Disclaimer: check previous chapter

The first thing that told me that I was returning to consciousness was the sensation of pain. Not unbearable pain, but a dull ache that began in the back of my head and spread throughout my body. Escalating again in my wrists and ankles. Confusedly I tried to fight the drowsiness from myself and shook my head as though to clear it. What happened? The memory of the evening came back to me slowly and my eyes snapped open.

Immediately the pain in my wrists and ankles was explained as I noted the nature of my bondage; a thick, tight rope that was rubbing my skin raw. My hands were tied behind my back and my legs cried out from being scrunched under me for what felt like hours. I would have cried out, save for the gag stuffed into my mouth. I was lying in the fetal position on the stone cold floor of a vast chamber, a circle of tall figures in long, black hoods stood around me and I was facing an ornately carved chair that sickly resembled a large black throne. It was empty.

"Aaaahh. I ssssssee you are awake, little one," said a snake-like voice behind me in a cold and high tone, sending shivers up and down my back and making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. A tall man with a red, malicious face that haunted my most recent nightmares walked along the edge of my peripheral vision towards the throne. That face! How frightening! How terribly evil. He could not properly be called human! For weeks I had seen that face in my dreams and thought it nothing, simply a girl's vision of her worst nightmare. Yet here he stood before me. Sickening in all his evil power. Yet, how was it that I had seen him in my darkest of nightmares? I struggled harder against the bindings and only managed to give myself burns where the rope rubbed. If only I had my wand then I might at least have the opportunity to run. "And just in time for the sssssshow." I cringed at the thought of what these twisted souls would call entertainment. "Bring in the mother," commanded Lord Voldemort in an icy tone and a man came forward, dragging an unconscious woman with him.

My eyes widened and I gasped in horror. MOM!!! NO! "Ah, I sssssee you recognissssse your mother, little one," chuckled the disgusting man now sitting in the black throne, looking for all like the Prince of Darkness himself. His voice was soft, mocking, yet painfully fakely paternal. "Amazing the luck at having her return home right asssss my loyal ssssservants prepared to leave. What a wonderful little addition to my meanssss of- perssssssuassssion." He drew out that one word menacingly and the circle of Death Eaters laughed cruelly as one. The man dragging my mother stopped at the throne and bent low to the ground at Voldemort's feet.

"My Lord," he rasped. "I have brought the woman."

"I can sssssee that you ssssswine!" hissed Voldemort, all false, sugary sweetness forsaken. Then he turned back towards my horrified face and smiled a demented smile that promised he was about to enjoy himself very much and that it was going to be incredibly painful for at least one person. Glancing at the prone form of my mother, I guessed two. The Dark Lord rose from his throne' and practically slithered towards my mom lying face down on the floor. He pressed his boot under her and flipped her over and pointed his wand in her face. I gasped and wrestled with the ropes that held me, cutting into my skin and drawing blood. "Ennervate," whispered the arrogant Heir of Slytherin and Mom awoke in an instant, looking around and taking in everything in the room faster than most could blink. She did not seem at all surprised to find herself in the middle of Lord Voldemort's lair, but her eyes widened considerably at the sight of me, her daughter, lying tied up on the floor.

"Sienna!! NO! No! Not my daughter!" she cried, trying and failing to get up from the floor, her already injured legs unable to support her.

"SSSILENSSSSE!" hissed Voldemort threateningly, stepping closer to her. "Now, your beloved daughter will have the delighting ability to behold her mother'sss acurssssed death," he continued in a voice of barely contained glee.

"No! Sienna!"

"I sssaid hold your tongue!!! Crucio!"

I stared petrified as my mother's shrieks filled the chamber and she fell to the floor again, writhing and thrashing with the terrible pain. I felt helpless as I watched my mom try to fight the urge to scream and fail bitterly. I cried out and was managing to almost get my wrists undone when the curse was instantly lifted and the room plunged into an eerie silence broken only by Voldemort's cold, hallow laughter and my mother's shallow breathing. Silent tears trailed down my face.

He turned from my gasping mother to face me and stared into my dark, dark eyes with his blazing red gaze. I stared back at him defiantly, trying my hardest not to look away from that vindictive gaze, though I knew I would have nightmares about those red fireballs for the rest of my life, if I managed to live at all. He seemed satisfied with my reaction, as though I had passed a test.

He raised his wand and pointed it at me. I gulped but otherwise made no motion to run away. The wand lowered and Voldemort began walking back and forth in front of me, amusement playing at his nauseating lips. "You need not ssssuffer the ssssame fate as your mother, you know, though sssshe will ssssurely die a sssslow and painful death for her refussssal of my blessssssing. But you, little one, have ssssomething of value to me. You hold a great power in your hand that I will harnesssssss. Join me, little one, give me the power that I sssseak, and I can promissssse you richesss and glory beyond your wildessst dreamssss." He waved a hand and the gag removed itself from my mouth to allow my answer to be heard.

I glared at him and spat in his direction. Voldemort's expression changed to a contemptuous frown and a frightening wrath filled his blood red eyes. "Very well. You will not be the only one to ssssuffer for your insssolensssssse. Crucio!" I braced myself for the pain that I was sure would wrack my body, but it never came. Instead, my mother's raspy and exhausted voice once again filled the room with shrieks that could barely pass for human.

I watched the form of my mother cry out again and again, her eyes wide and breathing frantic in her moment of such unbearable pain. "STOP!!!! Stop!!!! What do you want?!?" I cried out in anguish, unable to watch my loving, beautiful mom who had cared for me, loved me, taken care of me when I was sick, lay there whimpering in pain, her blonde hair slicked with sweat and her body twitching at odd moments.

"Aaaaahh. Perhapssss reassson isss not too far gone from you, then," the Dark Lord smirked. "I want only one sssmall thing from you, and if you deliver, you ssshall walk free from thisss plassse, but if you refussse, you and your pitiful weakling mother will die tonight." At this moment in time, it was difficult to tell exactly which Voldemort would prefer. The power of whatever he wanted obviously called to him, but his love of killing and destruction gleamed in his eyes and said clearly that he would not mind too terribly having to torture the two of us to death. Oh well, at least my death would make someone happy, I thought bitterly to myself, because there was no way in hell that I was giving that sick son of a bitch more power. I would die first. But I may as well play his little game. It might make my death swifter and less painful, or it might allow time for help to be on the way not that I was expecting anyone, but I could never give up until all hope was lost, I had to keep reminding myself of that.

"What, exactly, are you asking of me?" I asked as clearly as I could. I was actually almost proud of myself for being able to speak at all, so I could forgive myself the thread of doubt that made its way into my voice.

Voldemort smiled a twisted, vengeful smile and resumed his walking. "Sssurely you mussst know, little one. I want that which holdsss your heritage."

"I'm afraid I don't understand"

"The Amulet, you little fool! The Amulet, of courssse! What elssse could you be thinking of?"

"The necklace my mother gave me? Why would you want that?" I asked, just stalling now.

"Do not play the fool with me, little one. You will find that you will not like the consssequenssssesss, and Lord Voldemort can sssmell a liar. You know very well the power contained within that tiny ssssstone." Indeed, I did. It was an heirloom of my mother's family going back hundreds of years, passed from generation to generation to the oldest offspring on their sixteenth year. It was made by the powers of Godric Gryffindor himself as a gift forever to his line. Through it, the bearer held a terrible and wondrous power, his power, bound to the stone and the owner. But only those of his line could control it.

"Yes. I know of the power. But I do not understand how you wish to harness it. A wizard of such magnificent power such as yourself must surely know that the stone will only answer the calling of the Heir of Gryffindor in times of great need." I could barely believe the words I spoke. I had no idea how I managed to keep my eloquence while tied up in front of the most power-hungry, evil sorcerer of all time, but I was grateful for the ability. It was true, words did not fail me often. It was how I managed to stay out of trouble so much. That and my ability to come up with actually plausible lies on the spot.

Voldemort regarded me with a cold glare. "Indeed. I am well aware of the ssstone'sss unfortunate limitationsss. However, that isss of little consssern to me. I will be usssing the ssstone through you, you ssssee." A shudder ran through me at his words, though I did not understand. Until Voldemort raised his wand and said, "Imperio!"

My mind was washed blissfully blank. I liked this place very much, this place in my mind where all of life's worries disappeared. I felt empty and floating, no longer forced to be aware of the horrors around me. "Yessss, little one, give in to me. Come here and bow before me and take your rightful plassse at my ssside." The bonds of my ankles and wrists were gone now, but I barely noticed. Of course! How right that man was. If I just listened to him, followed him, I could have all I ever wanted. All I ever dreamed of.

No, a little voice in the back of my mind said. He is not to be trusted.

Of course he was! What did that little voice know? He was right there, how could I stand in such a presence and not bow? He deserved to be worshipped.

No, that wasn't right. That couldn't be me. I never talked like that. I would never bow down to such a vindictive murderer.

But the man "Come to me" He is calling. Surely all will be right with him. All I need do was bow. Bow to that heavenly creature.

No! the voice protested. But my feet were already taking steps towards him. How can you call him heavenly? Look at his eyes! His nose! That is not heavenly! That is grotesque! But my feet still brought me nearer to him. No! Think of your mother! What would she say, to know that you had given in to this snake so easily? She would be ashamed that her daughter could not throw off one little Imperious Curse as she had been trained to do! She lays there in pain watching you now, you know. How could you let her down? My steps halted and I concentrated on my mother's face.

"Come, join me, little one"

"No" I replied, as soft as a breeze in summer, but growing stronger. "No! Never! I will not bow to you!" I stopped walking forward and that blissful emptiness left me abruptly and I took in the angry eyes of the Lord Voldemort.

"No? No, little one?"

Suddenly I had an idea. If only I could pull it off. But it would include lying. Could I lie to Lord Voldemort? I and my cousin, Collin, had spent endless hours with my mom, training as hard as possible for something like this. I because there was sure to be a conflict with Voldemort, seeing as my mother and I were a few of the last remaining in the direct line of Godric Gryffindor himself, and Collin because anyone could use the extra practice. My mother had learned from my new Headmaster that Voldemort was fond of the Imperious Curse and was strong in Occlumency, and we had spent weeks building up our mental defenses. Theoretically, that meant that I could stand there and tell Voldemort the sky was green and the grass orange and he would not be able to tell that I was lying (unless of course he looked outside). But that was theoretically. What would happen to me now if I lied and he caught me? Then again, I reasoned, whatever it was, I would die anyway, if I didn't lie. So, here goes everything.

"No, I would not join your side under an Imperious Curse. Were I to come, it would be of my own will, no one else's." Dear God, let this work.

Voldemort raised his eyebrows but said nothing, allowing me to either pledge my allegiance to him or else dig myself into a very deep hole. With a last glance at my mother's now unconscious form, I nodded.

"I would serve such a powerful master willingly, so long as you do not attempt to control my mind. My mind is my own and I will make my own decisions." There, thrown in a bit of young defiance, add a dash of arrogance and a pinch of diluted praise, and you have the perfectly brewed mixture to make him believe any lie. After all, arrogance, defiance, greed and subservient praise were all he knew best. That and death, but if I was lucky, I would be avoiding that tonight.

"Indeed? Then bow. Show me your loyalties."

Shaking, I nodded. If I could just force myself to do this one thing, maybe my mother and I could go free. We could live. If I just swallowed my revulsion, I could save my mother. I had to believe that.

I walked slowly forward and bent to the ground at that monster's feet, forcing words of praise from my lips. "I am your humble servant, my great Lord." How I wanted to vomit at the very thought of ever serving that hateful, murderous, evil, inhuman thing.

"You do not lie," he said as a statement, though I knew he could barely believe it.

"My Lord," I said, attempting at surprised. "How could I ever presume such arrogance as to lie to you, such a great being?" I kept my head bowed for more than one reason. One was to pretend to show servitude, the other was to hide the disgust in my eyes.

I felt rather than saw that he was nodding. Great, sucker. Lap it up.

I registered movement in the direction of my mother and looked up to see her horrified face at my alleged submission to that distorted and deformed creature. I tried to communicate with her with my eyes. No! That's not it! This isn't real! But she didn't see the hidden message.

"No! Sienna? What have you done? Get away from that THING!!!" she got up off the floor, miraculously finding some emergency store of energy, and ran towards me, still bowed on the floor. However, instead of stopping at me, she launched herself at Lord Voldemort himself in a fit of panicked rage.

"No! Mom!"

"Avada Kedava," Voldemort said easily and the end of his wand exploded in a blast of violent, green light.

"NNOOOOO!!!!" I screamed as the lifeless form of my mother hit the cold floor in a crumpled heap. I was on her feet and at my mom's side before I could even register that I had moved. "Mom! No!" Tears streamed down my face as I took my mother's dead hand in my own. "No, no, no! I'm so sorry! I-I d-didn't mean it! I could never join him! I-I w-was j-j-just trying to p-protect you! Forgive me I love you"

I looked up just in time to catch the furious glare of Lord Voldemort before he said, "Ssso, little one, not ssso wisssse after all. CRUCIO!!!"

I couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. Couldn't see. The world was nothing but a burning, searing pain. My entire body was on fire, my nerves cracking and tearing. Stars and flashes of light danced in front of me, clouding my vision. Dimly I heard high, terrifying laughter. Wordless screams escaped my lips as I writhed on the floor. I thought I recognized the sound of fighting and someone screaming, but I couldn't tell if that were only the frazzled pieces of some memory of mine in my pain filled mind or if they were real. Waves of anguishing pain still crashed over me again and again and I would've begged for death to come were it not for the fact that I was screaming mindlessly as fast as I could draw breath.

Slowly, the pain stopped. I lay in a twitching heap on the floor for several seconds, relearning how to breathe and basking in the relief of the end of the pain, too shocked and hurt to even think. Slowly, the world around me once again came into focus, and oh what a jumbled world it was.

People in dark robes were running, dodging curses and sending a few of their own in the general direction of two figures standing back to back in the middle of the room, stunning and cursing Death Eaters left and right. More people were standing at the edges of the room surrounding the remaining wizards of Voldemort's Inner Circle and successfully blocking all the exits. Pairs were caught up in duels around the room, but over all it looked as though the Death Eaters were loosing. I was saved! Thankfully, everyone seemed to have pretty much forgotten me in the chaos around them. Shakily I got to her knees, trying out my sore and spasming muscles.

A Death Eater fell, Stunned, practically on top of me and I gingerly reached out a hand and took his wand. I had felt so vulnerable without one and it was reassuring to feel the course wood beneath my palm once more, even if it was someone else's wand.

Amazingly, I found some last store of energy backed by fear and adrenaline and got to my feet. The amulet about my neck grew warm against my skin and, out of instinct, I reached into my robes and drew it out. It shone a bright, brilliant, almost blinding gold in the dark, dank room. Fiery and pure energy and power filled me, somehow restoring my aching body, and I joined the fight, attacking the few remaining Death Eaters.

I started when I realized that I was using incredibly advanced hexes and curses that I had barely even heard of, let alone memorized into the crowd. It was almost as though someone else had taken over and I was just along for the ride. I did not understand, but didn't dare stop to question myself now. I had to concentrate or else I could be killed. Dodge, hex, curse, run, leap, dodge, curse, curse, run, duck, it all went by in a blur and instinct reigned supreme. Later I would remember almost nothing save my heart pounding in my ears and the mindless hexing of various people. I could never be sure how exactly I managed not to hit anyone on our side. I assumed that whatever force was guiding me that day knew what it was doing. But my energy was wavering and that streak of adrenaline that had coursed through me when I realized I might finally be saved was fading, leaving me sore, exhausted and in no condition to be fighting fully-grown wizards. My acute awareness of my surroundings was waning and I was sliding slowly into a numb unconsciousness, fighting to stay on my feet and keep going.

Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind and pulled away from the fight. I struggled against my captor, but seeing as I was having trouble even standing on my own, it didn't work too well. Frantically I tugged against the arms around my waist, but it was no use. Then the person spoke.

"Hush, stop. I've got you. It's going to be okay. Just calm down and stop struggling." Instead of hauling me out of the room like I had expected a Death Eater to do, the person pulled me over to a patch of deserted wall as quickly as possible and set me down on the floor. It was then that I got a good look at the man. He was about thirty-five, but had unseasonably gray hair at his temples. He had a kind face and deep, caring, blue eyes. He was not dressed as a Death Eater and I had the sudden feeling that this person could be trusted, though I had no idea why or where that instinct came from. "We have to get you out of here, to someplace safe."

Defiantly I shook my head, but it caused my vision to swim with dizziness and I knew he was right. I would only be a hindrance in any fight now. Hastily, the man pushed a red and gold feather into my hand. When I sent him a confused glance he explained quickly, "Portkey, to Hogwarts." I nodded my understanding just as I felt a tugging sensation somewhere behind my navel and the room disappeared in a whirlwind of colors only to be replaced with a circular office oddly decorated with many portraits of old sleeping men and women. It was only afterwards that I realized it was very stupid of me to trust a random person just because they weren't dressed in black robes, but at the time, I couldn't have done much anyway.

I had ended up sprawled on the floor staring at the ceiling of this strange room, my body shaking, spasming and aching so badly I could barely move, let alone stand up.

An old man I knew to be Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard in the world, rushed from around a desk and into my line of vision. In one sweep of his eyes he took in my bleeding ankles and wrists, the exhaustion on my face and the obvious aftermath of a very severe Cruciatus Curse. Without saying a word he stooped down and carefully picked me up in surprisingly strong arms, cradling my shivering body against him. He walked swiftly but carefully out of his office and down a peculiar staircase that seemed to be perpetually moving and through the door into a long corridor.

I stared unseeingly at his kind face that was currently distorted in concern bordering on worry. I was hardly aware of where we were going or what was happening around me. I was placed gently on some sort of soft surface and made to lay down. A horrible burning potion was forced down my throat, making me choke and sputter, but I instantly began to feel a bit better. And a bit sleepy

I heard people talking above me, but it was distant and my befuddled brain only processed every few words. "Sienna Dierdre Gryffindor Voldemort warn Cruciatus Curse" the voices faded into nothingness and I had time for one last thought before the Sleeping Drought kicked in. I'm sorry, mommy. I tried but I couldn't save you

Whew! Second chapter! Yipee! Anyway, what'dya think? Sad, huh? Oh, I could really use a Beta reader, if anyone would like to volunteer. I promise traditional HP characters in the next one.