Rosebud trembled in fear as Serena and Sergillius roughly escorted her up to Lestrange Manor. Shaking in pain from the Curses she'd received from them, she stumbled and fell to her knees. Sarge touched the tip of his wand to her neck and hissed, "Get up, Mudblood."

Tears coming to her eyes, Rosebud obeyed, not wanting to be cursed again. They finally entered the Mansion itself, and watched a jet black owl fly overhead. Serena scowled. "Who would owl us at this time?"

"Riddle owl," Sarge replied. "Estella and Mother keep a correspondence going. I wonder if they know that we have the girl yet."

Serena glanced at the girl's tear-stained face and smirked. "Don't let your mother know she's here, Sergillius," she said darkly. "She might try to rescue our little prisoner. And we can't have that, can we?" she asked sweetly, touching Rosebud's face.

Rosebud jerked her head away, and Serena slapped her face, making the poor girl bury her face in her hands. Sarge frowned. "Leave her alone for now," he told his wife. "It will come soon enough."

They took Rosebud to the most beautiful room she had ever seen and Serena said, "This used to be Bethany's room, but she doesn't need it anymore. You can use it during your stay."

Looking around, Rosebud saw a riot of green and silver colour on the walls. She looked at one of the pictures, and they turned up their noses at her. Sarge laughed behind her, knowing what she'd been looking at.

Serena finally said, "You're free to explore the Mansion, but you will have portrait escorts in the dungeons so that you do not get lost. Don't touch any unfinished potions that you see, and don't touch anything if you don't know what it is. Be back here in time for supper: if I have to come find you, neither of us will be very happy."

Rosebud nodded quickly, and they left the room. Sitting down on the green bedspread, she looked up at the pictures again. "You're the Malfoys," she said softly. "But, where's Scorpius?"

One of the twins scowled. "Scorpius who? You should know very well that Scorpius isn't in this picture because he was disowned."

The other twin nodded, but the rest of the family frowned. "We don't talk about it," said the second twin, "and you shouldn't either. Really. It's not good for the health."

"Yeah," said the youngest girl. "Crucio!" She mimed cursing Rosebud and laughed.

Rosebud stuck out her tongue at the picture and left the room. She was hurrying down the hall when she heard someone coming. Slipping back into the shadows, she watched as Bellatrix appeared, hurrying down the hall, a look of worry on her face.

I could tell her what they've done, Rosebud thought to herself, watching Bellatrix disappear around the corner. But would she help me? I shouldn't risk it: they'll be furious if I try to get help from her.

Rosebud hurried in the opposite direction, and suddenly came upon a portrait that was laughing maniacally. "What are you doing here, Mudblood?" the picture taunted her. "Go find yourself a Cruciatus!" She continued laughing.

"Hello, Madam Lestrange," sighed Rosebud. "I already did, and am trying to avoid anymore."

The picture Bellatrix grinned wickedly at her. "Sergei and Sara, correct?"

Rosebud nodded, finally realizing what she meant. "They're so horrible," she whispered, then scowled at the smiling picture. "I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm a prisoner here, and that they tried to make me betray my son to them as well."

"And did you?" picture-Bellatrix asked curiously, tilting her head in her peculiar way.

"No," said Rosebud, looking away. "And I still don't know how that worked. I was under the Imperius to break the wards I'd put up, and the wards rejected me."

Bellatrix scowled. "Auror children are so protected," she grumbled to herself. "It's perfectly right that you should be here in their control. You should know better than to cross a Lestrange."

Rosebud laughed at the picture without amusement. "I didn't cross a Lestrange. I crossed a Riddle. And you don't have to get so irritated about it: it's not as if Thad belongs to any of you."

"He's Bethany's."

"Is not," Rosebud retorted. "He is mine: we gave ourselves to each other when we were sixteen."

Bellatrix glared at her darkly. "Girl, learn when to keep your mouth shut. Sarge and Serena believe that no Mudblood belongs to or can ever 'own' a pureblood. They count your marriage to Thaddeus Riddle as if you were just living with him instead of actually being married; therefore, when you came back and took your place again, you supplanted Bethany as Thad's rightful wife."

Rosebud scowled right back at the picture. "Serena used the bloody Imperius on her own daughter, did you know that? Bethany's life has been ruined because of what her parents have done to her. Do you even care about your own granddaughter? Do you?"

The picture Bellatrix scowled at her, reaching for her wand. "You're lucky that I'm just a picture," she snapped. "That comment warrants a curse. I have helped Bethany: you know nothing of what it is to be constantly worried that you will be blamed for what others are doing in your home, to your family? Did you hear that Serena used the full blown force of the Cruciatus on Bethany? She was trying to destroy her mind, girl. Don't you dare blame me for something that you don't even know about."

"Oh." Rosebud looked down at the ground. "Would you help me? I—I really don't want to be here."

"I cannot," said the portrait. "I am only a picture, and cannot feel the wards around the Manor. Don't try approaching the real Bellatrix; Mudbloods generally don't get good results from coming up to her and asking for help. She'll probably hex you if you do."

"Hex?" said Rosebud, and the picture laughed coldly.

"Perhaps. Curses are harder to clean up after, if you know what I mean." Rosebud nodded, biting her lip. She heard a door open, and her eyes widened. "This way," the portrait said quickly, hurrying along the wall, her wand drawn. "I'll take you to the dungeon. I'd imagine that the real me is going back to my room right now."

Rosebud followed the portrait, feeling rather stupid that was was following one Bellatrix to avoid the other. She watched the picture-Bellatrix skip along the wall, tossing hexes and curses at the other portraits. A picture of Draco blocked one of Bellatrix's curses and she laughed in glee. "I taught you well, didn't I, Draco?"

The blonde boy smirked and turned away from them as they passed him. Rosebud moved quickly to follow picture-Bellatrix, for she was fast disappearing down the hall.

Upon entering the dungeon, Rosebud blinked rapidly to get her eyes used to the darkness. "Oh," she gasped, recognizing her surroundings in horror. She was standing in the very same room that Sergillius had forced her into the last time she'd been in Lestrange Manor. Remembering the questioning and torture she'd endured there, Rosebud began to cry softly.

"Don't cry!" groaned a voice Rosebud didn't recognize. She looked up to see the portrait that had spoken embrace Bellatrix. "Who is she, and why did you bring her here, Bella?"

"This is Thaddeus Riddle's Mudblood, and Sarge and Serena's prisoner," picture-Bellatrix responded. "I brought her here so that she could avoid the real me. And I wanted her to see this place so that she could remember what happened here. It might prepare her for what lies ahead."

The other portrait nodded. "You should have used your common sense and allowed Bethany to stay with Thad," he told Rosebud. "There is nothing good in store for you here: those two are plotting your end, you know."

Rosebud's tears continued, and she sank down onto the couch, remembering the Curses she'd taken from them. "She left him," choked Rosebud, answering Rodolphus, "when she knew the truth, and what her parents had done to them. I didn't steal him back, even though I wanted to. It wasn't my fault, all of what has happened. Both Thad and Bethany know why I've done what I have. It wasn't my fault that Thad accepted me again: she was the one who told him who I am."

"Recall what I told you," picture-Bellatrix scolded Rosebud. "That won't matter to Sergillius and Serena at all, for they believe you were never really married to Thaddeus Riddle in the first place."

"But I am," whispered Rosebud, wrapping her arms around herself as she felt a sick feeling coming over her. "Do—do you know where the restroom is?" she asked, trying to keep her nausea under control.

The portrait began to speak, but Rosebud was unable to keep from throwing up, and leaned over the edge of the couch. Rodolphus rolled his eyes heavenward and Bellatrix frowned at him. "She shouldn't have gotten sick down here," she said to herself. "There are no curses in place, nothing to make her sick."

"Did they curse her before they brought her to our home?" Rodolphus asked.

"I'm certain that they only used Crucio," Bellatrix informed her husband. "She had several visible signs of it earlier; plus, she told me that Sarge and Serena already had done it to her, and that she wasn't looking forward to any more."

Rosebud wiped her mouth on her sleeve, then hid her face in her other arm, leaning against the back of couch as she burst into tears. She placed her arm across her stomach, still feeling slightly queezy.

"You have to clean that up," Rodolphus told Rosebud icily.

"I can't," choked Rosebud. "I haven't got my wand. Sergillius has it."

Rodolphus scowled at the poor girl. "You don't need your wand for that: all you need is—"

Another portrait joined the other two. "Are you two fighting again?" he teased them before noticing Rosebud. "Well, what do you know?!" he exclaimed. "A living, breathing Mudblood in the Lestrange Mansion."

"But not for long," Rosebud sobbed, and the third portrait frowned, listening to the other two explain what had happened.

"Oh," said Rabastan. "Well, listen to Bellatrix: she can help you clean up your mess. You don't want Sarge and Serena knowing that you became ill."

Rosebud lifted her head and looked at the younger of the Lestrange brothers. "Why not?"

He frowned. "They don't need to know of your weakness, or something like that," he said. "I'm certain that you'd rather not know about what they could do if you didn't clean that up."

Looking horrified, Rosebud turned to Bellatrix. "How?" she asked. "How can I do it?"

Laughing at what Rabastan had said, she answered, "You have to use Elemental magic. It's wandless, and you have to draw the power to you. You must also have a very specific intent in mind before you attempt it, or you could cause disaster. I'd rather not be burned up: I will probably be needed to assist other Mudbloods in the future."

Rosebud listened carefully, then sat up carefully, closing her eyes. She held her hands out to the side and just searched for the feeling of magic. "No," Bellatrix said. "You're below ground, Swensen. Just draw on earth: the power for growth. Then focus the power on cleaning up your mess."

Rosebud obeyed, still not aware of what exactly she was attempting. She managed to draw some power, but when she smiled, losing her concentration, it left her. "Again," Bellatrix said indifferently. "Until you get it right. And don't act smug. Slytherin children can do this by age two."

"I know," Rosebud said. "I've seen both Titus and Ethan do it."

"Are you going to let a child best you?" asked Rodolphus scathingly.

She scowled at him. "After I get this done, I'm going to burn you off that wall unless you learn when to shut your mouth." Rosebud closed her eyes again, hearing Rabastan and Bellatrix laughing. Drawing carefully on the earth magic, for it seemed quite volatile, she focused it on the task at hand. When it was finished, she smiled triumphantly at the three portraits—and found dirt in her mouth and on her robes. "Disgusting," she spat, and Bellatrix and Rodolphus burst out laughing again.

"Release," Rabastan said, taking pity on her. "You have to release when you're finished. Of course, you also need to get the dirt off your robes now."

Painstakingly, Rosebud spread her fingers, letting the magic drip back into the earth. Drawing on it again, she cleaned off her robes, then released quickly, shaking the room.

"Of course, you must be careful not to cause an earthquake," Bellatrix said. "Forgot to tell her that." Rodolphus snickered, and Rosebud glared at him.

"I promised you," she snarled, storming toward him.

Bellatrix drew herself up. "Leave him alone," she told Rosebud softly. "He's the only Rodolphus in the house, since the real one is—is—." She stopped and sighed. "—in Azkaban."

Rosebud nodded, remembering James talking triumphantly about Rodolphus' trial. "Very well."

Just then, she noticed that Rabastan was over by the door, talking to the picture of Draco she'd seen earlier. "Swensen," Rabastan called, "Draco is here to show you back to your room: the real Bellatrix told him to make sure the Mudblood comes back to her room early. Serena is evidently planning to come early and get a Crucio or two in."

Horrified, Rosebud hurried toward the entrance of the dungeon, following Draco very quickly. She arrived in her room moments before Serena came in, her hair whipping wildly around her face. "Did you ever leave the room?" she demanded of Rosebud, irritation just beneath the surface.

"Ye—yes," Rosebud stammered worriedly, staring at the woman's hair. "I—I went to the dungeons and spoke with the brothers."

Serena scowled to herself, then hissed, "How did you find this place again?"

"Someone brought me back," Rosebud said, her eyes wide with fright.

"You're lying," Serena snapped, flinging both hands full of magic at Rosebud. "Crucio!"

Rosebud screamed, falling back onto the bed. "I am not!" she sobbed in agony. "I'm not! It was one of the portraits, I swear!" Rosebud tried to draw on the elementals, and found one of them, but she wasn't sure what it was. Screaming under the Curse, Rosebud released completely, directing the power at Serena.

Serena shrieked as the power Rosebud had directed at her hit her, throwing her to the floor and breaking off her Curse. "How dare you!" Serena screamed at the girl in fury. Rosebud had curled up on the bed, weeping. "I ought to—" Serena began.

"But you won't," said a displeased voice. "Serena, I told you that the time would come soon enough. There will be no more cursing her until I give you permission." Rosebud looked up to see Sergillius watching her coldly.

Serena scowled, and Sergillius said to Rosebud, "Get up. It's time for supper. Serena, get off the floor: it's your own fault that that happened to you. Attacking Mudbloods that way generally brings out their survival instinct: accidental magic."

Rosebud was now standing, shaking in pain from the Cruciatus. She had nearly gotten over the ones she'd received earlier, but now she wasn't sure that she'd be able to follow Sarge and Serena.

"That wasn't accidental," Serena hissed at her husband. "She did that on purpose. It was the Cruciatus, I'm certain."

"She doesn't do wandless magic," Sergillius retorted. "You're just embarrassed that you were caught off guard."

"Listen to me, Sergillius Lestrange," Serena spat. "I used Air Elemental to do the Fiery Cruciatus. While I was doing that, she drew on the Fire Elemental and flung the Cruciatus at me. I'm telling you that she did it on purpose."

"Yes, I did," Rosebud whispered, licking her lips. "But I didn't Cruciate her."

Sergillius turned to her. "You didn't draw on fire; you drew on air. From her intent, you did Cruciate her, little Mudblood. You did very well too, for your first Unforgivable." Rosebud was horrified, and Sergillius laughed before becoming solemn. "If you would promise to leave Thaddeus alone, we could allow you to stay and ally yourself with us."

Serena stared at Sergillius. "She already promised us that, and she broke the promise," Serena hissed.

"No," said Rosebud softly, looking at the floor, "I told you that I understood what would happen if I tried to take Bethany's place. I made no promise, and I never tried to take her place: she gave it to me."

Sergillius ignored Serena's furious glare and said, "Would you promise, then, Swensen?"

Rosebud lifted her face and looked into his eyes. "No," she whispered. "I cannot."

He gave her a moment to think about it, then said, "Very well." He motioned her to follow him, then walked out of the room, Serena storming down the hall ahead of him. When they arrived at the table, Rosebud was astonished to see the real Bellatrix sitting at the table, waiting for them.

She gasped in fear and stepped back, but Sergillius grabbed her by the wrist. "Are you afraid of her?" he asked her laughingly. "That's nothing. You should be afraid of us."

"How can you speak that way about your own mother?" Rosebud snapped at him. "Especially when—"

He slapped her across the face, and she glared at him in anger. "Going to try a wandless Crucio again, Mudblood? I strongly suggest that you don't," he told her coldly.

"Sit down," Bellatrix told them imperially. "All of you are late." Sergillius and Serena obeyed, but Rosebud hesitated. "Sit," Bellatrix said in a softer tone. "You're not allowed to starve. Sit over here by me."

As Rosebud was walking around the table toward the seat, she noticed the designs on the table legs. Bellatrix saw what she was looking at, and said, "Ah, yes. Those designs were carved by the Sectumsempra Curse. Would you like to add one?" Bellatrix drew her wand and handed it to Rosebud.

She stared: first at the wand, then at Bellatrix, then at Sarge and Serena. "Do you know what you've given me?" she whispered.

Bellatrix laughed drily. "Those two," she said, indicating her son and daughter-in-law, "have put wards in place in case you somehow managed to retrieve a wand and attempt to use it on one of them. Don't try it, and hurry up. A witch doesn't like going long without her wand."

"Tell me about it," said Rosebud sarcastically. "Sectumsempra!" She carved a design into the table: the Gryffindor sword. Bellatrix gave her a dirty look when Rosebud handed the wand back.

"Of all things," Bellatrix shook her head.

"Did you expect me to carve hearts and flowers? Sign my name as one of their victims?" Rosebud retorted. "No. Definitely not." She sat down by Bellatrix, staring at the table in front of her.

The house elves brought the food in, and Rosebud watched them, remembering the conversation that Scorpius, Bethany, and Rose had had about them the previous day. They were rather afraid that they'd be punished, Rosebud realized, and for good reasons. During the meal, several of the house elves were punished for various reasons, and she felt sorry for them.

When the food was brought in, Rosebud became ill again, and Bellatrix jumped away from her in horror. Sarge and Serena looked at each other cautiously. Rosebud sat on the floor, her arms around her knees, struggling not to become ill again. Bellatrix waved her hand and easily cleaned up the floor.

"You make that look so easy," Rosebud complained. Just then, a house elf popped in and began to ask if there was anything she could do. "Go away," Rosebud snarled at the house elf angrily. The house elf disapparated with a squeak, and Rosebud laughed hysterically, resting her head on her knee.

"How long have you been ill?" Bellatrix asked her.

"Just today," sighed Rosebud weakly.

Bellatrix looked at Sergillius and Serena. "You should let her rest tonight, and take care of business in the morning," she told them. Sergillius nodded, but Serena glared at her mother-in-law. "Come, Swensen," Bellatrix said.

Rosebud stood and followed Bellatrix shakily. Once in the room, Bellatrix silently healed Rosebud from the curses she'd already taken. "What?" Rosebud gasped, pulling away.

"Your mother-in-law Estella, my fellow ex-Death Eater," Bellatrix began with a pleased look on her face, "taught me how to heal victims of the Cruciatus as long as the damage isn't too bad. You're in that category."

"Yay," said Rosebud, resigning herself to Bellatrix's healing abilities. "I have another label now."

Laughing, Bellatrix finished the healing. Turning Rosebud around, the dark-haired woman looked directly into her eyes. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Rosebud stepped back, her eyes full of fear. She couldn't move far because Bellatrix held her by the arm. "Yes," whispered Rosebud, afraid to lie to Bellatrix. "Thad's child. Please—."

Releasing Rosebud, Bellatrix sighed. "I thought so. Listen carefully, Rosebud. Tomorrow, those two are going to punish you for your 'crime against Bethany.'" Bellatrix turned away and picked something up off the dresser. "I know they intend to use Crucio, and rather freely too, I'd imagine." Bellatrix set the item down and whirled to face Rosebud. "If you survive, you will most likely lose the child."

"No!" cried Rosebud, sinking onto the bed as tears came to her eyes. "Not my baby! It's been so long, and I never knew Ethan as a baby, and I can't lose this child! I can't!"

"I'm sorry," Bellatrix said uncomfortably. "I healed you from the previous curses so that you have a better chance of survival. The effects of the Cruciatus compound on itself, you understand."

Rosebud wept bitterly, her arms around herself. "Can't you help me?" sobbed Rosebud. "Can you let me out of here?"

Bellatrix bit her lip until it bled, then shook her head. "Curses and wards are in place. No one can leave without severe consequences, and you can't take down the wards: unfortunately, those two are good at wards that are extremist."

"What about you?" Rosebud choked, desperate.

"I can't do it alone," she said. "Two put it up, and at least two must take it down. And the wards are warded against Imperio, just like your protectionary ward around Ethan was."

Rosebud stared at Bellatrix. "But, I didn't—"

Bellatrix smiled slightly. "Your intent was to protect, was it not? Evidently, your subconscious mind understands more about your enemies than your conscious mind. Your brat was as well, if not better, protected than Neville Longbottom when we tortured his parents."

A small smile of pride reached Rosebud's lips, and Bellatrix added, "I almost forgot to tell you: your Auror husband is coming for you tomorrow morning with a group of his Auror friends and his family. Estella is behind this: she has such powers of persuasion that even Potter himself listens to her."

Rosebud looked hopeful, and Bellatrix sighed. "I'm hoping for the best," she told the young girl. "I'd rather not go back to Azkaban because of something stupid Sergei and Sara did. Is there anything you want to tell me about what happened today in case you are not able to remember or communicate it?"

Rosebud realized with a jolt of terror that Bellatrix meant that Sarge and Serena might Curse her into insanity. Tears in her eyes once more, Rosebud began to relate everything that had happened to her at Thad's home that morning before she'd been brought to Lestrange Manor.

Ginny paced across the living room at Horror House, Thad, Bethany, and Ethan watching her. She was waiting for the ones she'd called to arrive.

"Mother," Thad said softly, "come sit down."

Ginny sighed, then sat down beside Ethan. "I can't sit still," she sighed. "I'm worried."

Bethany nodded. "So am I. And Thad told me that he didn't sleep at all last night," she said.

"I couldn't," Thad sighed tiredly. "I just kept thinking..."

Ethan looked at his father carefully. "Daddy, when is Mummy coming home?" he asked.

Thad shook his head. "I don't know, Ethan," he replied softly. Ethan suddenly realized something. "Is—is she going to come home, Daddy?" asked Ethan in fear.

Bethany sighed and took the little boy into her arms. "We don't know, Ethan," she said. "My parents are horrible, and we're not exactly sure what they're doing to her."

"You mean that Mummy might not come home?" whispered Ethan, tears coming to his eyes. "Mummy!" Bethany cuddled the child as he cried softly

"We're going to do our best to bring her back, Ethan," Bethany told him. "We'll try our hardest to save her from them."

Ethan clung to Nee-nee in worry.