Masquerade Act One: Hidden Figures
The Fourth Dance: An Alliance is Forged
Horror is the removal of the masks-Anonymous
Any time women come together with a collective intention, its a powerful thing. Whether its sitting down making a quilt, in kitchen preparing a meal, in a club reading the same book, or around the table playing cards or planning a birthday party, when women come together with a collective intention, magic happens- Phylicia Rashad
"You're here to free me?" Hermione said slowly and uncertainly, her words dropping like stones in the silence. She didn't know if she could trust this person. Every time she had tried to get close to them they had fled, not to mention the last time she had followed them she had ended up in a room full of dead bodies which led her to her current predicament: being imprisoned for who knows how long in this fucking cell.
The figure nodded their head the same time they said, "yes." Their voice was decidedly feminine but Hermione wasn't going to assign their gender just yet.
"And why?" Hermione questioned. She had longed for her freedom but now that it stared her in the face, should she take it? Could she take it? She hated the fact she was hesitating but she couldn't fight the feeling.
"Look, I don't have a lot of time to explain. Just take my hand so we can go!" the figure ordered impatiently, hand outstretched to the prisoner.
"And why should I trust you?" Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, not liking the other figure's almost aggressive insistence. "I don't know anything about you and you always disappear on me when I want to ask you-"
"Because!" The figure burst out, shaking their outreaching hand. They were throwing glances up and down the hallway. "Shit, it's starting." Rushing forwards into the room they grabbed Hermione by the upper arm.
"Hey!" Hermione protested at being grabbed so harshly but the figure paid her cry no mind. Digging into their cloak they brought out a simple white mask. "Quick, put this on before we leave the room."
"Why?" Hermione asked as she thumbed the mask from them. It looked cheap compared to the masks she had worn previously.
"Just please put it on. It's for your own safety." When the figure saw that Hermione hadn't put it on, they pulled it from her hands and tied it around her face themselves. "I'll explain everything once we get out safely," the figure promised when they saw Hermione open her mouth in protest. Then they pushed her roughly towards the door. The hallway was white like Hermione last remembered when she had marched stupidly down these very halls all that time ago, not knowing the trap she was leading herself into.
She could hear sounds coming from down hall and the figure pushed her in the opposite direction. "We must hurry. We have to get to the safe room before they catch up to us."
"Before who catches up to us?" Hermione asked but the figure had moved on ahead of her, leading the way. Hermione pressed her lips together and decided she'd ask the questions later. The sounds from behind here were growing louder, and was that the sound of snarling dogs? Did they had dogs chasing after them? She was about to turn her head to look when the figure grabbed her hand roughly. They had appeared by her side, their lips frowning. "Don't look back," they instructed, "or else we won't be able to leave."
"And why's that?" Hermione was tugged along by the figure, their dark cloak billowing around them as they lead the two of them down to one of the doors on the wall with brisk steps.
"It's part of deal of getting away from this place."
"The deal?"
"Yes. The deal. Look back when leaving from one of these prison cells and you are forever trapped to wander these never ending halls. No one is actually chasing us, it just feels that way. Still we must hasten before someone actually does show up to chase us when they find you've left the room."
Hermione found this information a bit hard to believe, especially since the sound of snarling dogs, running footsteps and yelling guards, that demanded her to wait and stop running, seemed so real. She just wanted a simple peek, to see if it was-
The figure grabbed her cheek and forced her head forwards sharply. "What did I tell you."
"Sorry," Hermione mumbled in apology, rubbing her sore neck which had been twisted painfully. The figure tapped on the door in a set pattern and soon it swung open. The interior of this room led to another passage. This one dark and made of stone. They stepped in, the figure grabbing Hermione's hand as the door shut behind them, shutting them completely into the dark. "Don't let go of my hand. This is another test."
Another test? What was up with all these test? What were they for? But Hermione held on strongly, determined not to loosen her grip. They walked on, only the sound of their footsteps echoing around them. Hermione wondered what the next test would be when suddenly she felt it: the sensation of thousands of bugs crawling over her skin.
"Agh!" she cried out jumping and trying to wretch her hand free from the strangers but they held on tightly, crushing her fingers in their hold. "Don't let go. Calm down!"
"Get them off, get them off!" Hermione screamed jumping up and down and trying to swat at the bugs. She couldn't feel any on her body but she swore there had to be some with the way her skin crawled and moved.
"Get them OFF!" she felt her throat tighten in panic when she realized all her relentless swatting and slapping were not quelling the procession of insects on her flesh. Oh Merlin, she was going to be eaten alive by insects! She could feel them burrowing into her skin, ripping her flesh with their tiny pincers. "Make it stop, please!" she sobbed as she sank to her knees, now batting weakly at nonexistent bugs with her one free hand as she gave into them.
"Get up. Cut this out! You are stronger and smarter than this I know!" the figure demanded, bending down in front of Hermione, cupping her chin in their free hand. Hermione couldn't see them but sensed their gaze on her, that same piercing gaze as before, filled with confidence in their belief that Hermione could pass the test. "You are strong, you can do this! It's just a test."
"I-I can't do it," Hermione sobbed. "Their all over me. Just carry me the rest of the way."
"I can't do that. You have to walk across yourself or you will be forever stuck in this tunnel with bugs crawling all over you. Do you want that?"
"No!" Hermione's terrified cry rang through the tunnel as the figure's words reached her.
"Exactly," the figure pulled Hermione up to her feet. "You can do this."
Hermione nodded her head mutely. She could do this. Already she had gotten a bit used to the unpleasant feeling on her skin. It surely couldn't be far to the other end, right?
"How come you don't feel it?" Hermione asked as they started walking again. She decided posing questions would help her distract herself from the terrible sensations as they started up again, playing across her skin and making her insides clench in disgust and horror.
"I'm not the one trying to leave the cell. But I promise you I went through the same thing when I first escaped those prisons."
"You escaped?" Hermione muttered out, clenching her teeth as felt the giant pincers of a bug burrow deep into her ear and slither its antenna against the soft matter of her brain. Ignore it, ignore it!
"Yes. And look, now have you." At their words a light grew at the end of the tunnel and soon the two had exited the wretched place behind. The figure let go of Hermione's hand and the girl wiggled her fingers experimentally. The stranger had held them so tightly they had turned purple and only now blood was returning to them accompanied by pins and needles that meant they were reviving. With a quick look over Hermione noted with satisfaction that there were indeed no bugs on her and she was whole and fine. But just to be sure she patted her hands over her body, checking her ear specifically where she had felt that big bug from before. "I made it," she breathed out, happy that the horror was over, even as her skin tingled with the remnants of the disturbing sensation.
"Not quite," the figure grimaced. "Now we have to go back to my safe room because if we don't they will find you and put you back in your cell."
Hermione nodded her head in grim understanding. "Don't worry this part won't be as bad. Just follow my lead." The figure put a finger up to their lips indicating silence and with that the two were off. This part was a bit trickier than scary like the other travel had been. They had to sneak their way past staff members as they traversed down halls and up stairs and into rooms and out of rooms, sometimes retracing their steps, all with such speed that Hermione's head began to spin. She had lost all sense of direction a long time ago and felt like the two of them were walking in circles. Had the figure gotten lost?
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Hermione asked when she had lost her patience.
"Yes," the figure hissed back. "Be patient."
"We've passed by that room already!" Hermione pointed out as they passed the library for the tenth time.
"I am aware of that," the stranger said before shushing her. Hermione let out a grunt of annoyance but remained quiet. At last they made their way to a wall with a statue of a man on a pedestal next to it. Hermione didn't recognize him and wondered why he had giant wings curling around him. Checking him out she had missed what the stranger did next and when she looked over there was now a secret passageway that had opened up behind the statue. The stranger gestured for the brown haired girl to follow. The passage was dimly lit and once they walked in the entrance sealed up behind them. At the end there was a single wooden door. Turning around with flourish the figure gave a half bow in front of the door, a grin on their face.
"Welcome to the safe house or as I like to call it, The Castle." Then without a glance at Hermione, they opened it up. The girl stepped into what she had expected to be a room but looked more like the inside of a castle. "What is this place?" she whispered, astonished as her eyes greedily took in everything. She knew what it was, the question was posed mainly as a statement of astonishment. She was standing in a living room with stone walls decked with tapestries depicting medieval scenes of war or everyday life, a wooden floor covered in rich carpet and with a high wooden rafter ceiling. The room looked very comfy and homey with a plush blue couch, several armchairs, a coffee table and shelves of books against the walls A stair case in the middle of the room lead to the second floor and there was one exit in the room, leading to the kitchen and to whatever else was in the house. A warm fire crackled merrily in a giant hearth and the figure strode up to it, prodding it with a iron to make it jump higher.
"This is where I live," the figure answered simply once they had finished attending to the fire.
"And how did...how did you-" Hermione waved her hands around vaguely as she looked around the room once more and up at the ceiling. An expensive looking chandelier hung from it, casting warm light on them.
"I made it myself," the figure declared proudly, cocking their hip to one side and raising their chin up haughtily.
"With your bare hands?" Hermione blustered. How was that possible.
"Don't be absurd," the figure reprimanded, waving the topic away for now. But Hermione still had one last thing she had to be certain of.
"And we're-"
"Safe, yes." Hermione was cut off before she could complete the statement. "No one will be able to find us here provided we are careful to make sure we are not tailed. Oh, and you can take off your mask now," the figure gestured a hand flippantly and Hermione dutifully took the mask off, waiting for them to come back from the room they had disappeared into. They came a moment later with two cups of hot tea, cookies and a plate of sugar on a tray. They set it down on the table. "Help yourself," they motioned to it when Hermione just looked at it dumbly, the mask still hanging from her hands. She wasn't in the mood for food but for answers.
"Tell me, why did you save me?"
The figure rolled their eyes as if they were expecting this question and thought the answer was obvious. "Because you're like me." Hermione furrowed her brows at this.
"Oh, don't tell me you're going to give me vague answer as well. I'm so fed up and tired of this bullshit. Whatever I ask no one says anything of real value to!" Hermione threw up her hands in exasperation. "And if you're going to do the same I am done here."
The dark figure chuckled. "Feisty, just like me, and with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. I knew I sensed right. " When Hermione just glared at them, they moved on. "I never said I wasn't going to tell you. Give me time to explain everything in a concise manner and you'll have your answers soon enough. First, let's start off with introductions."
"Introductions?" Hermione wrinkled up her nose. Again she was being stalled from having her answers. Curiosity and impatience burned at her but she supposed she would do as the figure asked if it would make them talk. Besides, she kind of did want to know who the figure was.
"What is your name."
"Hermione," the brown haired girl responded. "And who are you?"
The figure slowly pulled down the hood around their head, revealing the mask fully. It was gold, coming down to their naval crease. It looked like it was heavy to wear, with a pair of ram horns that curled on the forehead of it and went back, holding in their hair. Lifting both hands up to their face they slowly took the golden ram mask off. Underneath it was a face that looked suited for royalty with it's high cheekbones, perfectly arched brows and full lips that rose arrogantly. Her hair, a mess of raven curls as dark as the tunnels they had walked through, tumbled down over her shoulders now that they were free.
"I am Bellatrix."
Hermione had not been expecting this. She didn't know what she had, she just knew not this. A strong feeling of familiarity hit her square in the stomach and she almost doubled over with how strong it was, her mask dropping to the ground. Bellatrix arched a brow in concern at Hermione's reaction but didn't say anything.
"I-I know you," Hermione gasped, coming upright once most of the sensation had passed.
"Glad to see you feel it too," Bellatrix said, tossing her mask onto her couch and sitting down next to it before helping herself to a cup of tea. She dropped a couple of sugar cubes into it and didn't even wait for them to fully dissolve before she took a sip. She winced when she discovered the liquid was still hot.
"You've felt this before too?" Hermione voiced, once she felt the sensations fade away but not completely. It tugged at her belly and made her fingers tingle.
"Yes," the older woman answered, holding her tea cup up to her lips and blowing into it.
"What does it mean? Surely it-we can't be feeling this for no reason," Hermione reasoned, approaching the woman.
"I know there is a reason for it, I just haven't figured it out yet, but it's why I went looking for you. Why I followed you."
"You followed me?" That was a stupid question. Hermione knew it was full true. She had seen the woman do it herself.
"I needed to make sure you were like me, that you sought to possess what I fought and searched for. And that is the truth. The truth will set us free from this place I am certain." Hermione approached the woman and sat down on the couch, her eyes trained and ears waiting hungrily to gulp down any sliver of knowledge the woman offered. "That first day when you came into the night club I felt a bit of hope. You see, whenever there are new arrivals there is always a high chance of them acting violently, of them demanding answers as they can sense something is wrong. But when you acted this way a second and third time I knew then that you were different. Usually a person would easily fall to the spell this place has over them but you didn't. You resisted and you fought. I knew I had to help you. I had to get to you before they did. But to truly test your mettle I led you to the room."
"The room with the dead bodies," Hermione whispered more to herself than to Bellatrix.
"Yes, the room with the dead bodies. I had discovered them myself a long time ago and it had helped to fuel my desire to leave this place. I had hoped that by showing you it, it would inspire the same in you. What I hadn't expected was for them to catch you and lock you into the prisons. I should have known better. After all I had spent some time down there too when they caught me snooping around and disrupting the public order."
"So you've been there before. That's why you knew how to escape. Did they lock you up for the same reasons as they did to me?" Hermione leaned closer, eager to learn more. Finally she was getting answers to something and her mind soaked it up greedily like a sponge.
Bellatrix cast her a look and gave a laugh of amusement at seeing Hermione's eager facial expression before the older witch sobered down, her mind wandering to her earlier days here. "I was trapped down there, for quite some time. I can't exactly recall how I got out but I know of the tests to leave that place only because of a gut feeling, not really more of an actual memory. Memory is a funny thing in this place."
"They erase our memories, is that right?" Hermione's eyes were glowing in interest. Maybe this Bellatrix could indeed help her escape. It seemed like she knew a lot about this place.
"That they do. And it is of our past, but I do not know why or how and sadly I cannot say if there is even a way of getting them back. We cannot dwell on that however. We must focus on our present situation."
"I think there might be a way to get past the memories," Hermione excitedly announced and jumped up, pacing in front of the fireplace as she voiced the sudden idea that had popped into her head. "Every time I try to think of something I feel pain-if we were to get past these pain blockades then we could-"
"Nope," Bellatrix sang, popping the p. This paused the brunette. "What do you mean no?" she resisted the urge to stamp her foot childishly, upset her ideas had been cut off before she could reach fruition.
"I've already tried dearie. I tried to the point of passing out from pain and it got me nowhere."
"What if-"
"Nope."
"Then what?" This time she did stamp her foot.
"It's obvious that whoever or whatever blocked our memories doesn't want them coming back for a reason. But sometimes little tidbits of information come through the barrier and we can use those glimpses of our former lives then, but other than that there is no point of dwelling on our past. We need to focus on our present and on getting out of here."
Hermione opened her mouth to argue but Bellatrix silenced her by holding up her hand. "The point is moot. Let's not focus on something we cannot change." Hermione closed her mouth realizing it was a good point and that she should let it go for now. She'd just bring it up sometime later.
"And how would we get out of here?"
"I've been working on it for a while now. And I think I have the solution." The woman got up at this and setting down her now empty cup of tea she walked up to Hermione grasping her hands. "First we need to make an alliance."
"An alliance?" Hermione was tempted to pull away from the woman. From this close up Hermione could see a darkness lurking behind her eyes and she didn't know how she felt about it.
"Yes, a pact. To cement our agreement to work together to get out of this blasted building once and for all. A promise to never betray the other, to never give into the evil wills of this place." Bellatrix looked at Hermione expectantly. The brunette found it weird that she would need to make a pact if they both had an unspoken agreement that they were on the same side.
"Also the agreement binds you to this place. It gives you clearance to enter and exit at your own discretion."
"I see," Hermione answered. There was so much that Bellatrix hadn't told her still but she had no one better to trust. Besides, the older witch had helped her escape so that had to count for something. "I want to add another condition to this pact if I may?" She gave the older woman a questioning look, who didn't look happy at this request but complied.
"What is it?"
"I want us to promise to each other that we will always be truthful to one another and that should one of us learn something new they will immediately tell the other." Bellatrix gave a crooked smile at this. "Of course you would add that. Fine. I agree to it." At Bellatrix's words a strand of yellow wove around their hands and then evaporated.
"What was that?" Hermione asked perplexed, cocking her head to one side as Bellatrix released their hands and strode back to her couch. Hermione stood where she was looking her hands over as if she could find where the yellow strand had hidden itself.
"That, my dearie is magic," Bellatrix announced spreading her hands above her head in flourish. "And our first step to breaking out of here."
A/N: The plot thickens. And also, yay! Finally know who the mysterious figure is. About time the two met.