A/N: If you are squeamish about violence, this is not the chapter for you. Henria goes through some interrogation tactics. You have been warned. Rated M for a reason.
Henny, that lucky Penny!
Interrogation
"I'm here." Neville's quiet voice came from the shadows. He had dropped a note after class for me, telling me about an unused corridor. We both had a free period.
"Great!" I wrapped my arms around him. I did not care that he did not reciprocate, "I'm so sorry. I couldn't think of a different way." I released him. He coughed.
"I'm not your 'new plaything'." he scowled.
"You are if we need to keep passing notes." I quirked my brow. Neville sighed with resignation.
"Fine. What do we need to discuss?"
"We need to get all the muggle born children out of here." I stopped all humor and happiness, "They are not safe. Even the older ones. The Carrows make me nervous." I was looking around nervously. Neville shifted at my words.
"I get that feeling also. My skin crawls every time Amycus looks at me." he shuddered. I joined him.
"I feel enraged." I whispered.
"They can't leave, y'know." he said suddenly. I blinked and realization dawn on me. I felt my eyes prick with tears, "But we don't need to worry. I have the perfect place for them to hide. It will have everything we require." a twinkle in his eyes.
I went to lunch. It seems I gained a new respect from the Slytherins. Apparently, making a Gryffindor uncomfortable is preferable, for social status. Boys threw heated glances and girls actually wanted to talk with me. I played my part. Flirting shamelessly with Kadie prepared me for this kind of deception.
After the girls bid me ado, Draco slid next to me. I raised an eyebrow and he mirrored my action. I kept my gaze on him over my cup. His eyes never left mine.
"Ready to head to class?" he asked without breaking our connection.
"Of course." I replied.
We got up from the table and started for Charms. We chatted about our new lifestyles. He has to live with Pansy and how I have to live with other girls. In the end, we ended up laughing about it.
Until my cheek scraped against the floor.
"Slag." a hiss came from above. I touched my cheek and felt the familiar sting of broken flesh.
"Finnegan, I thought you knew better than to hit girls." Draco drawled, his wand twirling in his fingers.
"Its fine, Draco." I said as I sat up. I wiped a smear of blood away, "Seamus, please, stop roughing me up. I don't know how much more I can take before I end up hexing you into next week."
"Oh yeah?" Seamus retorted.
"Dammit, Seamus!" Neville's voice rang through the hallway, "Your stupid temper is getting annoying. Now git to class."
"That's my feisty lion." I drawled, balancing myself on two feet, "Come to play some more?" I winked at him and he rolled his eyes, not before blushing again.
"Get out of here, Longbottom." Draco snarled.
"Piss off, Malfoy." he retorted sharply, but headed into the classroom.
"He's my blood traitor. Leave him alone." I looked at Draco. He had an odd look on his face. My eyes widened when I saw he was green with envy, "Oh, jealous?"
"Never." he ground out and entered the classroom.
Damn hormonal teenage boys!
After my last class, I went to find Neville. I found him with a fuming Seamus and a worried Ginny. Where was Dean?
"I knew a Snake Bitch could not be trusted." Seamus snarled. I watched him carefully.
"I assure you, I am only a bitch." I replied evenly. Seamus jumped at me. Fighting Irish, I agree.
I dodged his fist and decided to use nonviolent measures. I snatched his wrist with my right hand. I dragged his hand across my body, braced my left forearm along his tricep and pulled/pushed him to the ground. I trapped his arm between my knees, successfully ending his assault.
"I'm sorry I broke my promise. I didn't hex you to next week." I mumbled into his ear as he moaned in discomfort.
"What the fuck was that?" Ginny shrieked.
"Arm bar takedown." I answered. I pushed him into even more discomfort, "No more hitting, pushing, kicking or punching me." I growled.
"Fine." he wheezed out.
I released him and stepped away. Seamus got up, rubbing his shoulder. I shot him a glare and he was sent stepping away from my. I turned my attention to Neville.
"Are they coming?" I pushed all anger and agitation out of my voice, "Where is Dean?"
"They should be here soon. Dean stayed back. He will be escorting the younger ones. He is just ensuring their safety." Neville replied in a soothing voice. I felt the stress melt away. How did he do that?
"Good. Where are we taking them?" I had no clue. We were in a random corridor in a random part of the castle.
"Right through this wall. When the others get here, I'll show you." he smiled proudly at me, "Is there anyone resisting in Slytherin?"
"A few. They were being sat in a circle last night. I watched the whole thing to make sure they were not harmed. If I can get a promise of safety, even from your lot, I will bring them here tomorrow. They are only first and second years. Too young for Voldemort." my eyes slid over to Seamus.
"Of course. Even Seamus doesn't harass first and second years." Neville checked around a corner.
"Excellent." I walked over to a wall and sat against it.
"Can you teach me that move, Henria?" a small voice fluttered into my ears. I glanced at Ginny.
"Don't feel like being physically assaulted?" I smirked; she shook her head, "Good. No girl should ever be. Come over here."
We worked on the take down for twenty minutes. In those twenty minutes, she was throwing me on the ground so hard, the wind kept getting knocked from me. I was quite proud. And in a lot of pain. It was a weird kind of proud.
"Oaf!" the wind rushed from lungs. I started groaning under Ginny's powerful hold. Even I could not keep the pain at bay.
"Oh! Did I hurt you this time?" Ginny quickly backed away from. I slowly pushed myself from the floor. I found the wall and leaned my achy body against it.
"Of course. But that's what I want you to do. So, don't you feel bad about it." I replied, watching her range of emotions.
"Neville!" Dean's voice called from the end of the corridor.
"Watch yourself, Dean." Neville surveyed the trail of younger students. My heart started to race with unease.
"Is this all of them?" I was extremely worried.
"There were a few who were stubborn. Convinced that I was yanking them. There were from Gryffindor." Dean shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, we can keep them out of trouble in the corridors, classrooms are a different matter." he patted Dean on the back, "Ready, Henria? We're about to see magic."
Then he started pacing. And then some more pacing. This was anticlimactic. I shifted painfully. I pity the man that does touch Ginny. She was just as brutish as I.
"What happened to you?" Dean looked at me quizzically.
"I threw Seamus and then Ginny threw me. We all had a tussle." I winked at him.
"Embracing the Slytherin attitude, are you?" Dean narrowed his eyes at me. I shrugged my shoulders.
"Best kind of spy is the one who you can't tell whose side they are on." and then I stopped talking.
A door slowly appeared from the wall. I stared in wonder as the wood shaped from stone. Swirls and twirls were rising from the wall, making a beautifully engraved door. After it finished, I touched a swirl lightly, just to be sure it was real.
"Go on!" Neville urged.
I opened the door slowly and was dumbfounded. A room with books, chairs, hammocks, a fireplace and other doors lay before me. It was simple and modest, but just what we needed.
"Not anything fancy, but it's perfect." Neville said from behind me. I turned my head and was starting to feel all my muscles loosen, my worries fading. I felt a real smile move my lips.
"Who knows about this?" my voice soft, still amazed.
"Not many. Although, Malfoy does. So, while you are pretending to fancy him, don't let it slip, yeah?" Seamus replied bitterly. I glared at him.
"I think I'll manage." I said with a cold bite to my words, "Keep them all here. Any wards you can think of, throw them up. Those who are not affected by the registration need to head to dinner. Do not throw suspicion our way. Make sure the wards include me."
"Alright. Dean, you stay. I will not have you signed up. It is perverse what the Ministry is doing. You stay here and throw up the appropriate wards. I'll sneak up here later tonight." and Neville left.
I looked around at all the scared, young faces. Most still had their baby cheeks. The tears came, hard and fast. I ducked my head and left. I knew they were in good hands, but it hurt me to see their fear. I hate this war.
I HATE THIS FUCKING WAR!
The next day is when everyone noticed the lack of students. Headmaster Snape addressed the issue during lunch.
"Students, it appears a few of your peers have runaway. They must be hiding somewhere close. If you have any information, please do not hesitate to give it to either Professors Carrows or myself. Thank you." and we were dismissed.
I entered Ancient Runes and pulled out my textbook. A younger student went to the head of the classroom and dropped a not in front of the teacher. The professor thanked the student and read the parchment. She paled and rose from her chair. Her eyes locked on mine and I felt my stomach drop to my toes.
"Miss Sownbinder, the Headmaster wishes to see you." I nodded my head.
My feet carried me to the entrance to Professor Snape's office. I was met by Professor Alecto Carrows. Her smug smile twisted knots into my stomach that was already in my toes. She murmured the password and stepped on the top step.
"Right this way, Miss Sownbinder." she directed in a sickly sweet voice. Oh shit, I'm going to die.
As we entered, I saw Headmaster Snape and the Carrows. There was a chair set up in the middle of the room. I waited by the door for instructions.
"Sit." Snape drawled. I shook my head.
"I'm okay with standing." I said in a small voice.
In a flurry of robes, Amycus stalked over and grabbed the shoulder of my uniform and threw me into the wooden chair.
As soon as my shoulders touched the back of the chair, straps flew around my upper arms and my thighs. I licked my lips nervously and tried to keep my heart from racing. I needed to steel my nerves.
"Interesting that a descendant of the House of Dumbledore ended up in Slytherin." Snape drawled, ignoring my predicament. I took a long, slow and deep breathe, "They are known for their intellect, bravery and tenacity. You have broken the mold, it would seem." keep breathing.
"Well, I guess there is a first for everything. I value my cunning and power. Plus, my quick tongue." I tried to relax against my bonds.
"Certainly." the drawl was grating on my ears, "Now, do you know where a significant number of my students are?" my eyes bore into his beady obsidian ones.
"No. I do not."
SMACK!
"Do not lie, girl." Amycus' voice rang in harmony with the smack. The left side of my face was burning.
"Alright, fine!" I pushed against the straps, "I DO NOT KNOW!" I leaned into his face and enunciated every syllable loudly. His punch to my mouth enunciated his silent ones.
"Are you conspiring with anyone here in the castle?" that damn drawl grated in my head.
"No. I am not." I ground around my swollen lip. My face was stinging, "Ask Draco Malfoy. Just today, Seamus Finnegan shoved me to the ground." I turned my other cheek, bringing attention to the scrapes there, "Obviously, I have few allies."
SMACK!
"Quit doing that!" that strike was on my right side and I felt that she had split open my scrapes, bleeding for the second time today.
"Then stop lying, girl." Snape snapped at me, "Tell me the truth!" my temper snapped. I felt the heat rise from my belly to the top of my head.
"You can hit me, kick me, smack me, punch me, use unforgiveables on me, hex me, jinx me or curse me. My answer will stay the same. I do not know! You can go through my mind, but all you will see is teenage mischief. You point your wand in my face and threaten to Avada me, but my answer will stay the same." I never let my eyes wander from his black orbs, "I DO NOT KNOW!" I screamed at his face. My rage made my face go red. My throat hurt from the scream.
"Very well. Amycus, Alecto, go at it. I am tired of her insolence." and with a bellowing of robes, he left.
Fuck my life.
About five hours later, the Carrows threw me into the Slytherin Common Room, in front of most of my house mates. As I lay shaking on the floor, desperately trying to keep from crying, I felt all eyes on me. Against my better judgment, I curled into myself.
"A warning." Amycus sneered.
"F-f-fuck y-y-you." I stuttered and rasped, earning me a final kick in the back. I squeaked.
"Go about your business." Alecto called over her shoulder as she and her brother left. The room was silent.
I turned my face into the floor. My forehead rested on the stone. I braced my shaky hands on the floor and pushed up slowly, with shaky arms. I bit my tongue to keep myself from crying out in pain. I heard a grumble and then running footsteps. My arms gave out and I was lying on the floor again.
Tears rolled down my cheeks silently. My body was nothing but pain. I cannot even remember half of the methods they had used to try to break me. I wiped away some tears and took a shaky breathe. Bracing my hands on the floor again, I pushed myself up slowly, this time making it into a sitting position. Gasps and screams resonated in my ears.
"Guess I look like shit." I rasped. I think I yelled a lot. Probably profanities.
"Much worse." a familiar drawl had me snapping my head around. The action caused me to wince.
"I guess I'm not the fairest in the land." I mumbled. Draco just smirked, "Help me up?"
Draco stepped over and held a hand out for me. I grasped it tightly, trying to ground myself. I relied heavily on him. In fact, it was not me who pulled me up, but Draco who did. He wrapped his hands around my waist while I let my legs get used to holding weight again.
"Thanks" I murmured into his chest. I felt him nod. I took this time to assess my injuries.
Bruises for my body. Sore spots and dark spots. Nothing serious. My face was a different story though. I could feel cuts, lumps and bruises. I wiped a drop of blood from my nose. My legs stopped shaking.
"I've got to go." I whispered, "I'm going to clean my cuts and scrapes." I turned away.
"You know what this mean, right Draco?" an unfamiliar voice cut through the silence, "She's a blood traitor."
"Definitely not sleeping here." I stated quietly. And I limped out.