Notes:
TRIGGER WARNINGS: sexual slavery, torture, character death - It's the whole chapter.
I still don't own Harry Potter.
Monday, May 11, 1998; evening
Tonks was standing next to her captor, for once grateful for her position. He loved to force her to stand while he sat, but after her Auror training, it wasn't actually that difficult for her and it gave her a better view for most things. The only thing she didn't like about it, well, almost the only thing: she really hated the collar around her neck with his name engraved on it. He even had a dainty little "leash" on it tonight, which she found degrading and disgusting. But the only other thing she really didn't like about standing there was just that; in the gigantic dining room full of sitting people, she was easy to see. Standing out was a terrible idea in a room with old Voldy.
She had made her hair a mousy brown, her face unremarkable. She knew there would be some form of punishment for it later. Master Rowle, as he insisted on being called despite being barely older than her, hated it when she changed to a normal face in public when all she would give him privately was the most hideous face she could manage. It delighted Tonks to irritate him that way. You had to find some fun somewhere.
There certainly wasn't going to be any of it here tonight. The Malfoys had a grand dinner out on the table, but it was nearly forgotten now. Antonin Dolohov had just come in and thrown the Malfoy scion to the floor in front of Lord Voldemort. Tonks had never met the boy who was her only cousin. It didn't look like she was going to get the opportunity before he died. He was shaking, crying, and kissing the hem of his Lord's robes. With most of the Death Eaters, that would disgust her, but this was just a kid. She felt sorry for him.
Travers dragged his mother in now, Lucius standing to take her and bring her to her place at the table. It was interesting to watch the small confrontation when Travers refused to release her to her husband.
"Ah, Lucius," Lord Voldemort addressed him, "my slippery servant. What exactly are you trying to do?"
Lucius paled. "I thought to seat my wife at my left hand as is proper, my lord."
"Did you think I had not noticed your family's absence?"
"I knew you had seen it, my lord. I only hoped you might grant mercy. Our son, as you know, has been very ill. His mother has worried, perhaps more than she ought to be."
"Indeed. So you still claim this useless brat as your son?"
"I...his mother is still quite attached to him, I'm afraid."
The Dark Lord hummed in displeasure. "You are so enamored with your helpless wife that you accept this man who let his own wife escape and then orchestrated the escape of many more prisoners, the death of 19 recruits, and the capture or death of the sole heir of Nott house?"
The Malfoy boy laying on the floor was panting. Tonks recognized signs of a panic attack, but there was nothing to be done for him. He seemed to be fighting it as well as he could. She was relatively certain he had no say in any of what he had just been accused of.
Before Lord Malfoy could respond, there was a soft bark of laughter from the back. Tonks realized it was Nott, Sr. speaking, "Good riddance to the useless, snivelling wretch. Wouldn't have ever wanted him representing Nott house anyway. I'll need a wife to make a new whelp, but that can easily be found."
Lord Voldemort laughed at that, "Perhaps you should talk to Parkinson. I believe he had a rebellious daughter to get rid of." Everyone laughed before the Dark Lord went on, "Now, Lucius, I would hear your answer."
The man who used to seem so commanding almost shrunk in on himself, "My lord, since his wife did escape, I'm still without an heir."
Lord Voldemort angrily replied. "Again, Lucius, dead men don't need heirs. Who would you have me torture and kill tonight - the brat or your dear Narcissa?"
Lucius looked stricken. All color drained out of him and he closed his eyes before saying, "Draco. Kill him. He is my son no longer."
The boy on the floor whimpered, but Tonks could see his liquid silver eyes and could tell he had already known this was coming.
"I'm so glad you've finally made a choice, my servant. Sit down so you may watch with the others." Turning back to his meal, he called, "Dolohov, get that garbage out of my sight, down near the end of the table somewhere," Lord Voldemort indicated young Draco. "Travers, bring Narcissa here. I think it is high time we be done with this little family."
"No!" Draco let out an anguished cry as Dolohov began dragging him across the tiled floor, "Lucius said me! Torture me. Kill me! Leave mother alone! Please!"
The Dark Lord laughed, cast crucio on Narcissa, and began eating his dinner. "Someone silence the garbage," he mentioned casually, as though it were normal dinner conversation.
Tonks was sickened that everyone began eating dinner while Narcissa screamed on the floor next to Voldemort. She wondered if he intended to torture her into complete insanity like the Longbottoms. After he chewed a few slow bites, though, he let up and she collapsed crying on the floor. Lucius started to stand, but the Dark Lord pinned him with his beady red eyes. "She is no longer your concern, Lucius." He turned to his right and began talking softly with Rodolphus and Bellatrix. Tonks felt sickened. Nothing good could come of that.
Looking at Bellatrix brought a sudden jolt of recognition. On the floor next to her was a muscular young man with curly red hair, completely nude, with a collar much more elaborate than the one Tonks was forced to wear. She knew Charlie Weasley anywhere. She hadn't known he was a prisoner here, too. Or maybe she had known at some point before her latest obliviation. Who knew? She wasn't even sure how long she had been here. She wondered if they had been together when they were captured or if her old friend had been here even longer than she had. They had been in the same year at Hogwarts. She had even had a crush on him at one time. And sweet Merlin he was worthy of a crush now. I may be married, but I still have eyes, she thought. Still, Tonks felt dirty looking at him considering how many of the Death Eaters within view of him were leering - male and female alike. It gave her chills to see how exposed he was.
She lost her train of thought as Bellatrix stood from the table. She picked something up and placed it in Charlie's mouth. Tonks had to strain to hear her command, "Come, my pet, I have a job to do and you will assist me." When she yanked on the chain leading to his collar, he had no choice but to follow, on all fours, or be dragged across the floor by his neck.
Bellatrix practically danced over to the heap on the floor that was her little sister. She walked around her speculatively. "Who would have ever believed you would become a blood traitor, Cissy? Mother and Father would be disgusted by you. All for the love of your precious son," she mocked.
Turning to Charlie, she said, "Stand and give me the knife, pet." He very carefully stood up and put his head forward so she could take it from his mouth. "Isn't it nice for one blood traitor to help me torture another?" The room exploded in laughter. To Charlie she said, "Now, back up a bit, lace your hands behind your neck, and feet apart." He closed his eyes, his cheeks flaming, but obeyed. "Eyes open!" she snapped at him. She kicked his feet a little farther apart, then turned to her sister and ignored him.
Giggling, she began running the knife over her sister, carving words into her body. Narcissa's screams were even more pained than they had been under the cruciatus. At the back of the table, there was a commotion. Goyle, Sr was restraining the youngest Malfoy as he tried to fight through and get to her.
Lucius suddenly could take no more and stood up. "My lord, please! Cissy is not a blood traitor. She did nothing wrong. It was all that boy! Torture him this way, but let me take my wife up to her bed before this gets any more out of hand."
Lord Voldemort laughed, "Oh Lucius. This is far out of your hands." He motioned to Travers and Rookwood, both sitting nearby. They stood and grabbed Lucius by the arms, pulling him forward. "Goyle, please bring the garbage back up here." Tonks felt dread pooling in her belly. This was going to be the end for the Malfoys, for sure. Bellatrix was still gleefully cutting up her sister. Both Malfoy men had been taken up close enough to see exactly what was happening to Narcissa, but not close enough to do anything about it.
The Dark Lord smiled at them both, an evil smirk on his face. He asked, "Draco, my boy, would you like for your mother to live?" He waved his hand to allow the boy to speak.
"Yes, my lord. Please. I'll do anything you want me…"
"Shut up! Your snivelling offends my ears," he said. Grinning around at his Death Eaters, he looked to Goyle who was still holding Draco back. "Goyle, give the boy your wand and let him go."
Everyone reacted with shock. Everything was suddenly silent except for Narcissa's tapering screams. Bellatrix had stopped her ministrations for the moment, watching this new scene unfold. Goyle reluctantly let go of the boy and handed him his wand. Draco took it gingerly, but seemed to acclimate to it without too much trouble. Still, Tonks could see his true emotions by the way the wand was shaking. Whatever Voldemort was about to ask of him would undoubtedly be harsh.
"Now. All you have to do to keep your mother alive is to kill Lucius. It doesn't even have to be through torture. Just avada him. Right now."
Draco turned to his father. He looked completely lost for a moment, tears running down his cheeks. Then he took a look at his mother, laying at her sister's feet and viciously shaking her head no. Draco closed his eyes for a long moment. When he opened them, the liquid silver had been replaced by steel grey. He brought his wand arm up steadily. His mother screamed, "No, Draco! He is your father. Let me die instead!" but he ignored her, staring at Lucius.
His father glared at him, "Don't you dare. You've never been more than a useless brat. I know you can't kill your own father."
"You are no father of mine. Avada Kedavra."
As soon as the deed was done, the wand clattered to the floor. The boy was shaking like a leaf. Tonks couldn't imagine what that had done to him.
Narcissa was screaming, "NOOOO! You monster! You killed your own father, you...you evil piece of trash. You are not my son!" Her words dissolved into an anguished wailing, crying Lucius' name over and over.
Tonks hadn't thought she could be shocked by anything that happened here, but the words Narcissa had just spoken and the utter devastation on young Draco's face had done it.
Voldemort, finished with his meal, stood up. "Lord Malfoy," he addressed Draco, "Take your seat at the table and eat your dinner like a good little boy. If you would like for your mother to continue living, you will not move from that spot or say one word until you are given permission." The seat he indicated had been the boy's father's. The half-eaten plate of food had been piled high by his father. He had to walk past his father's body to get there. Tonks could see him shuddering, trying to hold back a sob.
"Now, Narcissa. It appears you are no longer the lady of this fine house. I'm not sure what use you could be to me. Perhaps someone else, someone like Fenrir, might have ideas about what to do with you." Narcissa was weeping so hard for her dead husband that she didn't even react to that suggestion. Draco did, jerking his eyes up to their Lord, but his mother didn't seem to care. Voldy looked a little ticked off about that. She was clearly supposed to be frightened. Disgruntled, the Dark Lord looked down the table, "Dolohov. You have been a loyal servant. Would you like a wife?"
The man had a wicked smile. "Of course, my Lord, if you see fit to give me one."
"Will you take her even though she is a marked blood traitor? Will you beat that out of her? Control her properly?"
"Oh yes, my Lord."
Tonks observed the utterly stunned expression of Narcissa's son. He was barely holding himself together. She could tell he had somehow thought that if he did what the Dark Lord wanted, he and his mother could continue the lives they had led. He hadn't thought through the implications of what Voldemort might do with them.
"We shall have your wedding in 3 days, to give you both time to prepare." Lord Voldemort laughed. "Now, Lord Malfoy…." he got no further because Bellatrix was cackling behind him, approaching her "pet" with the knife to begin carving into him. Charlie's face was set, his mouth in a determined line. Tonks knew him. He would not move or cry out if he could stand it.
Surprisingly, the Dark Lord's voice rang out, "No, my Bellatrix darling."
The deranged witch turned to stare at him with rounded eyes.
"That is a tasty morsel you have there and if you're going to blemish it, I'll have to give it to someone else." The Dark Lord began walking toward the little scene.
Tonks felt herself bristle at him referring to her friend as though he were an object instead of a person, but she knew if that and embarrassment were the worst things that happened to him tonight, Charlie would be very lucky. She shuddered for him when Voldemort walked up to the man and ran his fingers all the way down his body. To his credit, Charlie didn't move, didn't even flinch. "A very impressive specimen," the Dark Lord stated with a disturbing smile. As he moved back toward Draco, Tonks noticed the look Bellatrix gave her pet. Charlie would pay for that, but at least whatever she did to him couldn't leave permanent "blemishes."
"Mr. Malfoy," Voldemort went on, "I have a way for you to rejoin my ranks at a beginner's standing. After the wedding, you will reset the wards on this manor. You will hand them over to me and then I will allow you among my Death Eaters once more. Until then, Goyle - lock the brat in his room. Draco, dear, while she no longer claims you as her son, do remember that your mother will pay for anything that doesn't please me."
Goyle hustled the boy out. Tonks hoped that was all the entertainment for the evening. She had seen as much as she thought she could handle. As she watched the front for any more drama, Charlie suddenly looked up and met her eyes. He blushed again, but gave a slight nod. He knew she was there, too. Neither of them were alone in this.
Thorfinn picked that moment to jerk on her leash. Tonks met his eyes. She wasn't very good at the submissive, eyes on the ground thing. He looked furious. He had undoubtedly seen her looking at Charlie and misinterpreted it. Rowle had been a few years ahead of them at Hogwarts. He had always wanted Tonks, and had always been jealous of her entourage of friends, especially the male ones. This night was going to be far longer than she wanted it to be. She just had to keep going. Somewhere out there, she knew Teddy was with her mother and hopefully Remus too. There had to be a way out of this eventually. She just had to hold on until then and try to stay out of Voldy's sight.