Chapter Twenty-Six: Survivor
You thought I couldn't last without you, but I'm lastin'
You thought that I would die without you, but I'm livin'
Thought that I would fail without you, but I'm on top
Thought that it would be over by now, but it won't stop
~ Survivor, 2WEI
Warnings: this is a bit of a dark one. Use of Unforgivable Curses and violence. Thank you again to my wonderful beta anna-phora!
Phoenix had only been to Malfoy Manor once before, back when Regulus and Evan and Alexander were alive, for the engagement party of Lucius and Narcissa. How old had she been then, fourteen? Fifteen? She couldn't recall if she'd been given a potion or hexed when she woke up in a double bed in one of the manor's guest rooms. Pale light filtered in through the heavy curtains, and there was a glass of water beside the bed, but her wand was missing.
She cast around and noticed no sign of Remus, but she immediately lurched to her feet and padded over to the door. She tried the handle and wondered why she'd even bothered. Of course it was locked. Phoenix took a steadying breath, forcing herself to remain calm. It was no good for her unborn baby if she stressed herself out. She checked herself over and was relieved to see that she was still in the same comfortable drawstring pants and loose shirt she'd been wearing when she and Remus had been captured.
Fighting off a chill, Phoenix rubbed her arms and focused on her breathing. If she was in Malfoy Manor, then Narcissa had to be around. She and her cousin might not be as close as they had once been, but she doubted Narcissa would let Death Eaters torture Phoenix if she knew she was pregnant.
The lock clicked and the door opened. Phoenix held her chin high and balled her hands into fists, ready for whatever came her way. Lucius strode into the room, arching an eyebrow at her resolute stance as he closed and locked the door behind him. Phoenix wasn't stupid enough to try and jump him or run for the door. She knew how that would go.
"Where's Remus?" she demanded.
Lucius heaved a weary sigh. "Your half-blood friend is still asleep. We used more of the potion on him than we did on you."
Phoenix remained silent and suspicious. Remus had been brought along for one reason: incentive to make Phoenix talk. But how was she meant to talk about something she didn't even understand? First she had to test the waters, decipher for herself what the other Death Eaters knew of Regulus's death.
"What do you want from me? I don't know anything."
"Sit down, Phoenix."
It wasn't a request. She sat down on the edge of the bed, eyes narrowing as Lucius strode over to throw open the curtains and let more light into the room. Phoenix grimaced and shielded her eyes from the glare of the sunlight. Lucius was sure dragging this interrogation out, and she didn't appreciate it in the slightest, wishing he'd simply get to the point.
"The Dark Lord believes that Regulus was talking before his death." Lucius swept over to stand in front of Phoenix, clasping his hands behind his back. He examined her with nothing but contempt. She must look tired and dishevelled in comparison with how immaculate and tidily he was dressed. "About the cause. Spreading word to people within the Ministry. I know that Evan wouldn't have said a thing to you, considering his willingness to die for the cause. Therefore, if someone spoke to you, it must have been Regulus."
Phoenix glowered. "What makes you think he said anything to me? Regulus was distant before he died. Whatever he was doing, he didn't want to be a part of it."
It wasn't entirely a lie. Phoenix hadn't learned the truth until long after Regulus had died. Before, she'd been just as clueless as anyone else as to what was happening with him. Being brought back to the time when her twin had died was like a wound being sliced open and bleeding once again, but she tried to ignore how much it hurt.
Lucius's lip curled. "You know, I never know what he saw in you."
Phoenix smirked. "Evan?"
"You are from such good breeding and yet, you take after your wretch of a brother. Perhaps once you were more like Regulus, but you've changed. What hasn't changed is that you never did have the good sense to keep your mouth shut. Which is why I know for a fact that Regulus said something to you, and that you talked."
"You want to know what Evan saw in me?" Phoenix leaned forward. "He saw a broodmare, a housewife, and something he could control. But he was wrong about me. You were all wrong about me."
Lucius's face tightened in anger. "Perhaps, but someone leaked something to the Ministry. If it wasn't because you heard something from Regulus, it was because you eavesdropped on your husband, right before you got him killed."
A ragged gasp escaped from between Phoenix's lips. "That's not what happened."
"Fine." Lucius stalked over to the door. "If you won't talk, then perhaps we will bring your lover in and see what you have to say then."
Phoenix tensed. "Leave Remus alone."
Lucius ignored her, throwing open the door and gesturing to someone outside.
"You can start on her. I'll bring Lupin and see if we can't get some answers."
Ice cold dread settled over Phoenix like a dark cloud as Mitchell Avery sauntered into the room. He closed the door behind him and folded his arms, examining her with a growing smirk. Phoenix didn't want to be afraid of him, but she already knew what he was capable of. She remained rigid on the bed, even as he walked over and drew his wand.
"When we were at Hogwarts, I had a bit of a crush on you."
"Who didn't?" Phoenix rolled her eyes, deciding that if Avery was going to monologue, she wasn't going to refrain from sarcastic commentary. In response to her scathing reply, Avery gripped her chin with bruising force.
"We thought you were about as close to perfect as a pure-blood girl could get." He laughed. "Can you imagine that? Then, of course, you started to open your fucking mouth and we realised what an insolent little bitch you really were. Before that, though, a few of them envied you."
Phoenix remained silent, wincing as Avery's cold fingers tightened on her chin. His breath was hot against her face, and her stomach twisted with either revulsion or morning sickness. She liked to think it was revulsion.
"Beth...she envied you most of all. She was so desperate to be adored, so desperate for any kind of attention…"
Phoenix didn't want to hear. She didn't want to listen to Avery's snide insinuations that Beth had somehow asked for or deserved what had happened at the Quidditch World Cup. She slammed her head forward, headbutting him in the face. The ensuing crack and Avery's shout of pain made her certain she'd broken his nose. As he released her, stumbling backward and clutching his face, a dark smile spread across Phoenix's lips.
"You were so pathetic you had to try and assert power over a girl who didn't want you."
"You stupid fucking slut." Avery seethed. His eyes filled with feral rage, and he grabbed Phoenix and threw her to the ground. She tried to clamber up, but he was on top of her, pinning her down, his fingers fastening around her throat. Phoenix kicked frantically, choking for air. With his teeth bared and sadistic glee in his eyes, Avery might just kill her.
"Are you jealous?" Avery hissed, manic laughter bubbling up from his throat. "Do you want attention too, Phoenix?"
"You're fucking insane," she rasped, but she had suddenly gone cold all over. Maybe Avery wasn't trying to kill her. Maybe this was something else, something more twisted, something she didn't want to think about.
"I could Petrify you, but I won't." Avery's dark smile widened. "It's more fun this way."
"Get off her!" It was Remus's voice. Phoenix glanced toward the doorway to see her boyfriend charge over to Avery, throwing him off her. She took in a deep lungful of air before she realised Remus wasn't done. His fingers were curled into a fist and he punched Avery in the face, again and again. There was a savage gleam in his green eyes she'd never seen before, and it frightened her a little.
"Oh, for Salazar's sake." Lucius walked into the room after him, waving his wand so that Remus was thrown unceremoniously off Avery. "At least attempt to show some form of civility, Lupin."
"She's pregnant, and you'd have him brutalise her?" Remus pushed himself up, glowering intense hatred at Avery as the younger Death Eater wiped blood from his face and eased up off the floor. "It's not me you should be looking for civility in, Malfoy."
"I said 'get started', not choke the life from her." Lucius's tone was contemptuous as he turned his disdain to Avery. "We are not animals. Have some restraint, will you?"
"She provoked me," Avery snapped.
Lucius rolled his eyes. "Are you twenty-one, or two?"
"Are you okay?" Remus's voice was gentle, that familiar softness coming over his face as he tilted Phoenix's face up to inspect her. She could almost forget she'd seen how brutally he'd beaten Avery. Mostly, she could forget that he was a werewolf, but in that moment she had seen that there was a darkness in him, just as there was in her.
"I'm fine," she murmured.
"Leave them for now." Lucius waved a dismissive hand.
Avery looked disappointed. "But I thought…"
"Yes, well, that was before you decided to throw her around," Lucius snapped, gesturing impatiently, "Come, Mitchell. We can do this later when you're better prepared."
Avery threw Remus a venomous look as he marched out of the room, and Phoenix heard the definitive click of the lock behind them. Her shoulders slumped in relief, before she became aware of Remus's concerned eyes scanning her.
"What do they think you know?"
"I don't know," Phoenix said, unsure if she was lying or not. Did she know the truth? Was it information about Regulus they were after, or a confession that she had been the one to betray Evan and Alexander to the Ministry?
Phoenix tossed restlessly in her sleep, but Remus didn't sleep at all. He knew that they were being provided with a brief respite, but Malfoy would certainly come back even if Avery didn't. He smoothed his fingers over Phoenix's dark hair, watching the way her hand jerked to her stomach as if to protect their unborn baby even in her sleep.
The door creaked open, and Remus sat up stiffly. Clearly the Death Eaters thought Phoenix knew something, but if she did, wouldn't she have told him? Remus was aware of the fact that his girlfriend had betrayed her late husband and his friend Wilkes, reporting them to the Ministry and leading to their deaths. Remus scowled when Lucius entered the room accompanied by a different Death Eater this time—Rabastan Lestrange.
Remus remembered what Phoenix had said about Rabastan. The man had threatened to use the Imperius Curse to get whatever he wanted from Phoenix. Remus automatically positioned himself between Rabastan and Phoenix. The dark-haired girl stirred, jolting upward when she realised they had company.
"How nice to see you again, sweetheart." Rabastan strode over. "I hear you're expecting another baby. Two kids in less than two years? You've been busy."
"What happened to Avery?" Remus asked, uncertain whether he should be more afraid of Avery's blatant savagery or Rabastan's cold menace.
"He is needed elsewhere." Malfoy shrugged his shoulders. "Besides, his methods were distasteful. Blood traitor though she may be, Phoenix is still my wife's cousin, and I would prefer not to resort to brute force."
"I think we've been doing it wrong, Lucius." Rabastan glanced over his shoulder, a slight smile curving the corners of his lips. "You've been placing your bets on the fact that the girl will talk if you torture the boy. Have you considered the alternative?"
"You won't torture her." Remus shook his head fervently. Malfoy was a great deal of things, but he didn't think the man would let them use powerful dark magic on Phoenix unless they had no alternative. How typical of pure-bloods, he thought angrily, that the only thing they valued about her was her ability to bear children.
"No, I won't," Rabastan admitted, but his face split into a grin as he pointed his wand at Phoenix, "Imperio."
Phoenix's entire body stiffened, and Remus was overcome with a cold clutch of horror. This had been what Phoenix had feared. Rabastan using this curse on her, what he might do to her. It was the Unforgivable Curse she despised the most, because Phoenix was terrified of losing her free will, and in an instant, it had been taken away from her.
"It's a shame that Isaac isn't here," Malfoy mused, and it took Remus a moment to realise he meant Mulciber, "He's excellent with the Imperius Curse."
"Stop." The word came out hoarse from Remus's mouth.
"Come here, darling." Rabastan gestured, and Phoenix crossed over to him with a glazed look on her face. There was nothing of the girl he loved in her expression, just the contented look of a puppet on strings.
"Please." Remus staggered to his feet. "Just leave her alone."
"Rabastan, I'd like some time alone with Lupin." Malfoy paused for a moment, considering something. "Bring the girl with you."
"No!" Remus made to move toward them, but Malfoy pointed his wand threateningly in the younger man's face. Phoenix trailed out of the room after Rabastan with a strange, ethereal grace that wasn't typical of her. Remus held his hands up, though his heart hammered in his chest as Phoenix left with Rabastan.
The knowledge that he didn't know what was happening to Phoenix was infinitely more terrifying than any clarity. Rabastan Lestrange was violent and cruel, and while he might have been instructed not to do anything that would physically hurt Phoenix, the fact that she was under the Imperius Curse meant that he didn't really need to.
"What is he doing to her?" Remus's voice broke as Malfoy closed the door. "He's twisted, you can't leave her with him."
"I'll bring her right back when you and I have a talk." Malfoy's tone was curt, and it was clear he wouldn't be budging on the matter. Remus swallowed the lump in his throat and forced himself to remain calm. He had to be strong, for Phoenix's sake. "Now. I think you know precisely what sort of woman she is, and you know whether she's been sharing information or not."
Remus did, and the weight of his choice rested heavy upon his shoulders. If he insisted that he didn't know anything, then Rabastan might do something awful to Phoenix and this might be drawn out further. If he told Malfoy about Phoenix's role in the deaths of Rosier and Wilkes, not only would she never forgive him for it, but every Death Eater would be out for her blood. He couldn't say anything that would risk her safety.
"I know Regulus corresponded with her often. But she didn't tell anyone what they spoke about. Not me, not anyone else."
"Regulus betrayed the Dark Lord." Malfoy leaned against the door, folding his arms. "You don't think he said a word to Phoenix about that?"
"I didn't know Regulus well," Remus admitted, choosing his words carefully, "But he wouldn't have put her in any sort of danger. I think he hid the truth from her as well."
Malfoy's brow pinched as he considered this. The problem, Remus thought, was that Malfoy didn't know Phoenix well enough to make any judgements on her character. He didn't know who had been responsible for their capture, but he would bet a day's wages that Avery was somehow involved, regardless of his absence now.
"I know you think Phoenix had something to do with what happened to Rosier and Wilkes." Remus licked his dry lips. "I know she and Rosier weren't always on the best terms, but they'd just had Cass when he died. Phoenix is a lot of things, but she isn't malicious."
"Someone told the Ministry." Malfoy's eyes narrowed.
Remus threw up his hands. "It could have been a good deal of people."
How many Death Eaters did they know of? Quite a fair few. But going into the Ministry and pointing fingers at prestigious pure-bloods without sufficient evidence was enough to get you laughed out and shunned. The Order members had to work extremely hard to prove anyone they accused was a Death Eater, and Remus didn't think he had seen anyone convicted on someone's word alone.
"If Phoenix wasn't a traitor, why did she run? Why did she go to her blood traitor brother and you?"
"Because she was scared!" Remus exclaimed, and he realised that it was the truth, even if Phoenix had betrayed her husband to the Ministry. "She and Rosier didn't love each other. She hadn't felt safe and secure since Regulus died. She knew Walburga would throw her into another marriage, and she wanted comfort."
"Yes, well." Malfoy's lip curled. "Considering her...delicate condition, it would seem you succeeded there."
"Just let us go." Remus shook his head slowly, ignoring the jab. "You want Phoenix to be some scheming murderer but she isn't."
Malfoy was silent for a few moments, and Remus could tell he was contemplating this. He didn't want to have wasted his time on being wrong. On the other hand, he wasn't willing to draw unwanted attention to himself and the other Death Eaters by attacking the wrong person. Heaving a sigh, he wrenched the door open.
"Rabastan, bring the girl back." Remus's shoulders slumped, but Malfoy threw him a warning look. "We aren't done here yet, Lupin. There is someone who knows Phoenix better than I do and will be...more successful at discovering the truth here."
"What, you mean Bella?" Rabastan appeared in the doorway with Phoenix's limp form in his arms. Alarm surged through Remus, but Rabastan just chuckled at his shocked expression. Phoenix's head lolled back, but there didn't seem to be any sign of damage to her. "Relax, half-blood. She's asleep."
"What did you do to her?" Remus hissed, hands balling into fists. Just because Phoenix didn't look hurt didn't mean Rabastan hadn't done anything. Putting her under the Imperius Curse was more than enough.
Rabastan's enigmatic smirk only heightened his fury. "Nothing much. She can't sing at all, can she? Good thing she's an excellent dancer."
"What the fuck—"
"Let her sleep while she can." Malfoy waved a hand, seemingly unconcerned. "Bellatrix is not known for her mercy. Remember that, Lupin."
Rabastan set Phoenix on the bed and followed Malfoy from the room. Remus immediately checked his girlfriend over, deeply concerned. How long had he and Malfoy been talking? It couldn't have been that long, but Rabastan could have done anything to her in that time. He didn't risk waking her, because for now, he thought it was better that Phoenix was asleep. He only hoped he had a way out for them by the time she woke up.
Remus couldn't remember drifting off, but he was woken by the door opening and a slim blonde figure creeping quietly into the room. His brow furrowed as he recognised Narcissa, and he wondered what in the name of Merlin she was doing here. The blonde woman paid him no attention, sweeping over to the bed and looking over Phoenix. She barely even acknowledged Remus's existence, but then, that was quite typical for pure-blood Slytherins.
"We need to move quickly."
"What's going on?" Remus demanded, his brow furrowing at Narcissa's presence. Why was she creeping around her own house?
"What does it look like?" Narcissa arched an eyebrow, reaching across to hand him his wand. "I'm helping you two get out of here."
His suspicion deepened. "Why?"
"I know what Bellatrix is like, and she won't care that Phoenix is pregnant." Narcissa straightened up, an imperious look coming over her face. "I might not think much of my little cousin right now, but I don't want her tortured."
Remus took Phoenix's wand too, stowing it in his pocket. "Won't they know that you helped us?"
"Well, you're going to curse me, obviously," Narcissa said impatiently, as though that had been obvious the whole time. He had no illusions that she was doing this for him. It was clearly to help Phoenix, who Narcissa still cared about despite the fact that she was probably considered almost as bad as Sirius in their family's books now.
Narcissa waved her wand, lighting a fire in the hearth and then taking out a large vase of what appeared to be Floo Powder. She had such purpose in her steps, as opposed to Remus's hesitation as he gently shook Phoenix awake. She blinked sleepily up at him, and he pressed a finger to his lips and helped her to her feet. Her eyes widened when she noticed Narcissa, though she understood the need for quiet.
"Phoenix, you disappoint me." Narcissa sighed heavily, planting her hands on her hips. "You were doing so well with Evan, and then after he died you went and got yourself knocked up by this half-blood."
"I love him," Phoenix murmured, her voice a rasp like she found it difficult to speak. She drew close to Remus and he slipped an arm around her, before looking to Narcissa to await her instructions.
"Well, go on, use a hex." Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Just be quick about it, make it look real but Merlin's beard, don't make it painful. I'm doing you a favour."
She offered the Floo Powder, or rather, practically shoved the vase under Remus's nose. He took a handful of it, casting it into the fire so that the flames burned emerald. He turned to Narcissa and offered what he hoped was an apologetic expression.
"Sorry about this. Stupefy."
The spell hit Narcissa firmly in the chest, and she collapsed to the floor without so much as a word. A strange woman, Remus thought. He wasn't about to question her motives though, not when she was giving them a chance to escape. Taking Phoenix's hand, Remus stepped into the flames and said: "Sirius's apartment."
He held tight to Phoenix's hand as the world rushed around them, and only once everything had stopped moving did Remus open his eyes. Coughing, he staggered out of the living room fireplace, Phoenix stumbling out after him. In the kitchen, Sirius just about jumped out of his skin, managing to keep a grip on an equally surprised little Cass. His shock immediately morphed into exasperation.
"Where have you two been? It's been three days!"
"Mama! Mama!" Cass reached out her arms for Phoenix, and the worn-out look on her face melted into pure warmth for her child as she took the little girl from Sirius. She had been concerningly silent since she had woken, and Remus was far too aware that the last time she'd been awake, she had been under the Imperius Curse.
"We were taken to Malfoy Manor." Remus steered Sirius into the living room, letting Phoenix stay absorbed in Cass. "Narcissa helped us escape…"
Sirius scoffed, though his grey eyes were clouded with concern. "Noble of her."
"...but before that, a few of the Death Eaters interrogated us."
For a few moments, there was silence other than Cass babbling nonsense. There was a smile across Phoenix's lips, but it didn't reach her eyes. A cold chill raced up Remus's spine as he wondered what had happened to her. They hadn't been separated for long, but it had been long enough.
"When you say interrogate…"
"It was Phoenix who got the worst of it." Remus kept his voice low. "The first time I was brought to see her, Avery had attacked her, he was on top of her with his hands around her neck. After that, Malfoy wanted more subtlety, so he had Rabastan Lestrange use the Imperius Curse on her."
Dread came over Sirius's face. In truth, Remus knew that they had been lucky. Members of the Order had been subject to worse. Just a few weeks ago, Benjy Fenwick's mutilated corpse had been discovered. The month before, Caradoc Dearborn had vanished without a trace. Sirius's eyes flicked to Phoenix, still focused on her daughter.
"Sirius." Remus's voice was little more than a whisper. "I don't know what he did to her."
The last time he had seen Phoenix so fragile had been just after she'd come to them, fresh from the deaths of Rosier and Wilkes. Remus needed to know that she was alright, though he had the feeling she wasn't. Phoenix had had her memory erased, and now she'd had complete control of her own body stolen from her. Regardless of what Rabastan had done to her, it was obvious she was traumatised.
"We were worried sick. Called an Order meeting and everything. We knew you'd been captured because this place didn't have the Dark Mark over it, and it was at least salvageable. Cass was crying for hours."
Remus's stomach twisted at the thought of poor little Cass not knowing where her parents were. It had felt weird to think of himself as Cass's dad at first, but he'd firmly decided that was what he was, doubts be damned. He loved that kid as his own, regardless of who her biological father was. He loved her just as fiercely as he loved her mother.
"I'll take care of Cass," he insisted, "Please, just try and talk to Phoenix."
Remus couldn't imagine how stressed Sirius must have been, returning to find the apartment wrecked, his best friend and his sister gone. They hadn't even told Sirius about the baby yet, though Remus was leaving that for Phoenix to do. He hoped that the baby was alright, considering in the span of the three days they'd been missing, Phoenix had had two Unforgivable Curses used on her.
He chanced a look over at Phoenix, who had set Cass on the kitchen benchtop, that same mild smile plastered across her features. It was the look of someone trying to hold herself together because if she didn't, she would surely break apart.