Tears and Pain

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the wonderful J.K. Rowling.

Authors Note: Ah. The long awaited chapter has finally come. Finally.

Where the hell am I?

I seemed to be in a dark and damp jail cell, deep in the Malfoy dungeons. The only light that existed down here were torchlight in the hallways. I could see into the hallway, but really nothing else.

As I turned around, I smirked. The Malfoy Crest.

The cell appeared to be 10 ft. by 10 ft. Food and water were hidden in the corner. After I chomped on the stale food, I found a note hidden underneath it from Narcissa.

Dear Lily,

I'm so sorry. Lucius made me do this and I couldn't tell you. I don't know what they plan to do to you since I'm not included in the Death Eater meetings. Since I'm in charge of making your food, don't fear any poisons in them.

I'll try to tell you what's going on in the wizarding world in these notes.

Sincerely,

Narcissa

I was so confused. Narcissa knew that letting me in the Malfoy Manor was just a trick, but she didn't tell me? But the friend I knew would have told me it no matter what happened. Had Narcissa changed that much?

A more chilling thought occurred to me. What could he do to her?

Time passed slowly, giving me lots of time to think. Would be possible that Lucius would actually harm Narcissa? Would he beat her?

That's not out of his character, I thought. A smirk grazed my lips. The hallways were so dimly lit at all times that I couldn't even tell if it was night or day. I heard no other noises, other than faint footsteps or dripping water.

The last Ministry report of the Malfoy Manor was shocking in its own way. The dungeons held more than a hundred cells in a few acres. If someone, such as me, were to get stuck down here, no one would be able to find us without being caught by one of the Malfoys.

For what seemed like days, I was given hardly any food and a note was always given underneath them. Sometimes I was urged to give Lucius all the "secret" notes that Narcissa gave to me just to spite her. My thoughts were getting darker and darker and I felt as if I would never be able to get out of this damp cell.

Was James even looking for me now? Does anyone know I'm gone? Have they even noticed?

One day (or night, I was unsure), a man took me out of the cell. It seemed to be a relief to get out of there. But I feared what was to happen next.

"WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?" I screamed. After the ball, Lily had mysteriously disappeared, and no one knew where she was. The guests at the ball that were on our side were questioned and the last time they'd seen her was going outside with Snape.

People were scattering around me. I was famous for my temper, almost as much as Lily's, which was part of the reason why we worked so well together.

Snape was no where to be seen, and I was so worked up I was willing to go anywhere to murder him. Sirius came and tried to tell me that Lily's going to be okay. But he didn't know that Lily was given that note by Voldemort. Great. So he's probably involved in this.

Why wouldn't I tell anybody about the letter? It's not as if he's going to kill me for telling anybody else.

I told Sirius later, and his reaction wasn't surprising. People these days feared others who were the target of Voldemort. It was obvious. Sirius first looked fearful and then understanding. People thought that he was a lazy playboy, but he did have his good side. Sometimes.

"Well, that makes sense." He finally said.

"Why?" I asked, already somewhat knowing the answer.

"It seems as if the Malfoys are just Voldemort's dog, biting only where he wants them to. (A/N: That line's from Wolfspeaker by Tamora Pierce. Do not sue me.) So he wants them, they bring her in. And it happened. Knowing him right now, he's probably putting the Dark Mark on her."

The Dark Mark idea had never occurred to me. And now I knew Lily wouldn't return the same. There was no way that we would save her in time.

It was time to take action.

Sirius was working with his partner (ironically, it was Figg) to find Snape and figure out happened exactly last night. And I was stuck working alone trying to figure out her position on one of our blueprints of the Malfoy Manor.

The map was very strange. Somehow, I was under the impression that it was incorrect. But that would have to be impossible because we stole it from the Manor. Neither of the Malfoys would have ever known that it was taken.

When I checked the dungeons, I knew that there had to be some kind of hex or curse on the blueprint to make it incorrect for others. It showed that there were only 5 small cells, when it was known throughout the wizarding world that they had hundreds.

Lily was always best at this kind of thing. I closed my eyes in agony. She was our best curse-breaker. No one ever beat her, and she always was willing to help. I missed her. I loved her. I needed her so badly.

No one could figure out the counter-curse. Maybe even Lily would have been stuck on this one. But there had to be one. Had to be.

When Sirius found a growling Snape, he saw the map hidden in my office and did a double-take. I noticed this and told him to come to my office after Sirius questioned him.

I sat in my comfy leather chair that…that…Lily bought me. Merlin. Will I ever stop thinking about her? I thought about what she would say.

God James, this is one of the hardest ones I've ever seen. I don't think I can crack it. But wouldn't have Lucius made it for someone else other than him? We have to find those people.

Suddenly, I jumped in my chair. I figured it out. Lucius charmed it so only Death Eaters would be able to read it properly. I started jumping around and laughing with people openly staring at me through my glass window.

Sirius came through the door clutching Snape so hard that his knuckles were dead pale. I looked at him, and half-screamed, "I figured it out!"

Instead of the happy reaction I expected, he looked more mournful.

"Snape over here, told us what happened. She's already received the Mark. It's all too late."

Author's Note

Oh my God. I know that it's a short chapter, but I can't write much. This story should end in….maybe two or three more chapters. It's not a long one because I have no commitments to stories.

I finally updated Tears and Pain. OMFG. Sorry. I thought this story would forever be on hiatus, but it's not. Don't expect the new chapter to come quickly. I'm still going through my intensely long writer's block.

I tried to revise the other chapters. If they don't make sense now, I'm sorry but they were just so horrible I couldn't stand it.

Hopefully this chapter will show up on the front-page this time.

PLEASE REVIEW!