Their Little Witch
Chapter 1
The soft orange glow of the sunset illuminated the otherwise grimy stone dungeon, long shadows spread across the floor, four long rows cast by the bars covering the only window. None of the sconces were ever lit, light is a privilege not given to prisoners. It wouldn't be long before the room would be bathed in a blanket of darkness, covering every puddle of blood and exposed grime.
Perhaps the darkness would be welcome. At least with no light, no one could see the hunched over frame that was far too thin, far too fragile to stand. Cuts dance across her skin, slowly oozing over the numerous bruises that littered her body in purples and blues. She wears a long grey sheet fashioned into a makeshift dress to combat the biting chill of the wind, her previous clothes having been torn to shreds with time and torture. Her face bore the signs of once being delicately pretty, long eyelashes and plump lips with a small button nose, but her cheeks and eyes were sunk into her skull and grime and blood hid her freckles from sight. Her lips were cracked and dry, her tongue occasionally flicking out in a vain attempt to soften them. Her hair is slick with grease and blood, ending in a jagged, uneven pattern just below her ears and her breath comes out in short, sharp gasps.
She's alone in the large room, pressed against a corner away from the single metal door which she associated now only with pain. Every time it opened, she was granted half a glass of warm water and a chunk of stale bread. Then, she would be brought before her captors to undergo various 'interrogations'.
Slowly, her eyes blink open. She glances around the room in a moment of panic before her brain reminds her where she is. Her shoulders slump forward and she thinks that perhaps, if she had any tears left, she might have cried. The feeling of the walls closing in on her makes her breathes come faster and the room beings to spin. Her ribs ache in protest, sending sharp pains through her lungs and chest. Her hands shake softly as she brings them to her face, blowing on them softly to try and salvage as much warmth as she can. She doesn't know how long she's been here, but it shouldn't have been this long. She should never have been caught really, but Harry had to say that word. Of course he did. Her head falls and lands on her knees as she tries to remember small facts. Her friends name was Harry, he had red- no, black hair and green eyes. There was another boy, a red haired boy she's sure. They'd been doing something important. Something really important.
She almost groans as a sharp throb bounces around her skull, but she knows it's important to try. She has to remember.
They'd been looking for something, or hiding from something. Her forehead creases into a frown, what was his name?!
He had been gone for a while, but he had come back. She vaguely remembers how angry she had been, the spark of fury that had made her blood run so hot that she felt she couldn't breathe. She doesn't know his name, but she knows he had hurt her.
They'd been caught together, all three of them. She remembers a forest and she remembers how her legs had burned from running. She remembers thinking that they had a chance. She almost scoffs at herself. They'd been brought here, then she remembers being separated. Bellatrix had wanted her, had wanted to break her. She supposes maybe she did.
She'd been tortured alone, the boys were taken to a cell. That had been the last time she had seen them, they had begged her to be strong, their eyes had been wide and afraid. She wonders if she had screamed.
Bellatrix had not been kind. She had used every trick she had, though she cant remember why. That's the effect of the cruciatus curse she recalls, she had read that in a book somewhere. The torture curse had the potential to permanently damage the brain after prolonged exposure. And she had been exposed for a long time now.
She takes a deep breath, pushing down the full body shaking at the thought of how that curse made her body feel . It was like being repeatedly stabbed, having your blood boil under your skin and all your organs begin to fail. It left her nerves damaged and frayed, and if she hadn't been shivering form the cold, she would be shaking anyway as an after effect.
But shes getting sidetracked again, what was the other boys name?
Harry and Him had disappeared from their cell. Theyd left her behind. She was punished for that too.
He was pale, with red hair that glowed in the sun. He wasn't the most loyal friend, she doesn't think anyway. Maybe she had been the problem. Maybe that's why they had left her behind. Maybe she wasn't worth saving.
No.
That doesn't sound right.
Her body ached all the time now. Her daily sessions with Bellatrix had seen to that. But she never spilled their secrets. She had locked those in her brain so tight that even she didn't know what she was hiding anymore. Must've been important, she reasons.
Must be a secret worth keeping.
The sun is too low now, the light is fading from her cell. The silence around her is deafening. They had spelled it that way, so she wouldn't know when they were coming, Keep her guessing, they'd said.
She puts her palms on the stone floor, scraping them as she drags her body over to the window. Its cloudy tonight. That's a .
shame; she would have liked to see the stars.
In the corner of her eye, she sees something appearing. She turns slowly, her breath catching in her throat as she spots her parents standing there, their eyes catch hers and her mum smiles sadly, lifting her had for her daughter to catch, And she tries, she throws herself at the couple, but rather than catching her, she goes right through them. A dry sob racks her chest and her face hits the floor as a single tear trails down her cheek. Of course they're not here; they wouldn't want to see her like this. She thinks they might be a proud couple, she vaguely remembers that her father had been a soldier once. She supposes maybe she's a soldier now, too. He would be horrified with her weakness.
She's aware of the pitter patter of bits of rain coming through the window. There's no glass, so its not really a window. She supposes that a more accurate description would be to call it a hole in the wall. With bars on it. Freedom would be right there, but her head doesn't fit through the gap, she knows because she tried.
And besides, she reasons that she wouldn't get far without a wand. Hers was here somewhere, they taunted her with it. With her 'stolen' magic.
Her parents are gone now, she realises. Her heart aches with a new pain and she curls her body as tight as she dares. Everything hurts now, and by the heavens she is so tired. Her brain hums with fatigue, her body desperate to rest, but she knows how dangerous it would be to rest here. There's demons above her, men and women who live to see her bleed. She hasn't seen her reflection since she got here, but she reckons her face looks as tired as she feels.
She's aware of the door as it creaks open, a tiny slither of light trickling through. She doesn't look up as quiet footsteps approach her.
Her body shudders as they approach. She blinks wearily, if its Bellatrix she may just give up.
But its not a wild mane of black hair that greets her. Instead, it's a scared boys face, his head with a scattering of blonde. She reckons she knows this face too.
He looks at her, his face trying to stay impassive.
He reaches a hand out to her, she flinches backwards with a hiss. He frowns sadly,
"I'm so sorry, Granger, it wasn't meant to be like this."
She doesn't respond. She's learned now not to talk. Mudbloods don't get to speak here.
He lowers himself to the ground, his head seems to droop, like he has the weight of the world pressing him down. For a moment, she forgets to breathe. Then he whispers so softly, so gently, she cant help but frown,
"They're wrong, you know? I can see that now… I'm not here to ask for forgiveness, I'm not here to convince you that I have changed either. I just needed to see you before they come. Gods, I hope they come."
He shakes his head, he looks so out of place down here. His outfit is nice, she thinks. It looks expensive. Expensive clothes shouldn't be in here.
"Please, Granger, just say something."
She licks her lips, his face is wet. It shouldn't be wet, he'll get in trouble. No good comes from crying here.
He looks at her pleadingly, but her throat is so dry and so unused, she isn't sure anymore how to make words come out. He rubs at his eyes and sighs, crossing his legs,
"Fine, don't say anything. That's okay. I don't blame you, but I don't have long. There's someone coming for you tomorrow, I have to make a hole in the wards. It took a lot of digging to find someone, but I got there in the end. Just have hope, you have to get better. Potter and Weasel won't win this war without you. You know that right?"
He licks his lips and laughs shakily, she's not sure if he's trying to comfort her or himself. But he is jogging bits of her memory, so that counts for something, she supposes. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. The war. Ron Weasley. That's his name. And this is Draco Malfoy, the son of the people who own the dungeon she's in. She frowns at him again, she doesn't know if he can see her. Maybe he can, maybe he can't, either way he keeps talking,
"When you get out, find Potter and Weasel. It's the most important thing right now, no one knows where they are, but it won't last. Find them and end this, whatever it takes. I have a bag of basic supplies for you. I'll bring them to you before you leave. Then run, Granger. Like your life depends on it. Because it does, you know? They'll kill you if they catch you again."
He gets to his feet, murmuring his apologies again before leaving. The door closes quietly behind him.
It's the most cruel words anyone has said to her yet. To try and give her hope, knowing it won't come to be. She thinks she will be here now until she dies.
Her head droops back onto the floor, she hadn't realised she had lifted it. She supposes it doesn't matter anymore. She can rest, just for a few hours, and hopefully, Bellatrix won't want her until the evening. That would be nice.
She wakes with a gasp as a hand touches her head, she throws her body back, scraping against the ground as she tries to put more distance between her and whoever has come in. The sun hasn't risen yet. It's still dark. She can't see who's there. She hears them make a shushing sound at her, it's a male voice, but its not Draco.
Her chest tightens as the unknown male approaches her, she can hear his feet on the ground and shes desperate for him to be quiet, because if they hear him, she'll get into more trouble.
A gentle hand presses on her chest, grounding her and a soft voice whispers next to her ear,
"I'm here to help you, but you have to be quiet, okay?"
She frowns and slowly nods, her neck stings and she brings a hand up to it. If he notices, he doesn't say anything,
"Can you walk?"
She tries to rise to her feet but her knees don't want to co operate, her legs shake and give beneath her. The man doesn't say anything, he just lifts her into his arms and walks back to the door. The light makes her head hurt and she brings her hands to cover her eyes. A small weight lands on the stomach and she flinches, grabbing it quickly. It a small bag, like Draco said. She doesn't see him.
She looks up at the man as her eyes adjust to the light. She realises quite quickly that she doesn't have a face to recognise, its hidden behind a metal mask. She frown softly and looks him up and down, his whole body is hidden behind a red and gold metal suit. He walks her up a winding stiar case and she starts to panic, her body convulsing against her will at the idea of seeing her up there. The robot man hushes her, holding her tighter to his chest and she winces, her body protesting. At the top of the staircase is another face she doesn't recognise, this time a woman with red hair in a skin tight leather outfit. She's frowning and talking. The words don't make sense though, or maybe they do.
The robot man says something back, and the girl in his arms frowns deeply because dammit, why can't she focus?
Her world is beginning to fade around her, the shapes distorting in an unfamiliar way. She is aware of the other two people trying to get her attention, but she can't bring herself to care. The pain is too much, she's too tired.
There's shouting as she closes her eyes, then her world goes dark.