Susannah froze, please, please let them not have heard. She held her breath in tension. There was a shout – Gods no!
She ran, the quiet approach abandoned, and fled across the snowy plain. She could hear feet and calls at her back and panic seized her – what should she do? Let herself be caught and hope for mercy? Run and hope they never caught her? Or should she fight, taking as many of them down with her? Her decision was made for her as her foot finally gave out from the pressure of running, twisting in the snow. She held her wand aloft – she was a Gryffindor and would fight to the end.
"Petrificus Totalus! Locomotor Mortis! Flatus Inflictio!" Susannah called loudly, aiming her wand at the Death Eaters; the first two hit their targets solidly, whilst the relatively wide Blasting spell knocked over several at once. She had time to quickly utter the disarming spell but before she was able to summon a shield she felt something crash into her side, a stunning spell she would guess. Before she could right herself she felt hands seize her and was lifted from the ground by her neck – her wand lying uselessly on the snow. Her legs kicked vainly for ground or flesh but the man was too strong and too tall. As she looked up Susannah realized that the man holding her was the unmasked man. He looked her in the eyes, not saying a word. She heard the others draw near. She knew, without anyone saying that this was him, Voldemort. Fear finally set in and she thrashed violently against his hold – but a feeling of calm flowed over her, and the memory of the afternoon before, with her friends came to her mind's eye. It took her a moment to realise that this was his doing, she had heard the rumours of his skills as a Legilimens, yet she couldn't bring herself to break eye contact, unwilling to submit. Moments passed and no one said a word, although she knew he was finding everything he needed to know from her mind.
"So, Susannah Bellamy, what makes you roam in the dark?" He spoke finally in a deep voice, trying to bring forth her disastrous evening with her friends, she at last resisted, blocking him with every ounce of effort she could muster – surprising even him. He let out a deep rumble of laughter: "Very well." He dropped her and as she hit the ground landing on her knees, she felt her senses come back to her. Lack of oxygen she supposed. She looked quickly for her wand but couldn't see it and there were men all around them.
"Fitting. I prefer you on your knees." Voldemort smirked, eliciting guffaws from the Death Eaters. She looked back defiantly, if he was going to kill her she would not give him the benefit of seeing her humiliated. He pulled out his wand, remarking that it was a "waste".
"Susannah?!" A loud call came from across the field, searching in the dark. The Death Eaters immediately became anxious – one girl was not an issue but more would draw needless attention.
Voldemort hissed in annoyance, "Who is that?"
Susannah smiled, "My friends. They are looking for me."
Voldemort lowered his wand, crouching down to her eye level; he respected her for the fact that she retained his eye contact.
"A true Gryffindor. I reward you," he leant close to her, "with your life. But next time we meet you will repay me." He made as if to stand, but at the last minute grabbed her face and bit her cheek forcefully – causing Susannah to scream for the first time. With that he and his followers swept away into the darkness of the night.