A/N- Wow. I've finished writing. It's 22 chapters and an Epilogue, so you're now into the meat and potatoes of the story. This is cool. My first completed Harry Potter Fic. And there are more on the way. Never fear. I think the next one will be a short fluff, then I'll try for more substance again. So, without further ado….

Chapter 16- Time's up

They tried to transform, tied to their chairs in the depths of the mansion. They tried and failed. Lucius was sitting quite comfortably watching their struggles. "Aren't you tired yet?" He drawled silkily.

"Tired? Of fighting you?" Isis hissed. "Never."

He shrugged. "Very well." Then he left.

As soon as he was gone, Isis slumped, exhausted and defeated. "How long has it been?" She questioned the room. She didn't really expect an answer. Her only companion was so beaten, and so exhausted, that she faded out of consciousness hourly.

"It's been a week." McGonagall sighed.

The door opened again and their true captor came in. His face was pale, barely a husk, and his eyes glowed red. Hardly the good looking boy that had been Tom Riddle. He cast a victorious grin on the spiting demon wrenching at her bonds. "Did I say you could move? CRUCIO!"

He pointed his wand at her and she screamed, screamed until she fell unconscious. McGonagall winced at the sounds of agony coming from next to her. Once the young woman had fallen unconscious, Voldemort turned his attention to McGonagall. He touched the light brown hair that fell in bloodied waves to her waist. "My Minnie…" She flinched at his caress, at his words. "You are mine, you know." He told her sounding for all the world like a gleeful and slightly deranged child. "And soon no one will be able to take you from me. I just have to find the right person to perform the ceremony."

"I'll never marry you!" Minerva insisted in a dangerously low voice.

"Who said anything about marriage? Marriages are broken, dear sweet Minnie. I'm talking about a wizard bond." Her face paled causing him to laugh with delight. "Yes, well, I'll be back." He swept out of the room, and as soon as he was gone, tears of hopelessness began to slip down her cheeks.

Outside in the corridor, Malfoy was waiting. He fell into step with the Dark Lord and together they walked through the dungeons. "My lord, tonight is the last night of the full moon. Have you found a sacrifice?" Malfoy queried.

"Yes. Your sister."

Lucius stopped, a brief bit of feeling, something akin to regret crossing his face. "Isis?"

Voldemort turned and stared hard at his servant. "She has resisted everything else we have thrown at her, if I can't use her then neither shall Dumbledore." His glowing eyes pierced Lucius's cool blue ones. "Is that alright with you Malfoy?"

"Of…of course Milord." He agreed, albeit hesitantly.

"Excellent." Then Voldemort swept away.

Malfoy stared after his master for a minute. For once his heart rebelled against the commands. He'd held Isis, feed her, bathed her, nurtured her, when his own mother would have nothing to do with her. He'd been the one to rock her when she had nightmares. It had been him she had turned to all of her life, at least until he had become a death-eater. They were bound by blood, but more than that, they were also bound by love. And now he had to kill her.

He hurried back to the basement room in which she and McGonagall were being held. Isis slipped back into consciousness as the light hit her face and he crossed to her quickly. The older woman eyeing him warily the whole time.

Lucius gently cradled her head, and brushed the blood, grime and sweat encrusted locks back from her swollen battered face. "Little Goddess," He whispered tenderly. The hate disappeared from her eyes. "Little Goddess, he plans to sacrifice you tonight, he plans to sacrifice you as part of the ceremony. Please, do as he says, bend to his will and live."

"I can't." She insisted sadly. "I can't. I don't want to die, but I can't do that."

"I don't want to lose you."

"Then help us." She pushed. "Help Mama and I escape. Please Lucius."