The death eaters sat around a large table. The room was dark, almost too dark to see properly.a glittering crystal chandelier hung above the table providing only a soft glow of illumination. The Dark Lord stood at the head of the table, soulless eyes fixed on the women hovering just below the chandelier.
" we have a guest with us today, some of you may recognize her as Professor Charity Burbage" Voldemort said coolly, " professor Burbage, teaches muggle studies, she believes muggles should be treated as our eqals, and even be alowd to procreate with wizards"
a look of disgust spread across his face.
" we simply cannot alow such disgraceful ideals be taught to our children" he continued,gesturing to Castelia and Draco.
Voldemort made a hissing sound and moments later a large snake emerged from the shadows, it's body gliding up the table. The Dark lord continue hissing at the snake, only this time the snake charged towards Charity Burbage, killing her. Castelia watched, keeping her features empty, as the snake consumed the witch, Bellatrixes maniacal laughter echoing through the room.
Voldemort had called these meetings about once a month, not to actually discuss anything of importance, but to set an example of some muggle or anyone else who strayed to far from the death eater ideals. Castelia used to dread the meetings, the images of mutilated bodies consuming her thoughts. But now, after so many months Castelia learned to shut out her emotion, her feelings, her empathy. It was the only way she was going to stay sane. She often wondered how Draco Malfoy was handeling their situation. She knew he wasn't as strong as her. the pain must have been eating him alive. But Castelia would have no way of knowing , she chose to spend all of her excess time locked away in her room, only leaving When she was being summoned. It really was a miserable existence.
As Castelia sat in her room, letting her thoughts flow freely, a large owl landed on the balcony holding a letter. This was odd. Castelia never received mail, everyone that ever had the need to write to her thought she was a death eater. She didn't even blame them for thinking it. She walked out onto the sunny balcony, feeling the beams of light warm her body, and retrieved the letter from the owl. It was a blank envelope, Castelia observed, as she tore it open. It was from George. And for once the tone was serious.
Dear Cas,
I'm going to get straight to the point, Harry is saying you've killed Sirius, and you have the dark mark. I'm not sure what to think, and to be honest I've been contemplating writing this letter for weeks now. I reckon if you really did kill Sirius you must have had a hell of a good reason. I know you Cas you are not a killer. I wish you would come visit. I miss you. I love you and please stay safe.
-love, George.
Castelia read the letter 3 times through. George really thought she was innocent, the whole point of ignoring him all summer was to get him to forget about her. He really was an idiot. She didn't want to but Castelia would have to go see him eventually, to sort everything out. To make him hate her. He would never believe her if she simply mailed him a letter. She would go when she picked up her school books later in the summer. Perfect, she thought to herself, bitterly something else to look forward too. Castelia was so consumed in her thought she once again failed to notice a second owl land on the balcony. Only when in began peaking at the glass did she get up the retrieve the letter. This envelope did in fact have writing on it. Two simple word etched into the front of the paper. From Lee.
Castelia really, really didn't want to open the letter. She had ended her friendship with Lee in a very terrible was. She couldn't possibly imagine why Lee wanted to write to her. When she finally opened the letter, Her eyes darted across the parchment.
Hello Castelia,
Believe it or not I miss you. Sure you're rude and annoying but I know you have a heart in there somewhere. I knew what you were trying to do in the library. I know you don't want me to get hurt but I don't really care. We are all going to die one day right? Anyway, I forgive you and we are still friends. ( like it or not)
-youre best friend Lee.
This was a disaster. Of course the people she was trying to lie to had forgiven her. Castelia had actually murdered someone and they forgave her. She would have to get Lee to hate her too
"Castelia!" Shrieked a voice from downstairs, interrupting Castelias thoughts. " get Down here this instant"
Castelia sighed, as she rose from her bed and made her way down stairs. She found Alecto Carrow in one of the many sitting rooms. " follow me" her mother commanded.
Castelia followed Alecto through the dreary manor, when they finally came to a halt, the pair stood in front of a stone staircase leading downwards. Alecto didn't say a word as she led Castelia into the darkness, stopping at a a large door with metal bars. They passed through the door, and as her eyes adjusted Castelia saw the room or rather the dungeon more clearly. The room was made entirely of stone bricks, moss and mold was sealing out of the cracks in the walls, and as if that wasn't bad enough the whole room reaked of mildew. Castelia scanned the rancid room, until her eyes finally stopped on someone lying on the concrete floor. Whoever it were, looked absolutely horrible. There clothes where tattered, with crimson blood caked in some places, cropped hair sweaty and filthy, arms brused and scraped. If it wasn't for the slow rise and fall of the individuals body, Castelia would have presumed them dead.
"Why are we here?" Castelia finally asked, trying not to breath in the stench.
" I thought you would have guessed by now, perhaps you aren't as bright as we once suspected" Alecto taunted as she moved closer to the battered person. "You are going to practice"
" practice what" Castelia asked, stoically. Though she was pretty sure she already knew.
"Your unforgivably curses, of course" Alecto smiled, crookedly " if you intend to carry out the Dark Lords orders you must learn them"
" very well"
Alecto grasped the person lying in a heap by the hair and yanked them to their feet. It was only then had Castelia realized the extent of his injuries. His sandy hair was matted to his forehead with blood, sweat, and dirt. A large gash ran across his cheek and down his neck, and it appeared to have been inflicted recently. Castelia wasn't sure if he would be able to hold out much longer, especially after they would finish 'practicing'.
"Allow me to demonstrate" Alecto hissed, as she slid back, forcing their captive to remain standing. If Castelia wasn't sure before, she was sure now. He would not survive their torture. The prisoners whole body shook with tremors, Castelia wasn't even sure how he was standing up right. Castelia entire body was flooded with emotions. Guilt, anger, rage. All the emotions she had vowed to forget. She almost stopped her mother. Almost. But she remembered her vow and she drowned her emotions, willing them to disappear. Castelia glanced at her mother. Alecto had her wand at the ready, a twisted grin seared onto her face, she was going to enjoy this.
" CRUCIO!" Alecto shrieked darkly. The prisoners body crumbled. The Screames of agony echoed off the cell walls. The prisoners body thrashed violently as he screamed, face contorted in pain. Alecto lifted the spell.
"When preforming the cruciatus curse, or any of the unforgivable curses for that matter, one must mean it" Alecto instructed. " I'm sure that shouldn't be a problem considering you will be preforming the spells on mudbloods and blood traitors"
" no, of course it won't be a problem" Castelia snapped, taking a step backwards and aiming her wand at the already mangled body laying before her.
"CRUCIO" she screamed, really, really trying to mean it. Apparently Castelia did mean it because the mud blood on the ground cried out in agony, body contorting every which way. The sound that left his body was the sound of pure torture and pain. Castelia lowered her wand.
"Excellent" praised Alecto, a hint of pride on her voice. "You are talented, however let's see how you preform the imperius curse. Make the mudblood cut himself" Alectos face once again twisted into a crooked grin. Castelia tried not to think about what she was doing.
"Imperio" she envisioned the mud blood picking up the stone in the corner and slicing himself, creating a deep gash of crimson across his wrist. It happened just as it happened in Castelias head. The prisoners grunted in pain. His hands where covered in his blood. The sight was horrifying. Alecto was pacing behind Castelia.
"Kill him" Alecto ordered. Castelia didn't even hesitate. A green flash of light erupted from the end of her want. Snuffing out all the life that remained within the prisoner. Her mother laughed, as she waved her wand and the contorted, bloody body vanished before them.
"Very good!" Alecto remarked "you are skilled in the art of preforming the unforgivable curses. But you must know how they feel to properly execute them. You must know your victims pain."
"What do you mea..." Castelia started, but before she could finish her body was engulfed in excruciating pain. Her entire body felt like it was being ripped apart from the inside out. Castelia resisted the urge to scream. She knew her mother was preforming the cruciatus curse on her. But the pain became to much, brain was on fire. Knives ripped through her skin. And then it stopped. Castelia was left on the stone floor, flat on her back. Chest heaving, desperately trying to get air into her lungs.
" get up girl" Alecto spat, "your will power impresses me, however that was nothing compared to the pain of actually being tortured" her mother, took one more disgusted look at her daughter before marching back up the molding stair case. If that wasn't near as painful as actual torture, Castelia wasn't sure she could endure anything more severe. She pulled herself off the floor, she winced in pain. Her muscles felt as though they had been put through a washing machine. Castelia didn't know what to do. She had killed and tortured, and the horrible part of it was she didn't feel any sort of remorse. She was supposed to be passing information to the Order but she wasn't even sure they wanted her help anymore. She had killed Sirius. Castelia trudged up the stairs, pushing the pain aside as she moved through the intricately adorned halls of Malfoy Manor. If these were the repercussions of a mere minute of the cruciatus curse, she didn't even want to imagine how five minutes would feel.
" Castelia Dolohov" she heard someone hiss. Castelia whipped around, expecting to see someone standing behind her. The hall was empty.
"You can not see me, however I am always with you" the voice continued. " come to me" somehow Castelia knew where to go, she weaved through the many rooms of the manor. Until she arrived inside the one she had been seeking out. It was cold, freezing. The room was dimly lit, the only thing in the room was a dark highbacked velvet arm chair.
"My Lord" Castelia bowed. The Dark Lord satin the chair. Nigini sat coiled at his feet.
"Come closer my child" Voldemort commanded. She did as she was told. " you are very important to me, thought you do not know it yet" the Dark Lord continued. " you were born to serve me."
Castelia held back an eye-roll, Voldemort was fucking dramatic.
"Give me your left arm" the Dark Lord commanded, grabbing her arm sharply. Castelia knew what was coming, and she knew she wouldn't be able to back out once it was done. Her double agent act wasn't an act anymore. She had killed and tortured the innocent. She was a Death Eater, inside and out.
the Dark Lord pressed his wand harshly into Castelias wrist, as soon as his wand made contact with her skin a sharp searing pain stabbed at her arm. Castelia watched in horror as black ink trailed across her wrist outlining the dark mark.
Castelia pealed her gaze away from her wrist, locking her eyes with Lord Voldemort. His features were twisted into a sickening grin.
"you are one of us now"