Chapter Twenty-One: The Prisoners of Malfoy Manor
I live in a world where two truths coexist: where both hell and hope lie in the palm of my hand.
-Alice Sebold: Lucky
Despite the hard work of the Death Eaters, it took them over seven months to capture Draco and Lucia: most newly pronounced blood traitors. Severus had certainly been right about the Order of the Phoenix's security. They possessed a number of safe houses, all equipped with a full measure of protective charms and spells they had so far been unable to break through effectively. Their eventual success was more of a matter of chance. A few sources had said Draco and Lucia had been brought to the house of their long-lost aunt Andromeda.
Both Bellatrix and Narcissa had been shocked at hearing someone mention that name so casually. Andromeda. They had spent the past twenty years doing everything they could to forget their long-lost sister. And now she had the children. Narcissa had hated the gulf of jealousy that washed over her knowing her sister was with Draco and Lucia every day. She knew how they were. How Lucia's pregnancy was going, and probably whether she was happy. While she herself could only guess from the sidelines.
Her jealousy quickly turned to pity, though, when she heard of the plans. The house had been under close scrutiny for a while, and so it easily reached them when Ted Tonks, Andromeda's husband of muggleborn blood status, chose to go into hiding. He had not turned up for his questioning at the Ministry concerning his bloodline, so he obviously thought it best not to draw unnecessary attention to the house. If ever a bad choice was made, it was Ted Tonks's choice to leave his family.
It took them only a few weeks to find the man camping in the woods with other runaway blood traitors and muggleborns. The next step in the plan was not so watertight. The Order of the Phoenix had been expected to hold a funeral. At least a small group of them would leave their safe houses for it, if they were as loyal to each other as they used to be. Perhaps they thought even the Death Eaters would not be so disrespectful as to attack during a funeral.
Provided that Lucia and Draco would be smart enough not to attend, surely Andromeda herself would. Narcissa had not been able to overhear every part of the plan, but she though an Imperius Curse and some torturing was part of their tactics. None of that proved necessary. Beyond everyone's expectations, Lucia and Draco had come to attend the funeral. Their loyalty to their aunt must have grown over the past few months, or their common sense deluded. When they returned earlier than the rest, they had been easily overpowered by Rodolphus, Yaxley and Travers.
Narcissa had only been able to get a glimpse of them before they were imprisoned in the dungeons. The girl with them she had identified as a Weasley, judging by the flaming red hair and reckles. Both the children appeared in relative good health. Lucia heavily pregnant.
"The Dark Lord wants to decide for himself what to do with them," Bella announced, returning with Rodolphus and the other two Death Eaters from the dungeons. There was a gleam of madness in her eyes; the look she always got when she was about to use the Dark Arts. "Doesn't mean we can't start ahead a little and see if we can get some information out of them. I say we start with the least important."
Before anyone got the chance to contradict her, Bella had snapped her fingers and Wormtail came approaching, hesitant as always, his beady eyes watering like a rat's.
"Fetch the Weasley girl," Bella instructed.
Ginny Weasley. She was full of resistance and strength when they brought her in. Wandless and defenceless, but brave enough to struggle. She would not be the first, nor the last, to be tortured in this house. A small group of Death Eaters gathered in the drawing room, Bellatrix visibly in charge. They were unsure when the Dark Lord would arrive. He had been summoned, but he was on urgent business abroad. It might take hours.
Narcissa couldn't wait for the chance to head downstairs and see for herself the children were, at least at present, in good health. She had been wondering lately whether Lucia had given birth yet. A grandchild. The thought of having one was so surreal it seemed like a dream.
Just as she was heading for the door, her pathway was blocked by Rodolphus. "Not leaving, Cissy, are you?" he raised an eyebrow. The once so handsome man had never truly recovered from the years in Azkaban. While there was still a hint of charm in his gestures, the cruelty overruled everything. "The prisoners can last longer than an hour without food," he grinned maliciously. "Wasn't that where you were heading?"
"I..." she thought quickly. Rodolphus had always been nice enough when they were on the same side. But things had changed. Bella might hold her judgement back in clinging to their bond as sisters, but Rodolphus had little reason not to betray any suspected treason to the Dark Lord.
"Lucius," she said then. "I was just on my way to fetch Lucius... and inform him, of recent events."
"There's no need." Rodolphus kept looking at her, his eyes narrowed. Did he suspect something? Were treacherous thoughts without acting on them enough to be punished? How much longer before she would be able to find a safe way to act on them?
"I've sent word," Rodolphus continued. "He was in Knockturn Alley with Severus. I expect they'll be here soon. My Bella likes an audience, you see."
In the background, the Weasley girl screamed as Bella's Sectumsempra hit her, blood splashing across the floor as her pale skin was cut open magically.
"I see," Narcissa whispered, her mouth dry. She couldn't stand the screaming. She couldn't stand watching this. Rodolphus kept blocking her way and she saw no other way but to turn around and sink back down on her chair.
Bellatrix so far had not had a single response to either of her questions. Not even by the use of the Cruaciatus Curse. Harry Potter's whereabouts and war strategies remained as much of a mystery as they had been before the Weasley girl was brought in. It did not do much good to Bella's temper; she was undoubtedly eager to impress the Dark Lord with new knowledge.
"You silly girl!" Bella panted in disbelief at Ginny's lack of speech. "Something else, then. The Order of the Phoenix. Tell me the locations of their safe houses. NOW!" she added the last word when the girl's lips remained as sealed as ever.
"No!" Ginny shouted in response. She had pushed herself up to a sitting position. The effort left her panting for breath. Her body was covered in cuts. Nothing that would leave her to bleed to death, which was not the aim just yet, but enough to make her suffer.
"I'm not telling you anything, old hag," the girl continued, unwisely.
Bella merely shook with laughter, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets at her incredulity of the girl's courage. "You just wait," she hissed. "Once the Dark Lord arrives you'll be the first to go."
"Great. You need permission to kill off a pair of teenagers, do you?" said Ginny. "You think your Voldemort is so great, but he's been running in circles for years. He spreads fear all around, but he can't kill off someone not even close to half his age, and currently his biggest challenge is a baby that's not even born!"
"Enough!" Bella screamed. "CRUCIO!"
Ginny Weasley paid dearly for her words. Her screams sounded all the way throughout the Manor's ground floor, and perhaps further too. Once Bella was on a roll, there was no stopping her.
"Tell. Us. Potter's. Hiding place." Bella put emphasis on every word as she crouched by Ginny's injured body after several repeat performances of the Cruciatus Curse. Ginny laid on the floor , a trembling heap of blood and misery. Bella lowered herself over her, black curls tickling Ginny's freckled, pale face. She was so convinced of her success. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. That she would be the one to discover such important news.
All of them spectators thought it too. The Weasley girl appeared to pant for breath, gathering her strengths to give Bellatrix what she wanted and end the torture. They hadn't expected what happened next.
In the absence of a wand Ginny reverted to old Muggle methods. She spat Bella square in the face.
The Death Eaters, including Narcissa herself, gasped audibly. Narcissa braced herself for what would follow. Orders from the Dark Lord or not, she wondered whether Bella would be able to repress her rage at such an act.
"EXPELLIARMUS!"
The door closed with a thud. It distracted everyone but Bellatrix, who was breathing hard and had her wand –pointed at Ginny's throat seconds ago- flung from her hand.
"How dare you!" she screamed in fury.
"Bellatrix." Severus strode across the room in a heartbeat. "The Dark Lord wants our prisoners alive and useful. I'm afraid that includes them being quite sane. A repeat performance of your involvement with the Longbottoms will not make him as happy this time. In fact: was it not you who once taught us all the motto: Discretion is an art in itself?"
"Wormtail!" he called then, taking hold on a weakened Ginny Weasley's arm and handing her to Peter Pettigrew when he came running. "Return the girl to the dungeons."
Narcissa felt relief wash over her when Severus ended the torture session prematurely. Until now she had not noticed he had entered with Lucius. Lucius seated himself on the chair next to her while the room slowly became emptier. Bella stalked off angrily, going to await the Dark Lord's return elsewhere.
"Have you seen them?" she asked her husband, under her breath.
Lucius had not looked well at all in these months the children had gone, but now he looked utterly defeated. "No," he whispered. "It is out of our hands, Cissa. The Dark Lord will decide over their faith."
He could not honestly mean that. Step back, and let Draco and Lucia's life be decided on without interference? Lucius deserved her pity, but anger boiled inside of her. In the mean time, Narcissa was furious with herself as well. Here she was, waiting for the perfect moment to interfere, while that might never come.
"What do we do now?" she demanded.
Lucius said nothing. He turned his head away from her and stared in the distance. She hoped he felt guilty. She hoped his guilt was as consuming as hers.
Rodolphus's words earlier had made Narcissa more careful. She got the impression she was being watched. That, combined with their doubtful place in the Dark Lord's ranks, made her decide to wait. If she acted unwisely and carelessly others would suffer for her mistakes. Not just her own safety was at stake anymore, after all. She was well aware her mistakes might reflect on both Lucius and Bellatrix. Or worse: the children, who already awaited such horrors. Severus's interference had worked: the intention was to wait for further orders from the Dark Lord himself. He could arrive any minute now. Everyone's anxiousness was obvious. No one left the Manor's downstairs floor, ready to do their master's bidding once he arrived.
Lucius and Narcissa had gathered in one of the most comfortable sitting rooms. They sat by the fire, but it could not warm them much tonight. They were chilled to the bone at what awaited them. Bella was pacing, and checking the time every minute or so. Narcissa's heartrate picked up when Wormtail entered to whisper something in Bella's ear. The pair of them disappeared immediately.
She tried sending Lucius a look of concern, but no eye contact could be made. He shut himself off worse than before.
Time had never passed more slowly. When finally the doors re-opened they expected it to be the Dark Lord arriving. Instead it was Wormtail again, hurrying towards Narcissa this time. She looked shocked when he grabbed her hand so unreservedly, but his message made everything crystal clear.
"You have to come," he announced. "She –the girl- she's going to give birth!"