A/N: There is nothing wrong with the playlist and I didn't forget to add on a song. This chapter is to be read in as much silence as possible. I couldn't find a song that fit my idea of this mood, so I feel silence shall suffice. Thank you for reading!XXOO

Hermione barely had time to gasp before two strong wizards materialized behind her, catching her arms, and her wand, and leading her into the Great Hall. She struggled, pressing her feet against the doors. This did nothing to stop their forward momentum, it just opened the two wood slabs wide as they'd go. All the students gasped, some attempting to move to help her. She shook her head, her hair falling out of it's binds. She would have attempted to blow the hair out of her face, but that was the least of her worries. The men that Auberon Vilonar had ordered to move had begun rigging something. She wasn't sure what, it seemed so rudimentary.

The children were moved again, this time in a wide circle, encasing whatever it was they were making. She noticed something as she was thrown from one guard to another. The students were all shackled together...that must be why they moved as one. They had no other choice.

The man closest to her nodded at Auberon, then began ripping at her robes. She fought again, punching one of them in the face. He recovered after the cheering of the students and gave her one ten times worse. She knew she'd have a fist sized bruise on her face from that. Seeing that she resisted less when attacked, the men hit her every time she even thought of moving.

She wasn't even in their blasted contraption yet!! Wasn't that the torture part?

"I'm sorry, Professor Granger, but you must learn to stay still. What sort of influence do you think you are bestowing on these lovely children?" Auberon's voice chilled her more than the cold of the Great Hall, her clothes no where to be found. Some of the students had the good grace to look away, others staring in terror. She didn't try to cover herself, what was the use? They'd hit her if she moved.

"Now students, I'll give you one last chance..." He let the offer hang out there. A few stood, opening their mouths to speak. The shackles shimmered as though they were going to fall away.

"NO!! Say nothing! Sit!" She screeched, kicking the tall man who was tying her into the contraption. He groaned, holding his privates and kneeling to the ground. The students looked into her eyes and nodded, sitting on the floor once more. The shackles dully stayed solid. The Slytherins were saying things to one another, though their faces were full of fear. The rest sort of melded, the blue, yellow, and red turning into one big blur as the effects of all the punching caught up with her.

She felt a cold hand touch her back and she shied away, unable to slap or punch because her hands were locked together behind her back. Her hair fell over her chest like Lady Godiva and she sighed, unable to help any of it. She hoped Scorpius was okay, she needed him to survive. None of this would matter if he didn't survive. Where was Severus?!

She shoved that thought away before it latched onto her brain. He shouldn't be here for this, he shouldn't have to witness this...this torture. She focused mentally, she wasn't going to scream. That wouldn't help her cause, because the students would weaken under the threats delivered. Each threat accompanied by her scream.

"Heh..."Auberon laughed lightly, and she saw what was to come, that damned man had her hooked up to a strappado! She nearly laughed at the thought that popped in her head, and after thinking about it, she did.

The sound seemed utterly out of place, given the situation and the mood, but she laughed anyway. She saw Tarling and grinned.

"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"

The girl, though still stone faced, laughed, sharing the joke with her neighbors until the whole of the Hall was laughing jovially. Hermione saw a couple guards red faced, trying to hold in their laughter.

"ENOUGH!"

Auberon's loss of control didn't shock Hermione. She knew it was coming...it'd make him unfocused, open for attack. She hoped Severus--no...she hoped someone would take the shot. Anyone but him. A tear left her eye and without running down her cheek, simply splashed silently on the stone floor.

"It seemed you do not understand the severity of this situation, students. Perhaps this will show you reality." He walked out of her view, and she cringed. Now was the time.

A heavy silence fell over the Hall, everyone holding their breath. She wished should could shield them from this. The little ones would never forget this, they'd be scarred. But everyone was at least ten feet from her, all chained in a large circle. She couldn't reach them if she wanted to.

She heard clothing shift and a glove flex over something. She knew what was to happen...and that scared her to death.

Crank.

Nothing yet, her feet hadn't left the ground.

Crank.

A slight twinge, a pulling sensation, a muscle adjusting.

Crank.

Pain, but a minimal amount, just enough to make her wish for this to be over.

Crank.

Her arms were up as high as they could go, still bent. Her knees were wobbly.

Crank.

Her weight was starting to leave the floor, her hands strained against the binds, anything to get free.

Crank.

Real pain, the type that makes you wince and gasp. Another tear, it leaving a track the other hadn't.

Crank.

Her toes, dangerously close to leaving the floor. Her gasp was louder, more painful.

Crank. Crank.

She hadn't expected that. Her weight left the floor with gusto, a scream building in her throat. She had to fight it, she had to be strong. But the pain was so much, she felt the socket protest, pressure telling her she was going the wrong way. Sensors were running mad in her brain, her hearing lost some of it's usual accuracy as her heart beat grew unbearably loud. Her feet stretched to the ground, trying to relieve some of the weight.

Crank. Crank. Crank.

It happened so quick, she didn't have a chance to think. The muscles screamed at her, the nerves sending signals at alarming rates. Her fingers, her hands, her wrists, her forearms, everything after the shoulder ceased to exist. All she felt was magma, liquid fire, burning through her shoulders, the flame licking at her neck.

The shoulders hadn't popped out, not yet. But she probably wouldn't notice if it did. The pain was so much more than she'd imagined. She must be seven feet off the ground by now. That had to be seven feet, right? She couldn't tell distances, hell, if you asked her name she wouldn't know it.

Crank. Crank. Crank. Release.

Screaming doesn't seem to cover what sound she made. It was wretched from the depth of her. Pulled out of her very soul as she lost what resistance she had. The audible pops that joined the end of the release were just as loud. She was gasping now. Or maybe she had just realized she was gasping. And warm tears were cascading down her cheeks, sobs shaking her frenzied frame.

There were other sounds too, though her ears hadn't recovered enough to make out any sound. Her head was alive with the thumping of her heart, the pain not yet reaching a level of numbness. Oh, how she wished for the oblivion right now. Another loud sound, a screeching, grating sound. She didn't search for it, she already knew what it was. It was her, screaming the pain away. If only such things were real.

But no...wait. Why was everything so loud, why was there a million little bees buzzing inside her head. Her brain throbbed, overwhelmed by the steady stream of sound.

She couldn't see, her eyes were sightless, her vision another casualty of the damned machine. A swipe through her ropes and she felt earth once more. How welcome it was. How cold and welcome. A deep sound blazed through the haze of bees and pain, a voice. It was telling her to stay. As if she had anywhere to go. As if she had a way to get there. She wasn't pulling herself off the floor anytime soon. She wanted to scoff at the voice, scoff at the foolish request, but darkness was clouding her mind, sleep yanking her down until she heard, nor saw anything. Finally the pain stopped.

He was running, he'd gotten Scorpius into a safe place, warded, hidden and secure. He had no worries there. Magical or not, you'd be fighting a losing battle if you thought you could find that hiding spot.

He didn't know if the problems had escalated or not. It worried him, and he didn't like to worry. He still didn't have grey hair and that was a miracle in itself. All the stress and damage he'd gone through, he expected his hair to shine white.

Much like Dumbledore. He crossed the grounds undercover near Hargid's hut, taking the shortcut Voldemort had taught before he'd died. One useful thing out of a box of pain.

He crawled in her window, threw the broom on the ground and ran through the halls, making it to the Great Hall in record time, he was slightly out of breath, but that meant nothing. Where was Hermione? She wasn't at her post, and a lot of noise was coming from the children inside. He creeped forward, glancing inside.

His anger almost made him charge in. But he had to think of this rationally. Flitwick had sent a Patronus to the Minister. That had to have gotten to him by now. An official S.O.S. from Hogwarts wasn't taken lightly. He looked around, almost wishing them to come. Huh. His wishes must come true, a troop of wizards and witches, brandishing wands and looking as angry as he felt, blew through the front door in silence. They stopped by him and in speed, he dropped the charm and conjuered a shield. He was right to. At least all of the wands cast something at him. He was just glad it wasn't the Avada. He couldn't block that.

Speaking to the only man who looked coherent enough to be the leader, he gave the lowdown. The man nodded, a plan forming as he gestured orders to the team. Some went were Severus said the teachers entrance was, the rest positioned themselves around the open door way. Good thing the spot where they entered was out of sight of the Hall or everyone would know they were here.

He didn't focus on anything but her. She had to be cut down before--

"AAAAAHHHH!!!" *POP--POP*

That bastard had dropped her! She was still a foot off the ground, still in pain. He fell into his old fighter mode, leading the attack with force. They all followed as he shot Stunners left and right, hitting the man who called himself Auberon in the chest with a nice Cruciatus. The man fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Severus left him there, cutting down Hermione and catching her before she had the chance to hit the ground. He laid her down, covering her with his cloak. Her open brown eyes looked right through him, blank and unfeeling. He'd seen that before, but only on the faces of the dead. But she couldn't. She was still breathing.

"Stay with me!! Damn it! Stay with me!!"

She barely registered him as her head lolled, her breathing shallowed, and her eyes closed. He lifted her, quickly tying Auberon up into a cargo net. Severus pushed past the students who had been released from their chains, making his way to his stores. He had to fix her before she was permanently broken. He glanced down, the comparison between her just this morning and her right now was like night and day. Her hair was tangled, her face and body bruised as though she were a punching bag. Her lip was swollen, split as well, her shoulders were wrecked beyond anything he'd seen. He needed to hurry. He took the steps two at a time, absorbing the shock and barely moving her.

How could he have let her get so hurt? How could he not be there for her? He was moving too slow...thinking too much...he stayed with Scorpius too much, he ignored the possibilities. He was too blame.

A/N: I think I got what I wanted out of this chapter. I hope you liked it. Not in any way sadisticly, just as a chapter. I promise more lovey-dovery, fluffiness and beauty in the next. I just had to get a disaster in and out. Now enough sadness, on with the happiness!! XOXOXO "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!!"