A/N I should say here that from now on this story becomes a little graphic in the violence arena. Therefore if you are easily offended please do not read on as I don't want to receive any flames. Please also note that I am not doing this because I am a sadist. The first chapter explains the situation Cho is in, and I would like to point out that I was in a similar situation a few weeks ago and so I am trying to find a way to express the hurt I am feeling. I know it's very OTT but I've always wanted to learn martial arts...
A/N 2 I thught of some songs to go with this fanfic. So if you really want to get in the mood then put on the radio and listen to 'Out of Reach' by Gabrielle, and 'Run for Cover' by Sugababes. Very cheesy I know but they go with it very well.
And now for the disclaimer- Harry, Cho, Draco etc etc blah blah blah belong to JK Rowling. However I take full responibilty for Gwynn the cute Welsh guy. Diz and Luisa are two of my friends and I think they would probably like to belong to themselves (of course that's only a guess).
The next few days were incredibly taxing for Cho. From seven in the morning to eight at night she trained to serve under Voldemort. Gradually she accquired far more stamina than she had ever had before. She grew to love the evenings when she sat in the common room with her new friends. After the initial coolness they had accepted her as one of themselves without question. Diz and Luisa seemed to have taken it upon themselves to look after her and make sure she wasn't left out of anything. On several occasions the very fact that she was involved seemed to get her into trouble. One particular group of people believed it would be amusing to drop a little undiluted bubotuber puss into Master Avery's goblet one lunchtime. Cho strongly denied that she had come up with the idea in the first place. Why would she have done a thing like that?
Then, one evening, Cho and Seamus were brought out of training early. As they left everyone cast them curious glances, before Lestrange called their attention back to the Aciditus curse with a deafening bang from the end of his wand.
"Finnigan and Chang," began the Death Eater who was leading them. I have been asked to prime you both first on who you are about to see. Our Dark Lord has captured a member of your school. One of our spies found him in Hogsmeade. He is a close friend of Potter's." Here Cho's stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch. The Death Eater continued, "He will tell us nothing... yet. You will both be required to use force to get information from him. You are both powerful, and I believe will have great influence over him. Do you understand?"
They both nodded. As they entered the Hall Cho's gaze fell on several things in quick succession. The first was that Voldemort himself was present, watching something with narrowed, calculating eyes. The second was that there were several Death Eaters with their sleeves rolled up, all stadning around something. The third, was that in the centre of the room stood a chair. Bound to the chair slumped a figure with red hair.
As they approached Ron, they could see that he had been badly hurt. He had one black eye already, and his hair was matted with blood. Cho felt nauseous- she couldn't do this. She couldn't hurt someone like this. It isn't him who's hurt me, her soul cried out, not him; don't hurt him.
But beside her Seamus smiled. "Hello Ron- good holiday?"
Ron raised his head and turned to see who was addressing him. His eyes widened in horror. "Not you," he stuttered, "You can't have turned."
Seamus laughed, "No doubt that was what went through Cho's mind when she arrived on our doorstep at the beginning of the holidays."
Ron's eyes fixed on Cho, and she felt his mind suddenly grasp why she was there. "I'll tell you nothing," he told her firmly.
"We'll see about that," said Voldemort from his throne, "Won't we Cho?"
Cho froze. She knew what she had to do. She had to do it to get information about Harry. She had to. She didn't move. She looked at Seamus for help. He gazed back at her, one eyebrow raised, expectant. Then she heard a high voice. In her head. It was her master. You know it was probably him who made Potter go out with Ginny Weasley, don't you? it said. Cho shook her head. "Get out of my thoughts," she muttered to the voice.
Why? I am trying to help you understand, Cho Chang. Potter always follows his best friend's advice. Why should he not have this time?
Cho paused. It was true. Harry always had followed Ron's advice. She took a step forwards, towards Ron's chair. Ron gazed up at her with a mixture of terror and hatred. Then Cho heard the one thing that would have ever made her hurt someone. Harry's voice.
'I'll never forget you Cho' he was saying, exactly as he had one evening 2 months ago 'you mean so much to me. I'll wait for you for as long as it takes.'
Cho balled her left hand into a fist, then she brought it round, smashing into Ron's face. He cried out. She stumbled back, shocked at her own anger, panting. Voldemort laughed. "Anything to say, young Weasley?"
"Nearly finished," she said in a strained chirpy voice. "There," she threw her quill down onto the parchment. Her eyes re-focused and she stared around the Common Room, "Is Ron not back yet?" she asked blankly.
"No. Reckon we should tell someone?"
But there was no need. As they made to rise, Professor McGonagall entered, clutching a crying Ginny's hand. As soon as Ginny came in she ran to Harry, who cradled her in his arms, patting her red hair vaguely. "What's happened?" he asked the Professor urgently, "Where's Ron?"
Professor McGonagall bowed her head, "I don't know how to tell you this Potter." She looked up and held his eyes, "He was taken, by Death Eaters, in Hogsmeade. We couldn't trace them."
Harry stepped back from shock, and Hermione let out a short, shrill whimper. Then Harry sank back into his chair, and buried his face in his hands. Far away, laughing with her newly found friends, Cho felt no pity for him.