Chapter 37

The moment they had arrived back at the house, and Xanthus was well on his way up the stairs, Sebastian went out to the back yard and to the broom shed that held his less than favorite brooms. After hopping on the back of one he took off at top speed. He didn't want to think about what he saw. He didn't want to think about his mother being taken. He didn't want to think about Xanthus getting the Dark Mark or of him getting tortured.

He bent as low on his broom as he could and sped up until the wind cut at his skin. He had to admit, at first, when he saw that his brother had decided to join he was quite jealous. He believed in the views he had been raised under; that Muggles were scum; that Mudbloods and Bloodtraitors should be punished. Well maybe not punished, but at least they should be as a lower class than respectable Pureblood families.

But as soon as he had seen all that would happen to him if he did join he quickly changed his mind. The idea of going through all that made his stomach bubble and churn. He didn't see how his mother had done it, let alone his brother's and father. He realized with a start that he was a coward. He shook his head. No, he wasn't a coward. He was smart. What person in their right mind would subject themselves to such pain? It was much easier to just agree with people and do things your own way.

Sidra realized that she didn't have anyone to talk to. Christina had never been anything more than someone to hang out with, and Mary Beth had been a bitch to her ever since she had started seeing Theo. Other than that she couldn't even remember the names of the other girls that hung around her. More than anything she needed someone to talk to right now.

She opened the door to the game room and Vinny looked up from the table at her. He furrowed his brow at the expression on her face, but smiled at her anyway. She smiled back and sat next to him.

"Where is everyone else?" Vinny asked.

"Oh… uh… Sebby is flying, and Dru is helping Xan…." She stopped, not knowing what to say next.

"What's wrong with Xan?" Vinny asked.

"He… he got sick. Dru's helping get all settled."

"Oh." Vinny nodded his head and looked back down at the puzzle they had been working on.

Sidra sighed. Even if Vinny didn't believe a word she had just said, he didn't seem to want to pry. She smiled and picked up a piece, placing it on the puzzle with practiced ease.

"You are a whiz with these things." Vinny commented.

"Huh?"

"Puzzles. It's like you don't even have to try."

"Oh, yeah. Xanthus and I used to do them all the time, remember?" At her brothers name her voice broke and Vinny looked up at her.

"So, do you wanna maybe get some fresh air?" He asked.

Sid nodded and stood up. Maybe fresh air was a good idea.

Lucius was in his Study, looking out at the snow covered hills. In his minds eye he watched again the look on Jezzy's face as the Dark Lord tortured Xanthus. He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He sighed and stood to pace, not sure what else he should be doing at the moment. He wanted to speak with Xanthus and Dru, but Dru had taken him off so quickly and not allowed the door to be opened that he had finally given up. That was two hours ago.

He frowned as he remembered her actions in front of the Dark Lord. How had she known to let Xanthus right himself? How had she known that that very thing would gain respect from him?

Another hour later and there was a quiet tap on the door. It opened and Dru stepped in, her hair disheveled and her eyes dark with lack of sleep.

"Xan is awake now. He'll be down in a minute."

Lucius nodded. "Dru, you did well today." He said softly.

Dru smiled. "Thank you daddy." She hugged him and went back upstairs.

He sat back down behind his desk and waited for his son.

Jezzy was sitting on the edge of a comfortable, though moldy, bed. The room she was in was covered in dust and cobwebs. She looked around her, noticing the old fabrics and furniture in the room. It looked like it hadn't changed in a few hundred years. She heard a crash and muffled curses outside the door. She didn't rise to check on them this time. She looked down at her burnt hand and shook her head.

The Dark Lord had told her that this was her new home. That she was to make it her own. Then he had locked her in this room and disappeared. She sighed. She wanted to cry and scream and rage against what was happening to her, but she knew she must not. It should be an honor for her to be locked up in the same house as the Dark Lord and she would act her part to stay alive so that she could see her children, her husband, and her loved ones once again.

She cleared her mind as Severus had shown her years ago and focused on her breathing. If she was going to be forced in this room alone for the time being, she would take advantage of it and work on a few things. Like Occlumency.