A/N: So sorry for the late update! I'm not entirely happy with this chapter (I never am haha!) but I just wanted to get it out. My life has really changed in the last couple of months and I'm still getting used to my new job. I'm working strange hours as I'm at a cinema so I'm not getting a lot of time to write at the moment, but I will update when I can! To the Guest who asked about my other story, I will update at some point, but I want to get this story finished first!
Thanks to Moon Lantern and Grimnarin for reviewing the last chapter! Reviews really do keep me going! :) Hope you all enjoy this one!

As the darkness swirled around her, Ariella felt like she knew what Augustus Gloop was going through when stuck in the tube in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Squished to the point she felt she almost couldn't breathe, the girl was quite glad when it ended and she collapsed onto the flagstones of someone's floor. Solid ground.

The relief didn't last long. As soon as she looked up, the fear came flooding back.

The room she was in was dark and dingy and nothing like what she expected of a manor house, even if it did belong to one of the darkest families she knew. The few pieces of furniture were coloured in dark greys and browns and virtually blended in to the walls and cold stone floor. Dark green curtains were drawn over the windows and, considering they were covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs, didn't look like they'd been open in quite a while. In fact, the only source of light came from the chandelier above, but because the room was so dingy, it barely lit the space at all. Ariella hated it. She had no idea how someone could even think of living in a room like this. Then, her eyes caught the gaze of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Hello, Muddy."

The cold tone used by Bellatrix had the girl fighting off the last dregs of nausea apparating had caused. She couldn't afford to be weaker than she had to be. Not now she was on her own.

"Cat got your tongue?" the witch smirked as Ariella continued to just stare at her. The Death Eater's mouth twitched and she twirled her wand in her hand before continuing. "Now, you're probably wondering why you're here. You see, Draco told us all about Potter and his friends, but unfortunately, he doesn't quite know all the details. You see our problem?" She paused; grinned. "I want to know about Dumbledore's Army."

Ariella could have sworn her blood froze in her veins. "I don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered quickly. Too quickly.

"I think you do, Muddy!" Bellatrix sang gleefully. "You know, the easier it is for me to tell that you're lying, the more pain is inevitably going to come your way. I always get the answers I want."

The girl swallowed. There was no way she would be able to fight back against Bellatrix if it came to torture. She knew that. The best bet she had was to distract her, and quickly.

However, at that moment, the dark witch spotted something that meant she didn't have to do anything to distract her at all.

"Where did you get that?" she demanded, her eyes fixed on Ariella's chest. The girl didn't have to look down to know what the woman was referring to. The locket. It was hers after all.

"I… I…" she stuttered, staring fearfully at the woman above her. What could she say? That it was given to her? Bellatrix would never believe that!

"How dare you soil it with your filthy flesh, you disgusting little Mudblood!"

Ariella recoiled as the Death Eater's claw-like fingers reached for the chain.

This time the words came easily, flowing out of her in terror. "Please, I was given it! I can't get it off! I swear!"

"You lying little piece of filth!" Bellatrix raged and, much to Ariella's horror and amazement, managed to grab hold of the necklace and tear it off. Although there was slight relief that the weight of it was gone, it didn't do anything to lessen the fear running through her body in coarse waves as she looked back at her captor.

"You're going to pay for that!" the dark witch continued, her eyes fiery as they burned into Ariella's. "But Cissy would not appreciate me ruining the living space." She grabbed the young girl's arm before Ariella could even think of moving and started dragging out of the room.

The girl immediately tried to struggle against the witch's strong grip. Where were they going? What was she planning to do to her? That last question brought the nausea straight back up. She'd already had a taste of Bellatrix's rage and if that was anything to go by… no. She didn't want to think about it. She wouldn't let herself think about it.

Swallowing, she tried instead to focus on where they were going. However, when the dark witch dragged her down a set of stairs, it was easy enough to guess their destination. The cellar.

As Bellatrix pushed open the door, the smell that wafted out made the young girl want to gag. It reeked of rot, blood and something else that she wasn't quite sure she wanted to know.

"Incendio."

The newly lit lamps gave Ariella some idea of where she was headed. Cold, stone walls surrounded her on all sides and several central pillars held up the extremely low ceiling. However, what scared her most of all were the rusted chains draped against the wall in heavy piles. They looked as though they had been there an awfully long time.

Before she could think about what that meant, Bellatrix threw the girl down the remaining steps so that she landed hard on the floor. She barely had time to take a breath before the dark witch had moved to tower above her. She was so close that the lacy netting of her skirt brushed up against the young girl's face, giving her a quick whiff of the must and filth that stained it. Ariella forced herself not to make a gag, and instead looked up to meet the Death Eater's eyes.

"I swear I was given it, I didn't steal it!" she pleaded.

"Explain to me why I should believe you, little girl," Bellatrix sneered.

"Because I'm telling the truth, please!"

Immediately, the woman's face twisted into an ugly glower. "Crucio!"

The girl twisted and writhed as hot white agony overtook her senses once more, even if only for a few mere moments. Despite this, when it stopped, her breaths came in ragged gasps as she used shaky hands to support herself from the ground.

"You didn't like that?" Bellatrix asked sweetly, grinning and twirling the crooked wand in her hand. Then her features hardened and her eyes flashed. "Then tell the truth."

Tears began to fall as Ariella realised how desperate her situation was. "I am, I swear I am. Please!"

Bellatrix paused and, for a moment, Ariella could almost hear the cogs turning. Then, the dark witch smiled. Ariella immediately drew back in fear, trying to shuffle back as far as she was able without her captor noticing.

"Please," Ariella whispered again.

"You can make this all stop you know?" Bellatrix said, bending down and reaching out a hand to cup the girl's chin. "You can make this all stop if you just tell me what I want to know."

Ariella immediately moved back out of her reach. There was no way this 'gentleness' was more than just an act to get her to talk.

"I've told you the truth!" she pleaded shakily. "Please!"

"Bella?" The soft voice cut through the darkness. Above Ariella, Bellatrix froze, cursed under her breath.

"Cissy," she answered, turning round. As she did, she gave Ariella a view to see who was stood at the top of the stairs. A woman, dressed in an elegant black velvet and white satin gown, her pale hair styled with not a hair out of place. There was no doubt in Ariella's mind as to who this was. Draco's mother, or, in other words, Bellatrix's sister, Narcissa Malfoy.