Disclaimer: If you didn't know before you know now that I do not own any Harry Potter characters. They all belong to that god of a woman J.K Rowling.
Draco Malfoy woke up with a start and drenched in sweat. These menacing flashbacks had been happening more and more over the past few weeks, ever since that night at the tower. He ran his bony fingers through his long and tangled hair, he'd been stuck here in the basement of the dark lords home for nearly a month. Needless to say Voldemort wasn't happy about him not completing the one task he'd given him and reminded him each day with the Cruciatus Curse. The Dark lord also did as he said he would and killed Narcissa Malfoy, not only because Draco failed to kill Dumbledore himself, but because she had went to Severus and pleaded with him to make the Unbreakable Vow behind his back. With one wave of his wand Draco had lost the only person he had left in the world. And now he was all alone, bound to the Dark Lord by a mark burned into his skin.
"Boy!" the scratchy voice of that fat buffoon Peter Pettigrew called out from the top of the stairs. Draco's sensitive eyes looked up toward the ominous light as the balding man descended down toward him. "The dark lord wants you now"
Draco didn't fight as Pettigrew harshly yanked him up by his bony elbow and up the stairs. He knew just what Voldemort wanted him for . . . It was time for his daily punishment.
"Stand in front of the fire" Voldemort instructed as the two came up the stair's and behind him.
"You heard him!" Pettigrew snapped pushing the emaciated boy toward the fireplace.
Draco stumbled and fell forward landing on his face. With a howl of pain he rolled onto his back and held his aching nose.
"Get up you incompetent fool!" Pettigrew shouted hurrying over to seize the weak teen by his filthy shirt.
"Wormtail" Voldemort said warningly
Like a dog, Wormtail dropped him and receded "Forgive me, master" he apologized "The boy is . . ."
"You'll leave that up to me understand!"
"Yes sir, of course sir" Pettigrew said hurrying over to Voldemorts mangled hand and kissing it excessively.
"Back into your room, anymore of that and you'll return to Severus' house" Voldemort threatened pulling away his hand.
"Yes sir, of course sir, forgive me sir" Wormtail repeated backing up into the adjoining room, while seemingly stuck in a deep bow.
Once the door closed Voldemort got up out of he chair in which he sat and circled Draco who'd managed to get to where he had been instructed to.
"Draco, Draco, Draco" he said in a low growl "You know why you're here now don't you?"
"Ye . . Yes my Lord" he answered shakily. The dark lord asked questions before every torture session. This one however had not been asked before.
"Why, Draco?"
"Because I was unable to fulfill the task you put before me" he answered honestly.
"And you're ashamed of that aren't you?"
"Yes, my Lord"
"Any other reasons you'd be here?"
"My parents"
"Yes, what about them, Draco?"
"My father also did not fulfill the task you'd given him. And my mother-"
Voldemort interrupted him "To make it short, Draco, Your parents are just as incompetent as you are. Right?"
Draco knew it was in his best interest to answer but he would not. Nothing would make him say anything horrible about his mother.
"Don't make me repeat myself, boy" Voldemort warned
"My father"
"Your father what?"
"Is incompetent . . . and selfish"
"And your mother"
"I won't say anything bad about her" Draco said defiantly.
"You won't ?" The Dark Lord repeated incredulously standing in front of hit teen that was nearly his height "My boy you'll do whatever I tell you to do. Now, what about your mother"
Draco kept his mouth shut, if Voldemort decided to kill him now it'd still be better than going through what he had been these past four weeks.
"What about your mother!" Voldemort yelled
Once again he kept quiet and to his surprise Voldemort chuckled. "Defiant aren't we?" he asked. Draco looked up at him with his gray eyes and shaking already, he knew what was about to happen. "Very well, CRUCIO!"
Draco was hit with the spell square in his chest and he instantly felt a pain like no other. Onto his knees he fell gripping the ratty carpet set there. After a minute or so the curse was lifted, shaking and sweating Voldemort ordered him to stand once again. With great difficulty he did only to be hit with the curse again and again.
"Up!" Voldemort commanded after the thirteenth time.
Try as he might, Draco could not pull himself up. He received a kick in his stomach for than and as he lay on the ratty carpet breathing heavily and on the verge of unconsciousness. While down there he faintly heard Voldemort call for Pettigrew. He let out a sigh, grateful that it was over. Or so he thought.
"Hold him up" Voldemort instructed Pettigrew who did as told, using all of his strength to pick up the semi conscious boy.
Cold hands gripped his wrists and what felt like leather was being wrapped around them. Then Pettigrew let him go and he was only held up by his wrists.
"Open your eye's, Draco" Voldemort ordered "Open them!"
Again with great difficulty he did so and found he was staring into the face of the Dark Lord.
"You will not tell ME what you will and won't say" he hissed "Wormtail use the Cruciatus curse"
"M . . me, My lord?"
"That's what I said!"
Draco's head lobbed to the side and he could se the excited face of Peter Petigrew as he was handed the battered wand by Voldemort.
"Now" Voldemort said from behind him.
"CRUCIO!" Wormtail bellowed
Though he'd been going through this for more than an hour, the pain was still great. No matter how much he screamed he knew Voldemort would not lift the curse. And through his own screams he heard Voldemort roar.
"LEGIMENS!"
Suddenly he was attacked mentally and this proved to be just as horrible as the Cruciatus curse maybe even worse. His weakened body jerked uncontrollably he tried to pull away from his hangings, yet was quite unsuccessful. The pain proved to be too much and Draco lost all control of his own body and hung there limply.
"Yes" Voldemort said coolly lifting his attack and ordering Wormtail to do the same. He laughed watching as the urine dripped down Draco's trembling leg. "Lose control of yourself"
Draco didn't know how he could still be conscious but played as if he were unconscious in hopes that maybe Voldemort would throw him back in the basement. But the Dark Lord wasn't stupid, he knew Draco was still conscious and as long as he was he was going to punish him for his incompetence.
"Again" he ordered
"B . . but, my lord. He's no longer conscious. Don't you want me to take him into the basement?"
"He's not unconscious, Wormtail."
"My lord"
"Do as I say!" Together they attacked the boy once again and Draco was fully prepared should he die right there.
"M'lord" The scratchy voice of Bellatrix Lestrange echoed through the large great room.
Voldemort lifted his attack instantly and turned to the woman that stood before him looking slightly horrified at the sight of her only nephew, who was still being attacked with the Cruciatus curse.
"Bella" he greeted in a softer voice "I knew you'd be here"
"Of course" she said looking at her nephew as she kneeled to kiss his hand.
He pulled her up by her rough yet delicate looking hand and embraced her. "Bella" he crooned "Faithful, Bella"
"Only to you M'lord" she whispered as he pressed his hard lips against hers.
"Your nephews been a bad boy, Bella" he said looking into her eyes "I had to punish him"
"I do not question you, M'lord" she said hastily "I only ask one thing"
"What is it, Bella?"
"H . . he'll lose his mind if Wormtail continues. We need to use him again, once you've fixed him of course. Please, I beg you enough for tonight"
"Very well, Bella" he said "Wormtail enough!"
Yet the fat man did not listen and Draco, now fully unconscious was pelted with the curse again and again.
M'lord" Bellatrix whimpered
"Wormtail!"
Once again Pettigrew did not listen, he was cackling as he took out his frustration on Draco. It didn't seem like he would lift the curse until Voldemort pointed his wand at the fat, balding man and performed the curse on him. Pettigrew fell to the ground and shrieked in pain as Draco dangled there. Bellatrix was on her way to him when Voldemort pulled his wand away from Pettigrew and pointed it at her.
"Don't touch him, Bella" he warned. Bellatrix knew better than to disobey him and stood idly by watching the teen sway back and forth. "Take him into the basement!" he ordered Wormtail who was sobbing and asking for forgiveness.
"Forgive me, My lord" he cried still at his feet "I don't know what got a hold of me. Please Master forgive me!"
Voldemort lifted his foot and kicked Pettigrew "Shut up and do what I told you. You can spend the night in there too"
"My lord"
"That is enough!" Voldemort roared putting his arm around Bellatrix's shoulders and leading her away into another room.
Still blubbering Pettigrew untied Draco and pulled him by his arms down into the basement that locked behind them. He threw the teen down onto the dirty pile of rags he'd called a bed and stood there looking at him. He was barely breathing. A sick smile then appeared on his round face and he turned Draco over onto his stomach. He would get his payback now.