Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.
Harry Potter: Focused – Chapter 9 – Prisoners
"What happened?" asked Marissa Granger in concern, as she looked at the bleeding red-headed girl.
"Snake-bite!" answered Ron. "Same bloody snake that bit my dad! Took Saint Mungo's days to find the right treatment."
"I'll get the potion," volunteered Neville as one of the muggle-born refugees who had been a nurse at the wizarding hospital began casting a healing spell on Ginny's bite.
"Hello," the old woman who'd accompanied them said to Hermione's father, who was also there. "I'm Bathilda Bagshot. This group of young people saved my life."
"Where's Hermione?" asked Marissa, suddenly realizing her daughter was missing.
"She and Harry were holding off the snake," answered Neville.
"Harry's not here, either!" declared Ron, before popping out of sight.
"Where'd he go?" asked Adam Granger.
"Obviously, he went back to find Harry and Hermione," answered Luna calmly.
About two minutes later, Ron returned, looking panicked. "They're not there, but a dark mark was in the sky above the house."
"Nagini didn't cast that," commented Neville.
"Then where are they?" asked a now panicking Mrs. Granger.
-HPF-
"Put Harry Potter in the dungeon!" commanded Bellatrix Lestrange happily in her sing-song voice. "The Dark Lord won't want him hurt before we call him." Another Death Eater obeyed without a word, floating the still unconscious Boy-Who-Was-A-Prisoner toward the dungeon of Malfoy Manor.
Guiding Hermione to the floor, the most feared witch in Britain happily said, "It's time for you to wake up, Granger. Crucio!"
"Ahhhhhh" screamed Hermione, woken from being stunned by the unforgivable curse.
"I see you're awake now, mudblood! I have a few questions for you."
"Where's Harry?" the prisoner responded, worried that her best friend was already dead. She looked around and noticed both of their wands on a nearby table.
"Little Harry is safe and sound in the dungeon, at least until I call the Dark Lord. But don't worry; you'll be dead long before that, after you've told me everything I want to know."
Putting on as brave a face as she could, she yelled, "I won't tell you anything!"
"Crucio! All you'll do with this stubbornness is increase your pain. I'll still get my answers." After she'd finished saying all that, she let up the curse and Hermione was gasping for breath while tears started to form in her eyes. "There. First of all, where did the others go to? Neville Longbottom, the Lovegood girl and the Weasleys – Potter's slut and her brother…Robert…no…"
"Ron," supplied Hermione, knowing that was common knowledge and wouldn't hurt their cause.
"Good. You're starting to cooperate, mudblood."
-HPF-
Many miles away, Ron was standing beside Ginny, watching as a potion was poured down her throat. The nurse began, "This will take care of…"
"Ron."
"What?" shouted Ron, looking around. He soon realized Hermione's voice was coming from his pocket.
"Good. You're starting to cooperate, mudblood."
"O my God! That's Bellatrix Lestrange!" he shouted/cried as he pulled out the device that the noise was coming from – Dumbledore's dilluminator. "I'm getting everyone!" he explained to the nurse while he ran from the room. Maybe we can find them with this!"
-HPF-
"Where are your friends?"
"In the dungeon. It was just me and Harry!"
"Crucio!"
"AhhhhhhhhOwwwwww!"
"I wonder if Lucius has a rack to put you on, you filthy lying mudblood!"
-HPF-
"No. Hang on!" shouted Ron, beginning to cry as he heard Hermione's screams of agony.
"Don't worry, Ronald," said Luna. "Madam Lestrange just revealed where they are. Where would Lucius keep a rack except at Malfoy Manor?"
-HPF-
Harry's eyes opened as he heard female screams in another room. He quickly got up. "That's Hermione," he said to no one in particular. "I've got to save her!"
"There's no way to help her, Mr. Potter."
"Mr. Ollivander?" he asked, turning to see the old wandmaker. He also noticed a goblin sharing the dungeon.
"I know what it's like to listen to them torture and kill, while being helpless to do anything about it."
"Better them than us," muttered the goblin.
"Griphook? Sorry to see you here."
At that moment, Hermione screamed again.
-HPF-
After finding out that Lucius did not have a rack, and crucio'ing her captive again, Bellatrix ordered, "Selwyn, bring Potter up here. If the mudblood's torture won't loosen her lips, maybe it'll get him to talk. Bind him first, though!"
"Yes, Madam Lestrange," the Death Eater replied, before walking toward the dungeon. He opened the door and immediately cast a spell on Harry, binding his arms in ropes. "Come with me to enjoy the show."
"If you help Hermione, I won't kill you!" he pleaded.
After a moment's hesitation, Selwyn shouted, "Get moving!" sending a stinging hex at Harry's rear to hurry him up the stairs.
"What took you so long?" shouted Bellatrix. "Hello, Harry Potter. I thought you'd enjoy the show. Your uppity mudblood friend doesn't want to answer my questions. I thought maybe you would instead." She looked him in the eye. "It would save her a world of pain."
"Don't tell her anything!" shouted Hermione through her tears.
"Crucio!" replied Bellatrix, causing Hermione's screams to resume. "Where are you friends staying, Harry Potter?"
Harry didn't know what to do. His heart broke at seeing his friend tortured. At the same time, he knew that answering the question wouldn't save his or Hermione's life. Perhaps he could stall her. "Stop it! We're camping out in the Forest of Dean, moving to a different spot every day."
The torture curse stopped as the most feared witch in Britain gave the Boy-Who-Lived her full attention. "Where exactly were you today?"
"I don't know."
With a grin, she replied, "Perhaps this will help you remember," before pulling a really sharp knife out of a holster attached to her thigh.
BOOM!
A loud crash interrupted the interrogation. "Someone's attacking the wards!" shouted Narcissa from nearby. Bellatrix grinned manically and readied her hand to deal a fatal stab to her prisoner when Harry, his arms still bound, rushed into her, clumsily tackling the crazy witch, causing her to roll away from Hermione. He was truly lucky Lestrange was trying not to stab him, earning the Dark Lord's displeasure.
Shakily, the recently tortured girl began to get up, causing Selwyn to point his wand at her. "H-Harry w-will owe y-you a d-debt if y-you let me go!" the girl stuttered, still feeling the effects of her torment.
Closing his eyes for a moment while coming to a decision, the Death Eater turned his wand on Bellatrix. When he'd signed up to serve the Dark Lord, he though it would be glorious. Instead, all he saw was death and torture. "Stupefy!" he shakily cast, afraid he'd accidentally hit Harry. His spell made contact with the Boy-Who-Lived's wrestling opponent, knocking her out before a killing curse from Lucius Malfoy hit him.
At that moment, the main door burst off its hinges, revealing Ron, Neville, Luna and at least half of the muggle-borns they'd liberated, all of them with their wands out. Lucius immediately apparated away.
"Enervate!" whispered Narcissa, waking her sister up. "We have to retreat!" Both of them, realizing that the wards preventing apparition (among other things) must have collapsed, disappeared with two small pops.
"There are prisoners downstairs," said Harry. "Ollivander and Griphook."
"We should quickly take anything of value and burn this place down!" suggested Hermione, now able to speak normally. She grabbed her wand and began turning bookshelves into portkeys that immediately disappeared as she ran through the house while everyone else looked for other things. Ten minutes later, the house was engulfed in fiendfyre while Harry and the others were safe inside headquarters. Harry visited the now-recovering Ginny while Hermione immediately headed to the new library she'd just taken from the Malfoys.
-HPF-
Chapter end