WARNING: This chapter is the first in a series of chapters that are individually rated PG-13.

Chapter Six: Rescue and Edging to Insanity

"It is much more comfortable to be mad and know it, than to be sane and have one's doubts."

-G. B. Burgin

October 29

As I look back the past few days, I've realized, however much I claim to be on the contrary, that I was highly ignorant to the darker aspects of life. I was ignorant to torture, murder, and crime. For a few blissful minutes during my abduction, I was senseless. I babbled meaningless things… such as the weather as of that moment, the speck of dust that stood out on the wall… That was my oblivion. My bliss relied on falling into near insanity.

As I end this entry, I realize what I have been naïve to all my life. I have been lying to myself and everyone when I say I have seen things many my age have never looked upon, and wouldn't dare before. Now, I can say those words and find my words ringing truth, instead of the falsities I spoke.

This is one feat that I find myself shamed upon claiming.

- Delayna Warbeck

Previously

Should I have stood up? I have not a clue. I have no accurate idea of what might have happened if I had played the dead hostage. Maybe the savage kick in the ribs might have been saved for the wall. Maybe the brutal punch to the jaw might have been directed at another. Nevertheless, I do not wish ill upon another being or the wall. Slytherin I may be, but sadistic I am not, contrary to popular belief.

"Get up, you filthy blood traitor," a sleek, sleazy voice hissed. When the Sorting Hat was placed on my head, it immediately crossed out the possibility of me being in Gryffindor. Daring I may be in working plans, but a fighter I am not. I did not move though, for pain was still coursing through my upper body and face.

I assumed he was a Death Eater who had abducted me. Who else would call me a blood traitor other than one under the service of Voldemort? Even Mother doesn't call me blood traitor, only a disgrace to her family line. She's semi-gentle… she's not harsh enough to call me a blood traitor.

I felt a swift kick to the stomach again but I chose not to flinch, although it sent jolts of harsh discomfort throughout me. Rejection from your own family is similar to that of physical pain, only much worse.

Flashback

"I know you don't want to do it, but you have to!" Damien insisted. I, then a fourth year like he, narrowed my eyes. Smart as he is, he doesn't have much sensibility.

"Damien, give me one good reason I need to know how to behave like a Slytherin," I seethed. Being in Slytherin was what cost me my family, after all. Why would I want to behave and be proud of being a Snake?

"Because you want your family to accept you for who you are, even if they don't like it and won't deal with it," he stated promptly. My resolve waned. It was true.

"It's no wonder you're my brother-at-heart," I whispered, giving him a soft smile. I wrapped my arms around him in a grateful hug.

"That's my little sister," he said fondly, ruffling my hair affectionately. I reached my hand up to straighten it as usual. "Rule Number One, don't show weakness. If something affects you, don't show any sign that it bothers you." I inclined my head in agreement. I had seen plenty of Slytherins act like this, and it seemed reasonable. "Pride is a Slytherin's most cherished trait. To hold your pride, show no weakness. Show only strength. Don't be embarrassed in situations that are made to humiliate or hurt you. Throw a jibe about it, make fun of yourself, but just don't show that it bothers you in any way."

End Flashback

I felt a hand go under my elbow and felt it grip my arm painfully. I struggled to keep my eyes closed to keep him from seeing the suffering I was put in.

"She's a mistake!" I heard the Death Eater shout. His voice was masculine. I could recognize it anywhere. It was Lucius Malfoy. He must have been accepted into the Death Eater ranks straight out of Hogwarts. "This is not Lily Evans! This is Delayna Warbeck!"

"Warbeck? Delayna? Oh, that Ravenclaw girl that was Sorted into Slytherin," another voice replied. I heard a rustle of cloth and assumed he had shrugged. "Do what you wish with her. She's expendable."

"She might be of use to Him," Malfoy remarked. "Regulus had reported that she had been acting odd lately and answering direct and precise questions with sufficient accuracy."

"How so?" the other inquired. I could hear footsteps grow nearer to my figure and continued the act of unconscious damsel.

"Watch, Dolohov," Malfoy snapped impatiently. "Where is Narcissa Malfoy located?" I thought I would fall out of consciousness truly this time, but my eyes snapped open and a vision of a platinum-blonde-haired woman appeared before my eyes.

"In the Malfoy Manor study," I felt myself speak clearly. My mouth had been moving of its own accord, and I was positive if I had spoken, my voice would be quite hoarse. Then… why is it so clear… and… and… precise? My eyes were still wide open and I saw the other Death Eater's eyebrows raise, as he was not wearing a mask like Malfoy had.

"Take her to Him," Dolohov commanded with a hint of eagerness. "My Lord shall be most pleased with you." He swept off, raising his hood and placing a mask in front of his face. My eyelids fluttered shut as I endeavored to shut down my mind to hold in the agony as Malfoy picked me up. He raised his wand and muttered 'Wingardium Leviosa' before I was lifted into the air.

I fell into what seemed like utter bliss.

"Wake up," an eerie voice murmured almost endearingly. "Wake up, my sweet, and serve me." Although I have never heard his voice before, I was sure that the voice belongs to Voldemort. The disgusting excuse of a being, Voldemort was his name.

"Crucio," he hissed. I knew that curse… we were taught that particular curse by Professor Moody in our sixth year. I didn't expect this though.

My back arched as what seemed like thousands of sharp knives pierced my skin, edging into my heart and seemed to rip apart each muscle and bone within me. I couldn't help it. I screamed. I screeched my anguish to all who would listen, hoping it would satisfy him.

It did, although it seemed to only double the pain that I was under. I writhed and twitched until I could no longer feel my own muscles. I could not feel the stone floor that was beneath me. My voice failed me. Finally, I slipped into unconsciousness, where paradise awaited me.

"She was most useful…" I heard someone sibilate not too far away, as my mind dipped into reality once again. "She answered every single question that My Lord asked with astonishing acuteness. It was most annoying when she failed to answer the last question about the Order because her energy had been depleted."

"She was tested today only. She will most likely be used tomorrow to gain information on Dumbledore's plans and Hogwarts' wards."

"So she is one of the Three Seers." Three Seers… now where have I heard of that…?

"Yes, Parkinson. Did you not hear her answer when My Lord asked the question?" Parkinson?

"No, not precisely."

"She is the Seer of the Present. Cassandra Trelawney is the Seer of the Future. She says the Seer of the Past has yet to be born." Seer… of… the… Present…

"So that means…"

"That she and Trelawney will be alive until all Three Seers are together."

"So if we kill her…" Kill…

"Then, we'll have to wait another century or so until another Seer of the Present is born."

"Why do we want all three together?"

"They are quite weak individually… weaker than us, really… but when they're all in the same room, they're going to gain so much power that it might equal to the powers of My Lord." Lord Voldemort…

"Amazing… What will their power be until they are together?"

"They will be like a normal witch. It is very hard to find any of the Three Seers, so the Dark Lord will no doubt try to keep this one."

"Where is she locked up?"

"I have no idea. Snape had to lock her up. He had ordered that she be imprisoned, and no one else volunteered so he chose Snape."

"Isn't Snape still in school?" Snape… Damnable Snape…

"He got his Mark early."

"Really, now? That's most interesting…" Very… very… Blankness.

It seemed like months that I stayed in those dungeons when in reality, it was only a single night. I was watching spiders and random insects pass by on the wall horizontally and vertically. I've counted twenty-seven spiders, forty-nine flies that have passed, and sixty-two other little things. I know I'm starting to babble. The guards have left my doors because of this incessant rambling.

Ooh, that's a pretty thing outside the… window! Yes, it is a window. Perhaps it is just a few bars on a hole in the wall. Shall I call it window… or just my access to the outside world? This is the first time I've seen anything so… so bright in this eternity in darkness!

I heard a rustle, but I refrained from looking towards the source. This ball of gas, as Muggles theorize, is radiant… so beautiful… The sun has most definitely been taken for granted by many, including myself. I felt shame.

"Warbeck!" I heard a voice call silently to my right. "Miss Warbeck!" I turned, passive over the fact that I had been called 'Miss Warbeck' instead of 'Seer Present', as the Death Eaters have named me.

"I am Seer Present," I repeated tonelessly, as I had been told to – or rather, they had beaten it into my head as I had rebelled for a few moments when I had been ordered to say these words. "What do you wish to ask of me?"

"Warbeck, stand up and come here!" a man in black robes commanded, though kindly, as I had been surprised to find. I moved fluidly and quickly, having the knowledge of the fruitless attempts to rebel scarred onto my paling skin. As I neared, I noticed that this Death Eater lacked a mask. For once, a slight hope sparked, but soon died as the man placed one over his face. Masque, as I had decided to name him (I named everybody that I had encountered in this little rendezvous, including a few spiders that had crawled in my cell), cast a charm on the bars of my cellblock. From the light his wand produced, I could tell it was a Silencing Charm, because I had used that particular spell plenty of times on Sirius Black when he annoyed me to no ends. Why would he wish to silence the bars, however?

Masque swung the door open, and I then understood why he had placed the charm on the bars, as it produced no sound. "Get up," he ordered harshly. I obeyed, that habit being beaten into me during my most delightful stay here. He grabbed me by the elbow in a surprisingly gentle manner, and began tugging me outside the cell. Without hesitation, I moved myself outside my small, choking cage and I breathed in a small whiff of freedom.

"Let's go," he said gruffly, carefully nudging me. I followed him complacently, waiting for more directions as to what I should do. Perhaps he was leading me to Voldemort's throne room. Mayhap he is the one to lead me out of this poor excuse of a habitat. I stifled these thoughts. I mustn't get my hopes up.

I must have been walking too slowly for his liking for suddenly, I felt the burden of my figure slip off my feet and I had been moving steadily and rapidly through the air. Masque had been reduced to carrying me.

I shielded my eyes as a radiant light shattered through my eyesight, and recognized the eerie yellow light that marked the Apparition area.

"Oy! You! What are you doing with Seer Present?" I heard a familiar voice echo. It was Malfoy. "Put her down this instant! Avada Kedavra!" The fool. He could've hit me. If he had, he would surely be tortured to the brink of insanity, and then killed the slowest way possible in Voldemort's rage.

Nevertheless, he didn't.

"Recedo" Masque mumbled under his breath. I saw the green light forcing its way through the air in our direction. I felt a tingle course through my veins. He had just muttered the charm to Disapparate. Where was Masque taking me, if he was not taking me to Voldemort's throne room?

I felt my energy wane as a mixture of bright and dark lights flash across my area of vision. I recognized the syndromes. I was about to faint once again. I held on. It wouldn't be good to fall unconscious during Disapparition. It was the cause of most of the splinching accidents, fainting. I felt Masque beneath me shudder as he too lost a significant amount of energy at the magic used for Disapparating.

I opened my eyes meekly, and awe shone clearly in my eyes as I recognized the village of Hogsmeade. My final thoughts thanked Masque with all my heart, as my awareness of my surroundings slipped.

Author's Notes: Yes, I know. Masque had gotten away quite easily. You will see why in the following chapter.

I am very sorry for the lateness in the update. I lost inspiration for a couple weeks and I just regained it today.

I am also planning to restart Two Worlds, One War later today, and maybe an update on those stories will be appearing sometime in the near future!

Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans reading this! May you stay healthy through all the turkey you eat!

- Cerulean Aphodel