DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and
owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to
Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros.,
Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is
intended.
CHAPTER 4
Hermione was revived by a sharp kick in the ribs. "UP" said a very angry, very French voice. She stood weakly, shaking all over. "Time to meet ze master. E'll be very pleased to hear what you 'ave to say. Not very pleased with you though." Holding his wand to her back ,he pushed her forward, and her unsteady legs gave way, causing her to tumble to the pavement. "UP." He demanded once more. He could easily have floated her there, however her pain was so much more fun.
They walked slowly down a dark alley. Halfway down they found two trash cans. Hermione's captor began rummaging through the trash until he pulled out a black shoe. Forcing her to put her hand on it, he activated the portkey, and they were pulled away from the alley and into a small dark room.
"MARK." A mysterious voice said, and the death eater pulled up his sleeve to reveal the dark mark.
Hermione felt her stomach churn. This was bad. Very bad. She was trapped under the command of a death eater, she didn't have a wand, and he was about to bring her to the master, who she assumed was Voldemort. Worse yet, she felt ready to pass out at any moment.
"WHO IS THE WOMAN?" The voice asked.
"My prisoner." The man responded, showing the badge on her robes to the darkness.
"YOU ARE FREE TO COMMENCE."
Hermione felt her surroundings fade away, and they faded back in to reveal a very strange sight. Loud music blasted all about her. It was like some sort of surreal place, green lights flashing in the darkness, crowds of people in dark clothing all about her. A dance floor was packed with Voldemort's minions, the lower ranks she ascertained judging by their appearance. These weren't the wealthy and snobby pure bloods of the inner circle. They were the poor scum, hit men, people sent in on suicide missions, that sort of thing. They were the fools that powered Voldemort's army, and this was their sick and twisted club. Many of the men were heavily tattooed, pierced, or else had magically enhanced hair that flashed neon colors. The women were mostly scantily clad, and had quite a few piercings or tattoos themselves.
Those who had some small amount self respect sat in the corners of the room, shifty characters who whispered and loaded on drugs and alcohol. Not that the others didn't. It was clear that drugs were a major part of this club. Bars lined the walls as well, serving bright colored wizard concoctions that shone in the dark.
The club was dirty, rough and dangerous. Hermione started to feel far more nervous than she had previously, especially as huge block headed men glared at her, seeing her robes.
Her captor had removed his mask to reveal Jacques Farrier. She had already guessed as much. No doubt he could get straight to Voldemort, as he was a member of the inner circle. With his wand to her back, he forced her up a set of dirty steps, strewn with passed out death eaters. At the top of the stairs was a casino which seemed to be in full swing. As they approached the back of the casino, two towering guards stood before a back door.
"Ah, Mister Farrier." Said a deep voice of a hooded figure, their back to them. "Zis must be ze ever mysterious Monsieur Gage. I vould love to play a few rounds with you, but I 'ave very urgent business."
The hooded Mr. Gage spun quickly on the stool he was at. As he saw the two, he dropped his glass to the floor, and it shattered. Farrier gave him an odd glance, and shoved Hermione towards the door.
"Think I could go in anyhow? Just for a few rounds? I believe Malfoy and Lestrange are in there, I'd love the chance to test how rich their blood really is."
Farrier puller his mouth into a half smirk. "Of course." Mr. Gage got to his feet, and though Hermione could not see his face, she judged by his tall stature, good posture, well muscled figure and deep voice that he was probably a fairly handsome young man. Another rich, snobby, pure blood she thought bitterly. Yet, he couldn't be so high in the ranks if he had to request Farrier's permission to enter the room. The guards waved the three through after testing Farrier's identity through a few simple spells. Farrier was clearly trusted to bring whoever he wanted into that room.
The room was much cleaner and quieter, though not more comforting. Here was the casino for the inner ring members. She spotted Lucius Malfoy, and prayed to god he wouldn't see her. Yet, he did.
Standing up, the room fell silent, acknowledging the cruel look on his face. "Miss Hermione Granger? Ah, how long I have hoped to see you here!" He laughed cruely, and Lestrange stood up beside him. "You know this order member Lucius?" Lestrange asked coldly, an icy glint in his eye.
"Yes, she went to school with my son. A mud blood right Miss Granger?" She tried to stare at him sternly, but felt herself shaking all over. "Damn him." She thought.
"Good find Jacques." Lucius said, looking pleased with the display he was making for his audience. "Better yet, she was Potter's little girlfriend before he went missing in action." He let out a cold little chuckle, and Hermione felt her heart race. She wanted to yell a thousand things at him. "I was never Harry's little anything" or "I hear your son makes a good ferret Lucius, wonder how you'd look" or most pressing, "where is Harry?!" However, she swallowed all these words, and Farrier shoved her forward, causing her to stumble to the ground, falling at Mr. Gage's feet, who, of course, made no move to help her up.
She suddenly felt her headache lift, as though someone had just administered a first aid spell on her. Her dizziness eased up as she got to her feet. What was going on?
"Will you please watch her Lucius? I need to talk to our lord." Lucius nodded, a sick look on his face. As Farrier turned to leave, Lucius walked lazily over to her and slapped her across the face. "For my son" he drawled, and was suddenly thrown back by some invisible force. Something really strange was going on.
"Who did that?!" Lucius yelled angrily.
"If I may Mr. Malfoy, perhaps you're merely clumsy." Said Mr. Gage, who had been sitting calmly for quite some time.
Lucius glared at him. "Did you do it? You low ranking, fraud?"
"Check to see if I have a wand."
Lucius cast a spell to search for his wand, and when he found nothing glared at him in frustration.
"No wonder you wear the hood. Only a fool wouldn't carry a wand."
Silence rang throughout the room. Clearly these two men were considered to be extremely powerful, and their standoff was creating incredible tension.
Mr. Gage lowered his hood to reveal a man much younger than Hermione suspected.
His face was half turned away from his, and all she could see was the youthful state of his skin, and his black hair which looked freshly cut.
His gaze seemed to set Lucius off, because he stumbled back a half step.
"Let's play." Mr. Gage said in a very calm tone.
Lucius' eyes narrowed, accepting the challenge.
As Lucius walked towards the back of the room, Mr. Gage turned quickly towards Hermione, catching her eye.
Her heart stopped.
CHAPTER 4
Hermione was revived by a sharp kick in the ribs. "UP" said a very angry, very French voice. She stood weakly, shaking all over. "Time to meet ze master. E'll be very pleased to hear what you 'ave to say. Not very pleased with you though." Holding his wand to her back ,he pushed her forward, and her unsteady legs gave way, causing her to tumble to the pavement. "UP." He demanded once more. He could easily have floated her there, however her pain was so much more fun.
They walked slowly down a dark alley. Halfway down they found two trash cans. Hermione's captor began rummaging through the trash until he pulled out a black shoe. Forcing her to put her hand on it, he activated the portkey, and they were pulled away from the alley and into a small dark room.
"MARK." A mysterious voice said, and the death eater pulled up his sleeve to reveal the dark mark.
Hermione felt her stomach churn. This was bad. Very bad. She was trapped under the command of a death eater, she didn't have a wand, and he was about to bring her to the master, who she assumed was Voldemort. Worse yet, she felt ready to pass out at any moment.
"WHO IS THE WOMAN?" The voice asked.
"My prisoner." The man responded, showing the badge on her robes to the darkness.
"YOU ARE FREE TO COMMENCE."
Hermione felt her surroundings fade away, and they faded back in to reveal a very strange sight. Loud music blasted all about her. It was like some sort of surreal place, green lights flashing in the darkness, crowds of people in dark clothing all about her. A dance floor was packed with Voldemort's minions, the lower ranks she ascertained judging by their appearance. These weren't the wealthy and snobby pure bloods of the inner circle. They were the poor scum, hit men, people sent in on suicide missions, that sort of thing. They were the fools that powered Voldemort's army, and this was their sick and twisted club. Many of the men were heavily tattooed, pierced, or else had magically enhanced hair that flashed neon colors. The women were mostly scantily clad, and had quite a few piercings or tattoos themselves.
Those who had some small amount self respect sat in the corners of the room, shifty characters who whispered and loaded on drugs and alcohol. Not that the others didn't. It was clear that drugs were a major part of this club. Bars lined the walls as well, serving bright colored wizard concoctions that shone in the dark.
The club was dirty, rough and dangerous. Hermione started to feel far more nervous than she had previously, especially as huge block headed men glared at her, seeing her robes.
Her captor had removed his mask to reveal Jacques Farrier. She had already guessed as much. No doubt he could get straight to Voldemort, as he was a member of the inner circle. With his wand to her back, he forced her up a set of dirty steps, strewn with passed out death eaters. At the top of the stairs was a casino which seemed to be in full swing. As they approached the back of the casino, two towering guards stood before a back door.
"Ah, Mister Farrier." Said a deep voice of a hooded figure, their back to them. "Zis must be ze ever mysterious Monsieur Gage. I vould love to play a few rounds with you, but I 'ave very urgent business."
The hooded Mr. Gage spun quickly on the stool he was at. As he saw the two, he dropped his glass to the floor, and it shattered. Farrier gave him an odd glance, and shoved Hermione towards the door.
"Think I could go in anyhow? Just for a few rounds? I believe Malfoy and Lestrange are in there, I'd love the chance to test how rich their blood really is."
Farrier puller his mouth into a half smirk. "Of course." Mr. Gage got to his feet, and though Hermione could not see his face, she judged by his tall stature, good posture, well muscled figure and deep voice that he was probably a fairly handsome young man. Another rich, snobby, pure blood she thought bitterly. Yet, he couldn't be so high in the ranks if he had to request Farrier's permission to enter the room. The guards waved the three through after testing Farrier's identity through a few simple spells. Farrier was clearly trusted to bring whoever he wanted into that room.
The room was much cleaner and quieter, though not more comforting. Here was the casino for the inner ring members. She spotted Lucius Malfoy, and prayed to god he wouldn't see her. Yet, he did.
Standing up, the room fell silent, acknowledging the cruel look on his face. "Miss Hermione Granger? Ah, how long I have hoped to see you here!" He laughed cruely, and Lestrange stood up beside him. "You know this order member Lucius?" Lestrange asked coldly, an icy glint in his eye.
"Yes, she went to school with my son. A mud blood right Miss Granger?" She tried to stare at him sternly, but felt herself shaking all over. "Damn him." She thought.
"Good find Jacques." Lucius said, looking pleased with the display he was making for his audience. "Better yet, she was Potter's little girlfriend before he went missing in action." He let out a cold little chuckle, and Hermione felt her heart race. She wanted to yell a thousand things at him. "I was never Harry's little anything" or "I hear your son makes a good ferret Lucius, wonder how you'd look" or most pressing, "where is Harry?!" However, she swallowed all these words, and Farrier shoved her forward, causing her to stumble to the ground, falling at Mr. Gage's feet, who, of course, made no move to help her up.
She suddenly felt her headache lift, as though someone had just administered a first aid spell on her. Her dizziness eased up as she got to her feet. What was going on?
"Will you please watch her Lucius? I need to talk to our lord." Lucius nodded, a sick look on his face. As Farrier turned to leave, Lucius walked lazily over to her and slapped her across the face. "For my son" he drawled, and was suddenly thrown back by some invisible force. Something really strange was going on.
"Who did that?!" Lucius yelled angrily.
"If I may Mr. Malfoy, perhaps you're merely clumsy." Said Mr. Gage, who had been sitting calmly for quite some time.
Lucius glared at him. "Did you do it? You low ranking, fraud?"
"Check to see if I have a wand."
Lucius cast a spell to search for his wand, and when he found nothing glared at him in frustration.
"No wonder you wear the hood. Only a fool wouldn't carry a wand."
Silence rang throughout the room. Clearly these two men were considered to be extremely powerful, and their standoff was creating incredible tension.
Mr. Gage lowered his hood to reveal a man much younger than Hermione suspected.
His face was half turned away from his, and all she could see was the youthful state of his skin, and his black hair which looked freshly cut.
His gaze seemed to set Lucius off, because he stumbled back a half step.
"Let's play." Mr. Gage said in a very calm tone.
Lucius' eyes narrowed, accepting the challenge.
As Lucius walked towards the back of the room, Mr. Gage turned quickly towards Hermione, catching her eye.
Her heart stopped.