What are your names?" Scabior demanded. "Alice Sparrow and Jeffery Hanson, purebloods." The man replied. Dalia skimmed through the pages of the book. "There not in here."

"I don't like liars." Scabior smirked. "I'm not lying! W-we were sorted into Slytherin." the man protested. Scabior walked up to girl. Her eyes widened as his face came inches away from hers. "Is your boyfriend lying?" The girl shook her hand. "N-no" She whispered. "Where is the Slytherin common room?"

Scabior smirked as the girls eyes widened even more. "You don't know do you." The girl just stared at him. A few tears spilled from her eyes and trailed down her cheeks. "I told you I don't like liars. Liars need punishing. Crucio!" the man fell to the floor and writhed in pain. He screamed and twitched on the floor. "P-please stop it." The girl chocked.

Scabior eventually lifted the curse and the man was sprawled on the floor barely conscious. Scabior bent down and said, "Tell me your names or your girlfriends neck will be split open." Greyback bared his yellow and sharp teeth. He lightly grazed the side of the girl's neck and a trail of blood formed. The girl yelped.

"Nigel Barns a-and Alison Thomas. P-please don't hurt her." The man spluttered. "There on here Scabior, muggle borns." Scabior's smirk grew and he kicked the man in the head. He fell unconscious and the girl fainted.

"Come on the lads lets go." Scabior told the other group to meet back at the camp once they had caught someone so they could turn them in together. Getting into the ministry took twice as long now as the new security measures were put into place.

Greyback picked up the girl bridle style and Jonny struggled to lift the man. "Were you serious about that offer Scabior?" Greyback questioned. "You're not having her Greyback. We have only snatched these today. We need as much money as we can get. Just wait another week or so and you can have as many as you can get your claws on." Greyback smirked.

They walked in silence for another ten minutes. It must have been almost midnight as Dalia could only make out the basic features of everyone. The silence was broken by Scabior saying, "What's that?" Scabior stopped and turned around. Dalia rolled her eyes, "Are we ever going to get back?" she turned and watched Scabior retrace his steps.

"What's that smell?" He breathed in deeply. "What the hell is he doing? There's no one there! Idiot." Dalia thought. Scabior just stood there breathing in and staring into nothingness. There was a loud thump behind Dalia. She turned around and saw the man on the floor and Jonny panting. Scabior's focus was distracted. "What you doing?"

"It's heavy." Jonny complained. Dalia and Scabior both rolled their eyes. "Oh sorry, do you want me to carry it?" Scabior said sarcastically making his way back to them. "Yeah, thank you." Jonny replied, clearly not picking up on Scabior's obvious sarcasm. "Don't be ridiculous. Pick it up." Jonny sighed and struggled to pick up the dead weight. "Twat" Scabior muttered as he walked past him. He chuckled at Jonny's pathetic attempts to pick the man up.

They eventually made it back to camp. By this time Dalia was struggling to keep her eyes open. The other group managed to snatch two men. "We'll take them in tomorrow morning. Tom and Jack tie them up against that tree and make sure that they don't escape."

"Hey Scabior, don't you think that they are going to get cold? Sitting outside all night. I am feeling extra nice today and I wouldn't mind sharing my tent with the girl we snatched. I could keep her warm." Greyback smirked. Scabior rolled his eyes.

"Fine but don't be too loud I don't want you to keep me up. And make sure that she's in one piece tomorrow." Scabior sighed. Greyback grinned and took the girl into his tent. A shiver ran down Dalia's spine as she imagined what he would do to her. She had a quick cigarette to calm her nerves.

Finally Dalia got into her bed. She blew out the last candle and closed her eyes. No more than ten seconds later a bloodcurdling scream came from the direction of Greyback's tent. Dalia's eyes burst open. She pulled her pillow over her head and tried to block out the screams but whatever she did she could still hear them. Another sleepless night awaited Dalia.

Well there you go. I hope you liked it. Please review and tell me what you think. Thank you for reading :)