And I try to shake off, All the cold in my hands
I try to make it out, From the rest of my plans
There's a tiny gun pointed at my head
If it doesn't fire, PUSH IT THROUGH!
Do you, need to know now
Well I gotta know
I've got a blister all the way down, This is the callus
I knew my fingers would find it somehow
This is the callus, This is the callus
January 3, 2019 10:00 PM, Sunday
Department of Mysteries
When I finally woke I was surrounded by darkness. My hands and ankles were tied to a wooden chair but I wore no blindfold or gag. The void in front of me seemed to stretch on forever as my eyes searched desperately for anything tangible.
"I see you're finally awake Miss Riddle," a voice called out from somewhere above my head.
"Who are you?" I mumbled tiredly.
The voice let out a low chuckle. "I'm being rude, aren't I? Why don't I just come down there and then we can speak properly?"
A door creaked open somewhere off to my right and I could hear someone snap their fingers. Almost immediately I was bathed in unnatural yellow light. I turned my head and closed my eyes. After a few minutes my pupils finally adjusted and I was able to look upon my captor.
"You!" I exclaimed disbelievingly. President Curtis nodded his head in reply and sat down in the folding chair directly in front of me. I glanced quickly around the room but besides the two chairs, the light and the door on the right, it appeared to be a plain, cement cell. "But how…why?"
"Who, what, when and where…" President Curtis said in an amused tone, his bright blue eyes sparkling madly. "I suppose you'd like answers to all of these questions, but right now I don't think you're in the position to be asking anything of me."
"Where am I?" I asked.
"What did I just say?" Curtis asked, slightly perturbed. "I'll be doing the talking and if you're good you'll be rewarded. Wouldn't you like a nice reward?"
I gave him the iciest glare I could muster. "I don't want anything from you," I spat angrily. My attitude didn't seem to bother Curtis in the least, instead he merely grinned at me.
"So if it were in my power to reunite you with your little group of friends," he questioned uncaringly, "you wouldn't be interested in that?"
My eyes widened in surprise. "Where are they? What have you done with them?"
"Jenny, Jenny," the president chastised, "remember, I talk, you listen and if you're good, then I might allow you to see your friends."
While President Curtis continued to speak I cautiously moved my hands, testing the ropes that bound them together behind the back of the chair. There was no give and I knew I would be forced to use magic. As if Curtis knew what I was thinking he suddenly pulled his wand from inside his shirt sleeve.
"Now, now Jenny, there will be none of that," he stated authoritatively, "I know you have a knack for wandless magic but can you depend on it enough to release yourself, incapacitate me, and fight your way out of Ivory Manor"
"Ivory Manor?" I sputtered in shock.
"O yes, I didn't mention that did I?" he questioned and I shook my head. "I thought it might be easier for us to discuss things if we were far away from any…negative influences."
"Like Dumbledore?"
"Dumbledore, the Ministry, pesky Dark Lords," he replied while gesturing with his hands to punctuate each 'negative influence'. "I know better than anyone how much of a bother the world can be."
"What do you want from me?"
The president's expression turned serious. "Information, but I know you won't tell me. I could torture you to the end of time and I know you still wouldn't tell me where your father hid the information concerning his research. I don't really care about your fight with the Ministry, Dumbledore or Voldemort."
"Then why bring me here?" I questioned in confusion.
"Two reasons actually," He replied simply, "The first being your safety."
"And the second?" I asked worriedly.
"Information of course."
"But I thought you said…"
President Curtis interrupted me. "I said that you won't give me the information I want but your father will."
"That's ridiculous," I spat furiously, "My father is dead."
"We both know that is simply not true," he replied calmly as he examined a fingernail, "If it was then you would not have been so eager to retrieve his body. If that was true then Dumbledore would not have helped you to retrieve said body."
"We were worried about Death Eaters digging up the grave."
"Er!…wrong answer Jenny, try again," Curtis responded as his eyes met mine. I tried to look away but he grabbed my chin and held my head steady.
"Your plan won't work," I stated assuredly, "My father won't wake up for a long time and I'll escape by then."
The president's mouth turned up into a small grin. "No you won't," he replied glibly, "You see, tomorrow one of my most powerful obliviation specialists will be coming to pay you a visit. After that, you'll only remember that your name is Jenny Riddle and you can't wait until we're finally married."
My jaw fell open in shock. "You bastard," I sputtered, "You'll never get away with it!"
"Just watch me," Curtis responded as he stood. "You'll be happy with me," he continued while stroking my cheek, "And in time you'll learn to love me."
I was too disgusted to speak so instead I spit directly into his eyes. His expression clouded over with anger for a moment but in seconds his demeanor became calm once again.
"You're lucky that I find your boldness charming or you wouldn't be seeing your friends again," he stated while wiping his eyes with a handkerchief. Then he bent down until his mouth was right next to my ear. "Enjoy your last night with them. Tomorrow you'll have no memory of them and they…well they will have no memory of you or anything else for that matter."
My resolve broke and tears began to roll down my cheeks. "Please don't," I begged pitifully, "Can't you just obliviate them and let them go?"
Curtis paused while opening the door and seemed to consider my plea. "I'm sorry Jenny, but it has to be this way. If I let them go then Dumbledore might find a way to retrieve their memories which would put me at risk. This way the two of them will disappear and no one will know of my plans."
"I will," I ground out angrily.
"Yes," he replied with a nod, "but you'll never leave the Manor…security reasons of course."
"Bastard," I bellowed as he shut the door. "Come back here you bastard!" The chair shook from side to side as my body heaved furiously. My magic boiled up inside me and I fought against my restraints. Unfortunately I didn't know any spells or charms that could help so I attempted to direct my magic to do what I wanted.
Sweat began to pour down my forehead as I concentrated on breaking the ropes. Fifteen minutes passed but nothing happened. Thirty minutes passed and still nothing happened. After forty minutes I began to feel lightheaded and my concentration began to waver. Before passing out I heard the light above my head burst and my prone form was once again bathed in darkness.
January 3, 2019 11:30 PM, Sunday
Department of Mysteries
"Jenny," a concerned voice called out, "Jenny, wake up."
My eyes opened slowly and I was surprised to see Draco tied up a few feet away. "Draco!" I exclaimed wildly, "I thought Voldemort got you!"
"Wrong bad guy," Draco replied icily.
"Jenny, are you okay?" Khalida asked worriedly. I turned my head and found the vampire bound to the cement with heavy chains.
"I'm okay," I replied with a nod, "Just a little sore." My muscles groaned and my joints cracked as I fought with my restraints. "You two have to get out of here. Curtis is planning on…he's planning to kill you tomorrow." Draco glanced around the cell worriedly while Khalida merely sighed.
"C'mon you bloody vampire," Draco sneered, "Get us out of here."
Khalida rattled the chains attached to her wrists. "I'll get right on that Draco," she replied sarcastically, "Just as soon as I gnaw my way through these magically reinforced steel chains."
"What about the Brotherhood, Jenny?" questioned Draco, "I'm sure they could help us."
I was speechless for a moment and completely dumbfounded as to why I hadn't thought of it sooner. "Second in command," I called out. A few moments passed and nothing happened. "I call upon you Brotherhood!" I shouted but still nothing happened.
"Maybe they can't reach you here?" Draco surmised.
Khalida shook her head. "No, that's not it," she stated, "You'll need to call on them again like you did the first time, with blood. Do you remember the words?"
"I don't think so."
"Try," she responded calmly, "If you think on it, the words may come to you."
The minutes passed in complete silence. Khalida appeared calm and thoughtful. Draco seemed to be in deep concentration and small beads of sweat were beginning to collect on his forehead. I closed my eyes and tried my best to remember the words that would call upon the Brotherhood but I continued to draw a blank.
"Dammit!" I growled in frustration, "I can't remember. I'm trying but I just can't."
"I'm sure it will come to you if you're patient," Khalida offered.
I shook my head. "No, it won't. No matter how hard I try, I just can't remember."
"We have to think of something," Draco stated anxiously, "Or we're all done for."
The reality of the situation hit me full force. Suddenly I couldn't breathe, almost as if someone had punched me in the stomach. Memories began to replay in my mind. Memories of my father, memories of my new friends, memories that I would give my life to hold onto.
"No," I hissed in a low tone, "No, no, no!"
"Jenny?" Draco asked.
"It can't end this way," I stated, ignoring Draco's questioning gaze. "I'm not going to let some two-bit politician get the best of me." My expression became wild and fierce.
"Calm down," Khalida urged nervously.
"There must be some way to get out of these ropes," I grunted as I attempted to move my hands, "Draco, you must know some spell or something that can help us."
Draco shook his head sadly. "Already tried it. I have a bit of a knack for wandless magic but the ropes seem to be charmed to repel magic."
"Calm down the both of you," Khalida urged once again, "We need to come up with a plan."
"Yes, a plan," Draco said with a nod.
"Yes, why don't we come up with a plan?" I asked in a sarcastic tone. "A plan that will untie us, break those chains, open that door, take out Curtis and all his cronies and whisk us away to safety. Sounds like a great idea."
"Well, what do you suggest?" Draco asked, raising one eyebrow coldly.
"Help!" I yelled. It was the only thing I could think to do. "Help! Somebody help us!" Khalida shook her head and Draco rolled his eyes, but I didn't care, like I said…it's the only thing I could think of.
"Dammit someone help us! Brotherhood get your asses in here! Dementors, Ministry, Order, anyone! I don't care if it's Voldemort himself," Draco gasped.
"Jenny, you don't mean that," Draco exclaimed.
"The hell I don't! I would rather die then lose all my memories and marry that bastard," I growled angrily. I was so pissed that I didn't notice the chair underneath me rocking from side to side.
"Jenny…" Khalida warned.
"What?" I bit out just as my chair rocked a little too far. My mouth formed into an "O" of surprise and I tumbled backward to the floor. "This is just great, wonderful even, yep…wonderful."
Draco and Khalida tried to stifle their laughter but it exploded out of them as I attempted to roll over onto my side. "Yeah, keep laughing;" I responded in a silky tone, "I'm not the one who's going to be dead in a few hours." That shut them up.
Time passed slowly as we discussed our different options of escape. We had a lot of ideas between the three of us but none of them seemed plausible and after an hour I was still staring at the ceiling, Draco was still tied up and Khalida was still chained to the wall. I didn't have to look at Draco and Khalida to know that their expressions matched my own defeated one.
"So how did you end up here Draco?" I questioned curiously.
"I'm not quite sure," he responded with a confused look, "I remember someone carrying me and the next thing I knew I was locked up in a room just like this one. At first I thought the Ministry had locked me up but then I noticed that the guards were American."
"What about you Khalida?"
"I was taken to the Department of Mysteries and they forced potions down my throat. Then Curtis' men came."
"But what happened to Smith?" Draco asked in confusion.
"He's safe," Khalida replied pointedly. "He and Officer Wilkes are both safe."
"Wait a second," I mumbled as a thought suddenly plopped itself down inside my head, "Officer Wilkes!"
"What about Wilkes?" Draco questioned. I opened my mouth to tell them my plan but let it fall shut instead.
The room was most likely bugged and I was sure we were being watched. I couldn't speak my plan aloud or Curtis would know and I couldn't let him find out. This was the best shot we had and I was in the perfect position to pull it off.
"Nothing," I replied casually, "Let's sing a song."
"A what!" Draco exclaimed, giving me a confused look. Khalida seemed to understand though because she nodded in my direction.
"An excellent idea," she responded calmly, "What shall we sing?"
"Have the two of you gone completely mad!"
As Khalida sang and Draco complained I began tugging on the ropes wrapped around my wrists. I didn't try to pull them apart; I knew that would be impossible. Instead I attempted to push my wrists down through the loops as far as the rope would allow me. The rough material grated on my skin and I bit back a cry of pain. Soon the ropes were far enough above my wrists to reach my back pocket.
An innovative and cutting edge president like Curtis would surely use a cell phone. It was probably a pretty good bet that all of his guards used them as well. And with the Ivory Manor hidden away there would be no reason to go through all the work of blocking unknown signals, signals that could be traced.
"B-I-N-G-O and Bingo was his name-o!" I sang, my voice sounded horribly off tune and screechy.
"That was horrible," Draco commented.
Khalida's eyes lit up. "I think it sounded wonderful!" I slowly pushed the down button, imagining the cursor making its way down the list of numbers.
One thing that I noticed since finding out about the wizarding world was that all wizards think themselves superior to muggles. After all, muggle invention could never compete with magical know how. Curtis is intelligent and his ideas might be considered innovative but in the end he's just like every other wizard. He never really understood how powerful a little bit of muggle technology could be in the hands of the right muggle.
dSz
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for all the reviews and encouraging words.