Jamie's head felt very fuzzy when she woke, she kept her eyes closed. Had it all been a dream? Silently, she prayed it wasn't, and that she was sleeping in the burrow. She shifted her body on the bed, trying toy decide if it was her bed or not, and rubbed the sheets. She could feel her heart sink, the sheets weren't the familiar scratchy ones that she knew… nor was the bed lumpy. She opened her eyes and felt a sinking sensation in her chest. She looked around the room she had spent so many days in the last few months, her father was sitting in a chair on the end of her bed, looking at her through narrowed eyes.
Jamie stiffened, and looked down at her hands. He said nothing.
The silence weighed heavily on Jamie.
" I thought you were away on business for a few days…" She murmured, not looking up.
"I was." She could hear the dangerous edge to his voice.
"I…. I didn't know they were going to be there." She said quietly.
"I know. I have already gone through your memories of the night Anna."
He said. Anger imbedded in his tone.
The silence was painful as she waited for her father to speak.
"What was your plan Anna? After you ran away?" He already knew the answer… he had gone through her thoughts… he just wanted her to say it out loud.
"I didn't have one." Jamie murmured tonelessly.
"And how long… did you think you could outrun myself with no plan?"
She didn't answer him… there was no point. She tangled her hands up in the sheets, uncomfortable.
"Look at me Anna." He said firmly.
Jamie's looked up at him, faltering as she met his blood colored eyes. His gaze made her feel like a naughty child.
"I am out of patience Anna, if you were not my daughter you would be dead long ago. I will not tolerate your displays of disobedience any longer. Do not bring my full wrath upon yourself my dear; I can do far worse things to you than the Cruciatus curse."
He looked at her for a moment, something in his eyes told Jamie he wasn't kidding. Then, he pulled out his wand; Jamie had to fight the urge to wince away from it. Her father saw this, and an evil smile touched the corners of his mouth.
"My death eater's time is not to be wasted Anna, for that… you will be punished."
Jamie prepared herself for the pain, and she wasn't disappointed.
"Crucio." Her father said simply.
Jamie collapsed onto the bed, her body convulsing as the spell ran through her. Screams ripped from her throat at the stabbing knives of pain paralyzed her. He held it only for a few moments, and then released her. Jamie lay on the bed, trying to catch her breath. Her father stared at her in silence for a moment, then got out of the chair, walking swiftly to the door, he stopped as he reached it, turning around so Jamie could see him.
"I must return to my business now. You will not leave this room unsupervised until my return. Do not bring me back a second time Anna, you will regret it." His tone told her he wasn't kidding…
He looked at her for another moment, and then exited the room silently, locking the door behind himself.
Jamie couldn't help breathe a sigh of relief when she heard the lock turn… she had survived almost unscathed… quite a feat when it came to her father. At least she didn't have to see him for a few days… with nothing else to do, Jamie sunk back into the bed, closing her eyes and letting a restless sleep take her.
She was woken up a few hours later by the sound of someone unlocking the door.
Lucius came in, glaring at her. Jamie blinked the sleep out of her eyes for a moment, and glared right back at him.
He was carrying a tray with some watery soup on it, and stale bread.
He set it down on the desk across the room from herself, and walked towards the door.
"I told you not to try anything stupid." He said, still glaring at her.
"Well I didn't expect them to show up last night; and incase you hadn't noticed, I was following you." She snapped back at him.
"Right up until the point when you started to run towards them, or did you forget that detail?" He snarled back. Jamie said nothing, but glared at him.
He shot her another angry look, and then stormed out of the room shutting the door behind with a bang and locking it with angry muttering.
Jamie glared at the closed door for a moment, then laid back down. She didn't really feel like eating… her stomach was turning already and somehow she doubted the stale bread would sit well at the moment. She laid in bed for a while, hoping that she could sleep a little bit more, but was too worked up and had already overslept. Jamie reluctantly got up, and padded over to the bookshelf, grabbing a random dark arts book off the shelf. She then went over to the closed windows and threw them open. The sun shone brightly in the mid day sky, and it warmed Jamie's skin, even through the window. It was one of those days that she would have spent down by the lake after classes with friends, laughing as they made a weak attempt to tackle homework. The thought made her sad, she should be there right now… not locked up in the Malfoy's mansion. She placed a hand against the glass, as if hoping to make it disappear.. But no such luck. Jamie sighed and pulled the chair her father had used towards the window, at least she could be in the sunlight.
The next days passed painfully slow as she waited for her father to return. By the time the third day rolled around Jamie jump anytime someone came into the room, wondering if it was her father, but it was always just someone to drop off a meal. On the fourth day, Jamie sat by the window once again, reading a book on ancient spells when she heard the door open. She didn't bother turning around, seeing as it was mid day (from what she could tell, looking at the sun's position in the sky) and it was just another death eater dropping off a meal. But she didn't hear the familiar footsteps being walked, nor the dropping of a tray. She heard her father clear his throat, making Jamie jump and drop her book. She got up and picked up the book, turning to face him. His eyes slit in annoyance, and Jamie cast her gaze downwards.
"Come." He said in Parseltongue, gesturing towards the door. Jamie followed him out, not sure where he was leading her. He went swiftly down the stairs, and led her to the study he had taught her in a while ago. They passed a few death eaters along the way, all of them bowed low as they saw their master approaching. Jamie noticed that he didn't even take a second glance at them. His arrogance disgusted her. He led her into the study he had spent a few days teaching her in earlier that year. He sat down behind the large desk, and motioned for her to sit in a wooden chair on the opposite side.
"We have been slack in your studies over the past two months. But no more, it seems you need more discipline in the dark arts in order to live up to your potential." He said, pulling a book on the desk towards Jamie.
"You will use this book to continue your studies when I am away on business." He said curtly, getting up from behind the desk.
"But for now, you will be studying the art of dueling. Come." He said once again, getting up from the desk, and walking swiftly out the door. Jamie grabbed the book and walked quickly after him.
He led her out the front door, pulling his hood up; and led her to the middle of the lawn. A few death eaters came out, curious to what their lord was doing.
"Lucius." Voldemort called, seeing the death eater among the gathering crowd. The man came forward and bowed deeply.
"I wish for Anna to practice her dueling. You will oppose her today." Lucius bowed again.
"Yes my lord." He murmured, getting up and facing Jamie. Her father walked over to her, and withdrew her wand from his robe, handing it to her.
"Have you dueled before Anna?" He asked.
She shook her head. He smiled.
"Follow my instructions and you will be fine." He said curtly. Jamie nodded, and set her book down on the side of the lawn.
"Now, you may not use the killing curse during this duel at any time. Any other spell may be used though. Agreed?" Voldemort said, challenging anyone to disagree.
Lucius and Jamie gave a nod, facing each other.
Lucius started, giving an elegant bow.
"Bow Anna." Her father said from the sidelines in Parseltongue. Jamie gave a quick bow.
"Begin!" Voldemort said loudly. Lucius fired two curses quickly at Jamie; she blocked one and dived out of the way of the other.
"Use Crucio." Her father hissed in Parseltongue.
She did, but Lucius stepped easily out of the way, firing another curse at her.
"Expelliarmus!" She cried, just as the curse came flying at her, she barley managed to get out of the way, although it managed to nick her arm, causing it to bleed.
He dodged the spell but stumbled on something.
"Crucio!" Jamie cried again. The spell hit its mark, and Lucius collapsed to the ground with a cry of pain. She released him after a moment, panting.
There was silence among the death eaters; Jamie saw a few mouths hanging open in shock. Her father started clapping. He looked like a proud father as he came over to her.
"Well done Anna!" He said proudly.
Jamie looked down, uncomfortable with the praise.
"He tripped…" She murmured. He nodded.
"Yes, but in a real duel he could have made the same mistake. Except now… he would be dead." He said lightly. Jamie could see a few people gather around Lucius, helping him to his feet.
"I think that's all for today my dear, you have done well." Her father said, taking the wand from her grasp. Jamie nodded.
"Be in the study at 9 tomorrow." He said, dismissing her. Jamie nodded and gave a little bow, speeding off towards the house.
Jamie went up to the bathroom, and took a clean towel from the rack. She pulled back her sleeve to see how big the gash was. It wasn't large, although it was bleeding consistently. She ran her arm under the water, getting off the crusted blood from around the wound. Looking down into the sink full of pink water, she had an idea. Slipping her sleeve of the other hand up, she grasped the bracelet in her hand. Then, she let the blood of her injured arm drip onto the clasp. It opened. Jamie looked at the bracelet in shock. Surely it couldn't be that easy… but there it was, hanging limply in her hand. Oh course! She did share her father's blood after all! How could she be so stupid? The discovery made her giddy with pleasure. She snapped the bracelet back into place, and continued washing her arm. Plotting her escape.
