Jane was roughly shoved into a bare stone room. There was nothing in it- not straw, not a cot- nothing. She almost missed the slithering sound at her feet. When she looked down, she found herself staring into the eyes of a serpent.
Jane immediately moved away from the snake. But in moments, she found herself pinned against one stone wall. The jeers and laughter of the men in their black clothes rang oddly in her little stone room. Then they moved away and shut the door.
For a bit there was silence, in which Jane and her cellmate examined each other. It was too dark for Jane to be certain, but she thought the snake to be larger than she was. Jane hoped that it was not hungry, because she had no doubt she would not win in a fight.
That was when the screams began. Surprised, Jane looked up, but her eyes saw nothing but stone. Jane's little mouth fell open when she realized what had to be happening. She was in the room next to where they were torturing Severus. Those screams were his.
Backing away from her constant cell companion, Jane curled up in a corner, and tried to ignore the screams. It was hopeless. They went on and on. And the realization that they were her fault kept her heart aching. But she would not give in. Harry was Fred and George's friend, and she would never hurt anyone they deemed worthy of friendship.
She started to fall asleep, exhausted from the day's events. The snake came up to her and wrapped itself around her arm, and then pinched it. Jane yelped in pain and opened her eyes.
"That hurt," she told the snake in irritation. The snake hissed in response, and stayed on her arm. When Jane tried to doze, the snake would pinch her arm.
Jane leaned back against the stone, listening to Severus's screams. She would never have thought that he could scream. Or that he could do it for so long. His voice should have been gone hours ago. Had she been in here that long, or was it all her imagination?
The snake hissed. Jane looked up to see her cell door opening. Years of isolation in that dark tower had taught Jane not to go to the door. Whoever it was, they left some food, and a bit of water. Jane waited for the door to shut, and listened to see if she could hear their footsteps over the screams.
After four or five minutes passed listening, Jane finally gave up. She gently detached the snake from her arm, and moved over to the food and water. A critical examination told Jane she could go a few days on this food, if she returned to her former habits. With a nod to herself, she took a sip of water, and ate a bit of a piece of bread.
There was no meat, so she wondered what her cellmate was supposed to eat. The men knew the snake was there. Unless they intended for her to be eaten by the snake. Jane shrugged. Death did not frighten her. At least, not her own death.
Jane immediately moved away from the snake. But in moments, she found herself pinned against one stone wall. The jeers and laughter of the men in their black clothes rang oddly in her little stone room. Then they moved away and shut the door.
For a bit there was silence, in which Jane and her cellmate examined each other. It was too dark for Jane to be certain, but she thought the snake to be larger than she was. Jane hoped that it was not hungry, because she had no doubt she would not win in a fight.
That was when the screams began. Surprised, Jane looked up, but her eyes saw nothing but stone. Jane's little mouth fell open when she realized what had to be happening. She was in the room next to where they were torturing Severus. Those screams were his.
Backing away from her constant cell companion, Jane curled up in a corner, and tried to ignore the screams. It was hopeless. They went on and on. And the realization that they were her fault kept her heart aching. But she would not give in. Harry was Fred and George's friend, and she would never hurt anyone they deemed worthy of friendship.
She started to fall asleep, exhausted from the day's events. The snake came up to her and wrapped itself around her arm, and then pinched it. Jane yelped in pain and opened her eyes.
"That hurt," she told the snake in irritation. The snake hissed in response, and stayed on her arm. When Jane tried to doze, the snake would pinch her arm.
Jane leaned back against the stone, listening to Severus's screams. She would never have thought that he could scream. Or that he could do it for so long. His voice should have been gone hours ago. Had she been in here that long, or was it all her imagination?
The snake hissed. Jane looked up to see her cell door opening. Years of isolation in that dark tower had taught Jane not to go to the door. Whoever it was, they left some food, and a bit of water. Jane waited for the door to shut, and listened to see if she could hear their footsteps over the screams.
After four or five minutes passed listening, Jane finally gave up. She gently detached the snake from her arm, and moved over to the food and water. A critical examination told Jane she could go a few days on this food, if she returned to her former habits. With a nod to herself, she took a sip of water, and ate a bit of a piece of bread.
There was no meat, so she wondered what her cellmate was supposed to eat. The men knew the snake was there. Unless they intended for her to be eaten by the snake. Jane shrugged. Death did not frighten her. At least, not her own death.